In a fishing village, animosity grows between father and son, when the latter starts to desire his lover. In the midst of the tension, a co-worker dies and another teases about the dilemma.

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.

In Bahia, an educated black man returns to his home fishing village to try and free people from mysticism, in particular the Candomblé religion, which he considers a factor of political and social oppression, with tragic outcome.

In rural Brazil, villagers battle wealthy land barons for the sake of their own survival.

A poor community in Salvador organizes a resistance against the destruction of the Água de Meninos street market.

Joviano is about to get married, but he has to give up his marriage to avenge the death of his father, murdered by Colonel Eufrásio. The colonel wanted to force Joviano's father to sell his lands, and started a bloody battle moved by refusal. Now he has to decide between his fiancée's love and revenge for his father.