A young artist starts a friendship with his neighbour, a criminal who, tormented because of one of his crimes, seeks forgiveness.

A journalist sets out to uncover the truth about the death of his colleague who was researching an American artist, Richard Upton Pickman. When he discovers the artist is in Santiago he goes to pay him a visit.

The 1948 speech called "Yo Acuso" resulted in Pablo Neruda going under hiding for 13 months and the police searching intensively for him.