The Roar of the Butterflies (2023): Season 1, Episode 7 - Episode #1.7 - full transcript
My brother Héctor
will be the candidate.
Go back to your farms
and play the opponent.
We live in a world of hypocrisy,
governed by sons of bitches.
Won't we do something about it?
To counteract this way of thinking,
we really need television.
-I don't know what else to tell you.
-Tell me about Trujillo.
Don't believe
that you hold any power over Trujillo.
Here, we're all useful, or we disappear.
No one will lift a finger
to help him. Only us.
- Where are we going?
- They crossed a line with Enrique.
- My sisters have a contact.
- Mr. Morales?
-How much are we talking about?
-Two thousand dollars.
I can open the hospital doors,
but can't keep him alive.
This story is inspired by real events.
All characters and events depicted
have been created for dramatic purposes.
Any similarity with reality
is purely coincidental.
Stop, damn it!
Here.
Get out of here. Get out!
No, no! No!
No. No. No!
Oh, no!
I'm gonna kill you.
Out, out. Out, you bastard, out.
You come with me.
Over here, you bastard, over here.
Over here!
-You just wanna fuck, don't you, asshole?
-No.
Yes, you do. You do.
You screw up and then cry
like a little sissy.
I gave you everything. Everything!
And you made me look bad
in front of the gringos
when they didn't give you a diploma.
Why? Because you went around
giving away cars to every pussy
of every Hollywood whore
you crossed paths with!
I gave you an education, damn it, thinking
you could be the next-in-line, but no, no!
You're a drunk and a fucking addict!
Octavia filed for divorce from you today.
-No. I'm gonna talk to her, Dad.
-Shut up!
Shut up!
I'm going to talk to the judge.
I'll fix everything to make sure Octavia
and my grandchildren live well,
eat well, and, most important,
don't say a word.
Tomorrow, you're leaving
on a plane to Belgium.
-No.
-Yes, yes!
And you'll check in to a clinic
and undergo electric shock treatment.
-Let's see if they can get rid of…
-No.
…all the shit you've been putting
in your body all these years
and finally find something useful inside.
Sometimes I wonder if you're even my son.
Are you?
Are you?
Piece of shit.
The CRY of the BUTTERFLIES
August 16, 1952
is a day of rejoicing
for our Dominican Republic…
…after the unanimous
and democratic vote of our nation
at the ballot box.
The president of our country
this next term will be
General Héctor Bienvenido Trujillo Molina.
During the ceremony,
very moving words were spoken
by our Generalissimo Rafael Leónidas
Trujillo Molina, benefactor of our nation.
This is not the victory of one man,
this is the triumph of a whole people,
of our homeland. We achieved this tog--
They're making fools of us.
There's no way he won.
Comrades.
-Comrades, listen. Please.
-This is fucking pointless.
Comrades, we're all outraged, I know,
but it's no use fighting with each other.
Even if it takes us all night,
we're not leaving
until we're all on the same page.
We have to work as a team
and show each other respect.
Surely, once the votes are counted,
we'll learn that Trujillo's
victory was a fraud.
The dictatorship continues on,
and the world has to know
who Trujillo really is.
The world doesn't give a fuck
what happens on this island.
We're on our own, and it's our problem.
Weapons and bloodshed are our only option.
No, Pierre.
There's just a few of us, while they
have a whole army. We'll all be killed.
Let's march and make ourselves heard.
- For what?
- Lots of us agree.
- That's nonsense.
- What's the point?
So the Goat can laugh at us?
- Right.
- I'm fed up with all this.
Banners, chants.
None of it does jack shit.
Anyone who wants can join me,
and we'll burn it all down.
Take it easy, brother.
The last thing our group needs
is division.
Let's go easy, Pierre.
Staying calm has screwed us all over.
We have to kill Trujillo.
Then what?
If you kill him,
you have to kill his whole family,
his sons, his accomplices.
- A massacre.
- Something must be done.
We have to take him out at the polls,
with free elections.
That means waiting another four years.
We may not live to see it.
- Okay. Okay.
- Pierre's right.
Let's have a show of hands for those
who think violence is the answer,
and that we should protest with gunfire.
-Revolution or death.
-Long live the revolution.
Who thinks we should protest peacefully,
without violence?
It's decided. We'll take to
the streets and make ourselves heard.
We'll march peacefully but powerfully.
The whole world will hear us.
We can split into two groups
and march to the Central Square.
We need as many people as possible
to join us.
- I disagree.
- Sound good?
- I'm on board.
- Fine, but it won't change anything.
Pierre, come here.
Let's try it their way.
Don't worry, he'll get over it.
Will you join us at the march?
I don't know.
I'm waiting on news about my dad.
He's in a very sensitive situation.
Yes, I know.
How do you know?
The news circulated in the group.
Unbelievable.
What's the latest?
Apparently, he's in Marion Hospital.
My family's going to try to get him out
by paying off someone we know.
If you need something,
anything at all, I'm here for you.
Thanks.
If you come to the march, I want to hear
your ideas on how to win elections.
Sound good?
Comrades, you will be with us
at the march, right?
It's pure gold.
I guess we have around 2,000 with this.
He won't accept this.
We'll sell it so we can give him cash.
I have some clothes I could sell.
I know our neighbor
Azucena would buy them.
Yes, but we don't have time.
If we can't sell them, Mrs. Chea,
we could sell the property
to the Rodríguez family sooner.
That will take a few days.
Here are my savings.
It's not much but every little bit counts.
Oh, sweetie.
Okay, I'll call Morales
and tell him we'll do it.
- Maybe we can have the money in 72 hours.
- That would be ideal.
- I'll go with you.
- No.
Why not?
It's better than her going alone.
-That way, if anything happens--
-Mate, Mom's right.
I don't need your permission to go places.
He's my dad too, and I want to see him.
I want to help.
Oh, do you?
Mom, she wants to help.
Fine.
Come in.
Go ahead.
You'll be safe here.
Will I have to be here for a long time?
Let's hope not.
And the bathroom?
There's a bucket. It's no luxury hotel,
but you'll have what you need.
Are you hungry?
A little.
I'll bring you some food in a bit.
Get some rest.
Are there rats here?
Why should you worry about rats?
They don't worry about you.
Just rest.
Thanks.
Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary…
Well, Mr. Pope, as you can see,
here in Ciudad Trujillo
we appreciate nice things, eh?
Good food, good drinks.
Good women, eh?
Rosita, come here.
I can see that.
Check out that piece of Dominican meat.
Touch it and see for yourself. Hmm?
Similarly, we…
…expect nothing less than the highest
quality for television broadcasting. Hmm?
I've been talking to the best.
General Electric and Westinghouse. Hmm?
They've offered us very good terms.
But the thing is, we'd really like
to do business with your company.
- Really?
- There's a relationship, you know?
-That's why I wanted…
-Uh-huh.
…to talk to you one-on-one.
You see, this country is rising up with
each passing day, like champagne foam,
- and the world has its eye on us.
- Yes.
Your competition also has its eye
on the television business here.
We'd like to do business with you,
and it's to your advantage
to do business with us.
-Do you understand?
-I see. What were you thinking?
To close this deal, I'd need
something to make it worth my while.
How much?
Twenty percent.
Do we have a deal?
My kind of guy.
This one's on the house, all right?
Rosita, that is.
Cheater! Cheater! Cheater!
BLACK TRUJILLO
PUPPET
Cheater! Cheater! Cheater! Cheater!
Cheater! Cheater!
Cheater! Cheater!
Cheater! Cheater! Cheater!
Cheater! Cheater! Cheater! Cheater!
Black Trujillo
PUPPET
Take it easy! Take it easy!
Stay calm.
This is a peaceful protest.
DOWN
with Trujillo
CHEATER
Careful! Careful!
Minerva, run, run, run.
Pierre! Pierre! Pierre!
What are you doing, asshole? Let him go.
No! Let go of me!
Let go of him! Let go of him!
This tea is exquisite. It reminds me--
Yes, it's very good tea.
Very good.
Let's get down to business.
There seems to be a problem,
and I would very much like
to understand it.
Generalissimo,
how can I put this so as to avoid
any misunderstandings?
There's a certain concern
regarding the depravity
or bad influence
that this invention could spark among
certain vulnerable marginalized groups.
We could avoid opposing it,
not condemn it outright.
Or give our implicit support,
but beyond that--
10,315,112 pesos…
to build new churches and refectories.
423,000 for last year's
Corpus Christi preparations.
1,500,000 for miscellaneous donations.
632,500 was spent on travel,
vehicles, and refreshments
for His Holiness and his entourage.
For a total of approximately…
60 million
that this government
has invested in the Church.
Can you give me an estimate
of how much the Church needs next year?
Uh, I can't say--
-60,5 million.
-Hmm.
60,5 million.
Monsignor,
I'm a fervent supporter
of the Christian faith.
I've done nothing but help
the Catholic Church in this country.
I've ignored, even banned…
other denominations.
This is a devout country.
We Dominicans are devout.
We need the Church's guidance.
Please don't withhold that from us.
- Full name.
- María Argentina Minerva Mirabal Reyes.
- Date of birth.
- March 12, 1926.
Marital status.
Single.
Please, that's enough.
-Hello.
-I have good news for you, princess.
Your days at the club are over.
What do you mean?
That it's time you moved on
to bigger and better things.
Now you'll be a star on television.
How? Doing what?
You'll have your own show.
I'll fill you in on the details later.
But I'll tell you one thing:
Your name is too complicated.
You have to change it. Hmm?
From now on, you'll use a stage name
that I'm going to give you.
-What is it?
-I'll tell you later.
Go join them. Quickly.
You stand in the center. There, there.
Perfect.
The Generalissimo!
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
It's an honor to announce jointly with and
under the guidance of our Generalissimo,
the dawn of a new era.
A modern and bright era
with many innovations in communications
and entertainment.
We are proud to announce
the arrival of television
in the Dominican Republic.
This will make the Dominican Republic
the third country on the continent
to enjoy this new and marvelous invention,
thanks to the support
of our friends in the United States,
who made RCA's impressive technology
available to us,
together with a great number
of new television sets
for strategic distribution
throughout our country.
It's marvelous.
It's also…
General Trujillo,
I like doing business with your country…
- Mm-hmm.
- …but 20% is a lot.
Together, we must
support this project…
Okay?
…that makes the Dominican Republic
the continental leader in communications.
Today we have a large number
of excellent artists and journalists…
Welcome to the cathedral of television.
First-rate technology.
With this, you don't miss a thing.
All these young people
have been trained by RCA.
- Monsignor.
- Right here, General.
Blessings in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God bless you.
Fire it up.
APPLAUSE
Oh, good!
A photo, please. This way.
Perfect.
Good. Another one, please.
We'll be leaving the next time I come,
so make sure you're ready.
Oh, sweetie. Mmm.
How are you, Brother? I made it.
Very excited about what we're doing.
-Tell me everything's under control.
-Of course.
Get a load of this. We're distributing
50,000 televisions door to door.
-Yeah?
-At clubs, bars,
at the restaurants in every city,
every town.
You'll be able to reach
all Dominicans all at once.
-What a good deal you got.
-The best, but they drove a hard bargain.
I really had to fight for it.
But I couldn't get a better offer
from the British or the Germans.
Oh, is this one new?
I hadn't seen him before. Very handsome.
You mean beautiful. It's a mare.
-Tell me more about it. Go on.
-All right.
I have everything under control,
down to the last detail.
Do you know what the secret is?
The advertisements.
The whole system finances itself.
So, not only are you going to reach
every Dominican,
but we'll also make a fortune, eh?
It's a big business,
like a river, a fountain--
What's wrong with you?
- Come here.
- Are you crazy?
Come here.
-What's wrong with you?
-Asshole. Fucking traitor.
Brother, what's--
What's wrong is that you pocketed
the money from the Americans.
Did you think I wouldn't realize? Huh?
No. Brother--
-I find out everything. Piece of shit!
-I--
I can explain. I can explain, Brother.
I can't call you a son of a bitch
because our mom's a saint.
-You asshole!
-I can explain.
When will you learn that all business
goes through me in this country?
Whether you fucking like it or not!
Brother, don't!
"Everything's under control."
Come on, Julio. Let's go. Get out.
Come on!
Hey, over here.
Excuse me.
Could you sign a magazine for me?
It's for my wife, Sandy.
She's a big fan of yours.
-Of course.
-Here.
If she finds out I saw you
and didn't get your autograph,
she'll kill me.
-All the best.
-Thanks.
Come on, come on. This way.
Julio César.
Thanks, Kid.
For everything.
♪ José ♪
♪ Your thick lips are red ♪
♪ Your thick lips are red ♪
♪ José ♪
♪ Your thick lips are red ♪
♪ Your thick lips are red ♪
This--
This is a very emotional night.
Our leading lady must say goodbye
to Club Caribe.
Yes. Yes.
Yes.
Don't worry. Don't get upset.
Don't get angry.
We can still enjoy her performances,
but on television!
In TV, in TV.
Arantxa! Arantxa!
Congratulations.
Good-byes are always terrible,
but yours was wonderful.
The show will never be the same. Never.
Thanks.
I hope to see you on television soon.
A star is born.
I--
I still don't know anything about that.
You'll know soon.
You look especially beautiful tonight.
Here.
Seeing you on stage…
was the most exciting thing
I've ever seen in my life.
Rafael.
I love your skin.
It's so white.
And you smell so good.
You have beautiful eyes.
Did you ever meet Trujillo?
I mean, back then
you were the big name on Dominican TV.
Who told you that?
Arantxa, I've seen articles,
and I've seen you on magazine covers.
-You were a real star and--
-Mmm.
Yes. There was only one channel back then.
Anyone who was on it became famous.
Well, not everyone.
The Dominican Republic
was a small country.
And Trujillo was everywhere.
Of course I knew him.
I didn't have a choice.
-And was he as charming as people say?
-A manipulator.
He knew how to play people.
Dancing merengue or agreeing to be
the godfather of thousands of newborns,
just to win the unconditional support
of their parents.
What about with women?
It seems like
no woman could ever escape his clutches.
Especially if she was attractive.
And you were
and still are a beautiful woman.
I imagine you, like Minerva, had to keep
him in check at some point, am I right?
-Are you all right, Arantxa?
-Yes.
- Are you sure?
- Yes. Don't worry.
But… Well, I'd like to call it a day.
I'm sorry.
-Of course.
-Mm-hmm.
Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to… The Gipsy Show!
This is a show for all Dominican families,
with music, dancing, interviews,
and with a variety of amazing performances
in each episode…
Cut! Cut.
Honey, honey, honey.
THE GIPSY SHOW
Cut.
- Cut, right?
- It's not that complicated.
Okay, look. You see the light here?
Well, that's your camera, okay?
Light, camera, look!
You have to look! Very important!
Oh! Another one! Light, camera, look!
Look! All right?
You understand me?
Yeah?
Even a monkey could do that!
- Enough.
- What are you doing?
There's no need to be rude.
She's new to this.
Calm down. Everything's fine.
Look at the camera.
When the light goes on, look at--.
Yes, I'll tell her. Don't worry.
Everything's fine.
And you, focus on what I'm about
to tell you.
Let's take a break.
We'll keep going later, okay?
-I think he's upset with me.
-Don't worry.
We're honored
that RCA has brought in this director.
And don't worry.
He's only going to direct
the first four episodes.
- But-- What?
- Gipsy has to be blonde.
What? My hair's not that color.
And I'm sorry, but I don't understand
this wardrobe one bit.
- I-- I-- I don't like it.
- Gipsy.
- Gipsy.
- Could you please call me Arantxa?
We've all been instructed
to call you Gipsy.
And to have you dress that way
and make your hair blonde.
I don't know if I can do this.
I'm feeling really overwhelmed.
Okay. Okay, fine.
I feel like
I'm having trouble breathing and--
Okay, look at me.
Look at me.
-Gretchen.
-She's right here.
-Gretchen.
-Look at me. Look at me, okay?
After the musical number,
you look for my signal
for you to look at the camera.
Don't talk because there's no sound, okay?
So, no one will hear you
if you speak, got it?
-Yes.
-The timing is important.
Yes, yes, yes.
I wait for the musical number to finish,
and then I come to the mark
and speak to that camera.
That's right!
This is a show, Gipsy.
A production.
-Come here. I want to give you something.
-Okay.
Look. Look.
You're going to take this.
This…
This is magic.
It'll help you focus…
…and calm your nerves.
Starting today,
you're going to have fun and be a star.
Have fun.
This is your show.
-The Gipsy Show.
-That's right.
Okay.
- And we're back.
- Camera.
- Positions, maestro.
- Turning.
- Remember to always smile.
- Okay.
Here we go!
I'm all-- All busted up.
I've had to get X-rays of everything.
- You nearly killed me.
- Oh, oh.
Don't exaggerate.
I've beaten you up worse than that.
If I didn't kill you when you made
the fake bills behind my back,
why would I do it this time?
You know what worries me?
The fact that betraying me
is second nature to you.
That's what I always think.
And I never know how far you'll go, Petán.
-I-- I was going to explain--
-Hey, hey, hey. Silence. Silence.
You know who saved you?
Mama Julia.
If it were up to me,
I'd stick you in prison for a year…
…to teach you a lesson.
Look at me.
Look at me.
National television is top priority now.
I'm putting you back in your old position.
But no mistakes this time.
If I see that you betray your family,
your own blood, or your country,
not even our holy mother
will be able to save you.
Is that clear?
Uh, understood. Mm-hmm.
Get to work.
Hey, hey, hey.
What about the magic words?
Uh… Thanks.
Excuse me.
- When did you last see her?
- She hasn't been here in three nights.
The women here know that it's forbidden
to spend the night elsewhere.
They must have a very good reason.
Something must have happened.
Don't blame her.
María Teresa!
Please, Mother, when my sister arrives,
tell her that we went to do
what had to be done.
She'll understand.
Miss Mirabal, good morning.
I've wanted to meet you
for the longest time.
What they say is true.
What a woman.
What a fine woman.
I'd like having you here
to enjoy that body of yours,
fucking communist.
But someone wants you outside.
Lucky for you.
That's him.
I know. We just had a little setback.
This is my sister, María Teresa.
- Nice to meet you.
- Hello.
Here's the amount you asked us for.
Very good.
So, I'll take charge of this and start--
Absolutely not.
If you want your money,
we have to see my father.
That's not possible. I have to go soon.
In 60 minutes, an ambulance will leave
the hospital through the emergency doors,
and I have to be there
to give them a signal.
No way. We have to see him first.
I just told you that that's not possible.
Maybe you don't realize
it's a military hospital? Huh?
Patria.
Look, Morales.
If you want your money,
we have to be certain.
Otherwise, we can't take the risk.
Fine.
But we have to wait until it's dark.
We can't let anybody see us.
Oh, and another thing.
Only one of you can enter to see him.
I'll go.
I'll look into how you can see him
for a second before they take him away.
But I want you to know
that what we're doing is very risky.
We'll take the risk.
Very well.
So, I'll expect you at seven
by the emergency doors.
Please don't be late.
-Hello?
-Hello. Pilar?
-This is she.
-This is Beatriz.
Oh, hi, Beatriz.
-I'm calling to cancel today's meeting.
-Mm-hmm.
Arantxa isn't feeling well.
What's wrong?
No, no, no, don't worry.
Don't worry. It's just hypertension.
The doctor already saw her
and gave her medicine.
He just told her to stay in bed
and rest for a few days.
I'll pass her the phone. Just a minute.
Good morning, Pilar.
Arantxa? Arantxa, how are you?
Fine, fine, fine.
Don't worry. It's no big deal.
I can't see you today,
but I'd like to meet again tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
Really?
I have plenty of material,
and I appreciate your trust in me,
but right now the most important thing
is your health, okay?
No, Pilar. I need to tell you something.
You're scaring me. What is it?
I was Trujillo's lover.
will be the candidate.
Go back to your farms
and play the opponent.
We live in a world of hypocrisy,
governed by sons of bitches.
Won't we do something about it?
To counteract this way of thinking,
we really need television.
-I don't know what else to tell you.
-Tell me about Trujillo.
Don't believe
that you hold any power over Trujillo.
Here, we're all useful, or we disappear.
No one will lift a finger
to help him. Only us.
- Where are we going?
- They crossed a line with Enrique.
- My sisters have a contact.
- Mr. Morales?
-How much are we talking about?
-Two thousand dollars.
I can open the hospital doors,
but can't keep him alive.
This story is inspired by real events.
All characters and events depicted
have been created for dramatic purposes.
Any similarity with reality
is purely coincidental.
Stop, damn it!
Here.
Get out of here. Get out!
No, no! No!
No. No. No!
Oh, no!
I'm gonna kill you.
Out, out. Out, you bastard, out.
You come with me.
Over here, you bastard, over here.
Over here!
-You just wanna fuck, don't you, asshole?
-No.
Yes, you do. You do.
You screw up and then cry
like a little sissy.
I gave you everything. Everything!
And you made me look bad
in front of the gringos
when they didn't give you a diploma.
Why? Because you went around
giving away cars to every pussy
of every Hollywood whore
you crossed paths with!
I gave you an education, damn it, thinking
you could be the next-in-line, but no, no!
You're a drunk and a fucking addict!
Octavia filed for divorce from you today.
-No. I'm gonna talk to her, Dad.
-Shut up!
Shut up!
I'm going to talk to the judge.
I'll fix everything to make sure Octavia
and my grandchildren live well,
eat well, and, most important,
don't say a word.
Tomorrow, you're leaving
on a plane to Belgium.
-No.
-Yes, yes!
And you'll check in to a clinic
and undergo electric shock treatment.
-Let's see if they can get rid of…
-No.
…all the shit you've been putting
in your body all these years
and finally find something useful inside.
Sometimes I wonder if you're even my son.
Are you?
Are you?
Piece of shit.
The CRY of the BUTTERFLIES
August 16, 1952
is a day of rejoicing
for our Dominican Republic…
…after the unanimous
and democratic vote of our nation
at the ballot box.
The president of our country
this next term will be
General Héctor Bienvenido Trujillo Molina.
During the ceremony,
very moving words were spoken
by our Generalissimo Rafael Leónidas
Trujillo Molina, benefactor of our nation.
This is not the victory of one man,
this is the triumph of a whole people,
of our homeland. We achieved this tog--
They're making fools of us.
There's no way he won.
Comrades.
-Comrades, listen. Please.
-This is fucking pointless.
Comrades, we're all outraged, I know,
but it's no use fighting with each other.
Even if it takes us all night,
we're not leaving
until we're all on the same page.
We have to work as a team
and show each other respect.
Surely, once the votes are counted,
we'll learn that Trujillo's
victory was a fraud.
The dictatorship continues on,
and the world has to know
who Trujillo really is.
The world doesn't give a fuck
what happens on this island.
We're on our own, and it's our problem.
Weapons and bloodshed are our only option.
No, Pierre.
There's just a few of us, while they
have a whole army. We'll all be killed.
Let's march and make ourselves heard.
- For what?
- Lots of us agree.
- That's nonsense.
- What's the point?
So the Goat can laugh at us?
- Right.
- I'm fed up with all this.
Banners, chants.
None of it does jack shit.
Anyone who wants can join me,
and we'll burn it all down.
Take it easy, brother.
The last thing our group needs
is division.
Let's go easy, Pierre.
Staying calm has screwed us all over.
We have to kill Trujillo.
Then what?
If you kill him,
you have to kill his whole family,
his sons, his accomplices.
- A massacre.
- Something must be done.
We have to take him out at the polls,
with free elections.
That means waiting another four years.
We may not live to see it.
- Okay. Okay.
- Pierre's right.
Let's have a show of hands for those
who think violence is the answer,
and that we should protest with gunfire.
-Revolution or death.
-Long live the revolution.
Who thinks we should protest peacefully,
without violence?
It's decided. We'll take to
the streets and make ourselves heard.
We'll march peacefully but powerfully.
The whole world will hear us.
We can split into two groups
and march to the Central Square.
We need as many people as possible
to join us.
- I disagree.
- Sound good?
- I'm on board.
- Fine, but it won't change anything.
Pierre, come here.
Let's try it their way.
Don't worry, he'll get over it.
Will you join us at the march?
I don't know.
I'm waiting on news about my dad.
He's in a very sensitive situation.
Yes, I know.
How do you know?
The news circulated in the group.
Unbelievable.
What's the latest?
Apparently, he's in Marion Hospital.
My family's going to try to get him out
by paying off someone we know.
If you need something,
anything at all, I'm here for you.
Thanks.
If you come to the march, I want to hear
your ideas on how to win elections.
Sound good?
Comrades, you will be with us
at the march, right?
It's pure gold.
I guess we have around 2,000 with this.
He won't accept this.
We'll sell it so we can give him cash.
I have some clothes I could sell.
I know our neighbor
Azucena would buy them.
Yes, but we don't have time.
If we can't sell them, Mrs. Chea,
we could sell the property
to the Rodríguez family sooner.
That will take a few days.
Here are my savings.
It's not much but every little bit counts.
Oh, sweetie.
Okay, I'll call Morales
and tell him we'll do it.
- Maybe we can have the money in 72 hours.
- That would be ideal.
- I'll go with you.
- No.
Why not?
It's better than her going alone.
-That way, if anything happens--
-Mate, Mom's right.
I don't need your permission to go places.
He's my dad too, and I want to see him.
I want to help.
Oh, do you?
Mom, she wants to help.
Fine.
Come in.
Go ahead.
You'll be safe here.
Will I have to be here for a long time?
Let's hope not.
And the bathroom?
There's a bucket. It's no luxury hotel,
but you'll have what you need.
Are you hungry?
A little.
I'll bring you some food in a bit.
Get some rest.
Are there rats here?
Why should you worry about rats?
They don't worry about you.
Just rest.
Thanks.
Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary…
Well, Mr. Pope, as you can see,
here in Ciudad Trujillo
we appreciate nice things, eh?
Good food, good drinks.
Good women, eh?
Rosita, come here.
I can see that.
Check out that piece of Dominican meat.
Touch it and see for yourself. Hmm?
Similarly, we…
…expect nothing less than the highest
quality for television broadcasting. Hmm?
I've been talking to the best.
General Electric and Westinghouse. Hmm?
They've offered us very good terms.
But the thing is, we'd really like
to do business with your company.
- Really?
- There's a relationship, you know?
-That's why I wanted…
-Uh-huh.
…to talk to you one-on-one.
You see, this country is rising up with
each passing day, like champagne foam,
- and the world has its eye on us.
- Yes.
Your competition also has its eye
on the television business here.
We'd like to do business with you,
and it's to your advantage
to do business with us.
-Do you understand?
-I see. What were you thinking?
To close this deal, I'd need
something to make it worth my while.
How much?
Twenty percent.
Do we have a deal?
My kind of guy.
This one's on the house, all right?
Rosita, that is.
Cheater! Cheater! Cheater!
BLACK TRUJILLO
PUPPET
Cheater! Cheater! Cheater! Cheater!
Cheater! Cheater!
Cheater! Cheater!
Cheater! Cheater! Cheater!
Cheater! Cheater! Cheater! Cheater!
Black Trujillo
PUPPET
Take it easy! Take it easy!
Stay calm.
This is a peaceful protest.
DOWN
with Trujillo
CHEATER
Careful! Careful!
Minerva, run, run, run.
Pierre! Pierre! Pierre!
What are you doing, asshole? Let him go.
No! Let go of me!
Let go of him! Let go of him!
This tea is exquisite. It reminds me--
Yes, it's very good tea.
Very good.
Let's get down to business.
There seems to be a problem,
and I would very much like
to understand it.
Generalissimo,
how can I put this so as to avoid
any misunderstandings?
There's a certain concern
regarding the depravity
or bad influence
that this invention could spark among
certain vulnerable marginalized groups.
We could avoid opposing it,
not condemn it outright.
Or give our implicit support,
but beyond that--
10,315,112 pesos…
to build new churches and refectories.
423,000 for last year's
Corpus Christi preparations.
1,500,000 for miscellaneous donations.
632,500 was spent on travel,
vehicles, and refreshments
for His Holiness and his entourage.
For a total of approximately…
60 million
that this government
has invested in the Church.
Can you give me an estimate
of how much the Church needs next year?
Uh, I can't say--
-60,5 million.
-Hmm.
60,5 million.
Monsignor,
I'm a fervent supporter
of the Christian faith.
I've done nothing but help
the Catholic Church in this country.
I've ignored, even banned…
other denominations.
This is a devout country.
We Dominicans are devout.
We need the Church's guidance.
Please don't withhold that from us.
- Full name.
- María Argentina Minerva Mirabal Reyes.
- Date of birth.
- March 12, 1926.
Marital status.
Single.
Please, that's enough.
-Hello.
-I have good news for you, princess.
Your days at the club are over.
What do you mean?
That it's time you moved on
to bigger and better things.
Now you'll be a star on television.
How? Doing what?
You'll have your own show.
I'll fill you in on the details later.
But I'll tell you one thing:
Your name is too complicated.
You have to change it. Hmm?
From now on, you'll use a stage name
that I'm going to give you.
-What is it?
-I'll tell you later.
Go join them. Quickly.
You stand in the center. There, there.
Perfect.
The Generalissimo!
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
It's an honor to announce jointly with and
under the guidance of our Generalissimo,
the dawn of a new era.
A modern and bright era
with many innovations in communications
and entertainment.
We are proud to announce
the arrival of television
in the Dominican Republic.
This will make the Dominican Republic
the third country on the continent
to enjoy this new and marvelous invention,
thanks to the support
of our friends in the United States,
who made RCA's impressive technology
available to us,
together with a great number
of new television sets
for strategic distribution
throughout our country.
It's marvelous.
It's also…
General Trujillo,
I like doing business with your country…
- Mm-hmm.
- …but 20% is a lot.
Together, we must
support this project…
Okay?
…that makes the Dominican Republic
the continental leader in communications.
Today we have a large number
of excellent artists and journalists…
Welcome to the cathedral of television.
First-rate technology.
With this, you don't miss a thing.
All these young people
have been trained by RCA.
- Monsignor.
- Right here, General.
Blessings in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God bless you.
Fire it up.
APPLAUSE
Oh, good!
A photo, please. This way.
Perfect.
Good. Another one, please.
We'll be leaving the next time I come,
so make sure you're ready.
Oh, sweetie. Mmm.
How are you, Brother? I made it.
Very excited about what we're doing.
-Tell me everything's under control.
-Of course.
Get a load of this. We're distributing
50,000 televisions door to door.
-Yeah?
-At clubs, bars,
at the restaurants in every city,
every town.
You'll be able to reach
all Dominicans all at once.
-What a good deal you got.
-The best, but they drove a hard bargain.
I really had to fight for it.
But I couldn't get a better offer
from the British or the Germans.
Oh, is this one new?
I hadn't seen him before. Very handsome.
You mean beautiful. It's a mare.
-Tell me more about it. Go on.
-All right.
I have everything under control,
down to the last detail.
Do you know what the secret is?
The advertisements.
The whole system finances itself.
So, not only are you going to reach
every Dominican,
but we'll also make a fortune, eh?
It's a big business,
like a river, a fountain--
What's wrong with you?
- Come here.
- Are you crazy?
Come here.
-What's wrong with you?
-Asshole. Fucking traitor.
Brother, what's--
What's wrong is that you pocketed
the money from the Americans.
Did you think I wouldn't realize? Huh?
No. Brother--
-I find out everything. Piece of shit!
-I--
I can explain. I can explain, Brother.
I can't call you a son of a bitch
because our mom's a saint.
-You asshole!
-I can explain.
When will you learn that all business
goes through me in this country?
Whether you fucking like it or not!
Brother, don't!
"Everything's under control."
Come on, Julio. Let's go. Get out.
Come on!
Hey, over here.
Excuse me.
Could you sign a magazine for me?
It's for my wife, Sandy.
She's a big fan of yours.
-Of course.
-Here.
If she finds out I saw you
and didn't get your autograph,
she'll kill me.
-All the best.
-Thanks.
Come on, come on. This way.
Julio César.
Thanks, Kid.
For everything.
♪ José ♪
♪ Your thick lips are red ♪
♪ Your thick lips are red ♪
♪ José ♪
♪ Your thick lips are red ♪
♪ Your thick lips are red ♪
This--
This is a very emotional night.
Our leading lady must say goodbye
to Club Caribe.
Yes. Yes.
Yes.
Don't worry. Don't get upset.
Don't get angry.
We can still enjoy her performances,
but on television!
In TV, in TV.
Arantxa! Arantxa!
Congratulations.
Good-byes are always terrible,
but yours was wonderful.
The show will never be the same. Never.
Thanks.
I hope to see you on television soon.
A star is born.
I--
I still don't know anything about that.
You'll know soon.
You look especially beautiful tonight.
Here.
Seeing you on stage…
was the most exciting thing
I've ever seen in my life.
Rafael.
I love your skin.
It's so white.
And you smell so good.
You have beautiful eyes.
Did you ever meet Trujillo?
I mean, back then
you were the big name on Dominican TV.
Who told you that?
Arantxa, I've seen articles,
and I've seen you on magazine covers.
-You were a real star and--
-Mmm.
Yes. There was only one channel back then.
Anyone who was on it became famous.
Well, not everyone.
The Dominican Republic
was a small country.
And Trujillo was everywhere.
Of course I knew him.
I didn't have a choice.
-And was he as charming as people say?
-A manipulator.
He knew how to play people.
Dancing merengue or agreeing to be
the godfather of thousands of newborns,
just to win the unconditional support
of their parents.
What about with women?
It seems like
no woman could ever escape his clutches.
Especially if she was attractive.
And you were
and still are a beautiful woman.
I imagine you, like Minerva, had to keep
him in check at some point, am I right?
-Are you all right, Arantxa?
-Yes.
- Are you sure?
- Yes. Don't worry.
But… Well, I'd like to call it a day.
I'm sorry.
-Of course.
-Mm-hmm.
Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to… The Gipsy Show!
This is a show for all Dominican families,
with music, dancing, interviews,
and with a variety of amazing performances
in each episode…
Cut! Cut.
Honey, honey, honey.
THE GIPSY SHOW
Cut.
- Cut, right?
- It's not that complicated.
Okay, look. You see the light here?
Well, that's your camera, okay?
Light, camera, look!
You have to look! Very important!
Oh! Another one! Light, camera, look!
Look! All right?
You understand me?
Yeah?
Even a monkey could do that!
- Enough.
- What are you doing?
There's no need to be rude.
She's new to this.
Calm down. Everything's fine.
Look at the camera.
When the light goes on, look at--.
Yes, I'll tell her. Don't worry.
Everything's fine.
And you, focus on what I'm about
to tell you.
Let's take a break.
We'll keep going later, okay?
-I think he's upset with me.
-Don't worry.
We're honored
that RCA has brought in this director.
And don't worry.
He's only going to direct
the first four episodes.
- But-- What?
- Gipsy has to be blonde.
What? My hair's not that color.
And I'm sorry, but I don't understand
this wardrobe one bit.
- I-- I-- I don't like it.
- Gipsy.
- Gipsy.
- Could you please call me Arantxa?
We've all been instructed
to call you Gipsy.
And to have you dress that way
and make your hair blonde.
I don't know if I can do this.
I'm feeling really overwhelmed.
Okay. Okay, fine.
I feel like
I'm having trouble breathing and--
Okay, look at me.
Look at me.
-Gretchen.
-She's right here.
-Gretchen.
-Look at me. Look at me, okay?
After the musical number,
you look for my signal
for you to look at the camera.
Don't talk because there's no sound, okay?
So, no one will hear you
if you speak, got it?
-Yes.
-The timing is important.
Yes, yes, yes.
I wait for the musical number to finish,
and then I come to the mark
and speak to that camera.
That's right!
This is a show, Gipsy.
A production.
-Come here. I want to give you something.
-Okay.
Look. Look.
You're going to take this.
This…
This is magic.
It'll help you focus…
…and calm your nerves.
Starting today,
you're going to have fun and be a star.
Have fun.
This is your show.
-The Gipsy Show.
-That's right.
Okay.
- And we're back.
- Camera.
- Positions, maestro.
- Turning.
- Remember to always smile.
- Okay.
Here we go!
I'm all-- All busted up.
I've had to get X-rays of everything.
- You nearly killed me.
- Oh, oh.
Don't exaggerate.
I've beaten you up worse than that.
If I didn't kill you when you made
the fake bills behind my back,
why would I do it this time?
You know what worries me?
The fact that betraying me
is second nature to you.
That's what I always think.
And I never know how far you'll go, Petán.
-I-- I was going to explain--
-Hey, hey, hey. Silence. Silence.
You know who saved you?
Mama Julia.
If it were up to me,
I'd stick you in prison for a year…
…to teach you a lesson.
Look at me.
Look at me.
National television is top priority now.
I'm putting you back in your old position.
But no mistakes this time.
If I see that you betray your family,
your own blood, or your country,
not even our holy mother
will be able to save you.
Is that clear?
Uh, understood. Mm-hmm.
Get to work.
Hey, hey, hey.
What about the magic words?
Uh… Thanks.
Excuse me.
- When did you last see her?
- She hasn't been here in three nights.
The women here know that it's forbidden
to spend the night elsewhere.
They must have a very good reason.
Something must have happened.
Don't blame her.
María Teresa!
Please, Mother, when my sister arrives,
tell her that we went to do
what had to be done.
She'll understand.
Miss Mirabal, good morning.
I've wanted to meet you
for the longest time.
What they say is true.
What a woman.
What a fine woman.
I'd like having you here
to enjoy that body of yours,
fucking communist.
But someone wants you outside.
Lucky for you.
That's him.
I know. We just had a little setback.
This is my sister, María Teresa.
- Nice to meet you.
- Hello.
Here's the amount you asked us for.
Very good.
So, I'll take charge of this and start--
Absolutely not.
If you want your money,
we have to see my father.
That's not possible. I have to go soon.
In 60 minutes, an ambulance will leave
the hospital through the emergency doors,
and I have to be there
to give them a signal.
No way. We have to see him first.
I just told you that that's not possible.
Maybe you don't realize
it's a military hospital? Huh?
Patria.
Look, Morales.
If you want your money,
we have to be certain.
Otherwise, we can't take the risk.
Fine.
But we have to wait until it's dark.
We can't let anybody see us.
Oh, and another thing.
Only one of you can enter to see him.
I'll go.
I'll look into how you can see him
for a second before they take him away.
But I want you to know
that what we're doing is very risky.
We'll take the risk.
Very well.
So, I'll expect you at seven
by the emergency doors.
Please don't be late.
-Hello?
-Hello. Pilar?
-This is she.
-This is Beatriz.
Oh, hi, Beatriz.
-I'm calling to cancel today's meeting.
-Mm-hmm.
Arantxa isn't feeling well.
What's wrong?
No, no, no, don't worry.
Don't worry. It's just hypertension.
The doctor already saw her
and gave her medicine.
He just told her to stay in bed
and rest for a few days.
I'll pass her the phone. Just a minute.
Good morning, Pilar.
Arantxa? Arantxa, how are you?
Fine, fine, fine.
Don't worry. It's no big deal.
I can't see you today,
but I'd like to meet again tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
Really?
I have plenty of material,
and I appreciate your trust in me,
but right now the most important thing
is your health, okay?
No, Pilar. I need to tell you something.
You're scaring me. What is it?
I was Trujillo's lover.