The film is based on Sergei Dovlatov's novel "Pushkin Hills" [Zapovednik], with the action transposed into our days. Konstantin, a songwriter and master guitarist, runs away from numerous problems to the nature reserve Mikhailovskoye. Kostya has long lost any way of income and has almost given up hope to be heard, living by sheer inertia and often drawing on alcohol. His wife and daughter are going to Canada, and in his head he constantly turns around the question: what exactly has gone wrong? How can he put it right? Does anyone need his creative work at all, or has he just talked himself into that? Maybe Konstantin has enough energy to change things, but he strongly doubts that: indeed, why and for whom should he try. Nevertheless, the nature reserve is the right place to collect his thoughts, break the minefield of his own life into sections, and get to work.
