Original subtitles

When Orpheus brought his wife back from the underworld

from hell

he was told he must not look back at her

whatever happened.

Orpheus!

But at last

he could not resist the sound of her voice calling his name

turned back,

and so lost her forever.

When the military dictatorship fell in 1983, here in Argentina

we were told that we should never look back.

Yes, There was injustice. Yes, mistakes were made.

But if we looked back, the pain will never end.

The wounds will never heal.

The generals had already changed

the meaning of the words "to disappear."

For them, things disappeared.

People disappeared.

But they spoke of disappearing people

disappearing their enemies.

They had changed the language.

And now, they wanted to disappear a past.

They told us, we must never look back.

But, we have to look back.

It is our sacred duty to look back.

Carlos!

I am sorry. Sorry. Let's go from the top.

I'll see you, Silvio.

Bye-bye, Carlos. What time is the call tomorrow?

10:00. I'll see you tomorrow. Bring it down two.

Cecilia.

Cecilia.

What's the matter?

Where's Mama?

And you say

she had been receiving threatening phone calls?

Two, yes. Did you report them?

No.

Perhaps she left of her own free will.

Have you quarreled recently?

I told you, Pedro saw three men taking her away.

Yes. In a green Ford Falcon.

Did you get the plate number? There were no plates.

Are you sure about this?

I think so.

You think so?

I hope you don't believe

all that crap about people disappearing.

It's just propaganda, you know.

And this article of my wife is about people disappearing.

Perhaps she is just trying to prove her point.

And you are a writer also, are you?

Yes, I am a writer.

Don't worry.

We'll find your wife. If she's to be found.

You're very stubborn. I don't see the point.

They are frightened. That's...

It's just gonna cause trouble. Why are you doing this?

Because our government has managed somehow

to invent a new kind of information.

What? What do you mean?

Okay, somebody just disappears and they say, "Oh, my God, how terrible

we're doing everything we can."

And you know and they know, they ordered the arrest.

You know, politics is like dog shit. You don't want to step in it.

No, I don't feel that way at all.

You see, I agree with every word you say in this piece.

I still don't think you should publish it.

Carlos, why not?

Just too provocative.

Carlos, these were schoolchildren protesting about bus fares.

About bus fares!

Vanished without a trace!

Will this bring them back? But that's not the point here.

Well, what is the point?

Somebody has to say something.

All I am saying, you see...

Around that corner in the Casa Rosada

is a gang of insane paranoiacs who that think Gerald Ford

is a member of the international communist conspiracy.

Cecilia, you are acting on the assumption

they are Russian. Now, they are not.

They're mad dogs. They bite.

Rubén!

Silvio. Hi.

- Hello. - Hey.

There is some kind of demonstration going on in the plaza.

Really? Old women in headscarves.

How's your movie? Same old crap.

I'm gonna have a look. Me, too.

Are you coming? No.

Back in 10 minutes. Watch out for dog shit.

There were rumors this was gonna happen.

Who are they? The mothers of the disappeared.

If those mothers in the square aren't afraid

shouldn't I have the courage to tell the truth?

It's different for them. Why? What do you mean?

For them, the disaster has already happened.

And it wasn't something they provoked themselves, was it?

Next thing, you'll be saying they're a lot of troublemakers

who probably deserve to be disappeared.

No, you know that's not what I meant. This is what is...

Can we talk about something else, please? Yes, please.

Listen, those schoolchildren who complained about the bus fares

were Teresa's age. Suppose it had happened to Teresa?

Suppose what had happened to me?

You're not thinking what you're saying. That's it.

Are you trying to tell me I am not allowed

to talk about these things in my own home?

Suppose what had happened to me? Nothing.

You know what she's like when she gets like that.

You're right.

Of course, you're right.

Yes.

All the same, I felt I had to...

I don't know, say something.

Carlos.

I love you.

Teresa?

I couldn't sleep.

Mind if I sit with you?

I should have stopped her writing those things.

How could you have stopped her?

It's what she does.

Come here.

Excuse me, just a second. Have you seen this woman?

She has disappeared, like, eight weeks ago. No.

Sir, have you seen this woman?

How did it go? All right.

Second act was a little sluggish. Sorry, I missed it.

You would have been of more use here

instead of wandering around in the rain.

What's Enrico doing?

He's waiting to see you.

You have a problem.

What is it, Enrico?

You have to release me from the play. I can't come anymore.

Why? I don't want to talk about it.

They have taken your father.

Who told you? Nobody told me.

But, you tell me what happened.

They broke into the apartment

at 3:00 in the morning and took him. Yes.

Tonight

they will arrive in his cell, three of them.

One of the men, a colonel

will tell your father to be more careful

about what he says to his students.

He will make him admit that a professor

is not capable of understanding the government's intention.

He will ask him to promise never to criticize the government again.

Your father will promise.

Later tonight

they will release him,

and drive him back close to where you live.

Believe me.

Carlos.

Are you all right?

I don't know.

I told Enrico his father would be released tonight.

You did what?

Why did you do that?

I know you are going through hard times, Carlos, but...

I couldn't stop myself, Esme.

It was like a hallucination, like I have seen

the whole thing in a movie.

It was like I was watching...

Like I was remembering

the future.

No, I asked you.

You didn't.

Yes. My God!

I can't believe you have forgotten this, I asked you.

Impossible.

Impossible. How?

I said, "Will you marry me," you fool.

No, I mean, how did it arise?

How could I have left that sacred task in your hands?

It arose out of me explaining why I wanted to be a journalist.

Really, you can't remember? No.

I said I wanted to be a journalist,

so I could ask difficult questions,

and you said, "Ask me a difficult question."

And then I said, "Will you marry me?" No?

It's so typical that you can't remember. It's so hurtful.

So, what did I say?

You went bright red and made a puffing noise like a train.

And that was all? No.

You kissed me.

That was the best kiss I ever had.

It happened, Señor Rueda.

Exactly what you said. The colonel, everything.

Thank you. Thank you.

I am very pleased.

Listen, Enrico.

Go downstairs, and I'll see you in a minute.

It was a probably a coincidence.

No.

Please come this evening.

I may be able to help you.

Thanks to all of you,

for coming here to my house.

I don't know how to explain this to you because...

I don't know how to explain it to myself.

All I can say is

that I may be able to help some of you

whose loved ones have disappeared.

With information.

I need their names,

and the circumstances of the disappearance.

And if I fail, I will have to ask you to forgive me.

But, we have nothing.

So it seemed worth the attempt.

My grandson's name is Octavio Marquez.

He is an athlete.

They took him last month from the stadium.

He is not interested in politics.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. It's...

It's not working.

Señ Rueda.

It's just not working. I am sorry.

My son...

My son's name is Victor Madrid.

He is 15 years old.

Sometimes

he says stupid things about subjects he doesn't understand.

And last Friday, he didn't come home from school.

Victor Madrid?

Yes.

They picked him up

at the school gates.

They drove him out into the pampas.

Took him to a place they often use.

They were preparing to kill him.

No!

Because it was a known killing ground

it was being watched.

And Victor was rescued.

He is still in hiding.

And soon he will find a way to get a message to you.

Yes.

Señor.

My daughter

is called Julia Obregon.

She is

a social worker.

They took her from her office

three weeks ago.

I am sorry.

I will tell you later if you want.

Any detail that you need to know.

My mother's name is Cecilia Rueda.

They took her from this house

on May 23.

My father

came home from the theater,

and she was gone.

Give me your hands.

Teresa.

She is strong.

She is so strong.

The way she fights them

is by never letting go of the idea of escape.

Last night

last night

she succeeded.

Jump.

Go! Go! Go!

Yes!

Run!

Yes!

Carlos!

I've lost her. No.

No.

You fainted. Are you all right?

I'm sorry.

Maybe I shouldn't have asked you.

You were right.

It was the right thing to do.

But I lost her.

Why did I lose her?

You're very tired.

Say it, Silvio, say it. It isn't right, Carlos.

Even if what you say is true, it still isn't right.

And I don't see how it can be true.

It is true.

Don't ask me how I know. I just do.

It's not rational. You've only ever believed in what is rational.

I have to believe in this because it's happening.

This is absurd! Silvio...

I don't have the energy to quarrel with you, really.

Just please go.

Are you coming?

I'll stay over.

Foghorn. What?

I heard a foghorn.

They must be keeping her somewhere near the docks.

I'm all right. I just need some water.

I know she'd been there.

I could feel her in that room. Keep still.

Why did the trail go cold?

Why should I be able to trace complete strangers,

and not find my own wife? Why is that?

You should get some sleep. What?

Teresa, you get ready for school. I'll look after your father.

No, I'd better go into the theater.

Don't even think about it.

You go, Esme. I'll stay home and take care of him.

Well... I guess we should do as we're told.

This gift, Teresa

maybe I'm not supposed to spend on myself.

You'll find Mama. I know you will.

I don't think I could get through this without you.

My baby.

She's still alive.

Now that the number of disappearances

recorded by our organization

exceeds 2,000

we feel it essential to register the following demands.

Your wife?

One: We require...

Yes.

a full list of detainees together with details...

My sister.

of any charges, which may have been made against them.

Or a firm date for their release.

I don't know if I can go on living without Marta.

Do you know about my garden?

I've been trying to find the courage to come.

Well...

I'll expect you next Thursday.

I just want to thank you all for allowing me to grieve with you,

and giving me hope.

Something else I never had before.

Courage, the courage to stand up for myself...

I'm gonna kill one of those shits! Wait.

Let me go! Let me go! No! No!

Gen. Guzman is a very busy man.

Nevertheless, I'd like you to tell him

that Carlos Rueda wishes to see him, please.

A man called Carlos Rueda wants to know if the minister will see him.

What can I do for you?

I'm here to protest the arbitrary arrest of nine women

including two nuns from the Church of the Holy Cross.

Do sit down.

When was this alleged occurrence? This morning. I was there.

Well, it's too soon to expect me to know anything about it.

I've never claimed to be omniscient.

Nuns, you say? Yes.

I have all the names.

Thank you.

I will look into it myself.

Now, I understand you run a theatre for children.

Yes. I say I understand, in fact, I know.

My nephew was once in one of your plays. I saw it.

I don't remember what it was about but it was most enjoyable.

My wife...

My wife has disappeared.

How terrible. I can appreciate your concern. What is her name?

Cecilia. Cecilia Rueda. Journalist.

No. There's no one of that name.

She was arrested.

Why? Is she a terrorist Has she committed a crime?

No. She's not a terrorist.

There are leftist groups who are kidnapping,

and even killing people

to make us look bad.

They don't care what they do.

What happened to your arm?

I was bitten by a dog.

What a colorful life you lead.

What do you think when you see those mothers in the square?

Even animals have mothers.

Well, they want their children back.

And I want my wife back.

Naturally, I'm very concerned about your wife.

I've made a note to investigate the matter personally.

In the meantime, I think you should get back to your theatre.

I can't say I like the sound of your new act.

What new act?

The clairvoyance.

The conjuring tricks.

If you dislike my new act

it's because it's a sign of something you cannot kill.

Something you do not possess.

Something which will eventually destroy you.

And what is that?

Imagination.

Cecilia!

Cecilia!

Help! Help!

Cecilia.

Cecilia. Cecilia.

Cecilia.

You were crying.

I'm all right. I'm all right.

It was just a dream.

Hold on.

Mind your feet.

Don't worry. Don't worry.

They are just trying to intimidate us, all right?

That's all.

Are you okay?

Yeah. Go and get dressed. I think we should get out of here.

I'm sorry, Esme. I hope I didn't scare you.

Come in. Come in.

I don't think it's safe for her in the house anymore.

You can stay here as long as you like. Both of you.

Thank you. Thank you.

So you're going to drive out to the pampas because

you had a dream about an owl. I have to trust these signs, Silvio.

I don't know what else I can do. I don't know.

The theatre is not a business that runs by itself, you know.

Unless you want to do your Thursday evening shows here,

and charge admission.

Listen, we'll run things here.

You go find your owl. We'll find something.

I don't know what, but I know I'll find something.

Welcome to La Esperanza.

My name is Amos Sternberg.

This is my wife, Sara.

Carlos Rueda.

What brings you here?

I'm looking for my wife.

It will take some time to explain, I guess.

I'm sorry to bring such horrors to a place like this.

What if you never find her, Carlos?

I will find her.

That is a conviction or a hope?

I make no distinction between the two.

Stay to dinner.

Stay the night.

Thank you.

Thanks.

She prefers to eat on her own when we have guests.

Which, by the way, is hardly ever.

Is she your daughter? No.

She's the daughter of old friends of ours.

We were all together in Auschwitz.

She is very shy, you see.

She cannot speak.

She asked an SS man for drinking water one day.

So he cut out her tongue with his bayonet.

Now, can you see why we understand what you were telling us?

What made you choose to come to Argentina?

This estancia's been in my family for over 100 years.

We have a son here.

We sent him over to Amos's cousin in the '30s

when he was quite small.

Because we saw the way things were going in Germany.

We were going to leave ourselves, but we left it too late.

He's a silversmith.

He has a shop in La Boca.

You must go and see him when you get back to Buenos Aires.

Thank you. I will.

My cousin died in the '40s and the estancia came to us.

People say, "How can you bear to live out there, lost in the pampas?"

But I say, "I like to see as far as I can in every direction nowadays."

Why all the birds?

There used to be these birds at Auschwitz.

Nondescript, little brown birds like our finches.

They came every morning and sat on the wire,

and reminded us of freedom.

Then the Nazis electrified the wire.

And for a whole summer's day, to the great amusement of the guards

the birds turned into vivid spurts of flame.

After a day, they never returned.

When we arrived in Buenos Aires

we went to La Boca, to the market

bought every bird that was for sale and ferried them down here.

For us

they contain the souls of all our friends who did not come back from the camps.

How can anybody survive that?

If you live in a nightmare

you have to try to re-imagine it.

That's why your stories are so important.

They may be keeping her alive.

Go on telling your stories.

Cecilia!

Cecilia!

Then I lost track of her. It wasn't like last time.

At the warehouse

the trail went cold.

But this time I didn't feel so desperate.

I knew she was somewhere close.

But I also knew...

I would never be able to find her.

Because, for some reason I can't understand

my instinct's telling me

that she has to find me.

All yours.

No, I'll take her back.

You don't know what you're missing.

I'm just trying to help you.

Too late for help, wouldn't you say?

Don't think I like what goes on here. Then why be part of it?

It's my job.

I've always been a prison guard. Like my father.

I imagine the job must have changed a lot

in the last few years, hasn't it?

Yes, out of all recognition.

Well, then.

I have children. I need to work.

I'm sure, if you really wanted to, you could find something else to do.

Exercise time.

I don't want to go.

Why?

Let me stay in.

All right.

I'll tell them you're not well.

Yes.

But what are you doing?

Remembering.

I see.

Not the past.

I don't mean the past.

This. I'm remembering all of this.

Every detail.

It mustn't ever be forgotten.

Gustavo.

Go ahead.

My sister, Marta, worked in Gen. Guzman's secretariat.

One day she was alone in his office and she found something on his desk.

I don't know what it was because she was too frightened to tell me.

Guzman walked in and saw what she was reading.

He hit her,

and fired her on the spot.

That same evening they took her from her apartment.

Please help me.

I know you can find her for me.

I can't see Marta very clearly yet.

There is something else.

It is Guzman I can see.

Guzman who believes his fatherland is in danger,

and that it is his sacred duty to protect it.

It is unusual for me to see the oppressors, rather than the victims.

Have you ever been an actor, Gustavo?

No.

You've never been in my theatre?

Never. Does this...

I think I can see Marta now.

She's a tiny blonde girl, isn't she?

So slight you'd think they would break her in half.

That's right.

Why did you suppose Guzman is so frightened of tiny girls like Marta?

Well, as she was waiting in the basement of the Naval Mechanics School

something extraordinary happened to Marta.

She recognized the young officer who was supervising her torture.

And realized she was a figment of his imagination.

The officer was you, Gustavo.

You have no sister.

You are here as a spy.

I thought you were supposed to help us.

We are all victims here, you know.

How can you just say a thing like that?

You have a tape recorder underneath your shirt.

If I am wrong, I will apologize.

I can explain it.

Murderer!

Hold on! Let him go!

Come on. Stop it!

Stop it!

This is a message to you, Gen. Guzman.

We are not subversives.

We want the return of our families.

And you have our sympathies.

It must be strenuous to be so full of hatred and suspicion.

Go.

Wait. Hold it.

Who is next?

We ought to have killed that bastard this evening.

No, Silvio, no.

Am I crazy to feel a little better tonight?

Can I stay here tonight?

No. You should go back to Esme's.

Papa, please. Let me stay.

Just for tonight.

Come here.

Papa! Papa!

Teresa!

Teresa. Papa!

Papa!

Take me! Take me!

No. Please!

It's all my fault.

What did you say?

It was my fault, it was all my fault.

Carlos.

Carlos, once they decided to take her

it wouldn't have been hard for them to find her.

At school or at my place, wherever she was.

Teresa. Mama.

Mama.

Shh.

Up!

Not you.

Just the fresh meat this time.

Mama.

All right.

We work here by a very

simple principle.

If you know something

sing.

If not

suffer.

First thing

is for you and me to get to know each other.

Señor Rueda!

Seño Rueda!

How are you?

Good night.

My lovely girl. How are you?

It's so good to see you. How was your day?

Teresa.

Cecilia.

Teresa.

Cecilia.

They'll close us down. I know it. Why do you insist on courting disaster?

I agree with Carlos. You do?

What a surprise.

What's the matter?

Maybe you're right.

Please, stop agreeing with me, or I would not know where I am.

All right? It's very important today, okay?

There they are. Coming into the third row.

I'd be worried if they hadn't sent anybody.

Do you think they'll notice?

Break a leg.

All right. Places.

Good luck.

Red Death

had long devastated the country.

No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous.

Scarlet stains upon the body and face of the victim

shut him out from the aid and sympathy of his fellow men.

But the Prince Prospero was happy.

He summoned to his presence 1,000 light-hearted friends,

and retired to one of his castellated abbeys.

Toward the fifth or sixth month of his seclusion

while the pestilence raged most furiously abroad...

Prince Prospero entertained his 1,000 friends

at a masked ball

of the most unusual magnificence.

Who are you?

Seize that man!

Silvio.

Silvio.

They've taken Silvio.

What?

I told them.

I said there must be some mistake.

That he is not interested in politics. But it was his name on their list.

Why didn't they take me? I wanted them to take me!

Motherfuckers!

Motherfuckers!

Carlos, they've closed us down.

In the interest of public morals, they've closed us down.

I will have to see if they'll give me back my old job.

What will you do?

I'll find something.

I've known him since I was a child.

We were lovers for a while.

Three or four years ago. I know.

Can you see what happened to him?

Ask me tonight.

In the garden.

I have a colleague called Silvio Ayala.

He's the Technical Director of the Children's Theatre.

They came today and they took him from his office.

They're holding Silvio in the basement of the Naval Mechanics School.

They have blindfolded him for no reason.

Except to disorient him,

and increase his fear.

He has already decided to say whatever it is they want to hear.

To denounce everybody

anything, to stop the pain.

It will be more than a week before they take him alone

to the room at the end of the corridor.

And in that time

a strange thing will happen to Silvio.

He will become angry.

So angry

that whatever they do to him, he will never say a word.

Finally

in about a month

they will give up on him.

I am Silvio Ayala

an Argentinean.

I'm sorry, Esme.

The minute you spoke his name, I knew there was nothing I could do for him.

I knew.

Do you mind walking a little way?

No.

Are you Avrom?

Yes. Do I know you?

I spent some time with your parents at La Esperanza.

You are Carlos Rueda.

That's right. My mother wrote to me about you.

Walk home with me.

Sure. It's only a few streets away.

I'll make you some coffee. Thank you.

The time I spent with your parents was amazing.

I thought maybe I imagined the whole thing.

No. They are very, very real.

What's the matter?

What is that? The shoe?

How long has it been here?

She put it up sometime last year.

I must speak to her.

Carlos, it's after... It's very important.

Yes?

The shoe, Señora.

What about the shoe?

The woman it belonged to.

What did she say when they took her away?

All she said was "Carlos."

Are you Carlos?

Yes. She's my wife.

Then you ought to take the shoe.

She's still alive.

Mama.

Sir.

I've decided

it's time to pass your daughter on.

But to whom?

So I thought it was only fair to leave the choice

to you.

Choose.

I'm not going to choose.

You're here to be punished.

Choosing is part of your punishment.

Let them take me.

They're bored with you.

And I'm bored with her.

So there's really no alternative.

Hey!

I'm waiting.

All right.

Duarte, you take her.

Be strong.

No! No! No!

She's gone.

I suddenly understood, Esme, don't ask me how

that if I killed myself, I was condemning her to death.

So I fought my way back to the shore.

When the time comes, you'll know when, ask me your question.

Cecilia Rueda was taken from this house

on May 23, 1976.

Her husband found her glasses on the bedroom floor.

Take her away. Yes, sir.

Bring me Number 17.

They were very hard on you?

Are you able to spend the night with me?

I'm very lonely.

I can't stay all night.

I just want someone to hold me for a while.

No. Turn your back.

But I'd like to undress you.

Otherwise it's like all the others.

All right.

This must be our last meeting.

Things are changing very fast.

And I want you to think about those generals

who will never be troubled by those who have disappeared.

Or care that, to many of us

they have left nothing,

but a remembered face.

Soon

they will be trying to forget these years

pretending they never happened at all.

So

it will be up to us to keep the truth alive.

They know their days are numbered.

So, they are emptying the prisons,

and burying the bodies. Destroying the records.

They are inviting the foreign journalists,

and the human rights people and saying:

"Look, the press is free and the theaters are open.

There's carnival in the streets and it's all over."

But what they really mean

is that it will only be over

until the next time.

Good night.

I don't think we should have this repaired.

I want them to remember.

So we'll start again with the Orpheus?

Yes.

But first I would like to do some rewriting.

Does it need it?

Orpheus!

I think I wanna give it a happy ending.

Like in Monteverdi's opera, remember?

In the end, the Gods forgive him and bring him back his wife.

Why don't we try that?

Which one would you like?

All of them.

Carlos!

Carlos!