The Secret of Santa Vittoria

In the summer of 1943, Santa Vittoria lives on wine as its lifeblood while World War II rages nearby. The looming German occupation threatens to confiscate the town's entire stock. The villagers brace for a harsh, uncertain future.

Italo Bombolini is appointed mayor and mobilizes the town to defend its wealth. The other townspeople had dismissed him as a buffoon, but the crisis reveals his leadership potential. He becomes the driving force behind the community’s plan to resist seizure.

To keep the wine safe, the villagers seal about a million bottles into the galleries of an ancient Roman cave. The operation is a massive collaborative effort, organized under Bombolini's direction. The cave becomes the town's secret fortress against the occupiers.

When the German detachment arrives, they confiscate most of what they find. They tally roughly 320,000 bottles and demand the rest be produced. The search intensifies as the soldiers suspect more wine remains hidden nearby.

Commander von Prum suspects that the remainder is hidden in or near Santa Vittoria. He orders a thorough, building-by-building search of the town and surrounding area. His confidence grows as the hunt continues.

Von Prum becomes entranced by Caterina Malatesta, an educated and elegant woman who stands out in the village. Her presence complicates the occupation and adds a personal edge to the mission. Their dynamic influences how the search unfolds.

Caterina shelters Tufa, a wounded Royal Italian Army captain who helped plan the hiding of the wine. Their bond deepens as they move through danger together. Tufa's ingenuity contributes to the town's defensive strategy.

During the intensified search, von Prum's troops discover Tufa hiding in Caterina's home. The discovery confirms that the town's defences and network are still active. The German officer's suspicions sharpen.

Von Prum orders several villagers tortured to reveal the hidden wine's location. The brutality tests the villagers' resolve and willingness to protect their community.

To avoid exposing the hiding place, the conspirators stage the torture of pro-Mussolini politicians who were arrested, knowing they do not actually know where the wine is. The ruse buys time and deflects suspicion away from those who truly know the stash.

With time running out, Von Prum threatens Bombolini with a public shooting to force a confession in front of the townspeople. The crowd watches in tense silence as the mayor stands firm, and the line between ally and enemy blurs.

In a tense turn, Caterina spends the previous night with Von Prum, a gambit that softens him and helps spare Tufa and Bombolini from harm. Her actions reveal the human cost of war and the power of personal influence.

Ultimately, the stand-off ends without a confession, and Von Prum leaves the town unharmed. The outcome underscores the limits of force against a united community. The town breathes a cautious relief as occupation pressures ease.

After the Germans withdraw toward the Gustav Line, the villagers celebrate their resilience by dancing in the streets. They have managed to protect their wine and preserve their autonomy, at least for the moment.