Seven year old Marushka (FLORENCE HOATH) lives with her grandparents (JOAN PLOWRIGHT and IAN BANNEN), in an Eastern European city in the 1950s. Her mother (IMOGEN STUBBS) has left to pursue her acting career. Marushka is presented with the conflicting religious values of her grandparents and the Political system taught at school, which in turn is what her uncle (HUGH LAURIE) fights against. What is Marushka to believe Eventually Uncles dissident behaviour begins to threaten the family. Secretly Uncle decides he has to escape and get out of the country. But, unknown to all, Marushka is aware of his plan and she is determined to go with him.