The events take place at the end of the 20th century. In the village of Teklivka, two days before May Day, the Founder passes away-a woman who, many years prior, had been the village's first collective farm head. Her daughter, Lina, decides to bury her according to Christian tradition on the third day, which falls on May 1st. However, the head of the village activists, a supporter of reviving the Soviet Union, is outraged by this decision and forces Lina to reschedule the funeral. In the village, and especially among the activists, May 1st is customarily celebrated with a festive gathering. The Founder's funeral thus becomes a symbolic event, transforming from a burial of the deceased into a burial of human absurdity.
—Gilbert Grape