Throughout many generations, the Alcântara family keeps preserving their family history orally and through the practice of traditions and customs kept for many centuries that were brought from Africa. The documentary, The Alcântara Family, portrays the point of view of black Brazilians about the black population in Brazil. The culture of Brazil was formed in the struggle against racism and was born of the mingling of whites, blacks and Amerindians. The black element in Brazilian society is inextricably mingled with the white, and Africa is a maternal presence in the midst of all Brazilians. It is all the more unfortunate, then, that a distorted image of the Brazilian way of life has at times been mis-represented abroad. The African contribution, which is of fundamental importance to Brazilian culture, is glossed over or pushed into the background. The film exposes the unique cultural roots passed down by Brazilian slaves from the Bantu culture. The Bantu were among the major ethnicities of Africans brought to America during the Slave Trade period. The Alcântara Family shows how their descendants can confront broad historical and social issues that influence the lives of each individual as Brazilians are united by a common story.