Based on the 2003 semi-autobiographical novel 100 colpi di spazzola prima di andare a dormire (One Hundred Strokes of the Brush Before Bed) by Melissa Panarello, the film stars María Valverde, Fabrizia Sacchi, Primo Reggiani, Nilo Mur, Elio Germano, Letizia Ciampa, Davide Pasti, Alba Rohrwacher, Piergiorgio Bellocchio, Giulio Berruti, Marcello Mazzarella, Claudio Santamaria, and Geraldine Chaplin.

[2] Melissa is a shy 15-year-old girl who lives with her mother Daria and her heavy-smoking grandmother Elvira, while her father is overseas working on an oil rig.

When Elvira comes home for Christmas, she senses that Melissa is going through a difficult time and tries to alert Daria, who remains completely unaware.

At school, Melissa's diary—in which she details her sexual encounters—falls into the hands of a classmate, who mockingly reads it out loud to other students, including Manuela.

He takes her to an underground basement, where he blindfolds her and has her perform oral sex on him and four other young men.

Meanwhile, Melissa goes to the apartment of an older man she met on a chat room, who takes pleasure in being whipped.

A shy, eccentric student named Marco, who has long had a crush on Melissa, finally musters up the courage to approach her.

After Marco leaves, Daniele invites Melissa to a party at his place that night; she reluctantly accepts.