Julio Briceño

Santiago, capital of Chile during the Marxist government of elected, highly controversial president Salvador Allende. Father McEnroe supports his leftist views by introducing a program at the prestigious "collegio" (Catholic prep school) St. Patrick to allow free admission of some proletarian kids. One of them is Pedro Machuca, slum-raised son of the cleaning lady in Gonzalo Infante's liberal-bourgeois home. Yet the new classmates become buddies, paradoxically protesting together as Gonzalo gets adopted by Pedro's slum family and gang. But the adults spoil that too, not in the least when general Pinochet's coup ousts Allende, and supporters such as McEnroe.

When Camilo and his girlfriend, Pola, start to struggle in their relationship, she asks for a week away from him to assess the situation. Although Camilo agrees, he feels confused, as his undemanding life is made uncomfortable for the first time. Soon he meets Mikela, a disaffected teenage girl whom he befriends. However, when Camilo discovers Mikela's past diagnosis as a schizophrenic, he begins to worry about her safety.