In 1915, Helene Schjerfbeck resides as a forgotten artist in the countryside. Everything changes when an art dealer discovers her and her collection of 159 exquisite paintings and wants to curate a solo exhibition in her honour.

In June 1941, a Finnish machine gun company is deployed from its barracks to prepare an invasion of the Soviet Union. Crossing the border, the band of men engage in guerilla tactics as their advance on Soviet positions spills into local cities.