A teacher discovers his calling. Marco relocates to Palermo from Milan and takes a job teaching in a reform school while he waits for a high school position. He tries to understand and motivate his handful of students, reading them colloquial poetry, encouraging them to stand up for their rights, finding out about their histories. Natale, in for murder, enamoured of the Mafia, the King Rat within the group; Mery, a drag queen, arrested for assault when defending himself, in love with Mario and, in daylight, rejected by all; Pietro, illiterate, muscular, believing his destiny is set; the callow Claudio, vulnerable, learning to harden himself. What can Mario learn and do in such a short time?
| Directing | Marco Risi | Director |
| Writing | Aurelio Grimaldi | Novel |
| Camera | Mauro Marchetti | Director of Photography |
| Production | Claudio Bonivento | Producer |
| Writing | Sandro Petraglia | Screenplay |
| Writing | Stefano Rulli | Screenplay |
| Art | Massimo Spano | Production Design |
| Costume & Make-Up | Roberta Guidi Di Bagno | Costume Design |
| Sound | Tommaso Quattrini | Sound |
| Directing | Gianni Ricci | First Assistant Director |
| Production | Alberto Passone | Line Producer |
| Production | Massimo Ferrero | Production Manager |
| Editing | Claudio Di Mauro | Editor |
| Sound | Giancarlo Bigazzi | Original Music Composer |
| Sound | Dado Parisini | Conductor |
| Production | Pietro Valsecchi | Production Consultant |
| Production | Massimo Martino | Unit Manager |
| Production | Carlo Macrini | Production Secretary |
| Directing | Umberto Castagna | Second Assistant Director |
| Directing | Giovanni Giancono | Second Assistant Director |
| Directing | Egle Guarino | Script Supervisor |
| Camera | Fabio Zamarion | Camera Operator |
| Camera | Roberto Luzzi | First Assistant Camera |
| Camera | Fabio Massimo Sargenti | Second Assistant Camera |
| Camera | Bruno Bruni | Still Photographer |
| Production | Dino Piscini | Accountant |
| Sound | Antonio Barba | Boom Operator |
| Art | Luigi Urbani | Set Decoration |
| Costume & Make-Up | Francesca Schiavon | Assistant Costume Designer |
| Costume & Make-Up | Giuseppina Minguzzi | Seamstress |
| Costume & Make-Up | Raul Ranieri | Makeup Artist |
| Costume & Make-Up | Monica Ranieri | Hairstylist |
| Art | Sandro Spalla | Property Master |
| Lighting | Alberico Novelli | Gaffer |
| Camera | Alfredo Marchetti | Key Grip |
| Editing | Carla Merli | Assistant Editor |
| Editing | Carlo Balestrieri | Assistant Editor |
| Editing | Mauro Coppola | Assistant Editor |
| Sound | Romano Pampaloni | Sound Mixer |
| Sound | Italo Cameracanna | Foley Artist |
| Sound | Daniele Quadroli | Sound Effects Editor |
| Writing | Sandro Petraglia | Dialogue |
| Writing | Stefano Rulli | Dialogue |
| Writing | Aurelio Grimaldi | Story |
