Original subtitles

"What was portrayed in El matadero.

was meant to be seen, not to be written." E. Echeverría, El matadero.

You never know what you're shooting

until you see on the big screen.

And I filmed a lot of things for Jared.

Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!

Good evening.

We're very sorry for the delay.

Despite all the protests out there,

we've decided to show Matadero.

This cursed movie was filmed decades ago,

but it has never been shown.

Not in Argentina, not anywhere else.

And we all know it is infamous

due to the people who died on the set,

and it was the last film by Jared Reed, its director.

We condemn that tragedy, obviously,

and we understand the protesters,

but we think this movie should be seen.

Jared Reed wanted to be here to present it to you today,

but, unfortunately, he is unable to attend

and has asked us to read a few words for him.

He says he hopes we can see more than dead people in these images.

Thanks.

I met Jared in Los Angeles.

I went to UCLA to study cinema

because I wanted to be the first director in Argentina

who didn't make traditional and old-fashioned films

that all the idiots in my country made.

Jared was my teacher.

Some said that before being a filmmaker he had been in the war.

Others, that he had been a stuntman in bloody B-movie westerns.

A lot was said about him, but we all wanted to make films like his.

His father was an agronomist

who came from Texas during Perón's first government.

And he spent part of his childhood in Argentina.

But he got everything mixed up:

communists, revolutionaries, Peronists, Hollywood...

But I didn't care.

He was making movies that stuck with you.

"Films that defend us from death",

he said: "We have to make films that defend us from death."

Don't look at the camera, please!

I was the only Argentinian in his class,

and I clung to him like his shadow.

When I found out the dates, I left the school. I left everything.

And I headed back to my country, to work in his movie.

I was the assistant to an assistant on the set of Matadero

but I didn't care.

I wanted to be close. As close as possible.

If I hadn't come back, I wouldn't be condemned to tell this story.

Shout out loud!

You're going in there to kill the bosses' cows!

Action!

- Next! - Moreno.

Next.

Elvio Cueva.

We only pay for days filmed.

I worked eight days.

Take it or leave it.

Next, come on.

Moreno, Fabián.

What a mess.

Yes. A mess.

We can keep going in guerrilla mode.

What's the name of the rich lady who was here the other day?

I don't know.

We can ask if we can stay there and film on her land.

My family has a ranch.

In Córdoba.

You have a ranch?

With animals? Cattle?

Yes.

Do you know how to use a 16mm camera?

I can try.

We have to do a new casting.

Everything he said sounded crazy.

We need committed actors.

But to me it sounded like an adventure.

That day I became his right hand without a second thought.

What are you trying to prove, Bárbara?

This is getting out of hand.

Come back home. I beg you.

Your father is desperate

and I don't know what's right or wrong anymore.

Let's stop this, please.

Come home,

I'm begging you.

Tell my father

that as long as he keeps exploiting workers in his factory,

I'll keep sleeping with every one of them...

Tell him all of this word for word.

Tell him that this will be his redemption in the class struggle.

Bravo!

Bravo!

What we're doing is indigestible for our parents' class.

It's like what Perón and Evita did when they took the workers

to spend the summer at the beaches of the rich. What?

We also enjoy it. It's fun to do this.

We don't know if it's revolutionary, but it sure helps.

And the look on their faces at the end!

Oh, yes. I love that part.

I'm filming Matadero.

But instead of eating the bosses' cows, the workers eat the bosses.

Are you making a horror movie with Echevarría's Matadero?

No, it's not a horror movie.

I don't know what it is, but it's never been done.

I'd like to work with you.

If you're interested, Vicenta will tell you how to proceed.

Are you adapting it by yourself?

He repeated the same words he had used with me.

With the same emphasis.

And the same passion in the same words,

although back then I hardly noticed those details.

What I did notice was that Bárbara was going to be his muse.

And she also started to notice.

He hired the workers from the slaughterhouse.

He got them in the truck with the actors,

and he dragged us all along on his journey.

Do you want one?

No, I'm alright.

Thanks.

I don't like these people.

I don't mean the gringos,

but the brutes from the slaughterhouse.

Everything will be fine. Okay?

That's a lot of people to feed.

Your mother left money, but not so much.

Don't worry, Elda. I'll take care of everything.

It's not easy to explain Peronism to a foreigner.

I was there too.

- There? - Yes. It was amazing.

But now it's different. It's a horror...

There's a sorcerer in the government.

Besides, Perón is senile.

The only real Peronism left is going underground.

Does your role scare you?

No.

It's uncontrollable, I know, but I want to reach that extreme.

Yes, but that's exactly why I started doing political theatre.

You have to be able to watch an animal get killed.

See those cows? What comes to mind?

I don't know.

A calm place, always the same.

Until the end, when they will be slaughtered.

- Let me help you. - Don't worry.

I can handle it.

Esteban, tell this guy he can't sleep here. I think he's drunk.

Excuse me, you can't sleep here.

Why not?

The actors sleep here.

But I act too.

Sorry, man. Find somewhere else.

I'm sorry.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five, six, seven,

eight, nine,

ten...

Eleven, twelve...

Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen...

Here we are.

You'll be fine here. There's a stove and beds for everyone.

What about the bathroom?

Outside, by the chicken coop.

Hi. Excuse me.

Lady, where do the actors stay?

Aren't you comfortable here?

Don't listen to him. He just wants to tease you.

Come here.

- Have you worked here long? - Forty years.

I thought your house would be more elegant.

Well, we can move some furniture.

If you want, we can take out what you don't like.

You could shoot the scene of the workers here.

When they enter to loot the house.

Come here.

We could shoot the scene of the lady's rape here.

Look.

The last thing she'll see before dying:

a chandelier dangling from the ceiling.

It seemed like he already had Matadero filmed in his mind

and he watched it as he looked around.

I followed everything he looked at, wanting to glimpse something,

like those old projectors with holes on the sides,

which let you take a peek at a little bit of what's coming.

But I didn't see, or didn't want to see,

any of the bloodshed he was looking for.

Grab it there!

Grab it! Grab it.

Hold it.

- I've got it. - Okay.

Hold it. Hold it.

Look how brave he is.

Castrate it.

Hey, Elda. Don't be mean. Give us some wine.

There's no wine in this house.

Just a little wine.

If you don't like this, you can leave.

Don't beat yourself up. Jared chose you for the lead.

Yes, I know.

I had nightmares last night and I didn't sleep well, but it's okay.

Believe me, everything's fine.

I just don't quite understand where he wants to take me.

Maybe he's not so sure, either.

Besides, remember that the end of the story is still open.

It's good that he still has to write it.

It seemed to me he knows very well where he wants to go,

I just don't get it.

It's weird. I trust everything he tells me, working with my body.

Are you going to tell me about that nightmare?

No, I'd rather not talk about it now.

Let's get eight hours' sleep.

I'm turning off the light. Rest.

You too. Good night, Romi.

Pour me some.

Stingy old woman. They've got a lot of bottles over there.

Does anyone understand a goddamn thing these gringos ask?

I don't understand anything.

- The young actors understand him. - Those guys aren't actors.

- They're good actors. Peronists. - Do you think so?

If they say they're Peronists... Even the gringo will say he's a Peronist.

As long as they pay us what they promised,

- let them say what they want. - Of course.

Did you bring another one?

The first three days, time passed very, very quickly,

with the costume tests, the first rehearsals

and Elda, who became a real production manager.

Rice, 20 kilos.

It's a lot, mom.

How many carrots did I say?

20 kilos.

Make it 15.

If it's not enough,

tell him the lady will pay him when she gets back from Europe.

It didn`'t feel like we were on an amateur shoot.

Where's your brother?

- He's with the movie people. - Tell him to come.

Who are they going to hang here?

I'll tell you later.

Tadeo ended up as my camera assistant

and Sheila took over the dressing room and makeup.

Scene 3, take 5.

Action.

Almost without realizing it,

we were already filming Matadero.

Again. Let me do it again. I can do better,

much better.

Let's repeat it! Get ready!

Get ready! Again!

We're shooting again! Sound!

You're being filmed, right?

And they make you do things and say things.

Well, that's acting. You can't get paid peanuts.

What do you know how much they pay us?

Come on, Juan. You have to believe in something.

The final scene, when she's crying...

It hasn't been filmed like this here before, with that intensity.

I don't know... I have doubts.

What are you saying?

You can't get it out of your mind.

So? And so what? What if you can't get it out of your mind?

A movie is for life.

We must be very sure of what we're going to say here.

That's what the director's for.

Did you see that?

Yes, it's impressive, but what I saw was pure violence, no politics.

Here they only make movies that indoctrinate you, and they're a pain.

Or they show you how poor and miserable the poor and miserable are.

What's the use of risking it to do something like that?

No.

It seems to me in this country

the only ones who make movies are the ranchers' children.

You're not risking anything, anyway.

Okay, stop.

I know when we do theatre with the workers

we don't take them to sleep in our houses, but...

Hey, Lisan.

Make no mistake, Lisandro.

If you keep talking but won't dare to film something brutal,

we won't believe anything.

They trust in you.

Me, not so much.

Don't mess with us.

We all wanted to be part of something much stronger and true.

In that, whether it was cinema or militancy,

we were all equally involved.

Or at least that is what we wanted to believe.

In secret I re-watched Jared's film,

but all I could see was Bárbara's horrified gaze.

Don't be scared.

I couldn't sleep.

I didn't know how to get your attention. You were so focused.

Do you want one?

At first I don't ask myself what we're doing there or anything.

There's nothing weird,

but I'm not with him. I'm in the other car.

We follow them along an increasingly narrower path,

with fewer cars, which looks like a country road.

At the end, we're on a dark dirt road

and we end up here.

- What do you mean "here"? - In this ranch.

But it can't be. You hadn't been here before.

Yes, it's weird enough, but it was this one.

Identical.

The garden,

the tree line at the entrance, one after the other until the gate.

Well, all the ranches are kind of similar.

I know,

but it was this one.

It's like I recognized it as soon as we got here.

You must think I'm crazy.

No.

Where did you learn to ride so well?

- As a stunt double. - Were you a stunt double?

That's where you met Jared?

Do you know we're filming the fight here?

Come here.

Come here.

Sit down.

Sit down, I want to try something.

When you're on the table,

it has to be real.

Do you understand?

Yes.

Okay, if you want...

All right. Let's do that then.

Okay, bye.

Do you recognize them?

The one in dark clothes is Lisandro Elkano.

The bearded guy is Esteban Ahumada.

And that's Jared Reed.

You get closer.

First her, and then them. Do you understand?

How will you do it?

- With both hands better. - Okay.

- Are we ready? - Yes.

The bosses, only the heads.

Like this?

Fine.

- Sound. - Rolling.

- Camera. - Rolling.

45, fifth, first.

Action.

You son of a bitch, you really pissed on me! I saw you!

He really pissed on me!

Son of a bitch!

- Why did you do that? - Son of a bitch!

- What did you do? - He really pissed on me!

Why did you do that? What the fuck is wrong with you?

Don't ever come back here again.

You're bastards.

You're nothing but a bunch of sold out bastards.

What shall we do?

Let's find more film tins. We won't make it to the end.

Jared, we need more tins.

Do we have to do the piss scene tomorrow?

- Can't we do it another time? - Why don't we do it another day?

I have to roll around in the mud at dawn. Don't complain.

You know it's not funny at all, asshole.

Who's gonna replace that son of a bitch?

Facu, Elda's eldest son.

Look what a nice movie exploitation you made here.

Don't listen to him. He was born an asshole.

Jared is watching another one of his movies. Let's go?

Let's run away tonight.

Come on...

Let them stay in their nice ranch.

But we can't. It's a commitment.

It's not our fight.

Look at me.

And there you kiss me like a ladies' man.

It must be the only scene in this movie that has no blood.

Yes, maybe,

but it's the only one that ends in a kiss.

No!

You have to get up.

When she covers herself with her hands, you pour the urine on her.

And you do the same with them.

Let's go again!

Sound.

Rolling.

- Camera. - Rolling.

45, one, second.

Action!

No.

I don't feel good.

I need to stop for a moment.

You have to make an effort.

Stop, she's not feeling alright.

Why don't we stop for a while and talk about what we asked you?

We've been like this all morning. This isn't college theatre.

No. Do you want us to finish this?

Let's do what we asked before.

You haven't answered anything yet.

We want Bárbara's character to betray us

and help the workers with their revolt.

Yes, for us it's important to feel that.

Our gestures are pure classism. We didn't come here for that.

Yes. We don't want to keep working like this.

What's this? A mutiny?

I told you I'll think about it.

- Miss. - What is it, Elda?

A man from the city came looking for Mr. Reed.

Me? Here?

Yes. He's in the car.

Hello?

Is there anything wrong?

No. Everything's fine.

That's Nick, my producer.

He brings good news.

He got more money.

We'll have the film tins we needed.

Fine.

I have to go to Buenos Aires for a few days.

I'll get the material and develop what we've already filmed.

But Vicenta is staying in charge.

- Me? No. - Yes.

Come.

Come! Come.

Let's not slow down.

I'll think about what you suggested.

I wanted to film.

I wanted to make films like his.

But, in all the ways I'd ever dreamt of being there,

it never occurred to me to do it like this, to come to this.

That day I felt fear.

I wanted to leave everything, to run away.

But, as soon as I filmed one of his shots, I made it mine.

His shot, his actress, his movie.

I still don't know how I'm going to tell the rest of the story.

And... cut.

Very nice, guys. Very good.

Great, Juanchi. You were great. How did you feel?

Fine.

- So? - Okay. I think we got it.

Will people understand it in the context of the story?

Yes. If Jared edits it before the workers enter the house,

you become a martyr.

He's gonna get mad when he finds out.

The two days that Jared was gone

were a little miracle that marked us forever.

I was a total idiot, a moron, a deluded fool.

who didn't want to look at the world beyond her camera's viewfinder.

It's been out of order since yesterday.

I was going to call my family.

If you want to call, you can go to the shop on the road.

Thanks.

Add a drop and let it fall, Sheila.

Perfect.

Thank you.

Juanchi, hold me. There.

And come a little closer. Grab me harder.

- Sound. - Rolling.

46B, five, first.

And...

action!

Don't move! Stay still or I'll cut you!

- No, sir! Sir, please! - Stop or I'll cut you!

Please! Please, sir! I'm on your side! I'm on your side, please!

Don't move!

Don't move!

Please! Please, sir!

I'm on your side. I'm on your side! Please, don't hurt me! Please!

Don't move! Don't move!

Please, don't! Don't hurt me, please!

I'm on your side! No!

All these subversive types are harmless until they shoot you in the head.

Unfortunately, sometimes we have to kill some of them.

So his comrades come to the burial,

and that's how we start to make connections.

The one we need to reach is him, Ernesto Witickevich,

a.k.a. "el Polaquito".

Your two actors, Lisandro Elkano and Esteban Ahumada, are below him.

They organise themselves like a triangle.

Each member only knows three people:

a superior and two in his charge.

In that way,

we find it very difficult to find out who they are,

because in practice they don't know each other, either.

Sooner rather than later, your actors...

Juan, when I say "action", put your hand in, real soft.

Okay.

Take your hat off.

Perfect.

Raise the lamp a little.

Good.

Can we talk?

Can it be at dinner instead? I still have a while.

No, it's better now.

Stop sticking to the Yankee's script.

What are you doing?

You're filming Bárbara and Romina's looks and tears, and...

With us, they worked for something more important.

You're turning them into actresses.

Why do you say that about the girls?

I don't want to imagine what you really think of the working class.

Forgive me.

All right.

If you want, we'll talk about it at dinner.

But we need to know.

Are you with us?

Make sure everything gets set up right.

Okay.

You must be Vicenta.

Yes.

Jared has told me a lot about you.

I'm Marcela,

the new assistant on Matadero.

The line producer, so to say.

Nice to meet you.

Likewise.

Nice place you have.

Thank you.

When you have a minute, will you bring me the calendar?

And hand off the production to me. Okay?

I'm here to help in any way I can.

- Hi. - Hi.

Where are the guys?

They went into town to buy cigarettes. They'll be back soon.

So? What did the lab say about it?

That it's great.

We'll see it together.

Yes.

No.

Do you know who I can talk to? I'm looking for him, it's important.

No, it's fine, don't worry.

Okay. Bye. We'll talk.

- Nothing? - No, no idea.

- So what do we do? - I don't know.

-Shall we buy cigarettes?

Okay.

Excuse me.

Hi, good morning.

Cigarettes?

Put the leg here, it hooks up and goes up.

And who's hanging?

Miss Bárbara.

Give them to Elda. We're splitting the rest with the boys.

Who are all these people?

Technicians sent by my producer. It's normal.

It's his money. He wants to have it under control.

I don't understand.

Why do you want to finish your movie like that,

in a hurry?

This is crazy.

There's no time.

We have to remove things,

get to the end sooner.

When he returned to the ranch, he showed us the developed film.

He made us look at ourselves on his screen.

He made us see our work on the big screen.

He said: "Let's shoot the movie together.

You can't slack off now, we must do our best until the end."

He said it, and it affected us all.

I really want to finish this movie.

All right. What shall we do?

It seems to me that his producer is intervening in the shoot.

There's nothing left of the film we were promised.

We're gonna end up doing a shitty gaucho movie.

I think we need to do something more important.

I say we hijack the film.

Let's shoot the scene tomorrow and hijack the gringo's movie.

Let's take everything: the camera, the tins, all the material.

We'll finish making the movie we want.

You mean coming in and taking everything?

Yes.

A real action.

That's what they'd ask us, right?

And then?

After stealing the film from the Americans, what do we do?

Do we go underground forever? Is that what you're suggesting?

Leave them at the stop on the road. All right?

Leave it loose, Tadeo.

That's all right.

I'll give a few stitches so the dress won't fall down on her.

It will show It won't look good.

I want to see her go up.

Why don't we tell it from the workers' point of view?

- It'll be easier. - I don't like off-screen.

She'll be more comfortable.

- It's going to show. - It's not your movie.

He had discarded me completely

and he was about to shoot the end of his movie like this, in a hurry.

Hold on, it's the last one.

Okay? It's gonna be great.

Come on.

That's when I gave it all up.

And I began to count every minute

until this madness ended once and for all.

Raise her up.

Anyone who isn’t authorized has to leave now

He kicked us all out.

He said he wanted to film it, with his camera,

and that he was going to dub all the sound from that scene.

And he shut us out.

He was left alone with his film, locked in his slaughterhouse.

They never got to see the finished film.

They don't even know how or where it starts.