Synopsis
Cloudy morning. Cemetery. Berta (43) visits her mother’s grave. Further away, she seeks for another grave. Finds it, spits on it and loots it´s bronze plaque with anger. Later, at her inherited house nearby the riverbank, she´s immersed in solitude. Only three dogs keep her some company.
At sunset she holds and stares the bronze plaque removed from the second grave. Berta grins. Later, at night she calls her half sibling, Horario (35) and convinces him to meet at the cemetery next morning. Berta´s new plan of stealing bronze plaques from the local graveyard causes the encounter. They meet as agreed. Visit their mother´s grave. Horacio insists in visiting his father´s grave also. At first Berta refuses the idea but then decides to go follow him. Horacio discovers his father´s bronze plaque has been stolen. Anger drives him to accomplish Berta´s plan for robbery. Once they finish stealing for the day, Berta invites him to spend some time together at home. He strongly denies.
Third day of robbing in another cemetery. On their way out with the booty, Berta invites Horacio home. He denies again. Knowing about his need of money, she convinces him saying that, at night, a buyer for the stolen bronze plaques will show up. They drive home. Horacio is surprised how Berta managed to the keep the house exactly as it used to be years ago.To overcome the awkwardness of being alone in their childhood house, they spend the afternoon in the little garden that faces to river´s shore. They daydream about how they would spend the money from the bronze deal. Berta attempts to thwart the desire of Horacio of moving to Brazil.
A gentle but yet persistent provocation to flirt with him, is established by Berta. She brags about the distance of the stars, the speed of light and the mysterious creatures that live at the bottom of the river.
Faced over the right to inherit the house, the hours go by and their brotherhood is regained sharing some childhood memories. Seeking for his old man´s fishing canoe, Horacio goes down to the riverbank and finds it abandoned and littered. He blames Berta over the canoe´s state of neglect. The accusation triggers a tense atmosphere. Berta tries to overcome her anguish by preparing some drinks. Horacio wanders around, takes advantage of a moment of solitude and goes to the clothes line to smell one of Berta´s panties running dry. While they drink “mojitos” Berta recalls the days he used to peek on her whenever she took a bath. He accuses her of being a slut. Insulted, she throws the drink to his face. Horacio goes back to the river´s shore. Berta stays alone, puts on some makeup. When he returns, she invites him with some rum. They get drunk and recall some childhood memories. Suddenly Berta tries to kiss him. With bewilderment and anger, he gets back inside the house. She follows him. Tries to seduce Horacio again but he rejects her once more.
Faced in deep silence, dusk finds them waiting for the buyer´s call. Annoying barks are heard. Berta bursts into anger against the neighbor´s dog. Horacio claims Berta to call the bronze ´s buyer again. She handles the phone to Horacio but nobody answers him. Due to his insistent request, she tries once more and finally speaks with the buyer who won´t come as promised. The half siblings are both tired. Berta, in a final attempt, invites him to sleep with her in the only available bed. She receives his rejection with resignation and before she checks in, Berta takes a hidden bronze plaque and leaves it on the table with the rest of the booty.
Berta stares at him until she falls asleep. Horacio slumbers outside. In the middle of the night, he wakes up and gets inside the house. Shocked by grief and anger, he discovers his father´s bronze plaque. He goes to Berta´s bedroom and stares at her full of hatred and desire. Suddenly, he leaves the room behind.
Dawn´s first light illuminates Berta while she wakes up with one of her dogs. She gets out to look for Horacio. Doesn´t find him. Back inside, she discovers that the bags with the stolen bronze pieces are gone, except for one plaque: the one she took from the grave of Horacio´s father.
Alone and pensive, she smokes. Dawn emerges amid the new sky and the river´s water. Berta slightly smiles and turns around to leave the view behind.