Maria Helena Dias
Inspired on Jorge Amado's romance "Tieta do Agreste", the plot is set on the fictional city of Santana do Agreste, at Brazil's northwest, and has as main theme Tieta's life turnarounds. Twenty-five years after being chased out of town by her father Zé Esteves (Sebastião Vasconcelos), she returns to her birth town seeking revenge against all that mistreated her and laugh at her in the past. Her boldness twists Santana do Agreste's routine.
In São Paulo, a married woman in her 30s lives with husband and two children; she's Fernanda, an interior designer. Shortly after her father's death, a vivid dream disorients her: she dances with a man in women's clothing. The next day, she meets a young man who looks like the man in her dreams.
While still a child, Lollipop falls in love with her orphaned cousin Silvio, who has been raised as a member of the family by her father, Dr. Arnaldo, a highly respected government official. Years pass, and to Lollipop's dismay, Silvio becomes engaged to her cousin Leticia. During the engagement party, the enraged Lollipop seduces Silvio, and sometime later, she reveals to Leticia that she is pregnant as a result of the encounter.
The film follows two men living in a Rio de Janeiro slum: a black shoe-shiner and a white mill worker.
Zenó (Mazzaropi) is a poor gardener of a traditional school in São Paulo who falls in love with one of the local girls, much richer and younger than him. Willing to conquer her, he decides to get rich, getting involved in the most varied and funny situations.
The humble Zacarias goes to the big city with his wife to help their son who wants to be a Doctor. There he gets a job, and lives a lot of funny adventures as a taxi driver.
