Den skotske polisen Sgt. Howie får ett anonymt brev i vilket han ombeds utreda en ung flickas försvinnande. Han beger sig till den avlägsna ö från vilken flickan försvunnit och upptäcker där en sekteristisk sammanslutning som fortfarande dyrkar de gamla gudarna. Misstankar väcks om att flickan kan ha blivit offrad till gudarna.

Having returned from the army, 20-year-old Sergei settles down at the thermal power station and merges into ordinary life. Every day he meets and spends time with childhood friends — the young family man Slava and the merry fellow Nikolai, and once at first sight he falls in love with a stranger on the bus. A lyrical story about a generation of young people entering adulthood, a reappraisal of values, life principles, traditions in culture and art.

An aging opera singer looks back on her long life, including her relationships with her vocal teacher and a student.