Original subtitles

Every story has a beginning.

But which is our beginning?

When we are born?

When we acquire consciousness? When we are conceived?

Or maybe it is long before that

and we are the legacy of our ancestors?

THE COUNTESS

Welcome to The Countess, the house where our grandma lived.

I thought we'd never arrive.

So this house bears the name of the town.

This town bears the name of the house.

What do you think about it, Angélica?

-This house has something sinister. -Oh. Wait until you get in.

My grandpa built this house around 1900

to bring his wife Isabel to live here.

-The countess? -Right.

He wanted her to live as comfortably

as she'd lived in her house in Bulgaria.

It's as if time had never passed here, right?

Well, guys, if you want you can sleep in the room at the back.

Come, darling.

Shall I put this here or in the kitchen?

Leave it there, then we'll see where we put it away.

Well, I don't know you, youngsters, but I'm very tired

after having spent the whole day on the road.

Even my moustache has cramps.

So see you tomorrow. Have a good night.

Babe.

No, just don't worry, I'll put the things in the cupboard.

Thanks, Eduardo. How well you do it, huh?

I swear I thought the house was alive or something.

Honey, would you help me with these things?

Hey! You are going to tear down the house!

-Here you are, my dear. -Thanks.

You are welcome.

-Good morning. -Good morning.

Eduardo and I went walking in the woods.

Do you want some coffee?

There's something I don't understand in this story.

-What story? -"House Taken Over," by Cortázar.

What I don't understand is… what do these whispers mean?

Or maybe… I don't know, the siblings' ancestors…

or other ghosts. I don't know.

I think it's more of a reference

to the political situation in Argentina.

I mean: the house represents the country.

I don't know, it's like a fear to the claims of the poor.

And the siblings are something like that decadent bourgeoisie

that seeks refuge in their incestuous relations.

There's something else I don't understand.

That thing of dropping the key down the sewer. What is that?

Maybe it is so no one else ever enters again?

Right. So that means they are protecting the world from ghosts

or ghosts from the world?

Maybe.

I can't believe it.

-Good morning. -Good morning, darling.

So early and you are already talking about such serious things?

Enjoy a bit, relax. Is this mine?

-Yes. -Thank you.

What a beautiful place you've got here.

My dad doesn't like coming much. Am I right, Eduardo?

You are.

-The house is in very good condition. -Yes.

Paola, besides his brain,

what else is great in my brother?

-Many things. -Big?

Don't blush, brother, it's not exactly that way, huh?

Paola…

how long did it take you

to realize the amount of money Eduardo has, the inheritance?

But I don't know anything about that.

Oh, no? Didn't you tell her? Does Casper pay for your studies?

-What are you doing? -No, it's just a question.

-Well, I'm simply not interested. -Oh, no?

Interesting, isn't it?

Shall we continue? Where are we, at Cortázar?

I take care of you, brother, remember that. I take care of you.

-Where did you get that? -I brought it.

I don't like that girl.

I don't know why your brother dates her.

She's very selfish.

How did this girl end up with Eduardo?

They met in a philosophy class or something like that.

I think she's studying journalism.

Oh, that's the last straw.

I don't like her for him.

I hope he doesn't end up marrying her.

Would you imagine my mom? She'd drop dead.

She doesn't even know which country she comes from,

she won't approve of her.

Your mother doesn't know where Havana is either.

Behave.

I'm sure they are talking about us.

What will they say?

I don't know. I think they don't like me.

No, honey, my brother hates everybody.

Don't take it so personal. Really.

We'll be here just one weekend.

After that, we won't see him anymore if you don't want to.

Why didn't you bring me here before?

I told you, honey. My dad doesn't like us to come here.

And what did he say when you told him we were coming?

I didn't tell him.

That's better.

Who brought this?

I hate tuna.

What is this shit?

Who's there?

Is there anybody here?

Hey, I'm down here! Hey!

Who's the joker that closed the door?

What's up? I didn't even know you were down there.

One of you turned off the light and shut the door.

What are you talking about, Felipe? It must have been the wind.

You see, Fel? Felipe!

You see? It was the wind.

I mean it, dear, since I'm a girl I've felt supernatural energies.

And this house has something strange.

Let's see the letters in there. It's the first time I've been here.

Wow.

When you told me we still had a long way ahead of us,

I thought you were joking, honey.

But this place doesn't even appear on Google Maps.

At least we've already arrived.

I have the feeling that this house is watching us.

Is this still ok?

It expired in 1979.

40 years ago. I guess it isn't.

Hamlet!

Mature.

Hamlet, the old 1890 edition.

-Where did you get that? -It was over there.

-Damn! -Strong, isn't it?

But if you think about it…

After a while, it doesn't taste so bad.

If you think about it, after a while… yes.

No.

-Are these people your relatives? -I guess so.

How did you learn that this place existed?

When my mother died, the lawyer made a description

of the properties she'd left and I asked for this house.

It sounded good. A house with a lot of woods.

-Do you like it? -The place?

-Yes. -I do.

Me too. I think that here

I'll finally be able to write my novel.

-The Countess? -Yes.

This site has all the energy. I can feel it.

Can you imagine?

This place was once a big plantation,

rich and prosperous. And then it was all destroyed.

It will be a great novel. You'll see.

And who are these?

I think these were my two uncles. Eduardo and Felipe.

I never met them.

My mother said they died in a car crash.

And they?

I don't know. Their girlfriends, I guess.

They were a bit tacky. Look at Felipe's golden chain.

-Finally. -Ready? Is it ready?

We must capture the moment, boy, so it lasts forever.

We are in the middle of the game.

Well, your turn.

There it goes.

No!

Oh! Prison!

Do you hear that?

No.

-What? -That noise.

It comes from the basement.

-No, you're kidding me. -No, really, dude.

It's the same noise I heard in the basement.

Come, come.

Come!

OK, Felipe. Let me do it.

This has a trick.

OK, Felipe. It's locked.

We'd rather go on playing, I was winning.

Yes, you cheater.

It's like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Disgusting.

"The district of The Countess is going through a dramatic situation

after the report of the disappearance--"

What's this?

Let me see.

Might this be my grandma Isabel?

Here there's something that speaks about this house.

"The district of The Countess is going through a dramatic situation

after the report of the disappearance

of the young Norma Zambrano, daughter of the shopkeeper.

With the young Zambrano, ten young women

have already disappeared in the last weeks.

The chief of the police station, Captain Allende,

said there is an ongoing investigation,

but the political tensions

that arose in other areas of the province,

for reasons that have nothing to do with The Countess,

prevent the police from allocating more resources

to this investigation." What is this?

That's crazy.

-I don't like this place. -Me neither.

-Felipe! -Calm down!

Paola!

-Felipe! -Here I am!

-Don't leave me, don't leave me! -It's OK. It's OK.

This album has photos of women tied to that table.

-Is this real? -No, I don't think so.

What the hell is this?

Paola, are you OK?

"Oh, babe, I like it so much when you dishevel me

and kiss me hot and slowly.

And this grows and grows and I feel stronger.

I feel a fire that disturbs my neurons and my heart.

What shall I do now, Sandra, with all this feeling?

I don't know

what to do with you."

"Something is rotten in the State of Denmark."

Hamlet?

Right.

Deep down, I thought Hamlet was pissed off with his uncle

because he's in love with his mom.

All very Oedipal.

But in fact it's different.

Because Oedipus kills his father without knowing his fate

and then marries his mother.

In Hamlet, on the other hand, it's the father who comes back

from the grave and ask his son to avenge his death.

These ghosts are quite resentful.

-What's up, my love? -Nothing, I'm going to work outside.

-Isn't it cold? -No.

I need some fresh air.

"I don't know

what to do with you."

How are you doing, babe?

Frustrated. I know I have the idea there,

but I can't find it.

What have you got so far?

I only know that Isabel owned this house.

She married her cousin Felipe, then he died and she went mad.

-How come "mad"? -I don't know.

That's the story I've found.

Although my theory is that what happened to her

is the same that happened to all independent,

powerful women.

-What? -That she was rejected.

-Or maybe she just went mad. -I don't think so.

After her husband died, Isabel was left in charge of the house.

Her husband was powerful,

he was even a friend of the king Alfonso XIII.

Then something happened and they killed Isabel.

Once I asked my grandpa for her and he told me

that it was a servant who killed her.

Out of jealousy, I believe.

Though in fact nobody spoke much about this in my family.

I'm going for a walk in the woods. Would you like to come with me?

No. I'd rather keep working.

OK.

In the end you were right. This drink is good.

Damn!

-We must call the police. -The police? Why?

How come "why"?

Because many women were killed down there.

We can't do that.

We must keep the secret, don't you understand?

Who knows how many murders

took place in this place and no one's ever learned of them?

Have you already seen the photos?

-Felipe is right, Paula. -Paola.

Paola. Yes.

If this is known, it will be a dishonor for…

Dishonor!

There's a butcher shop in the fucking basement

and you're thinking about fucking honor?

-This happened a long time ago! -Also…

We don't know if they were really dead.

-They could be actresses. -Actresses…

are you stupid or what?

So they came here to pose for those pictures.

Please!

Anyway, Paola, there's nothing we can do.

-There's a lot we can do, Felipe! -This happened a long time ago!

-It's better to move on. -The truth must be known!

I can't let you do that, Paola.

That would destroy my family, their business, my life.

-Our lives. -Business!

Are you thinking of business now? Please!

That's incredible.

Aren't you going to say anything?

All of you are the same. All this is disgusting.

This can never be known out of here, do you understand?

Do you understand, Eduardo?

None of this gets out of here!

She will talk.

Paola! Paola, wait, wait. What are you doing?

-Hey, come here. -What now?

Will you also try to convince me not to say anything?

No, no. Felipe is trying to prevent this scandal

from being known by his family. Please.

-You must understand, please. -I understand, Eduardo.

And I know it would be a scandal because all this is disgusting.

Do you understand the kind of atrocities

that were committed in this house?

Yes, Paola, but that happened so long ago. Please!

And how do I know it happened a long time ago?

How do we know it if nobody speaks about it?

Their relatives deserve to know the truth.

What else is known?

Were these just some countess' deeds

or were there more people involved? We don't know.

That's precisely what scares me stiff.

Eduardo, I don't know who I am with here. Do you?

You are talking about my family, Paola.

"My family," that's what matters most to you.

We have nothing to do with this.

This happened half a century before we were born, please,

what's the point in bringing these things back to life now?

The point is to know the truth.

To know that we are not doing the same things once and again

and that we are not monsters like this lady was.

Paola.

Leave me alone!

And then?

She won't say anything, don't worry.

She'd better not.

There it is.

Who do you think it is?

Isn't this the chain we saw in the photo?

We should call the police.

-In which year was your mother born? -1965.

-In Argentina? -Yes.

And this guy must have died around… the 1970s.

75, I think.

So your mom was… around ten when the brothers hung their shoes?

-They hung what? -Died.

Oh. I don't know.

-At home we never spoke of them. -Not even a photo? Nothing?

Nope. Nothing.

Not even a word that hinted that he'd died here.

-And the other brother? -Eduardo?

Yes. What happened to him?

I don't know.

I swear that till today I thought he'd died in a car crash.

Are we going to tell all this to the police?

Tell what?

That we found the brother lost in the woods.

Honey. Let's not ruin this moment now, alright?

We'll do it tomorrow.

My aunt is not going anywhere.

Who are you?

Do you want me to get in there?

Debo, are you alright?

Let's go.

I knew Eduardo was lying.

You are still thinking of talking to the police, right?

All this is horrible, Felipe.

Look at all that there's here.

We can't hide it.

Of course we can, and we'll do it.

Nothing will get out of here.

-Don't move! Don't move! -Let go of me!

Good morning.

Did you have any problems to sleep?

-Are you upset for any reason? -They are there.

-Who? -They.

Your uncle and two more girls.

They are in the house.

It's as though they didn't see us, but they are there.

-In the house? -All the time.

What are you talking about, Débora?

They are trapped and don't know it.

You're stressed for what you saw yesterday, right?

Look, if you want, this afternoon

we'll go to the police station and file a complaint.

I want to get into the basement.

Are you sure you want to go down there?

Yes.

It all started there.

Eduardo. Eduardo, my dear.

Release me, please.

Release me, I beg you.

Look at me.

Look how I am.

Look how I am.

No, Paola, no.

Felipe was right, if I let you out you'll go and talk to the police

and that will be very bad for my family.

I won't talk to anyone, Eduardo. Just let me go, please.

You'd better eat something now and you'll feel better.

Alright. Open your mouth.

Eat, eat. Yes, yes, yes.

Alright, alright. I'll eat it.

But please release me. Release me so I can eat.

Release me. OK?

-Yes? Please. -Alright.

I'll untie you.

But don't do anything or I'll have to tie you up again.

-I promise. -Don't do anything.

Otherwise my brother Felipe will get upset.

Eduardo.

Leave me alone for a while. I'll speak to her.

Eduardo.

Don't hurt her, please.

Eduardo, don't go.

Eduardo, my dear.

Don't go.

Do you know we've been discussing what to do with you?

Eduardo asked us to let you go.

Angélica, on the other hand, recommends that we kill you.

No, Felipe.

-And throw you in the woods. -Don't hurt me.

I still don't know what is best.

The thing is that I don't think that if you get out of here,

you'll keep the secret. Will you?

I will, I will.

I will.

Honor is really important to our family.

I don't know if for your family… in that place you come from…

Honduras? Is it Honduras?

Yes, yes.

Is there honor in your country, Paola?

In my family it's very important.

Imagine what would happen

if someone finds out what happened, huh?

The papers will write that the countess was a killer

and others will say that all of us in the family are criminals

and that's no good for anyone.

It's definitely not good for you.

Oh, Paola, Paola, Paola.

What will we do with you?

Don't you understand?

Don't you understand that the secret

is bigger than you and I?

-Yes, I do! -No!

Shit!

Paola!

Angélica! Eduardo! We must stop her, come on!

What happened?

Débora, wait for me!

Phew, it stinks!

Apparently this was a lab or something like that.

-Here they are. -What?

Many girls.

-Can you see them? -Not all of them, but I can feel them.

There's another girl. Her name is Carmen.

They offered her a job as a cleaning woman.

No wonder my mother never spoke to me about this house.

She was surely scared of it.

-She's here. -Who?

Isabel.

-There's a man with her. -What are they doing?

He grabs the knife.

And?

He wants her blood.

What for? Are they vampires?

No, he just wants her blood.

Débora, are you alright?

Débora!

Paola!

Paola!

Shout, Paola!

Paola!

Sandra.

It's great you've woken up.

What did she tell you?

Who, my love?

The woman. What did she tell you?

-There's no one here but you and I. -She's been here all the time.

She's mean.

I suppose you imagined it because of the fever.

But I'm sure you'll be better tomorrow

and we'll be able to leave.

I've spoken to the doctor and he told me you should take this

so you get better.

What did he say?

That you should take this medicine so you get better.

No. She. What did she tell you?

What an obsession, babe.

There's no one here except for you and me.

Take it.

Great.

Her name is Isabel.

She killed a lot of girls and used their blood.

Isabel… Isabel is the character in my novel.

I'm sure you've been projecting everything I told you.

There are many women in this house, Sandra.

And she stole their blood.

It's alright.

Look, if you want, when you feel better,

we can go to the police station and file a complaint,

if that will soothe you.

But now you must rest a bit more, OK?

How is she?

She's calmer now.

We can't leave her down there.

And--

And Felipe?

What am I going to tell my mom?

There's nothing else to be done.

What have you done, Angélica?

No. No, no, no.

Please, Eduardo,

how can you cry for that girl

after what happened to your brother?

No one will ask for her.

No one knows she was with us.

What we'll tell the police

is that Felipe had an accident in the woods, that's all.

No one will come here.

Now I need you to go downstairs and bury her.

Bury her? Here?

Where else? In the basement.

Or would you rather throw her in the woods?

It's your choice.

Débora, what are you doing here?

-Babe, you've got high fever. -She's downstairs.

-Who is downstairs? -Paola, they killed her.

Which Paola? What are you talking about?

-Come. Easy. -We must tell the police, Sandra.

-We must go. -Debo, calm down.

First you must recover. Come.

No. My love. My love.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Where are you going, Eduardo?

-I'm turning myself in. -No, no, no. Wait.

Wait, Eduardo.

We'll keep the secret, remember?

No. No, Angélica, no.

I let this happen to her, it's my fault.

-No. -I'm going to talk to the police.

-Wait. -Let go of me.

-Wait. -Let go of me, motherfucker.

Wait!

I'll go find a doctor. But I need you to stay here. Still.

So you don't have an accident, alright? Come.

She has us all trapped in this house.

Débora, lie down.

Sleep.

Emergency service, how can I help you?

The key. Where's the key?

-I've got it. -Give it to me.

Give it to me Angélica, please! Give me the fucking key!

Eduardo, please! Please. I know, Edi. I know.

This is very hard for anyone,

but we'll get out this together, you'll see.

I also loved Felipe, Eduardo.

This is very hard for me too.

She asked me to get her out of there.

And I left her.

-And now she's dead, Angélica. -That doesn't matter now.

-It does matter. -It doesn't matter. It doesn't.

Eduardo. Come and eat.

You know well I don't like having to go for you.

Good morning, you sleepyheads. It's great you're up.

The coffee is ready, in case you want some.

I don't understand what's going on.

At the beginning he found it a bit difficult.

You know… the idea of… this.

-But he's finally accepted it. -What happened?

There's no way to get out, my dears.

It expires in 1979. 40 years.

40 years.

So who are they?

I think these were my uncles, Eduardo and Felipe.

I never met them.

My mother used to say they died in a car crash.

-And they? -I don't know.

Their girlfriends, I guess.

This house kept a lot of secrets and I was willing to unveil them.

Débora had a special sensitivity,

and noticed from the beginning that we weren't alone.

It was she who found the album, but she never opened,

she was scared.

But I needed answers. And there they were.

I'd never imagined what I would find.

Besides some ugly photos of women tied

in the basement of this hell,

there was a letter from my mother

hidden between the pages of the album.

Just like me, she wanted to unveil

the truth and the enigmas this house hides.

For years, Isabel convinced her butler to provide her with young girls.

Girls from poor families from nearby towns,

whom she cheated by offering them jobs in her mansion.

She had a lot of money, and that gave her power.

One night, a girl could escape

and told the atrocities that took place in the house.

The neighbors of the town of The Countess went to rescue

the other girls who were held captive,

but it was too late, some macabre blood rituals had finished them off.

The people of the town decided to take justice in their own hands.

First they hanged the butler, then Isabel.

Those who witnessed the moment

say she smiled right before being executed.

No one ever knew why she wanted these girls' blood.

What she did with it.

That scandal was mysteriously buried along with Isabel,

because no one has ever spoken of these crimes.

The interest of my mother to know more about the mystery

that shrouded her brothers' deaths led her to The Countess.

There she unveiled the secrets of the family and wrote in this letter

all the details of what she found and how Grandma Isabel's presence

manipulated everything,

thus managing to keep the secret hidden for generations.

A secret that I, today, have decided to reveal.

Oh, no, what a pity, it's got spoiled again.

But I don't have any milk to offer you.

Here you are.

Hello? Hello.

It's like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

You must kill Paola.

Take the album. Take it.

Here' there's something about this house.

"The district of The Countess is going through a dramatic situation

after the report of the disappearance

of the young Norma Zambrano, daughter of the shopkeeper."

Who knows how many murders took place in this house

and no one's ever learned of them?

This must be investigated.

Kill Paola.

I need you to go downstairs and bury her.

Don't let Eduardo get out of the house.

Now.

Finish her off.

Are we going to tell all this to the police?

You must keep the secret.

Tell them what?

That we found the lost brother in the woods.

Poison Débora.

Take it.

Emergency service, how can I help you?

Hang up the phone.

Good morning, sleepyhead.

It's great that you're up.

Oh, no. It's got spoilt again.

What a pity. I'm sorry, but I have no milk to offer you.

Here you are.

I don't understand what's going on.

What's up?

What's going on?

What happens is that we are dead.

-Me too? -Yes.

Let's go. Don't be scared.

Let's go. She doesn't matter anymore.

Débora, please, open the door!

Débora, Débora, open the door!

Débora!

Open the door, Débora!

Débora!

Every story has an end.

But which is our end?

When we die?

When no one remembers us any longer?

Or maybe death is just the beginning

of another story that repeats itself over and over again?