The film begins during the First Balkan War in 1912, set against the backdrop of the Kingdom of Serbia, which was part of the Balkan League fighting against the remnants of the Ottoman Empire. The story opens with a Serbian military unit, led by soldiers Gavrilo and Đorđe, as they face an ambush from Ottoman forces. During the attack, Gavrilo is gravely wounded and loses his arm, yet Đorđe manages to save him, highlighting themes of loyalty and friendship amid the chaos of war.
The narrative then advances two years later, in 1914, coinciding with the outbreak of World War I, particularly focusing on the Battle of Cer, which marked the first allied victory in the war. The story unfolds in and around a modest village situated by the Sava River near Serbia's border with Austria-Hungary. This village is characterized by deep divisions among its inhabitants; on one side are the able-bodied men who are potential soldiers, and on the other are disabled veterans from the Balkan Wars. There exists a palpable hostility between these groups, who, despite living side by side, rarely socialize or mingle.
The core of the film revolves around a complicated love triangle involving Đorđe (the village gendarme), his wife Katarina, and Gavrilo, the young disabled veteran. Prior to the war, Gavrilo was engaged to Katarina, but he went off to war, where he suffered his injury and lost his enthusiasm for life. Despite her marriage to Đorđe in his absence, Katarina still secretly harbors feelings for Gavrilo, creating tension and emotional turmoil within the community.
As the war intensifies, almost all able-bodied men from the village are mobilized for combat. This leaves behind only women, children, and veterans with disabilities. Rumors circulate that the disabled veterans are attempting to take advantage of the situation by pursuing the women—wives and sisters of the soldiers—leading to suspicion within the community. These whispers reach the front lines, and in a desperate effort to prevent chaos, the Serbian army decides to incorporate the disabled veterans into the fighting forces, sending them to the perilous front.
The film depicts the harrowing realities of war, highlighting the heavy losses suffered by the Serbian army at Cer and the desperate need for reinforcements. Along with Gavrilo and others, the soldiers launch a reckless, suicidal attack against Austro-Hungarian lines, a desperate gambit in their fight for survival. During this final battle, both Gavrilo and Đorđe succumb, sacrificing their lives in a last stand.
The story concludes with villagers inspecting the battlefield, where they find Gavrilo and Đorđe lying dead side by side. This poignant image symbolizes reconciliation and forgiveness, as the two former enemies—Gavrilo, the disabled veteran, and Đorđe, the soldier—are united in death, having finally put their differences aside amidst the horrors of war.
This film explores themes of love, loyalty, societal divisions, and the tragic toll of war, emphasizing how personal relationships are tested and transformed amidst the chaos of historical upheaval.
