In 1910, the final year of Leo Tolstoy’s life, his loyal disciples, led by Vladimir Chertkov, engage in a strategic battle against his wife, Sofya, striving for control over Tolstoy’s literary legacy after his passing. The story unfolds at the enchanting Tolstoy estate in Yasnaya Polyana, where the dynamic between Tolstoy and Sofya, shaped by a long and intense marriage, reveals the deeper conflicts between his spiritual philosophies and her aristocratic, traditional beliefs.

The core of the struggle revolves around a newly proposed will. The “Tolstoyans” aim to convince him to sign it, a document that would place all his copyrights into the public domain, effectively leaving his family without the financial support they need. This intricate power play is portrayed through the perspective of Valentin Bulgakov, Tolstoy’s newly appointed secretary, who becomes entangled in the tension, acting as a mediator between two opposing factions. Additionally, he embarks on a romantic relationship with one of the Tolstoyans named Masha.

As the story progresses, Tolstoy ultimately agrees to sign the contentious will and embarks on a journey to a secretive location where he can pursue his writing in solitude. In the aftermath of his departure, Sofya finds herself in a state of despair, leading her to a desperate attempt at suicide. Meanwhile, while on the road, Tolstoy’s health begins to decline. The film crescendos at the Astapovo railway station, where Sofya is granted a fleeting chance to see him in his final moments. The narrative concludes with the poignant note that by 1914, the Russian Senate restored the copyrights of Tolstoy’s works to Sofya, cementing her as the protector of his literary legacy.

“I know that I’m going to die.”