The 1950s. The construction of the Karakum Canal is underway in Turkmenistan. The fate of this large construction site is closely linked to the fate of many of the film's characters: correspondent Koryshev, who reveals the lies of his colleague Zurabov's ostentatious, slanderous articles; talented young engineer Karabash, whose advanced construction methods are supported by the construction site chief Ermasov; embittered old engineer Khorev, who, out of envy for Karabash, writes denunciations to the Central Committee of the party against him and Ermasov..
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Pyotr AleynikovMaryutin | Maryutin |
 Arina AleynikovaNot listed | Not listed |
 Khodzha Durdy NarliyevNot listed | Not listed |
 Leonid SatanovskiyNot listed | Not listed |
 Anatoliy RomashinNot listed | Not listed |
 Boris KudryavtsevNot listed | Not listed |
| AAman KhandurdyevNot listed | Not listed |
 Anatoliy KubatskiyNot listed | Not listed |
 Yan YanakiyevNot listed | Not listed |
 Khodzha Kuli NarliyevNot listed | Not listed |
 Oleg ZhakovNot listed | Not listed |
| TTaras AleinikovNot listed | Not listed |
 Stanislav MikhinNot listed | Not listed |
 Rayisa NedashkivskaNot listed | Not listed |
 Artyk DzhallyyevNot listed | Not listed |
 Valeri MalyshevNot listed | Not listed |
 Sarry KarryevNot listed | Not listed |
 Raisa KurkinaNot listed | Not listed |
 Khodzhan OvezgelenovNot listed | Not listed |
 Aman OdayevNot listed | Not listed |
 Andrey StapranNot listed | Not listed |
| KKuluk HodzhaevNot listed | Not listed |
 Muhammed CherkezovNot listed | Not listed |