The Pecas’s Return to Human Contact

A man imprisoned in a barn for decades is rescued and begins the slow, uncertain process of recovering human abilities.

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A Child Hidden Away

The Barn Imprisonment Poison and panic As a child, El Pecas becomes ill after tasting a poisonous root with other boys. His family interprets the event as possession and fears the stigma of having a supposedly demonic child. A secret confinement His father hides him in an abandoned granary, bringing food irregularly. The child grows into adulthood without ordinary speech, movement, clothing, or social contact.

Rescue from the Granary

Discovery and Rescue A chance shelter Hunters and their guide seek refuge from a storm in an abandoned granary and find a terrified, emaciated man inside. The discovery exposes the long-hidden consequences of the family’s cruelty. Hospital admission Civil authorities rescue him and send him to the hospital. Doctors disagree about whether his condition is dementia or the result of isolation, but Alberto Rosellini believes that his intact desire for protection leaves room for recovery.

First Steps Toward Recovery

Relearning the World A life without ordinary skills El Pecas initially moves on all fours, eats with his hands, and hides from touch. These behaviors reflect years in a confined space rather than proof that his mind is globally destroyed. A fragile beginning Staff teach him to walk upright and provide consistent care. His progress gives Alice a concrete example of how human connection and patient work can restore abilities damaged by abandonment.

Thirty years before the main action

A few weeks into Alice’s stay in the Recovery Ward

After El Pecas enters the hospital