“Polumgla” literally means “dusk,” but in the film it is a northern Russian village, far away from the front lines, where German prisoners of war are sent to build a tower declared to be an important military project. The village women, losing hope of ever seeing their husbands alive, initiate interaction with the captives, which evolves into a bitter-sweet coexistence. When the tower nears completion, the tragic news breaks: the Soviet military leadership announces the uselessness of the construction and decides upon “liquidating” the POW unit.