1950s. The village of Barquinha, on the banks of the Douro River. Married to António, a dredger captain who has returned after many years in Brazil, Carolina works as a level-crossing keeper. She has a goddaughter, Melita.

Inspired by traditional folk songs, popular ballads and melodramas steeped in passion and violence, O RIO DO OURO was acclaimed by critics, with some considering it Paulo Rocha’s masterpiece. A film possessed by a raw, elemental force, where passion and violence pulse beneath the surface.

Copy digitized and restored by Cinemateca Portuguesa - Museu do Cinema.