In 19th-century Italy, Giacomo Leopardi channels his debilitating illness and isolation into poetry.
In early 20th-century Naples, a theatrical parody lands beloved thespian and playwright Eduardo Scarpetta in court, facing a malicious lawsuit that could compromise his freedom of expression and the economic security of his extended family—including his son's, young Eduardo De Filippo.
Inspired by the work of Italian underground comic book prodigy Andrea Pazienza, "Paz!" is a 24-hour slice of life of a group of university students sharing a flat in 1970s Bologna, grappling with drugs, classes, girls and half-hearted political activism.
