This is the first colour film from Cuban director Tomas Alea, who made Memories of Underdevelopment in 1968. His latest film is about a negro slave revolt on a sugar plantation in the late eighteenth century.

During Easter Week, the plantation owner comes from Havana to perform a religious ceremony of washing the feet of twelve slaves. He then has them to dinner.

One of the slaves had tried to escape the day before and has had his ear lopped off by the overseer. During a long and drunken dinner, the master tells the slaves stories about Jesus and St Francis. He even frees one old man, and tells them all that they won't have to work on the following day, Good Friday. But he neglects to inform his overseer who rounds up the slaves for work as usual.

They rebel and seize the overseer, believing the master will support them. But soldiers are brought in, and the rebellion is put down with violence.