Turiddù is the son of Lucia, who runs the village shop. He was dating Lola, but she eventually married another man, Alfio. Angered by this, Turiddù seduced Santuzza, a very religious girl. But Turiddù is still in love with Lola, and she, disillusioned with her new marriage, misses him as well. 

On Easter Sunday morning, Santuzza visits Lucia to confront her about Turiddù’s behaviour. Alfio arrives with his newly acquired car – the only taxi in the village. Santuzza tells Lucia of her betrayal by Turiddù, and the community assembles to celebrate the Easter Mass.

Santuzza confronts Turiddù over his affair with Lola, which he angrily denies. But when Lola arrives, Turiddù can’t help but join her, leaving Santuzza alone. Consumed by rage and grief, Santuzza tells Alfio about his wife’s affair with Turiddù. Alfio swears vengeance. At the end of the service, the people leave the church. Turiddù challenges Alfio and then offers him a drink, which Alfio refuses, claiming it would turn to poison inside him.

Overwhelmed by guilt, Turiddù realizes how badly he has hurt Alfio, Lola, Santuzza and his mother. He asks Lucia for forgiveness, and meets his fate.

A bohemian community in the 1990s

An old man tells a story: long ago, he loved a woman who left him for another man, leaving behind their daughter, Zemfira. Zemfira is now grown up and married to a man who came in from outside their community, Aleko.

Hearing the story, Aleko is outraged that Zemfira’s father took no revenge. Zemfira disagrees. For her, just like her mother and all her community, love is free. Frustrated with Aleko’s jealousy, she becomes drawn to a younger man, one of her own people.

Haunted by memories of the past, Aleko becomes more and more psychotic and tensions between him and Zemfira escalate. Alone, he broods on his failed relationship.

As dawn comes, Aleko sees Zemfira and her new lover together, and in rage he kills them both. Led by Zemfira’s father, the community spares Aleko’s life but casts him out forever.