I Travel Because I Have To, I Come Back Because I Love You

José Renato (Irandhir Santos) is a 35-year-old geologist who was assigned to conduct a survey, where he will have to cross the northeastern backlands of Brazil. His mission is to evaluate the possible route of a canal that will be made, diverting the waters from the only mighty river in the region. As the journey takes place, he realizes that he has many things in common with the places he passes through, ranging from the feeling of emptiness to the feeling of abandonment and of isolation, which makes the journey increasingly difficult.