As Colombia's most famous political cartoonist strolls through downtown Bogotá in the hours before a public celebration of his career, he contemplates how 40 years before he gave up painting and began drawing caricatures to earn a living. For years his cartoons have had the power to overturn a judge's decision, threaten the stability of a ministry or repeal a law, with the result that half the country loved him and the other half wished him dead. But as he leaves the theatre a young woman emerges from the crowd and forces Mallarino to confront an incident that took place in his home half a lifetime ago, calling into question his reputation and the value of his life's work.