What to do when past, present and future, memory, hopes and dreams merge? In different ways and for different reasons this is the current condition for Henry (Saro Minardi), Aimée (Aimée Nazroo) and Mei-Li (Xiao Lan Jiao).
We find them in Catania, Sicily. Henry (50 yrs) is a painter, for many years he travelled the world after he lost his inspiration and creativity. Now, back in Italy, he has a secretive affair with Karo (Carolina Pulvirenti); they only meet when she calls him: their story has no future, although he agrees to meet her from time to time.
Henry tries in vain to find his lost inspiration through his English model Aimée; she lives in his Sicilian studio annexed to his home, but he seems unable to recover his inventiveness and paint satisfactorily again. She agrees to live with him, but in spite of his attempts she doesn’t want to be more than a playful presence in his life.
Professional globe trotter Mei-Li (Xiao Lan Jiao), 25 years old, from Shenyang China, ends up in Catania Sicily, following an erratic path. Exotic, attractive, and daring she becomes the object of different temptation for many. She is unwilling to return to China, where her mother keeps arranging lucrative marriages for her. Henry support becomes her temporary shelter. Henry (she calls him with a Chinese name Lai-Fu) rescues her from a rape attempt. Despite their age difference, she feels protection and care, and eventually begins a tentative affair with him. Soon, Henry programs about her future begin to seriously worry her. She doesn’t want to loose for her personal freedom and refuses any project he made.
Being 50 is not easy to start over. Henry decides he found in Mei-Li his lover and travel companion: he sells his house, organises trips and adventures assuming Mei-Li will go along. Aimée is bored with her work with the painter, but she feel comfortable in his studio as Henry allows her to be lazy and capricious: their condition winds up.
All the characters in this story seems to be passing through time, where present, past and future all merge. Chasing uncertain dreams they go on until eventually they will live Catania, destination unknown.