Brazilian master Marcelo Gomes ("Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures", "Joaquim", "Paloma") turns off the colours in this stirring black-and-white Amazonian melodrama to explore how different religions, traditions and cultures can affect the flames of love. In this faithful adaptation of a popular book by Brazilian author Milton Hatoum (PÖFF audiences will remember his other novel "River of Desire" from Sergio Machado's film, selected for the Official Competition in 2022), Catholic siblings Emilie and Emir are forced to leave their native Lebanon in 1949 after a ruthless war.

Having already lost both their parents, they hope to find peace and freedom in the jungles of the Amazon rainforest. On the boat, open-hearted Emilie falls madly in love with handsome, rich and influential trader Omar, who has emigrated from Libya to Brazil. Suspicious brother Emir is too angry and hateful to accept his sisters' genuine relationship with a Muslim. His uncontrollable jealousy and spite lead to violence with painful consequences. This intimate, beautiful and epic love triangle (premiered in Rotterdam's Big Screen Competition) deals with the complicated dilemmas of building a life away from home.