Saint George (São Jorge)

In late 2011, the troika bailout program arrived in Portugal.

Portuguese debt levels had reached their highest ever,

with a record number of families and businesses

unable to repay loans.

This situation made the market for debt collection agencies

grow quickly in Portugal.

In a fully legal manner,

they bought debts that creditors had lost hope of recovering.

While strategies varied,

companies sought to coerce debtors through intimidation.

Recouped money belonged to the agency.

Employees received a percentage of collected money.

"I will go clothed and armed

"with the weapons of St George.

"Though they have feet, my enemies will not catch me.

"Their hands will not touch me.

"Their eyes will not see me.

"Not even their thoughts can harm me.

"St George, pray for us."

SAINT GEORGE

I'll try to pay in a couple weeks.

- I can't before. - Help me to help you.

Fine, but I need help first.

Which bills first?

I can't pay any now.

- Maybe in two weeks. - Then I'll have to come back.

- So be it! - That won't make me happy.

You'll have to.

Production has halted. We don't have any purchase orders.

Trucks, machinery, everything's at a standstill.

- Which invoice will you pay first? - Wait a couple weeks.

- That's too long. - I can't do better.

I'm here to help both of us out of this situation.

Maybe in a couple weeks I can pay something.

- The smallest sum in a week. - One week!

Forget it.

TWO MONTHS AGO

- Good morning. - Hi.

Get out of here.

Get out of here.

Got any cash?

Let me sleep.

Close the damn door!

You woke your dad!

Salvador!

Salvador!

Susana!

Susana!

- Your sister's here? - She's at Walter's.

Susana!

Susana!

I'm looking for Susana.

She's not here. What's up?

Really not here?

What do you want?

It's about money. Where is she?

She's working.

- Where should she be? - Yeah, but where?

Every day a different place.

Now she's doing overtime at Centuria.

They didn't give me that loan I needed.

Cátia, give me a hand!

Money is bought and sold.

- Nothing new. - Bad times.

They don't arrest them.

The worst steal from the inside.

Outside, the poor grab 20 cents...

They are all uneducated in the yellow neighborhood.

Same for both whites and blacks.

- Also gypsies in the blue neighborhood. - All social housing.

Most don't even know what a home is!

It's the same in the pink neighborhood.

I'm not racist, but I don't get along with them.

They keep telling us to integrate the gypsies into our society.

I say integrate me into them!

Now my building might close.

They will try a way so I have no means to get out.

Despite our efforts to meet with workers,

to present proposals to companies...

Time is running out. We're in a fragile situation.

Desperate, really desperate.

Sir, you must not realize our situation.

Maybe you don't have our same troubles.

We haven't been paid in six months.

We're in a difficult situation.

The state of our current situation is

the union presented us other issues.

We workers met with the trade union.

We sort of reached an agreement.

Salaries will be cut, as much as possible.

But we'll work an extra hour per day

to increase productivity.

This will lower costs and produce more.

We didn't get chips, Dad.

We'll come back tomorrow.

Let's call Mom when we get home.

It's late. Tomorrow.

Mom told Walter we're going to Brazil.

Will you come?

When did she say that?

Yesterday.

Go to sleep.

She said the factory closed down.

She said you're too poor to help.

Jorge!

You have waited so long. Something will turn up.

Times are tough. You must go to the job center.

You must look for a job.

But where?

There's no work.

All the old factories are gone.

Jorge!

Did you weigh in?

You're the champ.

You know how to fight. He's a rookie.

You're not in the best shape,

but we believe in you.

We believe in you.

You're great.

Great.

You're the greatest.

The greatest.

The greatest, right?

Let's go.

More on the nose.

There.

Warm up well.

OK?

Punch him, Jorge!

Look alive!

Push him to the ropes. The fucking ropes!

- Are you OK? - Let's go.

Where's the kid?

What fucking kid?

Put all the gear in the truck!

- Luis, the kid? - He's not with you?

I left the kid with you, asshole!

Nelson!

Nelson!

Nelson!

Hey, dummy! I was calling you.

Your grandpa was looking. Me, too. You messing with me?

Hurry, let's go.

Move it!

What's up?

Nothing.

He was punching you.

It's called boxing.

Right?

Were you afraid he would bite me?

We don't eat each other.

No.

Say it.

- Humans don't eat humans. - And?

Hit my arm.

No, no.

Hit my arm.

Hard.

Harder.

Like a man, go on.

Now in the face.

Hard.

Like this.

Think it hurts me?

So what the shit?

I need money, you need money. Everybody does.

But being a punching bag isn't cool.

He doesn't train enough.

It's not worth going on.

He really needs to train more.

He'll give us and the gym a bad reputation.

What I said in the corner is my opinion.

It's my opinion, but...

When he really boxed, yes. Not now.

You guys don't know him.

You know, the other day I was leaving the factory.

I saw two Brazilian mongrels.

One says to the other, the one with the messy hair:

"I was filthy rich in Brazil.

"I had a 1000-acre estate, a cook, a chauffeur..."

That guy said I looked like his dead brother.

He showed me a photo and we were identical.

The guy kept talking and crying, tears streamed down his face.

He showed me the photo, and I said: "That's me."

I never saw that stuff before. It was weird.

I was curious, and he broke off a piece and offered it to me.

It's good stuff, he said.

- He made you pay? - No, he gave it like a friend.

- For free? - Yes, so I could try.

- To make you happy? - We're friends, he said.

Enjoy, he said!

Without asking for money?

Not at all! They wanted us to enjoy.

But normally people pay for a hit.

Of course, people buy it.

It costs a lot of money.

We get started for free, then need more and more.

Even for a minimum wage of 500, I wouldn't go to work.

I wouldn't go!

Most only make 130, 140 euros.