Benjamim Falcão

The Meldrews go on holiday to Portugal with Mrs Warboys, who is hoping for romance with her penpal Alfonso. Photographer Martin Trout follows them there, believing they have a roll of film that belongs to him.

Returning to his homeland after many years away, Juvenal, an agricultural engineer with liberal ideas, finds himself caught up in the social unrest on the island of Madeira that preceded the 1974 revolution, which is condemned by his brother Álvaro, an embroidery manufacturer and staunch conservative. Exposed to the romantic schemes devised by Álvaro, Juvenal vigorously defends the exploited workers and is reunited with Elisabeth, the great love of his youth. Wounded while taking part in a popular demonstration that is violently suppressed by the police, he is sentenced to exile on the island of Sal. Elisabeth decides to accompany him, announcing that she is expecting his child... eternity!

In the forties, in a little settlement lost amidst the mountains of Trás-os-Montes, Leonardo tries to survive by buying and selling marten and fox furs, dreaming of the day he’ll close a big deal.

Pontius Branco was a climber of the economy, climbed by money like Mount Everest. aggressive businessman. His wife Bernarda felt betrayed. He replaced her for the orgies between the purchase intervals, sells and deceives. Here comes the train from 15:30 to Lisbon a coming emigrant from France with a five year old daughter in her arms and attacks Pontius in his stronghold, demanding recognition of the daughter of sin, Libertina that he had made her "bidonville» on the city of light. Bernarda hires a private detective to obtain evidence of Pontius's adultery with a curvaceous blonde, whose dream was to own butchers, fishmongers and vegetable places in a shopping center. Pontius who all deceived and this triangle (not Bermuda), weaves the web and bore's the head of the entrepreneur. A perfect luxury crime puts the police overtime. Time passes and only after the Seventh Day Mass is brought to light when the sky was given the eclipse of the moon ...

João Barbela is poor man who lives out of charity - what coins the people of Lisbon's popular districts give him as 'pay' for his puppeteering work. For the kids, he is like a king, Dom Roberto = puppet). When he meets Maria, an equally poor girl, he fancies to change her life, and get her a house, maybe marrying, and being happy together.Life does not exactly have a happy ending, like he managed with his puppets 5-minute plays...

Hipólito is a self-made man, who went up in life in devious ways, and used for profit the social turmoil when Portugal changed from a monarchy into a republic, and then to a military regime. Finally, he is forced into exile. Back in 1935 to family, friends, and lovers, he is in a mix-mesh of lies, and scheming, again.

Mário Gonçalves, a high school teacher threatened with death due to cancer, spends the last days of his life in the village where he was born, in the heart of Serra da Estrela. There, he expresses his talent as a painter in the intimate decoration of an abandoned chapel. This is also the twilight hour of rebellious memories: love and precariousness, choices and contingency, perennial dissatisfaction...

Beladona was the greatest star, or so she thought. Careless of her rural property, she lived by night countless adventures. From one such nights in the arms of a stage and movie producer, she begot her dear Lilás. Alas, six minutes after birth, the boy was taken from her and declared dead - due to the intrigue of the producer, who didn't want to recognize the child as his. Taken into custody by a surrogate mother, twenty years after the child grew into a man, who starts his education in the very fado (folk song, also meaning destiny) tavern where his real mother is. Beladona is still an attractive woman - and drama is round the corner.