The day I was born,
my grandmother Clara was able to see my future.
She said that the stars had aligned to endow me with gifts
that would help me with any misfortune of fate.
But I came to forget it.
Grandmother.
My grandmother wrote in her diaries that memory is fragile.
And the course of a life is so brief,
that we don't see the relationships among events.
And we don't consider the consequences of our actions.
This is why, from a very young age, my grandmother filled
hundreds of notebooks, recording her life.
So that 50 years later,
I would make use of them.
So that I could recover the past
and survive my own horror.
THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS
My grandmother, Clara del Valle,
always had one foot in this world and another in the world beyond.
- Hand it over! - You gave it to me!
You're distracting me!
Hand it over! Hand it over, Luis!
Hey, Mom says to hurry up!
- You gave it to me yesterday. - No!
Why are you all in here?
I told you to go get dressed. Go!
What about you, Clarita? You have to get ready to go to Mass, too.
I'm not going.
What do you mean?
Do you think it's up to you?
- Run! - No!
Do you think the house tidies itself by magic?
That way, darling.
You're all going to get sweaty!
Nana, help me, please. I'm running so late.
Clara developed her psychic powers encouraged by her beloved Uncle Marcos,
an incorrigible explorer who collected esoteric knowledge around the world.
I'm not going to Mass.
- Why not? - Because Uncle Marcos is coming.
Sweetheart, Uncle Marcos is travelling. Far away. Very far away.
Yes, I know, but he's coming, and I want to be here when he arrives.
Rosa!
- Don't look at me. - Rosa!
Clarita!
Her older sister, Rosa,
was the only one who truly understood Clara's eccentricities.
Perhaps because she, herself, was otherworldly.
Rosa!
This is the best hideout. The beasts will protect you.
What are we hiding from?
I don't understand why we have to go to Mass.
Mom says we can talk to God directly.
Right. Can I confess something to you?
There are things in this world that I don't understand either.
But I've come to the conclusion
that it's because they have no logic.
Aren't you a little too old for this?
If you mean my embroidery, Dad,
I'm not going to stop until it's the biggest tablecloth in the world.
Come on.
No, stop!
Come on. No more.
- Welcome. - Hello, how are you?
Thank you. Hello.
Nicolás, it's been a while.
- How are you doing? - How are you doing?
That's quite an entrance, candidate.
- Mrs. Nívea. - How are you?
I reserved the third row so you can all be together.
- Perfect. Thank you so much. - Go ahead.
Please.
No, let's see.
- Thank you. - They're watching us more than usual.
Get used to it.
It's going to get worse once you're elected as senator.
On this Holy Thursday, we do penance
to commemorate the day that Jesus Christ, God's son,
died for our sins. So, my brethren...
Dad.
It's good that they covered up the saints.
The blood on them makes me sick.
Pay attention, Clara.
Look at Rosa del Valle.
She looks ethereal.
She's an angel.
Or a mermaid.
...our Savior, to save the criminal named Barrábas.
And now Hell awaits us unless we learn to repent.
Incredible.
After all this time,
the story of Hell is still selling like hotcakes.
Why the sad face?
- Do you want me to leave? - No!
The little girl talks to herself?
I miss you, Uncle Marcos.
Look on the bright side.
Now I don't have to take a boat to come see you.
I can do it just like this.
Brilliant, isn't it?
"Barrábas! Let Barrábas go!"
Are you going to keep practicing your powers?
Many among the living would like to have our gifts.
You are special, Clara.
You're going to help a lot of people.
A mob of sinners saved Barrábas from Hell.
And when Pilate asked, "Who should I release?"
the high priests and elders recommended to the crowd
that they choose Barrábas, that they save Barrábas.
Clara!
That's why the thief Barrábas was saved.
That is why, you, sinners, do penance,
or spend the rest of eternity burning in Hell.
To Hell!
So--
Father Restrepo, what if Hell doesn't exist?
What did you say, child?
What did you say?
If you're not dead yet,
you have no way of knowing what's on the other side.
- Sorry, Father. - Wicked impudence!
That child is possessed!
Did you see?
Devilish child!
- Impudence! - Father.
That child is wicked!
Only a fanatic like Father Restrepo could still believe in the Devil.
- It's the 20th century. - Yes, but that's not the point.
The point is, if they find out about Clarita's abilities,
the gossip is going to start.
My candidacy for the Liberal Party has gone to hell.
Don't exaggerate.
I can't keep dealing with people who gossip about my family.
Your brother was already too much.
No, I won't let you blame Marcos for whatever comes to your mind.
He's a bad influence on Clara. And now--
Be careful what you're about to say, Severo del Valle.
Our family is more important than our personal interests.
Never forget that.
And we love Clarita just the way she is.
Careful.
- Stay still. - Stop!
- Careful! - Sorry.
Stop!
Mom, who are they?
- Is it Uncle Marcos? - Uncle Marcos.
Marcos!
Your brother's here.
I mean... your brother's body.
- No. - Follow me.
Nana.
Marcos!
Open it.
That is how Uncle Marcos came home from his final trip.
My brother!
He had died of a mysterious African plague
that made him wrinkled and yellow, like parchment.
Clarita said he would be coming.
My brother!
Rosa!
A puppy.
- Hi. - He was saved.
It's going to be all right.
- So small. - Barrabás.
That would have been one of the saddest days of her life
if Barrabás hadn't arrived with Uncle Marcos' things,
and Rosa hadn't been there to comfort her.
Clarita, Uncle Marcos brought a lot more books.
And look.
He wrote about all his adventures.
Look at Paris.
Hey, maybe you could do the same, right?
Write down your adventures.
Here's a little notebook. It's blank.
Look.
- Thanks. - You're welcome.
"Barrabás came to the family by sea."
And so my grandmother Clara began
the first of her life diaries.
That's called bribery, and it's a crime.
All of the most respected senators in this country
have gotten their seats in Congress this way.
But I'm a lawyer.
I protect the laws to prevent these very things from happening.
The Holy Thursday scandal didn't play out well for us, my friend.
And we're on the verge of elections.
I promised my wife that I was going to do this honestly.
Well, if you want to keep Nívea happy,
this is the only way.
No one but you can push the suffragists' proposals.
We need to talk with real people, the people in town.
Go door to door, barge into the factories, really make noise.
If my husband is elected senator,
we'll be able to make those changes from Congress.
Well, maybe if your husband were a woman.
We want others to make changes,
and we don't even think to remove our corsets.
You take it off.
What?
- Ma'am. - My little girl.
Look, another letter for Rosa.
Thank you, Nana.
Mom.
- May I see? - No.
Is it from Ester Trueba's son?
Yes, he got the license for a gold mine.
- He's chipped away for nearly two years. - Poor guy.
Why, Mom?
Because he's a very determined man, and I like that.
Because when a woman is as beautiful as Rosa,
men don't even dare to approach her.
- Two. - Thank you.
Look.
It's beautiful, Clarita.
- Can we get it? - Let's see.
Come on, girls, let's go.
Come along.
Always pursuing my Rosita.
Scoundrels!
Come here.
Excuse me.
What's your name?
Who's asking?
Esteban Trueba.
Come along, or I'll get in trouble.
Her name is Rosa del Valle! And she has no other suitors!
- Clarita! - Clara!
What are you thinking?
Rosa.
That afternoon,
Rosa came into Esteban Trueba's life
like a dreamy angel stealing his soul.
And from that moment on, he promised himself
that he would do anything to become a rich man...
I LOVE YOU.
...and be worthy of taking her to the altar.
Rosa, another letter. Can I read it?
"My beloved, beautiful Rosa."
- "Every second--" - Give me that.
"Every second here is an eternity without you."
I want someone to love me like Esteban loves Rosa.
I still don't understand what love has to do
with chipping away at rocks in order to get rich.
Because he loves you.
I don't want gold.
Neither do I.
But don't you want someone to give you a house like this one?
- No. - Then what?
Do you want to live off your imaginary animals?
Perhaps.
I want that too.
I don't understand you.
Would you like that too?
Barrabás!
For Clara, time passed with no greater news
than the unlimited capacity for growth of her dog, Barrabás.
Over there!
Popular fantasies and lack of knowledge of his breed
eventually credited him with mythological attributes.
Everyone loved him.
WINNERS SEVERO DEL VALLE
Except the new senator, Severo del Valle.
Beast from hell!
And Nana.
Someone's going to die.
What's wrong, dear?
Someone else is going to die.
What?
No, my love, don't worry. That's not going to happen.
But Clara said I was going to fall off the horse, and it did happen.
Do me the honor of congratulating the new Senator of this Republic.
You look like you've seen a ghost.
Change those faces. Today is a day for celebration.
More gifts.
This brandy and a suckling pig from your southern constituents.
I'll have to travel to thank them.
No! Don't go.
- What's the matter with you? - I'll explain later.
That's it. Carefully, don't drop it.
It's a huge animal.
Severo. Everyone, if you could come and listen to our new senator.
Thank you.
Thank you all for being here to celebrate with me.
Although I should really thank the dearth of candidates.
Mom.
I don't want anything to happen to Dad.
No, it's going to be all right. Don't worry.
It's an honor for me to represent the Liberal Party in Congress.
Let's check out dessert.
As you all know, I've had the good fortune to live a life of privilege...
How delicious.
...and the time has come to pay it back.
Strawberries.
- I want this one. - I hope that you've enjoyed your meal,
and that you go back for seconds, for our own sake,
or else we'll be eating southern pig for a week!
- Cheers! - Cheers!
Long live!
Congratulations.
- Long live the Senator! - Long live!
Long live!
No!
Calm down.
I don't want anyone else to die.
Don't worry. It was a nightmare. Come. Go back to sleep.
Can you stay with me?
Yes, make some room for me.
It's so cold.
I'm with you always, all right?
Always.
That little hand.
It's a common cold.
See? I told you.
Give her some lemonade with sugar and liquor to sweat out the fever.
Nana, give her the new brandy they gave me.
Thank you for coming so quickly.
I'll walk you to the door.
That same day, after a long period of loneliness and hard work,
Esteban Trueba got what he so badly wanted.
Finally, he could fulfill his dream of marrying Rosa.
Give me the red thread, please.
Nana. Barrabás is going to go on the tablecloth.
Any moment now, that beast is going to grow horns.
And wings.
Thank you.
- Cheers. - Cheers.
Drink all of it.
All right.
Thank you, Nana.
What are you doing there, Clarita?
Why is it so dark? What's wrong?
Why does it smell so much of roses?
Rosita?
Darling?
Rosa.
Oh, my God!
Mrs. Nívea!
Mr. Severo.
Mr. Severo!
I'm so sorry.
This was not caused by a mere fever.
Do you remember if Rosa did anything out of the ordinary
or ate anything that the others didn't?
Nothing. I don't know.
That lemonade you told me to give her with a dash of brandy.
Clarita.
- It was all my fault. - No.
It wasn't your fault. Don't ever say that again.
Promise me.
I didn't expect you to be here so soon.
Good afternoon.
Here.
TELEGRAM FROM THE STATE ESTEBAN TRUEBA
ESTEBAN, YOU MUST RETURN. ROSA IS DEAD. FÉRULA
I have my suspicions that this killed your daughter.
I don't understand.
I need your authorization to perform an autopsy.
Are you telling me you have to cut her open?
No, not completely.
Her head will be untouched.
But to do that, I need to take Rosa to the morgue.
To the morgue?
Not the morgue.
- No. - Okay.
- No one will take my daughter. - Okay, Nívea.
Yes. That's how it will be.
You swear?
- Swear it. Swear it to me. - Yes.
My love.
Don't touch her.
- You won't touch her! - Nívea.
Take this for your nerves. Just a little.
I'm sorry, my love.
I'm doing this for the whole family.
Nana, tell the staff they can take off the rest of the day.
Yes, sir.
And let Clarita sleep with Teresa, please.
I don't want her to sleep alone.
Severo.
Good evening, sir...
Careful.
There was rat poison in that bottle of brandy.
Enough to kill a bull.
Now we only need to medically verify that it was murder.
She needs to be undressed, Severo.
I'm sorry, my child.
I can't watch this.
Rosa?
Sir?
Where is Rosa?
Sir...
With the doctor.
In the kitchen.
Stay here, please.
Stay.
Have a drink, please.
Sit.
Thank you.
It was my fault, Nana.
It was my fault.
I should be the one dead.
- Don't say that. - Not my Rosa.
Nana.
Poor girl.
This was meant for Severo.
I have to warn him.
I'm quitting politics.
I'm quitting the Liberal Party.
All that shit.
May no one in my family ever get involved in politics again.
My grandmother Clara felt all the emptiness of the world inside her.
The silence filled her completely
and she wouldn't say another word until nine years later.
Rosa's murder was the first of many acts of violence
that my family was destined to experience.
The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among all women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary...
The truth is, someone tried to assassinate Severo.
The police tried to find the source of the poisoned bottle,
but neither they nor the private detective hired by my great-grandfather Severo,
were able to find the murderers.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners...
And the shadow of that unresolved vengeance
remained present in subsequent generations.
Full of grace you are. The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among all women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death, amen.
Clarita.
Clarita, my love.
Come and say goodbye to your sister.
This didn't happen because you said so.
You may be able to predict things, but you can't stop them from happening.
Little angel.
Where do you have her?
I want to see her!
Where is she?
Rosa!
My Rosa.
I'm sorry for not fulfilling my promise.
It was out of my hands.
I'm sorry.
Come with us to the burial, Esteban.
Why can't we go?
The burial service is for men only.
Clarita!
Stop the car!
What are you doing, my dear?
Come here, my love.
You're Clara?
Rosa mentioned you in many of her letters.
How old are you?
Clara, why don't you speak?
Clara maintained her silence, but in that moment she knew
that her destiny and that of Esteban Trueba
would be linked forever.