In 1922, 18-year-old Salvador Dalí (Robert Pattinson) arrives at Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid. The ''Residencia de Estudiantes'', or Students' Residence, is a modern environment which encourages Spain's brightest young minds. Salvador, who is determined to become a great artist, soon catches the attention of the ''Resi'''s social elite — poet Federico García Lorca (Javier Beltrán) and aspiring filmmaker Luis Buñuel (Matthew McNulty). Together, they form the nucleus of the most modern artist group in Madrid.