The film takes place in 1978, in a fictional town called Acqua Traverse in Southern Italy, during the hottest summer of the century. Nine-year-old Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano) and a group of friends set out across the scorched wheat fields on their bikes. While exploring a deserted farmhouse, Michele discovers what he believes to be the dead body of a boy his own age in a cavernous hole. He keeps the horrific secret to himself, and later returns to the site to find that the boy, Filippo (Mattia Di Pierro), is not dead but weak, confused and unable to account for his own presence. Michele visits him several times, bringing him food and water. When Michele's father learns that he has been visiting Fillipo, he threatens to beat him if he ever goes back to visit Filippo again. Eventually, Michele learns that Filippo was kidnapped and that virtually every adult in the tiny community, including his own parents, are involved. Michele decides to help Filippo. Even though Filippo has been moved to another location, one of the boys tells Michele where he is. As the adults in the film are discussing who will kill Fillipo, Michele sets out to find Filippo and save him. Michele's father draws the short match, and goes to kill Fillipo. Instead, he ends up shooting his own son. The film ends on a field after Filippo's rescue when helicopters arrive, where ostensibly Fillipo is saved and Michele survives.