German Democratic Republic 1985: Robert (20), Eric (19) and Frank (19) have a dream. The boys want to escape the dreary GDR everyday life in a village called "Elend" near the border and go over to the west, in a promising future beyond the iron curtain. In fact, they manage to approach the border installations and the death strip. But then they are discovered. Only Robert can squeeze his way through the fence to the other side at the last second. He runs for his life, trips, falls and loses consciousness. When he wakes up again, he is in the care of a farmer and his daughter. The place where they live seems more or less deserted. Then his two friends reappear who seem strangely disturbed ...