Maria do Mar, a young film student, is writing her thesis on reality in cinema. Her latest work is a documentary about an old mansion along the Douro River. Maria do Mar's sincere and naive gaze allows her to see the beautiful side of life - the authenticity of the places, the beautiful landscapes, the inhabitants she meets, the animals, the sights and sounds. But as she enters the last palace, she discovers that behind the innocent facade there is a more horrifying truth.
