Haunted by a tragic loss, Salvo, a Sicilian fisherman, leaves his hometown to take refuge working in the production of charcoal in the mountainous region of Calabria. Upon hearing news that his father is dying, he returns to the seaside town of Ganzirri, Sicily where he intends to sell the family home and use the funds for a joint custody battle with his ex-wife. His plans are thwarted when he discovers Binta, an immigrant squatting in the dilapidated seafront home with her young son Moussa. A tug of war ensues, with Salvo attempting to evict mother and son while he in the meantime restores his father’s sword fishing boat moored below the house. 
Young Moussa has an aptitude for engine mechanics and a partnership develops as the boy assists Salvo with the rebuilding of the boat’s motor.
Salvo lowers his guard with Binta and finally reveals his culpability in the event which caused him to flee Sicily years earlier. He ultimately comes to the realization that only by forgiving himself and letting go of the past will he be able to return to the land of the living.