Vitaly enjoys the dusk of his life on an island with thousands of feral horses until his solitude is interrupted by Seymour, an emotionally and physically abused international chess grandmaster.

The Island Within

Seymour Tahirbekov is an international chess grandmaster from Azerbaijan. Having won the Candidates Tournament, Seymour earns the right to challenge the defending world champion Skroten Gudmonson in the World Chess Championship match. With a few weeks left before the championship match, Seymour’s psychological and emotional state deteriorates under escalating abuse and pressure to succeed by any means.

Hotel Room

This Wonderful, Wonderful World

Fourteen-year-old Rustam lives with his mother in a village; his father was killed by the Russian mafia. After his father's death, Rustam tries to provide for himself and his mother without resorting to illegal money-making schemes. But his dream is to join a music band. The title of the film refers to an Azerbaijani fairy tale about saving a princess from a house with 40 doors; no one has succeeded in opening the last door, and thus its secret remains hidden. The villagers have named their village the 40th door as well.

The 40th Door

"Buta" is the story of a lonely 7-year old boy (named Buta), who lives in a mountain village with his grandmother. He is befriended by an old man, a liquid soap merchant who once loved (and lost) Buta's grandmother. The old man's friendship and wise advice helps Buta to overcome his difficulties in life. Buta's grandmother, in the meantime, is weaving a special carpet in memory of Buta's mother. The carpet features a special pattern (also called "Buta"), which represents love. The boy is inspired by his grandmother's work, and decides to make his own "buta" made of rocks and stones, high on the top of the mountain...