1936. Giovanni Comini, the youngest Federal in Fascist Italy, is summoned to Rome for a delicate mission: to surveil aging national poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, whose increasingly restless behavior Mussolini fears could damage his alliance with Nazi Germany. However, after spending time with D'Annunzio, Comini finds himself torn between loyalty to the Party and his fascination with the poet, who will put his burgeoning career at risk.
Dafne has recently lost her mother – and Luigi his wife – in an accident. But whilst this 30-year-old, who was born with Down’s syndrome, is still managing to master her life with verve after the terrible disaster, her father sinks into a depression. It will take all the energy Dafne can muster to help him get back on his feet. Fortunately, headstrong Dafne happens to have a lot of it up her sleeve.
Loose adaptation of Italy's national epic, Alessandro Manzoni's “The Betrothed”. In war-torn 17th century Italy, shady feudal lord Don Rodrigo eyes young and beautiful Lucia, who loves—and is reciprocated by—commoner Renzo. The two lovers plan to marry in secret, but Rodrigo discovers it and they are forced to flee their village, becoming separated and each facing many dangers, including the Plague.
Maria studies at the university while her boyfriend Paolo is an established journalist. Both are drug addicts. Maria and Paolo try to detox with the help of a specialized clinic but it doesn't last long: back from a trip during which they proved to themselves that they could resist without drugs, both fall victim to addiction again. The consequences are not long in coming.
Mauro, a judge, is worried about his older sister Marta, who took care of him since he was a boy, and now suffers from mental illness and suicidal thoughts. She seems to recover from her depression when Mauro acquaints her with Giovanni, a brilliant actor at the edge of legality. However, Mauro becomes unconsciously jealous of their relationship.
The real story of the partisan Silvio Corbari (Giuliano Gemma). Silvio forms a band of partisans in Northern Italy, completely independent from the Italian organized resistance (CLN). Ines (Tina Aumont), leaves her husband to join the band and becomes Silvio's lover. Silvio seems to suceed in creating a free-zone, his personal republic, independent from Nazi-occupied Italy, in a little village called Tregnano.
An island has been decimated by a volcanic eruption and the few survivors escape to a nearby island. Led by Rutolo, they know that their new home is equally susceptible to such a catastrophe via its own volcano, but they are unable to convince the current inhabitants of Island #2 to flee with them to a mainland.