Italy, late 16th century, the Church, threatened by the Protestants, unleashes the Inquisition. Menocchio, an old, stubborn, self-educated miller oppose the new order. Accused of heresy, he ignores the pleadings and stands trial. The story of a man incapable of betraying his own principles.

A young woman in early-1900s Italy searches for a mystical sanctuary where her stillborn child can be brought back to life long enough to be baptized.