Was a hard year. in my neighborhood was mistrust, fear.
Some friends didn't talk to each other.
Others were arrested and vanished.
Exile. The word was in the air.
I was among this. A conscript.
At least my papers were in order.
There was one thing I wanted.
Of course she didn't know.
What happen?
- I want... - You want what.
I want to take you a picture.
Are you photographer?
Yes.
I mean, I'm learning.
Can I?
OK, but quickly, if I get punished you'll have a bad time.
This way?
Yes.
You must show it to me.
Sure, when I come back
Tomorrow then.
Tomorrow
- Bye. - Bye.
But this night we were sent to Punta Arenas.
Things weren't good in the south.
Go! Go!
To the woods! Go!
What's happening?
Argentineans. They arrive to the border and go back.
Company! Formation!
- Rojas. - Almonacid.
Every week soldiers arrived.
But this day somebody different arrived. Sergeant Ferrer.
A film by Alew Bowen
My Best Enemy: Patagonia 1978.
- Lieutenant? - I need you to command a patrol.
This is your mission: First, scout this zone.
Second, put a provisional boundary marker in the border line.
You can see it clearly. But out there, you don't know where the hell is it.
Use as reference a barbwired fence put in 1904.
No need to say the situation is complicated.
Just pampa, sergeant. Pampa is tricky.
Take five men, leave tomorrow at dawn. is that clear?
Yes, sir.
Five men. Together we didn't add up to 100 years.
They told us we defend some islands: Picton, Nueva, Lenox.
I didn't know they even existed.
- Do you know these islands? - I don't.
In Picton there was a school with ten students. They were moved to Punta Arenas.
Is safer there.
That's our job, sergeant. Go to accomplish your duty.
Yes, sir. Sir.
Sergeant.
Take care of your people. Come back in one piece.
Attention.
Take one, read and sign it.
Here is a pencil.
Hey, this is a will.
What do you want? A Christmas card?
This is Orozco. A soldier.
We just conscripts.
It was the first time I thought about death.
Formation!
Soldiers! From now on I'll be your mother and father, OK?
Yes, sir!
You must know I have an open hand for you,
but the other one is firm for duty.
- Who knows what is our mission?
- I do, sergeant. - Go on, private.
We must make an Advanced Combat Outpost, sir.
First line of defense of enemy attack.
We must inform about enemy positions and warn in case of attack, sir.
- Good, soldier... - After that, each soldier kills at least five Argentineans
and vows to the Virgin del Carmon,
patroness of Chili and its glorious army!
- Your name, soldier? - Private Carlos Orozco, sir.
- is that clear? - Yes, sir!
- How many Argentineans gonna kill? - Five each, sir!
- Whose are the islands? - Chileans, sir!
- Hurrah Chili - Hurrah!
Just twenty bullets. A sling and a can of beans are better.
So that is war.
Twenty bullets to kill five Argentineans.
Almonacid was our step-counter. Every thousand, he picked a pebble.
- Orozco. - Yes, sir.
- First shift. - Yes, sir.
- And you are...? - Rojas from Santiago, sir.
Plug him in.
Mancilla from Talca, sir.
Salazar from Talcahuano, sir.
Almonacid from Puqueldón, Chiloé, sir.
All northerns.
Well, that's how the south of Chili is.
Sergeant, are you from here?
I'm not. I'm from Coyhaique.
Nice place. Great landscapes. I like the petrified forest.
Have you been there?
Actually not, but I saw it in magazines.
What?
Don’t flatter, Mancilla.
This meal is good.
The Argentineans must be eating a big beefsteak.
Have you tried Argentinean meat, sir?
Which kind of meat?
The good one, sergeant.
I can't sleep, Rojitas.
The wind makes me crazy.
I'm freezing.
What are you doing?
- Watching. - I know, you fool.
Who is she?
Give me that.
Nice girl.
How about their oranges?
What?
The tits, asshole.
Nice, I guess.
You guess? Didn't see them?
She's a friend. Just a neighbor.
But you like her.
If you love her, spit on the photo.
And in a month, she'll be yours. Never fails. It's a secret recipe.
- You are very nuts. - Give me that.
A spit on the photo. I thought about Gloria.
When I return, things will be different with her.
- Almonacid? - Yes, sir.
- How many steps we have? - 16,500 steps, sir. They are 25 kilometers until the ranch.
Find the coordinates 52 north, 72.5 east.
Shit!
- Hurry! - Yes, sir!
- Mancilla, the compass! - Orozco, to the door.
Damn Chilote! Go, we'll fix it later.
- Salazar, what happened? - Easy, man. I got scared. is just a dog.
What happens?
Hey, Orozco, it's with the Argentineans.
- Gear up. - Yes, sir.
- Rojas! - Yes, sir.
Tie the dog.
It's a bitch.
I'm going to Quellón; get the guitar and the accordion.
I don’t want neither grief nor false passion,
I'm going to Quellón looking for a now love
The Foreign Affairs Minister arrived from Buenos Aires.
- No one can stop the war. - Excuse me, sir.
- Fresh news? - Yes.
We are in yellow alert.
Yes, sir.
Stop.
Compass.
25,000 steps, sir.
Compass, Chilote.
Permission to speak, sir.
This morning at the ranch, and we heard the shoot
Why didn't inform me?
You ordered to gear up immediately.
Stupid boys! What a bunch of idiots I've got!
Fucking idiot. How can’t you take care of a compass.
- Stupid bastard. - Was an accident.
Easy, Chilote.
It's easy, we have to find a river.
Great. We must look for the river first.
Rivers run from mountain to sea.
- Mountains? - Yes.
Mountains ended 100 kilometers north.
My father looked for north using his watch.
- Enough of bullshit, we are paying because of you.
- Mancilla! - Order, sir.
- Radio. Communicate. - Yes, sir.
At ease.
andu from andu 7.
Nandu from Nandu 7.
Copy.
I have news.
Ferrer says he has problems with the compass, can’t find the spot.
Dammit.
Lieutenant Riquelme ordered to withdraw to the ranch.
Ferrer decided to wait until dawn.
I don't like this.
Is like to go fishing with bad sea.
You don't know if you'll return or not.
And this place is like a sea.
But you are from the sea, Chiloto. Pretend you are sailing.
You don't go to fish with bad sea.
I don't want to look far.
Seems a haunted ship is ready to appear.
- Aren't you scared? - We are all scared.
Some pretend to be tough guys.
Orozco doesn't seem scared.
He doesn't show it.
But he's scared the shit out of him.
Look!
Is the bitch.
Take.
Go away! Go away!
Go, Chilote.
I can't.
Drink some water.
On your feet, private.
- Let him drink. - On your feet or I'll kick you.
Such a bad boy, Orozco.
What?
Better go.
Nandu from Nandu 7.
What is he looking for?
Stuff.
Nandu from Nandu 7. Sergeant, maybe we are in a silence zone.
We have to move.
Ferrer was nervous.
We walked six hours and didn’t find the ranch.
- Silence zone? - The radio doesn’t work
- is that big? - Miles big, Chilote.
Almonacid didn't pick peebles anymore. Pampa is tricky.
Nandu from Nandu 7. Do you copy?
Nothing, sergeant.
The ranch must be behind that hill.
- Lieutenant. - Yes?
ACO 1214 informs about enemy force ahead.
Sergeant. Look.
Maybe they are Argentineans.
Nandu 7 from Nandu, over.
Keep trying.
Guanacos.
Nandu 7 from Nandu, over.
This is Nandu 7, go Nandu.
Give me a coordinate, over.
A coordinate, over.
Nandu, I just see pampa. We don't know where we are.
Did you find the barbwired fence? Confirm if you are in Chilian soil.
We crossed many fences. But not the barbwire from 1904.
Ñandu 7, stop moving and fix position. Understood?
Roger. Stop moving and fix position.
Over and out.
They are lost.
Didn't they cross?
How can I know that.
Lopez!
- Order, sir. - Send a patrol where Ferrer is supposed to be.
- Double water ration and two compasses if you find him. - Yes, sir.
He could be anywhere.
Trenches are for hiding.
But we wanted to be spotted.
Rojas, give me the water.
More than dig our trench, we were burying in the pampa.
I was so thirsty.
- Salazar, Rojas! - Yes, sir.
Tomorrow at dawn, go to search for water.
- Hey, Mancilla. - What?
Had you over eaten hare meat?
- No. - Now you will.
- Hey, Rojas, say when. - Easy, it's OK.
Hey, the dog.
- What's that, private? - The bitch, sergeant.
Are you kidding?
- She followed us. - She followed you. Take her away.
I think she could be useful.
To keep the cats off.
To make a barbecue.
To look for water. Or to smell the enemy.
- Permission to speak. - Granted.
We received this.
Congratulations. Not any lieutenant can be in charge of the company.
- When there are no captains, lieutenants are good. That’s true.
- Dismiss. - Yes, sir.
Hurry Rojas, take the photo, they'll think we are gays!
- How do I look? - Gorgeous.
Come, Compass.
Hey, I can't see the trench.
Shit.
- I think we came from there. - Are you sure?
Am I walking alone, man?
I think we have been here before.
I'm going back.
- How about the water? - Which water? We are so lost.
We can't go back without water. Let's go to the hill.
We can look from there, come on.
- Compass! - Your bitch!
- Compass. - Damn, she runs a lot.
Didn't you find water?
Ferrer ordered to ration the water until we were found.
We thought so, they'd be looking for us.
Shit!
Easy.
It's a watch!. People use it to catch hares.
Who knows who put it here.
- The first eats morel - Hurry Chilote!
It's mine.
Come on, Chiloto, kill him.
Prees!
Rojas! Sergeant!
- Get down. - Hang on.
Up.
Easy, Mancilla.
We must clean the wound.
The canteens, all of them.
Cut there, pull. Same here.
Nandu from Nandu 7.
Nandu, over.
Daily report: No news. I repeat: No news.
You stand the pain. And if you have to fight,
that's how you’ll kill these five Argentineans.
- Yes, sir. - And I don’t want more shit!
Orozco, first guard.
Salazar and Almonacid, go to look for water tomorrow at dawn.
Yes, sir.
Easy, Mancilla.
North wind.
Great, Chiloto.
Did you fix the compass?
What are you talking about?
I think is warm, north wind.
North wind in Chiloé means rain.
Maybe is the same here.
It's raining, hurry!
Take the water.
We have good luck.
North wind, you see?
A soldier who eats, doesn't die. Take it.
Thanks.
Someone had been in Argentina?
What for?
Never been there.
In the island, when there is no job,
people go to Argentina to fleece sheep.
People just cross.
Traitors, bad Chileans.
Is for work, Orozco.
- Sergeant, had you been in Argentina? - I was.
- How is it? - Like here.
I've heard southern people have relatives in both sides.
That's why we are all northerns.
To make sure we'll fight.
- Keep eating, private. - Yes, sir.
Sir, when we come back, will they give us some money?
Which money? Medals.
We should earn a lifetime pension.
Depends.
If we win, of course.
If we end in second place, we can't
Argentina! Argentina!
Sergeant! What we have to do!
Argentineans! Ahead! Over there!
Compass! Compass! Come here!
- Orozco, binoculars. - Yes, sir.
Mancilla, the radio.
Salazar, to the extreme. Almonacid, there.
Nandu from Nandu 7.
Easy, easy.
Nandu from Nandu 7. Sergeant!
Enemy ahead, I repeat, enemy ahead.
Are they advancing?
No, they didn't cross.
- Keep in contact. Call lieutenant Lopez. - Lieutenant Lopez!
- Some news about your patrol? - They are in position and didn't contact Ferrer's patrol.
- Whore are they? - They crossed to Argentina.
One shot. One mistake and it's the war.
Get them.
I copy.
Nandu 7. is your chief commander speaking.
I don't want you to move.
Don't go forward and don't go back. Understood?
Roger, roger.
I hope so.
They must be there.
Attention!
Calm down.
We are an ACO. Our mission is to resist.
- OK? - Yes, sir.
- No one do nothing until my command, OK? - Yes, sir.
Compass! Come here!
They sent the dog.
What are they doing?
- Hey! - What are you doing?
Watch out.
Compass, come here.
You can't even watch a dog.
Rojas, control the dog!
Stop, you are making noise.
What's wrong? Stop!
Who got them?
Stop! What's wrong?
Fucking Chilian thieves! We'll fuck your ass!
Salazar!
Whore did you got this?
Where?
They are mine, sir.
Stupid. This shows where do you come from.
Rojas! The dog goes with the enemy!
Fucking bitch. Come here!
Come back! Compass!
Compass!
Stupid conscript.
The coffee, corporal.
Someone can explain how arrived this animal?
- I didn't call her, She just came. - Strange, isn't it?
Chilian bitches always choose us.
Who says is a bitch?
There's nothing between the legs.
OK. Don’t feed her.
We can trade her.
- With who? - Who? The Chileans!
What happen?
Not a bloody thing.
Let me see.
Here she comes. She has something tied to the neck.
- Can be a grenade. - Aim.
Don't shoot.
Mate tea for cigarettes.
Mate tea.
She has something tied to the neck.
And something yours, Figueroa. Your sunglasses, isn't it?
- Sergeant! - Give me.
They are fooling us these Chileans!
- How does it look like, doctor? - Better.
I can't move it good. It hurts.
I fool it swollen.
It's a deep wound. You didn't move, so it's swollen.
How is he?
I gave him all the penicillin, and it's nothing.
The wound is bad and every day is worse.
Mancilla has fever too.
I don't know what to do. He needs a real doctor.
Sergeant, I'll find the way back home.
Stay here, private.
I mean it. I can go and return.
How long?
Shut up, potato-eater. You talk bullshit all the time.
Why we can't call the command post?
Because we screw our sergeant, Rojas.
And the Argentineans?
- Maybe they have. - Have what, private?
- Penicillin, sergeant. - Are you crazy?
They are the enemy. The last thing we need.
There's no other solution. What do you think?
They are the only who we can ask for. We are alone.
We can't, Rojas. They are the enemy, we can't.
No one will know.
- That's treason. - And if we don't help him, what is?
Not helping him, that's treason.
Sergeant, we must help him.
- He could loose his leg.
- We are at war. - You are at war and want to earn medals.
I want to live. Mancilla too.
And I don’t want to screw the sergeant.
We are at war! if we do so, we are going to be shot.
Sergeant, that's treason and you know that.
We can't do it. We can't.
War has not started yet.
Go over there!
- Hey, look.
- What? - Look.
Come. Let's go over there. Come on, Compass.
They're fools.
She doesn't go because she's Chilian.
Enemy advances.
Give me that.
- Strange, isn't it? - Calm down!
I'm going out.
Cover me.
Martinez, to the trench. Figueroa, cover.
Good morning.
Good morning. What happen, soldier?
We have a sick man.
Avery infected wound.
He has fever.
Why do you tell me, soldier?
What's this? War or a boy-scout camp?
They have a sick boy, with fever.
One Chilian less.
The best Chilian is the dead one, isn't it?
Shut up. Don't be such a boast.
Martinez!
Order, sir.
How many penicillin we have?
Thirty ampules, sir.
We need them, sir.
Don’t you think to give them to the Chileans?
Nandu. No news.
Roger. New contact at 0600.
Roger.
Now.
- Going out. Push. - Watch out!
Hang on.
Put in there.
OK. Give me more. It's all right.
Thank you.
Don't wet the wound.
Dismiss, soldier.
So...
Ferrer, we both have no idea where is the border line.
I think that could be inconvenient.
What do you think?
Salazar!
Yes, sir!
This way.
Yes, sir.
Here, sir?
Please. Two steps there.
Two steps!
- Private Figueroa! - Order, sir!
- Fifty steps this way. - Go!
Two steps.
Don't be a fool, sergeant.
It's fair.
The line. You are in my territory.
Private Figueroa!
Order, sir!
Two little steps to the Atlantic.
This way, man.
Attention!
OK. We'll mark the line with fire.
I want a 200 meter line. From the Chilian until Figueroa.
To the Argentinean. Go!
Go!
Inzua!
There. Easy.
Attention! Fire!
Put it out!
Figueroa! Move your ass!
- Put it out, private! - Move!
The wind of Patagonia marked its own border line.
Neither Ferrer nor Ocampo couldn't count on that.
Stay there, I remember my morn.
Something faster, we'll fall asleep.
That's a good one.
Look at me.
Great.
What a mummy. Great dancer you are.
Are you a good dancer?
- Do you know who am I? - I don't.
Villa Crespo's Travolta
- You are kidding. - I mean that! I'll show you.
Not anybody can see this. Look. This way. 1, 2, 3...
Easy, Chilian, easy.
I brought you a present.
For the medication.
You are nuts, Chilian.
Move, here is not mom to bring you a hot meal.
Someone went to the final match?
I didn't but I watched on TV.
I was in the stadium. After that I was three days voiceless.
Fancy a match?
- With what, you fool? - I can buy a ball in the shop over there.
Here you have!
What are you doing?
- There! - Pass it!
Hey, a football match.
I would play with them just to kick their asses.
Nothing, sir. Yesterday we had the last contact.
Nandu 7 from Nandu.
This is an historical chance to beat the Argentineans in football.
- Say whisky. - Whisky!
- Go Argentina! Who kicks off?
If we don’t win, we break their legs, OK?
Come on, soldiers!
Go Argentina!
- Stop! - Stop it!
Let's play, go.
- Good, but be cunning. - Yes, sir.
Here, go!
- Shoot! - Great, sergeant!
Play hard, man!
Shoot!
Goal!
- How was it? - Not big deal.
You'll see, motherfucker.
Go, take it!
Goal!
What a goal. Goal of Argentina.
Pass it.
- Give it. - Play hard, Orozco.
Hey, what's wrong.
Beat him!
Where’s the ball?
Free kick! Period!
Look!
To the trenches!
Goal! Fucking goal!
Rojas.
Give it to me later - OK.
What happen, Mancilla?
The battery is empty, sir.
Give it to me later.
The radio battery lasted 13 days.
13 is bad luck.
Why didn’t you leave me nothing, fucking Chilote? Stupid fat!
Stop!
You fucked it up, Chiloto.
- I'm hungry. - We all are hungry.
And now?
Nothing.
- To the sun. Take care of it. - Yes, sir.
Cabello, your turn.
Hurry.
What happen?
- Does it hurt? - No.
- So what's wrong? - Nothing.
What's wrong, man.
Today is my birthday.
Why didn’t you toll us?
- I don't know. - I'll tell the guys.
Happy birthday.
Compass, come here! Come!
We are without Compass again.
Don't lot it go
Now!
Great, Chiloto!
He has the head in Argentinean soil. is ours.
- Hey, the sheep is Chilian. - Chilian? Are you nuts?
- Are you a tough guy? - The head is in Argentina!
Picton, Nueva, Lenox and the sheep were one whole thing.
No one will share.
Get this.
I'm not afraid. Don't mess with me.
- And? - Leave them.
Even your bitch didn't want to be with you.
Stop that, fucking Idiot.
- Hey, sergeant! - Leave them.
But they’re fighting!
Formation! Mancilla, keep trying.
Nandu from Nandu 7.
Next fight, I'll leave your ass in the middle of pampa,
with no water. is that clear?
- Yes, sir! - is that clear?
Yes, sir!
I can't stand it. This sheep in front of all of us. It's cruel.
- We should bet it - To be won by the Argentineans? No way.
Is best to keep him tied until he rot, isn't it?
1, 2, 3, go.
Don't want meat, private?
I do. But not with the enemy, sir.
We all are in this.
Do you think we’ll kill easily after this?
We came to that, sergeant.
There are things you do without knowing why.
This is one of them.
- Hey, mind me. - Boss?
- Good meat. - Good for a sheep.
You over have eat something like this.
As dessert I want more meat, but raw.
Moving and sweating.
Take.
Eat, man.
Say thanks, at least.
General Floody announced that women and children must leave Punta Arenas.
Give coordinates and call for artillery fire in A, B and O zones.
Yes, sir.
- Ildepan! - Order, sir.
- Call Artillery. - Yes, sir.
Look at the bird!
Hey, do you have something like tango?
Of course, cueca.
I mean something as great as tango.
Isn't it? is like your tango! And manly!
- in tango you grab her this way. - Yes!
Sing a tango.
Because a horse head, she forgets me; it's not important to loose the life;
a thousand times; why to live.
Almonacid, you are my girl. You people, sing Fat Man Loyola
Cueon is to push the girl.
You chase her, slowly, gently. Go.
In Los Andes rodeo, my dear Lola;
fat man Loyola was beaten...
All of us saw when the Argentinean sergeant left the party.
But we continued. We saw just we wanted to see.
Roger.
You must leave.
Is a whole column.
You have no chance.
Ferrer, if tonight you move one mile south,
the column passes by your side. Nobody will know.
Go away, man.
What would you do?
They are coming with all the stuff. You'll be crushed.
You won't have time even to surrender. Don't commit suicide, man!
Our mission is to defend. That's we will.
I'm sorry about the boys.
- Attention! - Party is over.
On your feet.
Martinez, go.
Lieutenant, border crossing.
How is the company, Soto? - Ready to go, sir.
Company!
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...
Why don't we attack?
- We kill those Chileans in two minutes. - There are many ways to loose a battle.
The most stupid is to underrate the enemy.
...Blessed art thou among women and bloused is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee...
Attention!
Write a letter to your family. Or anybody else.
Mother: I'm all right.
I have five friends who help each other in those cold but nice pampas.
They are almost my brothers.
If you see Gloria from the bar,
please send my regards and tell her I'll send the picture.
Take care. I will too.
I'll take them.
We wanted to cry but we didn't.
Fear was too much.
We wrote some letters.
I have this photo film.
I want to ask you if you can send them to Chili.
Sure. Give it to me.
It's color film.
Everybody is in there.
Everybody
We must attack before 22.
- They don't expect us, sir. - You are insane.
They gave us a chance to leave and you want to kill them.
They aren’t your friends, man. They are Argentineans.
Quiet!
Orozco is right, soldier.
They are no longer our friends. That's for everybody.
- How many Argentineans gonna kill? - Five each, sir!
- For who? - For the motherland, sir.
- Whose are the islands? - Chileans, sir.
- Hurrah Chili! - Hurrah!
Orozco, cover this position. Salazar, with him.
- Almonacid, here. Rojas, there. Mancilla, here. - Yes, sir.
Nothing.
Sir, the Argentinean fleet is heading to Beagle Channel in combat formation.
Sergeant, steer two fighters direction 360 with 60 miles.
Keep watching.
Silence.
Go on.
Sir, ask for target confirmation A, B, C.
What happen?
Mancilla.
If we survive, I swear this girl is mine.
First sergeant.
Patrol 34052, over.
Confirm.
Roger. Retreat from border at once.
Retreat from border at once!
- We're going home! - Bye Chileans!
Here they come. They are about to attack us!
Yes, sir. The Pope mediated.
Not war today.
- Call the company. Hot meal for everybody, OK? - Yes, sir!
What are the Chileans doing now?
Eating a bit of bread and a bit of tea, they talk this way.
- We should tear them up. - No, we return them
- They're enemy's. Which enemy?
Chileans!
What happen?
Keep aiming.
Here they come, attention!
Wait for my command.
I hear them. They are coming.
Wait.
How many? Not too much, aren’t they?
The letters!
Fucking Argentineans!
One down!
Stop! They aren't shooting, sir!
Cease fire!
They aren't attacking!
Stop! Hold your fire!
Rojas! Rojas!
Rojas, come back!
Don't shoot! don't shoot!
Don't shoot! Sir, don't shoot.
- Rojas, come back! Cease fire! - Don't shoot!
Chiloto, first-aid kit!
Chilote...
- How are you? - OK, sir.
OK, sir.
He's dead.
Company! Attention!
Take off.
Go on.
A beer before departure?
Is your city, is on you.
- Thanks. - See you, boys.
And you? Don't come?
Bye, see you.
Hello.
Been a long time.
People were saying you left.
It seems... hey!
- Are you in a hurry? - I'm not.
Sit down.
Four beers, please.
Thanks.
Not even a kiss.
Not even money.
Even medals.
Even a thank you.
A toast
- To Chiloto. - To Chiloto.
The last toast to Chiloto.
The only hero of a war without history.
The only hero of a war that never was.
Ripped by: SkyFury