In an imaginary village of the Galicia region, between 1934 and 1936, there are raging conflicts between four families and Cayetano Salgado, the tyrant owner of the fishing fleet and shipyard.

An imaginary seafaring villa in Galicia, everything is shaken by the return of Carlos Deza, the last one of the Churruchaos, former lords of the villa. Cayetano Salgado, Carlos' childhood friend, sees his position in danger and he will make everything to keep his power over the village. Mrs. Mariana, former representative of the Churruchaos until Carlos' arrival, wants him to accept his inheritance in order to keep things as always in front of the new power, but Carlos does not want to get involved. It is an excellent portrait of the reality of society in the prewar Galicia. The joys and the Shadows presents a deep analysis of the characteristics of that society and its passage from the 19th century to capitalism, when everything changes in order to keep everything in the same way.—hadi molaee