Two years of observing Nikita Mikhalkov, one of Russia’s most famous directors and actors, and a key figure in the Russian acting school. The film becomes a chronicle of a creative laboratory, revealing Mikhalkov’s methods of working with actors and his perspective on contemporary reality. The filmmakers take the bold step of getting as close as possible, capturing rehearsals, reflections, and creative searches, allowing the audience to witness his live, direct interactions with students and colleagues.

Young pupils of the Kovalevsky Orthodox Orphanage must fulfill the mission, on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, serve the Divine Liturgy on Mount Elbrus. The chronicle of the ascent unfolds against the backdrop of the lives of boys in an Orthodox orphanage.