On an estate known as Inviolata, which has remained isolated since 1977, a community of 54 farmhands tirelessly toil on a tobacco farm under a sharecropping system that leaves them perpetually in debt and without pay. The estate is ruled in a feudal style by the infamous Marchioness Alfonsina De Luna, dubbed the "Queen of Cigarettes." Among the workers is Lazzaro, portrayed by Adriano Tardiolo, who diligently obeys every directive from the Marchioness, her son Tancredi—a character portrayed by Tommaso Ragno—and the estate manager.
Tancredi forms a bond with Lazzaro and concocts a scheme to fake his own kidnapping in an effort to provoke his mother and extract some of her money. Together, they venture into the wild, crafting a fake ransom note while deepening their friendship. During their escapades, they even mimic a wolf's howl, attempting to connect with a solitary wolf that roams the land; Tancredi affectionately entertains the idea that they could be half-brothers, considering his father's reputation as a womanizer. Lazzaro, however, takes this notion quite seriously.
In a twist of fate, Tancredi's mother swiftly uncovers the ruse, but the estate manager’s daughter, believing the situation to be real, calls the police during a rare moment of cell service. Authorities arrive by helicopter, unveiling the shocking reality of the estate’s operations, including the illegal sharecropping and the lack of educational opportunities for the children. The police take action and dismantle the operation at Inviolata, leading to Alfonsina’s arrest in a scandal famously referred to as the "Great Swindle." In a turn of events, Lazzaro, preoccupied by the helicopter, tumbles off a cliff and lies unconscious in a ravine, only for a wolf—whether real or metaphorical—to recognize him as a good soul.
When Lazzaro awakens, years have mysteriously passed, but he has not aged. He stumbles into the now-abandoned Inviolata, where robbers, including a former child resident, are pillaging. They deceive Lazzaro, claiming that the estate is moving and the city is just a short walk away. With no knowledge of the urban life, Lazzaro embarks on a journey to the city. There, he encounters Antonia, played by Alba Rohrwacher, who recognizes him from the farm. She introduces him to a group of impoverished former residents of Inviolata who have turned to crime for survival. They share the tale of the Great Swindle, but Lazzaro remains fixated on finding Tancredi.
When he finally hears Tancredi’s voice calling for his dog, Lazzaro is joyfully reunited with his "half-brother." Tancredi, who now runs a nightclub, extends an invitation to his former estate workers, showcasing his wealth. However, when they arrive with lavish pastries as gifts, they're met with disappointment as Tancredi has forgotten their meeting. Feeling abandoned, Lazzaro and his companions stumble upon a church, where they’re not allowed to remain due to a nun’s restrictions. Yet the organ music follows them, creating an ethereal atmosphere around them as they decide to return to Inviolata and claim it as their own.
As the narrative unfolds, Lazzaro discovers that Tancredi has squandered the De Luna fortune to the bank. Wanting to assist his half-brother, Lazzaro visits a bank, where he inadvertently triggers a panic by appearing to wield a firearm. As chaos erupts, he simply requests the return of the De Luna fortune. When the bank's patrons realize that Lazzaro is merely holding a slingshot, they turn on him and he meets a tragic fate. The story concludes with the haunting image of the wolf, which escapes the bank and races freely through the streets, returning to its natural habitat.
