Brazil, 1977. Marcelo, a technology expert in his early 40s, is on the run. He arrives in Recife during carnival week, hoping to reunite with his son but soon realizes that the city is far from being the non violent refuge he seeks.
When an ocean-fascinated cowboy from the Brazilian backlands discovers that the farm where he has worked all his life will be sold, he abandons everything to, finally, get to know the sea. Guided by an old postcard sent by a long-lost love, he embarks on a quest that will redefine his life.
Bacurau, a small town in the Brazilian sertão, mourns the loss of its matriarch, Carmelita, who lived to be 94. Days later, its inhabitants notice that their community has vanished from most maps.