In 1986, Chile is deep into political turmoil under a dictatorship, and Santiago is still recovering from the previous year’s massive earthquake. The Queen of the Corner is an old cross-dresser, lonely and romantic, who makes a living by embroidering tablecloths for high society ladies.
The Queen is with her friends at a clandestine gay cabaret when they are surprised by a police raid. Amid the chaos, a mysterious young man saves her from being arrested.
The young man’s name is Carlos, claims to be an architecture student, and starts visiting her frequently. The Queen gets her hopes up with this young man, who doesn’t reciprocate her romantic interest, but doesn’t discourage her either. Carlos leads her on and lets her dream, and after a short while starts asking strange favors. To hide a box of «forbidden books» at her place, to meet with «some friends» to study at her place.
The boxes obviously are not full of books, and the friends who visit and look at her with disdain are not students either. She knows, and he knows she knows. The Queen plays dumb because she prefers to dream of this impossible love than face the harsh reality: that Carlos is putting her in grave danger, and that he will never love her.
