In the White City (1983) follows a sailor who arrives in Lisbon, Portugal and finds himself staying in a boarding house. As he explores the city, he grapples with existential crises and navigates various relationships, including a romantic one with a waitress. The film delves into themes of unhappiness, self-discovery, sensuality, and loneliness. It showcases the sailor's journey of wandering and his encounters with different characters in the city, all captured through a nonlinear timeline. The plot also includes moments of seductive desire, awkward situations, and even instances of violence.

Portugal 1997. A nuclear accident left the the country without energy and divided between zones, some of them interdicted because of the contamination. The economic crisis is dramatic and unemployment is almost total.