Original subtitles

This story does not explicitly refer to current-day Mexico, and we did not intend

it to be located there. It seeks to symbolize a people

who, like all great peoples worldwide have emerged from their bloody past

to move towards a better and more illustrious future.

RIO ESCONDIDO

Yes..

I am the bell that called your people to freedom.

I am the bell of Dolores.

I ring once a year, on the evening of September 15,

and the whole of Mexico is contained within my voice.

I am the great courtyard of the palace of Cort�s and Ju�rez.

The courtyard of the Presidents of Mexico and the very heart of your country.

If you feel stunned by the weight of my greatness,

it's because I am history itself.

I know why you're coming here and that you're overcome with emotion.

You're going to see the President of the Republic.

His office is up there.

Go up that staircase.

This is the story of your people.

The story of the people of Mexico.

Extinct volcanoes which served as altars, and an ancient copper-colored race

who had found the secret of life

in the rhythms of the earth, dances and the stars.

The race that worshiped flowers,

and built pyramids to Huichilobos and to Quetzalcoatl.

Our origins are here:

blood and fire,

the temprament of Spain mixed with the temprament of Cuauht�mocin.

A marriage that, although violent,

seems to be the destiny that all new life requires

to develop the roots of a country.

Here are those who inspired our independence:

Hidalgo, Morelos, Mina, Guerrero, Iturbide.

1847.

In Chapultepec, the child heroes wrote a golden page of history

defending the soil of Mexico,

from the North American invasion.

1862

Mexico once again watered the fields of battle with its blood,

against the French invasion.

Since then,

seeming to be the culmination of passion for its people,

the men of the Reform:

Ju�rez, one of the most illustrious men in the world,

who was, and continues to be through the centuries,

an example of faith and patriotism.

The impetus of Reform resulted in peace.

Mexico came upon Porfirio D�az.

After that, as if to once again drown another page of hope with blood,

the tumult of the revolution.

Madero, Carranza, the blood of Mexico.

A people rose up, and the clock of history

showed a different time.

Mexico added itself to the suffering of the world.

In a sea of confusion the country was ripped apart

and suffered in the bloody struggle of social revolution for human dignity,

for the truth that lay in its fields,

in its factories and in its sons.

Warm seeds sown by the hands of the teachers

in the fertile furrow of the schools

to grow the strong men needed for the future.

Clean souls who would be able to forge a glorious future for the country.

But run, run, don't be late for your meeting.

Don't be afraid.

Keep going forward.

Always forward.

This is the Reception Hall.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

But don't be embarrassed.

Even though great people from the entire world have come here,

no-one was any better than you.

And this is the Salon of the Ambassadors.

Yes, this is Ju�rez.

That little Indian preacher, later to become President,

who fought against all invaders, stood up to Europe,

and dedicated his life to the service of his people.

And this one is Hidalgo.

The ancient priest who broke chains and rang bells,

and who gave your people their first flag.

-It's an honour for the President to have called us.

-Well, the president chose

those who he knows have accomplished something in the country.

-Right now, there are important things to do.

-I have an appointment with the President.

-The teachers have just come out.

-Your appointment was for 11 o'clock, Se�orita Salazar.

-I'm a little late

because I had so far to come...

-Just give me a moment.

Please go in, Se�orita Salazar.

Please be so good as to wait for a few moments, Doctors.

The President will receive you straightaway.

And he will recieve you right after that, Secretaries.

But first he wants to finish with the teachers and Doctors.

The President is waiting for you, Se�orita.

-Take a seat, Se�orita Salazar.

Your name is on this list of rural teachers

who have distinguished themselves through service to their country.

That is why I have called on you all,

to ask for a difficult and sensitive collaboration,

which goes beyond the bounds of your professional duty.

As you know, I have just inaugurated my government,

and I am absolutely determined to confront

the very serious problems weighing on Mexico.

A man who makes decisions.

That's what the President of the Republic must be.

He alone can do nothing against such difficult, long-lasting problems,

That's why I'm asking all Mexicans

with no regard for different political parties,

to give me their help.

Our fields, which should produce everything the country needs,

are unproductive.

The terror sown in many corners of the country by immoral politicians

is one of the causes of the depressed economy.

On the other hand,

as long as so many people are trapped in the darkness of illiteracy,

we cannot rise above the lethargy of centuries.

We have to raise the standard of health of the people from the coasts,

and from the plateaux.

Mexico lacks water.

Water,

highways,

neighborhood roads,

official literacy and morality.

These are the most urgent considerations for the tasks I am going to undertake,

counting on, as I know I can,

the fervent cooperation of good Mexicans.

-Yes, Mr. President.

-I know how much importance

you place on the public good, Se�orita Salazar,

and I invite you to work together with me

in an effort to save our people.

A lot is expected of us, and we have so much to do.

Just by making the decision to sacrifice ourselves

we can do right by Mexico.

and by our hearts.

You will go to...

Rio Escondido.

-Yes, Mr. President.

-You have a difficult mission, Se�orita Salazar,

but you are strong and have the necessary energy to accomplish it.

I am putting all my confidence in you,

and I beg you to write to me when you have some concrete solutions to offer me.

As big and as painful as the obstacles are that will come up along your way,

you have the security of knowing that you are not alone.

Mexico and I will be with you.

-Thank you for this opportunity

that you are giving me

to be of service to Mexico,

Mr. President.

-I thank you for your enthusiasm for Mexico, Se�orita Salazar.

-Doctors, will you kindly come this way, gentlemen.

-Felipe, don't be in such a rush and help me pick up this young lady.

-Please forgive me, Se�orita.

- Mr.Monroy, sir. - My dear! What are you doing here?

-The President sent for me.

I'm a rural school teacher.

-That's can't be possible as you very well know.

-I'm well now, sir.

I'm cured.

Look at me. - You know that that's not true.

-Please don't tell anyone, for everything you hold dear.

Let me fulfil the mission he has entrusted to me.

It's the opportunity I dreamed of, sir.

and I have something really important to do.

Now, I'm going, sir.

Please excuse me, sir.

-That girl was my pupil.

She could have become a great bacteriologist,

if I hadn't stopped her from studying three years ago.

The poor thing is afflicted with a heart lesion.

On any given day, it could all be over...

I doesn't seem possible that behind such a strong, marvellous appearance,

death could be lying in wait.

Truly.

-Gentlemen?

TRAIN TO CIUDAD JU�REZ

- Thank you so much. - Where are you going?

-To Rio Escondido. I'm a rural schoolteacher.

-You're in no condition to go there...

or to go anywhere.

I can see what's happened to you.

You're very delicate, as you very well know,

and you must look after yourself. - I'm quite alright.

I think it was sunstroke. I have to get to Rio Escondido.

-I repeat, you're in no condition to go anywhere. Do you understand?

-And who are you to stop me going to where I'm going to be living?

-I'm a Doctor,and that's why I won't allow you.

-What kind of a Doctor are you?

If you really were one, you would know there's nothing wrong with me.

I have to go where the President has sent me.

The President sent me here too, but I'm healthy.

-I'm healthy too and I have to get to Rio Escondido.

-Rio Escondido...

I'm going further than Rio Escondido, to Santiago de la Sierra,

and just look at the horse I'm relying on...

If you can even call it a horse.

You'd have to be mad to think it could manage the two of us.

-And who's saying you have to take me? I can get there on my own.

Let go of me, if you don't want me to slap you! How dare you!

-Fine, go ahead and die on the way!

Ungrateful woman!

Here's Rio Escondido.

If you need anything, you know where I am I'm at your service.

From here to Santiago de la Sierra it's four hours on horseback.

You were right,

I'm not a Doctor yet.

That's exactly why I'm doing my community service.

- Thanks for everything and goodbye Doctor. - Goodbye, Se�orita Rosaura.

And call me if you need anything.

-What do you think of the horse?

-There's no other God than my boss, don Regino Sandoval.

-And you don't see one in an animal like this one, Rengo?

-I swear that just seeing you mounted on that horse, makes my skin crawl.

You look like a statue, boss.

What we'll do, is put that photo in the town hall,

so that everyone who comes in says: "That's our boss, don Regino Sandoval,

the most macho of all machos".

-Look after it properly, Br�gido, if not, I'll take care of you.

-Don't look any further. I never got married,

so I could look after my boss' horses.

It'd be a crime if this horse was in the hands of some guy from the plains.

-I warned him:

"My boss doesn't like to be disappointed, and you know what my boss is like.

Give him what he wants for his saint's day and he'll be happy."

He didn't listen to me, and God punished him.

- They say they're going to try you in Mexico for that death, Rengo. - For me...

For me there's no other law than my boss'.

And if not, the others don't count.

-Don Regino, why don't we take another one?

-Right, I'll take another one.

I'll get him going and goad him to show him who's boss.

Don't be afraid, even if you think he's going to throw me off.

Let's see if it turns out as well as that great portrait of General Pancho Villa,

when he entered Torre�n.

- Ready? - Ready, don Regino.

- Are you alright? - What hurts?

-The horse threw you off, boss.

-He didn't throw me, I fell with him it's not the same, idiot! Let go of me!

-Don't be a coward! Don't beat this poor horse!

-Don't beat a woman, don Regino...

-You'd better go, Marcelino,

and don't ever set foot in Rio Escondido again.

-They've thrown you out of the town because of me.

-No, my girl,...

I was leaving in any case.

The day that man was born,

our Lord God condemned Rio Escondido.

Don Regino is not a Christian, my girl,

he's a wild beast.

Worse than the wild beasts from the mountains.

My son...

he killed him a year ago.

The poor kid came here to do his community service to become a Doctor.

He couldn't cure a horse that had glanders,and...

he's buried here...

next to his mother.

We were all ...

like roots.

Rooted in R�o Escondido and we grew up together,

and only with blows from an axe...

could they separate us.

Go away from here, my girl.

Don't put down roots in R�o Escondido,

so that tomorrow...

you won't have to cry

like I'm...

crying.

SCHOOL

-This is the school,isn't it?

What do you mean, it's not. It says it right up there in big letters.

-There's only don Regino's horses here now.

-So where's the school? -There's no school in this town any more.

-What do you want? -I want to see the Mayor.

-He's not here. -Where is he then?

-Over in the canteen.

-What's brought you here? -I want to see the Mayor.

-Boss, that woman who yelled at you in the town square is here.

She says she wants to see you, What shall I say to her?

-Tell her to go away if she doesn't want to be kicked out of here.

-You heard him.

Go away if you don't want to get kicked out.

-Tell him I'm the teacher, and that the President of the Republic sent me here.

-I'm the only President here.

Throw her out, Br�gido, I don't want to see her again.

-You heard him. Get out of here!

Go away! Don't cause any problems 'cos my boss is capable of hurting us both.

Didn't you hear? Go away!

Man, look how stubborn this woman is! Go away!

Get out of here, for heaven's sake!

-I don't want my mother to die.

-And why does your mother have to die?

-I don't want my mother to die.

-It's smallpox.

I'm going to take her to the Doctor.

Come with me.

Your mother is sick. You musn't go in.

Wait for me here. I'm going to get the Doctor.

-There's no Doctor is this town.

-Sir!

Sir!

How much would it cost you to go to Santiago de la Sierra?

-I'm sorry, my girl, but I'm not going that way.

I want to go far away, so far that I never hear of this place again.

-Go get the Doctor.

Tell him there's smallpox in the town and that I need him.

-If I bring the Doctor here don Regino will kill him, like he killed my son.

No, my girl.

-Do it for this poor woman. Please!

-Alright, my girl.

-You have to realize that you're dying, Se�ora.

-Let me save your son. -No.

- You must give him to me. Understand? - No! - You are dying.

She has to be buried immediately,

and this house has to be burnt down.

Take the child out of here.

You've been vaccinated of course, haven't you?

-I told you to get out of R�o Escondido. What didn't you understand?

What are you doing here?

-This woman just died of smallpox.

She has to be buried immediately to avoid it spreading.

And we have to burn the house down.

-What?

This house is mine, just like all the others in the street.

If you burn it down, I'll hang you from a mesquite tree. Do you hear?

You two will bury the body, right away.

Sergio, throw a rope over this old straw blanket.

Drag her up to the cemetery.

and make sure they bury her.

I don't want the pox in R�o Escondido.

-Let's go!

-Don't go out, Padre, don't get involved.

They're coming for us.

-Please take care of the child, Padre.

Let's go, Felipe.

-No!

You're the ones who should take care of her. Let me go out there.

-Don't be afraid, we didn't come to harm you.

It's just as well you didn't leave, Doctor.

My boss needs you urgently.

He's got smallpox. He says you must cure him.

Let's go!

Let's leave God's house!

-Are you now convinced that it's not some kind of trick?

I'm dying,

and you have to cure me if you don't want me to take you with me.

-Well, now that you're talking to me like a man,

and not like a sick man,

I'll answer you like a man too,

and not like a Doctor.

Keep your threats to yourself and listen carefully to what I say.

I'm going to look after you,

not because I'm afraid of you,

because, one way or another, we all have to die sometime,

I'm going to look after you out of interest.

You've set me some conditions, and I have my own conditions.

You have to accept them if you want me to cure you.

-And what are your conditions?

-There are just two.

The first,

that you have to hand over the school to the teacher.

Take the horses out and get it fixed up.

-That's fine.

Br�gido,

take the horses out of the school and fix it up.

-Right, boss.

-What's the second condition?

-The second...

well...

you are sick,

but you are just one person,

and I have to save the entire town from infection.

We have to vaccinate all men and women,

everyone, big or small.

You must order everyone to gather in the town plaza,

and send for all the vaccine that I have in Santiago de la Sierra.

-Rengo,

have everyone gather in the town plaza.

Take two or three men with you.

- We don't want to disturb the Indians. - Yes, boss.

-Now, cure me.

-First, send for the vaccine to be brought here.

-What are you waiting for? Go and get the vaccine.

Take my best horses,

and get back here even if they collapse. -Yes, boss.

-Come on, let's go get the horses!

We have to go to Santiago de la Sierra to get some stuff for the Doctor!

Hurry up, before the boss dies!

-I'll go ahead so you can relieve me on the plains.

-Take them to the plaza to be vaccinated! If they won't go, shoot them!

-Get to the plaza, you miserable Indians!

-Let's go!

-Get moving!

-What kind of way is this to treat people?

-Let's go!

Don't you realize what's going on?

Do something, please. - Me... but what can I do, woman?

Well, ring the bells. So that they'll let themselves be vaccinated.

-Come and pray!

-Louder! Louder!

-Let's go!

-The Doctor is waiting for you in the plaza.

Go there in an orderly way,

and God's blessing be with you.

No, no, first go and get vaccinated.

Stop praying, and go and do your duty

-Thank you, Padre.

-I think that the guys'd better soon come with that vaccine, boss.

The whole of R�o Escondido is waiting out there.

All you can see is the line-up.

One thing's for sure, you learn something new every day.

-Why do you say that?

-Well, for what just happened.

-Don't yell so much.

Come closer.

-The problem is those wretched indians,

They don't have any respect for authority.

We tried to shoot them out.

Just think, I got three or four,

and we didn't achieve anything.

We didn't know what to do.

Then suddenly the teacher came along,

went straight to the church,

and made the Padre ring the bells.

And they all come running up lining up like little lambs.

Listen, boss,

why would they they pay so much attention to the bells?

-You said it yourself.

They're like sheep.

-Oh, of course.

it sounds like a cowbell, doesn't it?

-Lift up the sleeve on your left arm.

Lift up the sleeve on your left arm.

-Lift up the sleeve on your left arm.

-Lift up the sleeve on your left arm.

-Next.

-Doctor,

the line-up is really long and,... may I remind you about Merceditas

-What about Merceditas?

Well, she was the teacher here two years ago.

The boss really liked her, so he took her for himself and kept her at home.

Merceditas.

-Lift up your sleeve.

Rosaura.

-Tetelqui, Ponciano.

-Here.

-Lauhanzi, C�ndido.

-Here.

-Velarde�a, Gregorio.

-Here.

-Velarde�a, Raquel.

-Here.

-Sastre, Ambrosio.

-Here.

-Zontle, Isidra.

-Here.

-Zontle, Macrina.

-Here.

HE'S FINISHED

-This is our first day of classes

and we have to be really good friends,

to make it easier

for each person to do their duty.

I have come to teach you

the little that I know,

so that tomorrow you will be useful men and women,

and can fight for the rebuilding of R�o Escondido,

of Mexico,

and the world.

Every letter,

and every number that you learn,

is a step forward on the path to freedom for you.

Freedom from fear,

from poverty,

and extortion.

In R�o Escondido,

and in all the towns in Mexico,

there are dark forces that keep the poor sunk in a slave-like stupor.

But the strongest,

the most pressing of these forces

is the ignorance which weighs on you,

and puts an impenetrable blindfold

on your eyes and on your hearts.

We are going to rip this blindfold off the eyes of Mexico,

so that she can rise up and confront her destiny.

The fight against the brutal forces of Mexico is not impossible.

And its rebirth is not a fantasy

This...

This is the best proof that Mexico can rise up,

and get to the highest point.

But what am I saying?

We have to get started...

Where to start?

The same place that Ju�rez started.

This is the first letter of the alphabet.

It's called "A".

Repeat it with me.

A. - A.

-It's great that you're well again already, boss, isn't it?

Sometimes, foreigners are good for something, aren't they, boss?

Just look at the new teacher.

She's taught all the kids to sound out words.

You haven't really focused on the new teacher, have you, boss?

The President of the Republic didn't send her,

like I said before,

it was more likely our blessed Mother Mary.

If you watch out,

and keep you eye on her,

she could replace Merceditas.

Sorry, boss.

I'm going to see to the horses.

-I promised to tell you about a great Mexican.

One of the greatest Mexicans

and one of the most famous men in the world,

A man who, throughout the years, was and continues to be

an example of faith and patriotism.

This man was called Benito Ju�rez.

He was an Indian like you.

He was born in a town just as isolated

as R�o Escondido.

He didn't learn to read or write until he was 12 years old.

This man, this Indian,

became the President of the Republic.

He defended his country from invaders,

and fought until his death to help the underclasses,

the poor, the illiterate,

the oppressed,

to confront the evil men in Mexico

who were reducing them to slavery.

Did you all understand what I just said?

Yes, Se�orita.

Let's see, Goyo...

you're always so distracted. Stop drawing and answer me.

What did I tell you?

That this man, don Benito Ju�rez, was an Indian like us,

Se�orita.

He didn't learn to read or write until he was 12 years old,

and he became the President of the Rep�blic

and fought the evil men in Mexico. -Very good.

But why did he fight the evil people in Mexico?

-Well... like you said, Se�orita,

you have to fight bad Mexicans.

-Yes, but you must always make them recognize their mistakes

and try to make them into good Mexicans.

-What if they don't want to be good Mexicans, Se�orita?

-Well, you shoot them, right, Se�orita? That stops their rage.

-Poyano Tetelqui's solution

is a little brutal.

But sometimes...

well, it might be necessary.

-And above all, don't forget what I just told you.

Always boil the water and then you won't get sick..

-But there's so little that comes out of the fountain, Doctor.

If we boil it,it will go away and there'll be nothing left.

- Is this all the water there is in Rio Escondido? - Yes, Doctor,

-There's don Regino's well,

but that's only for his horses and his house.

-They say that underground here there's a river with lots of water

that you can hear from the altar in the parish church.

That's why the town is called R�o Escondido ( Hidden River).

-You realize, Doctor, that no rain ever falls here.

As you can see, the sky is always full of clouds,

but no rain ever falls, does it, mama.

-God doesn't want it to rain here, who knows why that would be.

-In any case, it's better that there's a just little water

than that it's contaminated.

Water has tiny bugs in it,

that you can't see but that are called microbes.

When you drink water that has these bugs in it

they grow inside you, and become like wild animals.

They eat away at your stomach, your intestines, everything.

That's why it's better to boil the water and get rid of them,

because otherwise, they'll kill us.

=Is that right? Well,here, we've got some bugs that are, this big.

With big heads.

They're called salamanders.

Well,because of that, you must put on more firewood

so the water boils more quickly and they die sooner.

-Good day, Doctor.

-Good day, don Regino.

-I'd like to talk to you. I'll see you in a while.

-Break...

...up.

You've been working really hard,Panchito.

And you too, Ponciano.

No, you don't have to kiss anyone's hand,Panchito.

Go home and take care of yourselves, O.K?

- Good afternoon, Se�orita Rosaura. - Good afternoon, Mayor.

-I've just come to say goodbye, Rosaura.

- Are you leaving, Felipe? - Yes, Rosaura.

Don Regino is well now.

The flare-up of smallpox is over,

And the school is back in operation.

There's nothing left for me to do here.

But you know where to find me, ready to help you in any way...

No matter what you need.

I've brought you this to keep as a souvenir.

Please don't open it now.

Goodbye, Rosaura.

-Goodbye, Felipe.

-Goodbye, don Regino.

-Goodbye, Doctor.

Br�gido,

-At your orders, boss.

-Saddle up the horses and go with the Doctor to Santiago de la Sierra

-No, don Regino.

I came on foot and I'll leave on foot.

That way I'm sure I'll arrive safely in Santiago de la Sierra.

-Life is full of surprises isn't it?

So young and such a good Doctor,

and a real man.

It doesn't seem true that he's so well educated, he's so macho.

-This other well educated man was too.

-I think that Se�or Ju�rez was a lawyer, wasn't he?

-Yes,

I think he was a lawyer.

-Right, I'll be going now, Se�orita Rosaura.

You know you can count on me for anything.

I want the school to run as it's supposed to, that it doesn't lack anything

I know what it means to you and I want to help you

with everything you need.

By the way, I have a surprise for you.

You'll know about it tomorrow.

Please excuse me, Se�orita Rosaura.

Have them take care of this today.

Because I want the house ready for tomorrow.

Tell her that you're putting her on a train to Mexico and get her out of town.

-Yes, boss.

-Once you're out of town, say around La Amarillera,

then you know what you have to do.

-Yes, boss.

-The less siad the better, right?

-Yes, boss.

-And in any case, in her spite she'd be capable of anything,

even causing a scandal for me in Mexico City.

It's best to stop it before it starts.

It's not as though there's going to be any changes

there with the new government,

and she could hurt me. - Please excuse us, boss.

-I didn't see that coming!

But you have to clean up any mess you've made.

-Whenever you like.

I'm ready now.

Give this suitcase to your wife, Rengo.

Seeing as I'm going to Mexico City,...

Aren't I?

I can buy clothes there.

And give this other one

to my little goddaughter,

and tell her I'm sending her a kiss for helping out at the school

with the new teacher.

-Ni�a Merceditas,

You have been very good to us,

but in spite of that,

my boss...

Look, Br�gido,

it's better if you tell her, you're the godfather.

-I know what they've ordered you to do,

and I don't reproach you for it.

Don't get in your boss' bad books, Br�gido.

-Yes, my dear friend,

they have given us orders.

And believe me, ever since they did,

we've felt sick to our stomachs.

How can we do this to you?

Especially since you're been so good to my kid, since she was left an orphan.

leave now.

Don't say anything.

Don't come back for any reason.

Forgive us for leaving you on foot,

but we have to take your horse back.

-The train goes by half an hour from here, Ni�a Merceditas.

-Leave now, good friend.

May God be with you.

-That's the Mayor's Residence over there; It's where I live.

And here, well here...

is the surprise I told you about yesterday, Se�orita Rosaura.

The room where you're staying in the school is in very bad condition,

and I thought you'd be better off in this house.

Why don't you come in and see it, Se�orita Rosaura?

Come in, please.

French/English voices

French being spoken

Song in French

This isn't your usual Mexican music!

I think it's French isn't it?

-What a lovely crib, how the child would love to sleep here...

He's my main preoccupation.

He has suffered so much, and is so helpless...

-You'll never lack water here, Se�orita Rosaura.

What's going on with the water?

As you've seen, there's very little water in this town,

especially in these dry months.

But I never go without it since I have a well in the house.

-A bed with a mattress!

It's so soft, isn't it?

-And look, Se�orita.

This is one of the sarapes that the Indians make from the wool of my sheep.

Of course, we had to change the design for the tourists,

because they had to appeal to Americans.

That's how I am.

And there's a little letter for you, Se�orita.

- Don't you like the house, or what Se�orita Rosaura? -Let go of me!

-Se�orita!

Tell me what's the matter.

Listen!

Se�orita Rosaura!

What's the matter, Se�orita Rosaura?

-You've trampled on all the virtues that made Mexico great

and this was all that was left.

To trample on the respect that's owed to a woman.

Now, a woman means nothing,

and anyone can humiliate her by offering to set her up in a house.

How low have we fallen

when even a bureaucrat like you

can hurt a woman in this way?

A woman who should deserve respect

as a woman and as a teacher

and you make her suffer the greatest humiliation of her life

What a poor man you are!

How deeply you have insulted me!

I know that you don't have an ounce of shame,

and that you pay no attention to anything good in this life,

but listen carefully to what I'm going to tell you.

Never dare speak to me again

Do not set foot in the school, which is my home,

and where I can preserve my faith in Mexico!

- Acosil, Demetrio. - Here.

-Acualazti, Jos� Mar�a.

- Acualazti, Jos� Mar�a. - He hasn't arrived yet, Se�orita.

-What can I do for you?

I already told you never to set foot in the school again.

-Rosaura, please, I need to talk to you.

-What do we say when the Mayor comes into the school,

wearing a hat?

-Good morning, Mr. Mayor.

-I need to speak to you.

You need to listen to me.

I can't wait any longer.

-I want you to pay a lot of attention to what I am going to say to you,

and ask you to forgive me.

A Mayor

is a man who represents the town.

A man who should be an example to others,

and sacrifice himself for the common good.

Unfortunately this man,

who is the Mayor of R�o Escondido,

like so many other authority figures in Mexico,

is only concerned with looking after how own miserable ambition

and his basest instincts.

Do you know what he expected?

To take me,

your teacher,

to live with him...

as if I was the most common type of woman.

However, this man,

like all his brutal companions in the Republic,

made a mistake this time.

And if they had an ounce of shame,

they would understand that their time is over.

It's finished because at the head of the government of Mexico

there's a President who's determined to see his people reborn.

A President who wants to be finished with the terror sown by people like this,

and who wants all Mexicans to help him make a great, clean country,

the pride,

and joy of everyone.

We have nothing to talk about.

Please do me the favour of leaving...

if you don't want me to throw you out.

-It's finished...

the last drop of water.

-I know how hard this new blow is for you to bear,

and how desperate you must feel to come to get the Holy Cross,

to ask our Lord God

for the water that your persecutor here below is denying you.

But I want to tell you that there are too many prayers and processions,

and we have to confront this head on and claim what belongs to all of you.

-I know why you've all come here.

If you want the Holy Cross then take it and do whatever you want with it.

But be sure of one thing,

the water in the well is mine!

And if anyone tries to rob me, I will break him!

I want to talk to you.

Yes, my friend,

I have come here drunk.

And from here on, it will once again be me,

me...

Just so you know I won't be taking off my hat here or anywhere else.

i've come to see you so you can help me.

I love that woman with all my heart

and I would give anything for her not to humiliate me

like she has just humiliated me.

She thinks she's pretty tough,

and she's got something. Since she arrived she has changed R�o Escondido.

Including you who used to be a disgusting drunk.

She's made you something else,

and she's intoxicating to me.

But I love her and I need you to help me, understand?

They all believe you.

You have to speak to her!

Tell her that I don't just want a fling with her,

I'm ready to marry her whenever she wants.

-Don Regino,

If I used to be everything you said it was your fault,

and I'm ashamed of it.

But now I know what my duty is.

You'll speak to her right now or I'll break you!

I will not insult that woman in that way.

-What's the matter, Padre? What do they want?

-Water.

The fountain has dried up.

They are so desperate that they paid no attention to me and took the Cross.

-Don Regino, right?

-Leave here, Rosaura,

There's nothing to be done.

You and I can't do anything against these forces.

- Go back and continue reading. - Yes, Se�orita.

-He's crazy.

He says he wants to marry you.

-I'm very sorry for what's happened because of me, Padre,

but I'm not leaving.

My duty is here,

with the people of this town.

Poncianito.

What's happening to you? What's the matter?

I think he's sick, isn't he?

-No!

He's drunk!

What do you expect? There's no water so they have to drink pulque.

-So that's the reason Goyo couldn't get water to the house.

-Se�orita, Se�orita!

Goyo has gone to steal water from don Regino's well!

-They'll kill him!

Goyito.

Goyito.

You animal!

You despicable person!

-What time is it? -Just past midnight, boss.

-I can't take that damned bell any more.

I'm going to make sure they bury that wretched little corpse right now.

Follow me.

-My Goyito.

My Goyito.

-Don't cry.

You've had to deal with really tough problems very early in your life.

But I promise you, your strength won't be in vain.

This innocent spilt blood,

like that of so many other martyrs,

now belongs to Mexico.

And one day. you'll understand that it was necessary to help its destiny grow.

Don't cry.

Get some rest.

-Se�orita Rosaura, don Regino is here.

He wants us to bury Goyo tonight.

-Murderer!

-Bury this corpse immediately and leave the town,

or I won't answer for my actions.

-We'll be holding a wake for your victim

throughout the night,

and we'll bury him tomorrow at dawn.

As for me, I'll only leave R�o Escondido when I'm dead.

Do you understand?

-Boss, we should leave.

I know what I'm saying, don't even turn around.

Let's go, boss.

-Now they have learned

that injustice cannot be imposed on a united town.

-Since that woman arrived, I thought she would bring trouble.

By all the saints, I felt it right here.

But now she'll see it's our turn,

and like they say: "you have to fight fire with fire".

Right now I'm going to the school to show her she can't mock me.

And then you guys will come in and do the same thing one after the other

And then you'll see her come to me on her knees to ask me to pick her up,

and then I'll kick her out of the town,

in front of all those damned Indians.

You'll wait for me outside the school.

-Let me go!

Let me go!

Bastard!

Let me go, damn you!

You wretched animal.

You wretched animal!

Let me go!

Let me go, I say!

Damn you!

Let me go!

-Is it very serious, Doctor?

Do you think you can save her?

-It won't be very long...

no more than...

a few days.

First of all

she'll lose her sight,

and then...

a few minutes later,

death will come.

-No!

I don't want to die!

The child!

I have to look after him!

I have to save him, I can't leave him on his own!

This child is Mexico, and I have to save him!

I have to save him!

-Go back to bed,

you must rest.

-I'm dying.

I know I'm dying.

Over there, Felipe, in the case is an injection.

Please give me an injection.

-I've already injected you, Rosaura. -I don't want to die.

I don't want to die!

I have to write a letter, Felipe.

-Rest, Rosaura,

You have to calm down.

-No, I'm telling you I have to write a letter.

You can write all the letters you want later.

-Now, you must go to bed... -I have to write a letter!

I must write it, Felipe.

=Alright, Rosaura,

I'll write it for you.

Who is the letter for, Rosaura?

-Dear President of the Rep�blic:

You generously entrusted me with

a mission in R�o Escondido...

-The Doctor is killing us.

Please get better, Se�orita, for those of us in the class.

-Forgive me, Rosaura,

I thought I could wing it as a teacher.

But I just realized that to be a teacher

you need to have the help of a saint.

-The Doctor didn't mean to make you cry.

Go away now and leave properly.

I'll soon be better,

you'll see.

-Yes, Se�orita.

-It's true, isn't it

that I'll soon be better, Felipe?

-Yes, Rosaura.

You'll soon be better.

No!

No!

I know I'll never get up again...

that I'm fatally wounded...

that I have very few days left...

that this very day...

perhaps... -No, Rosaura.

-Yes, Felipe.

This is the end.

If you could only see, Felipe,

how clearly you can feel

when life is slipping away...

-Rosaura,

you will get better

and you'll be able to get up very soon.

-That's not true.

You now that's not true.

-I swear to you.

Don't swear,

you know it's not true.

-I swear to you

on the person I love most in the world,

I swear it on you, Rosaura.

-You know what, Felipe?

I already can't see you.

I can't see anything.

-Here's a letter for the teacher, Doctor.

-The teacher is sick and cannot accept it personally,

I will make sure she receives it. -Alright, Doctor.

-It's the answer from the President of the Republic.

"Se�orita Rosaura Salazar:

Through me

the country thanks you for your concern,

y and congratulates you on the success of your difficult mission.

I know how large and painful the obstacles have been

that you have had to confront,

but I also know

that only the selflessness and sacrifice of Mexicans like you,

will make possible the regeneration of our people.

Today, more than ever

you must have the certainty that Mexico and I myself are with you,

and that your sacrifice will translate into a better future

for the region I'm in charge of.

You have exceeded my confidence in you,

and I am immediately giving orders for the rehabilitation

of R�o Escondido".

-Rosaura.

-Rosaura Salazar, teacher,

died for her country.

She lies here in the school

at the express request of the people of R�o Escondido.

THE END