"Box of Buttons" is a film that portrays the anguish of early adulthood through the eyes of an unruly teenager. Yael, who is being raised in Brazil by her single Jewish-American Mother, attempts to take control of her life by lashing out. Her relationship with her Mother has grown as distant as her wilted outlook on life. It is not until the sudden death of her Grandmother, that she, and her mother, realize the importance of family, love, and forgiveness.