Maroa

EVERY 24 HOURS, 3 CHILDREN DIE A VIOLENT DEATH IN VENEZUELA.

BETWEEN 1999 AND 2003, 40,000 PEOPLE DIED VIOLENTLY.

THIS FILM IS DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS

WHO ARE FIGHTING TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF VENEZUELAN CHILDREN.

THIS STORY IS FICTIONAL.

ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL LIFE IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

- Hey, China. - Hey, Maroa.

St. Jude Thaddeus, saint of desperate cases!

St. Mark, to tame wild animals!

Three for a thousand!

Three for a thousand!

Three for a thousand! Three for a thousand!

Girlie.

What you got there?

How much?

Three for a thousand.

One for 500.

That's too much.

- Make me an offer. - 400.

All right.

Our Lady! Jose Gregorio Hernandez!

Our Lady!

Jose Gregorio Hernandez!

Three for a thousand.

- On account? - No, sir.

Three for a thousand! Our Lady of Mt. Carmel!

Three for a thousand!

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel!

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel!

Go on, buy one, lady.

Some other time, thanks.

I PAINT IN ORDER NOT TO KILL

Hello?

I can't buy anything off you, I've got no money.

Business is really bad.

Send in the boys if you like, but I've got no money.

I can't do anything else. No money.

Can't afford to pay your Colombian?

You vote for that dancing, singing TV president of yours

and things just get worse.

Hey, Maracucho.

Hey, Maroa.

Got anything good for me?

Gorgeous girls for 4,500.

Same old stuff as usual.

Got anything new?

This is real good stuff.

It'll cost you 7,000.

You've got a nerve, Maroa. I'll give you 5,000.

7,000.

Okay, 6,000 and you know you're ripping me off.

- Here. - 7,000 or you miss out.

See you, Maracucho.

Take care.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel!

Don't go off again or I'll thrash you!

Three for a thousand!

Ladies and gentlemen!

Gather round now. The Great Brigida will now astound you.

Tell my fortune.

Here's a young lady wants her fortune told.

All right, but to demonstrate

my powers to you I'm going

to read this girl's ID number blindfolded.

Let somebody else hold her ID card

and you'll see I always get it right. Now, let's see...

Quiet, please. Any sudden noise could distract the fortune-teller.

Pay attention now.

I see...

to start with I see a 2 and an 0

on this girl's ID card. Another 2--

253-- no, no, 257.

2, that's another 2... and another number twice.

33. That's 20257233. Is that right?

Yes! That's the number!

Wait a minute.. The spirits tell me

that this girl is 11 years old. Is that right?

But the ID number tells you that!

The spirits also tell me

you never knew your mother

who had you at 14 and gave you to your grandmother,

who's a grand lady. Is that right?

Speak up. Let everyone hear.

Yes, it's true.

Want to know when you'll marry and have kids?

Then put some money

in the box here

to show your appreciation.

What else do you want to know?

I've had this gift since I was three years old,

when I foresaw my own mother's death.

She died in an accident 3 days later.

30, 40, 50, 60,

70, 80, 90,

110, 130, 150, 200--

Freeze, kid. Hand it over or I'll plug you.

Take the money but don't hurt me.

- Carlos! Stupid! - Take it easy, Maroa.

I was only playing.

Did your grandma take the rest?

She didn't take anything!

Fine. Don't be like that.

So.

You know what? I'm rich today.

I'll buy you a burger and we'll do some business.

Come and live with me. Everything I have is yours.

Nothing but the best for us.

I'll buy you a Big Mac.

They give you toys with a meal.

Sure, but a Big Mac fills you longer.

You're too big for free dolls. Come on.

They say Wendy's are square.

And the fries are bigger.

Quick, Maroa, run!

Maroa!

Run!

False alarm. Always the same. They go off by themselves. Come on.

I was waiting. Can I help?

No, thanks.

Come on, Lia. Stop being silly. We need to talk.

Let's have a drink.

Where's your pride?

Don't do this, Joaquin.

We already talked. It's just no good.

Because I'm the bad guy or because there's a new director?

Sure, his own place in Vienna, dollars, international fame.

- He's got everything. - Well, yes.

I do see him.

But for other reasons too.

He's normal for a start.

Not a Spanish neurotic like you.

Shit!

What a perfect day!

IF YOU CHANGE, VENEZUELA WILL CHANGE

Judging,

condemning, giving up, failing.

All excuses!

Christians don't make excuses!

Christians are people who want progress not pretexts.

You were a gift from God the moment you were born.

- Alleluia, brothers! - Alleluia!

- In his name. - Alleluia!

Amen!

Who wants to bear witness? Bearing witness is salvation.

I do!

Forward, brother. Glory be.

Glory be to God.

Thank you, brother.

The only truth is here, brothers.

The only weapon against evil is here.

Evil is among us.

I was one of its servants.

I was a sinner, a slave!

Till the Lord spoke to me.

Alleluia!

The word of God!

Alleluia!

And the Lord said to me,

"Thou shalt do honour to thy name."

"Ezekiel art thou called

and with this sword thou shalt enforce my word."

- Alleluia! - Alleluia!

- Alleluia! - Alleluia!

- Alleluia! - Alleluia!

Come and move in with me.

You're crazy, Paperhead. Are you out of your mind?

Where the fuck were you?

Out of my mind enough to give you beers on account.

Where did you get this?

You've been with Carlos, I know it!

You think I don't know you've been with him?

I'd rather have you a whore than a thief.

I'd rather have that.

What did I take you in for?

To bring back stolen goods here?

And bathe, I'm sick of telling you.

- Stop, Grandma. - Shut up!

Stop, Brigida, you'll hurt her.

- Keep out of this, dammit! - Stop!

How much did you make?

She won't hit you any more.

How do you know?

Let's see what you made today!

Give it here.

What's this, girl!

How many mags did you sell?

Three.

And religious prints?

Two Our Lady of Mt. Carmel,

one Jose Gregorio Hernandez.

You see? You see?

She never makes an effort.

Take this for those beers.

I just didn't like what you said in there.

We'll settle up now

or you'll think you're entitled.

That's what I like about your grandma.

She's so sweet.

That's a load of crap. What about the stuff?

Delivery tomorrow night.