Clumps of grass sway in the wind. On the horizon the lush green colour merges into the bright blue of the sky. This is the steppe in south-west Russia: an endless expanse, a place where nothing seems to happen. It takes a second look to discover the inhabitants. These people, who all have their own relationship with the steppe, are the subject of the documentary film, Faces of the Steppe. A slip of a lad who lives in a remote village in the Republic of Kalmykia, Boris doesn't say much. He comes to life as he wanders through the steppe. Childhood has come to an abrupt end for the cadets from Chutor Popov. They practice drill and prepare for their military careers. Bearded Slava takes great pleasure in life. He comes out to the datcha with friends as often as he can, to fish and enjoy the peace and quiet. Hans, from Thueringen, is always travelling through the steppe for work; there is a lot for him to do near the former Stalingrad. His journey through this fascinating landscape becomes a journey into the past...
Berlin director Daniel Erb shows us the landscape and its inhabitants in evocative images and with the richly detailed original soundtrack. Gradually and with great empathy he reveals the daily lives of the faces of the steppe - not as a commentator or protagonist, but as a silent, close observer.