On a dilapidated, remote farm, Vanya (Richard Roxburgh) and his niece Sonya (Hayley
McElhinney) have worked slavishly for years to sustain an estate in decline. Now the Professor (John Bell) and his wife Yelena (Cate Blanchett) have returned to visit, bringing with them chaos and disruption. Constant visits from the charismatic Astrov (Hugo Weaving) are not helpful. It is in this climate of
frustration, thwarted hopes, and disarray that three consuming love affairs grow.