Prostitute Mamma Roma has been saving for years to start a new life. When her pimp Carmine marries, she is freed from prostitution and finally, middle-aged and worn out, she is able to buy an apartment on the outskirts of Rome and a fruit cart at the local market. Finally, she can leave the harsh life of the streets and bring home her only son, who has grown up in foster care. She dreams of a better world for 16-year-old Ettore, but it may be too late for him. Plus, Carmine turns up and wants to be part of her life again