The story, based on the lives of the director's parents, is set in Bologna and begins on the banks of the Reno River. The protagonists are Francesca Osti, daughter of a socialist worker, and Carlo Dagnini, son of a middle-class merchant. Within a few years, Francesca and Carlo leave their respective partners and begin a relationship despite their social and political differences. However, Carlo and Francesca are forced to return to Bologna to their families, partly due to the attack on Togliatti.