A Relationship and a Nation in Turmoil in “Bogotá Story”

The New Yorker

Esteban Pedraza’s short film examines the strain a young woman endures when she has to choose between her dreams and her family.

Transcript

00:00I was a baby in 1992.

00:23I don't remember the droughts, or the rationing of light, or the 8 hours of daily blackouts.

00:53I was 15 years old.

01:23My mother told me that the car bomb that shook my grandfather's house was one of the worst of the time.

01:53He was on the edge of the explosion, and he had a heart attack.

02:16But it wasn't all bad.

02:23At least, that's what she tells me.

02:27They look great.

02:47How much do we owe?

02:49Like $100,000.

02:52Why so cheap?

02:54A friend from college.

02:57You're friends with everyone, right?

03:01Come.

03:04Why don't we go to our place for lunch?

03:09Why so far away?

03:18What happened, honey?

03:28That's my love!

03:31That pendant should be more pronounced, don't you think?

03:34I'm scared!

03:54Honey, eat before it gets cold.

03:58They're good.

04:02Look.

04:08What's this?

04:09Look.

04:13Let's see.

04:14It says, congratulations on...

04:18Read it well.

04:19Remember, I don't understand a lot of words.

04:23Well, I sent a copy of my thesis to this firm, and they accepted it.

04:31They told me it was a one-year scholarship.

04:35These guys weren't your heroes?

04:38Congratulations!

04:40You deserve it!

04:42I had no idea you had one here in Bogotá.

04:45Where do you start?

04:46No, honey.

04:48The scholarship is in New York.

04:51What do you mean, New York?

04:53Yes.

04:55I studied in the U.S.

04:58They'd pay me $10,000.

04:59I know that's not much, but...

05:06I see.

05:07When did you apply?

05:10About a month ago.

05:13I didn't think they'd pick me.

05:18I see.

05:22Why are you like this?

05:24No, honey, I'm sorry.

05:27I think it's amazing.

05:28I congratulate you on your achievements and everything,

05:32but we have a life here, right?

05:34And with $10,000, I can't imagine a family in New York.

05:37Well, if I do well, they'll hire me as an editor and pay me $30,000.

05:41If you do well?

05:42Yes.

05:45What if I leave for a year?

05:48What if I do well and they hire me?

05:50You're trying to leave your daughter without her mom,

05:53so she can become a psychopath?

05:55A lot of people do that.

05:57I'm not like that.

05:58I'm not going to fragment my family.

05:59I don't want to clean up their shit either.

06:02It's undocumented.

06:03Forget it.

06:04It'll pass.

06:06Come on, honey.

06:09I have three days to give you an answer.

06:15I love you.

06:45What's wrong with you two?

06:48She didn't say anything either?

06:52Tell me what, honey.

06:54I'll tell you later.

07:07Do you think this plan is wonderful?

07:10I can't leave my dad alone with the store.

07:12What do you mean?

07:13He'll die if we're not there.

07:14Then we're the only ones who can close the store.

07:17Norita!

07:23Alejandro.

07:26I'm going to get more.

07:28They're going to turn on the lights.

07:30Alejandro,

07:32to be honest,

07:33I think you're scared that your wife will do better than you.

07:36You're tough, but you won't be able to deal with those gringos.

07:38I studied with those people.

07:40Most of them are cowards.

07:41Most of them are junkies.

07:43We need to be controlled by those drug traffickers

07:45who left my dad in the dump.

07:47That's how we're all going to end up here.

07:50You applied for a job abroad without telling me anything.

07:52What are you doing?

07:53I told you from the beginning that this was my dream.

07:56But I'm pregnant.

07:57We're getting married.

07:58What do we do?

07:59I came back to Colombia.

08:00I married the first idiot I saw.

08:02And now I'm tied up in a narco-free state.

08:04With a shitty ass.

08:05And an idiot who doesn't even know how to sell a fucking chair.

08:11Yeah.

08:17I'll leave.

08:18Espera.

08:40Espera.

08:41Espera.

09:11Hello?

09:13Yes, thank you very much.

09:16I want to know if you have a free seat for the flight to New York.

09:27For tonight.

09:34Okay.

09:36Okay.

09:38Okay.

09:43Can you give me a second, please?

10:08I'm sorry.

10:11I'm sorry.

10:19It's okay, it's okay.

10:25Don't look at me like that, honey.

10:27I'm sorry.

10:38I'm sorry.

11:01We both know what you'd do to your gringos.

11:07I'm sorry.

11:24I didn't want to tell you those things.

11:27No.

11:29It's been a long time since we told each other the truth.

11:34And I know I make too many excuses.

11:38And...

11:40You want much more than this, right?

11:46So...

11:50We'll get to...

11:54New York in a couple of years.

11:57Obviously, I'll organize everything.

12:01If you don't want to...

12:03It's okay.

12:05It's okay.

12:13I'll take care of Valeria.

12:15Don't worry.

12:23But I want to tell you something before you go.

12:30I...

12:34I feel complete.

13:04Come on.

13:06Your dad is single.

13:09Really?

13:25I'm going to put the girl to bed.

13:26Good night.

13:34Let's go to bed, honey.

13:56Let's go!

13:59Let's go!

14:03Let's go!

14:17It was just another car bomb.

14:27I love you.

14:45I wish I had memories of Bogota.

14:56I love you.

15:26I love you.

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