Zé is a very poor man whose most prized possession is his donkey. When his donkey falls terminally ill, Zé makes a promise to Saint Bárbara: If his donkey recovers, he will carry a cross - like Jesus - all the way from his city to Saint Bárbara's church, in the state capital. Upon the recovery...
An anthology divided in three segments, helmed by three of the most important Brazilian directors of the 20th century. A mother becomes involved with black magic and offers a virgin woman to the Devil in exchange for curing the illness of her only son. A poor laborer is the only man in the village...
A gunman is hired to kill a corrupt politician. However, the agreement is canceled. Despite being a hired killer, the man takes his job seriously and prefers to go to the end.
After the proclamation of the Republic, a group of fanatics in the sertão dreamed of and fought for the restoration of the Monarchy. At that bloody time, Fabiano, a quiet boy, becomes a cangaceiro and is attacked by the police. Although wounded, he manages to take refuge on a farm where he is...
The story of how a quarrel between families set poor farmer Virgulino Ferreira da Silva on the path to become Lampião, the greatest leader of the cangaceiros - bandits who roamed the Northeast of Brazil until the late 1930s.
A beautiful young woman living in an isolated fishing community on an island falls in love with an outsider, a train machinist. But her father, a violent religious fanatic interferes.
On the day of Pedro Boiadeiro's wedding, a band of cangaceiros who survived the Angicos massacre invade his home, then proceed to beat him up, and abuse and murder his wife. Pedro sets out to get revenge on each one.
A pastor and a priest compete for the religious leadership of the population of a small town. When the pastor tries to prevent his sister's involvement with the sacristan, he accidentally starts the rumor that the church houses a miraculous statue of St. Francis.
In a fishing village, animosity grows between father and son, when the latter starts to desire his lover. In the midst of the tension, a co-worker dies and another teases about the dilemma.