Clementina (2022) Movie Script
1
EL PAMPERO CINE
PRESENTS
IN
What's up?
Good.
What's up?
Good.
What took you so long?
Too many people?
Yes.
Were they distancing?
No.
Did you get into a fight?
No.
Good.
Did you make lemonade?
Yes. And I hang the clean clothes.
Wheres the soap that was here?
I took it to the bathroom on the back.
Any news from the plumbers?
Today they work in the apartment upstairs.
Did they say when?
No.
You didnt ask them?
No.
Be thankful that the
other shower works.
I ran into a friend on the street.
She liked the haircut.
She told me to congratulate you.
Shes your neighbour, she
lives next to the club.
You mean our neighbour.
You live here now.
Yes, well...
now because of all of this.
When its over
When its over, well see.
Dont you want us to
clean up a bit back here?
Not for now. Im gonna keep using
a lot of things from there.
If we clean up its
gonna get messy again.
When are you done with the bookshelf?
So we can clear out here.
I still have to sand it and
give it some coats of paint.
It's gonna take a while.
Shouldnt we keep this door closed?
So the dust wont come in.
Yes. Sorry.
Have you been playing here?
A little.
Im about to start a meeting now.
Ill clean up later.
Fine.
But do it.
I wouldnt want them
to find it like this.
They are not coming back today.
Dont worry.
Did you send them
our class schedules?
We can text them later.
After my meeting.
Ill clear up the table.
Watch out with the wood carving.
The paint is still fresh.
Its done, right?
Not yet.
I did finish your yoga blocks
and your book stand.
Check out if theyre okay.
Theyre perfect. Thanks.
What happened to the chairs?
Only one of them was broken.
I've decided to make
some maintenance on the rest of them.
I want to go out on the balcony,
and its kind of messy here.
Can I go through there?
My meeting starts now.
Try to be quiet.
Sources close to the government hinted...
that the quarantine would be extended
indefinitely throughout the territory...
CHAPTER TWO
THE WHITE MAN
GOOD MORNING.
"I WENT GROCERY SHOPPING.
LET ME KNOW IF I CAN
BRING YOU SOMETHING.
I WOKE UP EARLY AND I CLEANED UP.
IM MISSING THE BALCONY
AND THE BIG BATHROOM."
ITS COLD.
Pumpkin.
Onion.
Sweet potato.
Ginger.
Coriander.
Hello, honey.
Whats up?
In a hurry.
Im running late.
There were lots of
people everywhere.
Did you get wet?
No. Theres a drizzle but it bothers
more than it makes you wet.
I dont get to sanitize
this before the class.
Ill take care of it.
You cleaned up a lot.
I missed the balcony
and the big bathroom.
The balcony is done.
Oh, nice.
I didnt even go into
the big bathroom yet.
Im peeing.
I thought they were done already.
No.
But theyre done with
the floor and the tiles.
Yes.
Pretty messy.
Shouldnt we send the owner some pictures?
Maybe.
We could clean up later, so we
can use this bathroom again.
Not now. Fixing the cover up is
going to make a lot of mess.
But when are they coming to do that?
Today.
What do you mean today?
You didnt tell me anything.
They just told me.
At what time?
At 12.
But youre teaching at that time.
Come in.
Theres alcohol there.
The bathroom is that way.
That door?
Yeah, that one.
Ill go in.
Okay.
Do you have a ladder?
What?
A ladder.
Yes.
Here.
Do you need to use the bathroom?
Dont worry, theres one in the back.
There is, right?
Yes.
Im gonna...
Yes.
CLOSE UP OF THE BOOK
"The development of such ideas
had been greatly stimulated by a stupendous
misfortune that had swept the world
and laid bare the foundations of society,
a pestilence of unheard-of virulence.
It was called the Black Death, and it came nearer to the
extirpation of mankind than any other evil has ever done.
It was far more deadly than the Plague of
Pericles, or the Plague of Marcus Aurelius..."
Excuse me.
Yes?
Do you have a glass of water to drink?
Wait.
This is all done.
Im going upstairs,
Ill come back later.
OK.
The painter is all done
with the plaster and putty.
He left it drying and
went to work upstairs.
Hell be back in a while to do
the sanding and painting.
That raises a lot of dust.
Tell him to keep the door shut.
OK.
Excuse me.
Yes.
Ill go into the bathroom.
Go ahead.
The soup is ready.
What?
The soup is ready.
I cant right now.
Didnt you finish at 2?
Its 2:30.
What?
Its 2:30.
Well, it extended.
Youre not going to have lunch?
Ill see that later.
Fine.
Thanks.
Careful, its hot.
Blender, right?
Yeah.
And that spice?
- Ginger.
- Ginger, right?
Yes.
Are you able to work?
Not much.
Not much, right?
Yes.
Is that your husband in the painting?
My boyfriend, yeah.
Hes teaching right now.
And you?
I teach as well.
You do, right?
Yes. But mine is harder,
- since its online.
- Mine too.
You have a toothpick bird.
Yeah.
Its his.
I like him.
Nice guy.
Knows what he wants.
Look.
Do you have some more?
Yes.
Well,
Im all done,
so Ill be on my way.
Check it out later,
the color is a bit different.
The original one is machine-made.
I did the best I could
with what I had.
OK.
Ill check it out later.
OK. Anyway, the administrator has
my number. So you can call me.
You both can call me.
OK.
Ill be upstairs now.
- Yeah.
- And then Ill leave.
So good luck.
Good luck, right?
Thanks for the soup.
Youre welcome.
Im all done.
It was a bumpy class.
Very strange things happen
with this new modality.
They do, right?
Did the painter leave?
Yes.
Im starving.
Any soup left?
Yes.
Great. Ill warm up some.
OK.
Hey!
They cut our water!
CHAPTER THREE
TROUBLES WITH THE WATER
Do you want to bring a couple more buckets?
- We warm them and then wash.
- No.
Well use this to wash our face
and have breakfast tomorrow.
When the water
comes back, well wash.
- Sure, but when is it coming back?
- Soon.
Our neighbors are taking care of it.
How do you know that?
They are downstairs with a plumber.
Good. And?
I don't know, I left quickly.
You didnt find out anything?
- No.
- Are you stupid?
Look, I dont like meetings,
I dont like the neighbors.
- Patricia was there super excited.
- Who?
A girl from upstairs.
Can you please go down
there and find something out?
- No.
- No my ass!
We havent had water for days, go
down there and get some answers.
No, please!
Ill do anything, anything.
Youll wash everything.
Fine.
I always wash anyways.
PLUMBER: The leak is there, but who
knows where the pipe is broken.
Cos the water flows inside
the wall until it finds its way out.
Unfortunately, we wont know it
unless we start breaking the wall.
PATRICIA: A lot?
PLUMBER: You never know, this is a surprise box.
But I wont break anything unless you tell me to.
NICO:
I say we do it. What else can we do?
PLUMBER: Ill do my best to find
replacements for these vintage tiles.
I will need to break quite a few of them.
PATRICIA:
Lets check de cockstop.
PLUMBER:
Maybe we are lucky.
PLUMBER:
No, theres just one.
PATRICIA:
But I see theres 2.
PLUMBER: Yeah, but this
one only feeds this tap here,
and this one feeds the tank that
supplies water to the whole building.
My advice is to open
it shortly, twice a day,
and pray that the basement
doesnt flood too fast.
PATRICIA:
Well manage that way. What else can we do?
PLUMBER:
Try calling Aysa.
They can drain the water out
for free if you get them to come.
Whats happening?
Everyone is going home.
They just left,
but one of them still has to come up.
He must be letting the plumber out.
Hes coming up.
Hes ringing the old ladys doorbell.
Shes opening the door.
Are they talking?
Yes.
About what?
- About what?
- I cant hear well.
So?
Hes explaining that the water
will be cut off until tomorrow,
and that there will be water for an
hour in the morning and an hour at night.
Its absurd.
Is there or isnt there water?
MATIAS:
We need to strive
CLEMENTINA:
He says we need to strive.
GUILLERMO:
How clever!
He is offering to bring her a bucket.
Do you understand why
there is water in the tap below
- but not in the rest of the building?
- No.
So what is this ridiculous
thing that they cut the water,
then they give it again,
then they cut it again
- Why don't they give water and that's it?
- If you'd found out, we'd know.
I told you I dont talk to the neighbors.
OK, silence.
MATIAS:
Here you go.
Tell everyone to push their flush buttons.
We have to push the buttons.
- What?
- That we have to push the buttons.
- What?
- We have to push the buttons
- What?
- The buttons.
We have to push the buttons.
- What buttons?
- The bathrooms buttons.
- For what?
- To drain the tanks.
Which one do you take:
big one or small one?
- Small one.
- OK.
Dont open!
- They know were here!
- Doesn't matter. Dont open.
- Im going to open.
- No!
Hello, sweetheart.
Your boyfriends not home?
Hes teaching.
OK, Ill tell you then.
What was your name?
- Clementina.
- Beautiful name.
Mine is Patricia. Horrible.
Anyway, nice to meet you.
Are you busy?
- No. Kind of.
- Can I come in?
Good, so I can tell you a bit
about the issue with the water
because it is complex and it seems
to me that you are not very aware of it.
Yes, its just that Guillermo
is teaching all day and I...
Yes, sweetheart, I understand everything:
youve just moved here
and this building is hell.
Besides, as tenants, you
shouldnt take care of anything.
Well, anyway
The apartment is looking nice.
I hadnt been in here since
Mrs. Celia left. How is she?
Do you know if she is aware of all this?
No, no idea. I know that
Guillermo speaks with her son.
That baldy is so boorish.
Deal with him the least you can, trust me.
OK.
- Did the bathroom fix turn out alright?
- Yes.
- Excuse me.
- Yes.
Good, one less problem.
But after they were
finished with your issue,
the pipes in the entire
building began to break.
I dont know if this is normal or if this
plumber did some sort of sabotage on us.
Tell your boyfriend to be ready for
the expenses to go through the roof.
Poor thing, hes not even the owner and
hell have to pay for 60 years of neglect.
But hey, we can't have water coming out of
the walls and not coming out of the taps.
Its crazy. We are on lockdown
due to sanitary reasons,
but we cant sanitize ourselves and
our building is filled with strange people.
I already saw 2 plumbers
and 3 bricklayers parading around here.
And now the people from Aysa are working.
Yes, I saw them.
And do you know when
they will give us water?
Well, that's what Im here to explain.
Its pretty long, I tell you.
- Do you want to sit?
- Im fine sweetie, thanks.
Youre not aware that the
basement floods, are you?
- No, I wasnt.
- Well, it floods. Here's the thing:
The water that comes from the network
goes to a cistern tank in the basement,
but part of that water
never reaches the tank,
because the pipe that
carries it is punctured.
And that water that
flows from that puncture
is filling up the basement
floor as if it were a pool.
Yes, terrible.
The thing is: if the water
passes a certain level,
it can reach the electricity boxes,
and we might also run out of light.
I see.
Today we managed to get
Aysa people to do the work,
but they already told us
that the problem is internal
and that we have
to solve it ourselves.
So we agreed to buy
a pump ourselves.
Do you follow me?
Yes.
Good. Now, when the
Aysa guys are done,
we are going to
give water for a while.
So make use of that,
because it will not last long,
cos the basement floods right away.
OK.
And while the water is cut,
you can fill up buckets in the
tap thats next to the front door.
That one is never cut because
it is not fed by the cistern,
it comes directly from the network.
Good.
And when the pump arrives,
well establish draining shifts.
Would you mind joining in?
If you give me your
number or Guillermo's,
I'll add you to the WhatsApp group
and pass you the schedule.
- What happened?
- I dont know.
Go check the electricity thingy.
And?
Its up. The problem comes from outside.
Still, there is light in
the hallway. Strange.
Go see whats happening.
Maybe it will fix itself immediately.
Ill go get some candles.
Go see whats happening right now.
Go upstairs!
They will bring us an extension right away.
Dont panic. Get inside.
Its plugged!
I need some extra tape.
Clementina, bring me some tape!
Well have to manage this way tonight.
At least you can charge your phones
- Hi.
- How's it going?
Fine.
There we go.
BRIEF ROMANIC INTERLUDE
CHAPTER FOUR
THE JOBS
Your dads calling you on my phone.
Ill get it.
Hello.
Hi, hows it going. Are you at home?
No, still here.
OK. Villa Crespo?
No, its in Chacarita.
OK. Hows work? Still short?
Yeah, Im just teaching a
couple of classes a week.
Guillermo sends his love.
OK. Where in Chacarita is the apartment?
Opposite Club Chacarita.
OK. Thats better. Youre close.
Close to what?
Hang on, theres bad
reception here. Ill go inside.
Close to what, dad?
To the reason why Im calling you.
You know the studio apartment
Ive got in Buenos Aires?
Yes.
Key fell out.
Its free.
And it needs doing up for the tenant
whos moving in now in September.
In two weeks?
Yes, in September.
- Didnt your brother say anything?
- No.
- Are you not speaking to your brother?
- No.
OK. The thing is Im stuck here,
I cant move.
Hows everything there?
Theyve put up earth barricades
on the road. No one can get in or out.
Sure.
And I spoke to your brother and
he was going to do up the apartment
but hes let me down.
He wasted two weeks telling
me he was getting quotes,
deciding on who should do the work,
and this morning he sends me a text
saying hes got some
problems and now he cant do it.
So?
So I wanted to see if you could
lend me a hand, Clementina.
Id do it myself but Im stuck here.
What needs doing?
Hello?
The kitchen counters arrived.
Let me know what time theyre
coming to put it in tomorrow.
The plumbers said theyre
going tomorrow after midday.
Can I ask you one more small favour?
Im finding it hard to get
quotes from painters here.
Could you find one for me?
Im leaving the apartment now but Ill
call some people later and let you know.
OK, but dont take too long.
We dont have much time.
And please, get good people,
the apartment has to be impeccable.
Make sure they dont rip you off.
Job like that they should be
quoting you about 15,000 pesos.
Its starting
I FOUND SOME PAINTERS.
THEY CHARGE 20,000.
THEYRE STARTING TODAY
WITH THE PLASTERING.
IVE PAID A 10,000 DEPOSIT.
TRANSFER ME EVERYTHING AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
SO EXPENSIVE.
Could you ask the administrator
for the number of the guy who
did the plastering in our bathroom?
PAINTER DAVID BLANCO
HOW ARE YOU GETTING ON?
Hi, David. This is Clementina,
from the apartment in Chacarita
where you fixed the blind cover.
We had soup.
I wanted to know if you could do a plaster
job in another apartment in the same area.
Let me know.
Thanks.
Hi, hows it going?
Sure, I remember you.
Very tasty soup, that.
Butternut squash.
Ginger, right?
Listen, fortunately Ive got
loads of work on right now,
so Im not going to be able to do that.
But I passed on your number to
someone who can do it, hes very good.
So hell write to you any time now.
All right, sorry for the long audio.
Cheers. Bye, see you.
OK. Thanks.
Bread for sale.
Bread for sale.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Ive got bread made with sour dough.
Ive got wheat, rye, mix.
Ive only got wheat left.
Do you want one?
OK.
Theyre big. Theyre all 250.
Looks good.
Yes, they're very good.
Since I cant go out to
work, I started doing this.
Yes, its all a bit weird.
Look at my hair.
Its better than mine.
I saw you working yesterday and today.
Are you moving in there?
No, Im fixing up the apartment
for a tenant whos moving in.
OK, let him know that
his neighbour sells bread.
I dont know him.
And the apartment isnt mine, either.
Well
So...
Do you want to pass it to me
here or give it to me at the door?
You want one?
Yes.
Good! Give me a second and
Ill see how I can get it to you.
OK, Ill just separate the money.
- Ive written my number on the bag.
- OK.
The moneys inside.
- Let me know what you think.
- OK.
Come in.
- Go in if you like, Ill close the door.
- OK.
- Does that door open?
- Yes.
- In that case, please: ventilated spaces.
- Sure.
Ill just leave this here.
- In there?
- Yes, go on through.
What were they trying
to do there, fine plaster?
Yeah, a mix that they sold me.
- Revocal?
- Yeah, that's it.
OK, yes, I can do the job.
Materials and labour 2500.
OK.
OK.
- Ill go and buy the materials.
- Great.
You going to live here?
- No, Im renting it out.
- OK.
- And whos doing the painting?
- Im going to do it.
You know its not so easy, eh?
Do you want me to do it?
No, thank you.
- You sure? Im cheap.
- I'm sure.
OK.
Let me know if you want
anything from the paint shop.
- No, Ive got everything.
- Oh, yeah?
- Yes.
- Can I see what you bought?
OK.
Ah, its good that.
Its what I was recommended.
Yes, its adhesive.
10 litres is plenty.
I see youve already
done the plastering.
Yeah, sanded it down, too.
Right.
Once you finish sanding,
youll cover it with masking tape.
Youll cover it with this.
Youll cover the air
conditioning with tape and a bag.
And then the skirting boards.
Are you going to paint
the bookcases and doors?
No.
OK, youll need to put
masking tape on them as well.
And cover the carpet.
Have you got something for that?
Ive got a big bag.
That wont be enough.
Ill bring you a roll.
OK.
So once youve covered
everything, youll paint.
Youll put this paint here in the
tray, in this part you put the paint.
You have to stir it well
first, thats very important.
You dip the roller in here,
and here you squeeze it out.
Then paint.
Like this, in a V shape,
and then like this to blur it.
Youre best off putting a broom
handle on, so you dont get too tired.
And then all the edges, angles,
where you cant get in with
the roller, youll use the brush.
And there you go.
- Whens the tenant moving in?
- Saturday.
Ah, plenty of time.
Give it two coats, ideally three.
But thats fine.
Can I give you just one more
word of advice before I go?
Yes.
Now, I see youve
plastered but its a bit thick.
So Im going to leave
you a drill with a sander.
Thats going to make it much easier.
Youll get it done quicker.
You plug it in,
you go in from the
front, nice and gentle.
Make sure you dont tilt it
because itll make a mark.
Do it like that, gently just
to remove the thick parts.
And then with a block of wood and
sandpaper, by hand, you finish it off.
And youre done.
Who is it?
Me, they opened the door downstairs.
- Excuse me.
- Come in.
My backpack?
- I hung it in the bathroom.
- Ah, OK. Excuse me.
Its just a matter of patience, you know?
You have to gradually put it
on and remove it, until it sticks.
Then its a question of
putting on the putty, slowly
You put it on thick,
then you remove it, and
you put it on again.
So that it doesnt end up thick.
Thats what happened
to you with the plastering.
- Can I try?
- Yeah.
Here you go.
Youll have to use the step ladder.
Yes.
Thats it. Put it on the edges slowly.
Good sandwich.
Thanks.
Breads good.
Where did you buy it?
A guy that lives next door.
And what does he do, sell it?
- Yes, he sells it.
- Expensive?
No, 250 for a loaf like this.
Good!
And could he sell me one?
Yeah, Ill give you
the number if you like.
I left my phone upstairs.
Didnt you say he lives next door?
Yes.
Which window?
That one.
Baker!
Baker!
Maybe hes having a siesta,
they get up early, bakers.
There he is.
- Hello.
- Hey, how's it going?
Good, good.
I was trying this bread that this girl
gave me and she says you make it.
- Yes, yes, I make it here.
- Are you baking now?
Yeah. Do you want one?
Ive got wheat.
- OK. 250?
- Yes.
- Great.
- Shall I get you one?
Sure.
- Ill put the money in a bag.
- OK.
- Theyre you go, its right.
- Great, thanks.
OK.
Ill let my wife and daughter try it and if
they like it Ill order some more from you.
OK, great.
Give me a call, Ill be here.
- OK. Thanks.
- Bye.
Bye!
OK.
This is finished, OK?
Its dried, sanded, all done.
Its ready to paint, so
Great.
- Ill get going.
- OK. 2500, right?
Nah, call it 2300. To be honest I
didnt spend that much on materials.
OK.
Leave it there.
OK.
All right, great, thanks.
No, youre welcome.
I have to open the door for you.
No, the caretaker
must be downstairs.
Or Ill give you a shout.
Or come back.
OK.
OK. Anything you need, give me a call.
OK, thanks.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Thanks. See you.
Your dad on my phone again.
Clementina!
I'll get it.
Hello.
You dont answer me on your phone
and I have to call your boyfriends phone.
I was working out.
OK, but this is urgent.
I have to ask you one last favour.
What is it?
What is it? Your brothers
disappeared completely.
Tomorrow theyre signing the contract.
Hes on there as power of attorney
in the contract and hes let me down.
So?
So there are two options.
One is I get special permission to travel.
I pay to have a cotton bud stuck up my nose
and on top of that I have to put
up with two weeks of quarantine.
- Or..
- Or?
Or I can ask the notary to put you
down as power of attorney and you do it.
Ill mail you the contract.
Print out three copies and
make an extra copy of the keys.
You sign the contract and take the dollars.
There isnt a lot to do
and this is a complicated time when
we all have to help each other out.
And well, I can see if I can pay you
a small commission for these favours.
A month.
A month?
A month what?
My commission. A months rent.
Ill take it out of the dollars.
OK, but make sure everythings impeccable
when the tenant and guarantor go.
Wear something smart.
OK, thats fine.
I have to go, Ive got a call.
Wait, Clementina!
The contracts are here
and theres hand sanitizer.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Come in.
Nice place.
Thanks.
Listen, I dont mean to be rude but Im in
a hurry today. Is it OK if I start reading?
Sure.
Well...
In Buenos Aires, on 1 September 2020,
this rental contract is undersigned by
We done?
- Yes.
- Let's go.
- OK..
- Let's go.
Here, count it, theyre all new notes.
Ready. Shall we go?
Congratulations, mate.
Enjoy.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Hello.
- Hello.
- All done, look.
I've got the dollars.
Great.
It all went fine. Friendly tenant.
Hes a painter, did I tell you?
No.
Hes going to use the
apartment as an atelier.
Thats good, isnt it?
Whats the matter?
The son of the landlady called.
The old lady died.
Covid?
- Yes.
- So?
The guys out of work,
he has two little kids.
At least theres your house.
We have to give up the apartment.
- When?
- Now.
CHAPTER FIVE
THE MOVE
Hello!
- How did you get on?
- Great. I got a load.
Lets see.
I ran into a recycler. I asked him
how much hed get for the boxes
and offered him double.
- Is that OK?
- Yes.
We have to put them together.
I brought packing tape.
In a sec. Can you come here a moment?
Dont you want to come here
and well put the boxes together?
Just come here a sec.
I counted them, youve got
11 small cups and 12 big cups.
Are we really going to use all of them?
When are we going to use 23 cups?
Theyre good cups.
What about these glasses?
Theyre glasses. Theyre good glasses.
OK, but when are we going
to use all these glasses?
I dont know, I cant let
go of them so abruptly.
Were in a hurry now, since
your house is big lets take them
and then, in time, well see.
But we cant apply
that system to everything.
You have too much stuff.
We cant take everything.
Youre going to have
to let go of some things.
I dont want to torture you, but you
have to make an effort too, I'll help you.
When you see that you cant let go, you
tell me. But try as hard as you can. OK?
- OK.
- Good.
Ive been tidying up a bit.
Accompany me to the back room.
The books, CDs and DVDs
are all in the small boxes.
But this, for example, what is it?
Theyre offcuts of wood that
I picked up over the years.
Bits of wood that are useful for making
things. Its always handy to have them.
- Are they coming with us?
- Yes.
OK.
This?
That is an antique cinema
tripod of German origin.
I intend to make it into a lamp one day.
- Is it coming?
- Yes.
This!
That is the screen from an old
television that I found in the street
and which I intend to use as
a frame for a photo or for a painting.
Coming?
Yes.
- This?
- Its a snorkel mask for diving!
Its broken.
It needs repairing, yes.
Its coming.
In that box are all the notes and
letters that Florencia wrote to me.
Thats an aluminum pole,
but I use it as a didgeridoo.
Well take it, I can
teach you to use it.
Thats my collection of Andean aerophones.
My collection of recorders and flutes.
Cinema, theater and museum programs.
As a child I collected cigarette packets.
Diaries, photos and notebooks from my life.
Careful.
Careful.
Weve got very little time
and were going very slowly.
Well, Im going quickly, but
with every thing you have to pack,
you kind of pause a moment.
Could be.
And there are lots of things,
and if you start to reminisce
with every one, were in trouble.
Are you listening to me?
Who are you texting?
- Someone.
- Well concentrate, dummy.
I am concentrating.
Im getting the number
of someone who already moved
a lot of things from this house.
- What things?
- Hang on.
Well?
Things that were here and
are now at Florencias place.
- They were hers?
- Sort of.
- In any case, theyre hers now.
- I understand.
There it is. This woman made sure
that Florencias move wasnt hell.
Shes number one.
Tatiana Kalashnikova.
- Shall we write to her?
- Yes.
- Can you do it?
- You do it.
Please.
Can you get that?
- You get it.
- I'm washing.
Hello?
I'll be right there.
It's her.
Can you go?
What do you mean can I go?
Youre moving!
Take your face mask.
- Can you talk to her?
- No.
Hey!
What are you doing?
Hello!
Hi, Clementina.
Tatiana Kalashnikova, pleased to meet you.
Hi.
- Ill come in.
- Sure.
I have to say I came because
youre a friend of Florencias,
but Im up to my ears with work.
Everyone wants to move during the pandemic.
Florencia sent me photos of the baby.
Chubby thing. So what is it you need?
To move.
But what? Do you have valuable
things? Were a specialist moving company.
Theyre valuable to Guillermo,
and he said you were trustworthy.
Yes, were trustworthy
I made friends with
Florencia after I did her move.
I think Guillermos a bit nervous
because hes got a lot of stuff.
Yes, I saw that he was nervous.
Lets see.
He put all his figures here.
He ordered them by country of origin.
Hes always traveling.
Well, not now, but yes.
He makes educational documentaries.
Yes. I knew that.
And he brings a trinket
back from every trip.
Theres nothing of value
but he puts a lot into it.
That matryoshka is horrible.
- When do you have to move?
- This weekend.
No, no, no, no.
No.
OK, well do this: Im going to send
you my husband, my cousin and Brian.
We have another move but
well make an effort for you guys.
And if there are any problems, you
call me and Ill fix it right away.
OK?
But mind you, were going
to be strapped for time.
So you two will have to pack things
up and leave them ready for loading.
I see youve done quite a lot.
Yeah, weve been
putting stuff in the boxes.
Tell your boyfriend not to worry
because everythings going to be fine.
OK.
OK. Im out of here!
Can you explain why
you did that stupid thing?
Sorry. Im very nervous.
Me too. I understand that youre nervous.
I understand that you find this hard,
but you have to face up to it and do it.
I thought it would go better for us if you
arranged things with the Russian woman.
Well it went badly.
The Russian woman cant do it.
What do you mean she cant?
She can, but she cant.
Come home and Ill explain.
It has to be her. Its essential for me.
Why is she so essential?
There are tons of removal companies.
She isnt just a removal company.
Shes special.
Can you explain why?
Its hard to explain.
Well, face up to the difficulty
and explain it to me.
When Florencia decided to leave this house
I felt so bad that
I thought Id break down.
And suddenly this woman
appeared who was like an angel,
she made possible something
that seemed impossible.
And at the end of that day,
Florencia said to me
that if I ever had to move,
I should do it with Tatiana.
And I believed her. Thats it.
What do you mean she can but she cant?
She cant be here in person
because she has another job.
So she cant!
Take it easy.
She said she could send her husband,
her cousin and someone else.
I still dont understand why
you insist so much on it being her.
She was kind of in a hurry, she told
me twice she was making an exception.
She didnt give me a price,
she didnt look at anything.
But anyway, come back
and well figure it out.
Im coming now.
Im going to need a lot of help from you.
Im going to help you. Easy.
I love you.
Good.
3, 2, 1. Go!
I won.
Let go.
Vitali.
Ilya.
Brian.
Well come in.
First we take white bookshelf.
Then red couch.
Then oak desk.
Then sideboard.
Then we see.
Lets go!
Lets go!
I owe you explanation.
We have two moves today,
one with piano and one with no piano.
This is one with no piano.
I thought this was one with piano,
but piano is there.
I have to go there.
And my wife is going to come here.
Understood?
Yes.
I go there, my wife comes here.
It was our misunderstanding,
but dont worry because
we have the solution.
Well do a first journey with the van
and take all the biggest things.
And the most delicate things stay
here until my wife comes with her van,
and shell take care of that.
So: one of you has to come with me
and the other stays
here waiting for my wife.
Great.
We havent got much time.
Lets go!
I was worried just now.
If it rains again its a pain because
my house has a long corridor.
Take it easy.
It isnt going to rain.
Youll see, when we get to
your house the sun will come out.
Is first time we do
two moves on same day.
It was my wifes idea.
I dont like to work
like this, rushing.
But shes trustworthy.
She knows what to do.
OK.
Look.
Shrine of Gauchito Gil.
I am devoted to him.
He reminds me of Russian icons.
Look, another move.
Yes.
I recently learned that under
this avenue theres a river in a pipe.
I learned that recently too.
Another move!
This ones more amateur.
Villa Santa Rita is a nice neighborhood.
Is the house yours?
No, not really.
Its a bit complicated to explain.
Explain, Im interested.
It was my grandmothers house.
My parents are from here,
but before I was born
they went to live in a city called Tandil.
Tandil! Wobbling stone.
Yes, thats it.
I've lived there my whole life.
A few years ago, when my grandmother
got sick, I came here to look after her.
And when she died,
I carried on living in her house.
So all these things were
moving are your boyfriends.
Yes.
OK. Now they are going to be yours too.
Thats good thing
- Were almost there.
- Yes.
Look. Suns come out.
What did I tell you?
Another move!
So that you dont feel alone.
- Is this your place?
- Yes
I don't see where
you could park.
Easy. That car is moving.
- Lucky us!
- Yes.
A good omen.
I should get out and instruct him.
You'll park here?
No, Ill say goodbye here.
I have to go and get the piano
ready for when the boys arrive.
But the rest is simple.
Ilya and Brian will do good job.
OK.
Again, sorry for mix-up.
And good luck, Clementina.
Bye.
Theyve finished here and theyre leaving.
Let me know when youll be here.
The Russian woman
will be here in two hours.
Can you come?
Please, I dont want to be alone.
Come on, were nearly done.
Its OK that youre sad now.
You spent a lot of years here.
Its a very important place for you.
Lets do this:
you stay here as long as you need.
Do the rituals you have to do
and say goodbye to the apartment.
Ill take care of everything else, OK?
OK.
Being me the chicken.
Please be especially careful with this.
Everything careful, everything.
Youre going in your own car, no?
- Can I go with you?
- Yes.
Clementina! Come here a second.
Now between the two of us
we can clear away everything
so that you can move
around the house.
But first of all
I wanted to take care of this.
I think this was what your
boyfriend was most nervous about.
They all made it safely.
I ordered them as they were.
Why dont you take a photo
and send it to him so hes happy?
Now, in time, you can find
a place for every little thing.
Hey, are you OK?
Yes.
You sure?
Yes, seriously.
Ill get over it.
Youre having doubts
about everything, arent you?
Youre thinking
what have I got myself into?
Sure, just to solve a problem
for your boyfriend,
you happily offered to let him live here,
and now you think it was a hasty decision.
Am I right?
I dont know you very well,
but I can tell youre that kind of person.
You put so much effort
into solving other peoples problems,
that when you have to face up
to your own problems,
you dont know where to
find the energy. Am I right?
Maybe.
But do you love him?
Yes, I think so.
OK, dont let it bring you down.
Seen from the outside,
this doesnt seem so bad.
You have this house,
thats very lucky.
Yes, I know that.
And I dont like to complain.
But I dont know
how were going to manage.
You will do what youve always done!
Youre a patient person.
Start to tidy the house together.
A little every day.
And fix it up, because Ive seen
youve got a huge damp problem.
This is because of the river.
The Maldonados half a block away.
- Yes.
- Yes!
And the house was locked up for
several months and the damp got worse.
Lets see what other
problems you have.
Come.
Let's see.
Right. I understand.
Complicated. This is nasty.
Right, right. I understand.
I understand. This is coming
from above and from below...
and above.
Let's see.
Come here, come up.
Show me the terrace.
Yes.
OK.
OK, OK.
Youre going to have
to waterproof terrace,
youre going to have to
fix leaks in acrylic cladding
and then remove plaster
and apply waterproof cement.
- Do electric and water work OK?
- Yes.
Do you have some savings
to pay for these repairs?
Its tricky at the moment.
What do you do?
Im a gym teacher.
And I taught classes.
Right. Youre screwed.
What can I say?
Its a lot of work but its worth it.
The house is beautiful and its yours.
Yes, but Im almost unemployed,
I have to start looking for work,
I dont have any money,
my family is far away...
Easy. Its a complicated time.
- Does your boyfriend have a job?
- Yes, he does.
OK, tell him that what he paid in rent
he has to put it into the house.
- Thats fair, isnt it?
- Yes.
And until things
get back to normal,
youre going to concentrate
on fixing up the house
so that the two of you
are comfortable here.
- You told me youre OK with him, right?
- I think so.
- Were only just starting.
- He is a food guy.
A little childish and a
little slow, but good heart.
Like Vitali, my husband.
You met him.
Yes.
He's like a kid.
Youre going to be OK.
I know what Im saying.
You can do it, Clementina!
When I get home Ill send you number
of trustworthy people to make repairs.
And now my work is done...
and weve had this chat,
we can be friends, no?
And when all this is passed,
we can have a nice hug.
You think?
Yes.
Youre also like how you say I am.
How?
You also take care of others.
Yes.
And you never fall apart?
Yes.
TO HERNN MENDILAHARZU
SHOT DURING THE FALL, WINTER
AND SPRING OF 2020
AND FINISHED DURING
THE SUMMER OF 2022
EL PAMPERO CINE
PRESENTS
IN
What's up?
Good.
What's up?
Good.
What took you so long?
Too many people?
Yes.
Were they distancing?
No.
Did you get into a fight?
No.
Good.
Did you make lemonade?
Yes. And I hang the clean clothes.
Wheres the soap that was here?
I took it to the bathroom on the back.
Any news from the plumbers?
Today they work in the apartment upstairs.
Did they say when?
No.
You didnt ask them?
No.
Be thankful that the
other shower works.
I ran into a friend on the street.
She liked the haircut.
She told me to congratulate you.
Shes your neighbour, she
lives next to the club.
You mean our neighbour.
You live here now.
Yes, well...
now because of all of this.
When its over
When its over, well see.
Dont you want us to
clean up a bit back here?
Not for now. Im gonna keep using
a lot of things from there.
If we clean up its
gonna get messy again.
When are you done with the bookshelf?
So we can clear out here.
I still have to sand it and
give it some coats of paint.
It's gonna take a while.
Shouldnt we keep this door closed?
So the dust wont come in.
Yes. Sorry.
Have you been playing here?
A little.
Im about to start a meeting now.
Ill clean up later.
Fine.
But do it.
I wouldnt want them
to find it like this.
They are not coming back today.
Dont worry.
Did you send them
our class schedules?
We can text them later.
After my meeting.
Ill clear up the table.
Watch out with the wood carving.
The paint is still fresh.
Its done, right?
Not yet.
I did finish your yoga blocks
and your book stand.
Check out if theyre okay.
Theyre perfect. Thanks.
What happened to the chairs?
Only one of them was broken.
I've decided to make
some maintenance on the rest of them.
I want to go out on the balcony,
and its kind of messy here.
Can I go through there?
My meeting starts now.
Try to be quiet.
Sources close to the government hinted...
that the quarantine would be extended
indefinitely throughout the territory...
CHAPTER TWO
THE WHITE MAN
GOOD MORNING.
"I WENT GROCERY SHOPPING.
LET ME KNOW IF I CAN
BRING YOU SOMETHING.
I WOKE UP EARLY AND I CLEANED UP.
IM MISSING THE BALCONY
AND THE BIG BATHROOM."
ITS COLD.
Pumpkin.
Onion.
Sweet potato.
Ginger.
Coriander.
Hello, honey.
Whats up?
In a hurry.
Im running late.
There were lots of
people everywhere.
Did you get wet?
No. Theres a drizzle but it bothers
more than it makes you wet.
I dont get to sanitize
this before the class.
Ill take care of it.
You cleaned up a lot.
I missed the balcony
and the big bathroom.
The balcony is done.
Oh, nice.
I didnt even go into
the big bathroom yet.
Im peeing.
I thought they were done already.
No.
But theyre done with
the floor and the tiles.
Yes.
Pretty messy.
Shouldnt we send the owner some pictures?
Maybe.
We could clean up later, so we
can use this bathroom again.
Not now. Fixing the cover up is
going to make a lot of mess.
But when are they coming to do that?
Today.
What do you mean today?
You didnt tell me anything.
They just told me.
At what time?
At 12.
But youre teaching at that time.
Come in.
Theres alcohol there.
The bathroom is that way.
That door?
Yeah, that one.
Ill go in.
Okay.
Do you have a ladder?
What?
A ladder.
Yes.
Here.
Do you need to use the bathroom?
Dont worry, theres one in the back.
There is, right?
Yes.
Im gonna...
Yes.
CLOSE UP OF THE BOOK
"The development of such ideas
had been greatly stimulated by a stupendous
misfortune that had swept the world
and laid bare the foundations of society,
a pestilence of unheard-of virulence.
It was called the Black Death, and it came nearer to the
extirpation of mankind than any other evil has ever done.
It was far more deadly than the Plague of
Pericles, or the Plague of Marcus Aurelius..."
Excuse me.
Yes?
Do you have a glass of water to drink?
Wait.
This is all done.
Im going upstairs,
Ill come back later.
OK.
The painter is all done
with the plaster and putty.
He left it drying and
went to work upstairs.
Hell be back in a while to do
the sanding and painting.
That raises a lot of dust.
Tell him to keep the door shut.
OK.
Excuse me.
Yes.
Ill go into the bathroom.
Go ahead.
The soup is ready.
What?
The soup is ready.
I cant right now.
Didnt you finish at 2?
Its 2:30.
What?
Its 2:30.
Well, it extended.
Youre not going to have lunch?
Ill see that later.
Fine.
Thanks.
Careful, its hot.
Blender, right?
Yeah.
And that spice?
- Ginger.
- Ginger, right?
Yes.
Are you able to work?
Not much.
Not much, right?
Yes.
Is that your husband in the painting?
My boyfriend, yeah.
Hes teaching right now.
And you?
I teach as well.
You do, right?
Yes. But mine is harder,
- since its online.
- Mine too.
You have a toothpick bird.
Yeah.
Its his.
I like him.
Nice guy.
Knows what he wants.
Look.
Do you have some more?
Yes.
Well,
Im all done,
so Ill be on my way.
Check it out later,
the color is a bit different.
The original one is machine-made.
I did the best I could
with what I had.
OK.
Ill check it out later.
OK. Anyway, the administrator has
my number. So you can call me.
You both can call me.
OK.
Ill be upstairs now.
- Yeah.
- And then Ill leave.
So good luck.
Good luck, right?
Thanks for the soup.
Youre welcome.
Im all done.
It was a bumpy class.
Very strange things happen
with this new modality.
They do, right?
Did the painter leave?
Yes.
Im starving.
Any soup left?
Yes.
Great. Ill warm up some.
OK.
Hey!
They cut our water!
CHAPTER THREE
TROUBLES WITH THE WATER
Do you want to bring a couple more buckets?
- We warm them and then wash.
- No.
Well use this to wash our face
and have breakfast tomorrow.
When the water
comes back, well wash.
- Sure, but when is it coming back?
- Soon.
Our neighbors are taking care of it.
How do you know that?
They are downstairs with a plumber.
Good. And?
I don't know, I left quickly.
You didnt find out anything?
- No.
- Are you stupid?
Look, I dont like meetings,
I dont like the neighbors.
- Patricia was there super excited.
- Who?
A girl from upstairs.
Can you please go down
there and find something out?
- No.
- No my ass!
We havent had water for days, go
down there and get some answers.
No, please!
Ill do anything, anything.
Youll wash everything.
Fine.
I always wash anyways.
PLUMBER: The leak is there, but who
knows where the pipe is broken.
Cos the water flows inside
the wall until it finds its way out.
Unfortunately, we wont know it
unless we start breaking the wall.
PATRICIA: A lot?
PLUMBER: You never know, this is a surprise box.
But I wont break anything unless you tell me to.
NICO:
I say we do it. What else can we do?
PLUMBER: Ill do my best to find
replacements for these vintage tiles.
I will need to break quite a few of them.
PATRICIA:
Lets check de cockstop.
PLUMBER:
Maybe we are lucky.
PLUMBER:
No, theres just one.
PATRICIA:
But I see theres 2.
PLUMBER: Yeah, but this
one only feeds this tap here,
and this one feeds the tank that
supplies water to the whole building.
My advice is to open
it shortly, twice a day,
and pray that the basement
doesnt flood too fast.
PATRICIA:
Well manage that way. What else can we do?
PLUMBER:
Try calling Aysa.
They can drain the water out
for free if you get them to come.
Whats happening?
Everyone is going home.
They just left,
but one of them still has to come up.
He must be letting the plumber out.
Hes coming up.
Hes ringing the old ladys doorbell.
Shes opening the door.
Are they talking?
Yes.
About what?
- About what?
- I cant hear well.
So?
Hes explaining that the water
will be cut off until tomorrow,
and that there will be water for an
hour in the morning and an hour at night.
Its absurd.
Is there or isnt there water?
MATIAS:
We need to strive
CLEMENTINA:
He says we need to strive.
GUILLERMO:
How clever!
He is offering to bring her a bucket.
Do you understand why
there is water in the tap below
- but not in the rest of the building?
- No.
So what is this ridiculous
thing that they cut the water,
then they give it again,
then they cut it again
- Why don't they give water and that's it?
- If you'd found out, we'd know.
I told you I dont talk to the neighbors.
OK, silence.
MATIAS:
Here you go.
Tell everyone to push their flush buttons.
We have to push the buttons.
- What?
- That we have to push the buttons.
- What?
- We have to push the buttons
- What?
- The buttons.
We have to push the buttons.
- What buttons?
- The bathrooms buttons.
- For what?
- To drain the tanks.
Which one do you take:
big one or small one?
- Small one.
- OK.
Dont open!
- They know were here!
- Doesn't matter. Dont open.
- Im going to open.
- No!
Hello, sweetheart.
Your boyfriends not home?
Hes teaching.
OK, Ill tell you then.
What was your name?
- Clementina.
- Beautiful name.
Mine is Patricia. Horrible.
Anyway, nice to meet you.
Are you busy?
- No. Kind of.
- Can I come in?
Good, so I can tell you a bit
about the issue with the water
because it is complex and it seems
to me that you are not very aware of it.
Yes, its just that Guillermo
is teaching all day and I...
Yes, sweetheart, I understand everything:
youve just moved here
and this building is hell.
Besides, as tenants, you
shouldnt take care of anything.
Well, anyway
The apartment is looking nice.
I hadnt been in here since
Mrs. Celia left. How is she?
Do you know if she is aware of all this?
No, no idea. I know that
Guillermo speaks with her son.
That baldy is so boorish.
Deal with him the least you can, trust me.
OK.
- Did the bathroom fix turn out alright?
- Yes.
- Excuse me.
- Yes.
Good, one less problem.
But after they were
finished with your issue,
the pipes in the entire
building began to break.
I dont know if this is normal or if this
plumber did some sort of sabotage on us.
Tell your boyfriend to be ready for
the expenses to go through the roof.
Poor thing, hes not even the owner and
hell have to pay for 60 years of neglect.
But hey, we can't have water coming out of
the walls and not coming out of the taps.
Its crazy. We are on lockdown
due to sanitary reasons,
but we cant sanitize ourselves and
our building is filled with strange people.
I already saw 2 plumbers
and 3 bricklayers parading around here.
And now the people from Aysa are working.
Yes, I saw them.
And do you know when
they will give us water?
Well, that's what Im here to explain.
Its pretty long, I tell you.
- Do you want to sit?
- Im fine sweetie, thanks.
Youre not aware that the
basement floods, are you?
- No, I wasnt.
- Well, it floods. Here's the thing:
The water that comes from the network
goes to a cistern tank in the basement,
but part of that water
never reaches the tank,
because the pipe that
carries it is punctured.
And that water that
flows from that puncture
is filling up the basement
floor as if it were a pool.
Yes, terrible.
The thing is: if the water
passes a certain level,
it can reach the electricity boxes,
and we might also run out of light.
I see.
Today we managed to get
Aysa people to do the work,
but they already told us
that the problem is internal
and that we have
to solve it ourselves.
So we agreed to buy
a pump ourselves.
Do you follow me?
Yes.
Good. Now, when the
Aysa guys are done,
we are going to
give water for a while.
So make use of that,
because it will not last long,
cos the basement floods right away.
OK.
And while the water is cut,
you can fill up buckets in the
tap thats next to the front door.
That one is never cut because
it is not fed by the cistern,
it comes directly from the network.
Good.
And when the pump arrives,
well establish draining shifts.
Would you mind joining in?
If you give me your
number or Guillermo's,
I'll add you to the WhatsApp group
and pass you the schedule.
- What happened?
- I dont know.
Go check the electricity thingy.
And?
Its up. The problem comes from outside.
Still, there is light in
the hallway. Strange.
Go see whats happening.
Maybe it will fix itself immediately.
Ill go get some candles.
Go see whats happening right now.
Go upstairs!
They will bring us an extension right away.
Dont panic. Get inside.
Its plugged!
I need some extra tape.
Clementina, bring me some tape!
Well have to manage this way tonight.
At least you can charge your phones
- Hi.
- How's it going?
Fine.
There we go.
BRIEF ROMANIC INTERLUDE
CHAPTER FOUR
THE JOBS
Your dads calling you on my phone.
Ill get it.
Hello.
Hi, hows it going. Are you at home?
No, still here.
OK. Villa Crespo?
No, its in Chacarita.
OK. Hows work? Still short?
Yeah, Im just teaching a
couple of classes a week.
Guillermo sends his love.
OK. Where in Chacarita is the apartment?
Opposite Club Chacarita.
OK. Thats better. Youre close.
Close to what?
Hang on, theres bad
reception here. Ill go inside.
Close to what, dad?
To the reason why Im calling you.
You know the studio apartment
Ive got in Buenos Aires?
Yes.
Key fell out.
Its free.
And it needs doing up for the tenant
whos moving in now in September.
In two weeks?
Yes, in September.
- Didnt your brother say anything?
- No.
- Are you not speaking to your brother?
- No.
OK. The thing is Im stuck here,
I cant move.
Hows everything there?
Theyve put up earth barricades
on the road. No one can get in or out.
Sure.
And I spoke to your brother and
he was going to do up the apartment
but hes let me down.
He wasted two weeks telling
me he was getting quotes,
deciding on who should do the work,
and this morning he sends me a text
saying hes got some
problems and now he cant do it.
So?
So I wanted to see if you could
lend me a hand, Clementina.
Id do it myself but Im stuck here.
What needs doing?
Hello?
The kitchen counters arrived.
Let me know what time theyre
coming to put it in tomorrow.
The plumbers said theyre
going tomorrow after midday.
Can I ask you one more small favour?
Im finding it hard to get
quotes from painters here.
Could you find one for me?
Im leaving the apartment now but Ill
call some people later and let you know.
OK, but dont take too long.
We dont have much time.
And please, get good people,
the apartment has to be impeccable.
Make sure they dont rip you off.
Job like that they should be
quoting you about 15,000 pesos.
Its starting
I FOUND SOME PAINTERS.
THEY CHARGE 20,000.
THEYRE STARTING TODAY
WITH THE PLASTERING.
IVE PAID A 10,000 DEPOSIT.
TRANSFER ME EVERYTHING AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
SO EXPENSIVE.
Could you ask the administrator
for the number of the guy who
did the plastering in our bathroom?
PAINTER DAVID BLANCO
HOW ARE YOU GETTING ON?
Hi, David. This is Clementina,
from the apartment in Chacarita
where you fixed the blind cover.
We had soup.
I wanted to know if you could do a plaster
job in another apartment in the same area.
Let me know.
Thanks.
Hi, hows it going?
Sure, I remember you.
Very tasty soup, that.
Butternut squash.
Ginger, right?
Listen, fortunately Ive got
loads of work on right now,
so Im not going to be able to do that.
But I passed on your number to
someone who can do it, hes very good.
So hell write to you any time now.
All right, sorry for the long audio.
Cheers. Bye, see you.
OK. Thanks.
Bread for sale.
Bread for sale.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Ive got bread made with sour dough.
Ive got wheat, rye, mix.
Ive only got wheat left.
Do you want one?
OK.
Theyre big. Theyre all 250.
Looks good.
Yes, they're very good.
Since I cant go out to
work, I started doing this.
Yes, its all a bit weird.
Look at my hair.
Its better than mine.
I saw you working yesterday and today.
Are you moving in there?
No, Im fixing up the apartment
for a tenant whos moving in.
OK, let him know that
his neighbour sells bread.
I dont know him.
And the apartment isnt mine, either.
Well
So...
Do you want to pass it to me
here or give it to me at the door?
You want one?
Yes.
Good! Give me a second and
Ill see how I can get it to you.
OK, Ill just separate the money.
- Ive written my number on the bag.
- OK.
The moneys inside.
- Let me know what you think.
- OK.
Come in.
- Go in if you like, Ill close the door.
- OK.
- Does that door open?
- Yes.
- In that case, please: ventilated spaces.
- Sure.
Ill just leave this here.
- In there?
- Yes, go on through.
What were they trying
to do there, fine plaster?
Yeah, a mix that they sold me.
- Revocal?
- Yeah, that's it.
OK, yes, I can do the job.
Materials and labour 2500.
OK.
OK.
- Ill go and buy the materials.
- Great.
You going to live here?
- No, Im renting it out.
- OK.
- And whos doing the painting?
- Im going to do it.
You know its not so easy, eh?
Do you want me to do it?
No, thank you.
- You sure? Im cheap.
- I'm sure.
OK.
Let me know if you want
anything from the paint shop.
- No, Ive got everything.
- Oh, yeah?
- Yes.
- Can I see what you bought?
OK.
Ah, its good that.
Its what I was recommended.
Yes, its adhesive.
10 litres is plenty.
I see youve already
done the plastering.
Yeah, sanded it down, too.
Right.
Once you finish sanding,
youll cover it with masking tape.
Youll cover it with this.
Youll cover the air
conditioning with tape and a bag.
And then the skirting boards.
Are you going to paint
the bookcases and doors?
No.
OK, youll need to put
masking tape on them as well.
And cover the carpet.
Have you got something for that?
Ive got a big bag.
That wont be enough.
Ill bring you a roll.
OK.
So once youve covered
everything, youll paint.
Youll put this paint here in the
tray, in this part you put the paint.
You have to stir it well
first, thats very important.
You dip the roller in here,
and here you squeeze it out.
Then paint.
Like this, in a V shape,
and then like this to blur it.
Youre best off putting a broom
handle on, so you dont get too tired.
And then all the edges, angles,
where you cant get in with
the roller, youll use the brush.
And there you go.
- Whens the tenant moving in?
- Saturday.
Ah, plenty of time.
Give it two coats, ideally three.
But thats fine.
Can I give you just one more
word of advice before I go?
Yes.
Now, I see youve
plastered but its a bit thick.
So Im going to leave
you a drill with a sander.
Thats going to make it much easier.
Youll get it done quicker.
You plug it in,
you go in from the
front, nice and gentle.
Make sure you dont tilt it
because itll make a mark.
Do it like that, gently just
to remove the thick parts.
And then with a block of wood and
sandpaper, by hand, you finish it off.
And youre done.
Who is it?
Me, they opened the door downstairs.
- Excuse me.
- Come in.
My backpack?
- I hung it in the bathroom.
- Ah, OK. Excuse me.
Its just a matter of patience, you know?
You have to gradually put it
on and remove it, until it sticks.
Then its a question of
putting on the putty, slowly
You put it on thick,
then you remove it, and
you put it on again.
So that it doesnt end up thick.
Thats what happened
to you with the plastering.
- Can I try?
- Yeah.
Here you go.
Youll have to use the step ladder.
Yes.
Thats it. Put it on the edges slowly.
Good sandwich.
Thanks.
Breads good.
Where did you buy it?
A guy that lives next door.
And what does he do, sell it?
- Yes, he sells it.
- Expensive?
No, 250 for a loaf like this.
Good!
And could he sell me one?
Yeah, Ill give you
the number if you like.
I left my phone upstairs.
Didnt you say he lives next door?
Yes.
Which window?
That one.
Baker!
Baker!
Maybe hes having a siesta,
they get up early, bakers.
There he is.
- Hello.
- Hey, how's it going?
Good, good.
I was trying this bread that this girl
gave me and she says you make it.
- Yes, yes, I make it here.
- Are you baking now?
Yeah. Do you want one?
Ive got wheat.
- OK. 250?
- Yes.
- Great.
- Shall I get you one?
Sure.
- Ill put the money in a bag.
- OK.
- Theyre you go, its right.
- Great, thanks.
OK.
Ill let my wife and daughter try it and if
they like it Ill order some more from you.
OK, great.
Give me a call, Ill be here.
- OK. Thanks.
- Bye.
Bye!
OK.
This is finished, OK?
Its dried, sanded, all done.
Its ready to paint, so
Great.
- Ill get going.
- OK. 2500, right?
Nah, call it 2300. To be honest I
didnt spend that much on materials.
OK.
Leave it there.
OK.
All right, great, thanks.
No, youre welcome.
I have to open the door for you.
No, the caretaker
must be downstairs.
Or Ill give you a shout.
Or come back.
OK.
OK. Anything you need, give me a call.
OK, thanks.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Thanks. See you.
Your dad on my phone again.
Clementina!
I'll get it.
Hello.
You dont answer me on your phone
and I have to call your boyfriends phone.
I was working out.
OK, but this is urgent.
I have to ask you one last favour.
What is it?
What is it? Your brothers
disappeared completely.
Tomorrow theyre signing the contract.
Hes on there as power of attorney
in the contract and hes let me down.
So?
So there are two options.
One is I get special permission to travel.
I pay to have a cotton bud stuck up my nose
and on top of that I have to put
up with two weeks of quarantine.
- Or..
- Or?
Or I can ask the notary to put you
down as power of attorney and you do it.
Ill mail you the contract.
Print out three copies and
make an extra copy of the keys.
You sign the contract and take the dollars.
There isnt a lot to do
and this is a complicated time when
we all have to help each other out.
And well, I can see if I can pay you
a small commission for these favours.
A month.
A month?
A month what?
My commission. A months rent.
Ill take it out of the dollars.
OK, but make sure everythings impeccable
when the tenant and guarantor go.
Wear something smart.
OK, thats fine.
I have to go, Ive got a call.
Wait, Clementina!
The contracts are here
and theres hand sanitizer.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Come in.
Nice place.
Thanks.
Listen, I dont mean to be rude but Im in
a hurry today. Is it OK if I start reading?
Sure.
Well...
In Buenos Aires, on 1 September 2020,
this rental contract is undersigned by
We done?
- Yes.
- Let's go.
- OK..
- Let's go.
Here, count it, theyre all new notes.
Ready. Shall we go?
Congratulations, mate.
Enjoy.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Hello.
- Hello.
- All done, look.
I've got the dollars.
Great.
It all went fine. Friendly tenant.
Hes a painter, did I tell you?
No.
Hes going to use the
apartment as an atelier.
Thats good, isnt it?
Whats the matter?
The son of the landlady called.
The old lady died.
Covid?
- Yes.
- So?
The guys out of work,
he has two little kids.
At least theres your house.
We have to give up the apartment.
- When?
- Now.
CHAPTER FIVE
THE MOVE
Hello!
- How did you get on?
- Great. I got a load.
Lets see.
I ran into a recycler. I asked him
how much hed get for the boxes
and offered him double.
- Is that OK?
- Yes.
We have to put them together.
I brought packing tape.
In a sec. Can you come here a moment?
Dont you want to come here
and well put the boxes together?
Just come here a sec.
I counted them, youve got
11 small cups and 12 big cups.
Are we really going to use all of them?
When are we going to use 23 cups?
Theyre good cups.
What about these glasses?
Theyre glasses. Theyre good glasses.
OK, but when are we going
to use all these glasses?
I dont know, I cant let
go of them so abruptly.
Were in a hurry now, since
your house is big lets take them
and then, in time, well see.
But we cant apply
that system to everything.
You have too much stuff.
We cant take everything.
Youre going to have
to let go of some things.
I dont want to torture you, but you
have to make an effort too, I'll help you.
When you see that you cant let go, you
tell me. But try as hard as you can. OK?
- OK.
- Good.
Ive been tidying up a bit.
Accompany me to the back room.
The books, CDs and DVDs
are all in the small boxes.
But this, for example, what is it?
Theyre offcuts of wood that
I picked up over the years.
Bits of wood that are useful for making
things. Its always handy to have them.
- Are they coming with us?
- Yes.
OK.
This?
That is an antique cinema
tripod of German origin.
I intend to make it into a lamp one day.
- Is it coming?
- Yes.
This!
That is the screen from an old
television that I found in the street
and which I intend to use as
a frame for a photo or for a painting.
Coming?
Yes.
- This?
- Its a snorkel mask for diving!
Its broken.
It needs repairing, yes.
Its coming.
In that box are all the notes and
letters that Florencia wrote to me.
Thats an aluminum pole,
but I use it as a didgeridoo.
Well take it, I can
teach you to use it.
Thats my collection of Andean aerophones.
My collection of recorders and flutes.
Cinema, theater and museum programs.
As a child I collected cigarette packets.
Diaries, photos and notebooks from my life.
Careful.
Careful.
Weve got very little time
and were going very slowly.
Well, Im going quickly, but
with every thing you have to pack,
you kind of pause a moment.
Could be.
And there are lots of things,
and if you start to reminisce
with every one, were in trouble.
Are you listening to me?
Who are you texting?
- Someone.
- Well concentrate, dummy.
I am concentrating.
Im getting the number
of someone who already moved
a lot of things from this house.
- What things?
- Hang on.
Well?
Things that were here and
are now at Florencias place.
- They were hers?
- Sort of.
- In any case, theyre hers now.
- I understand.
There it is. This woman made sure
that Florencias move wasnt hell.
Shes number one.
Tatiana Kalashnikova.
- Shall we write to her?
- Yes.
- Can you do it?
- You do it.
Please.
Can you get that?
- You get it.
- I'm washing.
Hello?
I'll be right there.
It's her.
Can you go?
What do you mean can I go?
Youre moving!
Take your face mask.
- Can you talk to her?
- No.
Hey!
What are you doing?
Hello!
Hi, Clementina.
Tatiana Kalashnikova, pleased to meet you.
Hi.
- Ill come in.
- Sure.
I have to say I came because
youre a friend of Florencias,
but Im up to my ears with work.
Everyone wants to move during the pandemic.
Florencia sent me photos of the baby.
Chubby thing. So what is it you need?
To move.
But what? Do you have valuable
things? Were a specialist moving company.
Theyre valuable to Guillermo,
and he said you were trustworthy.
Yes, were trustworthy
I made friends with
Florencia after I did her move.
I think Guillermos a bit nervous
because hes got a lot of stuff.
Yes, I saw that he was nervous.
Lets see.
He put all his figures here.
He ordered them by country of origin.
Hes always traveling.
Well, not now, but yes.
He makes educational documentaries.
Yes. I knew that.
And he brings a trinket
back from every trip.
Theres nothing of value
but he puts a lot into it.
That matryoshka is horrible.
- When do you have to move?
- This weekend.
No, no, no, no.
No.
OK, well do this: Im going to send
you my husband, my cousin and Brian.
We have another move but
well make an effort for you guys.
And if there are any problems, you
call me and Ill fix it right away.
OK?
But mind you, were going
to be strapped for time.
So you two will have to pack things
up and leave them ready for loading.
I see youve done quite a lot.
Yeah, weve been
putting stuff in the boxes.
Tell your boyfriend not to worry
because everythings going to be fine.
OK.
OK. Im out of here!
Can you explain why
you did that stupid thing?
Sorry. Im very nervous.
Me too. I understand that youre nervous.
I understand that you find this hard,
but you have to face up to it and do it.
I thought it would go better for us if you
arranged things with the Russian woman.
Well it went badly.
The Russian woman cant do it.
What do you mean she cant?
She can, but she cant.
Come home and Ill explain.
It has to be her. Its essential for me.
Why is she so essential?
There are tons of removal companies.
She isnt just a removal company.
Shes special.
Can you explain why?
Its hard to explain.
Well, face up to the difficulty
and explain it to me.
When Florencia decided to leave this house
I felt so bad that
I thought Id break down.
And suddenly this woman
appeared who was like an angel,
she made possible something
that seemed impossible.
And at the end of that day,
Florencia said to me
that if I ever had to move,
I should do it with Tatiana.
And I believed her. Thats it.
What do you mean she can but she cant?
She cant be here in person
because she has another job.
So she cant!
Take it easy.
She said she could send her husband,
her cousin and someone else.
I still dont understand why
you insist so much on it being her.
She was kind of in a hurry, she told
me twice she was making an exception.
She didnt give me a price,
she didnt look at anything.
But anyway, come back
and well figure it out.
Im coming now.
Im going to need a lot of help from you.
Im going to help you. Easy.
I love you.
Good.
3, 2, 1. Go!
I won.
Let go.
Vitali.
Ilya.
Brian.
Well come in.
First we take white bookshelf.
Then red couch.
Then oak desk.
Then sideboard.
Then we see.
Lets go!
Lets go!
I owe you explanation.
We have two moves today,
one with piano and one with no piano.
This is one with no piano.
I thought this was one with piano,
but piano is there.
I have to go there.
And my wife is going to come here.
Understood?
Yes.
I go there, my wife comes here.
It was our misunderstanding,
but dont worry because
we have the solution.
Well do a first journey with the van
and take all the biggest things.
And the most delicate things stay
here until my wife comes with her van,
and shell take care of that.
So: one of you has to come with me
and the other stays
here waiting for my wife.
Great.
We havent got much time.
Lets go!
I was worried just now.
If it rains again its a pain because
my house has a long corridor.
Take it easy.
It isnt going to rain.
Youll see, when we get to
your house the sun will come out.
Is first time we do
two moves on same day.
It was my wifes idea.
I dont like to work
like this, rushing.
But shes trustworthy.
She knows what to do.
OK.
Look.
Shrine of Gauchito Gil.
I am devoted to him.
He reminds me of Russian icons.
Look, another move.
Yes.
I recently learned that under
this avenue theres a river in a pipe.
I learned that recently too.
Another move!
This ones more amateur.
Villa Santa Rita is a nice neighborhood.
Is the house yours?
No, not really.
Its a bit complicated to explain.
Explain, Im interested.
It was my grandmothers house.
My parents are from here,
but before I was born
they went to live in a city called Tandil.
Tandil! Wobbling stone.
Yes, thats it.
I've lived there my whole life.
A few years ago, when my grandmother
got sick, I came here to look after her.
And when she died,
I carried on living in her house.
So all these things were
moving are your boyfriends.
Yes.
OK. Now they are going to be yours too.
Thats good thing
- Were almost there.
- Yes.
Look. Suns come out.
What did I tell you?
Another move!
So that you dont feel alone.
- Is this your place?
- Yes
I don't see where
you could park.
Easy. That car is moving.
- Lucky us!
- Yes.
A good omen.
I should get out and instruct him.
You'll park here?
No, Ill say goodbye here.
I have to go and get the piano
ready for when the boys arrive.
But the rest is simple.
Ilya and Brian will do good job.
OK.
Again, sorry for mix-up.
And good luck, Clementina.
Bye.
Theyve finished here and theyre leaving.
Let me know when youll be here.
The Russian woman
will be here in two hours.
Can you come?
Please, I dont want to be alone.
Come on, were nearly done.
Its OK that youre sad now.
You spent a lot of years here.
Its a very important place for you.
Lets do this:
you stay here as long as you need.
Do the rituals you have to do
and say goodbye to the apartment.
Ill take care of everything else, OK?
OK.
Being me the chicken.
Please be especially careful with this.
Everything careful, everything.
Youre going in your own car, no?
- Can I go with you?
- Yes.
Clementina! Come here a second.
Now between the two of us
we can clear away everything
so that you can move
around the house.
But first of all
I wanted to take care of this.
I think this was what your
boyfriend was most nervous about.
They all made it safely.
I ordered them as they were.
Why dont you take a photo
and send it to him so hes happy?
Now, in time, you can find
a place for every little thing.
Hey, are you OK?
Yes.
You sure?
Yes, seriously.
Ill get over it.
Youre having doubts
about everything, arent you?
Youre thinking
what have I got myself into?
Sure, just to solve a problem
for your boyfriend,
you happily offered to let him live here,
and now you think it was a hasty decision.
Am I right?
I dont know you very well,
but I can tell youre that kind of person.
You put so much effort
into solving other peoples problems,
that when you have to face up
to your own problems,
you dont know where to
find the energy. Am I right?
Maybe.
But do you love him?
Yes, I think so.
OK, dont let it bring you down.
Seen from the outside,
this doesnt seem so bad.
You have this house,
thats very lucky.
Yes, I know that.
And I dont like to complain.
But I dont know
how were going to manage.
You will do what youve always done!
Youre a patient person.
Start to tidy the house together.
A little every day.
And fix it up, because Ive seen
youve got a huge damp problem.
This is because of the river.
The Maldonados half a block away.
- Yes.
- Yes!
And the house was locked up for
several months and the damp got worse.
Lets see what other
problems you have.
Come.
Let's see.
Right. I understand.
Complicated. This is nasty.
Right, right. I understand.
I understand. This is coming
from above and from below...
and above.
Let's see.
Come here, come up.
Show me the terrace.
Yes.
OK.
OK, OK.
Youre going to have
to waterproof terrace,
youre going to have to
fix leaks in acrylic cladding
and then remove plaster
and apply waterproof cement.
- Do electric and water work OK?
- Yes.
Do you have some savings
to pay for these repairs?
Its tricky at the moment.
What do you do?
Im a gym teacher.
And I taught classes.
Right. Youre screwed.
What can I say?
Its a lot of work but its worth it.
The house is beautiful and its yours.
Yes, but Im almost unemployed,
I have to start looking for work,
I dont have any money,
my family is far away...
Easy. Its a complicated time.
- Does your boyfriend have a job?
- Yes, he does.
OK, tell him that what he paid in rent
he has to put it into the house.
- Thats fair, isnt it?
- Yes.
And until things
get back to normal,
youre going to concentrate
on fixing up the house
so that the two of you
are comfortable here.
- You told me youre OK with him, right?
- I think so.
- Were only just starting.
- He is a food guy.
A little childish and a
little slow, but good heart.
Like Vitali, my husband.
You met him.
Yes.
He's like a kid.
Youre going to be OK.
I know what Im saying.
You can do it, Clementina!
When I get home Ill send you number
of trustworthy people to make repairs.
And now my work is done...
and weve had this chat,
we can be friends, no?
And when all this is passed,
we can have a nice hug.
You think?
Yes.
Youre also like how you say I am.
How?
You also take care of others.
Yes.
And you never fall apart?
Yes.
TO HERNN MENDILAHARZU
SHOT DURING THE FALL, WINTER
AND SPRING OF 2020
AND FINISHED DURING
THE SUMMER OF 2022