Based on true events and located in one of former Yugoslavia's most notorious prisons of the Eighties, the film tells the story of Martin Pavlovic, sentenced to 12 years for murder. In prison he has to deal with all sorts of inmates: Rapists, thieves, serial killers and political prisoners live cell to cell, cut off from the "civilized" outside world. They live by the rule of the strongest. The most dangerous ones are the sadistic wardens though: They miss no chance to harass the inmates. The years go by until one day Martin learns from a fellow prisoner that he is only in prison because he has been taken for a ride by one of his best friends. But before this informer can testify in court he dies from a drug overdose, crushing Martin's last hope. When two inmates are regularly slaughtered by the wardens during an attempted jailbreak, Martin and some of his friends take three wardens hostage. They hope for improved imprisonment conditions from a hastily flown-in spokesman for the Ministry of Defence if they set their hostages free.