Moscow, 1902. The famous director Konstantin Stanislavsky, in search of inspiration for staging a new play, decides to get acquainted with the life of the city "bottom". He turns to Vladimir Gilyarovsky, a recognized expert on the Moscow slums,
When a creative, sensitive teen from a dysfunctional family meets a beautiful, enigmatic runaway; his life is turned upside down when he travels the dark path with her toward parties and drug addiction.