Piero [Johnny Dorelli] is a dentist who lives apart from his wife Roberta [Laura Antonelli], and in a bid to share a traditional two weeks of vacation with his children, Fiorella and Claudio, he buys a small boat named Biba to sail from Civitavecchia to Sardinia. Roberta herself heads south from Milan to join the voyage aboard the Kabir, a sleek yacht owned by the engineer Casorati [Vittorio Musy Glori], whose crew is filled with well-to-do, self-assured people who look down on the more modest family voyage. The scene is set for a family trip that will test loyalties, appetite for freedom, and the delicate balance between affection and independence.
The start of the trip is anything but smooth. The Biba, which is supposed to be a carefree two-week escape, proves a stubborn craft from the outset. It behaves like a half-hut rather than a seaworthy vessel, and the moment Piero takes command, the propeller gives out. He must dive into the sea to recover it, wrestling with the stubborn machinery and the salty air, while the fragile plan begins to fray under the pressure of bad luck and growing frustrations. After a few miles of dangerous navigation, a mishap forces them back to Civitavecchia when a net is torn on the fishermen’s gear, creating a tense moment of guilt and responsibility that places everyone on edge.
When the family finally reaches the Argentario coastline, Roberta’s concern for the children pushes her to leave the Kabir and insert herself into the more intimate shelter of the Biba. She wants a closer eye on Fiorella and Claudio, and her decision marks a turning point in the trip, forcing Piero to reckon with his pride and the reality that his vacation dream must contend with the needs of his family. The journey resumes, and the voyage gradually reveals a deeper current beneath the surface: the possibility of renewed closeness between Piero and Roberta. As they navigate the sea and its small, stubborn challenges together, their relationship begins to thaw, and the old warmth flickers back to life.
On land, the dynamics aboard Kabir add another layer of tension. Alessia [Daniela Poggi], a nurse who has become a lover to Piero, asks for a professional favor—an introduction to her own dream of expanding her medical practice by earning a recommendation from a well-known dentist. The arrangement sets off a delicate, awkward sequence that puts Roberta on alert and tests the boundaries of trust between them. A dinner is arranged under the pretext of propriety, and Piero agrees to accompany Alessia, using a harmless pretense to keep the connection discreet. Yet the ruse doesn’t go unnoticed; Roberta sees the situation clearly, and the couple faces a painful moment of truth. The dialogue cuts through the rumor and bravely acknowledges that they still feel a powerful pull toward one another, and that perhaps their bond can endure beyond the missteps of the past.
Meanwhile, the Biba continues its voyage and briefly appears to be ascending into a smoother horizon. The couple manages to reach the boat with a rubber craft, a small triumph that underscores how resourceful they can be when the stakes are high. But their temporary reprieve is shattered when two prison escapees board the Biba, turning the family’s fragile happiness into a crisis. The fugitives’ presence throws the vessel into chaos, and the would-be captors try to exploit the moment of vulnerability. Piero and Roberta act with surprising presence of mind and teamwork, managing to subdue their captors and regain control of the situation with a blend of restraint and quick thinking.
Yet the sea throws another wrench into things. Fiorella and Claudio, frightened by the violence and convinced that their parents have fallen prey to bandits, believe their world has been torn apart. In a moment of crisis, the children act with a mix of fear and duty and end up sinking the Biba by mistake, a drastic misinterpretation that isolates the family in the open water. Stranded in the middle of the sea, the parents must improvise a new plan for survival while keeping hope alive for their kids. It is here that Attilio [Christian De Sica], a figure connected to the Kabir’s world, comes into play as a guardian in disguise, stepping in to help the stranded family and set a path toward reconciliation and safety.
The boat’s sinking and the improvised rescue become a turning point that redefines the family’s future. The reunion is not simply a return to the past but a reimagining of what the family can be together. With Attilio’s intervention providing a lifeline, the family is brought back into each other’s orbit, and the narrative closes on a note of renewed commitment. Piero and Roberta, now more aware of the fragility and fragility of the life they share, look toward a fresh start—one that could include a bigger, sturdier boat and a future built on honesty, shared responsibility, and the joy of simply being together.
The story, at its core, remains a nuanced portrait of love’s resilience. It threads humor, tension, and genuine emotion through a summer voyage that tests every member of the family. Through setbacks and small triumphs, the film holds fast to the idea that genuine connection can survive miscommunication, temptation, and the fear of losing one another. In the end, the couple’s determination to rebuild what they have, with their children by their side and the possibility of a new, larger boat on the horizon, offers a hopeful, grounded note that stays true to the spirit of a family seeking its place on the sea of life.
