In the early 70’s in Rio de Janeiro, the seamstress single mother Manuela moves with her six year-old daughter, Tati, from the suburb of Penha to a small apartment in Copacabana expecting a better life. However, she has financial difficulties to support her simple lifestyle and her spoiled daughter misses her absent father, who left his ship in Asia and never returned home. When Manuela gets pregnant, her life becomes harder.