1
IT'S TOO EARLY, WHAT IS IT?
I'LL BE THERE TONIGHT AT 7.
NO. COME EARLIER.
I'LL BE WITH SOMEONE AT 7 P.M.
WITH WHOM?
SOMEONE.
I'VE GOT PEOPLE TODAY.
AT 5 P.M.
CONFIRMED?
CONFIRMED. I GET OU FROM SCHOOL AND DROP BY.
$1,500.
OK.
KISS.
Good morning.
Why don't you check over there?
Did you know this guy
pays for hookers?
I saw him in his car
with a girl.
Let me check your bag.
Cami, don't let him.
- Go away.
- Excuse me?
I'm not showing you my bag.
It's private.
Romera, let me see your bag.
Go away!
Everyone is showing me...
Romera.
Come here...
Go away!
Romera, come here!
Romera!
Come out, Romera!
Romera, come out.
Come out, Romera, please.
Come out of there!
Could you please come out?
Come on! Romera!
I'm talking about the name
of a school project.
The title
"Pre-Columbian America"
has to do with an ideology
and organization.
No, no.
I'm not talking about that.
You can't talk about
a pre-Columbian period
because we're splitting history
between invaders and invaded.
Let's do this.
For next week do some research
on the subject
of the name of America,
and we'll read it here
with all your colleagues.
The name is the first identity.
Maybe we don't like it.
We didn't get to choose it.
My name's Sonya.
I don't know
if that's the name I like best.
But you can choose
the name of the work.
So, be creative.
Don't call it
"School Project number two"
Surez!
Think about a title
that tells us something.
If you're working on the history
of pre-Columbian peoples,
find something interesting
about that story
and come up
with a creative name.
The title is the first impression
we have about a piece of work.
For instance,
when you go to the movies.
Would you be interested in seeing
a movie called "Movie number 40"?
I'm not interested in reading
a school project
called School Project...
number two.
Or this one, for instance.
"Agriculture in Mayan times."
Quite creative, right?
- What is it?
- We need to talk.
- I can't.
- I need to talk to you now.
No.
I'll wait for you in my office.
Are you out of your mind?
How can you chase a student
around the school like that?
You almost broke a door, Germn.
Who do you think you are?
You don't know
what happened before that.
What am I supposed to do now?
Do I take your side
or the parents' side?
Take their side.
I know what I have to tell them.
You turn everyone against you
with these attitudes.
I'm tired, Sonya.
Of the students, of these walls,
of you, of everyone.
Being tired does not give you
the right to chase a student.
You couldn't control
anybody here.
They would laugh in your face.
I'm not defending you anymore.
Tell me what I have to do?
Dora found that in the girls' restroom
two days ago.
What does the student Romera
have to do with this?
All students show us their bags,
but she runs away.
What do you make of that?
Did you check the restroom?
Go check it out
and call her parents.
They called her mother,
but she was not there.
She's staying
with some relatives.
I'd rather talk about this
with her mother
when she gets back.
I WAS ABOUT TO GO TO SLEEP.
SEN YOU GOT OLD.
I COULDN'T GO TODAY.
WORK. MAYBE TOMORROW.
SEN LET ME KNOW BEFORE. KISS.
She always sacrificed herself
for me.
My approach
was to make an effort,
my best to try to stand out.
Since I was very little
I've always wanted her
to be proud of me.
A trip abroad
was 3,800 dollars, for instance.
I didn't have that money.
I didn't have a way
to get it somewhere.
Also, one of the subjects that...
Let me check your bag.
Here.
Come!
What is it?
Give me!
Come on, Cata, hit her!
Hit her harder, Cata!
Let her go, Cata!
Let her go! Stop!
Stop! Stop!
Stop it, Cata!
That's enough, Cata!
Come here.
Are you ok?
Keep calm, it's ok.
Can you get up?
Get up.
Olga knew you had something
in your bag.
She knew something.
That's why you fought.
Why didn't you show me
your bag yesterday?
What? What?
What are you going to do?
Hello.
What's up, Lore?
Fine, and you?
Fine.
Have you seen Mica?
I'M HERE...
Are you looking for Mica?
Yes.
Wait for her in the car.
No, no.
Wait for her in the car.
Are you taking me for an idiot?
What does he want?
What's going on?
What's the problem with him?
I'm leaving.
I'm leaving this place.
I told you I have a daughter.
I'm leaving to be with her.
When are you leaving?
As soon as possible.
Two weeks. One month tops.
What do they say?
I have to leave them another girl.
There always has to be
another one.
I won't leave
until I find another girl.
Rubn wants me to stay.
He still chooses me.
You?
I choose you too.
I didn't mean that.
I meant if you can't find
another girl.
Another girl for what?
You work at a school.
Full of girls.
Are you serious?
I'm kidding.
Can I have one?
Here. Take the whole pack.
Before I go, let's have some mates,
at least, OK?
Of course.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Excuse me.
Do you have a minute?
Several parents called.
Apparently they heard about Cata.
They uploaded some videos
on the internet.
What videos?
The kids were recording
when she locked herself up
in the restroom.
Now the parents are calling
and I really don't know
what to tell them.
Arguello,
the parents are talking about
pressing charges.
What charges?
- What's going on?
- Nothing.
The parents are threatening
with pressing charges.
Keep an eye on
the children, please.
Germn, what are you going to do?
What are you going to do?
We're going to tell them
about the syringe.
What are you talking about?
You have to set up a meeting
with the parents now.
We're going to explain
what happened.
A student brought a syringe.
Endangered the girls.
That's it. Risk of diseases,
infections and what not.
This isn't the first time
they've threatened with pressing charges.
It's better this way.
They'll learn
what their children do.
You can't smoke in here.
Martn confirmed about the river.
Julio is coming too.
It's all right. Stay.
We haven't talked to your parents
because I thought we could
sort this out between us.
You know
what I'm talking about, right?
I'm not going
to chase you around.
I just want you to tell me
what you have in there.
Listen, Cata.
If we talk about this now
between us,
and you tell me
what you have in that bag,
it's done, it's over,
end of story.
If not, I will talk to your parents
and I will expel you.
No. You're going to get expelled.
Fine.
But before I get expelled,
you will show me
what you have in your backpack.
What is this for?
For the lips.
Some girls have thin lips.
Are you saying you inject this
into your classmates?
Who?
Who?
Her?
Or her?
Here.
Take it, Cata.
Go ahead.
Go ahead!
Look, how cute he is.
Go and talk to him.
Wait, Martn!
Come here, Martn!
It's all right!
Here, hold this.
Martn, wait!
Come here!
Come on, Cata, get up here!
Come on, hurry up!
Come on!
SURGERY ROOM
No, she's not my daughter, doctor.
I'm the principal
of the school she attends.
They called me because
they can't find her mother.
It looks like
she's in the capital.
The thing is we had to drain
her upper lip.
She had like an oily substance.
Do you know if the mother
has some kind of health insurance
or something?
I just told you
we can't find her mother.
Fine.
There's a pharmacy nearby.
You will get her this.
It's to prevent infections.
One pill every 12 hours.
One before going to bed
and one before lunch.
We put some cotton
to prevent the bleeding.
Don't worry. It's nothing.
Is that yours?
Give it to me.
Let me have it. I'll carry it.
I don't know, Gastn.
I don't care.
It's only natural they rebel.
Whatever.
It's the age, I don't know.
But they should at least
rebel for something.
Say something valuable.
Mine spend all day with the cell phone
sending porn pictures and videos.
I don't see any transgression in that.
I've got this student, Olga...
She gets mixed up in subjects
she doesn't even understand,
just to fight me.
She talks to me about America
and the neo-colonization and whatever.
It's transgression
just for the sake of it.
I think it's healthy
to get a little mad.
They are not robots.
I'd rather they fight with you
than with each other.
Look, if I can get a student
to defend their ideas coherently,
to rebel for something,
I'll be happy.
Here he comes.
- And Cata?
- I don't know.
So?
She's downstairs.
I got her some medicines.
It's nothing serious.
What happened with the parents?
Her mother is not in.
She's selling clothes
in the capital.
She won't be back today.
She asked me to take her
with some relatives,
where she's staying.
Here's the address and
the phone numbers, just in case.
It's a bit far,
after the bridges.
Sonya, I can't be in charge
of this girl.
I went to the hospital
and that's it. I'm sorry.
Germn, wait.
Listen to me.
Go and talk to them.
Let them see
everything's all right,
that you took care of Cata,
that you took her
to the hospital,
bought her medicines.
That you brought her
to their doorstep.
Let them see everything is fine.
I don't know, talk to them.
Now more than ever
you need to have some parents
on your side.
And some teachers too.
Let's go.
Write down my phone number.
- 1544062018.
- Hold on.
154406...
I'm going to talk to your relatives
so they won't worry,
I'll be right back.
Are you sure this is it?
Cata.
Cata.
Listen.
You're staying with me
until your relatives show up, OK?
Do you have any idea
where they might be,
at what time they're coming back
or anything?
What's the matter, Cata?
You don't want to get back home?
Is that it?
Are you hungry?
Yes, but I can't because of the...
- Are you mad at me?
- Not at all.
Corn. Disgusting.
It's yours.
Give me a napkin.
What's in yours?
Ham and cheese.
At school they're saying
you were with a hooker.
What?
That they saw you with a hooker.
That she was sitting
where I'm sitting now.
You were fucking her, right?
Don't you find it gross?
I mean, fucking a girl
everybody fucks?
What do you think?
That the kids you hang out with
have not fucked someone else?
What about you?
How many have you had?
You fuck some hooker and you think
you know all the girls.
You're a joke.
A hooker is a person, girl.
Like you, like me, like your mom.
She works, she has children,
she drinks mate.
The more I think about it
the less I can find a logical explanation
for you injecting your lip,
and injecting
your classmates lips.
Look at yourself.
Look at that lip.
Do you know what rejection is?
Do you know what it means
to look in the mirror
and know you're that?
That's how you have to go
to school,
with everyone staring at you,
everyone comparing you,
you comparing yourself
with the others?
Upload a picture and pray
for more than ten likes,
and that the skank
that dyes her hair and wears makeup
gets 120?
And everyone writes
"beautiful, hot, divine."
Do you know
what the hard part is here?
The hard part is that
you take this everywhere
and it doesn't go away.
Your eyes, your nose,
your eyebrows, your lips,
your belly, your ass,
your tits, your body.
It doesn't go away.
But it can be corrected.
No one will like you
with that shit
you put on your lips.
- Let me see.
- Don't touch me.
Besides, you're a beautiful girl.
Actually, you're quite ugly.
- You're super ugly.
- Yeah, sure. Go on.
God, you're so ugly.
Wait here.
I've been waiting for an hour.
What are you doing here?
Did you get my message?
No. What message?
- Who's that?
- A student.
Just out of the hospital.
- What happened to her?
- Nothing serious.
She's staying with me
until her parents get back.
Don't give me that look.
I came to say goodbye.
To eat, have a drink. Yes?
Yes, she's staying here with me
until her mother
or her relatives get back.
Did they call you?
I've been calling them,
but no answer.
Who are you with?
A friend.
She's out there talking to Cata.
- A friend?
- Yes, a friend.
Which grade are you in?
Second year.
Math is tough, huh?
What are you studying now?
Inversely proportional magnitudes.
Inversely proportional magnitudes.
That's bullshit.
I know.
Is it a coed school?
Yes.
Boys and girls?
Yes. Coed.
So, what's up?
About what?
Is there a boy there?
No.
So boring.
What do you do?
I work at a bar.
As a waitress.
Is there a man?
Well, not a man, a boy?
There's one.
- What's his name?
- Julio.
Julio.
Isn't that a common name?
I mean, because of the month.
No.
You're cute.
Thanks.
You have such a beautiful smile.
Yeah, but the braces fuck it up.
Let me see. Come here.
Show me.
No. But it's fucked up
right there.
It's all right.
Your hair is so smooth.
Yeah, it's kind of fucked up too.
It gets all tangled up a lot.
It looks better like that.
But I use it like this.
You don't always have to wear it
like you want.
Why not?
In this case, because of Julio.
Can I give you some advice?
If you want something from a man,
stare right into his eyes
and ask for what you want.
You do that?
Germn! He'll come.
Call me if anything comes up.
Bye. Kiss.
- Germn!
- Coming!
What?
Beer and a glass.
Is that possible?
Glass and beer.
Promise that when you see Julio
you will stare into his eyes,
and you will ask him
for what you want.
Is this the school's table?
No.
Of course it is.
This is the school's table.
He stole the school's table.
I brought it to get it fixed.
Right, right.
The leg is broken.
- Come on.
- There we go.
- There we go.
You weren't expecting that.
Come on, come on.
Here we go!
Point!
Take that! Point!
Come on!
Point!
Jab, jab, straight!
Jab, jab, jab, straight!
There.
Come on!
Jab, jab, jab, straight!
Straight! Jab, jab!
If there's nothing left
to wake up to,
And I have being left alone
in this short trip.
If not all wounds are closed yet,
Why would I bother
opening them again?
I've received several punches
in my life,
Not only at school,
also from my family.
I don't usually trust anyone
that comes near me.
Experience taught me
to shut myself and be strong.
My friends I can count
with the fingers in one hand,
and with two all the ones
that have let me down.
They were supposed to be
with me always,
Never leave me and let me fall.
Now I see myself
falling while they grow.
There's not one place
where I don't feel dead,
But I don't want to die.
Not even that would be worth it
at this point.
It seems rather stimulating,
but I simply gave up.
If there's nothing left.
Nothing makes sense no more.
Whatever was left worth taking
is not there anymore.
If I get lost today,
no one will come for me tomorrow.
In the darkness
an exit showed itself,
A company that would transit
this life with me,
They showed me time
is not always what matters,
That some people go
and new ones come.
I'd never decided
to confess it to someone,
Not without expecting
to be stabbed in the back.
This time I got this one shot,
And I won't let it go
for anything in this world.
If there's nothing left
to wake up to,
And I have being left alone
in this short trip.
If not all wounds are closed yet,
Why would I bother
opening them again?
I don't want to dream again
for more lies.
I don't want to smile
for unfelt words.
I don't want to be realistic
and lack ignorance.
I don't want to be ignorant
and just let myself fall.
Hello?
Hello, Mica.
Pick up!
Is Cata with you?
Hello?
Hello, Mica.
Can you pick up the phone, please?
I need to know if Cata is with you.
Hello!
Fuck.
What?
- Have you seen Mica?
- No, I haven't.
- What do you mean? Where's Mica?
- I don't know. What happened?
What's the name of the man
that pimps her?
- Rubn.
- That's the one. Where's Rubn?
- I don't know where he is. Stop.
- Tell me where Rubn is.
- I don't know where he is.
- How you don't know? Tell me!
Stop! Let me go,
you motherfucker!
Stop, stop!
Easy! What's the matter?
- Where is Rubn?
- I have no idea, man.
Cata!
Stop. Take it easy.
Have a beer and chill.
She took a 14 year old girl.
If I ever get a 14 year old girl
you'll never get her back.
So have a beer and chill.
I'll exchange her! Tell Rubn
I can get him a substitute!
- Hello, Sonya.
- Where the fuck are you?
What happened?
Cata's mom called the school.
She hasn't heard from her
since yesterday.
She's nervous. She never made it
to her relatives'.
Listen, don't do anything,
don't say a word, Sonya.
Didn't you leave her
with her relatives?
Of course I took her to them,
but they were not there.
You called me yourself.
I told you she was going
to stay with me.
I need your help, Sonya.
I can't leave the school, Germn.
You have to come.
What did you do?
- Who is he?
- The regional inspector.
- What?
- Where were you?
Good morning, Germn.
Morning.
This is Mr. Edelman,
from the Regional Inspectorate.
- How are you doing?
- Fine.
How can I help you?
Should we talk here?
Sure.
Mr. Arguello, I'm sorry.
We've received reports
of school violence
committed by the authorities
of this school.
Particularly by you two.
Look, you'll have to excuse me.
We have some pressing issues.
I have to ask you
to wait for me for a while.
Could you take this gentleman
to the hall?
Get him some coffee, water.
Whatever you need.
Yes, sure.
- Come with me, please.
- Sonya, let's go outside, please.
What did Cata's mom tell you?
What did you do, Germn?
You've got to help me, Sonya.
All you had to do
was take her home.
I was about to call the police,
Germn.
Stop, Sonya. Listen to me...
No, you listen to me! Shut up!
I won't call the police
or anyone else.
But this is the last time
I cover for you.
I don't know what you're going to do,
but fix this.
I won't cover for you again.
And now you're going
to tell Edelman
that everything's fine with me.
That I do a good job.
And you're going to leave
this school.
You're going to leave,
or I will tell him
that last night you were
at your place
with Cata and a hooker.
You thought I didn't know
who you were with last night?
I don't care if they fire you
or if you quit,
but you're going
to leave this school, Germn.
And find Cata.
Her mother arrives today.
We're starting proceedings
against this school.
It's possible you two will have to leave
for a while.
While the case is...
Sonya has nothing to do with this.
I am the principal here.
When the proceedings are ready,
we'll see how we organize each...
You've no idea
what's going on in here.
I have 200 students that yell,
insult, fuck, smoke, do drugs.
Some student fucks up,
and who's responsible?
I have to take care of it
because the family disappears.
You wouldn't last a day here.
- Listen to me...
- No, no. You listen.
I've been running this school
for eight years,
and I will continue to do so.
And now I have to ask you
to leave. Right now.
Hello?
Hello?
You came looking for me
last night.
Rubn.
You caused all that commotion
at the bar looking for me.
- Listen to me.
- What do you want?
There's this girl called Cata.
There's a lot near the bar.
Do not get out of the car.
No, no. Don't get out.
Lower it.
What are you looking for, exactly?
I want to know where Cata is.
You came looking for me
at the bar last night?
You caused a commotion.
You told people
you wanted to exchange a girl.
Which girl?
I need to know where Cata is.
That's all.
What Cata? What Cata?
I know Mica is leaving.
Where is she going?
What are you saying?
Get out. Get out now!
Get out of the car!
Stop! Stop!
Stop! Stop!
No. Stop!
Come here, you son of a bitch!
Cata!
Cata!
Cata!
Cata!
Hey.
Tell me where Mica is.
Where is she?
SAN ROQUE CHAPEL
Mica. Hello.
Hello. Pick up.
I know where you live.
Hello?
Open up!
Where is she?
Where is she?
We didn't go to your place
because she didn't want to.
Her mother already knows.
She's almost here.
Cata.
Let's go.
Get your things and let's go.
Cata, can't you understand
that if you don't come with me,
you'll end up like her?
Where were you last night?
Where the fuck did you take her
last night?
Calm down. I understand...
You don't understand anything,
you whore!
Her mother is looking for her
and I'm responsible, you idiot!
What were you going to do
with her?
- What do you want?
- Enough!
What did you want
to get me mixed up in?
Enough, I said! Stop!
What did you want to do?
I wanted to leave! I asked her
not to tell you anything!
She wanted to see a friend.
Calm down.
What friend?
Cata, which friend?
What did you do?
Cata, what did you do?
We only stayed for a little while.
What did you do?
Why didn't you call me?
Why didn't you come back home?
Because I was fine like that!
Without you.
Hello?
Yes. Everything's fine here.
Yes. She'll be right down.
Let's go.
You got everything?
I might have left some folders.
I can bring them by your place.
What are you going to do?
I don't know.
I think I'll get a drink.
"Some progressive tendencies
promote the vindication
of native peoples, raising
the heroic flag of Latin America.
However, an exhaustive reviewing
of our denomination as a region
would more in accordance
with the emancipating principles
of the 21st century.
The word America
comes from Richard Amerike,
the millionaire British entrepreneur
that funded the journeys
that discovered Canada in 1497.
Also, the word Latin
comes from the derivation
of the languages
originating from Latin.
Thus, Latin America is,
in its most strict
linguistic meaning,
a colonial baptism.
Today more than ever,
the scientific community,
historians, anthropologists
and geographers
face the difficult
but stimulating task
of giving the region a name
that is coherent
with its own history,
which will lead
to a real renovation
of the emancipating principles
of the native peoples."
SPECIAL THANKS
TO THE MUNICIPALITY OF BERAZATEGUI,
THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE
AND ALL THE NEIGHBORS.