A deaf boy named Sergey enters a specialised boarding school. In this new place, he needs time to make his way through the school hierarchy, where crime and prostitution are commonplace. By participating in various robberies, he rises up in the organisation. Then he meets Anna and falls in love. How does this end for Sergey?

The boarding school where The Tribe takes place is an institution for the deaf. That is why not a word is said in this film. There is plenty of talking, but all the dialogues are in sign language. No subtitles and no voice-over, as the text makes clear at the start of the film.