1918年，在一个拘留营里，一群芬兰演员被判处死刑。当一个重要的德国将军到达营地时，他们被告知如果能使将军欢笑，他们就能活命。

10-year-old Vinski feels like an outsider and invisible among his age-mates, and even with his single mother Krista. Vinski meets a mysterious pharmac