In a post-war Italy steeped in confusion, a group of Italian prisoners of war returns home after years of captivity. The story revolves around Alberto, an ordinary man who perfectly embodies the feelings of many: the longing for freedom and the desperation to reintegrate into a normal life. However, upon arriving in his small village, he faces a heartbreaking reality. The place he longed for has dramatically changed; desolation, hunger, and poverty are now the hallmarks of his home.
As the memories of the past continue to torment him, Alberto encounters old friends and acquaintances who, although happy to see him, have also been deeply marked by the war. Through a series of meetings and partings, the film explores the profound scars that war leaves on the human psyche. With his family and neighbors, Alberto tries to adapt to this new reality, but he realizes that the war has left an impossible void to fill.
With a tone that oscillates between comedy and drama, the film reveals how returning home is not always what one expects, and how the struggle for normality can be even more desolate than the fight on the battlefield itself. Ultimately, it is a reflection on human resilience, the search for identity, and the value of the bonds that unite us in difficult times.