Italy in the 1970s. Three men share a dream of building a textile factory from scratch. Ivo the enthusiastic son of a textile artisan, embarks on an elaborate project: to build a luxurious factory that will be 'the envy of the Milanese.' He recruits Cesare, a small building contractor, and Pasquale, a hardworking foreman from the south. Their relationships with each other and with their wives, their secret passions and their ambitions create a comical, moving fresco. At once a family saga and a love story - not only about people, but also about a reborn, ambitious, and courageous nation.