Son of Monarchs (2020) - full transcript

(melodic glitch)

(screechy clattering)

(vacuum white noise)

(liquid softly spurting)

(faint voices)

(distant city traffic)

(soft snipping)

(soft peeling)

(melodic drone)

The butterflies that represent our
visiting ancestors don't harm anyone.

Far from that. They're
miraculous.



(wind swirls)

I remember that my dad used to
say

that they don't make noise when
they come and go from the sky

so if you have a wish and ask,
they will grant it.

(wind whoosh)

(birds chirping)

(wings softly fluttering)

(approaching footsteps)

Those butterflies look like a
bear, no?

To me it looks more like someone
hanging themselves.

A dead person.

Hey.

Imagine touching those
butterflies

and then they all fly away?



Yeah, it would look like a
plague with all of them together.

Come on... fly!

Wow.

(boy happily sighs)

(wings flapping)

(gentle lapping of water)

- Drinking water?
- Mendel, come!

One morning I woke up...

Let's go...

- There were no survivors.
- One, two, three...

No humans.

- Come here, stinker.
- No, you stink!

Not even the
resemblance of an animal.

Only me.

(chainsaw buzzing, trees
falling)

(dogs barking, distant voices)

(dog howling)

(animal figurine falls)

Simón.

What?

Can a dead person still breathe?

No, because when someone dies,
they stop existing.

Simón.

What?

How does one stop existing?

When your body vanishes,
and all that's left is your soul,

but after that, the soul
goes to heaven.

And how does it go to heaven?

In an elevator.

Get some rest.

Simón.

What?

- And what is the elevator connected to?
- To a cloud.

And... did our parents take that
elevator?

Yes.

Good night.

- Simón.
- What now?

Good night.

(puffs out flame)

(wind chimes clanking)

(wind blowing)

Mendel.

It's your uncle Gabino.

I tried calling several times
but I can't get ahold of you.

I am guessing you haven't
spoken to your brother.

So...

(coin drops)

Your grandma is not doing so
well.

Call me back.

Hope all is well in New York.

Goodbye, son.

(ambient city rumble)

(traffic noises, street sounds)

(distant siren wailing)

(passing car whoosh)

(faint reggaeton music)

(brakes squealing)

(small town bustle)

Thank you.

- Want some help?
- No, thank you.

My American nephew!

Uncle!

- How are you?
- Good. And you?

Fine.

- You're taller, no?
- Yeah.

What do they feed you over
there?

Nothing but sausage?

Exhausting?

Kind of.

(bus driving away)

How is it going with the hotel?

It's going...

We're in the busy season.

Right.

How does it look?

Nothing changed, right?

Some things did.
Others didn't.

Did you know that Estelita
went to study in Queretaro?

No.

So your aunt and I are alone
but we're okay.

Welcome home.

Despite the circumstances.

And how are you?

Hanging in there.

It's not easy to lose one's
mother.

But you know what your
grandma was like...

She lived how she wanted...
and died when she wanted.

She's resting now.

They're still cutting, right?

Who's going to stop them?

It will soon turn into a desert.

Well... they're gangs, son.

The last days of the
butterflies.

You see that container?

See what it says?
Drinking water.

You know what these assholes put
in there?

Cyanide.

They empty it,
remove the label and say it's water.

Motherfuckers.

Why would they ever decide
to reopen the damn mine?

Because people need to work,
son.

- Simón is still working there?
- Yeah.

Don't judge your brother.

I know.

But they should have
a bit of a conscience.

(loud truck engine)

This land belongs to no one.

(nostalgic chords)

(animated town life)

Have you seen Vicente?

Vicente?

He's around, a bit lost with
his spiritual and new-age stuff.

He may have gone to India
to find himself.

I'm sure he did.

- This will always be your home.
- Thank you, uncle.

Dolores, can I have Room #2?

Listen...
This kid is like my son.

I'm going to write his name
here.

(wind gusting)

(dogs barking)

(horn honking)

(Mendel quivers)

The big ones scare me 'cause...

- Why?
- I don't know.

The little animal is already
dead.

(grandma exclaims)

(she quietly chuckles)

You look like your dad.

Don't make that sad face.
That's a good thing.

(heavy sigh)

Let's go in, son.

(soft prayers)

Hi dear.

Mendel.

- Remember your uncle?
- No.

We always show him photos of
you.

Hi uncle.

Hi love.

(deep sigh)

(prayers get louder)

(door creaks open)

Go play.

- How are you?
- Good.

Brisa... son, I'm heading to the hotel.
A few Canadians just arrived.

- I'll be right back.
- Don't worry. We'll be here.

- Thank you dear.
- Take care, uncle.

(kids playing)

How are you?

What's new in your life?

All good.

I'm working with Juan Carlos at
the hair salon in the mornings.

And Gerardo?

He works in Zitacuaro.
In the copper factory.

Good old Gerardo.

And did you get married?

Why would I get married?

That's not for me.

Well, you should get on it 'cause
we've all got a few kids here.

Remember when we were like them and we'd
go up the mountain to squish people?

Like this.

(squish noise)

Mommy, can I go to the store
to buy candy with Jesus?

No, my love.
Go and play with your brothers.

Will you stay for a bit?

I'm leaving in two days.

Right after the funeral.

Well, that's a shame.

If you have time and want to
stop by

the house, that'd be great.

Gerardo would be very happy to
see you.

My love...

- Don't play like that. Please!
- Mommy, it...

I've told you a thousand times!

Miss Janeth?

Yes?

My mom told me that we're
hurting planet Earth a lot.

That's why I drew red lines.

What Brisa is saying
is very true.

We're not taking good care of our planet.
We're hurting animals and plants.

- What do we see in Brisa's drawing?
- Monarchs!

And where do they come from?

Canada. Texas.
Michoacán. Angangueo.

Monarchs have super vision and
they can see us from very far.

Very good, Vicente!

(soft prayers)

(distant Mexican folklore music)

(metal clinking)

(door creaks open)

What are you doing?

I'm just... looking.

(door swinging closed)

There's nothing to see.

I live here with my family.

This is also my house.

You show up when
you feel like it.

- Now you...
- Don't start with that shit.

This is my house, Mendel!

I also lost my grandma.

(door flings open)

(loud prayers)

(deep sigh)

(steps forward)

- Goodbye.
- See you soon.

Bye.
Thank you for coming.

Bye, my dear.

Uncle, I'm getting married.

But you're still so young.

My boyfriend found a job in
Toluca so...

we're moving there.

- When is it?
- In December.

I want you to be my padrino.

(he exclaims)

What's your dad going to say?

Nothing.

You're my uncle.

- I'll try.
- Yes, uncle, I want you to come.

(distant drilling)

(kiss)

Go back inside.
I'm going to walk around.

I'll be back shortly.

(amplified indistinct voice)

Sing. Sing. Sing.

The butterfly skirt...

(girls laughing)

(cloth wing flapping)

Monarchs!

My favorite animal is the dog,
but I don't want to be one.

A lion is better.

I want to be a fox 'cause
I can't sleep at night.

Why not a monkey?
It's the animal that looks most like us.

Yeah, but animals are
stronger than humans.

I want to be a lion because
they're stronger and smarter...

- Shh, Vicente! They're coming!
- The wolf will eat us.

Wolf, wolf, are you there?

(roaring)

(Mexican folklore music)

Faster, faster,
Fly... fly...

(children agitated)

Towards the trees...

Do you hear that? What's coming?
The animals... run... hide.

(tires rolling)

(indistinct car radio)

You can rent it in pharmacies, supermarkets, perfume
shops, natural remedy stores around the country...

(clicks radio off)

(car door shut closed)

(roosters crowing)

(firm handshake)

(patting shoulders)

What's up, Vicente?

- How are you?
- Good.

Damn, dude, like five years?

(Vicente sniffs)

I follow you on Face...

But you never post anything,
man.

Why didn't you come see Rosa?

I have my own way of
saying goodbye to the dead.

Nice boots, bro.

(chuckling)

I'll trade them if you want.

(distant machinery)

What's the deal with that guy?

Who?

Your president.

What the hell!
That guy's not my president.

Do I look orange to you?

Maybe a tad over here.

He thinks he offends us by
calling us animals!

But we are!

(mimicking animal noises)

(snarling)

(howling)

(Vicente laughs)

Are you drunk, asshole?

I'm alive, asshole!

(Mendel laughs, coughs)

Remember when...

when we lit...

the fire with the Christmas
tree?

(laughing)

We almost burnt the entire farm,
asshole.

It was your fault, man.

You.

- It was your idea, dude!
- No, it was all you.

Who comes up with that shit?

You like it over there?

I don't know.

(distant amplified announcement)

(solemn Mexican folklore music)

(town bustle)

Come try the pulque,
ladies and gentlemen.

Good evening.

Thank you.

Don't forget your candles.

(men chanting in Spanish)

Grandma?

Are my parents going to
eat from the ofrenda?

Yes, son.
They're on the way.

Yeah, they're coming
with all the dead

- and will devour you alive!
- Stop that, Simón!

(soft singing)

You have an old soul.

- An old soul?
- Yes.

Remember.

You're not weak.

You're strong.

Simón, calm down.
Stop throwing rocks.

Come here.

Please.

(Simon sighs)

Let me help.

The first one here.

We need to leave the knives
in the ground

and then count three, four steps,
then stab the ground with a knife.

And like this,
we'll outline five points.

- With a lighter.
- Let's make sure the elements are in place.

Can you light it up with that?

All good with the coins?

How about the rocks?
Yes?

Place the coins on the rocks...

There are seven piles.

One coin for each of

the seven points.

(clattering of precious stones)

(fire crackling)

We are gathered here today...

to remember someone
who is no longer with us

in the way we've been used to.

This person will stay
with us in many ways,

(knife scraping)

In our memories,

in the smells,

in the landscapes,

in the flesh,
in the animals,

in the birds that hover in the
sky,

in the ants that burrow the
earth.

(soft blowing)

We are here together, united...

(louder blowing)

to continue the life cycle.

(throat singing)

(deep, gruff vocalizing)

(fire crackling)

(spitting)

(man blows loudly)

(boy panting)

(birds chirping)

Hurry.

Mendel. Run.

Wait up.

Open your eyes.

- What's that?
- It's a mini-dinosaur.

(slimy crawl)

(faint groans)

It looks like it's laughing.

(human guttural growling)

It's not laughing.
It just saw you and wants to eat you.

(high-pitch ticking)

(throat singing)

(fire crackling)

(mimicking animal sounds)

(grunting)

(hissing)

(howling)

(man barking)

(animal noises)

(deep rumbling)

Don't move.

(boy makes popping noise)

After the storm,

the flood,

the wind

shakes the trees

(boy making whooshing noise)

and the muertitas
fall like dead leaves.

(boy blowing, metallic chime)

A few water droplets

can erase you

in an instant.

Help me. Help me.

I'm not dead.

That's how our parents died.

They couldn't breathe
that long under water.

(subway trundling)

(brakes squealing)

(ghostly voices faintly howling)

(kids skateboarding)

(indistinct chatter in English)

(faint child scream)

(soft, indistinct remarks)

(scooping into plastic cup)

Have you guys been faking
your laughs at all my jokes?

(laughter)

You have, huh?

Did you know about this?

(Mendel laughs)

So do you think this is a master
regulator in a different species?

Yeah, well, actually,
this is the Buckeye.

optix removed...

The orange is blue now.

So it is evolutionarily
conserved, then?

Yeah.

Optix plays a role
in wing evolution.

Black one's got kind of a heavy metal
vibe, don't you think?

Like rejected artwork
from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida?

(group laughter)

In monarchs here, for example,
at the border,

the white scales become wider.

(street noise and chatter)

Please help the homeless.

(door opens)

Santos.

How are you doing?

Good.

How are you?

- All good for now.
- That's great.

Hope it stays that way.

(liquid pouring in a cup)

(opera-esque music)

(mechanical clicking)

(soft squelching, squirting)

(phone ringtone)

Yeah?

Hey, I called you like five times.
Where are you?

Ah shit.
Time flew by, dude.

Well, get your ass down here.
We already ate but we're still here.

Lucía brought a cute friend. I told
her about you. She wants to meet you...

Okay, well...

Send me the details
and I'll be there soon.

(woman laughing, Latin music)

Thank you.

Careful... careful.

Coming through.

Don't we look like brothers?

Danish. Danish.

I'm the older one.

Obviously.

Yeah, with the beard, you know?

Do not pay attention
to those Mexican assholes.

Where are you from?

I'm from Michoacán,
a place called...

Hot land.

Yeah, it's not because of the
climate.

Wait, so you are all scientists?

Yes, yes.

Biologists.

Pablo tries to figure out
why fruit flies don't sleep,

and Mendel tries to understand
why butterflies are so colorful.

That sounds way sexier
than it actually is.

We spend most of the time
looking through a microscope...

- Yeah...
- at insects.

- Just like God.
- Yeah.

- Like God, you know?
- Whoa.

(laughter)

What about you?

I work for Human Rights Watch.
Um, I'm a paralegal.

- Okay.
- Mm-hm.

- Anyway, let's do these tequila shots.
- Yeah.

No, no, no, but this is not
tequila.

This is mezcal.

It's a little bit more fancy,
you know?

- Too much blah blah blah.
- And not enough gloo gloo gloo.

With the left! So it repeats...

- For CRISPR and the genetic revolution!
- Genetics!

(gasp in unison)

No, no, no...!

- Take one, take one orange.
- You sip on it.

If not, you're going to get
drunk in two minutes, okay?

You kiss the mezcal.

- Easy going, easy going...
- I'm fine.

(chuckling)

(singing in Spanish)

The one who sings is Colombian

and her name...

her name is Maria Raquel.

(Sarah laughs)

Look how my people dance.

(indistinct chatter)

How the band plays...

so we can keep having fun,
so we can keep partying

till tomorrow.

Get ready.

(piano playing)

(piano sweep)

Oh no!

Salsa dancers!

(drum beat)

And as the chorus says...

Dance, dance the way Raquel
does!

(laughter)

Sorry!

(soft, steady beeping)

(machine drone)

(beeping gets louder)

(industrial hum, screeching
train)

(door creaks open)

And, ready, bend the knees.

Ready, hup!

There we go... back, forward,
stretch!

Forward, back,
forward... good.

Back, forward, stretch.

Forward, back, forward.

Legs behind.

Little arch.

This time, kick forward,
backward, forward.

Good, hold it right there,

push the thigh into the bar,
keep it steady.

Arch, arch, arch...

Good, all right,
and bring it down.

Kick, forward, backward,
forward. Hup!

Good, good..
all right... nice.

Um, watch when you're coming
through.

We got people in the air.

- No street shoes inside, okay?
- Sorry.

All right, Andy, you're up.

I had a friend who did trapeze
for a couple of years,

and one day,
I just went along with her and,

I don't know,
I fell in love.

- That sounds really stupid.
- No.

(airplane engine hum)

How would the world be like
if a human being can fly?

Well, we'd definitely
all have to wear helmets

all the time.

And you'd have to be
a little concerned about

people peeing on you.

(they laugh)

Yeah, some people deserve it.

Yeah, I can think of a
couple people who deserve it.

And we could fly over borders.

Yeah.

Hm.

And we could have
weird, flying pets.

Like a moth.

(Sarah makes a fluttering sound)

(laughter)

Or an owl.

(Mendel hoots)

Yeah.

Hm.

Hm...

Maybe... I mean,

you need to learn

how to fly since your childhood,
you know?

- Mm-hm.
- Like walk and talk and...

Yeah.

You'd have to get a license,
at some point.

Pass a test.

And if you broke the rules,
you'd get grounded.

- Grounded?
- Yeah, like, punished.

Like you wouldn't be able
to leave the ground.

Hm.

And then you get...

you can smoke pot
to fly again.

What?!

You don't have to get high
to get high.

(laughter)

(distant rumble)

(passing car whoosh)

Mommy, help him!

Grab him!

Mommy, help him!

Grab him!

(distant siren)

(gushing water)

(violin staccato)

Help us. because
we're drowning.

(wind gusting, siren wailing)

The water is coming into our
houses.

Help us.

I am begging... for all the small
children... For everyone here.

(heavy breathing)

(hollow wind)

Mom, come!
Mom, please, no!

(water bubbling)

Mendel, come, climb up!
Water is rising!

Hurry!

- Let's go.
- Mom!

Climb up, Mendel!

(fast clapping)

(shriek)

(shower curtain squeak)

(shower running)

(distorted blowing)

(distorted snipping)

(hollow wind)

(tearing flesh)

(scissor snipping)

Hello, everybody, thank you.

Thanks for coming tonight,

thanks for coming tonight.

We're going to continue
with more works

around the subject of othering,

as we do it to nature

as much as we do it to humans.

We believe that
we live in a time where

social and environmental issues can't
be really treated separately anymore.

With that, I would like to introduce
you to Lucía Barreto from Venezuela.

(applause)

Did you hear about
the wild cats in Texas?

I don't spend my time watching
CNN.

Dude, about eight of them died.

They can't cross the border because
of the highway and all the shit there.

And that asshole still wants a wall.
What the fuck?

They don't get it.

They need to fuck with the Mexican
cats to prevent inbreeding, dude.

It's obvious, dude.

But I do think abstraction
is very powerful,

which is why
I like to perform my research.

So I ask you:

What does it feel like
to be a tree?

Can we dream like a tree?

Can we feel its pain
while it's being poisoned

by acid rain?

Say goodbye to the lungs of our
planet.

Education, human rights...

Quiet, please.

Shut up, dude.

(birds chirping)

(animal noises)

(performance music starts)

(quiet wing flapping)

(wings fluttering)

(human groans)

(distant humming and clapping)

Reach out with your right hand.

Here comes your bar.

Now grab on
with your left hand.

What the fuck am I doing here?

- You got it.
- All right, Mendel.

Nice and tall,
tight on the takeoff.

Ready, bend your knees...

Fuck it.

And hup!

(metal screech)

Back, forward, stretch,
forward, back.

Nice, nice, nice.

- Back, forward.
- (net swish)

- Oh!
- Yikes!

That's okay, darlin'.

Next!

(boy blowing, woman speaking)

So I became interested
in the common Buckeye,

Junonia coenia,

because in the warm months,
such as in the summer,

if you rear it in warm
conditions and long day lengths,

it develops this tan color,
as we see here.

But if we switch it to cold
conditions and short-day lengths,

such as in the fall,

it becomes this dark red color.

(music begins, distorted
howling)

I use CRISPR-Cas9 to modify
the colors of butterfly wings.

Only a few pigment genes are necessary to
change both color and structure of the scales.

Eliminating a control gene like
optix explains evolution...

explains biodiversity.

CRISPR is really interesting to
me,

and you're using CRISPR
in your butterfly work.

Yes, okay, so quick overview
to explain it.

One analogy that a lot of people
use is that of a word processor,

and it gives us certain
functions that are similar.

- Stop it!
- Cut, copy, paste,

and the revolution
in the technology

is that it gives us a cursor,

so we can pinpoint exactly
the gene we want to work on.

And that has been revolutionary.

It's kind of scary, frankly, to
me.

You know, I mean,
I'm not anti-science,

but I see the Frankenstein
future here, possibly.

But I think
it's also important

to talk about the potential
of the technology.

But there's also the fact
that it means

down the line
a generation,

two generations,
ten generations later,

we've turned some of us
into other creatures altogether.

Doesn't that...

It's a new technology, yes,
there are risks.

We couldn't have left our cave
without a risk.

(crowd laughter)

I get that,

and I get these interesting things
you're doing with butterflies.

But beyond butterflies,
it gets kind of scary, doesn't it?

So tell me.

What is all the hype about
optix?

It's a DNA sequence.

It's a code.

It controls many aspects
of the butterfly wing,

like shape, color, patterns.

So, if you change the sequence,

then you change the color?

Yeah, it may control many
aspects.

You can change the color,

you can appear, disappear, new
color,

or make the butterfly invisible.

How do you know which sequence
controls that specific color?

Well, you don't really know.

You just have to turn it off
and see what happens.

You know,

we know that your brain
controls your finger.

Well, you can think of optix
as your brain, your third eye.

(wind gushing)

(birds chirping)

Um...

I see something like...
a scythe...

and a person
with one foot.

A tree.

How about you watch
while I kill them!

Fly!

(light switch click)

(faint sigh)

(opening wooden box)

(wooden box shuts)

(distant car honking)

- Hey, wanna go to the soccer field in a bit?
- Yeah.

- What time? Around three?
- Okay.

Hey, you can't come here.

What's going on?
He wants ice cream.

No, he just can't be here.

No, Mendel!

I bet I can 'cause
I have superpowers!

No, you can't go through!

This is only for grown ups.
Mendel, no!

You can't come!
It's forbidden.

(drone, loud snipping)

(fast wing flapping)

(water bubbling)

(distorted beep)

(plucking strings)

Don't move.

(boy softly blowing)

(eyelid beat)

This horrendous creature...

doesn't want to grow up,

doesn't want to grow old.

(splashing)

It doesn't know if it belongs
on land or in water.

(humans hissing in unison)

It stayed frozen in time.

(string plucking)

(grunting)

It's all set, buddy.

Assistant Professor of Molecular
Neurobiology Lab.

They gave me the job in Tucson.

The mecca of Drosophila
research.

They called and told me...

they'd give me a start-up fund
for the next three years.

Enough for a postdoc
and a few rotating PhD students.

What?

(lab faint chatter)

That's great, man.
Congrats.

(Mendel chuckles)

It's great.

The Tucson Fly Center is badass!

(Pablo exhales)

One hop and you're on the
other side eating pork tacos.

You can stop complaining
they're not good here.

It's not the Yankees,
but I get the Diamondbacks.

Ah?

And Lucía?

She's happy...

but she is staying a bit longer,
to finish up a few papers.

She'll join me after.

And you?
What's new?

All good. With Bob,
we're going to publish optix.

(elevator ring, footsteps)

I'm gonna miss you, brother.

(Mendel slurps, swallows)

And Sarah?

Good?

Do you get a hard-on
when you're on the trapeze?

Yes or no?

You're an ass.

Go back to your shitty flies
and let me work, dude.

(laughing)

(Pablo walks away)

(subway humming)

(subway rattling)

(distant traffic)

(distant chatter)

(water lapping)

(faint car horns)

(water crashing against rocks)

(kids playing far away)

(rhythmic ticking)

Mommy, help him!

Grab him!

(water splashing)

Help him!

Help him!

Please! To everyone who can see
us from other states.

Help us, because
we're drowning.

The mines were filled up with
water.

And then it burst.

The water was coming, coming,
and coming,

in the streets,

into the houses.

The walls were cracking.

The river was howling.

(car honks)

I don't really remember
what happened.

Some flashes, sensations.

I remember the screams.

(faint drone)

I lost my parents, I...

lost my home.

I'm so sorry.

Even if we share
that horrible nightmare,

my brother and I.

In a way... we survived,
I mean...

but in a way...

the river took a part of him
away.

(cars honking)

And... part of me too.

(distant city traffic)

(city white noise)

(footsteps)

Hi Mendel, how are you?

It's Lupita, your sister-in-law.

I figure you must be really busy
with your research

because we haven't heard
from you in a while.

I'm sending you this message because
Gaby is getting married soon.

We're really happy. Don Gabino is even
remodeling the hotel for the party.

I know about your issues with
Simón.

If he finds out that I reached
out, he'll be upset.

I hope you can make it.

It wouldn't be the same without
you.

We're family, no?

(Mendel softly exhales)

(phone ringing)

Hi, this is Pablo Quintero...

Hello?
C'mon, man.

Molecular Biology at the
University of Arizona.

You know what to do.

(voicemail beeps)

Please call me back, bro.

Congratulations.

Proof for your family,
if they needed any more.

(Bob exhales)

One gene down, only 30,000 to
go.

Now, we're gonna map the entire
wing.

Yeah.

(distant lab noises)

That's all you got?

Yeah.

- Yeah...
- What's wrong?

I don't wanna talk about it.

Okay.

(wheels chair over)

All right.

So, tell me.

What's wrong?
You don't like the cover art? What?

No.

It's okay.

It's fine.

It's not okay.

This is what you came here to
do.

And you did it.

You gotta accept that and you gotta
honor it and you gotta celebrate it.

This is you.

(lab equipment rattling)

(distant traffic)

A word to the wise.

(pats shoulder)

(footsteps)

(test tubes spinning)

(Mendel sighs)

(piano music begins)

(roosters crowing)

(crunchy squish)

(sprinkling water)

Wow.
What is that?

(grandma chuckles)

It's called grana cochinilla.

Uh-hum.

- It looks like blood.
- Yes.

But it's not.

(amused sigh)

(plastic lid clattering)

(sigh)

(footsteps)

(heavy door clicks, screeches
open)

(plastic Petri dish tapping)

(wing rustling)

(distant traffic)

(fluttering)

Imagine painting
a butterfly with numbers.

(slicing)

The coloring instructions are
written in the genetic code.

Paint number two... red.

Paint number one... black.

(scraping)

A cascade effect on color and
pattern.

(metallic clinking)

The pigments and the delicate
butterfly scales fuse together

creating a mosaic of colors and
patterns.

This helps the insect
hide or attract partners.

(liquid suction)

Is everything okay?
I haven't heard from you in a while.

You seem distant.

Well, I was hoping to reach you,
but, uh, anyway...

(door swings open)

(laughs)

- This is your first tattoo, isn't it?
- Yeah, it is.

Yeah, I can tell, man.

Look, I'll tell you what,
why don't you look at some of my work,

And let me pull some references
up, all right?

- Okay, good.
- Have a seat. Go ahead.

What kind of work do you do,
man?

Uh, I am scientist.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

What kind of science?

- Biology.
- Biology.

Hey, man, did you hear that story
about, um, what the fuck are they doing.

Doing something crazy,
trying to put, like,

dinosaurs with chickens or some
shit?

Oh yeah, the guy from Harvard.

Yeah, yeah...

They're trying to make these
little fuckin' chicken raptors.

It's crazy, man.
You've seen Jurassic Park, no?

They're all gonna die, man.

They're fuckin' nuts.

(laughs)

We're gonna start from, uh,
yeah,

from the shoulder up
down to the wrist, okay?

Okay.

Just gonna take a loose
measurement.

Just gonna go around your shoulder and
take it down to the wrist just like that.

(marker on crumpling tracing
paper)

(cars passing by)

That'll do it.

So, from there I can kind of plot
out where we're gonna put everything.

I know it looks crazy, but we'll size it up
and I'll be able to mock it up for you, okay?

- Okay, good.
- Yeah, man.

She crossed over the border illegally
through Texas with her three kids.

And, of course, they caught her
and they took her into custody.

And then they separated her
from her kids,

and the kids have been in New York City
for three weeks without their mother.

And we've been trying to talk to
them through the social worker.

How does it make you feel?

Terrible.

I mean, doing this job?

How do you feel?

(Sarah sniffles)

I feel good, but that's not the
point.

(Sarah inhales)

I'm sorry, I'm confused.

You're acting like you know
better.

Actually, I know better.

Yeah, of course you do.

(restaurant chatter)

What's going on with you?

What's going on with what?

I haven't heard from you till
today.

You showed up with this tattoo
that you didn't even tell me about.

And what's wrong with that?

Nothing's wrong, it's just
weird.

It's not weird.

Okay, it's not weird.

(Mendel sips, sighs)

(distant piano, keys clinking)

(clears throat)

(door unlocking)

(door creaks open)

(putting keys down)

(door shuts closed)

(distant traffic humming)

(hand touches glass)

(crackling fire)

(wind gushes)

(water swirls)

(bubbling liquid)

(faint drone)

(hand hits glass)

(crackling)

(fast melodic chords)

(water lapping)

(snapping twigs)

When the monarchs arrive to Lake
Superior, they don't cross it directly.

They take a little detour
in the middle of the lake

and then they continue
their journey south.

As if there was something in
the middle. Something...

that prevented them
from going further.

An obstacle.

They say that in the middle of the
lake, there once existed a mountain.

One of the highest in North
America.

The mountain is no longer there but
the butterflies still remember it.

(owl hoots)

(fire crackling)

(rhythm accelerates)

(metal coin on rock)

(violin crescendo)

(water trickling)

(howling)

(distant animal callings)

(Mendel shouts)

(scream reverberates)

(Mendel grunts)

(grunting)

(nocturnal trilling)

(grunts)

(panting)

(soft fluttering)

Grandma?

How old is the forest?

One million years,
more or less.

(wind howling)

(wing fragments shuffling)

(wind swirls)

(liquid suction)

(wing flapping)

(liquid ejecting)

(plastic tip snapping in)

(chair rolls, Mendel sniffs)

(string chords)

(plastic cap snaps closed)

And how can an animal like that
create that color?

Well, it's like magic.

The grana cochinilla symbolized
the rays of the sun and fire.

(roaring fire)

People still paint with it.

(plastic lid drops)

(latex glove stretches, Mendel
sniffs)

(wind tunnel)

(pressing down, squirting
liquid)

(knob turns)

(Mendel breathes heavily)

(sucks finger)

(subway rattling)

(distant night traffic)

- What'd you say you called it again?
- Ommochrome.

Ommochrome.

And you're sure...
you want to put this in your skin?

Yeah, I'm sure.

Okay, man.

As long as you sign that waiver,
I'm down.

(chuckles)

You will definitely be the first
client of mine to have butterfly ink.

Ready?

(tattoo gun buzzing)

Yeah.

Let's get some color on you.

All right, man, let's do it.

(tattoo gun buzz)

It's not that bad, right?

No.

(chuckles)

(eerie music begins)

(water gushing)

(eerie melodic rumble)

(swirls, hollow vacuum)

(Mendel hisses)

(heavy wind blowing)

(crackling)

(metallic chime)

(whooshes of metal, water, fire
and wind)

(cocoon cracks open)

(scissors cutting, Mendel
panting)

(creasing plastic wrap)

(metal squeak)

(slimy skin)

(chair rolls)

(fizzing liquid)

(water trickling)

(water running)

(Mendel sighs)

(sighs again)

(paper shuffling)

(Mendel sips, swallows)

(paper creasing)

We met, danced, went for a picnic, kissed, went north
and on December 21, 2019, we're getting married.

(siren wailing)

(envelope drop)

(heavy sigh)

(distant construction noise)

(deep rumbling)

(waves roaring)

(soft rattling)

(animal groans)

(fire crackling)

(bubbly solution)

(animal howling)

(gear clinking)

All right, Sarah,
tall on this take-off, all right?

Not into the bar.

Here we go, all right.

Manny, layout.

Ready.

Hup!

Hey!

And that, ladies and gentlemen,
is a layout catch.

(wind blowing)

(faint city traffic)

Can you see the rabbit in the
moon?

Yeah.

(laughter, cars passing)

Do you know the legend?

Mm-mm.

Me neither.

(laughter, wind swirls)

Everybody in Mexico
can see the rabbit.

And when you are a child,
people talk about it.

And when I ask the people
from other parts of the world,

they can't see it,
just the Mexicans.

(cosmic wind swirls)

By the way, Mexico means
the belly button of the moon.

We have a connection,
special connection with the moon.

(Sarah chuckles)

(distant horn blares)

(kiss)

(airplane humming above)

(dogs barking far away)

A few years ago...

A storm froze about six or seven million
butterflies in my town of Angangueo.

Many died

but a few survived like true
monarchs.

The first ray of sun touched
them

and they began to melt.

We helped a few with our breath.
They came back to life

and flew once again.

(distant dog barking)

(faint music)

(children playing)

(leaves rustling)

(distant shouting)

(swooping wind)

(wind chimes)

What would the future
look like if we could fly?

I don't know... but can you imagine how
much intelligence we would need to do that?

- Maybe by like 2023?
- Right.

So how about...
when we get to grandma's...

we put glasses on the table and
we shoot them with bows.

(truck rumbling)

(dog barking)

(hurried footsteps)

- Let me help you.
- Leave it!

Paco, bring the rest.

(steam whistle)

Hi uncle.

How are you?

Alright.

Good.

(chair rattling)

You know what your shirt says?

Umm, no...

That your feet stink.

(chuckles)

I'm joking.

How do you feel about
your sister getting married?

Pretty cool.
They're moving to Toluca.

(Mendel snickers)

You also want to go to Toluca?

I want to study in Mexico City.

Like you.

I want to go to the Supernova.

What's that?

It's the best music school
in Mexico City.

For me... music is a way of
being.

It's another life.

My dad says no.

He thinks music isn't a real
career.

But... I want to leave...

and maybe I can drop by
to see you in New York.

Sure.

You're always welcomed.

(distant voices)

You're very different from dad.

How so?

Well... I don't know.

You just are.

Look at you.

(Mendel chuckles, steam whistle)

When I was a kid,
I admired your dad a lot.

I wanted to be like him.

He was my hero.

He taught me how to ride a
horse, bareback.

He taught me how
to ride a bike.

So?

Should I bring you coffee or
what?

Come on.

(chair rattling)

(sliding table)

(sigh)

Don't continue putting
ideas in his head.

(table hits the floor)

I didn't.

Your kids want to fly, dude.

That's not your problem.

(neighing horse)

We're from the same blood.

I don't want to argue.

Well... things aren't that easy.

No, they're not easy.
They'll never be.

You don't get it.

You're my brother!

Mendel. I live here.

You weren't here when we didn't have work, when
we didn't have enough to feed your nephews.

I spent two years without work.

And you?
With your high life over there.

You don't even have the balls to have
your own family. Now you come, judge.

I stayed! You left.

(Mendel whimpers)

I left with all the demons
that you put inside me.

And me!?

I stayed in the house
where it all happened!

I don't even remember
what happened that night!

All my memories are the ones
you put in my head.

(breathes heavily)

(exhales slowly)

The mine filled up with water.

That shit exploded.

A ton of people died, dude.

And you still go to that shitty place
to work every day. Come on, man...

Don't fuck with me!

You have no idea
what you're talking about!

(heavy sighs)

(swallows)

Good that you can't remember
'cause I do.

I saved you.

You were drowning
in your room.

I managed to get in.

I took you upstairs.
And I didn't let go of you all night

while the water kept rising.

(Mendel cries softly)

Why didn't you ever tell me?

Because you don't get it!

'Cause you don't live here.

(footsteps approaching)

(Mendel sniffs)

What's going on here?

Nothing, uncle.

The tables.
The tablecloths are ready.

(distant fanfare)

Let's hurry 'cause it's getting
late.

Thank you.

(footsteps)

(amplified town announcement)

No, well, you aimed high.

Not like my people.

Did you find a cure for death?

I'm on it.

Or rather the origin of life, my
son.

That's the idea.

But he's not finding anything.

(laughter)

Well, he's following his father's
dreams to make the world a better place.

Right?

My uncle told me you had
a revelation, madrina.

Ah! You're going to laugh at me.
Why do you...

Wait and see.
Look.

All this time seeing
this magazine in the kiosk

until I decided to buy it.

Look what it says here.

Just look.

(faint town bustle)

That name of yours finally makes
sense.

- My namesake.
- I understand why your dad insisted so much.

This scientist...

of genetics.

And the articles are good.

The name always seemed
so strange to me.

But when you were a boy
I never dared to ask.

I learned a lot of things...

Right here.
About life... and death.

Look.

(butterflies fluttering)

(birds chirping)

The legend says that a nagual is
your soulmate, is your animal spirit.

Mm.

And some people can transform
themselves into the animal,

like dogs or cats or whatever.

And when I was a child,
I pretend to be an animal, a bear.

- A bear?
- My friend, Vicente,

pretended to be a lion.

And we'd play here in this
forest.

(footsteps on dirt road)

Chasing each other.

Ruling the land.

So, are you like lord of all
this land?

Yes, I am.

- Hot land
- I'm the lord of this.

Yeah.

(laughing)

(birds chirping, wing flutter)

Thank you for bringing me here.

Thank you for coming.

(kiss)

They say that in the Day
of the Dead in Mexico,

the butterflies arrive
to Angangueo

and they are the soul
of our relatives.

(children playing, folklore
music)

(crowd cheering)

Kiss! Kiss!

(chanting continues)

(trio band playing, singing)

One more! One more!

(clapping)

(faint reverberating cacophony)

The animals are stronger than
humans.

I prefer being a lion 'cause
they're stronger and smarter...

Shhh...
Vicente, they're coming.

(chatter echo, singing)

Wolf, wolf...
Are you there?

(shouting)

(Mexican folklore music)

(kids laughing, playing)

(roaring)

(growling)

(crowd applause)

(rooster crowing)

Tell me, doctor...

What would happen if you combine
human and animal genes?

And why would we do that?

(Mendel laughs)

Why do you want to know?

I'm interested in my DNA.

The other day, I spit into a
tube...

to know the percentage of
Neanderthal in me.

The average is 2.7%.

I have 2.6%.

I would have guessed at least
8%.

(laughs)

(drawer opens, keys jangle)

(footsteps on dried leaves)

(distant swirling wind)

Dust we are...

and to dust we shall return.

(Vicente sighs)

(deep rumbling)

(owl hooting, wind howls)

(dusk creature orchestra)

(coin tapping)

(fire crackling)

(owl hooting)

(rhythmic strings chords)

(nocturnal animals)

Thousands of years ago, the Native
American Indians decided to travel south.

The journey was very long and
tiresome.

There was a lot of suffering.

So they decided to leave behind
the elders and the children

next to a few trees
that would protect them.

They were very sad

so God came closer to console
them.

"Don't cry anymore."

He turned them into butterflies so they could join their
families, who were waiting for them with open arms.

(agitated bird and other
creatures)

(woman exhales)

(human and animal sounds)

(jaguar roars)

(wings fluttering)

(fire roaring)

(animal snarling, nocturnal bird
cries)

(animal orchestra)

Son of Monarchs

(nostalgic violin chords)

(trio band plays)

Here we are, in the Sierra Chincua Sanctuary,
in the municipality of Angangueo.

My name is Francisco Ambrosio
Martinez.

Born in Cerro Prieto.

I am going to sing a song
about the little monarch.

(guitar strings)

This is the little buttterfly
coming from Canada.

It has been crossing borders
before arriving to Michoacán.