March 1944. Rome is under Nazi occupation. Elena and a group of young partisans decide to rebel.

In a moment captured in time, die-hard Italian fascists conduct reprisal executions of civilians in Lombardy during World War II.

Somewhere, a war. Three soldiers walk along a river. They have lost contact with their platoon and are trying to catch up with it. They talk about life, dream of returning home, but danger still surrounds them: death and life are so close.