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In this tale of love and larceny from Brazil, Lisbela (Debora Falabella) is a young woman engaged to marry her well-meaning but thick-headed boyfriend, Douglas (Bruno Garcia); however, Lisbela is beginning to have second thoughts about marriage when she meets Leleu (Selton Mello), a grifter with a traveling carnival that has set up in town. Lisbela finds herself pondering the notion of leaving Douglas behind and taking up with Leleu, but while he's obviously interested in her, Leleu has problems of his own with Inaura (Virginia Cavendish), a hot-tempered woman who has been having an affair with Leleu when she can get away from her husband Frederico (Marco Nanini), who is aware of his wife's infidelity but lacks the courage to do anything about it. Lisbela e o Prisioneiro received its North American premier as part of the 2004 Los Angeles Latino Film Festival.