Grandmother Elvira spent her entire life fighting. At first she stubbornly defended her right to happiness and independence, but even now, despite her venerable age and fragile health, her struggle is not over yet, because her pregnant daughter and little granddaughter need her so much. When nine-year-old Suiv is suspended from school, the inimitable Elvira readily takes on the task of teaching her granddaughter. She will teach Suiv to count, write letters, read prescriptions for medicines, dig graves and resolve conflicts with guards, but most importantly, she will teach her granddaughter the most difficult thing - how not to lose in the daily grueling struggle for yourself and your loved ones, and how not to lose the taste for life.