Vittorio is looking for a woman who matches his ideal. Through a classified ad he meets Sonia, a sweet, pleasant, intelligent girl. However, she weighs 125 pounds -- which according to Vittorio is way too much. A goldsmith by trade, Vittorio is obsessed with the desire to shape Sonia's body and mind as does a fire with gold. Almost imperceptibly Sonia becomes a passive participant and the relationship grows into a reciprocal masochistic game. When the two lovers isolate themselves in a country house in the Veneto hills, they dangerously lose touch with reality and the rest of the world.

Itaca nel Sole is the name of a climbing route on El Caporal, a wall in Piedmont, Italy, that resembles the worldwide renowned El Capitan. Among climbers, the fame of the route is due not so much to the considerable technical difficulty, but to the symbolic charge that still holds hold on legions of climbers and enthusiasts. Itaca's image is linked to an exceptional character: Gian Piero Motti. Mountaineer, writer and mountain philosopher, Motti embodied the doubts and anxieties of a generation at the crossroads. Through testimonies, photos, and archival materials, his story is articulated through his famous writings.