Wanted for killing his boss, Manuel flees with his wife Rosa to the sertão, the barren landscape of Northern Brazil. Thrust into a primordial violent region, Manuel and Rosa come under the influence and control of a series of frightening figures.
The movie is a collage and comentary of varied third party footage on news relating to each and every one of the eight Presidents of Brazil who took office since the end of the military government, from José Sarney to Jair Bolsonaro.
The movie depicts the political crisis that led to the suicide of president Getúlio Vargas, in the 19 days that preceded August 24, 1954. The crisis began with the attempted assassination of journalist and politician Carlos Lacerda in August 5, 1954, at rua Toneleros, Rio de Janeiro, in which Major Vaz was assassinated instead. Investigations pointed to Gregório Fortunato, chief of Vargas' personal guard, as the orderer of the frustrated assassination. This incident was one of the most importants in the history of Brazil.
A group of armed soldiers is sent to the Northeast of Brazil in an attempt to stop a famine-struck population from invading and stealing a food deposit in the dry backlands. While the alienation and insanity of people driven to hallucination by their latent hunger is conducted by the predictions of a religious figure, a truck driver observes the situation and remains torn between his friendship with the soldiers and his revolt against the lack of government action in fighting the misery that lingers over the region.
After a powerful outlaw dies, a reporter interviews his lover and gets three different stories about the legendary man.
The young singer Beth is torn between love for the honest pianist Guy; and the powerful smuggler Estênio, who sponsors his promising career.
In the village of Leva-e-Traz, the discovery of a oil field is responsible for a mass evasion of the townspeople. Left are the old and incapable for the extraction job. When the local priest announces he, too, is leaving the town, Satan emerge thrilled with the chance of overtaking the place.
The film follows two men living in a Rio de Janeiro slum: a black shoe-shiner and a white mill worker.
Moments before turning 90 years of age, Alberto remembers his life, lived in Copacabana, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. The film is a comedy about old age nowadays, with Copacabana as a background.
The life of a runaway slave who founded the Quilombo dos Palmares, an outlaw community of Brazilian slaves.
