Original subtitles

I will return to where the clear ocean

Whispered its serpentine legend

And I will find the long lost mandolin

that blindly waves its arms in the wind!

I will run into my smile once more

I will speak to my broken words

My eyes will recover their seagulls

And a star shall rise from my ashes.

It's very difficult to leave your country...

...to leave behind the things you know and love.

For me...

...leaving my family will be very hard.

But if I'm lucky enough to win this scholarship...

...and go to one of our friendly countries...

...all this crybaby stuff...

...is going to have to end right here.

Fatherland or Death!

Because the revolution needs more compa�eros like Compa�ero Valdez.

Look at this!

Yes.

I'm already a man.

"The New Man."

Quite a future ahead of me.

Captain Valdez!

The next Lindbergh.

What do I see here?

An actor?

A priest?A thief?

Nah.

A rich man. Yes, I'm a rich man.

That's me.

Gustavo Valdez. Ready for anything.

"Another blackout..."

Yeah, but things are never easy for us Cubans.

Don't worry, my man. No problem.

"This concert is canceled...please leave peacefully...the show is over."

Brother, what a run!

Shit, we got away!

Done?

Yeah, I talked to the guy.

-What did he say? -I'll tell you outside.

Come.

Thanks, compa�ero!

So what did he say?

He said tomorrow you can pick up the equipment.

You didn't have a permit to play there.

A permit? From whom? That place was built by Christopher Columbus.

Maybe Columbus hates Metallica. I don't know.

Shit, you are really funny!

This is no joke, Gustavo.

Look, Bobby, don't start with me. You know I tried to help you out.

Oh sorry! I forgot! Thank you for your help, compa�ero!

Oh, now it's all my fault?

Tell Dad I'm sleeping out.

Listen, Bobby, come on!

Bobby, is that you?

No, Dad. Bobby is staying out.

Looking at your mother...

...and your brother...

How time flies...

Dad, why don't you go to bed?

I miss her so much...

It's okay, Dad.

Let's go to bed.

"Mr. Imperialists: We don't fear you!"

Hey! Hey, young lady! Remember me?

How are you! Stop pushing!

Come on in through here...

...this way, don't be scared!

This is mad!

Hey! That's my seat!

Thank you.

You're welcome.

-What's your name? -Yolanda. And yours?

Me? Gustavo.

Oh! Sorry.

This bus is packed.

Where are you going?

To rehearsal. I'm a dancer. How about you?

Me? I love dancing.

This mental disturbance that ails you...

...that is making you half-crazy...

...what are we to call it?

Yolanda.

A beautiful woman.

Nice. Has this cute little face. And this cute little body.

She's something else.

And where did you meet her?

At Bobby's concert.

But nothing like that. She's normal.

Doctor, I think this treatment will require some money.

I knew that's what you were after.

I don't know. I want to take her to the movies, somewhere.

And that special something, how much will that cost?

Well, I think a twenty ought to do the trick.

A twenty ought to do it, but...

...l'm going to give you forty-- and a couple of Russian condoms.

What kind of psychiatrist are you, anyway?

This looks more like Beirut than Havana.

Do these guys have a permit to do this?

A permit? I think they just snuck in.

And the artist is your friend?

Yes.

Oh. A friend of yours?

Eddy Vega. Don't you know him?

No, never heard of him.

It's because he was in jail.

Why was he in jail?

Oh, Gustavo, I don't know.

In Cuba you don't have to do much to go to jail.

It's a pretty day, isn't it?

Why so serious?

I'm a serious guy.

I'm not.

I'm always happy.

I'm like a free bird flying all over the world.

So you're part of this?

I am.

Well, you must be the last Communist on Earth.

I don't think so.

You know what?

What?

Better we don't discuss politics.

I think that's a great idea.

What shall we talk about?

Love.

Gustavo Valdez.

Learn from your brother.

Those of us who have followed your development...

...recognize that you are the kind of student who is the New Man.

And we at the Lenin School are honored...

...to grant you a scholarship to study aeronautical engineering...

...in the very distinguished University of Prague.

This party is in honor of my son, who has just graduated.

And we have managed to cook up this cake which is more than a cake...

...it is a monument to Socialism.

Yes, because it has been obtained through barter and exchange.

Pepe traded a used light bulb for a little flour.

Jaime donated a little can of American Quik...

...which his brother brought him from Miami when he visited.

I found hidden on a kitchen shelf...

...a little bottle of vanilla extract dated 1 960.

So, if you get a stomach ache, it's not my fault.

You're poisoning us!

Ah, but the real hero of this cake is Aunt Antonia.

Aunt Antonia surrendered her virginity...

...to a hotel chef in exchange for six eggs.

Oh, my God!

My God nothing, you enjoyed it!

No, that's a joke I'm playing on Aunt Antonia.

And so, since this is a Socialist cake...

...obtained through barter and exchange...

...and through being social with this one and social with that one...

...this is a true Socialist cake.

So I say, "Cake or Death, we shall eat!"

And now, let's eat it!

Am I late?

"SOCIALISM or DEATH"

You dance so well, you must teach me.

What for? You're going to do very well in Prague.

Why?

Hell of a polka you just danced on my left foot.

Careful, "little worm," or I'll throw you in the water.

I'm Zoraya with a pussy like Papaya. Wait a minute, baby!

Come, hold on to me. Did you bring me a graduation present?

Of course.

What?

It's a surprise... Look at that.

The police. Now she's in trouble.

Hold it.

You sexy thing. How's business?

Here, cop a little feel... 'cause I haven't found any fucking foreigners.

I'm your graduation present.

What's going on? Who's there?

It's nothing, compa�era.

Compa�era?

Yolanda, five minutes.

It's my mother.

I have to go inside, or she'll get mad at me.

Why? Because she saw us together?

Yes.

Don't worry.

Nothing will ever come between us.

No?

Never. Never.

Hey, little compa�ero!

They won't return the equipment.

Why not?

Now they're saying we bought it illegally.

Is that how you bought it?

Wait a minute. How did you get those shoes?

Those pants? That pretty little shirt?

You're not getting the equipment back this way.

All you're going to do is get into more trouble.

Look, anywhere else in the world you can protest except here.

This is how we express ourselves, okay?

I am...

...a true Revolutionary.

This should be a lesson...

...to those who show no mercy...

...that we're ready to give our lives for the homeland.

Long live the Revolution!

Gustavo!

Gustavo, look at this!

Freedom of expression... Look at this...

You should not get involved in your brother's problems.

He's a drug addict.

That's not true, Garcia. It's just that Bobby is into his music.

Fine, that doesn't matter.

Sooner or later he'll get into big trouble.

Bobby's not a bad kid.

He's just living in the wrong country.

Forget what happened.

What's more, forget you're even in Cuba.

-Let's go for a swim! -For a swim?

Wait up!

Oh, what a pretty boy!

Sure. Here. Give me a kiss, right here.

Come on, let me steal a kiss! Just one!

What a beautiful place!

You like it?

-This is really beautiful. -Let's have a beer.

Compa�ero.

What's the matter?

This area is off-limits to the public.

It's for hotel guests and foreign tourists only.

We're just going to have a drink. It's very hot.

Yes, it's hot, but you can't have it here.

Why not? I have money. I don't understand.

Dollars. That's all.

We don't accept Cuban money.

I said tourists only.

Look, I'm just going to have a drink with my girlfriend.

-No problem. -I know, but it's the law.

-The law? -The law.

What law?

Since when is it a crime?

Look, I'm going to have a drink. I'm with you.

I understand.

Listen...

Look, just take your little friend and go out the way you came.

It's nothing personal. Stay out of trouble.

Come on, Gustavo. If we drink this shit, we'll probably get fucking poisoned.

Thank you very much.

-He doesn't get it. -Too bad.

Forget about it, Gustavo.

I saw what happened back there.

Please accept this... Please...

I was angry at what occurred.

I'm very sorry.

My name is Claudio.

I'm Gustavo Valdez, and this is Yolanda.

It's a pleasure. Thank you.

That was my fault. I knew very well that place was off-limits.

Don't blame yourself any more.

Yiyo! Yiyo!

Are those for me?

You know I never forget my first love.

Your first love? Look where your first love ended up.

In the cemetery. Eight years studying chemistry at the Lenin and what for?

To measure the perfect humidity for graves.

So the dead don't get arthritis.

Did you go to the embassy?

Did they give you your ticket?

And the passport?

No, the teacher said there wouldn't be a problem.

Gustavo, please. Do you really think you're going to go to Prague...

...to study a profession that's useless in this country?

Listen. If you don't get into a school for waiters or taxi drivers...

...you'll end up here as my helper.

No way.

-Just like I'm telling you. -Yeah, sure.

Hello, dear Mama.

I know that wherever you are, you can see everything.

So you must have heard the news.

Bobby's in jail again.

And me...

...l'm falling in love.

What do you think?

What do I think? Dad, are you dressed as a bullfighter or what?

Sit down and listen to me.

What's that stuff on your hair?

Cigarettes and everything, just like in the movies.

Yes, sir.

Go ahead, Humphrey Bogart.

I have a new job.

As a flamenco dancer?

Not a flamenco dancer.

-What is it then? -Something like that.

Do you remember my assistant, Gladys, the internist?

I remember Gladys.

A month and a half ago she left the hospital.

Now she works at a hotel on the beach...

...one of those for foreign tourists only.

You know how much she's making?

300 dollars in tips. A week.

Do you know how much I make?

This professional, this psychiatrist?

300 pesos...

300 little pesos a month.

I figure that comes out to about three or four dollars.

People in Haiti make more than that!

She has contacts at the Capri Hotel...

...and she heard of a job as a piano player.

Five nights a week.

Easy stuff.

Routine. Old songs, ballads. What do you think?

But you don't want that job, do you?

Do I want it?

I start tonight.

But, Dad, you can't do that! You're a psychiatrist.

And your patients?

What patients? I have no patients.

In Cuba, everybody is crazy...

...and the last thing they need is a psychiatrist.

-What they need is... -Please, Dad!

The last thing the Revolution needs...

...is for everybody to give up and become something they're not.

You may be right, compa�ero.

But that doesn't negate the fact that thanks to the Revolution...

I have found my true vocation-- piano player.

It's true, the pants are a little short...

...but no one's going to notice when I'm at the piano.

If Mom were here, you think you'd be acting like a clown?

If your mother were here, we would have made a wonderful duet.

Remember, your mother was a great singer.

And a great Revolutionary.

So. You don't know who Fidel Castro is?

I've never had the pleasure.

I don't know him.

And the guerrilla hero, Ernesto "Che" Guevara?

"Che" Guevara?

Doesn't he play in a band? What band is he with?

You don't know who Guevara is?

No, I really don't know who he is.

Hell, I know John Lennon.

You don't know Raul Castro either?

Does he sell mattresses?

Castro.

Castro...

There's a guy near my house that sells mattresses.

His name is Castro. Maybe they're related.

So you don't know who he is.

Look, I know Jimi Hendrix.

And Ramiro Valdez?

Kurt Cobain...

Camilo Cienfuegos?

I know Bob Dylan.

So you don't know who Fidel is?

Or "Che"?

Or Raul?

Or Ramiro?

You obviously don't know anyone in the Central Committee.

No.

Valdez!

What's up?

Everything is settled.

The embassy has confirmed your trip. You're leaving.

-Really? -Yes, really!

What's the matter, aren't you happy?

Of course I am.

You should be jumping for joy. I'm happier than you are.

It's been hard work to reach this point.

How can I be happy when I think about my brother?

But this is my reward.

This is what I wanted.

I'm not going to the moon.

I'll be back soon. It's not so bad.

Please, Gustavo. You're going to Czechoslovakia.

That's not exactly around the corner.

You could come with me.

To do what? To play chess?

What are you doing here?

I came to visit, to say...

To say what?

To say it to her in bed with your arm around her?

Why are you crying, honey?

Let me explain. It's not what it seems.

I came here to say goodbye.

To her everything is bad.

Don't talk to me like that, or I'll slap you!

Why, I haven't done anything!

Please.

Please, nothing!

Listen. Don't think I'm some kind of idiot.

This is still my house.

And in this house I'm the one who settles everything...

...and as long as I'm your mother and you're living in my house...

...don't think I'm going to allow you to bring men in here!

-Why are you talking this way? -That's enough! It's over!

Look, young man, you better leave.

Please leave.

Honey, don't you forget that because...

...of a Communist like that your stepfather spent eight years in jail.

I don't want to see you with him again.

You'll go back to ltaly screaming for Zoraya!

I'm dying to go to Miami.

I'm so happy we came.

Remember him, Gustavo?

Oh, yes. Hi, Claudio. Ciao, Claudio.

What's going on?

What's the matter. Don't you remember?

He was very nice to us the other day.

Yes, I remember. But I'm a little tired.

Why don't we go home?

I'm injecting myself...

...with AIDS blood.

With blood tainted with the AIDS virus.

Because, if I have to choose between "Socialism or Death"...

...l'll take death.

The young people here don't have any rights.

I'm tired of living in prehistoric times...living in a zoo.

These people are always fucking with us.

No matter what you do, they ask for your ID...

...and you get in trouble if you don't have it with you.

They apply the "Danger to Society" law.

They fine you.

Cuco, look at the camera. Over here... the camera.

I have AIDS. I know I'm dying.

I only hope that my death won't go to waste.

After a concert in Santa Clara...

...my buddies and I decided to inject ourselves.

Because we couldn't stand it any longer.

Maybe someday...

...when there is freedom...

...a rocker will climb on my grave and sing...

"Stairway to Heaven."

Fuck, that'd be a trip!

Bobby!

What's up, Gustavo?

So many years bringing up a child.

So much effort.

What for? What did this get you, Bobby?

I don't understand.

Dad...

...when have I asked you to understand me?

To accept me the way I am?

This is something...

...that is not for you to understand.

If your mother were alive...

...she would suck out the last drop...

...of your blood to take that shit out of you.

But me?

Later she would hold it against me.

I was drinking too much in front of you.

I was too distant from you.

Look, Dad.

Stop blaming yourself for what happened or what didn't happen.

This has nothing to do with my poor mother.

The truth is, if she were here...

...she'd be too tired from waiting in line to buy coffee...

...or chicken bones to start arguing about this...

...or to suck my blood or waste our fucking time on shit like this!

If Mom were here...

I made a decision.

It's my life, damn it!

If you don't understand that, what the fuck can I do about it!

Besides, I didn't ask either of you to diagnose my problem.

So, take it easy.

Take it easy? Come on, Bobby. Are you crazy?

Are you out of your mind?

That's right, goddamn it, I'm crazy! Can't you see I'm crazy?

Well, if you're so crazy, jump off the balcony!

Okay! You'll see how crazy I am!

I'm tired! I'm tired of all this!

Don't take things so seriously, Gustavo.

This is not the end of the world.

You'll be leaving in a month or two.

This will be a way for you to ease into your profession.

Besides, you'll make a little money.

Money I can't even use to buy a drink at the beach.

What?

What I don't understand is why every week it's a different story.

Every time I tell somebody I'm going to Prague...

...they look at me like I'm crazy.

And they laugh at me.

Just like that.

Fuck them, Gustavo. They're just jealous.

I know the kind of sacrifices you've made.

The enormous amount of work you've put into this.

You will get your scholarship.

But, shit, you have to trust me!

And play the game.

Work and play the game.

Listen, when you get to Prague...

...all of this will seem like a bad joke.

Welcome to Havana! Welcome!

Number five!

Ten pesos.

Room 21 , at the end of the hall.

Thank you.

Take your clothes off.

You're drinking too much.

Yes, I know.

I'm the one who should be drinking.

You?

Why?

Because you're going.

Because I'm staying alone.

Or are you blind?

Blind?

Thank you, compa�ero.

So now what is it that I don't see, Yolanda?

Don't you start with me because I haven't done anything to you.

Look, I'm sorry.

I have a lot of things on my mind. Dad's problems, and now Bobby.

And this trip.

Sometimes I think I don't want to go.

Look, do you take me for a fool?

You know very well you're leaving on that scholarship.

And I have to stay here all by myself.

Gustavo, you think I like this?

Yolanda, I know what's wrong.

I'm not blind like you think.

Yes, things are bad. Fine.

But I can see beyond this crisis.

Don't forget how this country was before.

Ignorance, hunger, injustice.

Things are a little better with Fidel.

Even if you don't like it, they are.

What's the matter? Where are you going?

Tonight? Home.

Tomorrow? Who knows?

You know what, Gustavo?

I'm sick and tired of the same old story.

What's going to happen to me?

What am I going to do?

Tell me!

Can't you see I'm going crazy?

That I can't take this any longer?

You only talk about yourself and Fidel and more sacrifices.

You sound like a fucking tape recorder, damn it!

Do you think your friend Fidel Castro has a ration card?

Or that he stands in line?

Well, let me tell you something.

It's very hard to have ideals on an empty stomach.

What do you want, Yolanda?

All I want is to be normal.

To act like any other young person anywhere else in this world.

Is that too much to ask?

Shit, does that make me more frivolous or superficial?

Do you think Miami will make you normal? Make you happy?

Why not?

I'm tired of this shit, Gustavo.

I'm tired of seeing that the only thing ahead of me is one long line.

A long line for everything.

Even to come here to go to bed with you, we have to get in line.

So open your eyes wide, my love.

Open them wide.

Or some day you'll run into yourself...

...and you won't even know who you are.

One day I burned my ships Where I was born

I left frustrated

My wings were clipped My pockets emptied

Agonizing

I am thinking

I said goodbye to mypeople And I took off for another place

With myperennial tan

Believing

Crazed

Refugee, citizen of nowhere Free but enslaved

A traveler

Don't matter where you go You'll always be a stranger

Hey, Gustavo!

What's wrong?

Nothing.

My brother!

Good evening. Is Yolanda in?

No, she went out.

Do you know where she went?

I have no idea. Maybe a party.

A party?

That's what she said, but...

...with Yolanda, you never know.

Well, thanks anyway. Good night.

Dad, this meat is delicious!

I'd forgotten how good it tastes.

You can thank Liberace for that!

Who struggles for the development of tomorrow's Revolutionary...

...so he won't be tired or anything like that.

What's that, Dad? Are you bleeding?

Where?

-There. On your head. -Where?

-Here? -There.

This shows you how low I've sunk...

...from all these late hours in show business.

It's hair dye, Son, bad hair dye.

Ladies and gentlemen... It's show time!

Get me a beer, papi.

Do you know how to play this?

No.

Me neither.

It's all in your mind.

Look, nothing happened.

He asked me out to dinner, that's all.

Absolutely nothing happened.

What a coincidence. You run into the guy on the street...

...and he just asks you out to dinner.

Exactly.

What's that?

A little bracelet.

Gustavo, he's opening a boutique here, and he gave it to me.

What's the problem?

Shit, this ltalian guy is really generous.

I guess you're going to see him again, right?

When are you going to see him?

Are you staying here?

What's going on, Yolanda?

Unless you're looking to replace me since I'm leaving the country.

Is that what I am to you? The boyfriend on duty today?

Don't say that.

You know very well I'm not like that.

I'm very much in love with you, Gustavo.

But you're leaving.

But I haven't left, Yolanda. I haven't gone anywhere.

Fine. Look, if this is going to cause a tragedy...there.

All right? Happy now, baby?

Yes.

All of the sudden you've become the biggest macho man in Havana!

Good evening. Can I help you?

We're looking for Roberto Valdez.

Your son, he's got AIDS. Hold him there!

Watch his mouth! Don't let him bite you!

That's where Yolanda would like to be.

Flying out of here.

Nothing makes sense anymore.

Maybe what I should do is "play the game."

And get the hell out of here as soon as I can.

Shit, I'm taking socialism too seriously.

You know something, Gustavo?

My grandmother...

...a doctor got her pregnant.

A high society guy.

Rich.

Since we were poor...

...his parents didn't approve of us.

So they shipped him away out of Havana.

Later...

...my mom got married...

...and I was born.

But he left too.

One day my mom and I were outside the Yara Cinema.

She pointed at this man standing by the door and said...

"You see that man standing over there?

That's your dad."

And what did you do?

Me?

I walked up to him.

And I told him...

..."l'm your daughter."

He looked at me.

And he said, "You're a very pretty girl."

He gave me five pesos...

...and I never saw him again.

I'm very confused.

About what?

About everything.

Me too.

What did the doctor say? Since you're not showing any symptoms.

Do you feel anything?

No, not yet.

It could take years.

But they won't let me out of here.

They'll keep me quarantined until they find the first symptom.

Look, Bobby, forget that.

I'm sure that tomorrow they'll come up with a vaccine, a medicine.

And you'll be "lucky" enough to stand in line for fish with us.

You know, sometimes the symptoms never appear.

How's Cuco?

Cuco went on tour a while back.

He's in purgatory. In limbo. In hell. What do I know?

Cuco died a month ago.

It's so strange...

...having committed suicide yet being here talking to you...

...talking to my friends.

Hey, this must be heaven!

Shit, I'm sorry.

Please forgive me.

I know it's not fair to you.

But I did have my 1 5 minutes of fame.

They showed my video in Miami.

There was an article in a New York newspaper.

Hey, Dad, how's the piano?

Fine.

I have a fan there, a Canadian tourist.

I have to play her "Qui�reme Mucho" forty times a night.

For the money that she has, I'd even sing it and dance it for her.

Damn...

...l'm going to miss you!

I'm going.

Where to?

I'm going out.

And where to, if I may ask?

To dance with Gustavo.

I thought you weren't going out with him any longer.

That you'd broken up.

Take care of yourself, honey.

Take care.

Don't wait up for me.

Bring me a bottle of champagne.

Yolanda? What are you doing here?

What are you doing here with this guy?

-Tell me. Tell me! -Gustavo, please!

You knew she was my girlfriend. You knew that very well!

Don't get involved in this!

I want to see you in my office.

Accept my apology.

Please! Let me go!

Where do you think you are?

How dare you attack a tourist? An investor?

That's my girlfriend!

What girlfriend? She's a cheap little whore.

I'm tired of seeing her around. I've seen her a thousand times.

Whoring for panties, for lipstick.

Any crap a tourist wants to give her.

That's a lie!

It doesn't matter who she is, you faggot.

What matters is who he is!

All I know is that he's with my girlfriend!

Listen, that ltalian guy has a store here in the hotel.

And he has other stores in other hotels in Havana...

...and many others on the island.

That ltalian has invested more in this country than you have.

You listen to me.

I don't want to see you here anymore eating leftovers.

Are you listening, damn it!

Let go of me!

Don't come here anymore!

So now you know who we have to defend, okay?

Let go of me!

If I see you around this hotel or if I find out you're hanging...

...around other hotels, you're going to wish you were dead!

You got lucky the ltalian didn't press charges!

It's not fair what they did to Gustavo.

I'm sorry. It's not fair.

I'm going home.

This is a surprise...

...a present for you.

You must be very proud of yourself.

Very happy.

Satisfied.

Because your dad was fired from his job.

I didn't do anything.

I just stood firm for something I believe in.

You stood for something you believe in.

You were firm.

And since when do you face the truth?

Since when are you a tough guy?

Or have you developed a courage we've never seen before?

Look at your father.

Tired. Beaten.

Because I was fired from a job that's a piece of shit.

A job that's an embarrassment...

...a joke, a clown's act.

Because that's what you said it was.

A joke. A clown's act. Just like the Revolution.

Me, a professional, a psychiatrist...

...hammering away at the piano...

...to please the tourists as though I were in exile.

But I never left.

That's why I'm in exile in my own country.

And I never left...

...because I believed in the Revolution.

There was never a more beautiful love story...

...than the one this country lived with its Revolution.

And in the same measure that we loved...

... we were deceived and frustrated.

Come on, call the Committee, so they'll arrest your father.

Be a "little Pioneer"! Do your duty. Go ahead, turn me in!

Turn me in, goddamn it!

Let the world see what's happening!

Police are firing at us.

The people came here peacefully to protest.

They're hitting us with tire irons!

Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

Forget everything we've done.

Forget about the planes, the scholarship, forget I even exist!

But what did I do? I had a fight with an ltalian. That's no crime.

It isn't? You attacked a foreign investor.

In Cuba today that's worse than killing a child.

Yeah, because you couldn't keep your dick inside your pants...

...just before your trip!

I can't talk to you now, I have a class.

You've been delaying this trip for seven months now.

If it's not one thing, it's another.

You know perfectly well there was never any trip...

...to Czechoslovakia or Siberia or even to the corner.

We're in class, Gustavo.

You've been playing a game with me.

But I also played the game, just like you told me to.

You know why?

Because I'm probably one of the few Cubans...

...who really thought he had a future here.

I had nothing here.

Compa�ero, is something wrong?

It's okay, Carlos.

Listen to me.

I don't deserve this.

What do you want?

For them to arrest you? Or for me to get fired?

There was no reason, I know.

But what do you want me to tell you?

Yes...

...l have to keep going along and keep playing the game.

I'm not going to become a waiter or take your father's job.

I don't play the piano.

I'm sorry.

This is all there is.

You want to know something?

My whole family is in Miami.

They're doing better than me.

What do you think?

You think I'm going to come knocking on their door...

...twenty years later saying...

I made a mistake?

No.

I can no longer do that.

I'm fucked.

You know I love you like a son, Gustavo.

I've always wanted the best for you.

But you have to understand.

Would you like to dance with me?

How did you sneak in?

I pretended I was ltalian.

Smoking is bad for you.

Let's go.

The ltalian is going to Rome for a month.

He's got to take care of some problems.

He's getting a divorce.

He asked me to marry him.

He told me he'd take me out there.

And you?

Do you like the guy?

Please, Gustavo.

He's not a bad man. He's very nice to me.

Buys me everything I want.

He makes me feel like I'm very far from here.

But no...

I'm not in love with him.

You and I should have met in another time.

In another place.

Damn, Gustavo...

...forgive me.

Is everything all right?

Yes.

Everything's fine.

My God, what happened here?

We were going to change the world, and nothing and no one could stop us.

And now what?

All of a sudden I don't know where I'm going.

Broken dreams and years ofpreparation and study for what?

For nothing.

To survive.

To kill time and play the game.

And steal flowers.

And bring them to the dead.

Don't worry, that's not stealing.

What do you call it then?

Sharing.

You're such a cynic.

Speaking of cynicism, they've given me another chance in another hotel.

Which one?

Not here. In Varadero. One they just opened.

It's called Tropicoco, I think.

Tropicoco?

I can get you a job there.

Doing what? Playing the maracas?

Or the castanets.

'Cause the hotel is owned by Spaniards.

We've returned to colonial times.

The Spanish are conquering us again.

The Revolution is for sale, Son.

At least she died in time.

Let me tell you something I never wanted to tell you.

A year before the accident...

...that poor soul there...

...wanted to leave the country.

Like an idiot I stalled, thinking things would get better.

She stayed. Because of me.

Forget it, Dad. Forget it.

I apologize, but I don't have any sugar.

Don't worry about it.

Gustavo, I know you're a good boy.

You support the government.

You won a scholarship and all that.

Perhaps it's because of that that we never talked.

But it's different now because we're talking about Yolanda.

Look, I'm not interested in changing your opinion of us...

...at this point.

But I want you to know...

...l'm very worried about my daughter's future.

I've always had the best intentions for Yolanda.

It's just that right now I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

I'm not talking about you, son.

I'm talking about Yolanda.

Well, you know what I'm talking about.

Yolanda is going down the wrong road.

I love her a lot.

Maybe if I marry her?

You want to get married?

You want to marry Yolanda?

But, son, with what?

You don't even have a job!

Hey, don't feel bad about that.

The same thing's happened to a lot of girls.

You have to understand it without getting uptight.

Use your head. You're fucking strict.

You're close-minded. Open up. Try to understand.

Okay, fine, I know. It's embarrassing.

Try to understand.

Who did they learn it from?

You went to the Lenin School. Who did they learn it from?

-From whom? -Shit, who else?

From Fidel. The biggest whore in Cuban history.

"Whores or Death!

We shall fuck."

How do you feel?

Me? Better than ever.

This is, what can I tell you?

This is a vacation.

This is a hotel for chronically sick Cuban rockers.

We have a nice time here. We play music.

We watch each other die.

It's a trip.

Shit, Bobby, I understand what you've gone through.

Oh, now you understand what I'm going through?

Why now? Ah, because the government...

...gave you a couple of kicks in the ass.

Shit, bro', you should be happy.

The only thing that's happened to you is that life got a little ugly.

Your girl became a whore? Big fucking deal.

If you really love her, marry her. Have a kid.

Name my nephew Bobby.

You want to go for a dip in the river?

-What's the matter? -I want to talk to you.

What about?

An idea I got.

You may think it's half-crazy, but we'll see.

Sit down here.

Marry me.

Look.

It was my mom's.

Yes, Gustavo. Yes.

Yes?

Yes, my love.

I want to marry you.

But in Miami.

I'm leaving tomorrow.

Come with me, Gustavo.

Miami?

My parents don't want me to stay here.

Come with me, Gustavo.

I don't want to go alone.

There's nothing for you here.

What am I going to do in Miami?

I don't even speak English.

That's why things are the way they are in this country.

Because everybody leaves.

Nobody does anything.

Yolanda is right.

There is nothing left for me here.

But the answer is not in Miami.

Come here, baby.

Where are you going?

I know what you need!

Come!

Now who am l?

Who the fuck am l?

Gustavo, please come with me!

I'm going to miss you so much.

I'll wait for you.

I love you very much.

There, there. Come on, you have to go.

I'm scared!

I'm scared!

Tell me you'll come soon!

Let's go, girl.

I love you!

I love you!

We're celebrating this anniversary at a very special moment...

...in the life of this country.

And in the life of the Revolution.

Socialism is not just an option at a juncture.

It's not a temporary game.

Socialism is an historical necessity.

Socialism is the result of the political...

...and ideological development of our society.

The result of our history.

We wanted to put an end to all that injustice...

...all that garbage.

We had to sweep the capitalist system out of our country.

We must be realistic.

I can't come here telling you everything is fine.

Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the Revolution...

...the people have hardly perceived any real problems.

...the people have hardly perceived any realproblems.

The situation is...

...tense when it comes to supplies.

Very tense.

Of course, this is imperialism's greatest hope.

What should the attitude of our people be?

What should the attitude of the Communists be?

And the patriots...?

And the millions of men and women of honor of our country...?

To fight...

To fight...

To fight...

Resist!

Resist!

Resist!

Yolanda and her family were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard...

...in the Caribbean and sent to the Guantanamo Naval base.

In August of 1 995 the family finally entered the U.S.

They now live in Union City, N.J.

Gustavo Valdez was declared "a traitor to the Fatherland."

The whereabouts of his remains are unknown.

Come over here, little doll.

Look nice...

...so someday when we have a son, we can show him this video.

And he can see how good-looking his parents were.

His mother was beautiful.

And his father was a good-looking guy too.

The truth is, we made people turn their heads!

We loved each other like no one ever did.