It is the spring of 1948. The joy of peace has not yet faded, but the Cold War is already fully impacting the relations between the East and the West. Deep Šumava forests separate the two blocs. Twenty-four-year-old cook Josef Hasil serves in the kitchen of the National Security Corps in Zvonková. Despite his young age, he has already experienced a lot. He’s been through a German labor camp and worked with partisans. Now, he primarily longs for fun, adventure, and freedom, with politics being the last thing on his mind.

CIC agent Klára entrusts Hasil with a difficult task: 'You will lead the armed partisans across. If you fail, everyone you care about will suffer.' Hasil picks up the thrown gauntlet. 'If I see them first, they won’t catch me…' The King of the Šumava comes to life.

In the morning, I’ll lead people across the border, at noon there’s a wedding, and then we’ll dance and drink until morning. I can handle that no problem. No tree grows to the heavens - only the one whose roots reach into hell. The story of the King of the Šumava reaches its climax. The noose is tightening.

In prison, Hasil is given an ultimatum: Either he betrays his old friends, or he will never return home. Meanwhile, the pressure on his pregnant fiancée, Marie, intensifies in the Šumava region, as they try to force her to find another suitor. Hasil must escape from prison as soon as possible, while there is still someone to return to.

Hasil is serving a nine-year sentence in the mines, where he loses strength every day. He tries to come up with an escape plan and convince his fellow prisoners to risk their lives for freedom. Meanwhile, at Marie’s home, an unexpected person knocks on the door, asking for help.

Hasil crosses the border one last time to finally take Marie and his son with him. However, the border guards know everything and launch an extensive operation with only one goal: to kill Josef Hasil. The final battle worthy of the true King of the Šumava begins.