One night at Trieste in September 1943 a seriously wounded soldier is found on the quay, with no recollection of his identity or even which language he speaks. The doctor entrusted with his care, originally from Finland himself, believes the man to be a sailor and a fellow countryman, and dedicates himself to teaching his patient Finnish. Thus begins the reconstruction of the identity of Sampo Karjalainen, leading the missing man to return to Finland in search of his identity and his past.