A jail not far from Moscow for young people who have been convicted of serious crimes: the site of an extraordinary experiment. In February 2004 the Berlin theatre group “aufBruch” set off Russia to stage a theatrical performance with the help of these prisoners. For two months Genadij, Alexej and Alexander - along with 20 other prisoners - attend rehearsals every afternoon. The three of them have been convicted of manslaughter or murder. Everyday life in this tough, impersonal prison has taught them to keep their feelings hidden… but in order to act in this play they need to open up. A difficult process of mutual discovery begins, between the theatre people from Berlin and the young Russians who are so vehemently opposed to them from the outset - and it ends with a surprise which neither side could possibly have expected.