Rome, during World War II. Clara and Vera spend their time at home: drinking tea, tidying up, talking. Clara and Vera talk about everything—what has happened to each of them, those who aren’t there, those they miss. At the heart of their conversations—like a musical leitmotif, and as a way to talk about what cannot be spoken of—are their shoes. They should be intact—if not elegant, then at least decent—but instead they’re broken, full of cracks, with soles falling off; yet these are the only ones they have, so they have to make do, take pride in them, and even—though it seems absurd in wartime—rejoice in them a little. So why not organize a broken-shoe contest, complete with a judge and contestants? *Broken Shoes* tells the story of two women and their bond. It shows how, sometimes, dreams have the power to keep the chaos of the world at bay.