“I think my film represents above all the proof to those who want to understand and accept it, that poetry can’t be filmed, that it is useless to try” - João César Monteiro
João Barbela is poor man who lives out of charity - what coins the people of Lisbon's popular districts give him as 'pay' for his puppeteering work. For the kids, he is like a king, Dom Roberto = puppet). When he meets Maria, an equally poor girl, he fancies to change her life, and get her a house, maybe marrying, and being happy together.Life does not exactly have a happy ending, like he managed with his puppets 5-minute plays...
Rosa Maria, whose father is a sailor, was picked up by Tomé, having a child of her son Renato, who is expelled from home.
