From the state of Bahia, in northeastern Brazil comes the story of a man steeped in the African spiritual tradition. He was a capoeirista (practitioner of the Afro-Brazilian Martial Art of capoeira) who took it upon himself to defend an Afro-Brazilian community whose culture was under persecution at the time (post-abolition). Besouro Preto looks deeply into the mysterious world of capoeira, it's historic evolution from Africa to Brazil, its spiritual/religious traditions and then into the life of one its biggest enigmas: Besouro Preto. The documentary explores the philosophic and spiritual connections that exist between Central Africa and Brazil. Interviews are conducted with important Masters of the discipline as well as historians and religious scholars from Brazil, Congo and the United States. Few documentaries have attempted to delve into the world of capoeira mysticism. Through the stories and historic findings that are revealed, new light is shed on African Diaspora history and African spiritual traditions in Brazil.