God, what a sensation!
Of what?
Do you ever feel you've lived something before?
Yes.
Why is that?
They say it's a lapse in the brain.
I've been here before.
It usually goes away after a few seconds.
I don't want it to go away.
You've made use of your time.
That's all there is here.
Very pretty.
Is it Sofía?
How much longer will I be here?
No one ever knows that.
Even my worst nightmare was never like this place.
It's a psychiatric penitentiary. No more, no less.
I shouldn't be here.
You're accused of murder.
I don't even know what I did.
Tell me something.
Does the name Eli mean anything to you?
Eli...
You know a girl with that name?
No.
Why do you ask?
It seems you kept repeating it last night.
I guess I was dreaming.
What did you dream?
I can't remember.
It could be important.
How could it be important?
Look, I can prove you didn't know what you were doing,...
...but first I have to find some explanation for all this.
There is no explanation. I told you the other day.
What did you dream, César?
I don't know.
I only remember bits.
First, I'm in a kind of office.
A secretary shows me into another office.
There, there's a photo ofa sunset anda man.
Then...
I don't know.
-They show me lots ofpapers. -Whatpapers?
I don't know.
But I sign them.
Does the office belong to your company?
No, I don't recognise it.
You dreamed of a place you'd never been?
Yes. That happens a lot, doesn't it?
Are they the papers...
...you signed with the doctors?
No, what happened with the doctors was surreal.
-Why? -One day they rang me...
...to go to the hospital.
When I arrived, the whole surgical team was waiting.
For months,...
...those faces hadlooked at me with indifference...
...andimpotence.
Now they were all smiles.
The same bastard who had saidmy case was hopeless...
...startedtalking about some operation.
They hada new revolutionary system in the clinic now.
They saidthat within two weeks...
...my face wouldbe completely reconstructed.
You didn't believe them?
No, not at first.
I thought it was just a way to get more money out of me.
But they showed me all the gadgets for the operation.
It lookedlike science fiction.
All I couldsee were cables, switches, monitors.
Actually, I never really knew what they weregoing to do.
But I thought I'dnothing to lose.
Thosepeople were usedto rhinoplasties,...
...liposuctions, hair transplants,...
...but my operation was much more.
In less than a week,...
...my life hadturnedaround.
One night, I was lying on theground, drunk,...
...wanting to die.
The next morning, my dreams were coming true,...
...like in the movies.
Sofía loved me, and the doctors found the miracle cure.
I don't know. Obviously, I was suspicious.
Suspicious?
Of whom? Of what?
I don't know.
In life, you never know.
Happiness comes when you least expect it.
I once knew a guy who was alone in the world.
Suddenly, he was married with two daughters.
Fuck, you've got a strange idea of happiness.
Well, that depends on the individual.
What's happiness for you?
Don't ask any more stupid questions.
But at that time you were happy. Or weren't you?
So what? My life now is shit.
All I can do is eat, shit, sleep,...
...and dream of my memories.
It's good that you remember.
Well?
Well, what?
They were to remove the plates today.
And they did.
And?
Well, my ears are where they should be.
César, don't scare me.
Take off the plates.
You do it.
How did they do it?
Wait.
Just to say...
...that I love you.
You're going too fast,...
...considering we met yesterday.
Yesterday?
My birthday, don't you remember?
I met an incredible girl.
Her name was Sofía.
But today I woke up feeling great,...
...and now I'm with the girl again.
What is it?
If you want me to move, you have to put in a coin.
Ting!
We never appreciate thegood moments till they're over.
Maybe that's why they'regoodmoments.
We don't stop to think about them.
Perhaps.
What happenedto Pelayo?
-What's up? -Hang on a minute.
-That's it. -About time.
-Want anything else? -No, thanks.
How's things, Pelayo?
Fine.
How's things, Pelayo?
Fine.
Yeah.
I'm actually not as fucked up as I look.
I'm used to you always winning, you bastard.
And Sofía isn't that great.
You said she was ideal.
Really?
I was drunk.
Anyway, we're friends.
Bastard!
What's that on your face?
What?
Fuck, there's a seam opening!
What are you on about?
You fucking idiot!
What's the matter?
I hate dreaming.
You're tickling me.
What's wrong?
What is it?
-Where's Sofía? -What?
What have you done with Sofía?
-I am Sofía. -You bitch!
You're mad.
-You're mad. -Where is she?
In one minute, I'm going to call the police.
You'll be in trouble if Sofía doesn't appear.
So you survived the accident.
What accident?
Whose body was it?
-I didn't have an accident. -No.
It wasn't an accident. It was attempted murder.
A pity you didn't see my face, bitch!
Why are you doing this? How have I changed?
You haven't.
You're the same lunatic who gatecrashed my party.
I'm the girl you made love to just now. I'm Sofía.
Stop saying you're Sofía, do you hear?
Don't say her name!
You won't tell me where she is.
You never will.
César...
I love you.
-Hello. -Hello.
You can go, I'll see to this.
Right.
Let me get this clear.
Where were you last night?
At home. I told that gentleman.
At home. With whom?
With a girl.
The girl I just questioned?
No, that's another girl. I was with Sofía.
The girl I spoke to was Sofía.
Yes, that's what she says, but it's a lie.
Who is she then?
-She's... Nuria. -Nuria?
Nuria what?
I don't know. She never told me her surname.
Let's see.
You were at home with a girl called Sofía, and suddenly...
I go to the bathroom, come back, and she's in Sofía's place.
Where's Sofía?
Ask Nuria, she's pretending to be her.
You don't know her surname?
But who do you believe, her or me?
Listen, that girl's papers are all in order.
We've let her go.
You've what?
And I assure you she's called Sofía.
Sofía Cueto, and she lives at number 2, Quirós St.
No!
No, what?
Well, yes, but that's another girl.
I know the real Sofía.
Then tell me where she is.
Because, legally,...
...the girl you're talking about...
...only exists in your imagination.
-I don't believe this. -And another thing,...
...the girl looks as if she'd been hit.
She was in my house, supplanting my girlfriend!
I don't know why,...
...but she wouldn't press charges.
Fucking great! So now she's the victim!
Tell me.
Are you on drugs?
-God! -We do know...
...you were under psychiatric care.
My face was destroyed in a car crash she caused!
Your face looks fine.
Because...
It doesn't matter. I've got nothing more to say.
Young man...
I'd advise you to see a psychiatrist.
Are you an idiot?
What the fuck is this?
-What do you mean? -If you wanted...
...to fuck her up, there are other ways to do it!
Keep away from Sofía!
It isn't Sofía, it's Nuria!
Nuria's dead!
Calm down, or you'll be sleeping in a cell tonight!
Don't ever talk to me again!
I don't know what the cops told you, but Nuria is alive!
The cops didn't tell me, Sofía did.
Listen, you spoke to her by phone, didn't you?
-Let go! -It wasn't Sofía.
Nuria can imitate her voice, she took her ID, her apartment.
It wasn't over the phone. I've just dropped her home.
She looked like this.
Nice photo, isn't it?
You going to say that isn't Sofía?
But that's...
Is this a joke or what?
You're crazy, man.
I'm crazy?
You're the ones who are mad! You're all mad!
Let go of me!
God, what's happening?
It's my partners, right?
They've paid you, this is a plot!
Look at yourself. You haven't been right since the accident.
Fuck you!
Are you saying...
Are you saying this is the girl you ran after the other night?
-Is this your ideal girl? -Yes!
And you took her.
You need a psychiatrist!
Problems?
I'm in no mood, so just...
There's an explanation for all this.
César.
Who are you?
-You've seen me on TV. -What do you want?
I'm here to help you.
First of all, it's very important that you calm down.
-Calm down? -You must overcome your fears...
...and regain control.
What control do you mean? I'm fine.
Who says you aren't?
They do. All of them.
They say I'm mad.
No, of course you're not mad.
But what if I told you...
...you were dreaming?
No, no, no...
-Why not? -Look,...
...l know what's real, and this is real.
How do you know?
You discover your dreams when you wake.
I just know.
My dreams are much simpler than all this.
No dream is simple.
Look at those people.
They seem to be talking about their own business.
Completely unaware of you.
And yet, they could be there because you...
...wanted it. What's more,...
...you could have them at your complete service,...
...or have them destroy you.
I want them to be quiet.
And you too.
See?
What's going on here?
Someone tell me the fucking truth!
The truth?
Maybe you couldn't take it.
It had to be a set-up, a big joke to drive me crazy.
They all knew. Nuria, Pelayo, the police, the guy at the bar.
-Who was he? -I don't know.
You said you saw him on TV. On what program?
I don't know!
I don't know.
One that talked about freezing the dead.
-Freezing the dead? -Cryonization.
Like they did to Walt Disney.
Maybe I can help you remember.
Is that a threat?
Lie down.
What's that?
A syringe.
Relax.
My arm's stinging.
It's a tranquilliser.
What for?
These things are all bullshit.
If you'd trusted psychiatrists more,...
...you mightn't be here now.
That finger...
-It's making me nervous. -You needn't be afraid.
-I'm not afraid. -Stop talking and concentrate.
Come on.
Fuck...
I feel dizzy.
Good-bye, César.
Verygood. Now let's see ifyou can tell me about that dream.
Dream...
-In my dream, it isn't raining. -The office dream.
Eli...
That's it. I wantyou to tell me who Eli is.
-A secretary. -Eli is a secretary?
She tells me togo in. They're expecting me.
Who's expectingyou?
-The Frenchman from the TV. -Sit down, please.
It's a contract.
-Eli... -César, who is Eli?
You won't regret it.
Sign.
-What areyou signing? -Eli will see to everything.
What haveyou signed?
What's wrong?
What's wrong, César?
-Why areyou crying? -I'm going to die.
You're notgoing to die.
-I don't know how many. -How many what?
-Pills. -You tookpills?
-How many shouldl take? -Pills to feel better?
I don't want to.
When I count to three, you'll wake up.
One... two...
I thought that, up to now, you'd told me the truth.
What do you mean?
You said you took nothing.
César, I'll ask you for the last time.
-Did you take drugs? -Fuck! Why does everyone...
Stop play-acting. Tell me the truth!
-I must know what you took. -I didn't take anything!
Don't you see?
Your brain could have been affected by the pills.
-I didn't take any! -You said you did!
It's just a dream!
Why make it more important than it is?
Can't you tell dreams from reality? I can!
Really? Don't make me laugh!
Bodies that come to life, people who disappear,...
...you, the Phantom of the Opera!
Tell me one thing.
o you remember what you did to Sofía?
It wasn't Sofía.
I don't care who it was.
What did you do to her?
You remember?
My God!
What are you doing? I thought you were a burglar.
Who are you?
I'm Sofía.
Sofía...
You're not Sofía.
César, this will all be over soon.
We'll be together again.
You'll forget Nuria and I won't be afraid of you.
-I'm thirsty. -I'll get some water.
Sofía!
Yes, César, I'm Sofía.
I'm Sofía.
I want to see you.
I want to see you!
At times you dream you're with someone.
For example, your father.
In seconds, he becomes your mother,...
...and then, the newsvendor on the corner.
Yet you still feel as if you're talking to the same person.
You thought you were at home, but suddenly,...
...you realize you're in a school,...
...or a hospital,...
...or a prison.
Dreams are like that.
And at times the mind behaves as if it were in a dream.
-You know what derangement is? -For fuck's sake!
Say I'm stupid if you want, but this isn't derangement!
Then what is it?
You tell me, because I don't know.
I don't know what's in here,...
...or why you killed your girlfriend.
I don't know who Eli is, or that man from the TV.
I don't know anything.
That makes two of us.
Will you still come after the trial?
Don't you hate the sight of me?
What will you plead?
Why do you ask that?
The first hearing is next week.
Temporary derangement.
It's your best chance.
Even so, it won't be much use.
They won't believe me.
Even I don't believe it.
What do you believe?
I think you're very sick,...
...and should stay here for a long time.
Don't worry. I'll get at least twenty years.
César, you may not believe it, but I care about you.
I care a lot about you.
Look, kid.
Your case interests me.
I'm sorry about what's happened.
I even thought someone was playing tricks on you, but...
...l can't and mustn't exceed my duties.
-I'm just a psychiatrist. -You don't look like one.
-What do I look like? -My father.
Preaching at me all day.
Your father's dead.
There you go.
By the way...
What happened to that man with the wife and two daughters?
I don't know, I never saw him again.
Take my advice, get a lawyer.
Good-bye, César.
Good-bye.
...the main Spanish investment, but certainly the most novel.
...its economic presence in Cuba.
...depending on the era.
In the Roman Empire, for example,...
...the normal thing was to live...
...only25years.
Who's got the remote?
Give it to me!
Get it off him!
What's up?
There's a computer here connected to lnternet.
They'll only let me use it if you come with me.
-Why do you want lnternet? -I know what Eli is.
Wait!
Eli isn't a person, it's a company.
-How do you know? -It isn't Eli.
It's L.E. They're the initials of an American company.
-What are you doing? -Checking the "initials program".
It'll tell us all it knows about L.E.
Shit!
It'll take ages.
No, wait.
Fuck!
I feel like I've done this before.
A cerebral dysfunction.
-A lapse in the brain. -No, not this time.
My God!
-That's it. -The photo in your dream?
I had to see it before I could dream about it, right?
"Cryonics".
-Cryonization. -I'll print this.
Wait a minute.
I don't see what this has to do with your case.
The key is in here.
Look, there's an office in Madrid.
I'll go and check it out.
No!
I have to go too.
-I can't get you out of here. -I'd be let out under supervision.
Make up some excuse.
-It isn't easy. -You can do it.
You know something else, don't you?
I don't know anything.
-I've just got a feeling. -What is it?
I have to go there.
One way or another.
Let's get things straight.
We're outside, I'm armed.
My job is to stop you doing anything stupid.
Try anything, and you get a bullet.
I've been here before.
-This way. -Move.
You've got 20 minutes.
It's just like in my dream.
Good morning, can I help you?
Well, actually, we wanted to speak to Mr. Duvernois.
He's my son.
He's very shy.
Mr. Duvernois isn't here right now.
But, first of all, do you know what cryonization is?
Well, more or less.
Here are some leaflets. You can read them while you're waiting.
One of my colleagues will be with you soon.
Thank you.
"Live without limits. Tomorrow is for the farsighted."
What is this? Some kind of sect?
"Cryonization is the biostasis...
...or preservation of human beings.
It is the bridge to carry our patients to a future...
...when technology will restore them to life."
You pay to live eternally.
They laughed at Jules Verne.
César...
All this is absolutely impossible.
What do you know of the future?
They promise what the Church has always promised.
Immortality. Except they're quacks, not priests.
How are you involved?
You're not cryonized. You're alive.
This is the contract, if you want to look at it.
The procedure is very simple. You could die at any time.
Today, tomorrow, in 20 years, it doesn't matter to us.
At the very moment you're declared legally dead,...
...Life Extension transfers your body to our store in Arizona.
There, it's frozen at minus 78 degrees.
We call that "total suspension", and it costs 240,000 dollars.
30,000 pays for the freezing process, and the rest...
...goes into an investment fund,..
...the interests from which pay for maintenance,...
...and resurrection costs, the day that it's possible.
If it is possible.
We believe that the reanimation of the dead will be possible.
-What's this? -What?
Clause 14.
-Artificial perception. -It's a concept...
...that we haven't fully developed yet.
Look.
This is a life.
Birth and death.
Let's say you've got a terminal illness.
Of course, you want to go on living, but not in the future.
That doesn't interest you. You want to live your life now.
Very well.
You die, we freeze you,...
...and when we can resuscitate you,...
...we'll have you live...
...a dream.
A dream?
It will all look real.
Your family and friends, your city,...
...the world, even this office. But it'll be a virtual reality.
What's more, we'll make you forget that you've died,...
...and that you signed this contract.
-How? -Very simple.
Wiping it from your memory.
You'll live your life linearly, as if nothing had happened.
And best of all, you'll live it as you like, as you wish.
You'll decide at all times.
But...
What if there were mistakes?
What if the dream was transformed into a nightmare?
Well, the subconscious can always play a dirty trick.
But we're not cowboys, this is a serious company.
And virtual reality technology is constantly making huge advances.
Look.
I'll be honest.
Signing Clause 14 is like signing for paradise.
It's hard to believe.
But they laughed at Jules Verne.
Excuse me.
-Where are you going so fast? -To the bathroom.
-Well, not so fast. -I'll go with him.
He just felt ill, don't worry.
César, calm down, please.
This is a dream. It's the only explanation.
What he said is impossible.
In the 20th century, but maybe not in the 30th!
-Maybe not, but we're in 1997. -That's what it seems.
-I paid for it to seem like that. -Listen!
If this is a dream... Look at me!
If this is a dream, it means that I don't exist!
I just imagine you.
No!
-César, I'm real. -How do I know that?
Can't you tell a dream from reality?
Is this a dream, eh?
Tell me, is this a dream?
César, I'm wearing myself out over this case.
There is no case, I didn't kill anyone, it's all a nightmare!
Fuck it, César, trust me!
This isn't a dream.
They got it wrong.
-Who? -I don't know!
But they mixed up Sofía and Nuria!
I see a face that isn't mine!
I'm sick of hearing that! Your face is fine.
You're behaving like a child, hiding behind that mask.
-Go on, take it off! -I don't want to see myself!
I don't care about that. I want to see you.
Don't you realize? All that matters is what I see!
It's my dream!
Say that once more...
...and I'll have you locked up in an asylum.
Show me your face.
Now. You owe it to me.
César...
Look in the mirror and tell me if you think you're disfigured.
God!
Why do you keep seeing what isn't there?
-You look fine. -I'm a monster!
What do you mean? Anybody'd like to have your face.
You look normal.
Not just normal. You're handsome!
César, listen. Maybe you've got something like anorexia.
Some girls insist they're fat and end up crazy.
César!
I want to wake up!
-Hold it! -I want to wake up!
Fuck!
Shit!
Freeze!
Don't shoot!
This is a nightmare!
It's a nightmare!
You! Wait a minute!
You're not to leave!
Stop!
Wait a minute!
It's a dream!
Don't move!
Drop the gun!
I want to wake up.
-I want to wake up. -Don't move!
I want to wake up!
Antonio.
Antonio!
What?
You're crushing me.
I'd better not move. I've been shot in the back.
How do you know?
Well...
Because...
What's going on here?
What the fuck's going on?
I told you, it's a dream.
Shut up! Shut up!
I know what this is.
It's one of those Candid Camera jokes.
You did a great job, I loved it, but enough's enough!
I see someone.
Where?
Up there, on the roof.
I can't see a thing.
Where are you going?
Come on, Antonio. Don't think about it anymore.
Or you'll go crazy.
Hello, César.
It's time I introduced myself.
My name is Serge Duvernois. I represent Life Extension.
We met...
...150 years ago.
What?
-Has the world gone mad? -There is no world.
It's all in that gentleman's mind.
Including you and l.
Sure! Shall I thump you to see if it hurts?
Try it.
They can make you disappear right now, like everyone else.
-And who are "they", may I ask? -The company.
Life Extension.
They know everything we're saying.
They even know what is going through César's mind now,...
...an instant after he thinks it.
If they can make me disappear, why haven't they done it?
It would be virtually incorrect.
You've just saved his life.
Virtually incorrect? Do you think I'm an idiot or what?
No, quite the opposite. You're a great guy.
A character who is very necessary for César.
A character?
-Where are you going? -To look for someone.
There is no one.
People aren't necessary now.
Why didn't you wake me before?
You only had to ask.
But that was difficult,...
...because, in theory,...
...you couldn't know you were dreaming.
Since when?
Remember the day of the discotheque?
That night, when you fell asleep on the sidewalk,...
...was the one chosen for the splice.
-What splice? -The splice...
...between your real life andyour virtual life.
A splice of 150 years which you didn't notice...
...becauseyou were dead, and frozen.
From when you woke up,...
...nothing was real.
We wiped what really happened from your memory.
What was it?
You never saw Sofía again.
And the doctors were never able to rebuild your face.
You woke up on that street with an awful hangover.
You shutyourselfaway for months.
One dayyou learned that we existed.
You came to the office, you signedthe contract,...
...andthen,...
...you killedyourself.
Ipaid for this?
I paid for Nuria to come back as Sofía?
I paid to look like a monster again?
I paid to live this nightmare?
You paid to live whatever you wanted.
We just provided the setting and the characters.
You invented your hell.
I tried to warn you in that bar.
I said it all depended on your mind.
Do I just have to want it?
-Can Antonio come... -There's no one here.
They can't have made 4 million people disappear!
You've overcome your fears.
If you want, we can try again,...
...have you live a wonderful dream,...
...with money, friends, Sofía, or whatever girl you want.
You just have to ask.
I don't want more dreams.
It isn't a dream!
César, listen to me.
This is real. This man is a sham.
Let's go down and look for people.
Ignore him. It's logical for him to behave like this,...
...but he doesn't feel anything.
I don't feel anything?
I don't feel anything? What do you know about what I feel?
Ignore him, he isn't real.
Yes, I am real!
I've got a wife, and two daughters.
His personality is designed so that he'll say all this now.
Where are my daughters?
-God! -César...
We can offer you another possibility.
In 1997, it was impossible to rebuild your face.
But out there it's the year 2145.
You wouldn't believe the things surgery can do.
You could wake up...
...and live in the future like a normal person.
In the future?
You have to choose.
How could I wake up?
How would you wake from your worst nightmare?
No, César, don't listen to him!
Your partners set this up!
-They want you to kill yourself! -He's done that.
Now it'll just be a formality.
I'm going to do it.
Very well.
Do you have any wish before you...
...die?
Let them out there read my mind.
Who are you?
I don't know.
Don't keep suffering. It's all in your head.
It's all psychological.
Come on, César.
-What will happen to them? -Don't prolong this farewell.
You think they're your friends, but they're just images.
That man isn't really crying.
I forgot, I get vertigo.
Then don't look.
Good-bye, César.
Relax.
Open your eyes.