Saverio Marconi talks about the job of an actor. Nanni Moretti tells of an embarrassing moment on the set of a movie he was making with the Taviani brothers. Vittorio and Paolo Taviani talk about why they shot Caesar Must Die in black and white.

In the present, Domenico is describing his life in Rome to his audience. There are flashbacks to the reality of those times.

The Taviani brothers, as well as others in the filmmaking world, talk about what acting means, and how each actor brings something different to telling the story.

Domenico gives a moving performance of one of his songs at the circolo (club), and meets Raimondo Lanza di Trabia, who is there with the actress/princess he had seen at the convent.

Isabelle Huppert talks (in French) about the craziness of the film and the Taviani brothers talk about the character of their male protagonist and why they set the film in Tuscany, even though the story is German.

While the hopeful actors are waiting at the gates of Cinecittà for a bit part, a famous actor drives out and causes a stir. Back at the convent, Domenico sings a song about a cricket in love with the moon. If you want to hear the whole song sung by Modugno, check it out here.

The Taviani brothers talk about their movie The Elective Affinities, based on a novel by Goethe. Central to the film is the conflict between reason and passion, nature and the idea of utopia, as the love stories of two couples unfold.

Domenico does his audition in front of the movie camera. Then he has to figure out how to make enough money to pay for his room and board. His new friend Riccardo gives him a couple of important tips.

Although their films weren't overtly political, the Taviani brothers saw and heard what was "in the air" in Italy, and somehow captured some the essence of it, without even being aware of it.

Domenico goes to the Experimental Center where there is a sea of candidates waiting their turns to go in and take the entrance exam. He meets a friendly guy named Riccardo Pazzaglia. He also meets a girl who is rather nervous and feeling insecure.

The political vision of the Taviani brothers comes through in their movies, especially Allonsanfàn. The choices they made in the story were simply a reflection of their thinking at the time, not because the movies themselves were affiliated with a particular political party.

Domenico gets on the pilgrimage bus to Rome and entertains his fellow passengers with a song. Don Antonio might have made different song choices... At the convent where the pilgrims are staying, Domenico makes friends with Father Mello.

This segment explains the title of the movie, Saint Michael Had a Rooster. The Taviani brothers, as well as the lead actor, talk about some aspects of the story, and Nanni Moretti comments on the camera technique.

In Sicily, at one time, horses would work in the sulfur mines and slowly become blind. The story is told through a Sicilian ballad, sung by Domenico Modugno. Mimì's mother sits with him as he prepared his bags, but she struggles to understand why he would want to leave. See complete lyrics (in Sicilian) here.

The Taviani brothers talk about how color and images can be more important than the story itself. There are clips from interviews with them when they were much younger, and the director of photography contributes some thoughts, as well. The movie featured in this segment is Good Morning, Babylon from 1987.