Biopic about the American Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Elizabeth Bishop. The film follows Elizabeth (Miranda Otto) as she moves to Brazil following the advice of her mentor Robert Lowell (Treat Williams). Initially Elizabeth struggles with her work and her host, the Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares (Glória Pires), but as the two women get to know one another an intimate relationship soon develops.

Then, with the support of Lota, Elizabeth's poetry career begins gaining momentum. But with this newfound success comes a number of problems...