las muertas

an excerpt from the screenplay by Katrina Rivers, adapted for the screen from the novel, ‘Las Muertas’, by Jorge Ibarguengoitia

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD – LATE AFTERNOON
SUPER: The Guenes Mountains, Mexico, 1965

Scenery fantastic. Stark and bare, cacti stand silhouetted against a fiery sunset. From far in the distance the SOUND of a car vibrates through the afternoon’s fading warmth. ‘Gritenme Piedras del Campo’ by Lola Beltran plays on the static-filled radio. A 1950′s, cobalt blue, 2-door CADILLAC snakes through the mountains. Inside are 2 MEN and a WOMAN. They all wear dark glasses. TICHO (30’s) drives. A great bull of a man, he is part-time bouncer, part-time farmer, with some heart and not much brain. He is in a foul mood. In the back seat, CAPTAIN BEDOYA (40’s) snores lightly. Wearing a neatly pressed field jacket, he sleeps straight-backed and arms crossed, his head nodding with the movement of the car. Next to him sits SERAFINA BALADRO (early 40’s). She wears a black dress and shawl. Behind her striking, dark beauty is a lingering fragility. She raises her sunglasses to peer out the window, revealing a shocking wild-eyed anticipation. This is a woman about to fulfill her destiny.

EXT. TUXPANA FALLS – DUSK
Slowing down, the car enters a town accompanied by the crazed barking of dogs put on the alert. A crude, handwritten sign by the side of the road declares: ‘Senor Presidente! They Stole our water!’
It is a desolate town with wide, dusty streets. A massive wind storm tears through, threatening to bring down the naked electric bulbs that swing violently on poles every 200 meters. Doors and shutters BANG randomly. Something catches Serafina’s eye. She cuffs Ticho on the back of the head.
SERAFINA: Eh! Stop here!
SLAMMING the car door behind her, Serafina braces herself against the wind and heads for the VILLAGE CHURCH. A GROUP OF BOYS on bicycles race past, almost knocking her down. With the engine still running, the men watch her from inside the car.

INT. TUXPANA CHURCH – MOMENTS LATER
Serafina marches up to a statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe. She strikes a match to light one of the candles and her hand starts to shake uncontrollably. She grabs it with her other hand to make it steady.

EXT. TUXPANA STREET KIOSK – SAME TIME
The Captain POPS open a Fanta and drinks. He BURPS loudly and, wiping his mouth on his sleeve, nods to THREE OLD MEN who watch him.
CAPTAIN BEDOYA: Good evening.
The old men nod back.
CAPTAIN BEDOYA (CONT’D): Pardon my rudeness.  (he burps again) Where can I find the bakery?

INT. TUXPANA CHURCH – SAME TIME
Serafina kneels before the Virgin and pins a small silver heart on red velvet as an offering. She crosses herself.
SERAFINA: Virgencita. I know I didn’t listen before. Now I hear you. Thank you for bringing me to this day, for reminding me of my destiny and giving me a steady hand so that I may do what I must. Amen. (Serafina crosses herself and stands. She pauses. Suddenly bitter.) And everything that God took from us… (stomping her foot) … you talk to Him and make Him give it back!… Amen. (fervently kissing the statue’s feet) Amen.