Yerevan in the early 1990s, against the background of the Karabakh war and harsh post-Soviet life. Sako, a struggling painter, tries to preserve his art, his family, and his self-respect. Tension with his wife Nune, poverty, the empty bravado of friends, and Hasmik’s unexpected presence force him to choose between adapting to the practical rules of his surroundings and remaining faithful to a world in which art still has value. We thank Anna Mnatsakanyan for granting permission to publish this work on our website free of charge.