In a remote village in the mountains of northern Vietnam, two young teachers and a janitor struggle to keep open a small school, attended by children of ethnic minorities. It seems as if they have been at the school forever, overcoming obstacles, working hard to keep the flame of education alive. On the other hand, there is their desire to fall in love and start a family of their own, as well as the issue of their spiritual isolation.

Tanh, who likes a drink now and then, is sweet on teacher Giao, but she’s sleeping with a local man, a secret that ignites the jealousy and malice of one of her students. Groundbreaking in many ways, this film has been noted as "one of the truly great contemporary Vietnamese films."