Vermiglio

In 1944, Attilio and Pietro desert their army posts in Germany and make their way back to Attilio's remote village of Vermiglio in the Trentino mountains. Their return sets the stage for a fragile refuge where family and village life must be rebuilt under the strain of war. The men carry the weight of military abandonment but seek safety and solidarity at home.

The village keeps a one-room school run by Cesare, Attilio's stern uncle, who also polices Catholic traditions. Adele, Cesare's wife, has just given birth to their 9th child, and the family faces hunger and limited support as more mouths arrive to feed. The infant mortality cycle adds sorrow to daily life in Vermiglio.

Lucia, the eldest daughter, falls in love with Pietro, a Sicilian. Their relationship leads to Lucia becoming pregnant and their plan for marriage begins to take shape. Lucia's aunt notices the pregnancy before the wedding, signaling social pressures and looming changes for the family.

As the war ends, Pietro heads back to Sicily with the intention of informing his loved ones that he has survived and of promising to write and return. His departure marks a turning point for Lucia and for the dreams of their future together. The news trip foreshadows the tragedy looming over the marriage.

Contrary to their hopes, the family learns from the newspaper that Pietro had secretly married a Sicilian woman and was killed by her. The revelation shatters Lucia's world and reveals the perilous unpredictability of wartime love. The community grapples with betrayal, loss, and the consequences of war.

Lucia gives birth to Antonia, the child she was expecting with Pietro. The newborn embodies a lost future and becomes a focal point of Lucia's grief, as she confronts Pietro's betrayal and the fate of their unborn agreement. The birth occurs amid deep sorrow and a fragile family stability.

Pietro's death devastates Lucia, who falls into despair and contemplates ending her life. Her brother Dino intervenes and saves her from the brink, guiding her toward a fragile path of recovery. The family rally in the wake of tragedy and try to pick up the pieces.

With her inner wounds still raw, Lucia travels to Sicily to seek closure, where she confronts Pietro's first wife and visits her husband's grave. The journey marks a turning point in her grieving process and allows her to face the reality of Pietro's double life.

Lucia entrusts little Antonia to an orphanage, while her sister Ada has become a nun and works there. The separation underscores the family's burdens and the sacrifices they make in search of stability and moral duty. The church and community institutions become a shelter and a site of care for the child.

Seeking a future beyond her-prospects at home, Lucia decides to move to the city to work for a wealthy family. She promises to return later for Antonia, though her new life means further distance from Vermiglio and her child. This move reflects the social realities of rural life after the war and the enduring pull of motherhood.

Amid the household chaos, Adele grapples with raising a large brood with scarce resources and little support from Cesare, who holds the purse strings and the power in their family. The tension between traditional Catholic expectations and practical needs plays out in daily life. The village community observes the family’s stubborn endurance.

The small school and the Catholic customs shape daily rhythms in Vermiglio, influencing decisions and relationships. Teachers, families, and children navigate faith, duty, and education under the pressures of wartime scarcity. These subplots reflect the cultural fabric that frames Lucia's choices and the siblings' futures.