Mom.
CARLOS PALACIOS'S HOUSE
I'm going to the market, and I'll be right back.
You're not going anywhere.
I know what you're planning, and I'm not letting you go.
I'm not asking you for permission.
I'm not going to live here anymore, and you can't stop me.
You don't care about abandoning me.
But I'm warning you, Master Simón said you can't leave here,
- that you can't go out anymore. - He can't do that.
Dionisio, when will you understand? You're not free.
You can't do whatever you feel like doing. You have to stay here.
I'm never going to understand it.
Matea!
Run, hide.
Hide.
Matea!
- Where is that black bitch? - Matea isn't here, Master.
Where...
is...
Matea?
She's at the market, but what do you need, Master?
You're hiding her.
You're covering her up.
No, Master, I swear I don't know where she is.
Master, I don't know.
Bitch!
Liar!
Fucking bitch! Liar!
It was Matea's fault!
She opened her trap and fucked me over.
Oh!
Bastard.
Go, my son, go now.
No, Mom, let's all go.
Let's go live a life without masters, without this.
Look at me.
All I know is life with the Bolívars.
But you can still leave.
You can be free, my son, go.
Oh, I can't leave you alone.
I need to go find Mistress María Antonia.
As soon as he comes back, he's sure to kill us.
- Go. - Run, my child, run. Be free, run.
Go.
Why aren't they here? We said two-o'-clock.
There they are.
Let's go.
Are you sure no one followed you?
- I'm sure. - Let's go.
What do you mean, he left? I was very clear that he couldn't go.
We didn't realize when he left.
I don't believe you.
Hipólita.
Why did you let Dionisio leave?
What happened?
We have to get her out of here, so let's take her to my house.
Matea, please, get someone to help us put her in the carriage.
Yes, Mistress.
Who did this to you? Was it Carlos?
Don't you dare ever touch Mama Hipólita or Dionisio again.
Never again,
or you'll regret it.
Mama Hipólita. How dare you?
Comparing my sister to that fucking black bitch.
She's not a person! She's nothing!
They're my people
and I swear, if you...
Don't you dare threaten me, you shitty little brat,
or you'll never see those negroes again.
Out, get out of here!
OK, but I don't believe it about our not being ready yet.
No, we're not.
We're not, don't get so upset about it, but it's not the right time.
Then, when is the right time?
I don't know.
I believe in an education, you know, a different kind of education,
an education for which families, the city, society aren't ready for yet.
The schools themselves aren't ready.
They don't want it and I'm not going to stop, I need to keep forging ahead.
But you're saying that because a mother donated a chair,
and I've seen how happy those children are.
Completely happy. You read to them, they work.
Listen, children are one thing. Families are another.
There has to be team work.
It doesn't work if in school, we're doing one thing,
and then at home, people say bad things about it.
It doesn't work, but it's not just education.
It's the city we live in.
It's this whole fight for independence.
All this. We're not ready.
And are you...
ready for me? Are you ready?
Of course I am.
I'm ready for your sweetness.
Simón.
What's going to happen to us after Thursday?
After a few months?
A few years?
I don't know.
It's important to me.
I need to know.
I need to know what you're thinking, what you're dreaming of.
Because I'm dreaming.
I see myself holding your hand,
yes, walking in a Venezuela that's completely free,
in an independent republic, but with you.
Like that.
I'd like that, too.
You can't leave.
Your mother always said that we're brothers.
We grew up together and we’ll always be together.
I'd never sell you. Not you or Matea or Hipólita.
Simón.
Dionisio, my slave, wants to leave.
He's made up his mind. He's desperate.
I tried to convince him not to go,
but he wouldn't listen to me, I couldn't do anything.
I didn't want to talk to you like this, but I'm your master.
You're my slave, and you have to do whatever I say.
Obey my orders.
I order you to stay here in the house
with me, with Hipólita, with Matea.
Dionisio.
SIMÓN RODRÍGUEZ'S HOUSE
Mr. Palacios, hello.
Professor Rodríguez.
I came to pay the fees
that I owe you for tutoring that boy.
I hope you're not tired of him yet.
When you say the boy, you mean the young Bolívar, of course.
Well, I'm not tired of him. I have to admit
that he has turned out to be slightly more difficult than I anticipated.
If I had known this would be such a challenging undertaking,
maybe I would have charged you double.
Well, I'm not going to pay you even a cent more.
Sir, I hope at least...
that the boy has learned something.
What can I tell you?
The young man knows little, but what he does know, he knows well.
- And is he here? - No, he's not here.
He's at school, I imagine.
Oh, you're not sure.
How could I be? Go figure, the young Bolívar says
that he's going to school, I imagine he's there.
As soon as I get there, I'll confirm it, and if he's not, I'll have to tell you
that the boy escaped.
I'm not asking any more. I've done my job by paying you on time.
Next month, I'll stop by again around this time.
Fine, I'll give him your warm greetings.
Please don't.
Sir.
Do you have some sort of problem with me? Are you following me?
Relax.
If you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.
The children's parents came for them.
They said this school was for reading, writing and arithmetic,
and that they didn't agree with the education the children were getting.
Too bad for them, no?
But look how my chair came out.
After this, I could even make a desk.
Well, at least you learned something.
The rest...
I'm sure they'll be back. They're not that dumb.
They're not.
Their parents...
I don't know.
Intelligence is also the ability to adapt to new things,
and I don't see much of that around here.
Well.
I really think this is it for the school.
Where are you going?
To see the world, to go on with my life.
Look, I thought that we were ready. I thought this was ready.
But apparently, that's not true. I have to go.
What? No.
You have a contract to teach me.
That's true. I think I fulfilled it.
I was hired to open that mind.
I think I accomplished that, at least in part.
Simón, you already built your chair.
Now, promise me that you're going to sit there to think.
Promise me that if some day you sit there and give orders,
you'll do it thoughtfully.
I promise.
And María Luisa?
- He who falls in love... - Loses.
All the books there are yours.
- But they're your favorites. - No, and they still are,
but I've already read them. It's better for you to read them now.
- Can I walk with you? - It would be an honor, Mr. Bolívar.
Help me with something.
My esteemed and dearest María Luisa,
if you are holding this letter, you must already know I've gone.
One needs to know when the time is right to go.
This was my time.
I admire your strength, your courage, and your fearlessness.
I don't think I will ever find another woman like you.
I hope you find a man who deserves the sweetness of your kisses,
the sincerity of your gaze.
I know these are difficult times.
I'm not sure that what we planned was the right thing to do,
but I can't stop that enthusiasm, and I don't know what the future holds.
Thank you for giving me these months of togetherness.
a desire to live.
Be happy.
Everything in this house is yours, but please know, I don't think that with this,
I'm paying for anything or reimbursing you for anything.
Your eternal and unconditional admirer.
Professor, why do you need to leave? Why are you going to abandon the cause?
- Are you running away? - No, I'd never run away, Bolívar. Never.
I've been followed for a few days. Someone turned me in.
I don't want...
for anyone else to be hurt just because I'm being followed, OK?
- But do you still believe? - Of course I believe.
I believe deeply in the cause.
but I'm also convinced that we're not ready.
It's not the right time.
- Then tell them that. - I did. They don't want to listen.
Listen, if I stay here, I'll be more of a bother than anything else.
And what am I going to do?
I'm not going back to school without you.
I'm telling you, Bolívar, you should stick with your estates and make yourself rich.
I don't know if you're interested in that.
Or becoming a priest...
or a soldier, I don't know.
Although, believe me, I was raised by a priest
and I don't think that would be a good option for you.
A soldier? Like my uncle or like Juan Vicente?
Not necessarily, because you,
you have a head for much more,
and you could become not just a soldier, but a great military and political leader.
What I'm telling you is to go deep, like Emilio, understand?
He didn't have that much knowledge,
but what he did know, he really knew well.
Because he didn't know anything just halfway.
All right, you read it, good.
Exactly. What I'm telling you is to go deeper.
You've already opened your mind. Now go and learn geography,
biology and strategy. Study that in depth.
But that's just my advice.
You must know already what you need to do.
Bolívar, this is as far as you can come with me.
Thank you very much.
Will I see you again?
I don't think so,
but believe me, I'll find a way to hear about what you're doing.
And what's more, I'm sure I'll be hearing about you.
I'm sure we'll see each other again.
PORT OF LA GUAIRA
What's wrong? Are they looking for conspirators?
There are rumors again. Name?
Samuel Robinson Crusoe.
Go on.
Buddy.
Pleasure to meet you.
I don't understand why Professor Rodríguez left.
He was here from the start...
and he left like it was nothing.
SIMÓN RODRÍGUEZ'S HOUSE
It's like he betrayed so many.
You, me,
- the brothers in the cause. - I understand how you feel, but...
but don't say that, it's not true.
On the contrary, the professor was always very clear.
He didn't betray us. He simply made a decision like any other human being.
And he also did it because he didn't want to ruin what was coming.
All right, then,
I want to know what's coming. I want to participate,
move forward...
I don't know, do something, not let the dream die because...
- Yes, I know. - In fact, we should.
We should, and you'll do it.
But everything has its moment.
Everything happens when it's supposed to happen.
We need patience...
prudence...
wisdom.
If you do all that,
you will be a great man, Simón Bolívar.
SAINT CHARLES DUNGEON
Thank you.
Don't worry. They took the others last night.
And that guy is more dead than alive. We can talk.
All right.
If everything continues like this, tomorrow we'll have
a good number of arms in order to start our much-needed revolution.
That really is good news. How many men do we have?
Well, I don't know, 50?
It's always hard to tell, maybe more.
But people who believe in our cause? There are hundreds.
Yes, we've been giving them information.
We tell them about their rights and more and more join us every day.
It's very clear that they're against tyranny and all the king's helpers,
- and every day it gets worse. - We should be out there.
I spend every day and night thinking.
I have so many ideas that would be useful to...
Don't worry. Gual and I have good news.
In the corner.
What's that?
You're going to put on these outfits. We're going to leave in a little while.
You're going to wait for the changing of the guard, which takes place at night.
You call the guards and tell them to let you out.
Don't worry about anything. We've already arranged it with the guards.
I know you won't be going with us tomorrow, because the trip is very long,
but we swear to you, we're going to bring about liberty
and our people will have an independent republic.
And that will happen.
Wait.
- If we manage to get out, where do we go? - Don't forget.
Some friends of ours will be waiting for you.
They'll take you to a safe place. We'll all meet there.
- Perfect. - Let's go.
Guard.
Guard, we're ready to go.
Thank you.
Professor Rodríguez's departure dealt a severe blow to our plans.
- He turned out to be a coward. - No, that's not true.
He always thought that we weren't ready
to take on this moment, but he also made the decision to go
because parents took their children out of the school.
They were criticizing what he was doing, and that was raising suspicions.
But I want to remind you all that Professor Rodríguez
is a fervent believer in this cause.
What are we going to do?
Are we going to abandon our plans just because the professor left?
Absolutely not. Our plans are still firm.
I hope Miss Carmen is, too.
We need her to tell us when to start the work on the garrison,
so we can start to make a hole through which we can take out the weapons.
Don't worry, my mother is ready and completely committed to this.
And you?
- More determined than ever. - So am I.
All right, let's go over this again so there aren't any doubts.
So, on Thursday, I'll meet with my barber, with Captain Sánchez.
I'll wait for your signal, Leonardo.
I'll start to make the hole, and when I leave,
I'll give a signal to España and to Gual, and to you, Julio,
so that you can come with the cart where we'll load the weapons,
and you take them away.
We have to be very clear.
We can't make any mistakes.
All right.
Then, with Gual and España, we'll take the weapons to the designated place
- and then we'll have to split up. - Where are Gual and España?
They went on a mission at La Guaira. They'll be back at dawn.
- Everyone's ready. - One more thing.
What we're doing will scandalize the town.
The judge, his men and the entire army are going to be humiliated.
We'll have to stop meeting for awhile
to avoid suspicions and having them follow us.
If the information we've received is correct,
that band of criminals and traitors will try to make a move tomorrow.
I'm sure the information is correct,
unless they get some common sense and start thinking clearly.
They're going to find out what it means to cross
His Majesty the King and us, his loyal subjects.
We'll be ready, and I will be delighted to serve the Crown
- and eliminate those traitors. - Listen, Counselor.
Did you find out anything about that idiot Carlos Palacios? Did you follow him?
Yes, Your Excellency. We still don't have anything,
but we'll know which side he's on very soon.
When we finish with the conspirators,
I'll personally bring him down, plus his estate, and his entire family.
For the rest of his life, he'll regret having tried to cross me.
- Good morning. - Good morning. Adela.
Hi, do you like it?
- Let's see. Yes, it's very pretty. - I did it myself.
Oh, well, then, we're going to have to find a piece of cloth somewhere,
so I can make myself one just like it.
- Is everything ready? - Yes.
I want to get there early to check it out
and make sure we've no problems, no unexpected issues.
You're going to listen to Miss María Luisa and do whatever she says, OK?
Don't give her any trouble.
I'll come back for her when I'm done.
Here?
I was thinking of waiting for you near the garrison
- because Julio is here with... - No, I'd prefer it to be here.
The less activity there, the less suspicion.
All right.
Come here.
- Take care of my daughter. - Don't worry.
All right, then, let's go to the market square.
We'll buy some things, and that way we'll have them for when they get back, OK?
- Hello. - Hello. How are you? Two pineapples...
It's possible that here in the plaza...
- Why is the captain here? - ...there are more than two conspirators.
- Do you really think so? - You go over there,
listen to what they're saying,
and I'll wait for you here discreetly. Adela, discreetly.
I'll be back for this.
...so they'll lead us to where the others are.
As soon as possible.
Look.
You just give us the signal. We'll be ready.
- Don't worry, it will all be fine. - It had better be.
Thanks.
- Were you able to find out anything? - Yes.
He was with the counselor, the judge's lawyer.
That man scares me. He's the one who took the fabrics from Mr. Julio.
He said everything would turn out fine.
Let's go tell your father. That way, quick.
How is Hipólita doing?
She's very sad and hurt because Dionisio left.
- We need to take good care of her. - Don't worry, Mistress,
I'm giving her every healing cure.
Good.
By the way, where's Simón?
I don't know. When I woke up, he wasn't here.
But if neither the professor or Dionisio is here, where is he?
I'll go and look for him, OK?
That Simón never stays quiet. I hope he's not getting into trouble.
BARBER SHOP
We need for her to tell us when
to start the work on the garrison in order to
start making the hole through which we can take out the weapons.
Don't worry, my mother is prepared
and completely committed to this.
Have some, soldier. It's so hot.
Here, mister, have some water.
I'll bring you some more.
Passion of Christ, comfort me.
Good Jesus, hear me.
In your wounds, hide me from the evil enemy, defend me,
let me never be separated from you.
No.
Come over here, get in, please, get in here.
Are you ever going to tell me what they're planning?
Not now.
Hello, Captain, I'm here for our meeting.
Yes, of course.
I'll finish with this gentleman and I'll be right with you.
Then I'm going to leave this over here, if you don't mind.
One moment, you have to look traitors in the face.
At what point did you, you bastard, think that I was a damn traitor like you?
Long live the King!
Just a moment! You're not going anywhere.
Continue with the plan. Start making a hole in the wall.
Meanwhile, we're going to wait for the rest of the traitors to arrive.
Start digging!
What are you doing, man?
If you move, I'll kill you!
If you shoot, you'll kill him!
What are you doing? What are you waiting for? Shoot him!
- Let's go. - Wait.
Honey, no, Adela.
Adela, no, please, this is serious. It could get worse.
You have to trust me, please.
Adela, don't worry.
Excellency, this is the mark of all the traitors!
Arrest everyone who has this on their lapel, immediately!
Now, right away!
I have to go tell Adela.
You're going to regret having tried to kill me, you bastard.
Listen, they're going to arrest anyone who has ribbons. Take them off.
Take it off.
Thank you for telling me, and please, go, now.
- Go! - Now!
- What happened? - The captain betrayed us.
My mother, I have to find a way to warn my mother, please.
Don't worry, I'll warn her, OK? But leave now. Go.
- Yes, let's go now. - No, I have to go help him.
Listen to me. If you don't stay with us
and if you don't stay here quiet with me, they'll shoot us all.
- Come on, trust me. - Get moving, now.
- Run. - Save the girl.
Joaquín isn't getting out of this. I'm staying. You don't know me, OK?
- Now, go. - Julio, we'll wait for you.
- How are you, Your Excellency? - Thank you, Captain.
Your loyalty to His Majesty and to me will be amply rewarded.
Let's go, Excellency, let's go.
BARBER SHOP
Come on, Adela, come on, please, come on.
Come on, keep going.
- Adela. - No, my father!
Adela, breathe. Adela, look at me.
Breathe. Let's sing.
Come here.
As a united people, let's rise up
With our heart we will fight
- With our soul, we will sing - Come here and look.
- We won't stop till we win - Come to the window, come and look.
For the teachings of our grandparents
We will yell out for our rights
- Take a good look at this traitor's face. - He will hear our prayers
- Long live the king! - Long live the king!
Of my ancestors
And this is the force That cries out in my chest
Emancipation
- Long live the king! - Long live the king!
Take a good look at this traitor's face...
because he and his followers will have to pay.
- Long live the king! - Long live the king!
- Long live His Majesty the King! - Long live the king!
This is your lucky day,
because your friend, the traitorous tailor,
is going to die, but you...
You have the option to speak
and spend the rest of your life in a dungeon.
I want the names of all the traitors,
mixed race, mestizos, creoles, everyone.
I don't know anything.
Names, I want names.
Names!
Miss Carmen.
Have mercy, for God's sake.
You're under arrest for insurgency and treason against King Charles IV.
Take her away.
No, where are you going?
For now, it's better you don't know.
This is just a stumble,
but the revolution has to triumph.
You say it just like that
because you haven't lost anything or anyone.
You should go far away.
As far as you can.
What are we going to do?
We're going to go somewhere to hide for a while: La Rochela.
Everything will be fine.
Whenever I misbehaved, my father told me he was going to send me there.
You see?
That's why, when your father gets out of there,
he'll come find us.
My father isn't coming back. They're going to kill him.
Let's go.
Everything's going to be fine.
Stop him.
Sir, ma'am, take that off. It's very dangerous.
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FROM SPANISH AMERICA
Here's the traitor,
the one who will soon give away all his accomplices.
There won't be a single person in all of Caracas
or in the entire military district...
who sympathizes with this cause...
who will be left unpunished.
They will all be judged.
All of them.
Take him.
In all, we've arrested 49 creoles and 31 whites
for insurgency and crimes against His Majesty.
Really? And how many more escaped? Imbeciles.
The tailor did more with his scissors than all the armed soldiers that were there.
- It was for your safety, sir. - Well, at any rate,
we will try the fugitives in absentia.
Gual, I need to breathe.
Yes, there was someone else there who left before we got there.
It was Professor Rodríguez.
Yes, a free-thinking professor,
a friend of Mr. Carlos Palacios.
We saw him go to his house and offer him money
so he would tutor his nephew Simón.
I knew that pig couldn't be trusted.
Yes, you were right, Your Excellency.
Do you want us to arrest him?
No, they're landowners, and it's different with them.
They're very close to the King and they can ask him whatever they want.
And if you arrest him,
he'll deny it all, squealing like a pig on his way to the slaughterhouse.
No, just leave it.
He needs more from us than we need from him,
but I can guarantee you his punishment will be long
and will hit him where it hurts the most.
Sir, we'll have the cacao harvest soon,
and it's wise to take it to the port as soon as possible
to fulfill our contracts.
- And is there a problem? - There's no problem, sir.
I just want to let you know that we need to have the documents in order,
the customs permits, and that takes time.
Don't worry about that. You don't have anything to do with that.
Sir, I also wanted to tell you that I need more workers
because the slaves I have can't produce enough.
No, not that.
We're not hiring more people.
Sir, this is the best harvest we have,
and if I have more workers, I can get it out sooner.
Fine, we'll get it out sooner, but with the same workers.
So why don't you stop wasting time here, and go back to the plantation?
I'm going to hand over Simón to the army and I'll go to the plantation.
I hope to find it in better condition than how my sister left it.
Boss, when would that be?
What do you care? Go.
Excuse me.
What's making you look so worried?
Everything that happened today and that will happen after the trial.
Don't think about that anymore.
I need to talk to Professor Rodríguez,
- so he can tell me why they weren't ready. - We were.
- Us? - Yes, the landowners.
Or did you see anyone else in the movement?
No.
You see? That's what I meant.
Only when we're all in one united movement
will we be able to get the Spaniards out of here.
I can't imagine anyone like Uncle Carlos
or María Antonia and Juana in a revolutionary movement.
And don't let Uncle Carlos find out that you were near what happened today.
He won't find out.
Subtitle translation by: Ruth Kunstadter