A love story in the Brazilian backlands. Etevaldo, a rural worker, is a lonely and reserved man, who moves to the village of Vargem Velha. There, he meets Maria, a young free-spirited woman, but promised to a man from the neighborhood. They both fall in love and run away. They are taken in by Valda, a deeply religious lady who sees Maria as a daughter. Just as a new life seems to take shape, a death brings forth secrets and taboos, forcing them to confront oppression and intolerance.