Orphan Totò is discovered in a cabbage patch and adopted by a wise and kind old woman named Lolotta. When she dies, Totò ends up in a shantytown on the outskirts of Milan. But when greedy developers threaten the community’s land, the ghost of Lolotta visits Totò, and offers him a special gift.

Tempering realism with fantasy, Vittorio De Sica’s Cannes-winning fable introduces ghosts, angels, and miraculous wishes to the neglected slums of Milan. Though grounded by the grittiness of poverty, the pursuit of happiness is also lifted by a playful dose of whimsy and tender-hearted optimism.