During a trip to Germany to scatter their grandfather's ashes, German-American brothers Todd and Jan discover Beerfest, the secret Olympics of downing stout, and want to enter the contest to defend their family's beer-guzzling honor. Their Old Country cousins sneer at the Yanks' chances, prompting the siblings to return to America to prepare for a showdown the following year.

Diego is an artist -- and that's all he feels he has in this life. He hates his job and people seem to treat him badly. Desperate and dejected -- Diego feels he isn't "Truly living" and must somehow make a move to regain meaning to his life. Reading about the great painter Paul Gauguin, Diego emulates the artist and leaves the comfort of his world for a place he can live cheaply and paint full time. His destination -- Juarez Mexico. But dreams can come at a price and Diego is forced to come to terms with what "truly living" means when one has to survive and escape with one's own life.