In 1496, eighteen year-old Princess Joan (Pilar Lopez de Ayala) is sent sent by her mother, Queen Isabella of Spain, to marry handsome young Philip (Daniele Liotti), the Archduke of Austria. What begins as a routine arranged marriage becomes insanely passionate when the two young people first lay eyes on each other. But the passion quickly fades for Philip as he becomes more focused on battle and the ascent to the throne. His rampant infidelities drive Joan into deep despair and he ultimately confines her to an asylum to get her away from him. Director Vincente Aranda's explosively passionate and beautiful period piece coaxes fine performances from two young newcomers Lopez de Ayala and Liotti and is sure to satisfy fans of European history--as well as those who like their costume dramas extra spicy.