Kirill, a former student who was expelled from the capital's university, returns home to the province, but finds a once picturesque corner of the country in a deplorable state. A local factory is dumping waste into the river, protected forests are being cut down uncontrollably, and spontaneous landfills are proliferating around the city. The weak-willed elderly mayor turns a blind eye and dreams of resigning, handing over the election to a protege of businessman Zuev, the owner of the factory and the informal owner of the city. In order to save his hometown from corruption and environmental disaster, Kirill and his childhood friends decide to take an ambitious step: register a "green" movement, nominate their candidate for mayor and join the fight against a greedy competitor and the distrust of local residents.