Amaro, a young man, anxious to change the world, becomes a priest thanks to his vocation and his friendship with the Bishop, who sends him for training to the church of the town of Los Reyes, Aldama, under the supervision of Father Benito, in order to send him later to Rome for further studies. In Los Reyes he meets the devout, innocent and sensuous Amelia, daughter of Sanjuanera (owner of the town's small restaurant and object of Father Benito's affections) with whom he slowly falls in love, cursing the fate that condemns him to celibacy.

Similarly, the girl charmed by the sweet manners of the priest, and by their shared devotion to God, falls into his arms. Destiny offers them the perfect chance to fall into temptation, as they decide to teach the word of Cod to the mentally slow daughter of the sacristan Martin...

Around this story are woven the parallel lives of the other parish priests and their flock. Father Benito, a well-intentioned man who has fallen into temptation in order to help his village and to avoid facing the hell of loneliness. Father Natalio, a "rebel" priest who favours Liberation Theology and who works devotedly in the mountains in a small community and protects the guerillas working for the drug traffickers.

Sanjuanera, a woman not bound by convention who is in love with Father Benito. Don Paco, a Spaniard and accused "communist" who does not believe in the church nor in its representatives. His son Rubén, a reporter and the boyfriend of Amelia who finds it difficult to fit into the puritanical community of his village. Dionisia, a half-mad old wise woman who knows the most hidden secrets of the town. The Bishop, all-powerful and wiser by experience. And finally, the Municipal President living the good life and doing business under different guises, and like a good politician, remaining on good terms with all.

Alameda Films, Blue Films, Foprocine (Imcine), The Government of the State of Veracruz-Llave, Wanda Vision (Spain), Artcam (France), Cinecolor (Mexico y Argentina), Videocolor (Argentina), with the support of the Ibermedia program, and Columbia Tristar Film Distributors International present: El crimen del Padre Amaro.

Directed by Carlos Carrera, with: Gael García Bernal, Sancho Gracia, Ana Claudia Talancón, Angélica Aragón, Luisa Huertas, Damián Alcázar, Ernesto Gómez Cruz, Pedro Armendáriz, Lorenzo de Rodas, Jorge Zárate. Screenplay and adaptation: Vicente Leñero. Producers: Alfredo Ripstein and Daniel Birman Ripstein. Co-producer José María Morales. Director of Photography: Guillermo Granillo. Editor: Oscar Figueroa. Original Score: Rosino Serrano.

Based on the novel of the same title, written in 1875 by José María Eça de Queiroz.