Rome, 1980. After the magnum opus The Art of Joy she has been working on for a decade is rejected by the Italian publishing world, writer Goliarda Sapienza ends up in prison for stealing jewelry, but the encounter with some young inmates turns out to be a life-changing experience.

After their release and over the course of a sweltering summer, the women continue to meet, and Goliarda forms a deep bond with Roberta, a repeat offender and political activist.

A connection no one on the outside can truly understand, but through which Goliarda rediscovers the joy of living and the drive to write again.