During the authoritarian Estado Novo period in Brazil (1930s-1940s), Graciliano Ramos, who is arbitrarily arrested without formal charges due to his alleged political sympathies. He is transferred through a series of prisons and detention centers, where he endures harsh conditions, deprivation, and psychological pressure. Inside prison, Graciliano observes and reflects on the lives of fellow inmates-political prisoners, common criminals, and marginalized figures-developing a profound sense of human solidarity amid oppression. Rather than focusing on dramatic escape or heroics, the film emphasizes daily suffering, moral resistance, and the dehumanizing nature of authoritarian power.