1939, THE NATIONALISTS WIN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR.
THE SPANISH REPUBLICANS LIVING IN THE SOVIET UNION
BECOME STATELESS.
THEY ARE TRAINEE PILOTS, SAILORS IN TRANSIT,
EXILED CHILDREN OF WAR.
THE USSR TAKES IN THE REPUBLICANS, BUT WON'T LET THEM LEAVE.
THEY VISIT EMBASSIES. THEY TRY TO ESCAPE.
IN A CLIMATE OF WAR AND PARANOIA,
THEY ARE ACCUSED OF TREASON, CONDEMNED WITHOUT TRIAL…
AND SENT TO WORK CAMPS.
WINTER 1941
KAZAKHSTAN
SPASSK-99 WORK CAMP
- To the right! Quick! - Come on! Hurry up!
Women to the left! Men to the right!
I said quick! Come on!
- Quick, come on! - Hurry up!
Get a move on!
Don't stop! Come on!
Come on! Move!
Don't stop! Come on!
Move!
Women to the left! Men to the right!
Quick!
- Come on! - Come on! Hurry up!
Women to the left! Men to the right!
I said to hurry!
Come on!
Hurry up!
Come on! Come on!
Get a move on!
Let's go!
Get over here! Get inside!
Get in single file! I said quick!
Take off your clothes! Take off your clothes!
Take off your clothes! Get back! Take off your clothes!
Take them off! Clothes off!
- No! - Belongings on the table!
What do you have there? What do you have there?
Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!
Belongings on the table!
Clothes off!
Quickly! Don't look me in the eye!
What don't you understand? Clothes off!
Belongings on the table! Put that here!
Faster!
Take it all off!
All of it! Everything on the table!
Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on!
Come on! Come on!
Closer!
Over here! Come on!
Number 289, Telmo Reyes.
Let's go! Come on! Come on! Come on, faster!
Number 297, José Muñoz.
Over here! Come on!
Number 295, Julio Hermida.
Number 290, Eladio Junqueras.
Come on! Come on!
Come on! Come on! Come on!
Number 291, Mellín Palau.
Why are you still standing there? Come on!
Come on! Come on!
Welcome, Spaniards.
There's space for you at the back.
Choose any bed.
And most importantly, don't make any noise.
Captain?
Find a spot.
H-How is a flock of sheep like…
…a Salamancan,
an Asturian,
a guy from Andalusia…
one from Galicia…
and one who comes from Catalonia?
They all focus on the field.
It's funny, huh?
Seriously, Barcelona?
Oh my God.
Listen, man, you better just… try to get some sleep, man.
Come on! Come on! Get up!
- Stop lazing around! Get up! - Everybody up!
Up, quick! Line up in rows of five, quickly!
Quick!
What are you waiting for, a formal invitation? Up, quick!
Come on! Line up! What are you looking at?
Let's go! Don't stop!
Come on! Get down! Move!
Hurry up, I said! Hurry up!
Line up, quick! Outside!
Hurry up! Move!
Get a move on!
Move faster!
- Hurry up! - This way! Go wash yourselves!
Get a move on! Go wash yourselves! Come on!
- Go on! - Hurry up!
This way! Quick! Come on! Let's go!
Come on! Let's go! Hurry!
That way!
Come on! Faster!
Faster!
- Hurry up! Come on! - Hurry up!
Faster! Faster!
Hurry up!
Hurry up! Hurry up! Come on!
Faster! Faster!
Don't bunch up! Hurry up!
Why so slow? Get a move on!
Come on! Faster!
- Come on! Faster! - This way!
- Follow the brigade leader! - Over here.
Over here. Come.
This way. Stay in formation.
Quick!
The shift in the mine is from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The two-hour trip each way isn't included.
Anyone who fails in their duty or steps out of line will be punished.
Each brigade is required to meet the quota.
You eat as much as you dig out.
Each group must stay with their brigade leader.
Number 73!
Number 57!
As punishment for smuggling tobacco,
you're sentenced to a week in the hole.
Leave him! Leave him!
Leaving the line is considered an escape attempt!
- Stop! - Come on! Get up, dammit!
Come on!
This is where you work now.
Start getting used to it.
Make yourselves at home.
And as… I explained to you…
…the rules here are simple.
No quota… no food.
Careful!
One wagon
per person.
Now you know. Is that clear?
Hey! Hey!
Wake up! Wake up!
Okay. Listen to me.
Groups one and two with Nikolay.
Groups three and four
with me, goddammit.
Understood?
What's wrong with you?
Gonna work or what?
Fucking hell. What a shit partner I've got.
Grab the stones.
- Grab 'em, would you? - I'm on it, all right.
- Barcelona! - I'm on it.
For fuck's sake!
It's… it's just, I don't feel right.
Barcelona!
Get back! I said back!
- I said back! Get back there! - No, please, just let me out!
- Back I said! Get back! - Please, let me out!
Please, let me out of here! Please!
- Get back there! - Please! Let me out! I can't breathe!
- I can't breathe! Please! I need air! - Go to work!
- I can't breathe in here! - Do you understand?
- It's all right! Everything's fine! - Get back in!
We'll work! Please! We'll work!
Just relax, okay?
- You have to relax. We're here. Relax. - Eladio…
- There you go. Relax. You can control it. - I don't wanna die in here.
It's all in your head, my friend. You can breathe, all right?
Focus on breathing.
- Eladio, I don't wanna die. Eladio. - Just keep breathing. Focus. Sh.
You can open your eyes. Look me in the eyes.
- Come on. Look at me, dammit! - No, I can't.
- Sh… - I can't.
Again. In and out. Again, again.
Just breathe. Good! Good. Another.
Take it in. That's it.
Now just let it go. Release it.
Like I'm doing. Come on.
Take the good in.
Let the bad out.
Better? Better?
Come on! Get a move on!
Why are you stopping? Come on!
With more energy! Come on!
Quick! Faster!
Why are you just standing there? Come on!
Come on! More energy! Get a move on!
Come on!
Come on! Let's go!
Come on! Hurry up!
Don't stop!
Hurry up! Move!
Come on.
Help me get the prisoner out of the hole.
Psst! Here.
I'm Hans Müller.
What can I do for you, my friend?
Are you a trader?
Maybe. Why?
I need some paper and ink.
Three half plates, it'll cost.
Wait.
How does one communicate with the director?
Are you serious?
See the guy in the corner there? That's the professor. Talk with him.
He's the translator and… the director's secretary.
If anyone can introduce you, it's him.
Why are you talking to that German? Are you gonna be friends with Nazis?
Come on! One at a time! One at a time!
In rows of two!
Get a move on!
Don't fall behind! Keep moving!
Come on!
Don't stop!
Faster!
Spaniards! Why are you standing around?
Hurry up! Come on!
Come on. Put it here.
Okay.
Come on, Hermida.
The wedge.
Julio.
- Huh? - Can't you hear?
Pass me the wedge. Come on.
Why are you taking so fucking long?
- If this falls, we're all fucked! Come on! - Yeah, I'm on it.
- Director. - Mm-hmm?
Telmo Reyes Aguirre,
Captain of the Spanish Republic.
He would like to request a review of his trial.
And tell me, why would they want to reconsider
such a firm sentence as high treason?
The system does not make errors.
But no treason was committed,
nor was there a trial.
The only crime we committed
was wanting to return to our families.
In Spain?
You'd be executed as soon as you arrived.
The war is over at home.
Please.
War never ends, dammit.
- We were looking for a way out. - You visited the German embassy.
We visited many embassies.
And, in doing so, committed treason.
With all due respect, director,
you divided Poland with them.
We were just trying to return to our families.
The Soviet Union
is now your only family.
You attempting to leave the USSR is committing treason. Got it?
Director.
The Spaniards are doing great work in the mine.
They've actually been doubling the required quota.
If you're willing to commit to sending my petition,
I myself will personally cover the defense for this case.
All we request is to be granted a fair trial, comrade.
What did you just presume to call me?
You are an enemy of the people,
and you've been convicted of treason, according to article 58.
The term you've uttered is forbidden for you to use with me.
You are, without a doubt, no comrade of mine,
and you're nothing like one.
And this affront you've committed could warrant serious punishment.
Leave at once.
That's your son in that photograph, right?
He's been called to the front.
Captain.
I speak Russian
because I attended the Kirovabad pilot school.
That plane is a Tu-2.
It's a medium bomber.
If they have entrusted it to your son,
you should be proud of him.
Thank you.
One second, Captain.
Nazarov gave his word to me. He's sending my letters to review.
- Really? - Yeah.
Is he serious?
And what the hell do I care what Nazarov says? Huh?
It only matters what you say.
What do you think, Captain?
I give you my word.
We're… we're leaving, Barcelona. We're leaving.
SPRING 1943 TWO YEARS LATER
- Hurry up! - Come on, you bastards!
Come on! Men to the right!
Come on!
That way!
That way! Straight ahead!
Come on! Come on! Come on!
Let's go!
Come on!
Come on! Come on!
Come on!
Faster! Faster!
Let's go!
Every single day, more new faces arriving.
The Germans are losing the war, apparently.
Those goddamn fascist assholes.
Father!
Come on.
Look, a Spanish flag.
- I don't believe it. - Yeah, look, they're Spaniards.
Oh my God.
There's a bunch of fascist assholes entering the camp! Boo!
Yeah? Long live Spain!
Long live who?
Long live Spain!
We got a smart-ass here!
Hey!
Anyone Galician?
I am! From Noia!
Oh Christ.
Muros.
The hell do you care if there are? These are goddamn fascists, Hermida.
I don't understand you.
I don't think the captain's gonna be happy about--
I don't care what the captain thinks.
What won't I be happy about?
Fascists, Captain. New cockroaches from the Blue Division.
- Also one from Noia. That's even worse. - You're obsessed with Galicians, really.
Come on, kids! Get inside!
- Come on! Come on! - Hurry up! Hurry up!
- That way! Straight ahead! - Get a move on!
- Come on! Move! - Move!
Personal belongings on the table!
Take off your Nazi clothes! I said now!
Take them off!
Hurry up! I said take them off now!
Was I not clear enough?
Come on!
Take off your clothes! Come on! Get a move on!
Why are you so slow?
Hurry up!
I said quickly!
Come on! Put everything on the table!
Come on!
Take everything off!
Come on! I said quickly!
Put everything on the table!
Faster!
Don't stop!
Take off your clothes!
Hurry up!
Strip!
Find a free spot. Don't even think about coming out until dawn.
Lieutenant, we have to share one bucket to shit. The hell is this?
It's communism.
What do we do?
We should get some rest now. We'll figure it out tomorrow.
Find a spot.
- Shit. - The hell are you doing, motherfucker?
I was trying… I'm sorry. I was…
What a shitty tattoo!
I just… Don't!
Relax.
- Don't look at them, Father. - Hey, that kid is a Spaniard.
He might be, but he's with the urkas,
and they… they're murderers, Father.
Don't… don't look at them anymore.
If he's with them, he's already chosen sides.
Every time you enter a new gallery,
you wanna get your pickaxe and give the ceiling a knock.
Everything's all right as long as it doesn't sound hollow.
- What if it is? - If it's hollow, everything's all wrong.
The quota all depends on the gallery.
There are galleries that do 20 tons a week,
others that hit 30.
This gallery is 60.
Lucky us, huh?
Yeah, real lucky.
All right, Nazis of Germany, you're going with Dimitrov.
And Spanish Nazis with me.
Come on! Hurry up! Let's go!
Try not to look at it.
Eat. Go on.
321!
Three… two… one.
- Come with me! Hurry up, fucker! - Hey!
- Come on!
Why are you so fucking slow?
Can't have dinner outside in winter.
The soup freezes too quick.
I'm Telmo Reyes.
Captain of the Spanish Republic.
No respect for the military?
Respect for the military?
This is a demonstration of power.
Pathetic.
This isn't a camp for prisoners.
We're all the enemy in here.
You would do well to just eat your food, sleep, and not think too much.
Threatening me now?
A little advice.
No offense, "Captain"…
but I don't solicit advice from a communist.
Come on! Let's go!
Come on! Don't stop!
Hurry up! Get a move on!
Let's go!
Come on! Over here!
Come on! Hurry up!
Stop standing around! Come on!
Come on!
Come on! Let's go!
Come on!
Come on! Hurry up!
Don't stop!
Come on! Hurry up!
Come on! Let's go!
Father! Father!
- Help him up! - Careful.
What happened?
Who did this to you, Father?
Come on. Sit him here. Careful, careful. Watch out.
- Sit there. - Watch your head.
There you go. That's it.
All right, let me see.
It's okay. Breathe. Okay?
Count to three.
One…
Sh… Breathe. It's okay. Calm down.
Breathe. It's okay. Calm down. Sh…
You're still on that?
Writing those letters isn't gonna get us out of here, Captain.
Mm-hmm.
And no one blames you, okay? It's not your fault.
- The law is on our side. - "The law," huh? Oh.
Mm.
The law's one thing. Justice is a different thing entirely.
We've been here for two years, Telmo.
Give it up.
Huh?
Know what Aristotle says?
He says, if men could practice true friendship,
we'd have no need for justice.
That guy, Aristotle, wouldn't last one day in this camp.
How long are you planning to take out your inferiority complex on my men? Hmm?
So far, we've endured humiliation in the mine.
They've cut back all of our rations.
But there is no way
that I will permit another attack on any of my men.
Especially a priest. That's just sick.
What's he mean?
Hmm. No idea.
Must've fallen down.
Control your flock, Reyes.
No offense,
but I don't solicit advice from fascists.
It wasn't advice.
That was a threat.
Fucking Palau.
Don't forget your place, miner.
What?
Do you understand me?
You understand me, right?
You… Come… come here. Listen.
It's very easy.
I need to do a deal with these guys, and I need your help translating.
Right? You get it? Huh? You hear me? Do you understand me?
I know you understand some of this, don't you?
You and I, with those guys…
Translate! Translate for me!
A deal!
For the love of God!
Please!
Please.
He wants to make a deal.
Like moonshine. Queimada. You know what queimada is?
I don't know queimada, but I do know what moonshine is.
Queimada is like a…
Where are you going?
We're finished. We're going outside.
- All your work is done? - Yeah, I said we're finished.
Look at the brave Galician.
My men finished their shift.
- Are you sure? - I'll go show you. I'm positive.
I don't think so.
Get back in there.
- Balls on this guy. Get back in there. - Look at him.
The damn protector.
Come on.
Come on, dammit!
Come on, motherfuckers!
Fucking move!
On your knees. Let's go.
Very good.
Now… sing with me.
Arise, ye workers from your slumber
Arise, ye prisoners of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
And at last ends the age of cant
Take it out on me, Junqueras.
Leaving three bodies here is gonna look bad.
Let it go, Lieutenant.
Pain's the only thing these guys understand.
The pain's all we understand? Huh?
1937,
on May 14th,
Llanes.
Soldiers sent by Franco come into town,
rape all of the women,
both young and old.
My wife first…
…and after, my little girl.
Six years old, and they raped my daughter.
Filthy pricks!
Casares… 1936, July 19th.
The police of the Republic assassinate the doctor and the priest in our hometown.
And that doctor was my father.
That's one fascist less.
- Son of a bitch! - On your knees! Stay down!
Get on the ground and don't move a muscle!
Fucking asshole.
- The war was started by your side. Got it? - Yeah. And it was lost by your side.
I really wonder when you'll realize that
in this camp, the war was won by the Republic.
Sing a verse of our song.
Just one, and I'll let you all out.
- Come on. - Sing it.
Cara al sol con la camisa
- You sons of bitches! - No! Hey!
- Who do you think you're talking to? Who-- - …nueva que tú bordaste en rojo
Sing.
Go on. Sing now!
Sing right now! Sing it, you cockroach!
Sing your song now!
Go on, sing it now, you cockroach!
Sing now, you fucking fascist!
- Sing your anthem, go ahead! Sing! - Arise, ye workers
- From your slumbers - Sing your anthem now! Sing it!
Arise ye prisoners of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
- And at last ends the age of cant - And at last ends
The age of cant
That's enough for now.
Enough, Dimitrov.
- No. - Enough. That's it.
My family…
…was in Leningrad.
This one stays.
No, not without my lieutenant.
- Do what he tells you. That's an order! - I won't leave you alone!
Do something, dammit! He'll be murdered!
- Shut up! Get out, Galician! Out! - They'll kill him! Please! You can't!
- Both of you! - All of us are Spaniards, dammit!
We're all Spaniards!
Come on! Quick! Get down! Hurry up!
- Down on the ground! - Quickly!
Don't move! Stay still!
Face down!
Don't move!
- Stay still! - Come on!
Hurry up!
Pick up the pace! Why did you stop? Move forward!
Come on! Move!
Hurry up! I said hurry up!
Stay still!
Don't move!
- Stay still! - Come on!
Six years old, and they raped my daughter. Filthy pricks!
Six years old, and they raped my daughter.
Filthy pricks!
No, no, no, no, no!
No, no, no, no!
Leave him alone. He's protected.
Stand up.
Director…
Lieutenant Salgado, 250th division.
Second regiment in the first battalion.
Since entering this camp, we've been treated like common prisoners,
and we've… been assigned to the same barracks as killers,
as well as rapists.
I'd like to ask that the terms of the Geneva Convention
be honored for my soldiers and me.
The Germans are at war with the Soviet Union. You are not.
You came here to murder civilians for no reason,
traveling thousands of kilometers from home.
You are mercenaries. You are worse than rats.
Who did this to you?
It was a great gesture not to out your compatriots.
This is no time for drawing.
There's a lot of sadness in your drawings.
But there is beauty within this world,
if you know where to look.
Don't stop drawing, Lieutenant.
So now you're friends with murderers?
That man didn't kill your husband.
If it wasn't him, someone like him did it.
WINTER 1944
Lieutenant.
Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry.
- You okay? - I'm okay. I'm fine.
- We thought that you… - Welcome, Lieutenant.
- Thanks, Artigas. - I told you.
Manuel.
- This is Pablito. - Pablo.
Father made a deal with the urkas.
Hey!
Father speaks from a place of fear.
No, I'm speaking with common sense. We might all end up dead.
We won't if we stay, Father? Don't you remember what they did to you?
- And what they did to the Lieutenant? - Manuel is right.
No one's ever escaped from a camp like this before.
Lieutenant, I'm sorry to contradict you, but the Italians tried.
- They got forced into backing out. - And none got out.
One guy escapes and they punish the whole barracks.
Father, you know what this is? Yeah?
Well, it's here so I don't forget what all of us are.
Dammit, we're soldiers, all right? We have a duty to try.
How many kilometers do you think we are from the next town?
And what provisions are needed for us to make sure that we don't starve?
Do you know where you would go?
From our current location, where is… where's north, south, east, or west?
Where? There's, what, hundreds of kilometers of nothing?
Well, I do know, actually.
So Afghanistan is over here, for starters. Look. Ha!
And Russia's over here.
Nobody said it'd be easy, okay?
But it's the only way that we're gonna survive.
- We could hide in the trucks. - Yeah.
We take the trucks to Karaganda, and go from there down to Afghanistan.
That's right.
Well… we'll be needing some kind of compass, right?
And tobacco for the dogs.
Pablito stays. He's just a boy.
I'm not allowing him on this suicide mission.
When, Lieutenant?
When it stops snowing. It's suicide if we go any earlier.
We'll make our move in the spring.
Goddamn idiots.
Obey orders without question. Resistance will be punished.
Stealing food will result in beatings and the deprivation of food.
Storing explosive materials will be severely punished.
Escape or resistance…
Don't move!
Stand still!
And what is this?
Chew it up… and eat it.
I said eat it.
Bon appétit.
Pablo, keep… keep going with the lessons.
Okay.
Valencia?
Logroño, Pamplona, Santander, Murcia…
- Müller. - Burgos, León…
Sorry, sorry.
Photographic memory.
I read something just once and it stays in my head forever.
Good for you.
Artigas.
Hey!
It's okay.
- No. No. - Do you know the monarchs of Spain?
Monarchs?
Sure.
Alfonso.
XII.
- XII. Alfonso XII. - And another one?
- More? - Mm-hmm. Who else?
- Well, uh… - XIII.
Alfonso XIII.
- Mm-hmm. - Alfonso… XIV?
Alfonso XV, XVI, XVII…
Stop, or he can't concentrate. You have to take it seriously.
Okay? Honestly, Pablito, take it seriously. It might help.
Help with what?
Mm, I don't know, something. When we get out of here, you'll see.
Look, Father, I was only 12 when I started the assembly line.
So?
- So? - Yeah?
I've survived orphanages and urkas,
and the Kings of Spain haven't done shit for me at all.
They won't do shit for you either.
- One day, you'll get back. - To where?
- Back home. - Are you serious? Where the hell is that?
- Listen-- - Hey!
- No, tell me. - Silence!
Shut up!
They're brainwashing that kid.
Fucking hell.
Eladio, stay calm. It's okay. He's an urka.
But he's a fucking red.
The Republic didn't pay to educate him so he would be an altar boy.
You think that's normal?
We have to fix this.
I think you've done enough already.
321!
Hey. Come on, Father. Let's go.
I know you protected me from the urkas in the infirmary.
Oraz is a loudmouth. He already give you one of his speeches?
You don't even know.
You studied medicine before the war, right?
For two years.
You're gonna need a job, to build back your strength.
I know what you're doing, Reyes. You wanna avoid revenge on the Asturian.
I wanna avoid this before it all blows up.
You talking about a truce?
A truce.
I hear that you're good at drawing.
Well, yeah.
Oraz is a loudmouth.
- You can't go in. - Quiet.
- I said you can't. - Shut up!
Get out of here!
The urkas traffic with the saliva of tuberculosis.
Folks will do anything to avoid working in the mine.
I think you already know Aisulu,
your new boss.
Wait. What do you mean "boss"?
First, wash the sick. Then help in the supply room.
She'll need your help… up until our new doctor gets here.
The last doctor had his hands cut off because an urka died.
But if you want, you can go back to the mine.
Her husband was executed.
Well, I hope it wasn't in Leningrad.
What's he saying? What?
He's saying that…
He's saying that he's sick of the Italian anthem,
the Czech anthem, the French anthem.
And he wants to hear the Spanish anthem.
I'm a Falangist
I'll be a Falangist Until death or victory
And that's why I'm at Spain's service with pleasure
Enlisted, I go with the youth--
If priests and friars knew They were going to get beaten
They would join the choir and sing
Freedom, freedom, freedom!
- I'm a Falangist - Stop!
A Falangist until death or victory
If priests and friars knew--
Freedom, freedom, freedom!
What now?
He'd like to hear a single anthem in Spanish.
I feel within me
A sad emotion
I'm suffering, far away from you
And my heart is breaking
Never again
Will the sun bring me joy
In Spain's garden, my love
Like a flower, I will always remain
If this cry of my bitter sorrow
Reaches your feet on the wind
Spain, send it back to me with love
Spain, my beloved
I feel within me
A sad emotion
I'm suffering, far away from you
And my heart is breaking
Never again
Will the sun bring me joy
In Spain's garden, my love
Like a flower, I will always remain
If this cry of my bitter sorrow
Reaches your feet on the wind
Spain, send it back to me with love
Spain, my beloved
A concert?
Right in the yard, this spring.
In about seven weeks.
There may be more talent in the camp than we thought, Director.
Are you referring… to the urka violinist?
There are others who play.
So we can try to find them and set up a plan to continue working.
So the mine wouldn't get ignored either.
The mine, you can ignore.
We'll double your rations. Hmm?
Bugoslav Levandovski.
319.
All candidates will be excused from working the mine.
Holy shit.
What the hell was this place?
Hey, you know these holes are like viewpoints.
You can see the estuary in Noia if you look hard.
It's in Muros… you smart-ass.
Look. What do you see?
Holy shit.
It's Cuco's boat!
- No shit. Cuco. - Hey. There are sardines.
Cuco, get to work, bastard! Why aren't you doing shit?
Cuco, say hello to us!
- Sh! - Hey!
Cu…
Um… what's that?
A domra. That is one of our traditional instruments.
But it's… it's missing strings, isn't it?
It doesn't need any more strings.
Oh, please.
- No one can work like that. Ridiculous. - What? Why not?
People from Noia, you're like wooden bells.
Yeah? You guys from Muros are reckless fools.
You. Psst.
Kid, cut it out. Your hands are too important. Come on.
No, no, no. We… we need these hands here. Just ignore this guy. He's doing great.
Can you play any instruments?
Palau, taking your time with those nails, huh?
Come on. I don't got all day.
I'm gonna hit you.
They're like little sardines. You fry them up.
- They're delicious. - That sounds really nice.
Father, what's on your mind? You're so quiet. Huh?
He used to be surrounded by the ladies.
- Oh yeah? - Hey, it's not a mortal sin to converse.
- What are you saying? - The Father's a real Casanova, he is.
So we'll do it during the concert. Hmm?
While the guards are busy with all of the guests.
- We're going back home, buddy. - We're getting outta here.
- No more mine. - No more mine.
No more mine.
Nurse! A cart fell on him.
This way. Hold on. It's okay.
It's okay. You'll survive.
What are you looking at? Do something!
- Listen. If anything happens to him-- - He's not going to die.
He's not going to die.
He has to live.
Out! Let me work! No disruptions!
He's my brother. If he dies, I'll cut your hands off!
Alcohol. Bring alcohol.
Alcohol… Alcohol…
Alcohol!
Hey! What are you doing?
It's not enough.
It's okay.
Do you speak Kazakh?
Oraz.
Oraz… uh…
he married me.
"Oraz is teaching me."
"Is teaching." Oraz is teaching me.
Thank you.
Quickly! Come on! Get it!
- Get in! - Hurry up!
- Come on! - Faster!
- Don't stop! Don't stop! - Come on!
- Get a move on! - Come on! Come on!
- Go in! - Get in!
You can hear her perfectly well right there.
Sh. Hey, just shut up a sec.
Amen
You know Carballo, from the garage?
Of course.
How could I not? The mayor didn't have the power that guy had. Clever guy.
Then you must know Remedios too.
- His cousin. - Ah, Remedios, yes.
Yeah, Remedios. Danced with her a whole lot.
- Yeah? - At the annual fair in Muros.
And how do you know Remedios so well?
- Well… - I'll go.
- I guess from dancing as well. - Ah!
I knew that she was going out with a smuggler guy from Muros then.
Oh, I don't know about that.
- Oh no? - People talk just to talk.
Yeah, folks like to talk.
Hi, gents.
I just picked up a collection on a debt.
- Who wants to try some? - I do.
In German, we have a lovely word to remember our homeland.
"Heimweh."
- "Heimweh"? - Yeah.
Thank you, sir.
It's from "heimat," and that's the location where…
you know, your city, hometown, where your house is,
and "weh," which means "pain."
So it's almost like
"painful nostalgia."
The word doesn't exist in any other language.
- Mm. Danke schön. - Zum Wohl.
German… call it what you want to, but that sounds like homesickness.
Mm!
You got me there.
- Heimweh! - Heimweh!
Mm! Oh, shit.
Go on.
So do you have a…
a wife waiting back home?
Hmm.
Hmm. How would I know that?
I hope so.
Hmm.
I had her photograph.
But now everything's gone.
I'm not sure.
I feel like I've been… mm…
Forgetting her?
Follow me.
- Huh? - Come on.
Um…
Her eyes, are, um…
They're big. Yeah, they, um… they're big.
No, no, no. Maybe a little bit smaller.
Small and a little bit slanted too. Yeah.
Yeah. All right.
Um… Come on. Try.
Just try.
You know, what about her hair?
You remember the color of her hair?
Well…
She had… black hair.
- Dark hair. - Yeah, black, but, you know…
Well, really it was brownish, actually.
Because, you know, when she was out in the sun,
it would, you know… lighten up a little.
- And how about the-- - Um, she had, um…
And what was it like?
- You know, was it wavy or straight? - Uh, well…
Straight. Straight, yeah, that's right.
Um…
Straight and… and long.
All right. And her face?
Her face… it was kinda like a rounder-type face.
It was a little round. She had a… a round face.
And it… it was sort of like a…
It was sort of like a chestnut.
Mm.
Her chin was kinda like… It was a little bit pointy.
Yeah?
And her nose, really, really little.
I mean tiny. Adorable.
And when she smiled,
she would end up with these… these cute dimples.
And there was one on either side.
Her mouth looked like it was surrounded by… parentheses.
She liked to laugh all the time.
Always laughing.
Yeah, she laughed a lot.
That's her.
It's her.
Now we're all friends?
No.
We're just working. That's all.
"Working."
Hermida. Hey.
- What? - We, um…
Mm.
You heard, didn't you?
The Ivans are in Berlin.
As well as the Americans and the English.
The Nazis have lost. Now it's a matter of time.
If I ever do go back to Spain, I know what I'll do first thing.
- Hmm? - I'll eat a Spanish omelet.
Hmm.
How about you?
They say Franco's declaring amnesty for those who'd like to return.
Change of face.
I think he wants to make sure he's not hunted down after the war.
I think after this war, no one's fighting.
These times are not good for enthusiasts.
These times are no good.
Here.
I drafted a petition.
Written in my own handwriting.
And you know what?
I think that this time…
I don't think, actually. I have to say, I'm…
I'm entirely convinced
that this time around…
they're going to sign off on your file.
I appreciate that.
They're saying
that news of the concert is spreading already in the camps.
You and your men out there, you've done great work. Let's toast.
Well, Director, they're not only my guys.
When you do leave this camp,
those men will continue to be one thing for you.
Enemies. Did you forget that?
No.
My men have been noticing things.
Tobacco and kitchen utensils are disappearing.
There are unexplained absences.
What I would like to find out
is what's going on around here.
I'm not gonna snitch.
Then where exactly do your loyalties lie?
With a group of mercenaries and Francoists?
Proven friends to fascist Nazis?
Or will it be your men?
Oh, fuck.
SPRING 1945
THE DAY OF THE CONCERT
Good evening, Comrade Marshal.
Welcome.
At ease.
Come in, please. It's much warmer inside. The concert is just about to begin, sir.
Please, come in. Come in.
This concert is going to be fabulous.
Incidentally, we've been preparing for over a week.
We've found some truly wonderful folks.
We also have Greta singing, and you'll also get to hear the domra.
They'll play both violin and domra.
And this is where you'll be sitting, right here.
Please, take your seats. Yes, sit right here.
And we'll hear a… um… a voice that's quite impressive.
Well, you've had a long journey. Um…
Can I get you something to drink, sir?
For you?
Ah, good.
Uh… mm.
Here you are.
Um…
Uh…
Well, if it's all right with you, I'll be sitting here at your side.
Uh… Hmm.
Reyes.
What did Nazarov want?
He made a proposal. That was it.
What are these?
Why do you have my letters?
I just found them.
Nazarov told you the day that you met him.
The system here…
doesn't make errors.
Reyes.
Four years.
For four damn years.
Captain.
And Father, where is he?
He's not coming.
Let's go. Come on.
Hang on. We're still missing one.
Wait. Missing one?
Hurry. Hermida, hurry up, dammit.
What's he doing here?
Coming with us.
- You knew about this? - Does it matter?
Come on.
When's the guard change?
With any luck, we'll get to see the second part.
With those blue eyes
As light as the sea
I get lost in their gaze
And I'm unable to escape
The magic of their smile
Will always make me sigh
When I look at their lips
My world starts to spin
I've never liked the opera.
Have you seen the prisoner?
Who cares how she sings?
Here to Muros. Yeah, pal?
From here to Muros.
Arguments with no direction
Pride is vanity
Words that wound
Will this be the end?
And then comes the night
We just hold each other
We kiss
And love shines once again
With those blue eyes As light as the sea
I get lost in their gaze
And I'm unable to escape
Artigas.
Rub the tobacco on yourself.
Take that truck.
Okay, I'm on it.
Check this one.
I'm on it. I'm on it.
Come here.
I'll take this truck.
Hey, hey, hey! Stop, stop, stop! Hold on!
- There's a corpse missing! - What's going on?
Hey!
I hope that you enjoyed the concert.
Did you hear? How good was that domra sounding?
And the violin!
The domra was just… Well, it was heavenly. Otherworldly. Don't you agree?
Huh?
Why don't we invite him for dinner?
If you ever happen to be in Moscow,
we should get together, have dinner.
It'd be a pleasure.
Comrade Nazarov.
Quick! Quick!
ONE MONTH LATER
Get up.
Come on.
You good? Come on. Let's go.
Let's go. Hey. Good?
Come on.
Artigas talked.
One Galician got killed… and one got away.
Who?
I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry.
Germany has surrendered! Germany has surrendered!
The war is over!
MAY 8TH - 1945
END OF THE WAR
Come on! Let's go!
- Take the shot! - Hey! Whoa!
- Watch it! - Take the shot! To the front!
- Father! Father! - Go get it!
- Yeah! All right! Let's go, guys! - Hey!
- Yeah! All right! - Who wants it?
Let's do this!
SUMMER 1947
- Come on, guys! - Hey! Hey! Hey, ref!
Here, here, here!
Take the shot!
- No, no, no! - Hey! Foul! Hey!
- Ref, where's the call? Ref, what's up? - No foul! No foul!
- Oh, shit! Move! - I am! I'm moving!
- Help me. - Come on, man. Here.
I only messed up that shot, 'cause…
- 'Cause of the sun, it-- - Goddamn, Father.
Now you don't want the sun in your face, huh?
Hey. What? Shut up and take the shot!
- Hey! - Here we go!
Come on!
Palau!
- Look out! - Greta!
Hey! Oh!
Shoot it! Take the shot! Yeah!
- No! - Goal!
Palau! Barcelona, you're killing us!
- What the hell was that? - Goal! All right! Goal!
Miner we got a goal! Goal!
Wait. Look.
More women are leaving.
This camp's days are numbered.
That means we're next.
Did they say where you're being sent?
Leningrad.
- Please look for us. - All right, here. Uh…
- Put this on. It's cold there. - Palau, she has to leave.
Okay? Cover up. Here.
And what's his name gonna be?
Listen.
- They'll leave without her. Come on. - Diego.
I… I love you, Diego.
- Both of you. - And we love you.
- That's it! Run! - Let's go, Palau! Hey!
The Kazakhs invited us over for lunch at their kolkhoz
because we helped them with their crops.
And?
Aisulu's coming as well.
So make the most of it.
Who knows how much longer they'll let us leave the camp?
What camp? Only a few of us are left here.
Just stay close, got it?
Artigas is covering.
I owe you one.
"One," he says.
What's wrong?
Your mind is far from here.
When we leave, come with me.
This is the land of the Kazakhs.
My land.
A flower without roots doesn't last long.
I have a land waiting for me too.
Keep it.
I'll come back for it.
It's filled with meat and can be made with lamb or veal.
And this is called baursaki.
It's sort of like a Spanish churro, more or less.
The main course is here!
The lamb's head is traditionally served to those guests
that we've invited who are most special, distinguished, and respected.
Spasibo.
- "Raqmet." - Ah, raqmet.
- "Raqmet" in Kazakh is "thank you." - Raqmet.
- Thanks. - Let's eat.
All right, let's eat, then.
Mm! Mm!
Delicious food! Really delicious!
Anara says she would like to hear how you lived before you got here.
I worked in publishing.
My father's company, but he was executed.
It was the only thing left from my family until it closed down.
Want some?
- It's good. - I was a chef for a hotel in Barcelona.
And I used to tell jokes too. Yeah.
Mm!
Anara's asking if you can tell one.
- No, no, no, no. - God, no.
- No, better not, I promise. - Yes. Yes.
- It's better if he doesn't. - Eladio, come on, let me!
Okay, hang on a minute. There's… there's a… a kolkhoz, right?
Similar to this.
And then, out of nowhere, appears that bastard Stalin, and--
I told you not to tell your joke.
- The best part was next. I didn't finish. - "The best part."
- Sure. - You have no sense of humor.
- If they were funny… - How'd you become a prisoner?
You never told us.
It was for thinking differently.
Whose side are you on?
I'm on no one's side.
I don't have an ideology. I have principles.
We Kazakhs… never imagined this.
That the world would come here,
at the gates of our home, but Allah wanted it this way.
We give thanks for that also. We give thanks to Allah.
Thanks to Allah.
And… and to Our Lord. Mm.
Whoever's first to get us out of here!
Enjoy.
- We've all suffered enough. Please. - My God!
Seven years. Seven years, no real food.
Try some, Father!
Are you kidding? You're serious?
No one will lift a finger for us, neither Nazarov nor the Communist Party.
- What? - The Blue Division?
Franco won't admit he has prisoners in the Soviet Union.
- Even still? - No.
Not from either side.
And the party won't admit that they put us here without a trial.
They're saying we're deserters.
How long do they want us to rot here?
Ten, 15 years? How many more?
No! No fucking way!
- We can't let it happen! No! - All right, calm down.
- Nazarov gave us an offer. - Courtesy of the Soviet Union.
You can join the revolution.
- What's that mean? - Become Russian citizens.
That's all we need. Do we have to be communists too?
The Soviet Union has no more communists. Stalin had them all killed.
But then I would be able to leave, because I'm Russian.
Your case is different.
You're here because you committed blood crimes.
And, correct… you're already Russian.
Wait. Then… what's all that mean? Huh?
It means that we'd be working in stores and factories.
Technically, we would be free.
But we'd also be Russians, never allowed back into Spain.
What do you think about this, Captain?
I promised I'd get you outta here,
not change this prison for another.
Your list is just far too long.
These are all prisoners, Republicans, and Blue Division folks from other camps.
Men and women.
The risk is simply too great.
In Spain, when you arrive,
there's a second installment of money at this address.
"Clara Street." Is this your family or what?
Hey, what do you care? People paying well to get us out.
Son of a bitch.
All right.
You think we can really trust that Nazi?
- Iván José González. - Nobody blames you, my friend.
Thanks.
Take care.
You too.
Roland Durban.
Eladio.
I'm so sorry.
- Claude Gaspard. - Palau.
We're gonna miss you.
Same here.
- Travel safe. - Thanks.
- See you, everyone. - Giovani Busacca.
- Go with God. - Good luck.
Hey! Barcelona!
One more.
How do you say "paratrooper" in Russian?
André Monicelli.
It's "para-thud."
What? Is it that bad?
That's just awful.
Take care of that family!
I will.
See you later.
Luciano Craspelli.
Look how quickly that fascist flipped sides.
Mellín Palau.
Hey, soldier! Search that one!
They're searching those guys.
If they find Müller's list, we're done for.
What's he doing?
- What is he doing? - Hey! Get back in line!
I knew it, Captain. I told you guys.
- In line! - He'll get our ransom too.
- He's giving them the list. - What is it? Give it here.
Let me see.
That Nazi son of a bitch can't do this!
- Junqueras, don't do it! - Müller!
- You fascist bastard! I'm gonna kill you! - Wait!
- Get off! Get off me! - Captain, stop!
Get off! Let go of me! Get off of me now!
Let go! Get the hell off of me, assholes!
- You fucking can't! - Stop this at once!
Eladio!
Junqueras.
Are you hit?
Okay, you're fine. You're fine.
Hey.
Remember, Lord, that we are dust.
And that men are like the grass and the flower of the field
and that which withers.
And that…
And…
With music strong I come
With my cornets and my drums
I play not marches For accepted victors only
I play marches For conquered and slain persons
Have you heard
That it was good to gain the day?
I also say
It is good to fall
I beat and pound for the dead
Vivas to those who have failed
And to those Whose war-vessels sank in the sea
And to those themselves Who sank in the sea
And the numberless unknown heroes
Equal to…
The greatest heroes ever known
MADRID MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Please, sir. It… I just…
- You again? No. - I just need a moment. Excuse me.
You can't come in here, at no time.
What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?
Yes, well, he's back. Still there.
He says he's not leaving until you see him.
- What does he want here? - I don't know.
Hey! No, no, no! Listen, you can't…
Okay, what? What is it you want?
- Do you know how to write? - Of course. So?
Then get a pen.
Esperanza Moreno.
Antonio Castillo. Antonio Barba Penas.
César Benítez Martínez.
Pablo Espinoza Gómez.
Abelino González.
Tomás Bernal Aroca.
Diego Salgado Jarque.
Manuel Fernández Collado.
Pablo Fernández Carrasco.
Eladio Taraño Junqueras.
Holy shit!
Telmo Reyes Anguera.
Francisco de Asis Moreno Santos.
Father.
Thank you!
Thank you, God.
You're going home too.
Yes, the both of us have earned a nice rest.
Don't you think?
Despite everything that we've been through, hmm,
having met you was truly my pleasure,
comrade.
Good riddance, Director.
- I can smell it already! - Oh yeah? Bean stew?
Wow! My God!
- What's bean stew, guys? - You haven't heard of bean stew?
- No. - Beans and chorizo and bacon.
Best thing in the world, Pablito.
Antonio Barba Penas.
Adelino González.
Captain.
- Lieutenant. - Martín Marías.
Never thought you'd stay.
I never thought you'd leave.
Ángel Turión.
David Obeso.
José de la Torre.
Thank you.
- Travel safe. - You take care.
- Captain. - Domingo Correa Martínez.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
Diego Salgado.
This is my home now.
- Watch out for the others. - Thanks for everything, brother.
Eladio Junqueras.
Well, my turn.
Come on. Go.
I'll hold you right here.
Pablito.
Take care, all right?
- Pablo Fernández… - Soldier!
This boy won't be going anywhere. Take his name off the list.
Hey! What is this?
- That kid… - Captain?
That kid is a Soviet citizen, as were all minors we took into the camp.
- Captain, what-- - The documentation.
Peruse it for yourself, Reyes.
Telmo… I have to stay?
Is this thing even valid?
It's valid enough to completely cancel the extradition.
- Telmo? - You bastard.
No.
No, no, no, no.
- The boy! - I got it!
- Don't dare let him on that bus! - I'll handle him. Yeah.
- Pablito! Pablito. - No, leave me alone!
- Pablito! Pablito! - Let me go! Let go! Leave me alone!
- Pablo. - No, please! I have to leave! Please!
- You gotta let me out! - Pablo. Pablo.
You better learn the Kings of Spain. You get me?
Huh? I… I don't get it.
On the bus, right now.
Come on. Let's go, Pablito. Hurry!
Thanks.
Go ahead.
Hey! Hey!
Can someone explain to me what's going on here?
Yeah, this bus is departing.
Then I'll just go to the next checkpoint now
and present the documents there to arrest the boy, got it?
These documents?
What the hell are you doing?
Guard!
Hey!
Shoot him!
That'll be 400.
Your first trip to Spain?
Latin America
They will have, in their hands, the power to be consulted
on whether or not they want to belong to a military bloc.
No to NATO! No military bases!
We don't want any of the military blocs.
- Yankees out! - Yankees out!
Good afternoon, Lieutenant.
I'm Reyes.
Captain Telmo Reyes.
She…
kept it until she passed.
And she wanted you to have it.
Captain.
Lieutenant.
Oh, Captain.
Remember what Oraz used to say?
There is no freer man
than one who's been a prisoner.
TO MY MOTHER
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING
THE TRUCE