The Stendhal Syndrome

Detective Anna Manni travels to Florence to hunt the serial rapist and killer Alfredo Grossi. She follows leads through the city, coordinating with local officers and immersing herself in the case's atmosphere. The search begins in earnest as she narrows down where Alfredo might strike next.

In a Florence museum, Anna stands before great works of art and is overwhelmed by Stendhal syndrome. The intense experience leaves her disoriented and emotionally vulnerable. This moment reveals Alfredo's ability to exploit her fragility.

Alfredo learns of Anna's syndrome and uses it to disable her during a confrontation. He abducts her and subjects her to a brutal and sadistic sexual attack, showing the extent of his predation. The attack leaves Anna traumatized and physically and emotionally violated.

Anna manages to escape the first captivity, breaking free from Alfredo's grip. Alfredo relentlessly tracks her movements and manages to recapture her later, resuming his control. The threat to Anna continues to loom as she tries to stay ahead.

In a brutal confrontation, Anna breaks free from Alfredo's grasp, wounds him severely, and hurls him into a river. Believing him dead, the police search the water for his body and declare the case closed. The dramatic river scene marks a temporary triumph for Anna but leaves lasting psychological scars.

While the police search for Alfredo, Anna meets Marie, a young French art student, and she falls in love. The relationship provides a beacon of happiness amid her trauma, complicating her sense of safety. Anna's emotional life begins to heal through this new bond.

Anna begins therapy with a psychologist to process her deep-seated trauma. The sessions explore the violence of her experiences and the grip of fear that still haunts her. The therapy becomes a central thread in her attempt to rebuild her life.

Anna starts receiving phone calls from the supposedly-dead Alfredo, shattering any sense of safety. The calls blur the lines between reality and manipulation, driving her deeper into distress. The reality of Alfredo's presence seems closer than ever.

Marie is found murdered, a brutal blow to Anna's already fragile psyche. The loss compounds her guilt and confusion as she questions what is real and who is responsible for the violence around her. The tragedy escalates the crisis that has been unfolding.

Anna's psychologist visits her at home as Marco calls to report that Alfredo's body has been found. The revelation leads the psychologist to realize the truth: Anna herself is Marie's murderer. He confronts Anna with this grim possibility, forcing her to confront what she has done.

Marco arrives at Anna's apartment to confront her and discovers that Anna has killed her psychologist as well. The mounting danger around Anna becomes personal and immediate.

Anna, in a final act of desperation, confesses that Alfredo is now inside her, ordering her to do terrible things. When Marco tries to take the gun, she murders him in cold blood.

The police arrive on the streets and arrest Anna, ending her violent spree. She wanders the streets at the moment of arrest, a broken figure overwhelmed by the night's trauma.