Cărturan, a 60-year-old man living in a commune in Romania, is overwhelmed when he finds out that because of an incurable disease, he has very little left to live. His situation is all the more complicated because he takes care of his 12-year-old nephew, whom the man has grown up alone since he was very young – he was the only relative of the child. Used to the life’s difficulties, Cărturan begins his little odyssey before death. During the time he has to live, the man wants to solve two very important things for him. The first is finding the best place for his nephew to live until he is old to be on his own. But without spending a consistent amount of money, which Cărturan does not have, the only option for the child remains the orphanage, where there are poor conditions. The second thing the man wants to do is to organize a remembrance for his soul, as is customary in the area where he comes from. This less-known habit will bring Cărturan in conflict with the local priest, who has a completely different view of the Christian order. When he sees that things are not going in the right direction, Cărturan realizes that he is forced to do some unexpected choices.