On a remote Indonesian island, during the waning days of the colonial era, Dutch sugar plantation owner Jan and his wife Agathe are at the top of the food chain. That is, until Jan, upon returning from his nightly visit to his native concubine Siti, suddenly drops dead in front of his wife. Desperate to keep the privileges of her status quo, Agathe forces her estranged son Cornelis and his pregnant wife, Jesefine, to travel from Europe and take over the family business. In the midst of a worker’s uprising, Cornelis displays his plans for progressive change. But when Jan’s will puts Siti at the forefront of the family estate, ideals prove to be idle and blood thicker than water.