Its first part tells of wondrous archetypical elements within the Russian culture, as connected to the pre-electrified epoch that is being narrated.

Similarly, elements of the heroic epic are included within the part narrating the protagonist's involvement in World War II.

Afanasy "Afonya" Ustyuzhanin is an aging man who spends all of his waking hours chopping a corduroy road "anywhere away from Yelan".

In June 1941, Aleksei, a teenager, returns to Yelan and meets Taya, at that point still a naïve girl; she becomes infatuated with him.

Meanwhile, Philip, who is in Moscow, has risen high into the ranks of Soviet leadership, but wrestles with his conscience over the plan for a massive hydroelectric dam project that would flood Yelan.

At a party conference in Moscow, a telegram arrives with the news of the oil strike, which vindicates Siberia as a mining center.

[2] Eduard Artemyev's theme from the movie, Crusade, was covered by the Russian trance act PPK and issued under the title "ResuRection" in August 2001.

In 2020, it was used again by European music producers VIZE and Alan Walker for their song Space Melody (Edward Artemyev), a dance record which featured German singer Leony on vocals.

[4] Two further covers were released in the same year; the single Sibiriada by CS-Jay (Christian Steen Jensen) and the album track Siberiade by Messer Chups.

The movie's theme was also used during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, when Lyubov, the little girl, climbs in the air.