At the turn of the new millennium, on an unspoiled stretch of coast in southern Sardinia, Efisio Mulas, a solitary shepherd and custodian of times seemingly long past, defends his land from Giacomo, a developer determined to turn it into a luxury resort. The foreman at the site, Mariano, tries to convince Efisio to sell, while his daughter Francesca is torn between her attachment to her roots and the urgent need for change that grips her community. When the dispute winds up in court, a local judge from the area, Giovanna, finds herself deciding the case.