Romeo


Romeo, a young boy living in the Alps of Italian Switzerland, signs a contract with a shady individual to pay for his sick father's doctor, who will take him across the mountains to Italy, to Milan, where he will be sold as a chimney sweep's helper. Thus begins Romeo's journey, amidst abuse and violence, during which he will form lasting and deep bonds with other child chimney sweeps, coming to form a fraternity called "The Black Brothers," who will all learn to help each other in times of need.
Romeo wants to participate in the pole climbing competition, in which several boys compete to get a trophy placed on top of a pole. Meanwhile, Luini, a mysterious man known as the god of death, arrives in the village.
The fire started by Luini devastates the only cornfield that Romeo's family has left. Romeo's family rush to the field to try to save the domestic animals, but Roberto injures his head while leaping out of the flames.
Due to the injures suffered during the fire, Roberto's condition worsens to the point of going blind if he is not treated urgently.
After being treated by doctor Baresi, Roberto will recover and will not go blind. Romeo has sacrificed himself for the sake of his family and must now leave the village.
Luini locks up the boys before crossing the lake by boat to get to Milan. Among them is Dante, who devises a plan to escape.
The boat in which Romeo and the others are traveling to Milan is hit by a storm and sinks.
In Milan, Romeo and Alfredo are sold as chimney sweeps to different bosses, having to separate, but not before swearing eternal friendship. Romeo is taken by Rossi, his buyer, to his house, where he will start a new life.
Cleaning chimneys is harder than Romeo could imagine. And worst of all is that when he comes home tired from work he doesn't get a piece of bread. However, an angel who lives in the house cares for him.
Romeo goes to clean Professor Casella's fireplace who, to thank him, gives him an illustrated book.
Romeo manages to get the key which keeps his door locked, so he can go out to meet Angeletta, becoming friends.
Romeo watches from the rooftop of a house that one of the Wolf Pack members is ambushed by another gang of boys, but then the rest of the pack appears and a fight breaks out.
Romeo finds Anselmo lying on the street and covered in bruises. Anselmo tells Romeo that he confronted Tachioni because he hates outsiders and wants to kick Romeo out of town.
Romeo fights the Wolf Pack, who think he has denounced them to the police, but is saved at the last minute by a masked boy.
The carriage Romeo has sneaked into contains explosives that the robbers intend to use to blow up the police station and free their imprisoned friend.
After proving his innocence, Romeo's conditions at Rossis' house get better. Marcello gives him a day off and Romeo decides to search for Alfredo in the streets of Milan.
After a long time, Romeo and Alfredo finally reunited and joined other young chimney sweeps to form the Black Brothers fraternity with Alfredo in command to confront the Wolf Pack.
Since the Wolf Pack has no intention of stopping picking on the chimney sweeps, the Black Brothers, fed up with running away, decide to stand up to them.
As retaliation for losing the fight at San Babila church, Michaelo was kidnapped by the Wolf Pack.
Marcello Rossi receives a letter from his mother, Mimi, announcing she will pay them a visit soon.
Romeo and Angeletta meet the old puppeteer Teo and little Nana.