Overview

The story, based on the lives of the director's parents, is set in Bologna and begins on the banks of the Reno River. The protagonists are Francesca Osti, daughter of a socialist worker, and Carlo Dagnini, son of a middle-class merchant. Within a few years, Francesca and Carlo leave their respective partners and begin a relationship despite their social and political differences. However, Carlo and Francesca are forced to return to Bologna to their families, partly due to the attack on Togliatti.