Manuel dos Reis Machado, a.k.a. Mestre Bimba, was an illiterate Afro-Brazilian born in 1899 who elevated capoeira to the status it enjoys today. He was a great capoeira fighter, but above all an educator. We owe him the capoeira teaching method still used today by more than 80 per cent of capoeirists. This documentary follows his moving life story through a soundtrack of 54 specially selected songs portraying the art and charm of capoeira.