Life in the village of Mendrisio continues as usual: Palmira keeps an eye on everything that happens in the village; her husband Eugenio doesn't exert himself any more than necessary, except to drink an extra glass of wine; and her sister Miglieta, a sprightly 90-year-old with slight hearing loss, pursues her dream of being able to read the sacred scriptures in church. This pleasant routine is interrupted when Circus Beck and its hilarious director arrive in town, promising an unforgettable show... and so it will be, because soon the balance that holds Palmira's family together is broken, changing the destiny of each of them.