1
THE TOWROPE
Don Oscar!
Yes?
I broughta girl
who asked to see you.
I found her along the way.
She's not well.
What do you want?
The boatman said
you were looking for me.
Don Oscar...
I'm Alicia,
your niece.
Dilia and Evelio's daughter.
I haven't heard from my brother in ages.
What happened?
They burned Siberia.
And Dilia?
She was in the house.
They burned everything.
Who did this?
I don't know.
What color were their armbands?
I don't know.
May the mountain swallow them!
Times are tough here.
The price of coal went down.
and Freddy left.
Who's Freddy?
My son, your cousin.
You were too young to remember him.
Can I stay?
For a few days...
Wait.
In the kitchen, there's coffee,
corn cake and bread. Go eat.
This is Freddy's room.
I'm going to the harbor.
If you need anything
whatsoever, ask Flora.
Oscar!
Hello.
Do Flora?
Yes.
My uncle told me to ask you.
For what?
For anything whatsoever.
Are you going to work here?
Then go clean these tubers,
peel the beans
and wash the potatoes.
Someone to see you.
Me?
Yes, go on.
Yes?
Hello.
How are you?
I'm the one who brought you here.
I came to pick you up to take you.
Take me where?
To take you where?
This, I do not know.
No, I'm going to stay here
for a few days.
Okay. If you need anything whatsoever.
or need to go anywhere,
tell Don Oscar to call me.
My name is Gabriel.
Well, see you soon.
What about Oscar?
I was told he wanted to the harbor.
Are you related by your mother
or your father?
My father.
Make some soup.
Oscar doesn't like broth.
Make it thick.
There are onions
in the vegetable garden.
You'll find everything there.
See you tomorrow.
Alfredo, you must be careful,
this is excellent material.
Yes, it's very good.
Don Parmides
gave us 20 planks
to thank us
for our purchases.
They are in perfect shape.
We saved a lot of money.
The next is excellent quality.
There is a lot of work to do.
We'll need help.
But the young are lazy.
That's true, they don't like to work.
What about your son?
I don't know.
I remember when he helped build
Don Benicio's house.
He slaved away on the site
for three months
without asking for a cent.
Where is your son?
Did the mountain swallow him?
Like the day he was
supposed to work in a store
and ended up in a coca field.
What happened?
Nothing.
What were you doing?
I was hanging this up.
Let me help you.
How are you doing?
It's nothing.
The day I found you,
you were pretty bad off.
I wasn't doing well
when I first came here, either.
You're not from here?
What do you do?
I transport merchandise
equipment, coal, wood...
Sometimes, I take people
to hamlets in the region.
- Hello.
- How are you?
Good.
It's nice to see you.
I don't know.
Well, I have to go.
Take care of yourself.
See you soon, Flora.
Good-bye, Mirichis.
What happened?
I fell.
Now you know La Sirga.
We have to fix these boards
and balustrades.
The roof is damaged, too.
Take this piece.
Rub it well. Like so.
Uncle?
I'm cleaning the windows
before putting the curtains up.
I replaced
all the rotten boards outside.
How did you hammer in the nails?
With a rock.
She's using it.
And she bring it home at night.
What about these corn cakes?
They're a gift from Mirichis.
Come look at this.
See...
how it looks.
Stop snooping around.
You have no reason
to be in Freddy's room.
You're nosy.
It's going to rain tonight.
Go get the ladder.
Closer.
- That's good, right there.
- Here?
Hand me the corner of the tarp.
This won't be enough
to cover the whole roof.
Thank heaven, it's a gift.
What for?
No. I borrowed it.
How long have you been a sleepwalker?
A sleepwalker?
I was when I was a child,
but not anymore.
It's a good thing
I was up the other night.
You left your room
And it was so cold!
I had to stop you.
I thought I was over that.
Apparently not.
Mom gave me goat's milk
so I wouldn't wake up.
There are no goats here.
You look a lot like your mother.
It's going to rain.
The wood will get wet.
My room is real sieve.
How so?
There are leaks everywhere.
Go up to one of the guest rooms.
Isn't it worse upstairs?
Only the bottom of the house
is damages.
We'll fix that soon.
What happened?
I fell through a rotten plank.
Wait.
Come down.
Take these nails.
Tomorrow, I'll loan you my hammer
so you can work.
Sit down.
Which leg hurts?
Let's put ointment on it.
When will the tourists arrive?
Only God knows.
Why?
The rumors.
People are talking
about what happened in your village.
People talk a lot.
Why are you back so soon?
I forgot shovels.
Help me find them,
I must leave right away.
Alfredo,
how can we cut the boards?
Look.
Who has a chainsaw around here?
- Does Flora work at your house?
- Yes. Why?
but he's in Putumayo.
Who knows how to use a chainsaw?
But he is not doing well.
Do you know what happened to him?
No. What?
He was in the mine,
and a child appeared to him...
A strange child.
It must've been the elf!
Yes, it is strange...
Help me measure.
That elf is prankster.
Have you seen Don Elifoncio's mares?
The elf brushes them every morning
and braids their manes...
Don't get back into your boats
you're drunk.
Its dangerous.
We have rooms for all of you.
You can sleep here.
I know where I'm going to sleep.
Tell your niece to come here.
Leave her alone, she's resting.
Alicia is very pretty, my friend!
- Really?
- Truly!
Do the introductions, Oscar.
I know where I'm going to sleep.
And I know where I'm putting you.
- I'll tie you up.
- With Chucho!
A toast!
Dear comrades, it's been a pleasure
to spend the day with you
and to drink to ward off the cold
that has invaded La Cocha.
and to my baldness.
Maestro!
Shall we sing a serenade?
Of course!
We'll accompany you.
Keep singing while we drink.
Tell Alicia there's a glass missing.
Alicia, there's a glass missing!
What's wrong?
I don't want one of those drunkards
to come into my room.
They're my friends.
They know how to behave.
They're from the cooperative.
Nothing will happen to you.
Don't worry.
Do you think the ones who burnt
my village could come here?
Who told you that?
I just heard it.
Don't listen to those people.
They're spouting nonsense.
Uncle, can I stay here?
There's Mirichis.
Tell him to come here.
What do you want?
Come here.
Do Flora needs you.
What for?
She's going to ask you
to do something.
- Hello, Mirichis.
- Hello, Flora.
I need your help.
Tell me.
- Are you going to the harbor?
- Yes.
If you go by the cooperative,
get me some varnish.
Okay, but you won't get it
until tomorrow.
I don't have time today.
Then tell Oscar to bring me some.
Otherwise, we won't finish.
Okay, I'll tell him.
Come see it.
Good. We're almost done.
I don't know.
Come with me.
Where?
I don't know. Anywhere.
Look.
I carved it myself.
I even gave her a name.
Alicia...
You'd like that to be her name.
What, then?
Her name is Eva.
Eva?
Yes.
Because she's the first one I made.
What are you doing here?
Do Flora sent me to get some varnish.
We ran out.
Are you bringing it to her?
No, he'll leave alone.
I'll go home with you.
Do I owe you anything?
No, don't worry about it.
See you soon, Alicia!
Walk on the edge, not on the nets.
What is that?
That's where we'll raise trout,
in the lake.
We won't have to go fish anymore.
What? You're stopping?
Walk on edge,
not on the nets.
What's that?
If that doesn't work,
Be careful.
I'll go see tha basing later.
They're big.
It's hard to stand, it makes
you seasick. I almost fell.
I'll go see the basins later.
My uncle says they're going
to raise trout. He won't go...
What's going on?
I'm going.
Go get the material!
Drink some warm water.
It'll make you feel better.
Where are you going?
What are you doing here?
Are you Alicia?
Do you need anything?
I'm going.
When did you get here?
Early this morning.
My father told me.
What?
That you scaught a cold
reparing the roof.
Feeling better?
The house has never been
in such good shape.
You added windows?
It lets more light in.
Excuse me.
Can you help me?
I have to go get some coal.
- Should I watch thing for you?
- Please do. The boat is full.
Are you very hungry?
You have no idea.
Is that enough?
Add another egg.
Hello.
Why are you up?
I was starving
and I was sick of lying down.
Do you want some eucalyptus?
I can make you an herbal tea.
We'll go get some after we eat.
Go, if you want.
I'll take care of breakfast.
Follow me.
Let's get other stuff, too.
You were even taught to cook?
I do what I can.
I'll make the chicken stew you like.
What miracle is this?
This is my home.
You never liked this house.
Are you going to stay long?
I don't know.
I'll see.
I came here to rest.
I had a lot of work.
You call this work?
It is work.
Are you taking care of yourself?
Of course. Can't you tell?
Alicia!
Hello, Don Oscar.
I left these bags with Alicia.
- You didn't get cake?
- No.
There's "El Morro"...
What?
I haven't seen him in a long time.
What happened to your arm?
I did something dumb.
I lit a cigarette
next to gasoline.
Well, Dad?
When will we eat trout
from your trout farm?
We must wait.
Next week, they're
sending us eggs from Chile.
We'll see.
We should have thought of this sooner.
But not with the cooperative.
It was your idea,
and Don Alfredo's and Don Franco's.
If it works, you should
share the profits three ways.
It won't work out with others.
We need time for it to work.
Ande the cooperative.
Nothing works here.
Less so with the principle
that everything is everyone's.
You know how those
people end things.
What do you mean?
Anyway, it won't work.
See you tomorrow.
So, cousin, do you like La Cocha?
Yes.
How long are you going to stay?
Until I know where to go.
Nothing happens here.
I'm leaving as soon as I can.
You can leave whenever you want to.
Don't believe it.
I'm worried about my father.
Well, I'm going to bed.
Tell me if there's a problem.
- It's going to rain again.
- That's not thunder.
Pack down the earth.
Hello.
Have you had breakfast?
A while ago.
Its almost lunchtime.
I haven't slept so much in a long time.
Any news on tourists?
Nothing for the moment.
Not surprising.
They're scared.
Who knows what could happen here.
Why did you come?
For the same reason.
I'm scared.
Scared my father is alone.
He's not alone.
I'll let you work.
And the little one there...
This one?
Put tz there.
- Here?
- No, there.
That's right.
It looks different, huh?
Yes, it's pretty.
Well, I'm off.
And the top of the house?
Later. My husband is back,
I must take care of him.
Was he gone alone?
No, not too long.
We can't stay alone here.
Freddy's getting home late.
He must have gone
for a drink with friends.
Any news about the tourists?
No.
Everything's pretty much ready.
Nobody's going to come?
I don't know.
What is this?
It's for weaving.
I saw your friend.
Mirichis?
The one who does errands.
I could sell this for
a good price in town.,
In town?
- Yes.
Woven things sell well.
Have you ever been to town?
No.
I know a lot of people there.
If you want to go,
tell me and well' go.
Are you busy?
I'm going to Santa Lucia to get coal.
Do you want to come?
Where should I go?
Straight ahead.
I don't know.
What does he do?
I think he works in town.
Which town?
I don't know.
Neither Flora nor my uncle
mentioned Santa Lucia.
How so?
Now days, people don't care
where the coal comes from
and why it's so far.
Paddle harder on this side to get left.
Where's Alicia?
She left with the canoe guy.
And you, Dad?
Did you find someone?
What do you mean?
You know...
A little woman!
Someone who'll love you, spoil you
and take care of you.
Freddy, don't bug me.
You're still good looking,
you can find someone.
My life suits me.
My house and my boat
won't ever abandon me.
But Dad, you have nothing here.
Why do you stay?
I should just drop everything,
like you?
Listen, Dad...
Things are just going
to get worse here.
You'd better off going.
Far away.
Nothing's going to happen.
Seriously, Dad.
Things could go badly.
Come to town with Alicia.
I'll help you.
Be quite.
I feel like I'm seeing God.
Hello!
Hello.
Is everything okay?
I'm still fighting.
How's Alicia?
She's as busy as you are.
You've taught her a lot.
Is everything okay
with your husband?
Yes.
Coffee?
Yes, please.
Thanks. It's cold.
Come in.
Do you go to Santa Lucia often?
Almost every day.
What are those towers for?
No clue.
Know how to stop houses from sinkingh?
Don't be.
That's the owners' job.
Or your cousin's.
That's why he's here, right?
Alicia, my offer is serious.
I only have a bit to do before going.
Come with me.
To go where?
Anywhere.
Thank you.
See you tomorrow.
See you tomorrow, Mirichis.
Where were you?
We were looking for you.
I was out with...
Mirichis.
Does he behave with you?
What are you looking for?
Candles.
There aren't any more.
It can wait until tomorrow.
We'll get some in the village
or dig them up on the beach.
On the beach?
That's where you bury them
while you're asleep.
Everything's ready for tomorrow.
We only need the tourists.
See you tomorrow.
Go, Alicia.
Take my father.
Get out of here. Go!