Giulia Saccucci

Studying to become a teacher in 1950s Northern Italy, Sicilian immigrant Pietro is joined by his older brother Giovanni. While Giovanni is an illiterate worker, Pietro shows considerable promise in his field, prompting the elder sibling to take on even the toughest jobs in order to support his brother's academic pursuits.

Matteo is a Roman barber whose business is full of debts. He decides to escape from this depressing reality by accepting his sister Angelina's invitation to Brazil.