No Mar is a film about Cecília, the only teacher on a small fishing island. One fateful morning Cecília's daughter Maria asks her best friend Lúcia to cover for her as she goes to the beach to watch her father's boat come in. She never returns. Cecília struggles to deal with the guilt of her daughters death and attempts to embrace the impoverished Lúcia. Lúcia's own struggle with her friends death and eventual confession, forces Cecília to reconcile with her own grief and loss.
Three girls from the Lisbon suburbs, Bruna, Marta and Sara, are having a bit of fun. They've discovered that people in general are prepared to give things to young, attractive and good-natured people, and they exploit this shamelessly. Francisco, a neighbour of theirs, has given up on life. He's abandoned his wife and child to take refuge far from those who might hurt him ; in effect dying. He's ashamed of this, and never ever looks at anyone. This has given him, amongst the women of the neighbourhood, the reputation of being able to tell, just by looking at a couple, how long they'll stay together. The sudden news of the death of his much loved wife, upsets Francisco's routine.
One bad thing never comes alone, says the people. The village Estrela is threatened by the waters of the new Alqueva dam. It will become an "island". But, as one bad thing never comes alone, the daily lives of the inhabitants of this small mountain village are changed by the death of Adriano. "In order to create, I destroyed myself; I have so much externalized within myself that within me I exist only outwardly. I am the living scene where various actors perform various plays." (from Livro do Desassossego by Fernando Pessoa), as Adriano liked to quote Adriano. He committed suicide on the day of the village feast, hanging himself in the main square. For Adriano, the main square of the village has long been the center of the world. Adriano felt surrounded, depressed, unable to escape his destiny. "No one can stop a man who travels with suicide on his lapel" Adriano repeated to Lisete, always to the point of exhaustion.
Abstrata, belamente fotografada e quase muda, exceção feita a narração limitada, esta excursão arthouse sem trama do realizador de culto lituano Šarūnas Bartas presta tributo a uma velha mansão grande junto ao lago e à cultura lituana.
Lina e Mariana fogem de um orfanato no Porto em direção ao sul, em busca do pai de Lina. É num mundo difícil e chauvinista que acabam por encontrar Alberto, que vive com Júlia num monte qualquer do Alentejo. Sem dizer que Maria é sua filha, tentam pouco a pouco saber porque ele a abandonou. Quando descobrem as razões as duas planejam uma vingança... E a executam.
