Don Plutarco, his son Genaro and his grandson Lucio live a double life: musicians and humble farmers, they also support the campesina peasant guerilla movement armed efforts against the oppressive government. When the military seizes the village, the rebels flee to the sierra hills, forced to leave behind their stock of ammunition. While the guerillas organize a counter-attack, old Plutarco executes his own plan. He plays up his appearance as a harmless violin player, and makes it back into the military-occupied village to recuperate the ammunition hidden his corn field.

Francisco Vargas, after studying theater, in 1995 began his studies in directing and cinematography at the Mexico’s Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos. Conejo, his first short film, obtained a solid reputation while touring the international film festival circuit. In 2004 he made a documentary, Tierra caliente... se mueven los que la mueven, which was soon acclaimed in Mexico and worldwide. In 2006, his first feature film El violin was selected by the Cannes Film Festival for Official Selection - Un Certain Regard.