A saga of ambition, political turmoil, and tragic romance set against WWII Bulgaria.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Countryside Beginnings
Irina and Lila navigate rural life and political awakening, while Boris secures his status through marriage. Their shared communist ideals shape their early decisions.
Key Events
Grape Harvest Meeting — Irina and Lila attend a harvest where they first encounter Boris. Characters: Irina, LilaLocation: Countryside Vineyard
Communist Recruitment — Both women join the Communist Party, aligning their political paths. Characters: Irina, LilaLocation: Countryside
Boris's Marriage — Boris marries Maria, securing his social status and factory ties. Characters: MariaLocation: Tobacco Factory Estate
Sofia Studies — Irina leaves for medical studies, distancing herself from rural life. Characters: IrinaLocation: Sofia University
Factory Empire & Illness
Boris inherits wealth as Maria's health fails. Irina returns, rekindling a forbidden romance that reshapes their lives and social standing.
Key Events
Sofia Studies — Irina leaves for medical studies, distancing herself from rural life. Characters: IrinaLocation: Sofia University
Factory Inheritance — Maria's father dies, Boris inherits the factory and gains immense wealth. Characters: MariaLocation: Tobacco Factory
Maria's Decline — Maria suffers from mental illness, losing recognition of those around her. Characters: MariaLocation: Factory Estate
Boris & Irina Romance — Irina and Boris rekindle their love, becoming secret lovers. Characters: IrinaLocation: Sofia
Maria's Death — Maria passes away, clearing the path for Boris and Irina. Characters: MariaLocation: Factory Estate
Boris & Irina Marriage — Irina and Boris marry, uniting factory wealth with Irina's background. Characters: IrinaLocation: Sofia
War & Betrayal
Political strikes and Allied bombings expose Boris's moral decay. Irina is manipulated into a dangerous seduction plot to secure a Greek deal.
Key Events
Boris & Irina Marriage — Irina and Boris marry, uniting factory wealth with Irina's background. Characters: IrinaLocation: Sofia
Factory Strike — A violent strike erupts, resulting in the death of Irina's father. Characters: Irina, LilaLocation: Tobacco Factory
German Deals — Boris negotiates with German entrepreneurs as war tensions rise. Characters: IrinaLocation: Sofia
Sofia Bombing — Allied bombings devastate the city, exposing Boris's opportunistic nature. Characters: Irina, LilaLocation: Sofia
Seduction Plan — Boris tasks Irina with seducing German director von Geyer for a Greek deal. Characters: IrinaLocation: Boris's Office
Irina & von Geyer — Irina becomes von Geyer's lover, drawn by his aristocratic philosophy. Characters: IrinaLocation: Greece
Greek Deal — The trio finalizes the massive tobacco transaction in Greece. Characters: IrinaLocation: Greece
Greek Folly & Fall
The Greek deal collapses with Boris's death. Irina returns to bury him as war concludes, leaving a haunting silence and unresolved political shifts.
Key Events
Greek Deal — The trio finalizes the massive tobacco transaction in Greece. Characters: IrinaLocation: Greece
Boris's Malaria — Boris contracts fatal malaria from alcohol exhaustion during the trip. Characters: IrinaLocation: Greece
Boris's Death — Boris dies, ending his rise and leaving Irina to face the aftermath. Characters: IrinaLocation: Greece
Partisan Advance — English forces and partisans launch open combat as the war ends. Characters: Irina, LilaLocation: Bulgaria
Boris's Burial — Irina buries Boris at their original meeting spot on September 9, 1944. Characters: IrinaLocation: Countryside Vineyard
Final Shot — A gunshot echoes as Irina completes the burial, leaving the future ambiguous. Characters: IrinaLocation: Countryside Vineyard
Story Breakdown
Rural Origins & Politics — Introduction to the protagonists' backgrounds and early political alignment.
Grape Harvest Meeting — Irina and Lila encounter Boris during a countryside harvest.
Communist Party Alignment — Both women join the party, shaping their ideological paths.
Marriage & Inheritance — Boris secures wealth through marriage and factory ownership.
Boris Marries Maria — Union with the factory owner's daughter elevates Boris's status.
Factory Wealth Acquisition — Inheritance transforms Boris into a powerful industrialist.
Romantic Entanglements — Complex love triangles and shifting alliances among the women.
Irina & Boris Romance — Rekindled love leads to a secret affair and eventual marriage.
Maria's Mental Decline — Maria's illness isolates her and clears the path for Irina.
Political Upheaval — Strikes and violence disrupt the factory and personal lives.
Factory Strike Violence — Labor unrest escalates into deadly confrontation.
Irina's Father Death — A tragic casualty of the strike deepens Irina's political resolve.
War & Moral Decay — WWII tensions expose Boris's opportunistic and ruthless nature.
German Business Deals — Boris negotiates with foreign entrepreneurs for profit.
Sofia Allied Bombings — City destruction mirrors the collapse of Boris's moral compass.
Tragic Conclusion — The Greek deal fails, Boris dies, and Irina faces the aftermath.
Boris's Malaria Death — Alcohol exhaustion and illness claim Boris in Greece.
September Burial Ritual — Irina returns to bury Boris, ending his legacy with a gunshot.
Boris Morev dreams of money and power, he’ll do everything to reach the top, including leaving his beloved Irina, to marry the daughter of the local tobacco factory owner. With the death of his father-in-law and the illness of his wife, Morev becomes the new owner of "Nicotiana" and rules with an iron fist, resulting in massive labour strikes and murder. He ropes Irina back into his life, first as a mistress and later as his second wife, but his ambitions still come first as he plans on emerging as the biggest tobacco seller once the war is over. Irina’s love for Boris is fading and she finds a lover in one of the Germans Boris is trying to strike a deal with. Set against the backdrop of World War II and communist partisans fighting against the Nazi-allied Bulgarian monarchy, the film is a screen adaptation of the Bulgarian classic novel "Tobacco" released in 1954.
