When guerillas come to the small Colombian village of Mariquita and take away all the men, the women are left with a withered old priest, a young boy who's mother disguised him in one of his sister's dresses, and later, a young gay man. Clueless at first as to how to proceed, the women finally organize themselves under the guidance of the police chief's wife who declares herself magistrate, and the new schoolteacher who must earn the trust of the villagers. The loss of their husbands, boyfriends, fathers, and sons brings a range of reactions, from grief, to relief, and all the characters are changed by the experience. Some of them find love in unexpected places. Funny, sweet, moving, and highly recommended.