Marcello Fonte

Wounded at the Battle of Lepanto and recoverying in a Messina hospital, Miguel de Cervantes experiences a vision amidst fever and hallucinations. From the flames of burning books, Don Alonso Quijano is born—a man driven mad by tales of chivalry who transforms into the knight-errant Don Quixote. Accompanied by the simple Sancho Panza, lured by the promise of an island to rule, Quixote embarks on a quest where inns become castles and windmills turn into giants. Despite the cruel mockery of bored nobles and a series of crushing defeats, his madness reveals a disarming purity: he fights solely for justice and freedom, even as the world laughs. Betrayed and humiliated, he is eventually brought home in a cage, unable to survive without his ideals. As he dies, the scene shifts back to the Sicilian night: from the pain of war, Cervantes has forged a masterpiece—the stubborn dream of a more liberated humanity.

In this live-action adaptation of the beloved fairytale, old woodcarver Geppetto fashions a wooden puppet, Pinocchio, who magically comes to life. Pinocchio longs for adventure and is easily led astray, encountering magical beasts, fantastical spectacles, while making friends and foes along his journey. However, his dream is to become a real boy, which can only come true if he finally changes his ways.

Marcello, a small and gentle dog groomer, finds himself involved in a dangerous relationship of subjugation with Simone, a former violent boxer who terrorizes the entire neighborhood. In an effort to reaffirm his dignity, Marcello will submit to an unexpected act of vengeance.