Julia Lemos

In 1977, acclaimed filmmaker Maria Clara Lacerda won the Palme d'Or at Cannes with Absence, a hauntingly personal film inspired by her passionate relationship with journalist Pedro Ferraz. Years later, following a long separation, Maria Clara returns to Brazil and agrees to an interview with Pedro—an encounter that would go down in history. Now, decades on, previously unseen footage of the moments leading up to that fateful conversation resurfaces. Through restored images, the film uncovers a raw, intimate perspective of that day, revealing long-buried truths, silences, and emotions lost to time.

Clara hides that she is in love with her best friend, Sofia, who is moving abroad. During a meeting to say goodbye, Clara makes a discovery.

After making a pact with Jequitibá, José Inocêncio becomes a mythical figure, known as the most successful cocoa farmer in the region. While still young, he wins the heart of Maria Santa. Their intense passion results in four children: José Augusto, José Bento, José Venâncio, and the youngest, João Pedro, who never had the opportunity to know his mother, as she dies while giving birth to him. This tragedy fuels José Inocêncio’s anger, blaming João Pedro for the loss of his great love. Throughout their lives, indifference and resentment mark the relationship between the father and his youngest son. As if the past weren’t enough, years later, the arrival of the mysterious Mariana puts all these emotions to the test when both father and son fall in love with the same woman. This situation reawakens feelings that were either dormant or previously unknown to them.

The world of African royalty, the fight for justice and the love between an African princess and a Brazilian worker in this 1920s fable, full of romance, adventure and humor.