White Dew

The Belarusian village White Dew is slated for demolition, forcing residents to move into high-rise apartments in the city. The looming eviction unsettles the community as they imagine a new urban life and the loss of their familiar countryside. People begin to brace for change while trying to preserve family ties amid the upheaval.

Fedos calls a family council with his three sons and their spouses to discuss the warrants and the coming move. Andrei and his wife push for the best possible benefits, while Fedos weighs moral choices against personal gain. The meeting exposes competing interests that threaten the family’s unity.

Mishka Kiseli returns to White Dew and confronts his past with Marousia. The others learn that Mishka has come back and is once more involved with Marousia, reawakening an old love triangle. Marousia’s fragile situation becomes more entangled as the past revisits.

Vaska returns from a three-day absence in the city and is told by Andrei that Mishka has come back and is with Marousia. The love triangle intensifies, threatening the family’s fragile balance. Tensions grow as loyalties and past ties complicate the housing struggles.

Fedos acts as negotiator and suggests that Vaska move to his house while Mishka moves to Marousia, aiming to secure a three-room apartment for the family. He insists that the granddaughter must not learn Mishka is her father. The plan reveals a desperate bid to stabilize everyone amid the relocation.

Galyunya visits Mishka’s household and offers a doll to ease the situation, but Mishka’s mother rebukes her son for continuing the relationship with Marousia. The scene highlights stubborn loyalties and the intergenerational friction within the family. The future of the daughter remains a point of contention.

To speed up the divorce, Vaska agrees that Marousia should claim he drinks and neglects his daughter, and he goes to wait in court. He buys a drink on the way, and a chaotic stroller incident leads to a car-related clash, resulting in a 15-day arrest. The housing crisis gives way to legal trouble that disrupts his plans.

While Mishka leaves White Dew, Andrei visits Vaska in custody. Vaska persuades Andrei to switch places with him for half an hour so he can rush home and check on his daughter. The vending of roles reveals shifting priorities and a renewed sense of family loyalty.

Fedos remains unsettled about moving, so Timofey prescribes a tincture to ease the back pain. The two men test it on their dog Jack, who seems to die from the alcohol but later is found alive, prompting a panic and a hospital visit to rinse their stomachs. The comic misadventure underscores the villagers’ improvisational handling of trouble.

Mishka leaves White Dew for good, and Andrei visits Vaska again. Vaska decides to switch places with Andrei and head home to see his daughter, signaling a shift from personal vendettas to family concerns. The moment underscores the complexity of forgiveness and practical decisions in the crisis.

Sasha’s wedding to Verka, a classmate of his, becomes a keystone in the housing plan as the apartment above is allocated to Verka. The staged matchmaking evolves into a practical solution for securing a home within the new city. The ceremony marks a turning point in the village’s adaptation to urban life.

After Sasha’s wedding, Marousia asks Vaska to return, and he agrees, provided there is a place for his aging father to stay. He asks Verka to help prepare a sleeping space for Fedos, signaling a tentative reunification of the family under the new housing plan. The household settles into a precarious but hopeful balance.

At the first light of dawn, Fedos thanks the sun for his life and prays for warmth and safety for the children. The village begins to glimpse a hopeful future despite the upheaval, united by family ties and the promise of new homes. The film closes on a note of quiet resilience.