Siberia, 1930s. Ten-year-old Ilka runs away from home to escape his stepmother and joins a team of loggers rafting wood along the Mana River. Here, the young hero learns the dangerous trade and finds friends.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| MMisha EgorovIlka Verstakov | Ilka Verstakov |
 Pavel KadochnikovUncle Roman | Uncle Roman |
| PPyotr KadochnikovIsusik | Isusik |
 Leontij Polohov"Frying Pan" | "Frying Pan" |
 Vyacheslav VoskresenskyTrifon Letyaga | Trifon Letyaga |
 Ivan SavkinAzariy | Azariy |
| AAndrey TorkhovDerikrup | Derikrup |
| AAnatoliy BystrovGavrila | Gavrila |
 Yuriy NazarovVerstakov, Ilka's Father | Verstakov, Ilka's Father |
 Lyubov PolekhinaIlka's Mother | Ilka's Mother |
 Arina AleynikovaIlka's Stepmother | Ilka's Stepmother |
 Elena MelnikovaFesha | Fesha |
 Vladimir GusevFesha's Husband | Fesha's Husband |