DIVINE TREASURE - Synopsis
The death of ARTURO ORTIGALES, a national political figure, triggers in JAVIER a cascade of memories: the time they shared in a convent in 1967, when one arrived to begin his studies in Philosophy and the other was already in his second year. That enclosed world, ruled by the stern FATHER MASTER, is the setting where the two forge an intense friendship.
The convent routine — made up of prayers, study, and sports — fails to contain the effervescence of the young monks who, in order to escape the monotony, organize getaways, clandestine parties, and secret gatherings. In that context, ARTURO leads JAVIER to ENCARNA, a village prostitute. Although the young man’s sexual initiation does not take place immediately, a secret bond is born between them — one that will leave its mark on the memory of that year.
Meanwhile, tension grows within the convent. The students begin to desert, unable to endure a destiny imposed on them since childhood. Desire and repression intertwine in their minds, reinforced by absurd prohibitions — such as locking them up during the visit of a group of girls. At the same time, JOSEFINA, the village telephone operator and the MASTER’s spy, breaks from her role as informant when she falls in love with Friar Domingo.
The MASTER, impervious to the anguish of his pupils, refuses any change. His inflexibility provokes uprisings and a climate of rebellion. JAVIER, amid that turmoil, continues to meet with ENCARNA until she decides to leave for Barcelona. Unable to go with her, the young man watches through tears as the train carries her away — fully aware that he is losing a decisive opportunity in his life.
In June, the visit of the PROVINCIAL FATHER fails to resolve the crisis, precipitating one final revolt with a tragic ending. The next day, JAVIER and ARTURO leave the convent walls behind, each in search of his own destiny. Though they never met again, they remained forever bound by the memory of that year — a year that marked them beyond all discipline.
