Original subtitles

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Get behind me, get behind me.

Behind me... don't nobody stay behind.

Shut up, motherfucker. Cover yourself with the blanket.

Be quiet.

Move over there. Are you the relatives?

Did you bring the money?

Over there. The money.

- Yes, and the boys? - Stay there.

Who paid you? What's up? What's going on?

- Who do I let off? - The children.

Get off, fucking kids. Hurry up, I don't want to see you.

Move, bitch. Lose weight, bitch.

What's up?

Come on. Let's go, come on.

Maya Montenegro?

Here.

Get back in, bitch!

- What's this? - I got mugged.

I don't give a shit if you got mugged.

I'll pay you for her. Here's my wedding band.

I'm coming, Maya.

- My watch. - I'll pay too.

Let her out.

- Don't do it. - Don't move.

- I beg you. - Fuck you.

Don't take her away.

Rosa, help me!

Where are you taking me, motherfucker?

Rosa, help me, Rosa. Help me, Rosa!

Move away from the window.

Why are you crying now, huh?

Where are you taking me?

Shut up. Shut the fuck up.

- You cry a lot, huh? - Don't fuck with me.

- Shut the fuck up. - Take out a coin.

Let's have a toss to see what happens to her.

Somebody will get laid tonight, man.

Do you want it, or not?

Toss it, man. Let's see it.

Fuck it, man.

Let me carry your bag, you're tired.

Don't be like that with me. I'm not like that prick.

What's wrong? Don't worry.

I'm not like that prick.

You're not as ugly as I first thought.

But you stink, motherfucker.

You don't smell bad yourself, honey.

Do you like them?

Where did you get them?

In Tijuana, they're the coolest in all Tijuana.

Later. It's late, sweetheart.

- Do you like to sing? - No, honey.

I know very well that I'm outside...

Hit it.

But the day that I die, I know you'll have to cry.

You do sing nice, sweetie.

Cry and cry...

Fly and fly...

It's "cry," man.

Oh, that's right. I'll follow you, then.

Then a mule-seller told me...

No, I got it wrong already.

That you don't have to get there first,

But you have to know how to do it...

That's it, go on, go on.

With or without money,

I always do what I want,

And my word is the law.

Oh, mama!

Turn around, let me lather you up.

I'm liking you already.

Put some water on.

You lather me up good.

And that's how you're gonna stay.

With or without money,

I always do what I want.

- You sing well. - Let's see.

- Excuse me? - Hold on a sec.

Don't be long.

Didn't you like my voice?

You do sing, I had heard you before.

I know you like me, honey.

I told you I'd heard you in the car.

I know, you've been looking at my hair, it drives them crazy.

How do you take care of it, man?

But you must know how to get there.

What the fuck? You bitch.

Bitch. Open it, bitch.

Open it right now!

Fucking bitch!

Fucking bitch. Where are you?

Fucking bitch!

Come back, you cunt!

My boots! Son of a bitch!

Luis, how are you?

Mom was so worried.

You're taller than me.

What happened? I was so scared.

Thank God you're here.

Granny.

Uncle Quique. Let me see Uncle Quique.

Check out Valeria in her dress.

At her party. Beautiful.

What happened with the money?

I've been penniless since Bert got sick.

Why didn't you tell me, Rosa? Those guys are crazy.

Who's crazy? I told you.

I told you, but you bugged and bugged me.

You've never listened to me.

- Please. - Okay.

Hey, baby. Excuse me again.

Where are you from?

- Me? - Yeah.

- From Mexico. - Whereabouts in Mexico?

- Mexico City. - They say Mexico City girls

are all sluts.

I don't know. Where are you from?

Guatemala.

You know what I've been told?

That Guatemalans are all fairies.

That's not possible.

Careful with the bottle.

I hope you don't get me into trouble with the guy at the door.

Why?

I told you you couldn't come. You can't come in.

What do I do?

I don't know. Just stay out.

- I'll wait here. - Shut up.

I'll be here all night, Rosa.

Hi. Are you okay?

- Excuse me? - Are you lost?

No, no, I'm okay.

Do you know anybody who could help me get a job?

Not really, but I could ask around.

You sure you'll be okay here?

- Yeah. - Yeah?

Fucking son of a bitch bastard.

Motherfucker. Let's go.

What did he say?

Watch, Maya, first use the screwdriver, like this.

That's easier.

- Yeah, that's the idea. - Not with the finger.

But first you have to clean up these little bits.

It's stuck.

But be careful, because sometimes

the draft blows the dirt in your face.

Did I tell you my theory about these uniforms?

No.

They make us invisible.

Come on. Let's move on to the other one.

Why?

We have to wait for it to come back.

- What are you doing? - Hold it a minute.

Good heavens, woman. What are you doing?

You're nuts, woman. It's your first day.

Excuse me. Don't be scared.

I'm not a thief. I promise.

- Thanks a lot, miss. - You're welcome.

So what's your name?

Mom, Auntie is here.

Already?

Where are you? Why did it take you so long?

Because the lines were endless.

I got you this one

because they didn't have the other kind.

- Mom! - What?

There's somebody at the door.

Who is it?

Mom, calm down!

Hurry up. I've got a lot to do.

Damn it!

To hell with that. Everybody talking at the same time.

You just have to listen.

He's not talking nonsense.

Shut up!

All these books.

He's spent three years like this, coming in early.

Why so many books?

Try helping him, you could learn something.

You know what's the best part?

He copies every single thing from the book.

What's your problem?

Why the fuck does he do that?

And why the fuck do you bug him so much?

He's supposed to be the smart one, the intelligent one.

You know what I don't understand?

Why the fuck don't you just photocopy those things?

She reminds me so much of my mother.

Where are we going?

Don't be so impatient.

Go on, tell me.

Wait and see.

Look.

Read it.

Did you pay $1,600?

Yes, I've been saving for this for years.

And you know what? I'm going to college.

- This one? - Yes.

- Like that? - I'm paying 200/0.

They're gonna pay 800/0.

Who?

A company. It's about $16,000.

16,000 fucking dollars. Imagine that.

I've been waiting for this since I got to this country.

How are you gonna pay for that?

Well, see, first I took an exam.

I didn't do so well in the oral exam,

but I came in first in the math test.

But even then they didn't give me a scholarship, and you know why?

Simply because I'm not an American citizen.

But then...

I found a private foundation

belonging to two Mexican brothers, with a lot of money.

They had about 800 applications,

and guess who they chose?

And then?

But now what I have to do is show proof...

that I paid 200/0 of the cost

by the first day of the semester, and I only have $1,600 to go.

- And that's it. - Really?

- That's it. - Congratulations.

No, I can't believe it.

"I've just moved into my new office, Mama,

but things at home are not going so well.

You can't find a good maid available nowadays,

and forget about a good cook.

Besides, I need somebody to walk the dog,

so I am sending my chauffeur, Hector...

to go straight into the city to pick you up.

He has strict orders to lock you up in the trunk

if you start acting up."

Can I talk to you? Have a seat.

- How are you? - Fine.

It's hard.

Three and a half floors.

It takes a lot of energy.

How would you like a vacation?

- Would you like that? - Sure, I'd like that.

Everything paid for.

- $12.50 an hour. - Oh, that's nice.

Sounds good?

That, too?

And we're gonna be very busy.

I'm gonna need people we can trust a lot.

How would you like to be a supervisor?

Me? That would be cool.

I'd try to do it as best as I can.

Yeah, because you've been here a long time.

- How many years? - 17 years here.

And do you think you could be a supervisor?

Yes, I could do it.

That's all I wanted to know. Thank you.

Sit down again.

Who was it, Berta?

Do you know?

- Good evening. - Good evening.

It's a pleasure to be with you tonight.

We can do it!

We can do it!

- What do we want? - Justice!

- When do we want it? - Now!

Janitors united...

Will never be divided!

.' I started to learn English.'

.' Because I had no choice.'

.' To fight the gringo boss I had to have a voice... '

.' I used to work at a place.'

.' Where they wanted to boss me around, .'

.' Just because of the goddamn English.'

.' I couldn't speak.'

.' The gringo boss got angry and yelled at me in English... '

.' "You wetbacks don't understand.'

.' What you are supposed to do.".'

Here's one from the people, for the people!

It goes like this.

.' I'm here to sing to you.'

.' About a sad situation.'

.' With the laws being made.'

.' By the White House and Immigration.'

.' All of my Latin people.'

.' Suffer from discrimination.'

.' They take away our rights.'

.' And sic the INS on us.'

.' But I won't leave this place.'

.' I won't leave, I'll never leave... '

.' So I say it here singing.'

.' This joyful melody.'

.' It's better to die fighting.'

.' Than to die on your knees.'

.' We have to follow the example.'

.' Of the legendary Cesar Chavez.'

.' And all together we say now, .'

.' We can do it, we can do it.'

Scream!

.' We can do it! .'

.' We can do it! .'

We'll go on, of course.

To the day-laborers of the Norte!

We shall overcome!

Can you imagine their faces when...?

We either win it all or we lose it all,

and I think it looks quite complicated.

You know, I've something to tell you about college.

I have everything ready.

I'll be able to pay the $1,600 by the deadline they gave me.

And I'll still have $125 left.

But if I don't pay on time...

the scholarship moves on to the next person on the list.

But what are you trying to tell me?

I'm not gonna do this.

What?

The truth is, Maya, that...

I don't want tojeopardize my scholarship.

I don't want to lose it.

You know that I've been killing myself

the last five years to get it,

and to lose itjust like that? I don't think so.

Just like that?

The way I see it, our families can't afford...

to lose the money we send them, either.

But, it's different, Maya.

I don't know about you, but I think that...

if we don't do it in this way,

we'll be left with what we had. Nothing's gonna happen.

But I'm not doing it just for me, Maya.

I'm doing it for you, too.

Don't say that.

Why not, Maya?

You know I love you.

And I want us to be together.

But I don't know what I want.

What about Sam?

I like him.

He's cool, he's funny.

I'm learning from him.

He believes in something.

And he's also white.

Don't give me that shit.

I don't know what you are thinking.

That's why you're doing it, right?

What was it that you said when they fired Teresa?

"She looks like my mother."

That's why I'm doing it.

I'm doing it because my sister

has been working 16 hours a day since she got here.

Because her husband can't pay for the hospital bills.

He doesn't have medical insurance, like 40 million people in this country,

in this fucking country! The richest country in the world!

I'm doing it because I have to give Perez

two months of my salary, and I have to beg him for a job.

I'm doing it because we feed those bastards,

we wipe their asses, we do everything for them.

We raise their children,

and they still look right through us.

And maybe one day I will go to school too, you see?

But what good will it be if I forget about everything?

We can do it! We can do it!

You bitch!

Why?

Ella. Ella, your friend, Ella.

Dolores, Ben,

Ruben will lose his place in college,

and he wasn't there.

Why don't you shut the fuck up?

I won't shut up. Dolores is pregnant.

Anyway, they were gonna lose theirjobs.

It was just a matter of time.

So it was you?

Of course it was me. And I'd do it again.

I won't stand around with my arms crossed

while my husband is dying waiting to be seen on a waiting list.

Right now, stupid.

It's not a fucking fairy tale, huh?

Why?

- Why what? - Why did you sell us out?

- Why did you sell us out? - You sold yourselves out.

You did it yourselves. You alone.

You did it on your own.

We're always saying, "We're gonna win."

But when will we realize it?

When will we realize that they're much stronger than us?

It's always been like that.

How many times have we discussed it? God!

Pick up those clothes.

You're a fucking traitor, Rosa.

You're a fucking traitor, sis.

Really? You think I'm a traitor?

You do, don't you?

You think that?

Even when I was supporting everybody?

Sending money to you and Mama? You think so?

When I was feeding everybody?

Did you guys ever wonder...

how did Rosa manage to send the money?

How old was I when I got to Tijuana?

I was a little girl. A little girl, right?

And you didn't even wonder about how I did it.

What for? Rosa kept your mouths pretty full.

You know how I did it?

Turning tricks.

I was a hooker. What do you think about that?

- I didn't know. - I was turning tricks, honey.

So that you guys wouldn't starve.

"Suck their dicks, Rosa."

I never knew that.

"Come on, because your family is starving."

"Come on, come on!"

Sounds awful, huh? Disgusting?

What do you think?

Nobody asked me, huh? My dad leaves,

and who gets screwed? Who gets screwed?

Rosa. Let Rosa start fucking everybody.

I didn't know, Rosa.

Let her suck everybody's fucking dicks...

blacks, whites, sleazeballs, slimebags.

Let her fuck everybody, right?

- But we didn't know. - My husband gets sick,

and I have to fuck. Whose turn is it? Rosa's.

Let Rosa pick up all the pieces, right?

She has to be doing everything all the time,

as if Rosa were an idiot, fucking everybody, right?

So you had something to eat!

I hate the whole fucking world! I hate it!

I've put up with it all my fucking life!

I've been keeping it here, in my own gut.

Come on, come here!

- Rosa, I didn't know. - I'm talking to you.

Do you know how I got you yourjob?

Didn't you want a job here?

"Come on, sis, get me a job, because I can do everything."

You know what I did?

Yes, honey, I had to fuck Perez.

- Don'tjoke about that. - I fucked him.

I fucked him for you! I fucked him for you!

Because I'm tired. Tired!

All my life. My husband gets sick, I go fuck.

- My dad leaves, I go fuck. - I didn't know!

You want a job? I go fuck. All the time!

Goddamn it, I didn't know!

No? Everybody looked the other way.

- I didn't know, Rosa. - Now do you feel bad?

Do you feel bad?

My own daughter, my baby asks me where her dad is.

I don't know who the fuck is her father.

"You were born in a brothel, honey."

I am a fucking traitor.

A traitor who is lying to herself,

to my own family, to my baby girl.

Rosa, what did we do to you?

What did you do to me?

I didn't know.

What's that?

Check it out.

Is this a joke or what?

You start on September 12th.

How did you manage to get all that money?

Don't ask.

Listen...

if you don't become the most important attorney in this country,

I will never forgive you.

I don't know what to tell you.

Go to school.

Thanks.

Up with the union!

Down with exploitation!

Because we are well organized

we shall not be moved.

Not even by the police.

We shall not be moved.

Not even by the police.

We shall not be moved...

Which one can you sing best?

Does she have papers?

Understand?

Leave her alone.

Come here!

I don't see her.

Maya's not there.

- There she is! - Here she comes.

We're with you, Maya.

Don't worry, honey.

Take care.

Take care of yourself.

I love you.