Happy as Lazzaro

On the isolated estate of Inviolata, where time appears to stand still since 1977, a community of 54 farmhands toils on a tobacco plantation, bound by a sharecropping arrangement that perpetuates debt and silence. The notorious Marchioness Alfonsina De Luna, the "Queen of Cigarettes," reigns supreme, her iron-fisted rule unchallenged by the workers who diligently follow every command from herself, her son Tancredi, and the estate's manager. Among these laborers is Lazzaro, a diligent worker who has internalized the Marchioness's decrees as gospel truth.

Tancredi, however, has other plans. He befriends Lazzaro and concocts a scheme to fake his own kidnapping, deliberately goading his mother and seeking financial gain. The unlikely duo sets out into the unforgiving wilderness and badlands, where they craft a false ransom note and forge an unlikely bond. As they navigate this desolate landscape, Tancredi proposes that they could be half-brothers, given his father's notorious womanizing ways. Lazzaro takes this notion to heart, embracing their supposed brotherhood with unwavering sincerity.

Meanwhile, the Marchioness is not deceived by her son's ruse and sees through the charade from the outset. However, the estate manager's daughter proves more gullible, prompting a frantic call to the authorities on her mobile phone during an unusual surge in signal strength. The police arrive at Inviolata via helicopter, only to be met with a shocking discovery: the farmhands are sharecropping illegally, and the children should be receiving compulsory education. This revelation sparks chaos, leading to Alfonsina's eventual arrest and the scandalous "Great Swindle" that ensues.

In the aftermath of this upheaval, Lazzaro becomes distracted by the whirring police helicopter and loses his footing, tumbling down a cliff and left unconscious in a ravine. Later, a wolf – perhaps a real one, or maybe a symbol of redemption – catches scent of Lazzaro's good nature and identifies him as such, setting the stage for an uncertain future.

As Lazzaro's eyes flutter open, he finds himself inexplicably transported through time, his youthful appearance remaining steadfast despite the passage of years. Wanderlust gets the better of him as he stumbles into the once-thriving Inviolata, now a desolate husk ravaged by looters (one of whom has a haunting familiarity with the estate's past). The marauders spin a tale of relocation and deception, convincing Lazzaro that the De Luna family is relocating their assets, and that the city lies just within walking distance. Enthralled by this prospect, he sets out to find the metropolis, a place foreign yet tantalizing.

Upon arrival, Antonia's piercing gaze recognizes the farm boy in the midst of Inviolata's forgotten survivors, now eking out a meager existence through crime-ridden streets. As they recount the tale of the Great Swindle, Lazzaro's concern for Tancredi eclipses their incredulity at his ageless visage. The serendipitous reunion with his half-brother Tancredi (who runs a nightclub) is nothing short of miraculous, as the latter's booming voice summons his loyal canine companion.

Tancredi invites the former estate workers to lunch, flaunting his newfound wealth in an opulent display. However, they arrive bearing expensive gifts they can ill-afford, only to be rebuffed by Tancredi's forgetfulness. Lazzaro and his companions stumble upon a church, where the haunting strains of organ music waft through the air, drawing them in. Though a nun bars their entry, the melody persists, accompanying them as they decide to reclaim Inviolata as their own.

As Lazzaro learns that Tancredi has lost the De Luna fortune to financial ruin, he becomes determined to help his half-brother. He pays a visit to the bank, where his innocent inquiry sparks a panic when, mistaken for an armed assailant, he accidentally sets off the alarm. Frightened patrons and bank staff converge on Lazzaro, demanding his demands be met. His simple-minded plea to recover the De Luna fortune only fuels their terror, culminating in a brutal beating that claims his life.

The film concludes with another vision of the wolf, its ethereal form departing the bank and vanishing into the city's streets before reappearing in the countryside, an enduring symbol of resilience.