Califórnia is a coming-of-age drama set in 1984 Sao Paulo, Brazil. The story follows Estela, a young and creative teenager who dreams of becoming a writer. During a school trip, Estela discovers her first love and faces the challenges of growing up in an evolving society. Along the way, she deals with themes such as menstruation, romance, and the cultural atmosphere of Brazil in the 1980s.

Develops from the life, work and memory of Gianfrancesco Guarnieri, one of the most important names in the history of Brazilian theater, to examine the courses of dramaturgy and politics in the last decades. Guarnieri, besides being a TV star, was also seen as the synthesis of the politically engaged artist in Brazil. His sons, also actors, saw a separation between art, work, and politics. As he investigates the portraits of two generations, grandson and director Francisco aims to understand the place of his own generation in history, in art and the world as a whole.