Riga, the 1930s. Oļģerts Kurmis, an educated unemployed, does all kinds of odd jobs. Together with his friend, vagrant Frīdis, they sometimes work for Mr. Kalnkāja who dreams of becoming a member of parliament. Kurmis feels responsible for his neighbour Emma, the young woman has just served a prison sentence for petty theft. He helps her to get a maid's position in the Kalnkāja household. While helping Kurmis and Frīdis with Kalnkāja's election posters, Emma is arrested again, this time for a "political offence".

The last summer of World War II in a Latvian fishing village. Ten-year-old Rita risks her life to care for and provide everything necessary for four prisoners of war rescued by fishermen—a Frenchman, a Russian, and two Latvians—who are hidden in the attic of a school converted into a warehouse by the German army.

Marcis Seglins, a retired factory craftsman finds a new hobby - training young workers.

A film based on novels by Latvian writer Andrejs Upīts tells a story about Latvian peasants around the 16th/17th century when they were under the role of several other countries.