3000 Leagues in Search of Mother

Nine-year-old Marco is thrilled to go on a family picnic, not knowing that it will be the last one before his mother Anna leaves Italy to work abroad.

Jan 4, 1976

A year has passed since Anna left. Marco thinks about becoming a postman after receiving a letter from her on the day his older brother visits home.

Jan 11, 1976

Marco sets out on his first job to deliver an urgent letter for Gina. A fun day at the beach begins when he finally returns in the afternoon.

Jan 18, 1976

Marco wants to work to help his mother come home sooner, but his father won't listen.

Jan 25, 1976

Emilio helps Marco get a job washing bottles after school. Marco's father Pietro buys him a world map and the two bond for the first time in a while.

Feb 1, 1976

Marco has an ominous dream about his mother, and he worries when there is no new letter from her.

Feb 8, 1976

Poor Marco can barely see the ocean from his new place. He goes from roof to roof to find a better view and meets Fiorina the puppeteer along the way.

Feb 15, 1976

Marco's monkey delights onlookers by dancing in the puppet show. Peppino the puppet master invites Marco to dinner to show his gratitude.

Feb 22, 1976

When Marco shows Pietro's friend the way to the hospital, he is touched to discover his father testing a new treatment on himself to save a patient.

Feb 29, 1976

Concetta goes out on the streets despite having a cold. Her symptoms worsen, but the family can't afford a doctor. Marco goes to the clinic for help.

Mar 7, 1976

Fiorina must put on a show alone because everyone else is ill. Just as she gets safely through it with Marco's help, bad news arrives about Anna.

Mar 14, 1976

Marco once again considers going to Argentina. Emilio asks Renato to help Marco get to Argentina after having huge success with his ice cream sales.

Mar 21, 1976

Joy over the group trip to Argentina is cut short when Renato goes back on his word. Marco gives Amedeo a letter for Anna and entrusts him to Peppino.

Mar 28, 1976

When Marco reveals that he'd meant to be on the ship to Argentina, Pietro begins laying the groundwork to go himself.

Apr 4, 1976

Marco is discovered by Leonardo, but the ship's head cook is impressed by his persistence. Pietro learns the extent of his son's determination.

Apr 11, 1976

The head cook is touched by Marco's love for his mother and takes him under his wing.

Apr 18, 1976

Marco grows fond of his new life aboard the ship.

Apr 25, 1976

The ship arrives in Rio de Janeiro. Marco's friends help him look for another ship headed to Buenos Aires.

May 2, 1976

The ship Marco boards in Rio is full of sick people and the meals are dismal. Marco meets a lost little boy named Nino aboard the crowded ship.

May 9, 1976

Six days after leaving Rio, the ship sustains heavy damage due to violent weather.

May 16, 1976

Marco begs for the ship to go faster after waking from a terrifying nightmare.

May 23, 1976

The ship finally arrives in Buenos Aires. The person who knows Anna's whereabouts has run away, and Marco loses all his money to a pickpocket.

May 30, 1976

Marco is at his wit's after losing all his money. Then he hears about a woman named Anna who has been taken to the hospital, and rushes to see her.

Jun 6, 1976

After being left with absolutely no information on his mother's whereabouts, Marco hears a rumor about a familiar puppet show in the area.

Jun 13, 1976

Peppino and his family decide to accompany Marco to Bahía Blanca.

Jun 20, 1976

The day has come to leave for Bahía Blanca.

Jun 27, 1976

Peppino has an idea to start a show based on Marco's life. Fiorina breaks down and cries for the real Marco during practice for her role as Marco.

Jul 4, 1976

Fiorina's heart breaks further as Peppino decides to write the death of Marco's mother into the puppet play to elicit more emotion.

Jul 11, 1976

Marco and his friends finally find shelter after running out of water. Gaucho Carlos revitalizes the group with hot food and wonderful music.

Jul 18, 1976

Marco and his friends are able to make their way to an inn after Carlos repairs their carriage.

Jul 25, 1976

Peppino and his troop stay the night in an abandoned place with a caved-in roof. Marco and Peppino decide to keep quiet about a harrowing encounter.

Aug 1, 1976

An Italian immigrant family suggests paying Mr. Moretti a visit for possible information on Marco's mother.

Aug 8, 1976

Marco visits Mr. Moretti soon after arriving in Bahía Blanca, but he provides no information on his mother or uncle's whereabouts.

Aug 15, 1976

Peppino's words have no effect on Marco. When Fiorina expresses her concern, Marco breaks down crying that his mother is probably already dead.

Aug 22, 1976

Marco meets a vagrant in town. After hearing his story, the man gives Marco a letter from his mother as well as new information on her whereabouts.

Aug 29, 1976

The news of his mother brings Marco's time with Fiorina closer toward its end. Marco starts working at a coal mine to cover his travel expenses.

Sep 5, 1976

Marco arrives in Buenos Aires, only to discover that his mother had already moved on to Córdoba.

Sep 12, 1976

Marco learns the deep extent of his mother's patience when he meets her cruel former employer before setting out to sail once again.

Sep 19, 1976

The captain becomes angry about Marco getting a free ride to Rosario, but changes his attitude upon discovering that Marco is a fellow Genoese.

Sep 26, 1976

Marco gets turned away at the door at the mansion in Rosario. Federico scrounges up enough money to cover Marco's train fare to Córdoba.

Oct 3, 1976

Marco strengthens his resolve to find his mother after his chance meeting with a woman and her children during the train ride to Córdoba.

Oct 10, 1976

Mequinez had moved long before Marco's arrival in Córdoba. In the town, Marco meets a boy named Pablo and develops a strange relationship with him.

Oct 17, 1976

To raise some money, Pablo looks for work in the fields. Unfortunately, the period is the wrong one and so he tries his luck fishing.

Oct 24, 1976

The house is not inhabited by the person Marco is looking for, but by an architect. The man, who appreciates the efforts of the little traveler, also offers him the money to travel to Tucuman.

Oct 31, 1976

The train attendants find Marco during an inspection and the boy ends up going down thirty kilometers from the destination.

Nov 7, 1976

During the journey, Marco falls ill for a few days and the herdsmen who take him with them must take care of his recovery.

Nov 14, 1976

After traveling for days, Marco leaves the group of herdsmen to get to Tucuman.

Nov 21, 1976

The journey to the village of Tucuman proves to be more hard than expected.

Nov 28, 1976

Having lost his donkey, Marco has to walk on foot.

Dec 5, 1976

Exhausted and under the snow, Marco is collected by a young man on horseback. On the way, a local elder has his nephew take him to Tucuman.

Dec 12, 1976

The long journey is over. The residence of the Mequinez is now visible and Marco reaches his mother.

Dec 19, 1976

After the recovery, Marco's mother can resume normal life. The Mequinez family, out of gratitude, gives the ticket to Genoa to both of them, with the promise of returning to Argentina.

Dec 26, 1976