Following the discovery of oil at Gela in the early 1960s, ENI, supported by industrial development policies for Southern Italy, built a petrochemical at the site. While describing the various phases of plant construction, the film juxtaposes new industrial development and entrenched old customs. This was the era of massive migration from the rural south to the urbanized north, which was to change the face of Italy. Besides unprecedented economic growth, the population shift created contrasting social realities. With this novel concept, as in Leonardo Sciascia's text, Ferrara manages to portray the conflict between need for industrial development and the resistance against losing traditional roots.<%YOUTUBE=vnTJGc8pAPs%>
