Three young immigrant boys, Wasim, Riaz and Munawar, come of age in the east end of Oslo, Norway. They find school boring and become attracted to the hard boiled gang East Side Crew, run by brothers Sadiq and Khalid. Petty theft soon develops into drug dealing, violence and murder.
Lotte and her father moves in with Kristin, a former beauty queen, and her daughter, Vendela. Kristin is grooming Vendela to win the Little Miss Norway contest, and as a result both girls get more and more preoccupied with their looks. When Lotte is allowed to participate in the contest, it soon becomes clear that being too vain can be a frightening experience.