In the carefree days before World War I, introverted Austrian author Jules strikes up a friendship with the exuberant Frenchman Jim and both men fall for the impulsive and beautiful Catherine.
Set against the backdrop of an increasingly violent strike, a worker falls in love with the middle-class daughter of his landlady.
A group of strangers from different countries end up on Rio's beaches. Seeking self-fulfillment, they look for answers to existential questions. Yet it isn't until their different paths cross that they begin to understand why they came.
