Set five hundred years ago before war became impersonal and enemies unknown, Ermanno Olmi’s film uses powerful imagery to reflect on war and death. It tells the tragic tale of the mythical warrior figure, Joanni de Medici. Twenty-year year old Joanni de Medici was captain of the papal army fighting against Charles V’s Lanschenets, Emperor of the Germans. Popular with women the successful Joanni had no thoughts of death. His downfall came with the introduction of firearms when he suffered a cannon-shot wound to the leg.