Original subtitles

[old engine running]

[wooden boards banging]

-[horses neighing] -[men yelling]

[car rattling]

[metal banging]

[cows mooing]

[nurse] Good morning, Irma. How are you?

Everything okay?

Okay? That's good. Great.

THE DREAD

[horses neighing]

[lawnmower engine running]

[water splashes]

[man] Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly]

Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly]

Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly]

Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly]

Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly]

Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly]

Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly]

Adrenaline.

[healer] Hold it here.

It's all because of your tendons.

It's not arthrosis. It's your tendon.

My tendon.

Almost everyone knows how to cure something here in the countryside.

Me, for example,

if I have a tooth ache, I rub a little frog here.

If you get a tooth ache, there are no dentists here.

How do you calm a tooth ache? It's not easy.

Not even taking antibiotics.

I just rub a frog on my face, that's it.

Done.

[clicks tongue]

You lose your tooth, but who cares?

We never see a doctor, only when we need surgery.

We don't go because we cure each other.

[man laughs]

There are no doctors here in El Dorado. If we see one, we just say hi.

We cure ourselves with herbs, healing methods,

words, whatever.

But we do get cured.

There are several healers.

Yes.

-[woman] Olga too. -[man] Yes.

Olga, then there's the butcher, Daniel Moretti.

Yes.

Mabel, the lady on the other side, Christian Chotro's mother.

-[man] She's never home. -[woman] She heals too.

They text me the name

and the disease and I cure them.

[yawning] And I start yawning

because I'm curing her. If you don't yawn, you're not healing.

Excuse me, but that's how it works.

Yes... with this...

with this string, practically.

Whatever the problem, hemorrhoids, stomachache,

liver problems, tendon pains, back,

waist or arm pains...

Abdominal swelling, intestinal cramps, all that.

It's one arm... two arms...

and three arms.

If there's a problem, it shortens to two arm's length.

It's as if the string gets shorter.

They cure you with the string. You don't need medicine.

If you go to the doctor, you need to take a pill.

They have to see which medicine works

because they don't know what it is.

If someone is sick... I saw someone that was sick,

he came here once and I talked to him.

I said, "my advice is to pump your body with adrenaline.

Don't just sit there.

If you just think about the disease, it'll progress.

So you need to pump adrenaline in your body,

be cheerful and positive...

That way there's no room for sadness.

Pump adrenaline in your body and you'll see what I mean."

[frog croaks]

[baby cries] [woman makes sounds]

[baby cries]

I cure "goat's leg", indigestion,

and evil eye.

Goat's leg takes 9 days to cure.

And you can't skip a day or you have to start all over again.

If you stop, you have to cure for three days and stop for three days.

Then go on for three days, stop for three days, and so on.

My mother taught me to cure it. Not many people can do it.

How does this phenomenon occur?

No one knows.

But you get good results,

it's effective, no doubt about it.

It's effective.

It's hard to believe that by saying a few words...

It won't work if you say something else. It has to be those words.

No, I can't tell you! I can't say the words.

Because I can't.

You can't.

If you tell the words, you lose...

You lose power.

I cure, but I don't charge. I don't want anything.

I think that...

with faith, free of charge, a person has to get better.

I'm a Catholic and people say they want to give me something,

but I won't accept anything. "I cured you and I've forgotten."

[both] No!

They can't charge you, healers can't charge.

[bearded man] They say they lose their power.

No, I don't charge.

Some might charge, but I don't. I do it out of love.

"Walk", I said, "get up and walk."

But he didn't dare!

"Walk, I'm curing you." And he started to walk.

He couldn't believe he was walking!

"Walk, walk over to me", I said.

And the boy stood up!

I don't charge. If you charge, you're not helping.

You don't help if you accept money. I don't.

If you want to give me something, it's your choice.

But you know what my reward is? Having cured the boy.

That's the most sacred thing, seeing your boy walk again.

[exhales loudly]

[exhales loudly]

[pats chest loudly]

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline, adrenaline.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline, adrenaline.

Don't stop! Don't stop! Adrenaline.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline into my body.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline into my body.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline into my body.

[exhales loudly] Adrenaline into my body.

This pumps a lot of adrenaline into my body, it feels great.

[exhales loudly]

[pumps]

[air blows out]

[nurse] As always, dear. 100-60.

[nurse] Her blood pressure is fine but since she had a fever

and cough, I would recommend to hospitalize her.

That way we'll all feel better.

[emphatically] ¡No! Doctors won't cure her.

Doctors won't cure her.

No, I don't think doctors can cure her. It's espanto.

With her symptoms, poor woman,

I don't think doctors can cure her.

Doctors have never cured anyone with espanto.

No, no.

[clicks tongue]

They won't cure her.

They won't. You can't cure that.

It's like a case of indigestion.

Doctors can't cure it. Only a healer can.

It has to be a healer. You can't see a doctor.

What can a doctor do?

He can give you something to calm the pain.

"Take a pill, calm down." He can give you that.

But after a while it will return. It comes back, it comes back.

And what do you do? The problem continues.

You have to see someone who will get rid of it.

Your face changes, you look different, you're scared!

It's espanto!

-[man] The expression on your face. -[woman] It's espanto.

It usually happens to women.

I never heard of a man.

It's usually women who have it.

Women get espanto because they're weaker.

Men don't.

Men are stronger.

Women get espanto, very badly.

[emphatically] Of course! You're horrified.

And that produces a terrible state of mind.

You even get depressed.

You feel like staying in bed, you have terrible headaches.

Some women have those symptoms.

Headaches, fever,

a kind of depression.

But that comes after the espanto, that is, after the shock.

You're in a state of shock.

You're shocked after seeing something,

for example, something white without any feet,

and you see it flying, you can't explain it.

It usually happens at night. Like every scare.

Like the White Widow that shows up on a highway,

or “chancha de lata”, that makes a lot of noise and you see nothing,

or the "bad light", when you can't explain a light.

Espanto is like that, it happens at night.

We were coming down here that night.

The girl was nervous.

I said to her: "Calm down, nothing bad will happen."

"It will", she said. "No, it won't, calm down."

So when we got here, she shouts: "Sergio, here comes the light!"

It was a big light and underneath there were a lot of colors.

And then we went that way. Over here.

She was freaked out, she couldn't say a word.

She was pale,

white as a sheet, trembling.

She wouldn't respond.

She was in such a state of shock that she couldn't snap out of it.

She didn't even want to go out, she said she was being watched.

She was taken over by espanto.

Until finally,

they treated her. She got better but it stayed with her.

No. [clicks tongue]

I don't cure espanto.

No.

I don't cure that.

I cure other things, but not that.

No, I don't cure that.

I stay away from it.

Not espanto. I don't cure it.

I just say no.

There's someone here that cures it.

Close by.

They say a healer cures it.

A man on the other side of the bridge.

I really don't know.

That's what they say.

I really don't know...

who could...

Yes, we know him.

He's not a bad person.

Yes, I know him.

There is nothing strange about him.

He comes here.

Women come

and buy food for him here in appreciation,

and he comes to pick it up. Everything's fine.

Normal.

I put his name on the box and get the products ready.

I know what he likes: wine, fruit cake, yerba mate.

Yes, we know him.

He grows squash for a living.

Yes.

-[woman] He's grown them all his life. -[man] Exactly.

-[woman] Squash. -[man] He is in shape.

With his work, he's a strong man. Yes.

And also...

he cures.

[men talking]

[men talking and laughing]

[engine running]

[whistles]

[truck accelerates]

Lots of people come see him to get cured.

But they must be serious cases

because if you see him, it's like the last resort.

No. I know he cures it, but I don't know...

how.

I don't know.

It's strange. I don't know.

I just know he cures it, that's all.

But I don't know how. You need to ask him.

I don't know.

How can I explain?

His way of curing is satisfactory.

-[woman] Do you know what I mean? -[man] Don't give any details or else...

I don't know. If I had a wife, I wouldn't send her there. No.

He has a way of curing that...

He cures you, but...

He cures you but you have to...

You know what I mean. He cures you down there.

He has his way of doing the job!

And that's the cure.

The lights at his house are on until late at night.

I have never been inside,

but we know he is working.

Maybe people go by taxi.

[both] No, not from here.

[older woman clicks tongue]

It's people from far away, unknown cars.

Not from here.

[rolling door clanking]

[thunder]

[voice on the radio]

[thunder]

[TV dialogue]

[rain pouring]

All of us in town are trying to cure her

with what we know so that she feels better.

Since her family doesn't want to hospitalize her,

we try to make her feel better.

It's not easy, but we're trying.

Just what's wrong with her,

we don't know exactly,

but we're going to join all our healing powers

and I think we'll be successful.

No.

She doesn't have espanto.

I told them she has espanto.

They're trying to cure her in town

but if she doesn't see Jorge...

It's not nice going to Jorge's,

but there's no other way.

If it's a strong case,

if her body has too much espanto,

then she should see this healer.

She'll get cured with him.

I don't know how many sessions he needs

but he'll make her better. He will.

But that depends on each family.

[woman] No, it's no good!

He is not a real healer. [laughs]

Because girls go to get cured, anyone can go.

Two can't go in at the same time.

It's not allowed.

Yes, I cure it.

I cure espanto.

There, in the room.

Right here.

Yes, people come from far away.

Yes, from El Dorado too.

No, we would know.

You always find out if someone goes from here.

No, I don't think so. [clicks tongue]

People from here don't go. They're from other towns.

They are all strangers.

-[man] Do you know that for a fact? -[woman] Yes.

[emphatically] I'd never go see him!

Poor guy, but no.

No, not from here.

No.

Or we would know.

Gossip travels fast in small towns.

I've heard that some women won't go.

Yes, that's true.

If you go with your woman, you want to be careful.

Exactly. So no, I wouldn't let anyone go.

If I had a wife, I wouldn't let her go.

[emphatically] No way!

No woman from here goes.

Because they're all married.

All married.

[giggles] He was 21 here and I was 15.

We were both born here.

Both of us were from here, so...

[older woman] We went to school together.

Well, we went to a club and we met there.

Through mutual friends.

We danced, then we kept seeing each other,

texts came and went,

and here we are,

about to get married.

I'm getting married because I'm in love.

-[woman] I think we both are. -[man] Yes.

To form a family...

it's nicer to get married.

Marriage is 24 hours a day.

The rest is only a moment.

But you have to live with a person for 24 hours.

No, I have no desire. Men don't exist anymore.

Don't worry,

it's all over, over, over!

I don't have sex, neither with my husband nor anyone else.

That's just something extra. Like seasoning in food.

But it's not important, not to me.

There are mostly couples here.

There are very few single women.

Most of them have husbands.

There are several loners. Some think it's strange to be alone.

But maybe they're people who are used to being alone.

And they are alone.

The man might have a woman but he might keep it to himself.

A guy has his things.

[bearded man] There aren't any women here.

There aren't that many.

Hardly any.

But women...

They're all married. No single women.

Men with men too, they're rumors.

I've heard rumors, but I don't pay attention to them.

There aren't any homosexuals here.

There might be in a town nearby, but not here.

No! We're not that many here.

[laughs] If there were any, it'd be terrible!

No, thank goodness.

No one.

He'd have to leave because no one would talk to him.

He wouldn't last long.

We'd say "good morning" and that's it.

[clears throat]

And if he'd look for a job, no one would give him one.

-[man with dark beret] No. -[bearded man] There aren't any here.

We never heard of any, at least.

No, not here.

If there were, we'd have to kill them.

[laughs] No doubt.

[coughs] Hang them from a tree.

[laughs]

[folkloric music]

[people talking]

[organ player] Dance this one!

["For Elisa" in folkloric style plays]

-[crickets chirping] -[water flowing]

[police siren]

[crickets chirping]

[voices on police radio]

[people talking]

A guy went by, I don't know if he was drunk, he sprained his ankle.

They must've had a few drinks and had the accident crossing the bridge.

Who knows?

He got trapped. I don't know who got him out.

Who knows what he was doing at that hour.

It's strange for someone to go out at night.

He must be up to something or he wouldn't be there in the dark.

Where could he be going at that hour?

Makes you wonder what the guy is doing here.

Why? At this hour.

[doubtful] He was going to work.

He was crossing the bridge.

I'm sure he was going to work and had an accident.

It can't be anything else.

I think that's what it was.

I think so too. He was going to work.

But since it was dark, you can't see well.

That's why he had the accident.

He was probably going to his boss's house.

He had gone fishing.

He went fishing that day.

On nights with a new moon,

you usually catch more fish than usual.

So he probably went fishing.

Some want to cover up for him.

Because, you see, they're his friends.

But not everyone thinks the same thing.

Some respectable people say he didn't go fishing.

Yes, I know the man who crossed the bridge.

But I won't tell you.

It's not my place.

No, I don't know who it was. Definitely.

If I knew his name,

I wouldn't say it because I might get him in trouble.

But I don't know who it was. He was an older guy.

I don't know his age but older.

A man? Nowadays...

[dogs barking]

Maybe...

I don't...

[woman] I don't know who he is.

Being like I am,

they might not tell me, but I don't know who he is.

There were cases here. With other people.

That I won't name.

They had a family and had someone else on the side.

With other men.

Married guys go there.

It's not easy.

If your husband cheats on you with a woman, well.

But if it is with a man,

that's awful, it's not easy.

I made this swan with this little one

for the souvenir table.

I made these

for the sweet table.

And these that are different,

I made for the guest tables, for dinner.

[dressmaker] I'll make a few hidden stitches here,

so it won't move.

And I'll cut the ribbon because it's too long.

[bride] OK.

[dressmaker] I'll be right back, I'm bringing the scissors.

[guitar chord]

ON THE AIR

[radio host] FM 91.5 here in El Dorado.

We have two artists in our studio today.

The voice and poetry of Perico,

and on guitar, Miguel Vitoria.

[guitar playing folkloric music]

[Perico] El Dorado.

[Perico] This is a dream of sorts.

A fantasy, and a reality.

This song is dedicated to Irma.

She's going through a hard time.

Everyone at home is going to say a few words so she gets better.

[Perico reciting] The town is silent. There are distant mysteries.

Childhood... Melodies.

Water from pumps or groundwater.

Rainy sunrises, frost, fog.

Ovenbirds, swallows searching for Spring.

And in the background, shacks with crooked walls.

On the dirt road, a stray dog sleeps.

And silence, in a second, feeds from the breeze.

The sun heats the railways where the train no longer runs.

And the swaying memories that long to return to the past

arrive to the silence of El Dorado where the empty platform awaits.

From afar, thus are nights and mornings,

and the clapper on the bell seems like a teardrop.

[song ends]

[crickets chirping]

[dogs barking]

[Jorge] Stop coming here!

[visitor] What's wrong?

[visitor] Jorge! Jorge!

[dogs barking]

[interviewers muttering]

I don't know why he wouldn't see you.

When he's working

he doesn't see people.

But, like I said, he comes into town, shops...

It's happened before.

We talk, make arrangements

and he sometimes forgets what he had said.

And then it's like nothing happened.

[woman] You might go see him tomorrow...

-[man] And everything's fine. -[woman] Yes.

He's very strange, quite odd.

He's very odd.

Intolerant. "He has few fleas", as we say.

If there's something he doesn't like...

No! I don't think he's angry. Well, I don't know.

I think he's tired.

He works a lot.

And you guys go and bother him with your camera,

and all that comes with that.

I think someone is shutting him up.

They're making him shut up.

Lots of people that visit him

don't want things to be revealed.

[people talking]

[mooing]

[man] If the cow lies down it's better.

Come on!

Pull!

[woman] Towards the udder!

[woman] Pull towards the udder.

[loud mooing]

Pull, pull it!

-[woman] Up you go! -[man] Bet to the number 56!

[woman] Put it upwards!

[woman] Put it upwards. Untie its legs.

[distant sirens]

[man] Grab it.

[man] Come on.

[man] You go next to me.

[engine revving]

[siren]

[siren fading away]

[siren]

[loud exhalations]

[hairdresser] We haven't had a wedding in a while.

The white dress causes so much trouble your whole life.

I've been married for 43 years.

I can't complain, but we've had our bad spells.

My marriage shook several times.

And then there is routine. Do you think marriage is easy?

[young woman] No!

[hairdresser] It's not easy. You both have to give 50-50.

One day the dog chases the rabbit

and another day the rabbit chases the dog.

If they fight all the time, couples wear out.

You get worn out.

It's been quiet here for a while, thank goodness.

Nothing's going on, everything's fine.

No espanto, nothing. Thank God, everything's fine.

There's no espanto for a while now. It's what we all want.

No one wants that around here.

It's all good so far. Nothing, nothing.

We haven't seen Jorge. For a while now.

He hasn't come in a long time. I've got three boxes for him,

but I haven't seen him. I don't know what happened to him.

And he's got things that expire. He should eat them.

No, I can't sell it! They bought it for him.

Jorge doesn't come that often now.

I think he's scared that the women will hit him.

Somebody will do it. [laughs]

My God, what a terrible mouth I have. [cackles]

[nurse] Okay, Irma. We're done for today.

See you on...

On Friday.

Bye, honey. Take care.

-[nurse] Call me if you need me. -[Irma] Yes.

-[nurse] Get better. -[Irma] Thank you.

[nurse] Give her the pill after her milk.

-[woman] Is she better? -[nurse] Yes, she's a lot better.

She's getting better, she eats well.

She's getting better. Little by little.

One day she sat up by herself.

I don't know what it was,

if it was our healing or the medicine.

The good news is that she's better. Much better.

Who knows what they did to her there?

Why move her? I don't understand why.

We did everything to make her get better.

We cured her.

Now she's fine.

No, she didn't have espanto.

[Wedding March playing]

[priest] Brothers, walk in love, as Christ loved his church

and gave himself up to sanctify it.

Husbands, love your wives as your own bodies.

He who loves his wife, loves himself.

A man will leave his parents

and be united to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh.

-[priest] This is the great mystery. -[church] Amen.

[priest] I now pronounce you husband and wife.

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

[applause]

[crowd] Long live the newlyweds!

[people talking]

[photographer] Smile!

["Yo quiero casarme" by Los Palmeras playing]

-[distant music] -[crickets chirping]

["Yo quiero casarme" by Los Palmeras playing]