A look at reality as it appears today in the streets and cities as an image of the crisis and decline of western society in the era of globalization. Between wealth and poverty, between homologation and loss of identity, between reality and illusion, nothing more than a great fairy tale, a deception, a collective lie of which the representation of daily life becomes its disturbing metaphor. As disturbing as the smile of Alice's Cat in Wonderland, who, at the girl's request for help to find the way that leads her out of the woods, replies with her characteristic grin: "It all depends on where you want to go". The narrative voice is by Marco Paolini.
The year is 1919 and it's forest rangers versus poachers in the Dolomite mountains in this Italian drama based on a morality tale by Dino Buzzati. The first scene, which contains no dialog, depicts the murder of a young ranger in the snowy peaks. Barnabo is a taciturn young ranger new to the mountains. He is a pacifist and is uncomfortable carrying his rifle. Upon his hand is a stigmata that periodically bleeds. The poachers murder another ranger. This time it is the commanding officer. The rangers organize a patrol to find them, but they are unsuccessful. It is Barnabo who locates them. They escape because he is unable, or afraid to shoot them. He is dishonorably discharged and now finds it hard to escape the label of coward. He leaves the mountains and becomes a farm-hand. While he labors, he reflects upon the experience and those of his life. A internal moral struggle ensues as he tries to make sense of it all and find some inner peace.
When Luca's girlfriend Mirna (Erna Schurer) inexplicably dumps him, he finds solace in the arms of two fashion models, Stefania and Claudia. When Stefania mysteriously disappears after photographing herself having rough sex with Luca, Mirna begins sending him the negatives -but to what end? Meanwhile, Claudia searches for her missing friend...
