Two children, Pancho and Birutas, who live peacefully in the same village, are platonically in love with Xonxa. One of them, El Birutas, has to emigrate in search of a better future, leaving Xonxa and Pancho in the village.

The film centres on Moncho and his coming-of-age experience in Galicia in 1936. Moncho develops a close relationship with his teacher Don Gregorio who introduces the boy to different things in the world. While the story centres on Moncho's ordinary coming-of-age experiences, tensions related to the looming Spanish Civil War periodically interrupt Moncho's personal growth and daily life.