The film follows a group of 10 students and their two inspirational teachers as they struggle with poverty and develop hopes for the future in Gantong Village, located at Belitung.

In 1974, SD Muhammadiyah Gantong, taught by Muslimah Harfan, and Bakri, awaits ten students as required by law.

During the after-exam holiday, the boys meet Flo, an SD PN student who gives Mahar one of her National Geographic collections featuring the Asmat people.

Mahar, skillful in art, is assigned by Muslimah to form an idea for the Independence Day carnival competition, and he proposes an Asmat-style dance; they won first place.

Ikal reveals that he received a scholarship at Sorbonne in Paris, which is his dream city as caused by former love interest A Ling, who is A Kiong's cousin.

"[2] The Bangka Belitung provincial government declared some of the locations used in the film as areas of importance to culture and tourism in 2010, and provincial tourism chief Yan Megawandi said the decision was "primarily" made to help raise funds for the Muhammadiyah elementary school on which the film and novel's story are centered.