Calle Malaga (Calle Málaga)

Tangier, in northern Morocco, has long been a land of immigration.

Only miles from Spain,

its status of international city, then of Spanish protectorate, made it a melting pot for languages and cultures.

Fleeing Franco, a large Spanish community settled there in the 1930s.

Some left, others remained, deeply attached to a land to which they feel they belong...

I'll take some cinnamon.

Khadija, I'll take some bread.

- Nice and warm. - Sure.

Here you are, dear.

This one's good.

Lovely.

This all right?

Goodbye!

Enjoy.

Good morning.

These look wonderful!

They’re sweet, very tasty...

Thank you, ma'am.

- Hello, Mohammed! - Hello...

You know, last week I had three with double-yolks.

You're lucky.

- How’s your family? - Fine, we're making do.

Life...

- How much? - Ten dirhams.

Ah yes, ten.

Half a kilo of tangerines.

MALAGA STREET

- Hi, boys! - Hello, Maria Ángeles!

Hello, my daughter.

- I'll take care of it... - Let me.

You must be tired from your trip.

It's not like I came from China.

Travel is always exhausting.

Airports, the lines, the people, the baggage...

I asked you to get rid of all this, Mom.

I'm going to,

but I haven't had time yet.

Come on. Freshen up and come have lunch.

You must be starving.

Yes?

No, I don't have a loyalty program.

No, I don't like that.

Yes, that's it.

Goodbye, dear.

What a pain.

- Hello Maria. - Hello.

Hello, Idder.

Hello, Maria Angeles.

Welcome back, Clara!

- It's been ages. - I've been very busy. How are you?

Fine, thank God!

Here. Awful!

Nothing but gossip.

Good for wrapping.

Want some warm almonds?

Sure.

Send some water up later, please.

Yes, of course.

Hassan, don’t forget the water. Ok?

Ok.

You know that frustrations can give you diabetes?

At my age, that's not good.

It's enough I have high blood pressure.

When will you bring the kids?

It's not a good time, Mom.

I'm still sorting things with Ignacio. You know that.

I'm just glad he took Sonia and Victor this week.

Yes, of course.

Anyway, I'm so glad you're here.

A year without you coming home is a lot.

You know I didn't have time. I'm swamped at the hospital.

If you were a nurse, you'd know.

I barely even see my children.

And you might've come to see us in Madrid.

You have no obligations keeping you here.

- Hello, Maria Angeles! - Hi, Larbi!

How are you?

Good and you?

- Fine. - Hello, Larbi.

I'm so happy to see little Clara again!

- How are you? - Good.

You look great.

Thank you.

No tocino de cielo?

No, thanks.

Hamid, bring a tocino. Quickly please.

Remember? As a girl, you gobbled them up!

I had to hide them to get you to stop.

Yes...

Eat it, ok?

- See you later! - Bye!

Shall I do your nails later?

No.

I don't feel like it.

But thanks.

You must take care of yourself, Clara.

You must not let yourself go.

You’re young, make the most of it.

Fine.

I'll take care of myself when I have time, ok?

You know what?

I'm going to indulge.

To die from.

- Did we have to come today? - She'll be so happy!

- You!? - Your mom in?

Yes!

Mom!

I just got in.

That's great!

My darling!

What a surprise!

You look beautiful. Have dinner with us.

Some other day.

- Plenty to eat, come in! - I just got in. Another day?

I cooked the anchovy tagine you like, come in!

- You know how she is. - When she cooks, you must eat.

Seriously?

I never asked anything from you!

Son of a bitch!

I never told you that. Never!

Because they’re your children too!

I've always made things simple for you!

Ok, fine! Fine!

Are you ok?

I need money, Mom.

I'm going to sell the flat.

But I thought it was a rental.

I'm talking about this flat.

You’re talking about my home?

I can't get by on 1,700 euros a month.

Since the divorce, things are bad.

Everything is too expensive. Food, clothes...

I found a bargain on the outskirts of Madrid.

I can get a transfer to a nearby hospital.

I’m going to buy, stop throwing my money away on rent.

I need to get my head above water.

And I need cash for the down payment.

How dare you come here after all this time

and talk such nonsense?

Come live with me in Madrid.

You’ll be able to spend time with Sonia and Victor.

Enjoy your grandchildren.

It's the right moment.

You say you don't see them enough.

Because you don’t bother bringing them to visit!

Stop it, Mom!

You know how complicated it's been the last few years.

You know it!

Travel costs money.

And making money is tough for me.

Hard to grasp since you never worked in your life!

I know! At the Cervantes box office, 50 years ago!

I'm talking about a real job.

If you move to Madrid, everything will be sorted.

I'm not leaving Tangier.

I was born here.

And I will die here.

I was sure you'd say that. I knew it.

And you won't sell my home!

Your home? They're walls, Mom.

Only walls!

Dad bought this place for a song.

But now it's worth some money.

All this space and you're always in your corner!

You don't even have money to maintain it!

I'm sorry, Mom. But the flat is in my name.

Dad did that to make it easier if there was a problem one day.

It was a difficult decision,

but it has been made.

Good morning, Mom.

You're not having breakfast with me?

It's ridiculous not to talk to me.

Where are you going so early? At least tell me.

Wait for me, I'll go with you.

For Sister Josefa, from Maria Angeles.

I don’t understand how she can do such a thing.

For forty years, I've lived in that house.

Can you believe it?

And she comes and tells me, just like that...

Without consulting me beforehand.

This last-minute visit

seemed strange to me...

It's true that José Manuel put the house in her name.

But he would never have imagined

that she could do such a thing.

Never!

Remember how she was as a child?

Sweet.

Always cheerful.

Full of smiles.

It’s as if she were someone else.

A stranger...

A bitter, dried-up stranger.

She backs me up against a wall.

So what do I do now?

No.

Don't rush to answer me.

In any case,

I'm sure you break your vow of silence in your sleep.

Where have you been, Mom? I was worried.