In the mountains of Northern Albania, a young man seeks revenge for his father's death. The murderer has disappeared a few months ago and the police is still looking for him. The young man kidnaps the killer's only son and raises him up until he reaches his 16th birthday, when according to the Kanun, the Albanian law of revenge, a child becomes a man and he is allowed to kill or to be killed.

Leta has not been able to pay the rent for several months. When she and her one-year-old son are thrown out of their apartment, they move in with Sophie, an old woman confined to bed, whose daughter has just employed Leta as a caretaker. In order to keep her job and a roof over their head, Leta has to keep Sophie alive at any cost.