Votamos (2021) - full transcript

Alright, let's vote

on the replacement of the lift,

according to the quote

from Elevators and Stairs, Inc.

I made it at last!

There was a line at the chemist.

-Did you see I left the door open?

-I did.

You're just in time, Nuria.

We're voting on replacing the lift.

Right, all together.

Votes in favour?

-Concha, honey!

-Oh, yes! I agree.

Alright, a new lift is approved.

About time.

Any other items for the agenda?

Then the meeting is over.

Thank you for coming.

'Bye, everyone, I have to go.

I'm in a hurry.

How's the new job?

Fine, very stressed,

very busy, but I'm happy.

-I'll drop by one of these days.

-Bye, see you.

With the new lift maybe you

can rent out your flat, right?

-I already have a tenant.

-Really?

We sign the lease next week.

Congrats.

Hold on. Concha, get some beers.

Alberto finally found a tenant

for his flat.

Who are you renting it to?

A new workmate, his name's Joaquin.

He's not my age by any chance?

No, a bit younger, but he's single,

Concha, so you never know.

Is your company hiring

in the current situation?

Yeah, he's just started through

a social integration program.

He mentioned he was flat hunting,

I told him mine was free,

and done deal.

-Social integration?

-Yes.

Did he just get out of prison?

No, no...

Not that I know anyway!

Seven people with mental health issues

joined the company

through a work integration scheme.

These programs are great,

I didn't even know they existed.

What do you mean

by mental health issues?

Is he crazy?

Crazy? No.

But he has a mental health issues,

you just said so.

He's under treatment

for a mental health problem,

but he lives a completely normal life.

He works with me,

and very well, actually.

But what mental health issue

are we talking about?

I don't know, I didn't ask him.

Alberto...

-What's wrong?

-"What's wrong? ".

Hey, it's an issue...

I'm fine with these social integration

programs, schemes, whatever.

But making photocopies isn't the same

as having a guy with mental issues

in the building, don't you think?

He doesn't make photocopies,

he's in IT.

I don't care.

What do you think someone

with mental issues is?

Someone jumping out of the lift

with a knife, or what?

Hold on one second...

I get that you've never met

anyone like him,

you could have the wrong idea,

I did too.

But I work with him every day,

and not just with Joaquin.

Six more people with mental issues

have joined the company,

and there's not

a single problem with them.

Not a single problem?

So they're the only people

with no problems at work.

No, I'm saying is that they are

like any other co-worker.

Some work hard, others slack off,

some are friendly, some are rude...

Some you connect with, others no,

and I connect with Joaquin.

Is Joaquin the cute guy with you

the other day at the front door?

Yes, that's Joaquin.

He looked like a nice guy.

He said hello to me and everything.

Of course. Why wouldn't he?

Joaquin is a normal guy.

Not that normal if he's rented

your flat at that price.

-And with no renovations.

-The flat's in perfect condition.

That's why you haven't

rented it out in months.

Maybe this person values space

more than today's fancy

stuff.

Or maybe he's crazy?

Okay, that's enough.

Joaquin has a mental issue, period.

He probably watches his health

better than any of us do.

-Alberto, don't get annoyed.

-I'm not annoyed.

No, come here. Don't get mad.

You must understand

that this is awkward for all of us.

We have old folks and kids here.

My teenage daughter, Maria,

is in and out all the time.

What if Joaquin has an outburst

because he forgot his meds,

then he runs into her and hurts her...

Maite, you're talking about

someone I know,

and Joaquin isn't aggressive.

How do you know?

I'm saying, I work with him!

Do you really think I'd rent my flat

to anyone who was trouble?

Anything to rent the flat, eh?

-What?

-Yes.

But what if he has the TV up full

at all hours of the day and night?

Then he'll be warned, like anyone.

What if he sets the curtains on fire?

I heard on the radio

that these people smoke a lot.

Or worse, he has his friends around.

Imagine what they're like!

Well, that's it.

Don't you see how xenophobic you are?

-Mad-ophobic.

-What?

-The fear of crazy people

-Don't call him crazy, shit!

-Okay. Why don't we vote on it?

-Vote on what?

On what? On whether you rent

your flat to... people like that.

What? Just what I needed!

It's not that crazy, is it?

Why not, Alberto?

This affects all of us.

We can't vote on this,

it's not our flat.

Sure, you live on the 3rd floor,

but I live across the hall.

And I live right above.

Hold on, I'll rent my flat out

to anyone I want.

Yes, it's yours,

but it's easy to leave us with the load

while you live somewhere else.

This could be very dangerous

for all of us.

We have to vote, right?

Alright, alright, hold on...

Let's get serious, okay?

I'm renting the flat to Joaquin,

whether you like it or not.

First, it's my flat

and I rent it to anyone I like.

Second, he has the right to

a dwelling, like anyone.

Third, he's a great guy.

And fourth, I need the money.

Fine, it's your flat and you can do

whatever you want with it.

How many people have shown interest

in it since it’s been on the market?

Four? Eight? Twenty?

Zero. Nobody.

And the only person interested in

renting your creepy old flat

is someone with a mental illness.

It's not a deciding factor,

but it's a bit suspicious, isn't it?

And fine, Joaquin has a right

to a place to live,

but we have the right

to live in peace, right?

And Joaquin's right doesn't mean

to live in this particular flat.

There are loads of flats

available for rent.

Okay, maybe he's charming,

but that's not the point.

And, fine, you need the money...

What if you get a better offer?

We could all help you to get

a tenant that pays more.

If we don't want crazies,

our only chance is someone blind.

Or it'll never get rented out.

-I sign the lease next week.

-Unless we all agree to pay you the rent!

Even a bit more, we could pay

even more than Joaquin's offering.

-How much more?

-Sure!

As if I my mortgage wasn't enough,

now you want me to pay Alberto's rent!

I couldn't either.

What if we don't replace the lift?

Alright, why not, instead of

spending money on the lift,

we pay Alberto's rent?

It wouldn't cost us more money.

But then we have no lift?

Would you rather be relaxed

or get a new lift?

We just voted for a new lift!

Yes, because we didn't know

what you just told us, Alberto.

President, can we revoke the vote

and rephrase the question?

-Yes, we could, but...

-Right, then let's vote.

We've always voted on crucial things

and this is crucial.

-But the lift is falling apart.

-So?

If we have to use the stairs, so be it.

I don't want to live

with someone like that, I'm sorry.

Me neither.

I think your prejudices are outrageous.

But I'm no Mother Theresa,

so it's up to you.

If you pay more for at least

two years, and you all agree,

I'll rent the flat to you.

-Anyone know these?

-What's that?

-Olanzapine.

-No.

I take one with every breakfast.

It's better on a full stomach

so it doesn't hurt.

Yeah...

15 years ago...

15 years ago I was diagnosed

with paranoid schizophrenia.

Oh, Nuri...

Since then, my life hasn't been easy.

When you tell people you have

a mental issue, they run away.

You only get rejection and fear.

But you all know me, it's fine.

I've been living in this building

for seven years.

Opposite you, Lucas.

We haven't had a problem so far.

We're even fond on each other, right?

So, calm down, Fernando,

I don't think anything bad will happen

to you if Joaquin lives across the hall.

I know I sometimes play

the music too loud.

Flamenco is my passion.

So I'm sorry if I bothered anyone.

And, yes, Teresa, I'm a smoker.

But I smoke in the balcony,

because I don't like a smelly flat

when my friends visit me.

And, Concha, the guy who helped you

the other day with the electricity,

the man with me,

is my friend, Ramon.

I don't know if Joaquin

is the best tenant to live here.

I couldn't say,

because I don't know him,

but you don't either,

and you're stopping him from living here

just because he has mental issue.

What you said is true:

People suffering from mental problems

just want to live a normal life.

We fight for it, every day.

Like any of you!

And from my heart I believe

rejecting someone without knowing him,

that's truly insane.

That's the real madness.

Well, do we vote, or what?