 Claudio and Marta are a happily married middle-aged couple with a son, Simone, aged twenty. Their peaceful world starts to crumble when Simone suddenly leaves for a yearlong master s course in the USA. Marta reacts badly to the separation and sinks into a depression. However, she forces herself to react, returning to her old job as a photo restorer. The passion that she puts into her work distances her from her husband and they decide to part. Claudio subsequently falls ill with cancer, and, at first, doesn t tell Marta. However, when he has to have an operation, she finds out about it and the couple gradually draws closer once more. Through this ordeal, Claudio and Marta are able to start to live happily together again.