Aisulu Akhmatova is a renowned cotton grower, but her rising fame sparks resentment in her husband, who assaults her in the very fields where she works. With her daughter, Aisulu seeks refuge at her parents’ home, only to face judgment from those around her. Determined to rebuild her life, she takes a job at a virgin lands collective farm, where she is appointed brigade leader and entrusted with the daunting task of cultivating a barren, rocky field.