Based on the novella "The White Steamer", by Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov, SHAMBALA tells the story of a lonely, impressionable, seven-year-old boy who lives in a protected forest, high in the mountains, with his grandfather, step-grandmother, auntie and uncle. He spends his time exploring and listening to legends from his grandfather, in particular tales about the sacred Mother Deer.