A mother and daughter undertake a cultural voyage that becomes a desperate struggle to escape a bombed ship.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A Voyage Toward Origins
Rosa Maria takes Maria Joana from Portugal to Bombay by cruise ship. She hopes to visit the birthplaces of civilization.
Key Events
Departure from Portugal — Rosa Maria begins a cruise with Maria Joana from Portugal toward Bombay. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Portugal
Journey to Bombay — Mother and daughter travel together toward India. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Cruise ship
Civilization Quest — Rosa Maria travels to visit the birthplaces of civilization. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Cruise ship
French Port Arrival — A famous businesswoman boards the ship in France. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Port in France
Italian Port Arrival — A famous model boards the ship in Italy. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Port in Italy
Passengers Across Languages
New passengers board at ports in France, Italy, and Athens. The captain hosts distinguished guests at his table and later welcomes Rosa Maria and Maria Joana.
Key Events
Italian Port Arrival — A famous model boards the ship in Italy. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Port in Italy
Athens Arrival — A famous actress boards the ship in Athens. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Athens
Multilingual Dinner — The captain invites three distinguished women to dinner, where they speak different languages. Characters: Rosa MariaLocation: Ship dining room
Family Dinner Invitation — Rosa Maria and Maria Joana are later invited to the captain's table. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Ship dining room
Arab Doll Gift — The captain presents Maria Joana with an Arab doll. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Ship dining room
The Gift Before Danger
The captain gives Maria Joana an Arab doll during dinner. The atmosphere changes when he is informed that two time bombs are aboard the ship.
Key Events
Arab Doll Gift — The captain presents Maria Joana with an Arab doll. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Ship dining room
Aden Warning — The captain learns that terrorists planted two time bombs aboard the ship in Aden. Characters: Rosa MariaLocation: Ship dining room
Evacuation Order — Passengers are ordered to evacuate the ship. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Cruise ship
Return to Cabin — Maria Joana runs back to the cabin to retrieve the Arab doll. Characters: Maria JoanaLocation: Mother and daughter's cabin
A Child Left Behind
An evacuation order sends the passengers toward safety. Maria Joana returns to the cabin for her doll, and Rosa Maria discovers that she is missing.
Key Events
Missing Child Discovered — Rosa Maria realizes that Maria Joana is missing during the evacuation. Characters: Rosa MariaLocation: Cruise ship
Search Through Ship — Rosa Maria rushes back toward the cabin to find Maria Joana. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Cruise ship
Mother Finds Daughter — Rosa Maria finds Maria Joana and takes her back toward the deck. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Mother and daughter's cabin
Last Rafts Depart — Rosa Maria and Maria Joana reach the deck, but all life rafts have left. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Ship deck
The Unreachable Rafts
Rosa Maria finds Maria Joana, but they reach the deck after all life rafts have departed. The captain attempts to rescue them as the bombs explode.
Key Events
Captain's Rescue Call — The captain sees them and yells for them to jump. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Ship deck
Attempted Rescue — The captain struggles to remove his uniform so he can swim toward them. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Ship deck
Twin Explosions — Two explosions sound and a bright light illuminates the captain's face. Characters: Rosa Maria, Maria JoanaLocation: Ship deck
Distraught Final Image — The credits appear against the captain's distraught face lit by the explosion.
Location: Ship deck
Story Breakdown
Portuguese Departure — Rosa Maria begins the voyage with Maria Joana and explains the journey's cultural purpose.
Mother Daughter Journey — Rosa Maria takes her little daughter from Portugal toward Bombay.
Civilization Motivation — Rosa Maria wants to visit the birthplaces of civilization.
Ports And Passengers — The ship gathers notable passengers at successive Mediterranean ports.
French Businesswoman — A famous businesswoman boards in France.
Italian Model — A famous model boards in Italy.
Athens Actress — A famous actress boards in Athens.
Captain's Dinners — The captain creates social encounters through dinners at his table.
Multilingual Conversation — The distinguished women speak in their own languages.
Family Invitation — Rosa Maria and Maria Joana are invited to the captain's table.
The Arab Doll — A gift creates the immediate personal object that later draws Maria Joana back to the cabin.
Captain's Gift — The captain presents Maria Joana with an Arab doll.
Child's Attachment — Maria Joana returns for the doll during the evacuation.
Bomb Threat — News of planted explosives transforms the voyage into an emergency.
Aden Intelligence — The captain is informed that terrorists planted two time bombs aboard.
Evacuation Order — Passengers are ordered to leave the ship.
Mother's Search — Rosa Maria must find Maria Joana before the ship is destroyed.
Missing Daughter — Rosa Maria realizes that Maria Joana is not with her.
Cabin Retrieval — Rosa Maria finds Maria Joana in the cabin and takes her back to the deck.
Final Explosion — The rescue fails when the last rafts have departed and the bombs detonate.
Empty Life Rafts — Rosa Maria and Maria Joana reach the deck too late to board a raft.
Captain's Rescue Attempt — The captain calls for them to jump and prepares to swim toward them.
Two Explosions — Two explosions illuminate the captain's distraught face as the credits begin.
A meditation on civilization. July, 2001: friends wave as a cruise ship departs Lisbon for Mediterranean ports and the Indian Ocean. On board and on day trips in Marseilles, Pompeii, Athens, Istanbul, and Cairo, a professor tells her young daughter about myth, history, religion, and wars. Men approach her; she's cool, on her way to her husband in Bombay. After Cairo, for two evenings divided by a stop in Aden, the captain charms three successful, famous (and childless) women, who talk with wit and intellect, each understanding the others' native tongue, a European union. The captain asks mother and child to join them. He gives the girl a gift. Helena sings. Life can be sweet.
