The Italian

Six-year-old Vanya Solntsev lives in a desolate and rundown orphanage run by an alcoholic headmaster. When a wealthy Italians couple wanting to adopt selects him, the other children, especially his good friend Anton, envy his good fortune and name him ''The Italian''. But when a grief-stricken mother of another boy commits suicide after returning to reclaim her son and discovering he is no longer there, Vanya fears the same fate looms for him. With the aid of some of the older boys, he retrieves his file from the office safe and learns the address of the children's home where he previously lived. Certain the records there will identify his mother, he sets off on his quest.