Elena, a young Brazilian woman, travels to New York with the same dream as her mother, to become a movie actress. She leaves behind her childhood spent in hiding during the years of the military dictatorship. She also leaves Petra, her seven year old sister. Two decades later, Petra also becomes an actress and goes to New York in search of Elena. She only has a few clues about her: home movies, newspaper clippings, a diary and letters. At any moment Petra hopes to find Elena walking in the streets in a silk blouse. Gradually, the features of the two sisters are confused; we no longer know one from the other. When Petra finally finds Elena in an unexpected place, she has to learn to let her go.

In this award winning film, three world renowned masters tell of the blood and treachery of Capoeira in its early days after slavery. A young man gets off the ghetto streets of Salvador Brazil and redeems his life by teaching Capoeira to other troubled youths. In their stories the surprising history and essential truth of Capoeira as a modern self defense art form is revealed.