Canfanaro, Istria. Eighteen-year-old Maddalena Braico (Gracjela Kicaj) dreams of becoming a painter. However, World War II disrupts her plans and those of her family. Yugoslav partisans arrive in the village, forcing Maddalena’s family to flee. During their escape, they become involved in a firefight, and Maddalena’s brother, Niccolò (Costantino Seghi), is shot.

The devastated Braico family finds refuge in Cividale del Friuli with Uncle Giorgio (Fausto Maria Sciarappa) and attempts to a new start. Antonio (Andrea Pennacchi), Maddalena’s father and a doctor, takes up a job as a laborer to feed his family. Maddalena, targeted at school due to her Istrian origins, faces bullying, but Leo (Eugenio Franceschini), passing through, manages to chase them away. Leo, a charming guy who shares Maddalena’s love for art and painting, becomes her immediate friend.

While Leo encourages Maddalena to pursue her dream of becoming an artist, Antonio insists that she focus on school and a more stable future. However, the bond between Leo and Maddalena grows so strong that their friendship turns into love. This love is jeopardized by events as Antonio secures a job as a local doctor and the family must move again. Desperate, Maddalena runs to Leo, only to find that he has disappeared. Disheartened, she abandons her paintings and leaves with her family. The Braico family faces further hardships and painful losses.

As time passes and Maddalena’s dreams seem like a distant memory, Leo returns just as Italy celebrates the end of the conflict. He never forgot her. The two decide to move to Padua, where they can finally live off their art. Maddalena’s departure, however, breaks Antonio’s heart, as he continues to reject his daughter’s calling. Yet, it is by pursuing her vocation that Maddalena will discover the truth about her brother, Niccolò. The stories of Istrian and Dalmatian exiles, those forgotten, become the theme that Maddalena dedicates her art to, bringing her entire family together in remembrance and hope for a better tomorrow.