The action takes place in Siberia where a mysterious wall appears from time to time. Scientists are dispatched to study it and some of them believe that the wall is produced by some sort of alien intelligence, "the Martians", as they call them. The scientists attempt to communicate with the Wall, but all they experience in return are hallucinations about their past experiences. In those visions they are faced with some unresolved issues, repressed memories, and absurd dream-like situations. They meet people – messengers – from their past who reveal to them some simple truths about their own lives, which may be hard to accept, so they dismiss those messengers as the Martians and stubbornly continue attempting to "understand" the Mysterious Wall using their rational minds.

卡麦尔刚从学校毕业，被指派前往哈萨克大草原的集体农场工作。他本来开拖拉机，却被专制且蛮不讲理的队长阿巴卡安排驾驶水车。阿巴卡捉弄、嘲笑卡麦尔，甚至责备他懒惰。卡麦尔看不惯阿巴卡待人的态度，提出要按照原先委派的任务去开拖拉机。这引发了阿巴卡的不满，迫使大家在他们两人之间做出选择。
凭《上升》获柏林国际电影节最佳影片金熊奖的舍皮琴科，在这部毕业作品已显露才华，改编钦吉兹·艾特马托夫的小说，于哈萨克贫瘠草原上拍摄，面对极端气候，通过具有隐喻性的视听语言，勾画出价值观的冲突，获卡罗维发利国际电影节最佳处女作奖。