Mariaisayoungandtalentedartstudentwhodecidestospendapeacefulweekendinthesmalltownwhereherparentslive,togetherwithherpartner,Giulio.However,uponarrivingattheirdestination,theyunexpectedlydiscoveracruelreality.Thetown'sresidentsarebehavingstrangely,withgloomyexpressionsandemptyeyes.MariaandGiulioareconfusedandunsureofwhatishappening.Theytrytocommunicatewiththeresidents,butnomatterhowhardtheytry,theycannotseemtocatchanyone'sattention.MariaandGiuliodecidetoenterthetown'sartgalleryinhopesoffindingsomeclues.Thegalleryshowcasesvariousoilpaintings,eachexudingamysteriousanddarkaura.Mariaisdrawntoapaintingtitled"TheSleepingSoul,"feelingapeculiarconnectiontothewomandepictedintheartwork.Insidethegallery,Mariaencountersanelderlyartistwhorevealstoherthatthetown'sresidentsarebeingcontrolledbyanancientoilpainting.ThispaintingwascreatedbyawomannamedMargaret,whopossessedatremendouspowerthroughherartwork,capableofmanipulatingpeople'sthoughtsandemotions.Determinedtoinvestigatethismysteriousoilpainting,Mariadiscoversanancientbookthatholdsthesecretstoitscreation.Followingtheinstructionsinthebook,MariaandGiulioembarkonanadventurousjourney,searchingforaspecialherbandauniquestonethatcanbreakthepainting'spower.Theytraversethroughforests,climbsteepmountains,andeventuallyarriveatahiddenlocationwithinacave.There,theyfindtheherbandstone,bringingthembacktothetown.MariaandGiuliogrindtheherbintopowderandplacethestoneinfrontofthepainting.Theysprinkletheherbpowderontothepaintingandreciteanincantation.Suddenly,thewomaninthepaintingvanishes,andthetown'sresidentsreturntonormal.MariaandGiuliohavesuccessfullybrokenthepainting'spower,leadingthetown'sresidentstoreclaimtheirtrueselves.Astheyleavethetown,theresidentsexpresstheirgratitude,andtheirlivesregainhopeandvitality.MariaandGiulioreturntoschool,andtheiradventurebecomesasourceofinspirationfortheirartisticcreations.Throughtheirartwork,theypaytributetothepaintingbyMargaret,hopingtochangethecruelrealityoftheworldthroughthepowerofart.