Lala?
Do you have a travel permit?
You'll have to show it at the border.
THE FISH CHILD
Come on. It's late.
- What's this? - A present.
Serafín.
Hi.
- Liar! - I ain't. You're beautiful.
Shut up, Guida.
Good morning.
Go.
Why I'd lie to you?
You know it's true...
You exaggerate.
Not at all.
Light me up here.
Wherever you want, baby.
Don't be rude.
Let's go out on Saturday.
I'm working.
- Sunday, then. - I can't.
Do you like him?
No.
Then, don't see him again.
Him or anyone else.
Ask me in Guaraní.
I don't know how to say it.
I love you. I want you to be mine.
I love you. I want you...
Serafín, get out of here!
Give me a hand if you like.
- What should I do? - Take this.
You'll be fired if you fool around.
Stay out of it.
Let's take the empanadas.
Lala, you shouldn't be doing this.
Ailín, we need more wine.
1, 2, 3 París! 1, 2, 3 París!
Look at us!
So, you're writing a new book...
that'll start a fire?
If they don't burn me first...
A toast! To the Paris marathon!
I've run out...
- Could you... - I don't have any.
I want to go back.
To the farm.
Go back? You just came out.
You were discharged. You're fine.
Think about what you'll study instead of hiding.
The body of the controversial Judge Fernando Brönté...
has been found at his home in Buenos Aires,
in the study...
where he had been writing his memoirs.
Or, as he liked to call them,
his "death certificate".
What did he tell you?
- Your relationship? - Leave me alone.
It is considered suicide or suspicious death.
His wife is thought to be abroad,
- running in the Paris Marathon. - And his wife?
She's coming back.
The maid was the only one home.
She found the judge's body.
- You called the police? - The guard did.
Worked there long?
- Years. - How many?
- Six years. - Were there threats?
I have no idea.
- Who found the body? - I did.
Who was at home at the time?
Nobody. There was nobody home.
Was his son hospitalized for drug abuse?
Where is his daughter?
I don't know where she is.
The police are looking for her.
It's a two-day trip.
From the border to the lake will take half a day.
848 pesos.
5,000 guaraníes.
I'll keep this one. For luck.
Keep this too.
It belongs to your mom.
Keep it.
At this rate, we'll never leave.
Unless... we think bigger.
It's your mom's. She'll blame me.
She won't notice it's gone.
- Let's change it for money. - Leave it to me.
You're the cutest mouse in the world.
You should shave your head.
You do it.
- Go on. - Do you dare?
Sure. Get the scissors.
- You wouldn't dare. - Try me.
I'd rather you stay ugly...
so no one else looks at you.
Last night you spoke in your sleep again.
What did I say?
Mitay Pyra.
Tell me again.
What?
The legend of the fish child.
I've told you a thousand times.
Tell me again.
Maybe I'll cut off just one lock...
- What'll we do with him? - Take him with us.
When do we go?
We need the cash for the painting.
- Let's leave tomorrow. - We'll leave in a few days.
Look what a kid you were when you got here.
You've flourished here.
You're prettier now.
Buy some lamb. I want everything to be perfect today.
We'll end up on our own...
Are you OK?
Is this why you don't want to leave?
Look at us...
- You were so small. - Look.
Will you choose one of me?
- This is Mendoza. - Yes.
I'll do it. We're a place short.
I set three places.
One for you. It's Nacho's last meal.
Bring another plate.
- Nothing from the past. - The present, then.
Get the camera from my study.
Sit there.
Now everybody's here.
What would you like?
It's all the same to me.
It can't be all the same.
Was it all the same to stay in Paraguay or come here?
- No. - See? Things are not all the same.
It's not all the same to Nacho to stay here or go back to the farm.
To take the photos or not.
What do you want?
- Out of life. - Leave her alone.
Don't be jealous.
To sing.
You want to be a singer?
- In Guaraní. - Only in Guaraní?
I can only sing in Guaraní.
Sing something for me.
Don't if you don't want to.
She does.
The moon is singing to me,
while I sing for you,
so that you can sleep,
my baby...
That's how Guaraní women mesmerized the Spaniards:
Singing to them.
I'll go pack.
I'll take your photo. Then you can all do as you like.
- I can take it. - No. You're part of this family.
Come here. Close to me.
Forthe present.
Bring more wine.
Lala, I want to show you something.
Don't mess with her.
You're right.
Get her out of here.
Remember when I fell off the tree?
You were 4 and I was 5.
I'd climbed on that branch.
Dad came over, put his hands like this,
and said to me: "Jump, I'll catch you".
I jumped,
he moved his hands...
I fell on the ground.
And you know what he said?
"So you learn not to trust anyone".
- He's still awake. - I don't care.
Come on. Help me.
I hear you've been hanging around my house.
I'm Ailín's dad.
What're you doing here?
- Waiting for her. - My daughter?
You won't find her here.
Got a place to sleep?
Come with me.
- Where do you live? - Asunción.
Once I've sold this house, I'll never come back.
It's my stage name.
Sócrates Espina.
She watched you.
She didn't miss a single episode.
Two years ago, they ran that show.
A Yankee took that photo.
I'd just started working on TV.
He mailed it from Texas, USA.
You haven't seen her in ages?
Not since I left for Asunción.
A year after that photo.
Here's the bathroom.
- That door. - Why didn't you see her again?
Because I didn't hear from her...
until a friend came to visit,
and told me what people were saying.
What?
Gossip.
What kind of gossip?
That she was pregnant.
Was she?
People say she was.
But nobody saw the baby.
I came back to take her with me.
She'd already left for Buenos Aires.
Go freshen up.
Look what I have for you.
What's this?
How much?
More than all you brought before.
She got everything I brought you.
I know a guy who buys paintings.
I train them for him.
Straight from Paraguay, live on stage...
¡Potrankos!
Hands up!
The ladies are going crazy tonight!
I love you!
The men are yelling!
Where are you people who want sex tonight?
Where are those young virgins tonight?
- How did you meet her? - Ailín?
Know how old she was when she arrived?
Yes, 13.
She soon started coming here.
I first saw her on the dance floor.
Just like she is now.
I was staring. She came over and started talking.
She talked and talked. She wouldn't stop.
She talked so much so I wouldn't ask her anything.
That night, she came home with me.
And she stayed. Like my dogs. She never left.
- Put this away. - What is it?
- It's from those guys there. - See that?
You're losing money,
working as a maid with those tits.
- You'd be more famous than your dad. - Butt out.
- Do you like him? - No.
- How do you know you don't? - Stop it.
- Who's your dad? - Nobody.
I'll show you how to dance.
- Let's go. - OK.
Bye.
See? It goes straight to the border.
Soon we'll be taking it together.
Actually,
I came to say goodbye.
But now that I see you,
I want to ask you a question. May I?
Did she tape them?
Every episode.
ARGENTINIAN JUDGE MURDERED
You're thatjudge's daughter, right?
The police are looking for you.
Ailín worked for you.
She's my girlfriend.
She was on TV, saying she knows nothing about you.
Her photo's in the paper.
She called the police.
YOUNG PARAGUAYAN ACCUSED OF THE POISONING
Why did you come here?
What else do you know?
That as soon as she can, she'll come for me.
She'll never come back here.
She can't.
So, if she said you'd meet here, she lied.
And how does she know you're here?
Because we planned it.
What else did you plan?
- What's that? - Our house.
The bedroom... the dining room, the kitchen...
The house is all that matters to you.
You've always had one.
Know what I used to do as a kid?
I was always by Lake Ypoá...
picking up eggs I found lying around...
from birds and fish.
I wanted to put them inside me.
I said I had room for all of them.
- What are they? - Offerings.
Credulous people praying fortheir kids.
Who do they pray to?
The Mitay Pyra.
They say he takes the drowned to the bottom of the lake.
Come. I'll show you something.
I received this.
No news for 5 years,
then she sends me this at the post office.
It's not for you, it's for me.
Forthe land we're gonna buy.
For our house.
What house?
The one we'll build by the lake.
Know what's going on in Buenos Aires?
They blamed her. It's in the paper.
She disappeared 2 days ago.
I don't know what happened,
or where the money's from.
Get yourthings, we're leaving.
I'm not going to wait for her.
Last night I dreamed about the same place.
But I wasn't the same as now.
It was me, before I met you.
How were you?
Old.
You were with me...
looking just as you are now.
Living with me by the lake.
Right there...
where years later they made the shrine.
But at night...
after dark...
the water level went up...
and up...
slowly...
until everyone drowned.
Not only our house...
The whole world is in the bottom of the lake.
The sky is the surface.
But I can't take my head out to breathe.
When everyone's gone, he comes looking for me.
Opens the windows as if it were seaweed.
He swims in.
Grabs my hand and takes me with him.
I saw him. In the lake.
It was just a dream.
No, I saw him.
They caught her as she got on a bus.
Now she's in a youth prison.
She didn't do anything.
- What are you doing? - Going back.
- The police will catch you. - I don't care.
Can you drive me to Buenos Aires?
- No. - Why not?
I can't go back there.
Why not?
She doesn't want to see me.
What did you do to her?
The same as you.
I fell in love.
Get in. I'll take you to the border.
Come on!
Mom...
Where were you?
Paraguay.
You never went to Paraguay.
Don't tell anybody that.
This family doesn't need to go through another scandal.
What family?
What do you mean?
- Where is she? - Who?
- Ailín. - At a youth prison in La Plata.
I know that you two were friends,
but there's no point trying to defend her.
They found her at a bus terminal on her way to Asunción.
She wouldn't even talk to the lawyer.
She only spoke when they asked about your relationship.
What did she say?
That you had nothing to do with it, that you weren't there.
The lawyer asked her how she knew if she had nothing to do with it.
Ailín said nothing else.
That's what condemned her.
That and all she stole from us: Jewelry, money, paintings...
She didn't do a thing.
I sold everything.
You?
Sorry I didn't recognize you.
It's OK.
Know the girl who works next door?
- Chapulina. - Does she still work there?
Go to bed, Betty.
Does she?
Where is Serafín?
I don't know.
What happened that night?
Everybody is convinced you saw something,
and that's why you left.
Do you want to sleep in my bed?
Let me go.
I'm going to hurt you.
I don't care.
She's gone.
Are you OK?
Give me a glass of milk too.
Two spoonfuls, like when you were a kid.
See you tomorrow.
Easy, Lala.
How's Nacho?
He's staying at the farm until everything calms down.
- Ma'am... - Tell them I'm busy.
It's the police.
Hello.
Yes, yes, she's here.
She was at her grandma's ranch.
Your dad's initials are on it.
Come whenever you want.
No, we aren't going anywhere.
Chapulina...
Do you like it?
She'll like it.
What are you doing here?
I didn't come back sooner, I didn't know what happened.
Do you see her?
She asked me not to go.
To La Plata?
- How do I get there? - She doesn't want anyone to go.
- Wait. - No.
I got into enough trouble because of Ailín.
If I didn't give her in, I lost my job.
It was you?
They were breathing down my neck, my boss and the police.
The only time I saw her, she said she'd be transferred.
There were too many girls, they were short of beds.
But I think she'll stay there until she turns 21.
That's in two weeks.
Where to?
To a women's penitentiary.
Well done, boy! Good dog.
Well done...
- Hold him for me. - I'm looking for my dog.
He's inside.
Hi...
I'm sorry, I'm sorry I left you.
I didn't think I'd see you again.
Easy.
He's looking after you.
They're looking for you too.
They came looking for Ailín, she'd gone.
I'll fix things tomorrow.
Oh yeah? What are you planning to do?
Give myself up.
That won't do any good.
They'll put you in a nut house,
she'll stay where she is.
He was killed by thugs, they nailed it on her, right?
Stay here if you want.
They won't look for you here.
I'll be back in a while.
Here she is. Gayen, Ailín.
You have 30 minutes. Visiting time's nearly over.
- Well? - It doesn't matter.
- I have to search you. - I'll do it. Come on.
All of it.
The bracelet.
You know the procedure, don't you?
Put your leg up.
She's not here. I'll go get her.
Knock it off, you two! Move!
The inmates come out from there.
Here comes my whore!
You finally dared to do it.
You're hot!
Hi princess, get in here!
I should be in here.
We won't talk about what should've happened.
If you came to take me with you, you can go back right away.
I'm not going out.
I saw the painting.
Where?
It doesn't matter.
Where Vasco sold it.
They even blamed me for that.
Why didn't you tell them it was me?
I didn't know where you were.
When they came for me, I had no news of you.
I saw your dad.
Where?
At your house. In Ypoá.
You went all the way there?
Does he know I'm here?
And he didn't come...
Coward.
You'll never be able to go back there, will you?
At first, they suspected your dad's enemies.
When they started suspecting the family,
your mom accused me.
Why did you go to Paraguay?
What do you mean, why?
I'm gonna tell them I did it.
I'll get you out of here.
How are you gonna do that?
What are you gonna say?
Think your mom will let you end up here?
Everything OK?
Time's up in 5 minutes.
You think anyone would believe you're capable of killing?
Just like that?
I don't understand how you dared...
Look at yourself.
Look at me.
Even if you say you did it,
I'll keep saying it was me.
And guess who they're gonna believe.
Why are you doing this?
You wanna help me?
Then leave. It's OK for me to be here.
Forget about me.
You'll only get me into more trouble.
When it's starting to get better...
How can it get better?
You wouldn't understand.
Why do you talk to me like this?
Isn't this what you wanted?
To talk about real life?
This is real life.
Even if I got out, I wouldn't go back to you.
Liar!
Why did you send me the money, then?
I sent it to myself.
You wouldn't have seen me ever again!
Go away!
Don't come back!
Forget about me!
- I don't want to see you ever again! - Liar!
Come here. Come on, in you get.
Come on.
What're you doing here?
They belong to the guy you sold the painting to?
I'm training them.
Can I come with you?
Get in.
Where's the painting now?
It doesn't matter.
Did he sell it?
What do you care?
Where did you get it?
From your place?
Was it yourfather's?
We needed the money.
Open the door. Get out.
Know what the police chief who bought it did with it?
He has it at his place.
Ailín saw it.
Ailín?
- You went to see her? - She told me she saw it.
How could Ailín see it?
Go home, Lala.
First, tell me how she could see it.
They take them to work there.
Who?
The girls.
I never asked where they came from. You don't ask questions.
It's like their dogs.
They bring them, then take 'em back.
Show me the house.
Leave it, Lala. There's nothing you can do.
It doesn't matter.
Will you let them do this to her?
This was her birthday present.
She'll be 21 in two weeks.
I was 13 when she started working in our house.
I never had eyes for anyone else.
Those are the cars which bring the girls.
They're back in prison by dawn.
Excuse me. Come with me.
So you've been talking?
What did they say when they brought you?
Look at me when I talk to you.
Where did you see that painting before?
It's mine.
She's at the bottom...
At the bottom of what?
The lake.
Drowned.
Stand up. Stand up!
In there.
Get your clothes off.
Take that off. Come on!
Get in. Get in!
Vasco's outside with your dogs.
He can leave them outside.
Did she say anything?
Not yet. Give me 5 minutes with her.
Where is she? I want to see her.
Go in the living room.
Come on. We're gonna have a talk.
Who did you tell about this house?
Know what happens to those that talk?
They never get out. No more favors for you.
Tell me what that painting has to do...
with the judge they killed.
Nothing.
Who took it from his house?
- I did. - You and who else?
Only me.
D'you know the mess I'm in?
Any idea how many people saw it in my house?
Let her go.
- What are you doing here? - I brought you the bracelet.
You won't get out of here.
We'll both get killed.
I'll get you out of here.
- Let him go, Lala. - No, no...
Get in.
You too.
I saw your son.
What?
The Mitay Pyra.
We swam together at the lake.
- Your dad told me everything. - Enough, Lala.
- You don't have to lie to me. - I'm not.
- So tell me. - What?
Anything.
He was born at dawn.
He was so weak.
So little.
Everything was hard for him.
Even breathing.
He didn't cry.
He opened his mouth, but made no sound.
He was suffocating.
I put him back in the water.
I held his little body.
Until he opened his eyes.
His mouth...
And breathed.
But by dawn he stayed still at the bottom.
So still.
People in town had started to talk.
They said I had a monster locked up in my house.
I was running out of time.
The baby wouldn't eat,
wouldn't sleep.
One day, he stopped breast-feeding.
I imagined myself in that house.
Alone.
Without my dad.
Alone with the baby.
I'll do it for him.
That's what I thought.
I'd do it for him.
For him to leave in peace.
For him to breathe...
We swam together until dark.
When I came out of the water, the baby was no longer with me.
The cold stayed inside me.
The water's coldness... I couldn't shake it off.
Until I met you.
Out you get.
What are you involved in?
Just stop the bleeding.
What about Serafín?
He's OK. Easy now...
It's over.
You're on your own from here.
Is he OK?
He'll be fine.
Now you kiss me and it's over.
What's over?
Is it a happy ending?
I don't know.
Make something up.
We have the house.
And the lake.
Yes.
Will you swim with me?
To the bottom.