Original subtitles

FUGUE STATE (dissociative fugue):

Mental state in which an individual loses awareness of their identity

and their ability to recall some or all events from their past.

This is a work of fiction inspired by real events.

It is not intended to be nor it should be taken as a reflection of reality.

Hot vegetables coming out, chef.

Heard!

I need three fettuccines, al dente.

Coming up.

Sautéed vegetables, please.

Chocolate cake for table three, please.

You're falling behind. I need more servers.

Chef, I have a minestrone soup ready.

Thanks.

Let's go.

Diego, wait. Bring Jeremías his check.

- Of course, sir. - How are we doing?

Mario...

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1986

BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA DECEMBER 4, 1986

The check, Don Jeremías.

This vodka is on the house.

Cheers.

Cheers.

How was everything?

It was great.

Keep the change.

Use it to buy Christmas presents for Alejandro and Felipe.

This is a lot of money, Don Jeremías.

Have you ever seen a movie called Taxi Driver?

No, sir.

- You have to see it. - Okay.

It's very good.

In fact,

I'm going to the bathroom,

and when I come back, I'll recite a quote that I like for you.

Thank you very much, Don Jeremías.

- I'll get your coat. - Thank you.

Really, thank you, Don Jeremías.

THE PARK IS MINE

Ladies and gentlemen,

may I have your attention, please?

I have something to say.

"All the animals come out at night."

"Prostitutes,

queers,

lesbians,

drug addicts,

dealers."

"Sick,

venal."

"Someday, a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets."

I am that rain.

FUGUE STATE 1986

Happy birthday.

Are you okay?

I just wanted to give you this.

No, León, I can't. I know how important it is to you.

That's why I want you to have it.

Don't lend it to anyone.

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE

I love you.

Please, if you need help, just tell me.

León, where were you?

Have you seen the news?

No. Why?

Jeremías went into a restaurant and killed a bunch of people.

A few others were injured.

Which restaurant?

That's your reaction? "Which restaurant?"

-Tell me which restaurant. - San Marzino.

What's going on?

León, please answer me. What's going on?

Did you know this would happen?

León, were you involved?

I can't remember.

Are you kidding? What do you mean you can't remember?

León, there's something else.

Jeremías is dead.

Hello?

León?

Hello? Camilo?

122 DAYS BEFORE THE MASSACRE

Hey. Wake up.

Come on, man. Wake up.

Are you done?

That's the work you asked for, and this is mine.

Thanks for the typewriter.

Here.

See you around.

Hey.

Good luck with your editor.

Let me get this straight.

You met with the editor,

and he said your stories were really bad?

Not bad. Well...

- So? - He said they were naive.

But he wants to read more of your work,

so he must have liked something, which is great news.

Yeah. Is that why you left me?

Is that why you dumped me, Elen? Be honest.

Because I haven't lived enough or seen things, like a dead body?

- Is that it? - Hey, you've seen much worse.

Anyway, it's not how I found you that matters.

- It's how I left you. - How was that?

Highly experienced.

- Ana Lú! - Ana Lú!

Oh no. You again.

- No. - Nothing? Really?

- None of them have been returned? - Not even one.

Look, Ana Lú. Let me explain. Here's my dilemma, okay?

In order to graduate from this university, I have to write my thesis.

And for my thesis, I need certain books, or at least half of them.

Not even one.

Then tell me who has them, Ana Lú.

I've told you, I can't provide that information.

Ana Lú, since I'm here... I was going to give this to you later.

Do you remember that pillbox you liked?

Oh yes!

I think you'll get more use out of it than I will.

One moment.

Jeremías Salgado. I don't know him.

Doesn't ring a bell.

This guy must be something else. Look.

Houdini and Conan Doyle: The Story of a Strange Friendship.

The Compulsion to Confess.

Demons by Dostoevsky. On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts.

And what about this gem? The Search for the "Manchurian Candidate."

That one is about the CIA and mind control.

If you can tell a lot about a person by what they read,

then this guy is really...

What?

Weird.

"Misery is manifold."

"The wretchedness of earth is multiform."

Edgar Allan Poe, 1835.

Can anyone tell me

which story that quote is from?

No one?

Berenice.

Berenice. Very good.

Ladies, gentlemen, and everything else that applies,

I'm Professor Gustavo Vidal.

Today we begin this elective course

on the great Edgar Allan Poe.

Let's see who we have here.

Okay.

Law?

Engineering?

Business administration?

They never show up here.

Have I missed anyone? Is that... Yes?

Languages.

How wonderful!

Teachers with a passion for something.

And what's yours, my friend?

I...

My passion is writers

whose lives were as tormented as their work.

Please elaborate.

I'm of the belief that a good writer

could also be a good murderer.

In other words,

since they're used to creating fiction, they are ideally suited

to creating and carrying out the perfect crime.

Can you give an example?

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle.

I'm sure that Jack the Ripper was Conan Doyle.

Go on, please.

Conan Doyle wasn't just the creator of Sherlock Holmes, the detective.

He was also a surgeon,

a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, with forensic experience.

His thesis was on the effects of untreated syphilis.

It's thought that his father, an alcoholic with depression and a movement disorder,

was likely a victim of the disease.

This sparked vengeful thoughts in Conan Doyle

toward the prostitutes who infected his father.

Nice to meet you. Camilo León. Everyone calls me León.

Jeremías Salgado.

Ah, you're the kidnapper.

Of the books. You have a couple I need for my thesis on Robert Louis Stevenson.

- I'm writing about Robert Louis Stevenson. - Conan Doyle.

- Wanna grab a beer? - No, I don't drink.

Every semester, there's always one unforgettable character.

Professor, thank you for letting me join your class.

I don't get involved in other people's battles, son.

Besides, I'm no use because I always pick the wrong side.

The losing side.

Which isn't the same as that of the losers, right?

Careful.

Professor.

Thank you, son. Take care.

Good morning.

EL INTERVALO NEWSPAPER

Here are the crosswords.

I brought you eight to choose from.

We can only pay for five.

Wait here. I'll bring you the check.

Lucía, looking lovely as ever.

Miriamcita, have you contributed yet? Yes?

- After lunch. - Okay. Robert, you have, right?

- The collection. - I'd forgotten. Sure.

- Here. - Perfect.

Thank you.

Hello.

You do the obituaries, right?

No.

The crosswords.

Oh yes. The crosswords. Yes.

Look, we're doing a collection.

It's the boss's birthday. To buy him a gift.

Contributing is voluntary. It's up to you.

No pressure.

- Forgive me. - No worries.

It's to buy him a little something.

Thank you.

I'll write your name in the card, okay?

Which is...

What?

Your name, for the card.

Jeremías Salgado.

Jeremías Salgado. Okay, thanks.

Oh, but I'll see you tonight, right? At the boss's birthday party.

El Bajel restaurant, at 07:00, okay?

See you there.

- Hello, Jeremías. Always so punctual. - Thank you.

Cristina, the tutor's here.

She just got back from doing homework at a friend's house.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

Would you like a coffee?

Yes, thank you.

I'll bring it through.

Finished.

It's very good.

Two things.

And...

The rest is perfect. You're going to do very well on your exam.

- Really? - Yes. Well done.

Did you get what I asked for?

Thank you.

How much do I owe you?

Nothing.

It's a gift.

Cristina, come help me serve your tutor's snack.

Coming.

Hello. The thing is...

Don León, how are you?

Good? That's great.

The thing is... you can't come in.

I live here.

Right, but not anymore.

You owe more than three months' rent. You know this can't go on, right?

Actually, since you're here, take this. These are your things.

- Well, your clothes. - I don't give a shit about my clothes.

Where are my notebooks, my books, my stories?

Here's a story. Marta sent the maid to sell everything downtown.

They threw the rest away. Can you believe it? I'm so sorry.

No, you can't do this!

Don León! Come back!

Don León, come on!

Let go of me!

- Let go! - Let go of me!

I'm going to kill that woman!

Why didn't you tell me you were behind on rent?

You know I would have helped you.

I have to submit the stories to the editor this week.

I'm screwed.

You must be able to remember at least two.

Give him those for now.

I can't do it in a week. That was two years' work.

Two stories. He'll...

Then call him and explain what happened.

I'm going to kill that woman!

She threw them out.

You can yell at her all you like,

but she can't give them back because they're gone.

So don't go making things worse.

Let's focus on what we can actually do and figure out what to say to the editor.

I'll help you. Tell me what you need.

Breathe.

You're early, Jeremías.

Doña Nidia sent the lemon dessert you like.

What time would you like dinner?

I'm not going to eat here.

But it's not Thursday. That's the day you go out for dinner on your own.

I was invited to a birthday party for the newspaper editor.

I thought you didn't know him.

You thought wrong.

- Go ahead. - Thanks.

- Good evening. - Welcome. Your name?

Jeremías Salgado.

It's not here.

I was invited to my boss's birthday party.

Don Luis. Welcome.

Thank you.

Yes, but you're not on the list.

Are you sure? Can you check again, please?

You said "Jeremías..."

Jeremías Salgado, please.

My colleague.

Sir, I can't let you in.

Run!

So?

Was the party boring, or was it you that was boring?

All divisions of the police in the capital of the republic

have just joined the revolutionary movement.

All divisions of the national police in the capital of the republic

have just joined the revolutionary movement.

Long live the...

Long live this government!

We'll all fight alongside Don León María Lozano!

Long live León...

The only crime that matters is opposing the government.

Everything else is irrelevant.

We have a lot of enemies in this town.

I can assure you they're all good people.

Remember April 9th, Mr. Mayor.

If anyone wants to enter a home in this town...

Mom!

It's exciting, right?

Only one semester until you graduate. It's gone by so fast.

Daniel, follow your brother's example.

So sensible, so hardworking, so focused.

Do you think he'd have that scholarship if he hadn't been top of his class?

No, honey.

Yes, ma'am.

Coffee?

Sure, Mom. Please.

- When are you going to bring Elenita over? - Another time.

You've been smoking.

If you tell Mom, I'll tell her you don't have a scholarship.

Are you blackmailing me, Daniel?

Really? You want to see real blackmail?

- Mom! - No! I didn't mean it.

- I won't say anything. Same as always. - What is it?

No sugar, please.

- I know. - I've got my eye on you.

How's Dad?

Not good.

He should be in a psychiatric hospital, even if Mom doesn't want that.

Convince her, Camilo.

I brought you something.

The crosswords you like.

Take care, Dad.

Lorencita!

I was looking for you.

If it's to say I can't attend classes,

I've made the first payment, which is something.

Great, but it's not that.

A girl called. She has your notebooks.

This is her phone number.

- My stories, Lorencita? Seriously? - Yes! How about that?

Give me a kiss.

Professor Bonilla.

Lorencita.

Mr. León.

I thought you'd finally give up this semester.

Nice to see you too, Professor.

Are you aware that if you want to graduate,

you'll have to retake my course?

A course you've already failed once, leaving a very bad impression.

That was unfair.

So it wasn't your mediocrity but my unfairness?

I suggest you file a complaint, although I wouldn't get my hopes up.

"Perhaps it is the very simplicity of the thing which puts us at fault."

Allan Poe.

"The truest characteristics of ignorance are vanity and pride and arrogance."

Samuel Butler.

You don't know who he is, but you get my point.

ENGLISH LESSONS

If you want to pass Bonilla's course, I can help you.

Have you taken the course?

Bonilla thinks he's a great writer, but none of his work is memorable.

I couldn't have put it better.

- How did you do with him? - I stopped going.

So how can you help me?

I'm an expert at profiling the enemy.

I know how to infiltrate their territory.

If you like, we can grab a coffee.

I don't drink coffee.

Camilo?

Margarita?

You saved my life. Where did you find them?

In the trash in my building.

Have a seat, please.

Okay.

So you live at El Emperador?

I've lived there eight years.

And we never see each other.

That's unfortunate.

Thank you for rescuing them. I mean it.

I don't know why I did.

I saw them there in the trash.

- I liked the handwriting. - What about the stories?

- Don't tell me you didn't read them. - Yes, I read them.

- I found them disturbing. - Yeah?

- Yes, I had nightmares. - So they work.

- Would you read more? - Yes.

When?

When you publish them. I have to go.

It would be great if it could be sooner.

Good luck.

Hey, baby. How are you?

No bringing women here and no causing trouble.

Everyone here studies and works. They're well behaved.

This is your room.

Nice, isn't it?

There's your bed.

Rent is due by the fifth of the month.

We use padlocks here.

- Make sure you lock the door. - Yes.

Because if anything goes missing,

it's nothing to do with me.

Thank you.

Notes on the implementation of the program. Day five.

Candidate profiling.

The potential subject must demonstrate operational awareness,

that is,

the innate ability to instinctively understand

the threats that--

Notes on the implementation of the program. Day five.

Candidate profiling.

The potential subject must demonstrate operational awareness,

that is,

the innate ability to instinctively understand

the threats that surround them,

and a deep interest

in understanding and exploiting the dark side of the subconscious.

I came to return them.

Now's your chance to finally borrow them.

Did you have a guilty conscience?

Hey, wait.

I keep thinking about what you said

about Arthur Conan Doyle and Jack the Ripper.

How did you come up with that?

There are so many clues,

and people overlook them.

For example,

all of Conan Doyle's trips

coincide with the dates of the women's murders.

And if you look closely,

Conan Doyle,

like Jack the Ripper,

was also a highly experienced doctor

with enviable surgical skills.

Well, you may know this, but in biographies of Stevenson,

it says he and Conan Doyle made visits to the Edinburgh morgue.

It makes perfect sense

because how can someone write about life

if they haven't encountered death?

- It's impossible. - Yeah, right?

That's what my editor says too.

You have an editor?

Well, I want him to be my editor,

but he says I need to see more things, that I at least need to see a dead body.

If you want to see a dead body,

I can show you one.

Well, I'll see you around.

Hey.

Come closer. Don't be afraid.

No one even closed his eyes or his mouth.

Nobody cared about him.

In the end, death is also an aesthetic problem, don't you think?

I think that we, as artists,

have to think very carefully about how we're going to die.

PANDEMONIUM IN BOGOTÁ

DECEMBER 3 LUNCH WITH JEREMÍAS

3 DAYS AFTER THE MASSACRE

DECEMBER 4: ?

REST IN PEACE

DEC. 4, 1986

Why are you following me?

Did you know the police found letters

in which you and the restaurant killer discussed committing a crime together?

Are you police?

A journalist.

I want to understand why Jeremías Salgado did what he did.

"It's a wicked world,

and when a clever man turns his brain to crime,

it is the worst of all."

"Conan Doyle."

"A gift for a friend. León."

I don't suppose I have to tell you what the book's about.

A war veteran who decides one day

to start a riot in the middle of the city.

It's good.

The way I see it, you have two options.

Either you end up rotting in jail,

or you tell me your side of the story before it's too late.

IN MEMORY OF

Subtitle translation by: Rob Bell