PACU: My name is Pacu.
It's a brand new name, so I'm not used to it yet,
I'm trying to remember a story,
Sometimes I can, Sometimes I get mixed up,
Because there's another one stuck in my head,
It's about me, my brother, and a shirt in the wind,
The blood is starting to turn yellow.
[Flapping]
[Wheel creaking]
[Father yelling at oxen]
[Oxen mooing]
[Father yelling]
FATHER: Yah! Yah! Yah!
Yah! Yah! Yah!
[Whips with leaves]
Yah! Yah!
PACU: It's Pa who drives the oxen 'round the mill,
In Grandpa's time, the slaves did all the work,
[Yelling at oxen]
Now we do it.
[Yelling]
[Liquid dripping]
PACU: Tonio, my brother, crushes the sugarcane,
Ma gathers the scraps,
[Yelling at oxen]
Bring more cane, kid. Hurry up!
[Flies buzzing]
FATHER: Let's go, Blocky! Turn, turn!
PACU: Ma says God never gives us...
heavier burdens than we can bear,
But God keeps messing up,
He sometimes dumps such burdens on us, we all collapse,
[Yelling at oxen]
We live in Stream-of-Souls,
It's in the middle of nothing,
All we know is it's above the ground and below the sun,
It's so hot that it sets our hearts boiling...
like a pot of molasses,
[Flies buzzing]
[Fire crackling]
[Steam hissing]
[Liquid sloshing]
[Bubbling]
[Hissing]
[Raspy breathing]
[Whimpering]
[Gunshot]
[Footsteps]
[Gasps]
[Crickets chirping]
PACU: Tonio, I dreamed about Inácio again,
[Tonio sighs]
Go back to sleep now.
Go on, kid.
[Speaking Portuguese]
[Bed creaking]
TONIO: And now, sleep.
[Flame crackling]
[Wind blowing]
[Footsteps]
[Metal squeaking]
[Footsteps]
[Mill grinding]
Go on, go on!
[Father yelling at oxen]
[Footsteps]
[Shirt flapping in the wind]
[Footsteps]
The blood has turned yellow.
Tonio...
you know what you have to do.
Don't go, Tonio.
Your brother's soul isn't at rest.
He did what he had to do. It's Tonio's turn now.
Don't go.
[Falls to ground]
FATHER: Listen to me, kid,
Your grandfather, your uncles, your oldest brother...
all died for this land and for our honor.
One day, it could be you.
You're a Breves,
I, too, did my duty.
But it wasn't God's will that I die.
Tonio, you'll leave at daybreak,
And remember...
you're only to seek out your brother's killer.
Man to man, face to face.
[Crickets chirping]
[Footsteps]
[Birds screeching]
[Grass crunching]
[Ropes creaking]
[Insects buzzing]
[Birds chirping]
[Grass crunching underfoot]
PACU: Tonio will be walking over land that used to be ours,
The Ferreiras took it from us and we took it back,
Now it's theirs again,
That's how the feud began,
Pa says it's an eye for an eye,
One of theirs for one of ours...
and so on, until everyone ended up blind,
[Bird screeches]
In the land of the blind...
one-eyed people are said to be mad,
[Crickets chirping]
[Footsteps]
[Cows mooing]
[Insects buzzing]
[Footsteps]
[Woman humming]
MOTHER: May God consent, may it be God's will,
May the soul of Inácio, my first-born...
find peace alongside his own.
May each drop of his blood cost the enemy two.
May you, my son...
find the peace you never found among the living.
And watch over your brothers when their turn comes,
[Humming]
[Cows mooing]
[Rooster crows]
-MAN: We're going for water. -GU ARD: Yes, sir.
[Cows mooing]
MAN: Everything quiet?
GUARD: Yes, sir,
[Birds chirping]
[Cows mooing]
[Mooing]
[Milk hitting metal bucket]
Like this.
[Milk hitting metal bucket]
[Breathing quickly]
[Tapping]
Go outside, kid.
[Milking continues]
[Milking stops]
[Cow moos] [Cocks rifle]
For my brother!
[Heavy breathing]
[Men grunting]
[Breathing heavily]
[Grunting]
[Breathing heavily]
[Gunshot]
[Thump]
[Panting]
[Gulps]
[Man gasping and groaning]
[Gasping]
[Gasping stops]
[Exhales]
[Liquid gurgles]
[Muffled scraping]
[Hoofbeats]
[People singing reverently]
[Sobbing and praying]
[Sobbing]
[Singing]
[Praying]
[Metal jingling]
[Crickets chirping]
[Praying and talking]
[Man praying]
I won't pray for your grandson's soul, since he killed my son.
But I respect your suffering. It's the same as mine.
Today, ours is greater.
My son asks permission to attend the vigil...
to pray for the deceased's soul.
Afterwards, if you accept, he'd like to talk to you.
-Where is he? -Outside.
[Talking stops]
[Praying softly]
[Praying and talking resumes]
MR. FERREIRA: Thank you.
MAN: Good-bye, my friend.
[Clock ticking]
I prayed for the deceased.
I came to the wake and the burial.
Now, I'd like to talk to you.
I request a truce.
[Cane tapping]
[Drawer slides]
Grandfather, don't accord a truce.
[Cane tapping]
The truce is granted.
[Tonio exhales]
The same one your father granted to my grandson.
Until the next moon.
From one death to the next.
This is your guarantee until the full moon.
After that, when the blood turns yellow, it will expire.
How old are you?
Twenty.
Your life is now split in two.
The twenty years you've already lived...
and the short time you have left.
Have you ever known love?
You never will.
[Clock ticking]
Do you hear that clock?
Each time it ticks--one more, one more, one more...
it will be telling you...
one less, one less, one less.
[Clock ticking]
[Cows mooing]
[Footsteps]
[Wagon approaches]
Whoa.
Good morning.
Morning.
MAN: Do you know of a little village...
near here called Born Sossago?
It's over there. But it's not little.
MAN: It's not? What's this place called?
Stream-of-Souls.
So where's the stream?
Dried up. Only the souls remain.
What is your name?
-Kid. -WOMAN: What?
I don't have a name.
-What do they call you? -They just call me kid.
They call the kid "kid."
Kid!
Here, this is for you.
[Harness jingles]
Can you read?
No.
But I can read pictures.
[Wagon leaving]
Hey, kid!
Stay away from those vagrants!
[Hoofbeats]
[Ropes creaking]
[Bird screeching]
[Mother humming]
PACU: Ma thinks the bloodstain will come out,
[Humming]
But it won't come out,
[Water swishing]
[Humming]
FATHER: You did your duty, my son,
Now you have much to do before the next moon.
Crush the sugarcane and fix the roof...
in case it rains this year.
It never rains.
Then the raw sugar has to be sold in the village.
[Heavy breathing, leaves rustling]
[Groaning softly]
[Inhales sharply]
[Sighs]
PACU: That sounded like a bad dream, Tonio,
I tried to wake you up, but you didn't want to,
What are you doing up, kid?
Reading.
Where'd you get that?
A present.
From who?
The girl gave it to me.
What girl?
My friend, of course.
-You went into town alone? -PACU: No.
They were lost.
But not anymore. I showed them the way.
Hmm.
So what's that book about?
It's about everything.
[Tonio chuckles]
Something's wrong, kid.
-What's wrong? -It's upside down.
No, it's not. Want to bet?
It's the same this way...
or that way.
No difference, see?
You don't know a thing about books. Give it to me.
-PACU: It's her! -TONIO: Her? Who?
The girl who gave me the book.
She lives in the sea with the fish, the crabs, and the boats.
She'll take me with her.
She'll teach me the alphabet and all.
You don't believe me?
When I grow up, we'll get married.
-Has she been informed? -No.
It's still a secret.
[Father speaking to oxen]
[Wheels clattering]
[Wheels squeaking]
PACU: One day...
the mermaid comes up to the surface.
And she saw the tree, the cows, the mountains, and grass.
When she looked at the top of the raw-sugar house...
she saw the rooster with the mangy neck crowing for her.
[Crows like a rooster]
Ahh.
Wow, she really liked that!
And she also saw the sugarcane, the mill...
everything delighted her!
But the best part of all was when she saw the kid.
Are you still reading that book?
Can't you see it will hurt your eyes?
I'm trying to remember the story.
Sometimes I can, sometimes I forget.
Then just forget.
[Cows mooing]
MR. FERREIRA: Well?
It is beginning to change color.
It won't take long now.
No, it won't.
[Mr. Lourenco sighs]
[Rummaging in drawer]
[Clink]
You're the most important merchant in town...
but with all due respect, this isn't the right amount.
MR LOURENCO: No, It is the right amount,
But I gave you the usual quantity.
Steam power is bringing the price down. It's progress.
I think you should follow the example, Mr. Breves.
But Mr. Lourenco, we had an agreement.
There is no shortage of raw sugar!
[Singing and drumming]
[Children yelling]
[Man singing]
[Singing and drumming continue]
MAN: Come on up!
Come one, come all, if you want to watch...
the snake and the toad dance!
[Children cheering]
Everyone will come. Together we will go.
[Cheering]
Tomorrow night, no one will sleep.
No man, no woman, no child.
[Children cheering]
Come one, come all!
CHILDREN: To the circus!
[Drumming continues]
[Wheels rumbling]
Mr. Lourenco wants to decide other people's suffering.
[Leaves tearing]
[Chopping]
I saw her.
Who?
The mermaid.
Up on stilts.
On what?
She's in the circus.
Yeah?
They're bringing the circus to town...
with a fire-eater, a clown...
and a snake that dances with a toad.
-A snake with a what? -A toad.
Yeah?
[Mill grinding]
[Speaking to oxen]
Hey, are you daydreaming, kid? More cane!
Keep turning!
FATHER: Hurry up with that cane!
[Yelling] [Whip snaps]
[Ox eating]
Tonio.
I want to go to the circus real bad.
You think Pa will let you?
We're like oxen here.
We go 'round and 'round and never go anywhere.
[Door creaks]
[Sighs]
Let's go, kid.
You want to see the circus?
Hmm?
Then let's go.
[Fire roaring]
[Crowd cheering and clapping]
[Roar]
[Cheering]
[Roar]
See? I told you, she's hot stuff.
[Laughs]
[Fire roars]
[R oars]
[Fire roars]
[Roars]
[Cheering]
[Crowd cheers]
[Crowd cheers louder]
[Shouting and cheering]
CROWD: Fire! Fire!
[Crowd yelling]
[Crowd laughing]
[Chuckles]
I'll be damned! I'm toasted!
[Laughing]
[Crates thumping]
Salustiana, look who's here.
Hey! It's the kid without a name.
Anything's better than “Salustiana.”
[Equipment rattles]
My name's Clara.
What's yours?
That's Tonio, my brother.
Good evening.
Did you like the show?
I liked the fire best. You're really hot!
Holy shit!
I brought the book so you can remind me of the story.
It's late now.
SALUSTIANA: Hey, kid...
I'm going to give you a name. A name all your own.
What's your favorite animal?
Do you like birds?
He only likes sea creatures.
Oh, yeah? Then I'll name you Sardine!
Ha ha!
You bullshitting me?
We'll choose another name.
Pacu.
Pacu!
I've christened you,
You have a name now.
And I'm your godfather,
Hmm!
To celebrate your christening!
[Salustiana laughs]
[Crickets chirping] [Hoofbeats]
-PACU: I don't like it, -TONIO: What?
The name.
Pacu.
He's pulling my leg. Pacu is a kind of river fish.
Tonio.
Do you think they sleep together?
I don't know.
All I know is, he's your godfather now.
Pacu.
Pacu!
TONIO: Pacu!
[Tonio laughs]
TONIO: Pacu! Ha ha!
Cut it out, will you?
[Crickets chirping]
Where'd you take the kid?
Where?
To the circus.
Where?
The circus.
Go to your room, kid.
Right now!
[Sighs]
FATHER: Having fun at a time like this?
Have you no respect for our dead?
You should follow your older brother's example.
Don't worry.
I'll soon be like him.
Shut up.
Sorry, but I won't shut up.
[Breathes heavily]
-Shut your mouth. -No!
-Shut up! -No!
[Swings whip] [Father grunts]
-FATHER: Shut up! -TONIO: No!
[Swings whip]
-I won't! -Shut up!
[Flame roars, then sputters]
[Breathing heavily]
[Crickets chirping]
PACU: Tonio,
You have to go away.
[Crickets chirping]
Did you see his black armband?
Yes.
He won't be around much longer.
-What are you talking about? -It's true.
It's a family feud.
One side kills, then the other.
-How do you know? -It goes way back.
They're fighting for the land.
They'd rather kill than solve their problems.
Real fanatics.
It's like the two snakes I saw fighting.
Each was biting the tail of the other.
They ate each other up until nothing was left.
Nothing but a pool of blood on the ground.
They'll all be killed off.
Hmm.
I feel sorry for them. I really do.
Yah!
Stay in line! Keep it going, Slowpoke!
[Mill creaking]
FATHER: You're lagging!
Keep turning! Come on, Blocky!
Keep it going!
Come on, Slowpoke!
[Yelling]
[Snorts]
[Yells]
[Yells and whips oxen with leaves]
[Father yelling]
[Oxen snorting]
[Cogs creaking]
[Liquid dripping]
[Dripping slows, then stops]
[Oxen breathing heavily]
[Ox moos]
[Men grunting]
FATHER: Get up, Slowpoke!
[Ox moos loudly]
That's good, my ox.
[Hoofbeats]
Tonio!
The oxen are going 'round on their own!
[Yoke clatters]
[Birds chirping]
[Liquid pouring]
[Dishes rattling]
[People chattering]
[Dog barking]
Need some help?
I can always use help.
Especially if it's free.
[Thump]
Where's my godson?
At home.
Come for the circus?
Heh!
You'll have to wait till next year.
We're off to Ventura for the festival.
Ever been to Ventura?
No. I haven't been anywhere.
[Hoofbeats]
[Whip cracks]
[Wheels rumbling]
SALUSTIANA: Were you born dead or alive?
TONIO: What?
SALUSTIANA: Were you born dead or alive?
TONIO: Alive.
Well, I was born dead. True or false?
True, I'm afraid.
Ha ha!
Let me explain.
My mother almost died giving birth.
I was born purple--so purple they thought I was dead.
True or false?
They ignored me for two hours while trying to save my mother.
Then they decided to wash me so I'd look decent for the funeral.
As soon as I felt the cold water, I started howling.
As a result, that was my first and last bath.
No more baths!
And the second result: Nothing bothers me.
Anyone born dead has been through the worst.
After that, life's a breeze. No kidding!
So when it comes to water...
I don't even use it for drinking!
Ha ha ha!
Yuck! Let's go, Bootleg!
[Snaps reins]
[Harness jangles]
[Fire crackling]
[Bottle clanks]
[Fabric rustles]
[Salustiana sighs]
How long do you have?
Not long.
I'll go as far as Ventura, then I have to go back,
SALUSTIANA: Clara...
where are you?
[Footsteps]
[Wind blowing, leaves rustling]
[Door creaks]
In this house, the dead command the living.
MOTHER: Sometimes I wish Tonio wouldn't come back.
FATHER: Don't say that, woman.
MOTHER: Even the worst life is better...
than being slaughtered like an animal.
Look around you, woman.
What do we have left?
Nothing.
You see, we've already lost everything.
And if Tonio doesn't come back, we'll have lost our honor, too.
[Wheels rumbling]
SALUSTIANA: Let's go, Bootleg!
Come on, Bootleg!
Sleep well, young man?
PACU: The mermaid couldn't live on land...
because she had a fish-tail...
where her legs should be.
The poor thing couldn't walk.
[Chopping]
Even so, one day she got furious and jumped out of the sea!
She started fighting with snakes and toads.
Then, because she missed the kid so much...
she started puffing out fire and smoke.
[Chopping]
So the kid got on a tired old ox...
and galloped after the mermaid,
Do-dum, do-dum, looking for the mermaid.
He went through the woods, the cane fields...
and when he parted the last row of sugarcane...
he came upon the sea.
[Rapid footsteps]
And he found the mermaid.
Following in your brother's footsteps?
Think you can just take it easy around here?
PACU: Give me my book!
Give it to me!
Give me my book!
Give it to me!
GROUP: Die, you rabid dog!
Take that! To hell with the traitor!
Hah!
[Children shouting]
MAN: Don't tell me this shitty circus is still around,
What did you say?
MAN: You heard me,
-Shit what? -MAN: Circus!
-SALUSTIANA: Get out of here! -MAN: You lousy bum!
Ha ha ha!
Reginaldo. Come here!
Shitty things are impossible to get rid of. Like you.
You mean like you.
[Men laughing]
REGINALDO: Is that Clara?
Your stepdaughter?
Spitting image of her mother.
REGINALDO: How she's grown!
[Liquid burbling]
Do it right, kid. You're big enough now.
[People talking and clapping]
[Drum playing]
[Cheering and clapping]
Come, Tonio.
I'm going to show you something, Tonio.
Help me. Pull on the rope.
CLARA: Start turning,
Turn it faster, Tonio.
[Breathing rapidly]
Faster!
Even more!
[Clara yelling in Portuguese]
[Clara laughing]
[Clara laughing continues]
[Drums beating]
[People talking]
[Both breathing heavily]
TONIO: I'll never forget this...
or you.
CLARA: Neither will I, Tonio.
SALUSTIANA: Clara!
[Crowd chanting and clapping]
[Crickets chirping]
[Mill grinding]
[Father yelling at oxen, whips with leaves]
FATHER: Yah! Yah! Yah! Yah! Yah!
Whoa.
[Mill stops grinding]
Yah! [Whips]
[Mill grinding]
[Father yelling at oxen]
The shirt is almost yellow now.
It always turns yellow.
With your permission...
I could get the men together...
and wipe those Breves from the face of this earth,
MR. FERREIRA: I'll repeat this one last time,
Blood has the same volume for everyone.
You have no right to take more than the blood taken from you.
Otherwise, you'll pay twice-- in this life and in the next.
That's what my father taught me and his father taught him.
And that's how it'll be until I die.
[Liquid boiling]
I taught you how to fly with this, remember?
You were scared shitless.
[Both chuckle]
Tonio, today it's your turn.
Huh?
You take my place, I'll take yours.
No, I don't want to.
PACU: Just once.
[Ropes creaking]
[Laughs]
[Pacu laughing]
[Rope creaking]
[Tearing]
[Snap]
[Thud] TONIO: Ooh!
[Whimpers]
PACU: Tonio!
[Running footsteps]
Tonio. Tonio.
Huh!
[Both laughing]
You're too damn strong.
No, you just forgot how to fly.
[Both laughing]
[Mother laughing]
[Father laughing]
[Crowd cheering and clapping]
Let me, it's my turn! Ooh, it's hot!
[Crowd cheers louder]
Ha ha!
[Crowd reacts]
SALUSTIANA: Hey!
[Crowd clapping]
This is my favorite part of the show.
[Money rattling]
Ha ha!
Come on! Who's next!
Keep filling it! Fill it up!
[Wind blowing]
[Fire crackling]
[People talking]
You can't do this.
Anyhow, he's already dead.
But I'm not.
[Jingling]
[Footsteps]
It's turned yellow.
MR. FERREIRA: Is it really yellow now?
MAN: Yes, it's yellowed,
[Bird chirps]
You know what you have to do, then.
Yes, I know.
Tonio, you know the truce ends today.
From now on, it depends on the shirt.
Don't go too far from the house.
Stay close to me, And always carry the gun,
[Thunder]
[Bird chirps]
It's going to rain.
No, it's not the rainy season.
I know it's going to rain.
Tonio?
Pa took my book.
[Thunder]
I can't remember the story or the mermaid's face anymore.
[Sighs]
[Wind blowing]
The mermaid...
[Hinges squeak and slam]
Had a fish tail...
while the boy had toes, feet, and...
[Tonio sighs]
Aren't you going to sleep, Pacu?
I can't, Tonio. It's too windy.
[Sighs]
Then talk in silence.
OK.
[Wind whistling]
[Creaking]
Tonio.
[Wind blowing]
Clara...
I wanted to tell you I've left everything.
I'm heading east, to the coast.
You have the right to do it, too.
[Thunder]
[Rips]
[Thunder]
[Water dripping]
[Whinnies]
[Thunder]
[Rain falling]
[Water dripping]
I'll be waiting.
[Footsteps]
[Thunder]
[Horse whinnies]
[Ragged breathing]
[Crickets chirping]
[Footsteps]
[Ragged breathing]
[Thunder]
[Footsteps]
PACU: Now you know my story,
But I still can't remember the other one,
The mermaid, the ships—damn!
The kid couldn't find the mermaid...
no, it wasn't like that,
Damn,
It's the mermaid who came looking--yeah, that's it,
I think I'm remembering it!
[Pacu sobbing]
One day, the mermaid came and took him to live with her,
And he really liked that!
She turned the kid into a fish...
and took him to live in the east, at the sea,
In the sea, everyone wasn't dying all the time,
There was a lot of room for everyone,
In the sea, they lived so happily...
so happily, they couldn't stop laughing,
Ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha,
[Sobbing]
[Rustling footsteps]
[Thunder]
[Horse whinnies]
[Pacu laughing]
In the sea, they were so happy, so happy together...
they couldn't help laughing.
[Pacu laughing]
[Breathing heavily]
[Gunshot]
[Gasping]
[Sobbing]
[Hinges squeak, door slams]
MOTHER: Tonio!
Oh, God, not my son!
Not my son!
[Yelling in Portuguese]
[Crickets chirping]
[Sniffs]
[Birds chirping]
[Sobbing]
[Mother gasping]
[Father sobbing]
FATHER: They've killed the kid.
[Footsteps]
Get the gun, Tonio! Right now!
There's no truce, go avenge the blood!
Reclaim the blood of those pigs!
Go, my son! Reclaim the blood!
Immediately!
[Footsteps]
FATHER: What are you doing? The gun!
Where's the gun, Tonio?
Tonio!
[Running footsteps] Tonio!
Come back!
[Raspy breathing]
Come back or you'll die for the honor of the family.
[Gunshot]
It's over! Don't you see?
It's all over!
[Speaking Portuguese and sobbing]
[Gasping]
[Both crying]
FATHER: Oh, God.
Oh, my God.
[Grass crunching underfoot]
[Wind blowing]
[Waves crashing]
PACU: One day...
the mermaid took him to live with her by the sea,
[Waves crashing]