The film deals with the ancient Slovene folk custom of Shrovetide carnival when village youngsters wearing scary masks exorcise the evil spirit of Winter in a ritual dance, thus preparing the ground for the rebirth of Spring. The plot is set in the 18.century when Slovenia was ruled by the Habsburg dynasty. The authority is represented by a troop of soldiers, who come to the village with the task to prevent the carnival by force, but that it's not in their power, because the people prevail over any authority which does not stem for the people. In the fight between the authority and the people two youngster have been killed: Simon, who returns to his native village as a soldier and finds out that his former girlfriend is married to Stefan, and Jurij, who has been accidentally killed by his own brother Stefan.