Last Images of the Shipwreck

Últimas imágenes del naufragio (1989)

I want to tell you part of my life.

It has to do with you.

Later I may...

not feel like telling it.

I'm a...

survivor,

and this is my story.

LAST IMAGES OF THE SHIPWRECK

How many of us will be the chosen ones?

Or have they already been picked out?

And here there are only those sentenced

to gloomy days,

to meaningless deaths,

to second-rate wakes with bored relatives who have long been expecting our death.

Where did we go wrong?

Where was the flaw?

How many in that car

would still believe in salvation?

A lottery ticket...

a great robbery,

a brilliant invention.

Oh God! Anything,

except that passiveness which led us to the slaughterhouse.

I begged for just a word.

To spark that great novel, which would save me from a death so certain,

so correct.

Why doing it?

Who told you I would?

You were too close to the edge.

How about some coffee?

Roberto.

Estela.

Instead of coffee...

couldn't we have something to eat, even pizza?

You know something?

I saw you coming and

for a second was afraid you'd push me.

You thought I'd kill you?

But you didn't do anything.

I bet you wouldn't do it.

Are you going to eat that?

No. Would you like some?

I'd take it for my kittens.

Sure, we'll tell the waiter.

Estela,

are you in some trouble?

No.

Life, like everybody else.

Do you work?

When I can.

Are you without a job now?

Not right now.

I found you.

You paid for my meal.

Don't worry. I know my obligations. We can leave now.

Where to?

Some hotel.

If you prefer your car, I don't mind.

So it was all a show.

You never considered jumping.

No.

I do it only when there are lots of men.

Someone always saves my life.

What if nobody does?

It's a bet.

Anyway, I could stop in time.

You believe?

It's a new take on the oldest profession.

Are you always so direct?

No.

Usually I don't waste my time telling this.

Somebody could kill me.

But with you...

I don't know.

I felt the need to tell.

I think you'll pay the bill and leave.

You don't want to sleep with me.

What do you do for a living? You look like a nice guy.

I'm an insurance salesman.

It's incredible.

Waiter! More wine. It's fabulous.

You find it fabulous that I fooled you?

You wouldn't understand it. It's destiny.

It doesn't matter,

you've got a client.

The best one you could find.

- Are you a sex maniac? - No, I'm a writer.

Didn't you say you sold insurance?

Yes, but truly I'm a writer. I write.

I'm interested in you.

Not in your body, exactly.

I can pay you for something very simple.

I do it with someone else while you watch? – That's not it.

I want to know about you,

where you live, your family...

your life.

I need material for a novel I'm writing.

You could be useful.

Will I be in it?

I don't know.

I need you to speak about yourself.

I knew I'd meet a nut someday.

I'd thought of

sex maniacs.

Sadists, rapists...

But I never imagined this.

A writer...

I have to go now.

When will I see you?

One of these days.

May I call you somewhere?

No.

Take this.

My office number.

Please call me.

Where do you live?

In a hotel nearby.

May I walk you there?

Better not.

Please call me.

I have to... start working on my novel.

Sorry, but...

how much do I owe you?

For today...

Nothing.

You paid for my meal

and saved my life.

Will you do it again?

Not today.

I knew that Estela had some key.

I didn't know then which door it would open

or where it would lead to.

But at least, in my life,

there was now a door.

RECORD ABOUT ESTELA

Hold back your emotions, Margarita, though the time has not come.

What we now need to be saved is

presence of mind.

Presence.

Hold back your emotions, dear Margarita, though the time has not come.

What we now need for everyone to be saved is presence of mind.

Hold back your emotions, dear Margarita, though the time has not come.

Ah, yes, my love, when we

belong each to the other,

my courage will be the greater,

my arm will be the stronger...

Who are you?

Do you think I lied?

Okay, I did.

But I only lied about one thing.

I don't live in a hotel,

but far away with my family.

Dad, Mom, brothers?

Mom, brothers.

Is your father... dead?

We're a family that has always been in movement,

but backwards.

In that sense, we're a model,

worse every day.

We lived in a suburb.

Dad had a small factory.

He made plastic things.

Then the bad times came and we were thrown out.

First we lost the house.

Dad bought a pre-fabricated one we'd been paying for 10 years.

We moved there.

One day we couldn't even pay for the prefabricated one

because we'd been cheated.

And the house cost twice what they had said.

One day, our Dad left.

To try his luck elsewhere, he said.

We never knew where.

When things got better, he'd come for us.

Some days we just ate bread and oil.

But when he showed up, it was a party.

He'd bring turkey and champagne,

talking about some great deal...

Seriously.

After starving for days we'd have turkey and champagne.

Not bad.

Then he'd leave again,

disappear for a certain time.

Now we haven't seen him...

for about a year.

You had a comedy in mind.

May I take you home?

Home...

Roberto...

Are you sure you want to come?

What's wrong?

I'll tell you later.

- An uncle and an aunt. - Have you quarrelled?

No, they're dead.

They died last year.

They always get on at this stop, the cemetery.

They're not the only ones.

Never mind.

Don't believe it.

Don't include that in your story.