My Joy

Young driver Georgy sets off during the heat of summer to transport a load of flour to another town. His journey is filled with anticipation as he navigates the roads in his light truck.

At a roadside police post, Georgy face difficulties with two rude and corrupt officers. To escape their grasp, he cleverly swipes his documents and manages to drive away unnoticed.

On the road, Georgy picks up an elderly hitchhiker who recounts a traumatic story from the aftermath of World War II. He shares how he sought revenge against a corrupt military officer who robbed him and ultimately shot him.

After a brief stop to rest, Georgy returns to his truck only to find that the old man has mysteriously vanished. This sudden disappearance leaves him puzzled and concerned.

Georgy then crosses paths with an underage prostitute to whom he shows kindness by offering money and food. Surprisingly, she rebuffs his generosity, belittling him before walking away.

As night descends, Georgy finds himself lost and decides to camp in an open field until morning. His night of solitude is disrupted by three local men who approach him under the guise of friendly conversation.

The local men, while engaging Georgy in conversation, suddenly turn violent and attempt to rob him. One of them strikes Georgy on the head with a log, rendering him unconscious and leaving him vulnerable.

The narrative shifts back to World War II, where two Soviet soldiers encounter a widowed teacher and his son. Viewing the teacher's pacifism as treason, they brutally murder him, leaving the child orphaned and alone.

Fast forward to winter, Georgy now lives in the deserted house of the murdered teacher. The blow to his head has left him mute and wandering aimlessly, while a woman takes advantage of his condition.

A policeman visits the woman sheltering Georgy, warning her that authorities are searching for him and urging her to dispose of him. This escalates the woman's exploitation of Georgy as she prepares to evade the authorities.

Georgy finds himself apprehended by local authorities following a violent encounter. However, he is freed later that night when chaos erupts as another inmate distracts the lone guard during a fight.

After the woman sells Georgy's truck, he is left abandoned in a snowy village. He becomes increasingly isolated and shunned by the local community until his physical and mental state deteriorates.

In a stroke of luck, Georgy is found by the elderly hitchhiker he once picked up. The old man takes Georgy in, offering him a semblance of safety amid the chaos of his life.

A military van arrives in the village, tasked with transporting a dead soldier's body. The officers involved face struggles as they navigate the bureaucracy of tracking down the soldier's family amidst their own personal issues.

Georgy's journey takes a dark turn as he encounters a truck driver and reflects on the futility of each individual's interference in each other's lives. Tension escalates when he witnesses a violent confrontation between the corrupt police officers and a police major.