All language subtitles for Romantico.2005.1

I'll be at Los Jarritos.

Okay.

Romántico?

Uh, we liked happy.

-Happy?
-We liked happy.

-Happy.
-Yeah.

Yeah… But, like, happy, romantic, fun times.

-Happy.
-Right.

Who will be the one who will love me?

Who will it be?

Who will give me her love?

Who will it be?

We have a group called El Trio Cometa.

Some people asked,

"Why trio if there are only two of you?"

Because people said, "Well, I want
to hire you but I want a trio."

We made business cards for a trio

and we distributed them.

But the reality is

that only Arturo and I would ever show up.

My name is Carmelo Muñiz Sánchez.

I'm 57 years old.

It's been almost three years

since I've been to Mexico.

How are you, my daughter?

You didn't go to school today?

What time are you going?

And your mother?

Where did she go?

And Lupe?

Lupe didn't go to school?

What?

Are you there by yourself?

I said to my eldest daughter,

"I'd like to spend more time over here.

Soon, you will be 15,

and I want to throw you a party.

But I don't know. I'd like to…"

And she says, "No, Papi. Just come home.

I don't want anything.

I just want you back."

I've never found a friend like Arturo.

Arturo is almost like family.

Because he's always there with me.

Arturo, back in Guanajuato,
we worked together,

and I knew him to be a good person.

But here, he has changed.

We've had some problems.

Because he likes to drink.

And because of that, his nerves betray him.

So I ask him, "What's wrong with you?

I don't know you like this."

And I say, "Whatever. Let's go to work."

Because like we Mexicans say…

"Unfortunately, God makes me.

And I make do."

With everything that they do to me
and with where I live,

I just put up with it.

I'm doing this for my family.

For no other reason.

Cheers.

Cheers, my chubby little friend.

To money and to love.

This passionate love

keeps compelling me to return

I'm on the road to madness

And although everything tortures me

I know how to love

We parted ways some time ago

But the moment of loss arrived

You were so right

I heed my heart

And I'm dying to return

And to return…

to return to your arms once again

I will get to wherever you are

I know how to lose, I can take it.

My mother and father both sang

but without guitars or anything.

They sang at gatherings

or just for pleasure.

My mother had a lovely voice.

I used to like to sing.

But I never imagined it would be me

playing the maracas, or the guitar.

On Sundays, when few people go out,

we make $25 to $30.

We can make $40 or $50 each

on Fridays and Saturdays.

We also work in a car wash.

Because here, I have to pay rent.

I have to send money to my family.

I pay school expenses
for my daughters.

And I eat.

The thing about Carmelo,

he has a really strong appetite.

We'll be working, walking the streets,

and he craves a piece of bread.

So I tell him, "Go for it, Carmelito.

Eat it if you like."

And then he offers me some.
And I say, "No."

I only eat three meals a day.

I don't have a place
to store my food.

At the beginning, the landlord told me

that she had a refrigerator.

And she said, "Look, if you buy food,
put it in there."

But there were some people

who would take my food.

So I decided to just get prepared food.

And I would only store milk.

But there was a guy

that would steal my milk,

and instead of pouring it into a cup,

he would drink straight from the carton.

So, I didn't like that.

I live with four Guatemalans
and two Mexicans.

And they are like me.

They are illegal.

They work in restaurants.

In the car wash.

In the car wash,
we work three, four hours

when it's nice out.

Many that I know

who have been in the U.S. for some time,

I ask them, "Well, why don't you
go back to Mexico?"

"No," they say, "if I go back to Mexico,

coming back again
will be really harsh."

I didn't get past first grade.

I couldn't continue
because I went to school without eating.

I struggled as I could.

I begged in the streets
to help my mother.

Because my father,
may he rest in peace,

gave us a very harsh life.

Over there, when they marry,
the priest asks,

"Are you ready to have all the children
that God gives you?"

Many old fashioned people
believe that God determines your fate.

Once I was annoyed
with my mother, and I said,

"Mama, why do you have
so many children?"

Knowing how father is...

Why bring them to this world?
To suffer?

My niece, she lent me the money

"to pay the person that would
bring me over here."

The coyote.

I left from Salvatierra around 1:00 p.m.

In a truck, we drove all afternoon

and through the night.

And I arrived the next day

around 9:00 a.m.
in Ciudad Juárez.

And from Juárez,
we met with the person

who was in charge
of taking us over here.

They took me to a park.

From the park, one could see Texas.

Some houses in the U.S.

So close, houses.

I stayed in Juárez for 15 days,

and then he told me, "Let's go."

And after, we crossed the river

with Mexican immigration
on one side,

and U.S. immigration
on the other side.

On that side, they were patrolling.

"Run," he said, "before immigration comes."

We headed out,
walking for a little while.

Something like a quarter mile.

And there were houses,
and a man, but he said nothing.

Then we met some children playing
and it was about 7:00 p.m.

And then, a young man arrived in a car,
a really nice car.

We got into the car,
and he took us to a house.

And after three days,
they sent us away at night.

We got into a van
with many workers

who were going to harvest onions.

We drove and reached a town.

And there he took me to a bus,
and he got a ticket for me.

He said, "All right.
You should lay low."

And he sent me to Los Angeles, alone.

And I didn't have a dime.

When Carmelo called me
in San Francisco,

I asked him where he was.

And he said, "I'm in Los Angeles."

He asked, "How are you in San Francisco?"
I said, "I'm well.

If you want, you should come up here."

He had told me on the telephone
that he felt bad, and couldn't find work.

That he couldn't figure out
how to get things going.

So I told him, "Come here, Carmelo."

Just come here to San Francisco.

And we'll see how things go.

He told me,
"Tomorrow I'll arrive in San Francisco."

So I went to welcome him.

And we started working that same day.

And I have not once let go
of his hand since he arrived.

With or without money

I always do what I like

And my word is the law

I don't have a throne or a queen

Or anyone who supports me

But I'm still the king

And to return…

To return to your arms once again

I will get to wherever you are

I know how to lose, I can take it

I want to return…

My mother has diabetes.

And they tell me she's gotten worse.

She had problems with one foot

and they cut practically
the whole leg off.

And since I have been here in this country,

I don't know what happened
to her other leg,

but they had to cut this one off too.

So, my wife tells me that there is
so little of Mama left in the bed.

Good, my daughter. And you?

And your mother?

And your grandmother, how is she?

God willing, I'll arrive around 4:30.

Will you go with her?

Tell your mother that I'm not going to call.

God willing, I'll get there.

Are you going to school now?

When are you going on vacation?

Wednesday?

Okay.

Well, my daughter, take good care.

May God take care of you.

We'll see each other tomorrow.

Hopefully, I won't land in the ocean.

I want God to help me

because if He is to take her away…

I feel sadness

at what my mother has suffered with us.

So I ask God

that when I am by her side,

that if He is willing to let her stay

that she doesn't suffer anymore.

You guys were great to me.

This will always be your home.

In March,

if I come back, I'll call you.

Okay.

-Mm-hm.
-Okay?

I'm nervous because
I've never traveled by airplane.

I don't know how it feels
to be up so high.

Hold it in your hand because
they will ask for it again.

Are you checking luggage?

I have this luggage.

Okay. Put it here, please.

I am going to ask you
some security questions.

Your luggage has always been
under your supervision?

Did you pack your own luggage?

Did anyone give you anything to transport?

No.

Are you carrying anything that…

Shoes, clothes…

-Oil, gas, paint, something like that?
-No.

And here too, clothes…
and more clothes.

Is this all that you are going to check?

Okay.

I'm a little bit nervous.

Very…

A little bit nervous.

Today, Saturday!

Disco Night.

Remember, Ladies Night.

Wake up, Juanita.

Stay, Lucky. Stay!

Juanita.

Juanita.

Juanita.

Lupe is the type of person…

She doesn't like to talk at all.

When she sees other people,

they talk to her, and she doesn't answer.

And I ask her, "When are you
going to get rid of your shyness?"

"No, Papi," she says.

"Why don't you answer?"
"I don't know."

I said, "Look, you have
to get along with people.

You have to coexist with people,
interact with them."

And she doesn't answer.

Good morning!

Good morning!

Did you sleep well?

I said, "Did you sleep well?"

Yes, you know I did.

Yesterday I was very ill, my son.

I feel my eyes are really bad.

A terrible thing.

I spent the whole day crying.

I couldn't take it anymore.
My eyes.

Did you like the cactus juice I brought?

I brought you the cactus juice.
Did you like it?

Yesterday?

I thought it was…

papaya or another fruit.

It was cactus.

It was good, my son.

It was good,

whatever it was.

So, should I bring more?

Did you like this juice
so that I bring it again?

Yes, I liked it.

I drank it,

although I didn't know what it was.

At the end, I got the papaya peel,
I thought.

God bless you, son.
May He fill us with blessings.

Good afternoon.

I had a beautiful illusion
to have a love

for which I would be worthy

If you were my woman,
I would have been able to love you

with all my soul

God made you a woman
for the good of my life

For that, I would sing and cry
that I love you

My little treasure

So, I leave you my voice
calling your name

begging you for your love

The crazy Mariachi wants to dance

The crazy Mariachi wants to enjoy

The crazy Mariachi wants to dance

The crazy Mariachi wants to enjoy

Juanita, my daughter…

I love them both.

But Juanita is different.

I say to her, "Look,
I want you both to study."

Because sometimes,
she doesn't want to study.

But I tell her, "Look.

If one day you get married,

I don't know
if your husband will leave you,

and you might have children,
and if you do,

what will you do?

If you can work so that
your children don't suffer..."

And she doesn't answer.

That's why, if I can return
to San Francisco,

it's to make a sacrifice,

because if one day,
God takes me,

at least I could leave you
with a place to live.

A cousin invited me to a café

with her boyfriend.

And there, I met Carmelo.

And I told my cousin's boyfriend,

"This guy is really ugly.

I don't like him."

Another day passed.

And they told me,
"You know what?

That ugly man is coming
to see you tomorrow."

I went through a period

of about 11 years.

A very bad period.

At lunch,
I would fight with my wife.

At dinner,
I would fight with my wife.

In bed,
I would fight with my wife.

Even when I would have sex with her,
we would fight.

We were fighting all the time.

I don't know
what was happening with me.

It reached a point

that I was going to separate
from her.

I don't know what was happening.

I said, "My Lord,
I know that in this life,

no one is more powerful than You,

because You've created everything.

Later on,
I went to Mexico City.

I visited a woman
that cures through witchcraft.

And she said, "Look,
a curse has been cast upon you.

They want you dead.

You need to be cured."

Okay.

I was devastated

and didn't know what to do.

Every day, I bathed
in water and garlic.

I roamed around
smelling so strongly.

Get your key chains,
your rosaries.

Get your miracles!

It's corn! And you eat it!

I prayed hard
to the Virgin of Guadalupe.

With all my heart,
I begged her.

So, at the end of Mass,

the priest sprinkled us
with holy water.

I remember that a drop
of holy water fell on my forehead.

I felt like suddenly I was falling.

From then on,
I began to change my life.

Now, I take good care of my family,

and I am quite happy.

Because everything changed.

I would put it down low.

It would be better higher.

Climb up,
and I will give it to you.

You got it?

Wake up

Sweet love of my life

Wake up

If you are asleep

Hear my voice

vibrate below your window

In this song

I've come to give you my soul

Forgive me

if I interrupt your dreams

But I couldn't resist

And tonight, I've come to say

I love you

It's a little bit off.

When he was over there,
we lived better,

but we missed him.

And now that he is here,

though sometimes
we don't have much,

we are happier
because we are together.

Like we say,

money isn't everything.

But it is part of life.

Without money,
we can't do much.

So, if I go back
to the U.S. again,

it would be a big sacrifice.

I'd be leaving my family.

In San Francisco, at times,
I could make $100 a night.

Here in Salvatierra,
I make that in two weeks.

Some days, he works.
Other days, no.

And since work has been
slow since January,

he already feels like leaving.

I want to go back over there

because…

the girls are growing up,

and I don't know what fate…
will hold for them.

He wants to go to make
a bigger house for the girls.

But that's his decision,
like the other time.

It's his decision,
and I respect his decisions.

My nephew insists
when I make a decision,

I just have to call them,

and they will help me
by paying for the coyote.

If he can help me,

I can go back to San Francisco.

I want to say...

I am leaving tomorrow.

But I don't know.

To help my reflexes
when playing my guitar.

Exercise helps me a lot.

And since I feel a bit chubby,
it helps me lose weight.

And when I'm heavy, I can't
quite reach the musical notes.

That's why I come.

Not daily.
I don't come every day.

When I told him
I was coming to Salvatierra,

Arturo said,
"Wait one more year,

and then you can really
earn something,

since you have made so little
in the U.S."

He said, "I also want to visit
my family in Salvatierra.

And for me, it's time.
I've been in the U.S. for five years.

So, I very much want
to see my family.

Why don't you wait
until the end of the year

and then we can return
to Mexico together?"

When I bought my plane ticket,

he thought I was lying to him.

He only realized it was true
when I said,

"Today, I leave for Salvatierra."

And I left him quite sad.

And after I was a month
in Salvatierra,

Arturo arrived.

Should we perform another?

I met a pretty…

That's it.

I met a pretty morenita,
and I loved her a lot

In the afternoons,
I would go to see my love

When I looked into her eyes,

my passion grew

Ay morena,
I will never forget you

All the women
that are in the bars,

all of them are prostitutes.

You have to get along with them.

Be kind to them, attentive,

because often,
those girls help us out.

They tell their clients,

"Get me a little song."

So, the client,
if he has the money,

he feels obliged
so he doesn't look bad.

"Sure, which one do you want?"

I told her I was in love
with only her

Her eyes, like two stars,
drew me in

When I'm without her,
even more I love her

Ay morena, my morenita,
I will never forget you

I give thanks to God that

He helps me, and the little I earn,
I give to my wife.

I don't spend poorly, because

I don’t want my children to suffer.

Because I come from the worst.

Completely ragged.
Poor and barefoot.

That's why now I ask God,

"Help my daughters.

Everything You give me
is for them."

If you don't forget me,
we will always be happy.

Here in Mexico,

all of those prostitutes,

most of them come
from humble families

that don't have anything to eat,

or whose husbands
have left them, or hit them,

and they can't provide
for their children.

And sometimes,
they go to work,

they make almost nothing.
It's not enough.

Then, they gather
with other women that say,

"Come on. Don't be silly.

This way, you will earn more."

I don't want my daughters
to end up in prostitution,

because that would not be good.

Lupe!

Come here!

Sit down. Let's go!

It's warm. Delicious.

And Juanita?

She doesn't want to eat?

Last night? I made 30 pesos.

No, it's not much.

It's very little.

Work is variable.

Sometimes, I make 100 pesos.

Other times, I make 50 pesos.

Yesterday, only 30 pesos.

Arturo doesn't last too long
without drinking.

When he starts drinking heavily,

then I must start selling snow again.

For the snow,
I need 120 pesos for milk.

Three pesos for cinnamon.

Seven pesos for sugar.

Ten pesos for salt.

Forty pesos for ice,

more or less.

So, my daily budget
for making the snow

is about 140 or 150 pesos.

Before, I would make it by hand,

and I used to get really tired.

Then, when I came back
from the U.S.,

I bought my machine.

And yes, I still get tired,

but much less, because
I help myself with the machine.

How much?

Six pesos.

Milk or lemon?

Here, sales go up and down.

Sometimes, you sell regularly.

And one of milk?

Sometimes, I sell less.

What I try to prevent
is losing the client.

The smallest cone I sell
is for three pesos,

but some children say,
"I only have two pesos."

They say, "I only have so much."

Whatever you can.

Thank you.

Sometimes, kids approach me

and they're barefoot,

and they say, "Mister,
can you give me a cone of snow?"

And I remember when I was little,

and I give them the cone.

Because I suffered a lot.

The little ones come up to me
all torn up.

The poor little children.

Here. Go on.

In the name of the Lord, everyone praise

His glory overtakes the sky and earth

He has made his people strong

We've had a little problem
with my wife.

The problem is only that...

I don't know, she is a little sick.

She has a problem called "menospausia."

It's a female problem.

They say that a woman
feels upset, nervous.

Nothing makes sense.

When I come back from work

and we begin to eat.

And she starts...

using certain words...

And instead of enjoying my meal,
I can't eat with pleasure.

And I can feel the rejection.

But I think that if we were
better off financially,

things would be better with Carmela.

Beautiful love

Beautiful love

That the sky has sent destined only for me

Precious gift

from the sky has arrived
and filled me with fortune and love

Beautiful love

I feel like a boy with a new toy

Content and happy

I can't help it

And I want to shout it

Beautiful love that God has sent me

Only for me

I would look for Arturo to go to work

and his wife would say
that he wasn't home.

"No, he isn't here.

He has gone on an errand
or something."

Later on I saw Arturo's wife
and she said,

"You won't see Arturo again."

I thought he had gone back to the U.S.

Why won't I see him again?

I told Carmelito,

"Look, Arturo has been drinking a lot."

So when he starts to drink...

he finds no way to stop.

Then we had to get the police
to lock him up,

to get him into rehab

because he would never go on his own.

We brought him there because
a friend of ours brought him home,

saying that he was biking
towards oncoming cars.

So he wouldn't get hit,
he brought him home.

He is confined.

He's in a daycare.

When he's out
I plan to have a talk with him,

to see what he is thinking

and to decide
if we should go back together.

Carmelito says that I pamper him

and that's why he is this way.

But...I don't think so.

I miss him a lot.

We are like brothers.

So if I see him soon,
I'll just say, "Let's go, Arturo.

Let's look for a way back."

At my age, to cross the desert
would be rather impossible.

To cross the mountains would be as bad.

That's three or four days without eating.

So I don't feel capable
of dealing with these things.

I would like to try my luck at getting a visa.

And leave for the States without problems,

without running,

and just go directly there.

Please excuse me.

A lawyer told me
you could give me some advice.

I want to travel to the U.S.

But I was wondering
if you could advise me.

What do I need to do?

To get a visa?

What kind? Just a visitor's visa?

Or for business?

Well, a visa or a permit.

The most important requirement
for the U.S. Embassy

to determine whether
to grant or deny a visa

is evidence of your work
and economic stability in your country.

With such evidence
they won't have objections

to granting you a visa or a work permit
for travel to the U.S.

independent of the reason for your visit.

The responsibility is yours alone
to prove your economic self-sufficiency,

so that you will take the trip
and come back.

That's it.

So they will require
your economic resources,

like a bank card, or a bank account,

national or international credit cards.

They will also ask what is your job.

Proof, if you are the owner
or the proprietor.

Or a letter from your boss
that states how much you earn

and the reason for your trip.

You can also present evidence
of any properties that you own.

If you have a house, a business, a vehicle...

That's the most important thing
to petition a visa.

Because...

So...

Would I maybe have a chance
because of my age?

Possibly that they won't...

That they won't cause you much trauma.

Or obstacles.

Sometimes it's strange.

Often they will give more flexibility
to young people than to an older person.

Thanks so much.

And pardon me
for interrupting your work.

When one goes to the U.S.,
they ask for a lot of money.

To have wealth
when one goes as a tourist.

When it's for work,
one needs different papers.

And I don't have any of that.

If it can't be done,
we'll stay in Salvatierra.

What else can I tell you?

I hope God helps me
and I can get a permit made.

But if not, I resign myself
to whatever comes next.

Gig on Sunday, 3 PM...

I have diabetes.

And at any moment it could get worse
and I could lose my leg.

So I beg God to take me
in any other way

but not to cut off parts of my body.

Here in Mexico,
many people request of their family,

"When I die, I want to go to the cemetery
with mariachis,"

to play the favorite music
of the poor deceased.

My mother has died

Her treasure has ended

My mother has died

She died on February 17th.

We felt bad
because we would go to the health center,

but they wouldn't attend to her well
because of our economic situation.

We weren't able to pay enough,
so they didn't treat her well.

That's why I was afraid.

I said, "If I can't afford to take
my mother to a good doctor..."

After seeing her suffer,
well, I asked God often

that it would be better
if He took her.

I know that I could have done better by you

Alone in the darkness I am living

The same solitude as in your tomb

How much I wish

you would come back to me

And that your eyes would have never closed

And that I could look at them

My dad was saving for my 15th birthday.

We had insurance
and they took it away from my grandma.

And my dad had to use all of his savings
for the expenses and the funeral.

For a quinceañera,
it's customary to celebrate a mass.

She wears traditional clothes to the mass.

They get photographed.

And then there is a dance, a feast.

Sometimes...

I don't feel like having the party
because I don't want to pressure my dad.

But sometimes I want it because...

it's something beautiful to have.

I had dreams of giving her a beautiful party,

but we couldn't.

So then...

Now the family wants to pitch in.

Some will bring the cake.

Others will make some pozole.

Everyone would be here.

I want to thank all of you.

I want to thank you for your company.

We're all here to have this little...
this little get together.

And to dedicate...

a toast to my daughter Juanita, my pretty girl,

who yesterday celebrated her 15th birthday.

I am very thankful to you all
for being here with us.

Even if...

It is better to have something small but...

but all be together having a good time in peace.

Let's give applause for Juanita.

From the stars in the sky

I would like to retrieve for you two

One to say hello

and one to say goodbye

Four doves have flown through all of the cities

Today you turn 15, sweet little doll

Your golden dream is a reality

Before you were a girl...

Before you were a girl, a little girl

Today a society's lady

There's nothing in the world more beautiful

than seeing your beautiful joyful face

And always remember that these 15 years

will never come back to your life

You are a queen

You are a goddess

You are so beautiful

So angel like

That from heaven, we only ask for one thing

That you are happy...

for eternity

Hey, Carmelo!

Ready? Let's go.

Hey there.

How are we doing?

Since Arturo left the daycare,

he has behaved himself.

If this will change, I don't know.

So far from you, I can't live

So far from you, I am going to die

In this tavern, so full of drinks,
I want to forget

But not even these drinks, Mr. Bartender,
can help me forget

I go out to the streets searching for comfort,
searching for love

But it's impossible

My faith is a dried leaf that kills the pain

Arturo has better chances for help than me

because of his son.

He can get papers easily.

His son works for Americans.

And if he goes that way,

then I will try to leave with a coyote.

I see him as indecisive,

as if he would rather stay here.

Because if he really wanted to go over there,

he would have done it already.

But I don't see it.

There are moments
that make me think twice about life.

But ever since I was a little boy,

I've always had the inspiration
here inside

that I wanted to be somebody in life.

That we struggle, we all struggle.

It's logical.

I hope that if one day
I have an opportunity,

then I am going to take advantage of it.

Just keep going.

That's all I desire in this life.