Ivan is Russian, his neighbor Assan is Kazak. They live side by side in a small Kazak village. When Ivan's wife gives birth to a baby with dark skin and slanted eyes, Ivan suspects that his wife cheated on him with Assan. Conflict settles in between the two families and continues for several years. Ivan decides to go to see his grandfather on the other side of the border to learn about his family's history. He learns that his ancestors were nomads. Assan also disappears into Mongolia; when he reaches the southern seas, at the edge of the world, he finally finds peace. One thing is for sure, although generations have been torn between love and hate, everyone is linked in some way: Russians and Kazaks, Christians and Muslims, Europeans and Asians.