In Sicily, in a time not yet forgotten, in the heart of a small secluded town populated by cicadas, ticks and venomous snakes, that which made a man a real man was not riches or power, but his honor. He had to defend his dignity against insults and village gossip. It took little to stoke the fire once lit, and no one was immune. One of the worst humiliations a man can suffer was to have an adulterous wife. A man so disgraced would bear the mark of shame, with all eyes of the community upon him. It was said that "his horns were sticking out" for all to see.

12-year-old Renato experiences three significant events on the same day: the beginning of the Second World War, getting a bike, and witnessing the arrival of the gorgeous Malèna. Through his eyes, we see the curse of beauty and loneliness of Malena, whose husband is presumed dead, and, through his soul, we see his love for her.

In Camarina, Sicily , several masks reminiscent of Menander's Greek theater have disappeared. The elderly archaeologist and museum director, Briano Teo Calvani, finds only thirty of them, while he is convinced that ten more were stolen during the excavation. Many years later, it will be up to his grandson Riccardino to find them, fulfilling his grandfather's dying wish. Riccardino, a naive and inexperienced young man, goes to Rome to welcome his brother Ettore back from America. He is forced to stay longer than expected and embark on daring adventures until he finds the beloved masks.