In 1964 Italian poet, playwright, director and myrmecologist (ant expert) Aldo Braibanti is accused by the family of his 23-year-old companion of “plagiarism of the mind”, a medieval concept they used to challenge homosexuality, which was not actually illegal. The family also kidnap Aldo and commit him to a psychiatric hospital. The case and subsequent trial of Braibanti are taken up by a committed journalist, who wants to get at the truth and fight against the outdate law and censorship from his own editor.