The movie follows Elia da Cortona, one of the most faithful followers of St. Francis, from 1209 to 1226.

The film consists almost entirely of an interview with the elderly He Fengming, recounting her experiences in post-1949 China.

In a despairing, fatalistic Rome, Nicola finds himself flirting with the city’s dark side. Drinking too much and living among drifters, petty...