This sprawling epic set in the Siberian province of Dauria during the First World War and the Russian Revolution tells the story of a band of Cossacks and their exploits under the guidance of a strong ataman. One of them, Roman Ulybin, is in love with beautiful Dashutka. Roman asks his father to send a matchmaker to the girl's family before she's snatched up by someone else; but a wealthy criminal has already hired the local matchmaker to get the girl for his son. Shortly thereafter, when the girl marries the other boy, Roman leaves his father's home frustrated and joins Communist revolutionaries. The villagers' troubles, however, are far from cured after the Bolsheviks successfully grab the reins of power back west.

DVD-R is in Russian with switchable English and Spanish subtitles.  Approx. 172 mins. See film sample for audio and video quality!