El Entusiasmo plot
In 1980, while Pinochet was still dictator of Chile, the young Isabel, Fernando and Guillermo met. They find each other in their common preference for Guillermo's utopian concept of the 'independent republic', a reaction to the capitalism preached by the dictatorship. Ten years later, democracy has been restored, and Isabel and Fernando have a child, Miguel. In the desert town of Arica, on the border with Peru, they start a company that organizes adventurous excursions for tourists. There they also meet their old friend Guillermo, who now makes smooth reports for European television channels. Things are getting better for Fernando. His marriage to Isabel begins to show cracks, however, when he enthusiastically commits himself to a consortium that wants to build a huge tourist complex from the ground.