Mixing documentary and fiction, five women, Brazilian writers from across the country tell the stories of five women. Telma, a flag-bearer in a Samba School of Rio de Janeiro, struggles to win the most coveted prize of Carnival. Laura, a single mother in her forties, is faced with entering the competitive Sao Paulo job market at the end of a marriage entirely dedicated to her husband and child. Esmeralda, a country girl from Bahia, tries to reconcile her faith as a Christian with the superstitions of society and the history of a strict, conservative upbringing. Ana, a young student from Maceio, makes a journey of self-discovery in which she reconsiders her own values. Martileide, a waitress who is no longer able to bear her sparse livelihood in a poor suburb of Curitiba, finds hope in the voice of a radio announcer. Sensual, amusing, and at times sarcastic and cruel, these narratives—some based on true stories—explore a range of universal female types that come to life by the unique experiences of these extraordinary characters.
2006, color, 1 hour 53 minutes, Brazil