At her mother’s wake, Amelia confronts reality. After a life of extremes, Iraci has committed suicide, leaving her daughter with only a single message: a ban against Magda, Amelia’s grandmother, at the funeral. This, and nothing more.
In 1974, in the Jequitinhonha Valley, Magda is an ambitious young woman dreaming of moving to Belo Horizonte. She meets Cesar, a doctor from the capital, 20 years her senior and grieving the recent death of his father. Their impulsive marriage seems like the fulfilment of both their dreams and ideals. However, the "perfect life" quickly sours, and the husband reveals himself to be a possessive and controlling man.