The following film is based on real-life events.
Hey, Ebony!
You bastard! I'll knife you in the back!
- Get this guy out of here! - There's no more room.
We've got to use this cell! Cool it or there'll be trouble!
Get off me!
I wanna see that. Come on!
You've betrayed me!
Dagger! I'll kill you, you hear? Stick you like a pig.
Ebony, Lula's freaked out...
...says it's his right to kill Dagger.
Lula needs to be taught a lesson!
Whatever's happened...
...it's not for you to decide, you little shit!
- Dagger! - Dagger's gonna die!
- Gonna die! - Calm down!
You think you're gonna decide this? Come on, then, I'm ready.
- What's this? - Gonna die! Gonna die!
Like I said, I've got no one waiting for me on the outside.
I'm in no hurry to get out.
Anyone wants a fight, let's get on with it.
I'll crush all of you.
What the fuck's wrong with you guys?! Let's cool it here!
What's going on, Dagger?
- Lula attacked me from behind, Ebony. - He's a badass!
He went for Dagger from behind!
Right out of line, man!
Gonna die!
- You locking me in there, Ebony? - First get in there, then speak!
- Don't throw Dagger in here, Ebony. - We don't want trouble.
Step away, damn it!
So? I'm all ears.
How come he's so mad at you?
You heard.
Lula came out of nowhere with a knife and tried to kill me.
I dodged.
We scuffled till they broke us up.
The rest you know.
Good morning, Mr. Pires.
I do apologize for this disgusting behavior...
...which has invaded our household today.
Only this idiot Lula, a young, inexperienced con...
...suddenly got this attitude, without even asking permission!
Dagger killed my father! He killed my father!
I sure did, kid.
And not only him, I've killed plenty more besides.
Ebony! Mr. Pires! Dagger killed my father...
...in front of my mother. He's been telling everyone!
You gonna deny that, asshole?! Are you gonna deny it? Are you?
- Ebony, please. - What?
Tell the kid he doesn't know half the story.
- lf he did... - Son of a bitch! I'll kill you!
Tell him to ask his mother if she was really as upset as all that.
Or was it a relief when I came and grabbed his belt from him?
Lies! That's a lie!
Like hell it is! I saw it for myself.
He'd have thrashed her to death.
I thought you'd have heard by now, kid!
Your mother paid me to kill your father.
Get it now?
It was your mother who wiped him out!
Hear that?
He's calmed down!
I want them both out here in their underwear.
Lula, as far as I'm concerned, we're quits.
Let's forget it, shall we?
You've put me to shame, and on the day of the doctor's first visit.
So, Lula, what brought you back in here?
I left here...
...went home and found my wife in bed with someone else.
The son of a bitch had the nerve to tell me, "That's life."
I shot him three times just to prove the contrary.
You should know that whatever goes on outside gets settled outside.
In here, anyone who behaves knows we'll do what we can...
...to show him the front door, where his family is waiting.
But anyone who's proud of being a criminal, with blood in his eye...
...we'll do everything to prolong his life in here.
We usually forget people like that in here.
Doctor, this is Ebony.
Yes, doctor, Ebony's got a problem.
My kitchen knife is still missing.
Whoever took it, I'll give you one chance.
Return it or there'll be one prisoner dead every day!
I'd like to ask our visitors to turn their backs...
...since there's an ashamed crook present.
But when I turn around...
...I sure would like to see that knife.
I'll count to three.
One...
...two...
I'm turning.
Three.
- From your kitchen? - Yes, sir.
This is the yellow wing, doctor, because they're afraid.
It's like a jail within the jail.
They're locked up here for their own safety. They're scared.
Career killers, rapists, stool pigeons, bad payers.
In here, you know, prisoners never forgive.
Mr. Pires, don't these people ever get sun? It's so musty!
Anyone want to go outside?
Take a walk in the yard? Get some fresh air?
- What do these people do all day? - They come and go all day long...
...think they're busy, but it gets them nowhere.
Doctor, 7000 men in jail!
There are 1800 in this pavilion alone.
If they knew how AIDS is spread, that would already help.
They catch the disease and have sex, so there's no stopping the epidemic.
The only ones who'll listen to your advice are the really smart ones...
...who only want to get out alive in order to keep robbing.
That's their whole life.
Maybe. But they're living at the center of the disease.
- They're the prisoners here. - Prisoners?
They own this cell. This place doesn't explode because they don't want it to.
God bless you, child.
I didn't know you had a family.
I thought I'd lost it.
My whole life in jail...
...but even so I raised 18 kids...
...and not one of them has even been near a police station.
That girl, my youngest...
...she said she doesn't remember my face...
...so she's decided to come and visit.
I'd like you to authorize me to see her.
I don't want my daughter around all the scum.
That's going to be tricky.
What if the 7000 others ask me the same thing?
Excuse me.
Good morning.
Hey, what's up?
Need anything, doctor? Coffee, sugar, chocolate, toothpaste?
Joints are only two packs of Marlboros each. Want one?
I don't smoke.
Too bad! Commerce, doctor! Makes the world go round!
Let's go.
Easy, now. That's it.
Slow.
He can't spit there.
Tuberculosis. Anyone steps on that, spreads the disease.
If he had the strength, he'd go to the sink.
It's not easy.
He must be isolated.
But where, doctor?
Name?
Everyone calls me the Beard.
Why are you here?
Well...
...my brother was killed.
Two days later, the murderer had a little meeting with death...
...so suspicions fell upon my good self.
Some said I did it and others came along and said they saw it wasn't me.
With some saying it was me and others saying not...
...here I am, five years now, waiting for the judge to decide.
Do you have sex here in jail?
- Anyone who denies that is a liar. - Use condoms?
If I've got one, I do.
- IV drugs? - How dare you, doctor?
I wonder, Beard! What's that mark on your arm?
Beard is next!
My name's Alípio.
Do you use drugs?
Needles?
No way, doctor. I got AIDS from all the ass I've had in jail.
Plenty of ass.
Is it still worth taking the test?
I listen, give advice...
...a little tenderness, hold them tight...
...and then they always give us something nice in return.
A pack of cigarettes, some candy, a slice of cheese.
So many men shut up in here, doctor...
...without our feminine support.
Yeah, I've got AIDS, but I didn't get it in here.
I brought it in off the streets, and I can't complain.
You come in here sick and they treat you with respect, dignity...
...and that's the greatest thing in a crook's life.
I'm a junkie and a dealer.
In my business, if a guy doesn't pay up, I can't take back...
...what I sold him. The bastard's already smoked it, snorted it.
I take whatever he's got.
If he's got nothing, I kill him.
The other day I tried to get an extra banana from the guy...
...who delivers lunch. The bastard said only if I kissed his banana.
So what the hell, I'm just crazy about bananas.
Doctor, everyone in my cell's got this itch.
It's unbearable.
Scabies. I'll give you some medicine.
So how are you getting along?
Doctor, after shooting cocaine in the dark with a blunt needle...
...drawing blood with this rig...
...is hardly fair play.
Too bad!
See what you did?
- Who are you? - I'm the doctor.
I was taking blood samples.
- Just ask... - Watch out!
Like you have to tell me who to ask.
I'm calling the duty officer. Wait here.
If no one can identify you, you're staying right where you are.
Don't take it personally. It's their job to escape...
...and mine not to let them.
Doctor!
You coming back?
I knew many of those men hadn't shown their victims any mercy...
...but society has its judges.
And I wasn't one of them.
At the same time, what did I have to do with all that?
I had two choices:
Forget or go back.
Take a deep breath.
Smoker?
Just cigarettes.
- No crack? - Never.
Sleep well?
Hardly, doctor. The mind never stops...
...what with one guy trying to settle a score outside, collecting a debt...
...another trying to dig a tunnel. And there goes another day.
- You still got much time to do? - A few more years.
And why did you come here?
- Legitimate self-defense, doctor. - That lands you in jail nowadays?
It did in my case.
Here's what happened. It was Christmas...
...the bells ringing, snow in the windows.
Me, Bristles and Fatso arranged to do a jewelry store job.
Neat work, doctor. Never even fired a shot.
The problem was later.
How are we going to split it up?
Fatso and I will make three piles and you choose first.
Son, not now. Get out! Go on!
Go on, son!
You fucking moron!
We're splitting the loot and you come at me with your hand covered?
It's his own fault he died.
What the fuck's going on?
So you shot him in the heat of the moment...
...but we had agreed for me to shoot you...
...so we could take your share.
So shoot!
Go on, fire away!
I can't, damn it.
Give me your rod.
Oh, my God!
Being betrayed by your buddy for nothing, doctor...
...like Judas, the guy who spat in the face of Jesus.
So how does the story end?
It ends with me in here, before your eyes, doctor.
Fatso was arrested in under two months.
Doctor, ever seen a fat man being beaten? They talk too much.
A man was killed here. Did you see anything?
No.
Jesus, Fatso. You turned me in for Bristles' murder!
You could have just squealed about the robbery.
I fingered you for murder because Bristles' brother would kill me.
We left his place together for the jewelry store...
...then I came back alive and he got back dead.
I'm very upset.
I could turn you in as an accomplice...
...but I won't. I'll back your story up.
I killed him and I threw him in the river all by myself.
Thanks, Ebony! I knew I could count on you.
I'll forgive you, but you owe me one.
And did Fatso ever pay his debt?
No way! Fatso died trying to escape.
They spent two years digging a tunnel.
Wait!
Let's go, come on!
I'm stuck!
Go on, Fatso! Hurry up, you big pile of shit!
Go on, damn it!
Give me a hand!
- I'm stuck. - Breathe in, man.
- Suck yourself in. - What do you mean?
- I can't! - Go back, then.
- Go on! - Give me a break, Cadão.
- Pull, go on, pull! - Shit, Fatso, I told you!
- Eating everyone else's leftovers. - Pull, go on!
Fatso's frustrated brothers knifed him.
Hell of a way to die, eh, doctor?
Right under the Virgin Mary and not even she could protect him.
Too bad.
What about this pain?
Your problem, Ebony, is stress. What bigshot executives get.
Take one of these before bed. They'll help you sleep.
- lf you don't get better, come back. - God protect you, doctor.
Doctor, come and see...
...Chico's balloon, quick!
It's the old man's obsession, doctor.
Oh, too bad!
May I?
Hi, I'm Lady.
- Lady Di. I've come to take the test. - Please, take a seat.
First I'd like to ask you a few questions.
I've seen this movie before, doctor.
I've never needed a blood transfusion and I never pierce my veins.
The only drug I use is a joint now and then...
...when I watch TV or for a little romance.
And partners? How many?
Oh, about 2000.
The silicone you used isn't meant for that.
As if I had the money for something better, doctor.
Ever taken hormones?
No way! Hormones are dreadful! You take them and nothing happens.
And what our clients like, maybe you know, is to play the girl.
Well, Lady, I think the time's come for you to find out if you're sick.
I'll do it, doctor.
Will it hurt?
Just a little.
Get out, man!
Hallowed by thy name, Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done, On Earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day Our daily bread
Any room in there?
Sure.
Only it'll cost you 200.
Pay for a bed? I'm in jail, man!
So? Did you live for free on the outside?
If you want to stay, sleep on the floor.
Deusdete ain't sleeping on no floor.
He already has a place.
Deusdete.
Just like I said, right, brother?
You ended up doing something you shouldn't.
Men with cell phones...
...were patrolling the neighborhood.
It was 4 p.m., the day before yesterday. It was 4 p. m...
And the rat?
I smashed it against the wall about 10 times!
Damn thing wouldn't let go!
It died?
Like hell it did! So I grabbed it and stuck my teeth into its brain.
Then I just brushed my teeth and that was that.
Easy, man! You've been beaten with iron bars and never made a sound.
Sweet Mama, pray for me!
Cut your finger, Highness?
Jesus, Lula, smoking crack? You can't operate like that!
Sorry, doctor, only I operate better when I smoke.
What?! You can't keep a steady hand on crack!
That's where you're wrong. I see the veins all shining and fluorescent.
Looks like that casino in Las Vegas!
Take it easy, man!
See, doctor, isn't that great?
Steady as a rock and hardly a millimeter between stitches.
God protect you, Lula. God bless you, God bless you all.
That's enough of God, Highness, you're not kidding anyone.
What, you married twice?
Well, doctor, to me life's a merry-go-round...
...and just the one horse isn't enough.
That one there. That's Dalva's.
My princess.
Honey, score a goal for me?
Score a goal for me, please?
Like it?
Yeah, I bet you do.
- You believe in love at first sight? - What?
Come with me. I'm going to ask your parents for your hand.
- You don't even know me! - You're wrong!
- Wrong? You don't know me. - Sure I do.
- I know you just love spicy... - Sausage.
And I know you look gorgeous in that pretty dress.
And I know you deserve better than that klutz over there.
My fiancé!
- Fiancé?! - Fiancé.
You're wasting your time.
Look...
...what a great blend! We'll have one kid of each color.
I'll be waiting in the car.
Were you serious?
Never been more.
What the hell is going on, Dalva?
What are you doing there?
Go on, go away, will you?
What?! Honey, who is this?
- I'm her husband. - Husband?
Sure. We're marrying.
- Come on, Dalva. - Don't grab me like that!
- Stop it! - Get out of here, go on!
- Stop it! - What's this?
See? See that?
If he were in love with you, he wouldn't have run off!
Jesus! Letting some guy steal his girl!
Tomorrow at 8:00, get your family together...
...and I'll ask for your hand.
Best thing that could have happened to me, doctor.
Dalva gave me a family.
So you stopped stealing.
Of course not, doctor. With her by my side, I went upmarket.
Took imported cars and drove them to Paraguay.
With cash in my pocket, I returned to the peace of home life.
- Any kids? - Three with Dalva.
And one with Rosirene.
You know how it is: the devil only tempts those close to God.
That ever happened to you? Uncontrollable passion?
What's with the babe over there?
What do you think?
She's over there.
Don't you dance samba, miss?
What am I, a monkey jumping around for nothing?
Looking for something to jump to?
Seems like you're the one wanting to jump. Jump shit.
Look, I'll take my wife home. Get your bikini...
...and I'll come and fetch you. We'll spend the weekend at the beach.
- Does she know you belong to me? - Ease up! I was going to the john.
Like hell you were. And that? Why is that so hard, then?
Doesn't look like it's being properly cared for.
- Watch your mouth, you black bitch! - Wait!
Get away from my man or you'll be sorry!
You'll be sorry!
Hey, handsome!
So I guess the beach is off, then?
So, what happened to the black girl?
Now, that's where I had to do a bit of juggling, doctor.
From Monday to Thursday, Dalva. And the rest, Rosirene.
I rented a little room for us near the old bus station.
We had this great love affair going, doctor.
Morning!
- Give me that! - It's mine!
Stop, you're messing me up!
Stop!
Don't let go of me, Highness.
Don't let go!
You just can't quit this life, can you?
I told you I'd take care of you.
I've always earned my own money.
And that guy you were with, know who he is?
What are you doing here? I thought it was Snow White's day.
Don't change the subject. You know who he is?
Sure. So what?
So what?
So I told you, do your thing if you have to...
...but don't screw friends of mine or I'll break your neck.
Powder's your friend?
Highness, you're a nobody.
He said that when he leaves his wife we'll move to Miami.
I'm off!
Where to?
To Miami, honey!
- Miami! - You're taking a souvenir of mine.
No! Get off me!
Highness, get off me!
Get off!
That was rough, screwing a friend of mine and the two making plans.
That night, I went back to the room. And what do I see?
Jesus. Get out of here.
No way.
Get out of here right now.
I won't go.
Get out, damn it!
No way, I'm staying.
Come on, Highness, bite me.
Come on...
...bite me...
...bite me the way I like it.
Bite!
Bite, go on, bite!
Bite harder...
...harder!
Harder!
Bite harder!
It's over!
Damn it!
There, that's so you learn not to take what's not yours.
You arsonist bitch!
Slut!
Well, you might as well know that this slut is expecting his child.
No!
Son of a bitch whore!
I'll kill you!
You son of a bitch whore!
You haven't heard the last of this, Highness!
- You haven't heard the last of this! - Son of a bitch!
Come here! Come here!
Get your hands off my son!
To keep Dalva out of trouble, I took the blame for the fire.
Only, the law was already on my back for other stuff...
...so I got 16 years for the fire...
...reduced to 10.
- And was it worth it? - The black chick put a spell on me.
I'm out of here!
Therefore, perfectly calmly, we shall overcome the niggling...
...irresponsible and lying attempts to involve the government...
So, what's up?
Letter from Franci?
Your sister mention me at all?
Of course she does, right?
Hey, Deusdete! What does your sister say about me?
She asks if you're okay.
That's all?
What do you think?
If she knew what you've been up to, she wouldn't even be asking that.
I think she would...
...but you think you know better.
Wasn't it you who used to say, "If you sell it, don't use it"?
Wasn't it you?
May I?
So, what's up?
Come to settle your debt?
Hey, man, right now Ezequiel's in a tight spot.
So he thinks to himself, "Zico's a reasonable guy.
He'll take the surfboard as collateral for the debt."
Then Ezequiel can have another little rock of crack, right, man?
Wrong.
Pay what you owe!
Don't drink that, it's blood!
Shit!
I thought it was water.
Doctor, this guy was sweating all night long.
I've put him on antibiotics, but if you ask me, it's no use.
It's AIDS.
Doctor!
Who took away his oxygen?
I don't want to die.
Get me out of here, please!
That's hardly likely. He's 213. Rape.
To us he's a patient.
I can't...
I need...
...to get somewhere safe.
- I don't want to die! - I'm sorry, doctor.
I'm against the death penalty, but not for rape.
If you ask me, it's just too bad.
So that's it, doctor.
Come on, old man. It's past lockdown.
Get a move on!
What is it? What are you looking at?
You think your kids will jump over the wall?
You were asking for it this time, weren't you?
See you in 30 days.
Doctor, we're here to make our relationship official.
With all due respect.
You understand, doctor. So we can be more open.
It's not the same with a rubber.
There's not much sense, her taking the test and not you.
See? I told him, doctor, but he's scared.
Scared of what?
- Scared of injections. - Too Bad!
- It's not that. - So you're scared of getting married!
Doctor, you're needed, urgently!
Come on!
Down you go, come on!
It's all right now, doctor.
I blacked out, doctor.
Giving us all a fright, Zico?
It's just as well, doctor. Maybe he'll learn what drugs do.
Tell him!
What's there to tell? Drugs kill.
- And you, who are you? - That's Deusdete.
We grew up together.
You know, doctor...
...one day my mother didn't come home.
I was left alone.
I waited...
...and waited...
...until he and his sister, Franci, came and took me to live with them.
We grew up together.
Wait!
Come on, Zico!
Wait, Zico!
Zico!
Help!
Zico saved me, doctor.
That's right. I've always looked after him, from early on.
Then you went the wrong way.
What's wrong with buying some dope and selling it to folks who like it?
It wasn't even that much! Another two years and I'm free.
But I've never killed anyone.
Unlike Deusdete here.
What was your crime?
Answer him, Deusdete!
To tell you the truth, he's not even a real criminal.
So, what are you in here for?
One night, I was at home...
...when my sister arrived, acting strange.
Franci!
What's wrong, Franci? What happened?
Franci!
Franci, what happened?
Open up, come on.
What happened?
What happened, Franci?
What happened? Tell me.
What happened?
Tell me!
There were two of them...
...they grabbed me...
...lifted my skirt.
One said he wanted to suck me.
- I told him to go suck his mother! - What did they do to you?
- They beat me. - What else?
What else?
- That's all, Deusdete. - Who was it?
Who was it?
- I just ran off! - Did you know them?
Hey, Zico!
Deusdete?
What are you doing here, man?
I need to talk.
Is Mother all right?
It's not her.
Some guys messed with Franci.
What did they do to her?
Nothing much, she says. But I reported it to the cops anyway.
The cops?! You think the cops will do anything?!
The problem is, the guys found out and now they're after me.
- Leave it to me. I'll sort them out. - No, Zico. Not your way.
I want...
I just want a gun, to defend myself.
Take your pick.
Even with a gun, doctor, I never thought anything would happen.
But it was my destiny, and theirs, when they found me.
So!
- Where's the stool pigeon off to? - I'm not looking for a fight.
- Let me go home. - Sure thing...
...but first we're going to caress you...
...just like we did your little sister.
Hey, man!
Give me a Coke.
You know how old I'll be when I get out of here, doctor?
Forty-eight.
There!
One...
...two...
...three...
...four...
...five...
...six...
...seven...
...eight.
Found it.
So it's Visitors Day, is it?
If you like...
...you can go now.
I've got a problem, I need to talk.
This problem got a name?
Ezequiel.
He still owes me and now he's trying to get more on account.
He comes to my cell, raises his voice. What's he playing at?
- And you? - Me?
If I don't get paid, I can't pay Highness.
I want your permission to kill the bastard.
This goes on much longer, I'll start losing respect around here.
Cool it.
I'll tell Ezequiel to get the money from his family.
If he doesn't pay, you can go ahead.
This man has already lost a lung...
...and the other's in pretty bad shape. - Take the medicine, man, go on.
See, doctor? He won't take it.
What are you, a kid? You won't get better...
...if you don't take it. - Come on, that's right.
That's it.
Come on.
Right.
- Good. - And on the outside? What did he do?
We used to rob armored trucks.
Just the two of us. We planned everything. Remember?
Doctor, we'd spend six months just gathering information.
We'd even make friends with the guards' families.
And that paid off?
Sure, plenty. Although we'd only use half the money.
The rest we'd put aside for a rainy day...
...or to bribe the cops.
It's coming.
Stop!
You going to sit there on top of other people's money?
If you don't come out it'll be too bad for your widows.
Open that door, for Christ's sake!
Come on, get out!
So we paid off the others...
...and each went his own way back to the family.
So anyway, Antônio, what's on your mind?
Miro...
...your wife's cheating on you.
With a cop.
- Says who? - Says no one. I saw her.
They were making out in a squad car.
Near the old bakery.
Dina doesn't buy bread there.
Miro, I saw her. And it wasn't bread she was after.
Célia...
...is Antônio Carlos gay?
What a question, Dina!
He made up this story and told Miro I've been going out with a cop.
Like hell I made it up. I saw you crawling all over him.
- You nibbled his ear, damn it! - Then it's me he's really after.
You forgot the best part...
...how you asked me to run away with you...
...and that I turned you down...
...because I love my husband...
...and your wife's my friend.
Liar!
Evil slut!
Miro, you don't believe that bitch, do you?
Man, how many jobs have we pulled off together?
And our agreement!
Célia, see if you can keep your man around the house.
I don't want him pestering me in the street anymore.
Miro!
- Miro! - Bastard! You dirty bastard!
You've never fooled me.
I always knew you had a crush on her.
You can't even respect your best friend's wife, you dog!
- Calm down. - Dog!
Miro, I'm telling you the truth!
I lost my friend and partner.
The first robbery without him, there were so many cops...
...it looked more like a military parade.
- What about him? - I only found out when he got here.
I thought I'd gone to hell, doctor.
But him? I'll tell you.
Come here, come on.
Come on.
Miro.
Miro, don't you think it's time you quit?
Take what you've got and start a decent life someplace else?
In a new city?
Give the kid a better chance?
Stop! Police!
Party's over, Miro.
I'll cut you in.
It's cheaper for me to cut you guys in than give it to a lawyer.
You don't get it.
We're taking the lot. Everything.
Hand it over, the dough. Come on, quick.
Too bad, a smart guy like you trusting his own wife.
Some guys are born to be cheated on.
Are you all right?
Doctor...
...do infants remember everything we do?
No, not a thing.
Doctor, let him go.
And with you now...
...our untamed diva of dance...
...the woman who lives in all thieves' hearts...
...here at the detention center...
...the one and only Rita Cadillac!
- Rita! - Rita!
Hello!
I know you all...
...fool around a lot, right?
Yes!
But do you take care of yourselves?
Yes!
Our friend, the doctor, came here today...
...and he's taught me enough to teach you too, right?
That's right!
Okay, so some of you are careful and some forget...
...so I'm going to teach you what to do.
This one's orange!