In the ghettoes of Rio de Janeiro, graffiti artists try to make a living through art rather than crime, samba musicians give voice to their pain in music, maids come down from the hillside slums every day to work in the rich homes of the city's south side and the military police combat ghetto crime with minimal resources. Despite enormous social and economic problems, these individuals soldier on with their own brand of happiness. Their joy is a secret weapon for ensuring their own survival.