The time is 1953 as Joe Morelli speeds into town in his beat up truck under the ancient Sicilian sun. He carries with him little more than an old Ascania camera and a box of film stock. Setting up a tent in the town square, he yells out a rallying call to the townspeople, entreating them to spend 1,500 lire apiece for screen tests and promising to show the results to top producers in Rome. The locals are instantly lured to the camera and line up to bare their souls with hopes of stardom hinging on Joe's word. In front of Joe's camera, shepherds, policemen, mothers, children, outcasts, bandits and war heros all try their hand at acting, but end up confessing themselves. In doing so, their honesty begins to shake Joe off center after years of scraping his way through life without a second thought. Amidst this myriad of tales emerges the radiant Beata, whose virgin beauty and unchained love awakens Joe's soul. It is Joe's love for Beata that changes his destiny, and her's, forever.