The childish pastimes and hobbies of Genka, chief character of this film, give way as he approaches the formative years of adolescence. This is the time when the qualities of manhood develop and his place in life is determined. Genka graduates and starts his apprenticeship-work which he enjoys, meeting new people every day. Out of his friendship with Tanya, first love develops; they soon become inseparable, and when his work takes him to a distant part of the country they plan that she should follow.

The director, writing about the film, said "... I wanted it to convey the freshness of spring and the feeling that something wonderful was about to happen. In a word, I wanted it to convey the mood of that morning in May ... I wanted very much to give the principals of my film the things my generation never had ... I was so full of sentiment while working on the film that I added a love story for the older generation too".

This tender tale of young love has sentiment without being sentimental. What propaganda there is, is satirized. Made in Yalta by a new company, its freshness and verve promise much from the director. Goodbye Doves was awarded the Silver Medal at the Locarno Festival.