Rome, 1953. The night after the murder of Wilma Montesi, several people linked to a sword-and-sandal film set in ancient Egypt that is being shot at Cinecittà find themselves sharing important moments: Mimosa, a simple Roman girl, about to marry a man who is liked more by his family than by her, who initially showed up at Cinecittà only to be an extra; Josephine Esperanto, the star of the film, a veteran of classic Hollywood who feels threatened by the new generation of "naturalistic" actors represented by Sean Lockwood, another protagonist of the film; Rufus Priori, an American gallery owner and friend of Josephine's, who will lead the unlikely group on their journey through the night.