Part 1 Told in flashbacks, Vittorio "Vito" Innocente is a young boy living in the Italian village, Val di Sole, during the 1950s.

He is raised by his beautiful mother Cristina and paternal aunt (zia) Teresa, while his father, Mario, has recently immigrated to Canada.

While Mario is away, Cristina begins an affair with Matthew Bok, a Canadian wartime artist, whom Teresa disapproves of.

Before leaving, Cristina hints to Teresa that she is planning to start a new life with Bok in Halifax and that does not intend to meet up with Mario and his brother Alfredo.

In Toronto, Rita has blue eyes just like her biological father and her presence casts a shadow over the family as she is a constant reminder of Cristina's affair.

Years later, Vittorio, who now goes by "Victor" has a strained relationship with his father and lives in one of the Canadian territories with his girlfriend, Kate Townsend.

Part 2 Vittorio returns to the family tomato farm for Mario's funeral and reconnects with Rita there.

Teresa leaves abruptly when she discovers Bok had painted her after she was raped by soldiers years ago.

Teresa later tells Vittorio that Rita has patched things up with Bok and will be going on a trip to Abruzzo with his family.

Vittorio has a son named Mario (after his late adoptive father and maternal uncle), and he has married Kate who is heavily pregnant with their second child.