
HenriqueisatersePortuguesesmallholderwholivesoutinthehills,farfromcivilisation.Werealisesomethingiswronginhislifewhenoccasionalpassers-byaskifthereisanynewsabouthisdaughters.Thenextday,hedrivestoanearbyvillage,followssomeoneanddoessomethingterrible.Hethenfleesbacktothehills.Thealmostentirelydialogue-freesecondhalfofthefilmfocusesonHenriqueashehidesout.Weoccasionallyhearvoices,orahelicopterswoopsoverhead.Intheend,hereturnstothevillage.<br/> IcoCostaexplicitlyusesanellipticnarrativestructure,toallowviewerstoformamanfromtheclayheputsinfrontofthem.WhoisHenrique?Canhisdeedbeunderstood?Ishetellingthetruthwhenhesayshedidn’twanttohurtanyone?Inthemeantime,almostincidentally,thestunningbeautyofthelandscapepassesby.Henriquewasheshimselfinthewatersofariver–arivercalledAlva.