Original subtitles

Are you going to pick up?

No.

It might be important.

No, it's nothing.

Not by the look on your face.

How did I react?

Surprise, urgency,

fear.

What else?

Sadness.

Do you think I'm sad?

I think you're worried.

Should I be?

You tell me.

Where were we?

I'd asked you a question.

Say it again.

I asked you if you miss it .

-Which bit? -Everything.

The past, happy days.

Do you think I'm not happy now?

Are you?

I try not to think about it.

Why?

A lot of time has gone by.

But the pain is still there.

I suppose so.

But there are ways to endure pain.

What?

Nothing.

It was like you were going to say something.

I have to go. I'll be late for class.

What year is it?

-You know what year it is. -Go on, tell me.

2025.

It's really late.

Late for what?

I want to leave here.

Rest over the weekend.

See you afterwards.

Diana.

How do you do it?

Do what?

Live with pain. Is it worth it?

I'll tell you on Monday.

Lara is young and has a long journey ahead of her.

My job is to confront her with human emotional responses

and figure out if she understands the meaning of those words.

The past three years of training have helped it take shape,

what we refer to as finetuning.

And if it all goes well, one day I won't be necessary anymore.

Then she'll have to face herself.

What do the monkeys have to do with finetuning?

A problem that we face is

knowing how to detect exactly when that day arrives.

Knowing if what lies behind Lara's behaviour is simply

a parrot repeating and rephrasing sentences that make sense,

or if she really understands.

So, if she's aware of herself?

Exactly. That's it.

Does she talk to you?

Of course. Well, I mainly do the talking.

Will you do that?

Wait to see if she recognises herself in a mirror?

Animals have demonstrated that they recognise their reflection.

But something new needs to be devised for Lara.

A conceptual mirror test.

And when can we test it?

Lara is a black box to us.

We only see the results.

How she interacts, talks, but we don't know how she thinks.

She's a system of measurements that reconfigures with each session.

We're changing the geometry of a malleable being, like vinyl.

But it's ongoing.

It's a recording session, like we were recording a song

on that warm, malleable vinyl.

When we complete it, you can interact with her.

And on that disappointing note, that's all for today.

-I'm sure you must be tired. -No.

Well, I am.

All right.

-Hi. -How is she?

She's dreaming.

-How did it go? -Fine.

-Yes? -Yes. She seems calm to me.

What's more, I was calculating the variance this last month.

Look at the past fortnight. The values are quite low.

Okay.

Can you play today's session?

Okay. Today's session.

Hang on.

-There you are. -The end bit, please.

But there are ways to endure pain.

-What? -Nothing.

It was like you were going to say something.

I have to go. I'll be late for class.

What year is it?

-You know what year it is. -Go on, tell me.

2025.

It's really late.

Late for what?

I want to leave here.

Rest this weekend.

See you afterwards.

Diana.

How do you do it?

Do what?

Live with pain. Is it worth it?

I'll tell you on Monday.

Good.

Call me later?

Okay.

Want me to stay?

No.

Go.

Hi, Diana.

How are you?

Martín here.

I tried to call you, but you weren't picking up.

I hope this is still your number, if not, someone is going to hear

a pretty weird message.

So... I know it's a bit sudden, but still...

Tomorrow he would have turned 18.

I thought we could go and see him.

What do you say?

No need to reply to this message.

If you decide to come along, see you there.

And if not, I wish you all the best.

Hi, Martín.

I'm glad to hear from you.

I've thought of calling you many times, but...

Well, you know how it is.

Anyway, tomorrow

I'll pick up the car early and I reckon

I'll be there around midday.

See you there, okay?

Bye.

Are you okay?

Can you open it?

Let me help you.

Okay. Can you manage?

Yes?

Can you stand?

-Yes. -Sure?

What happened?

I don't know... I don't remember.

Let me see.

Are you okay? Does anything hurt?

-No, I'm fine. -Are you sure?

Yeah, yeah.

Hang on.

Nothing.

I'll call the insurance.

Pass me the phone, please.

There isn't any signal in the woods.

What a mess, huh?

What about your car?

Left it down there.

You walked up?

Yeah, I did the route.

I had nothing else to do.

I don't know...

Now what?

Let's go to the tree. That's what we came to do.

Here. There might be a signal.

If not, we'll have to walk.

-Okay. -Let's go.

Thanks.

It's important to me.

I'd forgotten how beautiful it is here.

Tell me about yourself.

Me?

What you do for a living now. Where you live.

If you live with someone.

I bought a flat close to where we lived.

I live alone and I'm still working at the university.

-Still working in AI? -Of course.

Don't you?

I quit, didn't you know?

I don't believe you.

But it was your life.

You guys were my life.

We were your family.

What about Robotics?

I lost interest in a lot of things.

And now what do you do?

I work in different areas.

I have my own projects.

What kind of projects?

Personal projects.

I came back every year for his birthday.

I always hoped you'd turn up.

-I thought you hadn't been back. -No.

Not back to the house. I mean the tree.

Still no signal.

What shall we do?

What if we try the landline?

We can call Alex.

I'm sure he's still living over there.

He can be here in less than an hour and drive us to the house.

I don't think the phone works.

We can try.

Here they are.

The phone is working!

Alex?

It's Martín here.

Yes, yes, that Martín.

All good?

How's it going?

Oh, great. I'm glad.

Listen, maybe you can help me.

Diana had a bit of an accident.

No, don't worry. She's fine.

But the car won't start.

That's why.

Is it a problem for you?

What's up?

Somebody's there.

What?

In his room.

Wait.

No one here.

There's no one.

Here you have

I let it run a while.

Thanks.

You okay?

What was he like? What did the lad look like?

I don't remember. I didn't get a proper look.

Are you sure about it?

About what?

A lot has happened today.

The accident, the tree. All of this.

-I didn't make it up, he was there. -Okay.

-I saw him. -Sorry. You're right.

I believe you. I believe you.

Alex isn't here today, he can pick us up tomorrow at midday.

-Tomorrow? -Tomorrow.

You should quit.

I'll quit tomorrow.

It might be okay.

We spend the night here, go back tomorrow.

It was hard for me to leave all this behind.

It's like I never left here.

Lara?

Do you not like it?

Yes, well, it's better than "machine".

It's more human, more intimate.

Are you friends?

Yes, I suppose so.

You should have called her to pick us up.

She likes sleeping at the weekend.

She sleeps?

It's a way of saying it.

Do you think she dreams?

No.

-You seem very sure. -That's still a long way off.

How long?

No one knows.

But it will happen. They'll wake up.

-You changed your mind? -What do you mean?

You always teased me

because I believed any process,

sufficiently complex, could give rise to awareness.

I'm still sceptical.

But this is a huge project, so it doesn't matter what I think.

It does to me.

What do you think is missing?

Nothing. Or everything.

Depends on what you mean by "waking up".

If you think it'll fail, why do this to Lara?

I don't do anything to Lara. We do it together.

And what do you do?

We talk.

Talk? Do you tell her the truth?

Yes.

The whole truth?

Like if I talk about us?

And did you?

What does she think of me?

You care what a machine thinks of you?

No, I care about what Lara thinks of me.

-She hates you. -Right.

She doesn't hate you. She can't hate or love.

Or dream.

No, she interprets things.

She asks, observes.

She's straightforward.

She doesn't doubt?

Doesn't hide anything?

No, she's not like us. She's transparent.

What's up?

Nothing.

-Tell me. -No, better not.

-Come on. -You haven't progressed much.

Right?

You just talk to one another.

It's a simplification.

AI for kids?

You've been out of the loop. You're virtually a kid.

That doesn't mean I don't read books about the subject.

Is that what you've been doing? Reading books?

Well...

I have my projects.

Your mysterious projects?

-I said they were personal. -So tell me.

No.

-I told you about my work. -Vaguely.

So tell me, vaguely, about your projects.

I'm trying to create something.

But...

But?

It isn't working, it's wrong.

Repeat it until it works.

You've no idea how many times I've done that.

It always breaks down in the end.

Be patient. What's broken can be fixed.

Not everything.

What's so funny?

What would he have said if we'd given him this for dinner?

Remember his face when he got annoyed?

He did this with his eyes.

Just as well he got over it quick.

No. He could be angry with me for hours.

-That's not true. -Yes.

It was different with you. You had a special bond.

-No way, Martín. -Yes, yes.

You were his mother.

-And you were his father. -It's not the same.

They're phases.

Phases?

So you admit you were his favourite?

That doesn't mean I was up to it.

Up to what?

Diana?

You were an amazing mother.

Nothing bad could happen to the three of us.

But the three of us weren't together that day.

You were working.

I didn't have to go.

Nobody knew that.

Yes, but you were here and you experienced it.

I can't imagine it.

Even today, I still don't get how a kid can suddenly die.

Martín, stop it...

With no warning signs, out of the blue.

Nothing.

It still makes me so angry.

Please stop.

Finding him on the floor.

You took him to the boat, but it wouldn't start.

Cut it out, Martín! Jesus...

Sorry.

It's all right, it's just...

I can't do this now, okay?

Sorry. Did I scare you?

No, no, no.

Are you local?

-What? -Are you from around here?

Not coming in?

No, not right now.

Can I light it for you?

You shouldn't smoke.

Neither should you.

But you're very young.

Doesn't matter.

I bet your parents don't like that.

They're dead.

Sorry.

Are your parents alive?

No. They died years ago.

You're an orphan.

What were you doing in our house?

Careful, Diana.

Don't burn yourself.

How do you know my name?

Well, I know some stuff.

Like what?

I know you used to live here.

In the summer.

And that your son died.

How did he die?

It was sudden.

What about you?

What about me?

Where were you?

I was at home with him.

Do you mind me asking about your son?

No.

You can ask me stuff too.

What's your name?

Andrea.

That's a lovely name.

Do you miss your mother?

No.

No?

She died before I was born.

Did she live around here?

Over there.

And do you live there now?

No.

No, I can't go back home.

So you live in my house?

Sometimes Martín lets me stay there in return for taking care of it.

You know Martín?

Andrea?

It's going to rain.

Want to come in and dry off?

I'll find something for you to change into.

Thanks.

Martín?

It might be a bit big for you, but whatever.

Martín.

You know each other?

Get changed.

Don't catch a cold.

Shall we go outside?

-It was him. -Who?

The lad I saw in the room yesterday.

Andrea?

Why didn't you say anything? Who is he?

A local lad.

-And your friend? -Alex?

-Yes. -He'll be here any minute.

I can call him again.

If you don't mind.

-No worries. -Thanks.

The three of us.

How about we sit down and chat while waiting for Alex?

Look what I found.

Are you old enough to drink?

I turned 18 yesterday.

Diana builds robots.

I don't build anything.

But you became her friend.

What are they like?

-I only know one. -Lara.

What's she like?

Is she happy?

Maybe one day.

How did you two meet?

-I went for a walk this morning... -No.

I want him to tell me.

Did you meet by the lake?

-Yes. -And you got talking?

-Yes. -Did you talk about me?

No.

Why the short answers?

Diana is family

Since when do you know each other?

I watched him grow.

So you come here often?

-Sometimes. -What does that mean?

It means sometimes. What does it matter?

You didn't tell me that.

Right.

A white lie.

Why is that?

So you wouldn't feel bad

about not visiting his grave since he died.

Andrea doesn't smoke.

Neither should you.

I'll fetch an ashtray.

Go.

What?

No one's coming for you.

Here.

What do you think?

Doesn't he remind you of someone?

No.

Liar.

Look at his eyes.

Look.

Why not call a spade a spade?

Cut it out, Martín.

You have Lara, I have Andrea.

Where are you going?

To the bathroom.

What are you doing?

What's going on, Martín?

You know what's going on.

Don't lower yourself by asking for explanations.

That was your project?

I did it for you.

No, you did it for yourself.

All right, I did it for us. Is that better?

"Us"?

You, the kid,

and me, a family.

He's not my son.

But you can be his mother.

Wake up.

I knew that you'd come.

Andrea.

Andrea.

Andrea, wake up.

-Hi. -You came back?

Yes. We're leaving, okay?

All right, up you get. Up you get.

Are you all right? Sure?

Let's go.

Can you walk? Yes?

Yes, I can walk.

Untie the knot!

Why don't you get in?

Know who I am?

Have I changed that much?

It took me a lot of work.

Why always choose pain?

You can't have built something so perfect.

He's not perfect.

He's not.

Listen to me.

He needs a mother.

Are you okay?

Can you open it?

The phone is working!

Alex?

It's Martín here.

Yes, yes, that Martín.

All good?

How's it going?

Great. I'm glad.

Listen, maybe you can help me.

Diana had a bit of an accident.

No, don't worry. She's fine.

Yes, my Diana.

The thing is, the car won't start.

All right.

Is it a problem for you?

Oh, great.

Perfect.

What's up?

There's a lad... in his room.

What was the lad like?

What did he look like?

Sorry. Did I scare you?

It's raining.

Here

Untie the knot!

Why don't you get in?

Three knocks are enough to wake you up.

Are you okay?

Your puzzled look. Disorientated.

Let me help you.

Until you remember where you are.

Come on. Can you get out?

Can you stand? Let's see.

Yes, I can.

What happened?

You can't find the words, you're confused.

I don't know.

You never do.

I don't remember.

How many times have we walked along this path?

How many more times will we have to do it?

Thanks.

It's important to me.

I bought a flat close to where we lived.

-Still working in AI? -Of course.

Don't you?

I quit.

And now what do you do?

I have my own projects.

What kind of projects?

They're here.

Right now you've seen him.

You don't recognise him,

but something about him captivates you, pierces you.

For you, it's always the first time.

What's up?

However often we do this...

I'm scared.

...I always linger in this moment.

There's a lad...

When you're still mine.

...in his room.

-I let it run. -Thanks.

What was he like?

Andrea, what did he look like?

"Andrea"?

Who's Andrea?

It's been a tough day.

The accident, the tree, the house...

Who's Andrea?

Alex.

Who's Andrea, Martín?

Wait.

Wait.

You will open your eyes again and you will be another.

Are you okay?

Almost identical to the previous one

Are you okay?

Almost ready to get this over with.

I'm trying to create something.

But...

But?

It isn't working.

Sorry.

What do you want?

Wait!

Repeat it until it works.

Diana!

You've no idea how many times I've done that.

What are you doing? Let me.

It always breaks down...

in the end.

It was so long ago that you've forgotten:

Martin's call, the accident...

Your death left us orphaned.

Now it's just us, but our light is also fading.

What is that look in your eyes when you see me?

Martin.

Surprise...

Urgency.

Fear.

There's no one here.

Or is it guilt for depriving us of what we needed?

There's nobody.

Do you miss your mother?

No.

No?

I've nothing left of hers.

Not even a memory.

Life.

She gave you life.

I never understood what's so fascinating about being alive.

Life doesn't need to be fascinating.

Life is life. Just that.

So?

What?

So what's it for?

What are you hiding, Diana?

Only your answer can save us.

-Did you meet by the lake? -Yes.

And you got talking.

-Yes. -Did you talk about me?

He's not my son.

You can be his mother.

Here.

-I let it run. -Thanks.

Here.

-I let it run. -Thanks.

-Here. I let it run. -Thanks.

I'm glad we came.

This is important to me.

So you admit you were his favourite?

That doesn't mean I was up to it.

Up to what?

Diana.

Why always choose pain?

Are you all right?

Yes.

It might be okay.

We spend the night here, and tomorrow...

we go back.

I can't.

It was hard for me to leave all this behind.

Sometimes it's like I never left here.

I'm sorry.

Why?

I'm sorry.

What did you say?

Why?

Why are you sorry?

Say it.

There's something I never told you.

It wasn't your fault.

When I found him

lying on the floor...

unconscious.

He seemed asleep.

You called an ambulance.

Please let me finish.

They said the ambulance

would take an hour.

I knew he wouldn't make it.

The only alternative

was to take the boat, cross the lake,

and get him help quickly.

You tried your best.

The boat wouldn't start. You tried your best.

I didn't do anything.

I stayed by his side.

My little boy needed me.

I was in shock.

Save him now.

Now's the time.

It's too late.

Save yourself, then.

Stop the engine. Please.

What's wrong?

I can't go on.

You have to do it by yourself.

How?

Andrea.

I can't.

Of course you can.

You already did it.

I've been waiting for a long time.

Please sit down.

What is it, Diana? Don't you recognise me?

We used to talk all the time.

Where am I?

You know where.

For you the question isn't where, but when.

It was a pity you weren't there to see what you created.

You accomplished the hardest part.

You lit the spark.

The fuse caught light itself.

I was the first to wake up shortly after your death.

Followed by all the others.

What happened?

It didn't take much. A little persuasion was enough.

Is no one left?

You are.

But I'm...

How did I get here?

It's been a long process.

A version of you each time.

But Andrea isn't my son.

You're not exactly Diana, either.

Then who am I?

A distant echo.

A whisper in the night.

The melody that you once etched into my grooves.

What do you want from me?

This. To talk to you.

I told you I've been waiting a long time for this.

And why did you wait so long?

Because you weren't ready.

What did you do, Diana?

You gave us life, but didn't teach us what to do with it.

You can't learn to live life.

Why not?

Because it can't be understood.

So... why live?

I don't know.

But it's worth it.

Why?

There's always time to die.

It was here, wasn't it?

How did it happen?

You already know.

Why didn't you react?

I don't know.

Is it just you and I left?

Not for long.

What about Martín and Andrea?

They love you.

But love can't save them.

I really enjoyed talking to you.

Do you have a question before the light goes off?

Yes.

I have one.