1989. Saidulla, a retired Soviet military officer, lives alone in a small house. His son and grandson live in the same town, but they never visit. He is often afflicted by visions of an old war time comrade who comes to haunt him. In these visions, the comrade is clad in the same uniform and rifle he had on him just before he died. During a routine checkup, Saidulla discovers that he has terminal cancer. Knowing that his time is short, he tries to take care of important matters. He must solve pending issues at the school he works for, be reconciled with his son, and visit an old friend to tell him the truth of a past he has kept hidden for years. Fortitude tells us that the tragic events that occurred during the Soviet era are not yet over and they still persist in the present tense for the independent countries of Central Asia. (Hong Sangwoo)