The story is told by Sebastián (Carlos Echevarría), a high school sports coach who becomes the object of student and athlete Martín's (Javier De Pietro) affection.

Offended and feelings rejected, Martín taunts his teacher, telling him to call the police and suggesting it would cause greater problems.

Later, Martín accidentally falls from a roof to his death after retrieving a neighbor's football, and Sebastián finds himself filled with remorse.

"[1] During the Berlinale, The Hollywood Reporter published a review stating: "Despite its original twist on the tired pedophilia topic, Absent skirts the fringes of dull and would be commercially dismissable, were it not for the edgy mixing job and hyped-up soundtrack that together create a sense of artificial excitement.

(...) The small cast is well-chosen and de Pietro, in his first film role, is a real discovery who opens up his character of Martin in ever surprising ways.