This story is inspired by true events, but it's a work of fiction.
Any similarity to real people is coincidental.
As 1990 comes to an end,
the abductees' families hope Christmas will soften Escobar's heart.
But his men say that all he wants is to go on a shooting spree.
Divine Child Jesus, God of my heart and model of my conduct,
be always with me to separate me from evil and make me similar to You,
making me grow in wisdom and grace before God and men.
Sweet, little Child Jesus, I'll always love you with all my heart.
Amen.
Divine Child Jesus, God of my heart and model of my conduct,
be always with me to separate me from evil and make me similar to You,
making me grow in wisdom and grace before God and men.
Sweet, little Child Jesus, I'll always love you with all my heart.
Amen.
-Have you had bad thoughts today? -No, just good thoughts.
I really wanted to put a bullet into Maruja.
No, you can't lay a finger on her.
The Divine Child sees everything.
That old hag gets to me.
I don't know if I should. He sees everything.
Who does she think she is?
Monje, answer it.
See?
I'm not leaving you alone.
Don't you trust me?
-Stay here, then. Be good. -Yes. Don't worry.
Answer it, *.
Hello?
Why does nobody answer?
Was taking them for a walk.
No more privileges.
All right.
Tomorrow the old one will bite the dust.
Which one?
Maruja Pachón.
The boss wants payback for Richie and the others.
And she's the only one worth anything. Let's get rid of her, get me?
Right on, man.
I'll let you know.
-Is everything okay? -They heard our prayers.
-Glad to hear that. -Thanks to the Divine Child.
Thank you.
Watch out for Grandma.
I'm sorry, sorry.
What?
Nothing.
Miracles exist.
If you ask the Divine Child,
he'll grant it for you.
You believe in miracles?
Grandma, tell me if the smoke bothers you.
All right.
NEWS OF A KIDNAPPING BY GABRIEL GARCÍA MARQUEZ
Count them, there's two bundles of 10,000 each.
Fill in your details and sign, please.
This deal will only appear in our office records in Zurich.
Dad, it's time to take the police on a trip.
Yes, it's your turn.
And that gun?
It's registered, and I have permission to carry it.
-Have you used it? -Never.
I've never had a wife and sister kidnapped before.
Don't worry, Grandpa was in the military. Something must've rubbed off.
He taught you to shoot?
No. I never met him.
Dad, I'm serious. Be very careful.
Don't worry.
The most important thing
is that you and I are doing our best to bring Mom home safe.
If Mom saw us like this, she'd faint.
-Take it for a ride. -All right.
How will I hear from you?
Tell Mrs. Nydia to be on the alert. I'll be in touch.
Okay, take care.
-Be careful, yeah? -Yes, sir.
"Manuela fell in love with the wrong man, but who are we to criticize that?
"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
"Anyhow, that's not the most awful thing that happened to her,
"but the culmination of a series of unfortunate events.
"She wanted to be a mother, but didn't have a partner,
"and never thought a bus would hit her, and León would end up alone." Poor kid.
-"As Rosario..." -She's worse off than us.
Yes, listen.
"Manuela's departure was so untimely that Rosario couldn't ask her
"who she wanted to take care of her son."
Lunch time.
Thank you.
Lentils again? No, thanks.
You can take them.
Aren't you hungry?
-I can heat them up later. -No.
You'll have to put them in a bag to go.
-What? -You're out tomorrow.
I don't understand.
You leave tomorrow, you're out.
Aren't you happy?
Maruja.
You're going home tomorrow.
You're free tomorrow.
Leaving me alone in this hole.
Take it easy, Betty.
The devilish ones always go first.
Thank God they listened to the pope.
Cheer up.
Diez, I need to speak to Ricardo.
That's not so easy, lady.
Will you help me or not?
Well, let's play a game, okay?
You eat all the food that I brought you.
Then, if you ask again, I'll answer whatever you want.
I need to speak to Ricardo. Get him.
Richie got killed.
The cops shot him in front of his wife and kids.
I must speak to a boss.
Well, I'm the only one here.
I want to talk to Escobar.
He doesn't want to talk.
What he wants is to open fire.
If you get me.
Are you here for business or pleasure?
For business.
But it can't be all work.
I can recommend some very nice places if you like.
No obligation.
Thanks. That won't be necessary.
No, no.
How terrible.
That's how the drug traffickers' parties end.
A clear show of decadence.
They come and look, and end up dead on the road.
Thank God I only have boys.
Yes, what is it?
Counselor Peña, please.
There's no Counselor Peña here.
He gave me this address.
He gave you the wrong address.
Have a nice afternoon.
Tell him it's Alberto Villamizar. I can pay.
Look around you.
-See anyone? -No, no one.
Take a better look.
There's no one.
Over there.
Doctor Villamizar, how can I help you?
I suppose you're aware of Escobar's plans to kill the hostages, one by one.
Obviously.
If they go into the neighborhoods, and kill 400 young men,
what did you expect?
Don't waste your time, or make me lose mine.
I'm here to propose a trade.
Me instead of Maruja and Beatriz.
What do you think?
Brave.
But impractical. Who would negotiate for you?
President Gaviria.
I have $20,000 to pay for this favor.
Kindly have a seat.
Cecilia, can you bring us some refreshments?
Coming.
Now...
All right,
I'm going to get you seen by one of the men closest to Mr. Pablo.
You see how to convince them. I frankly doubt it.
Here's the address.
Another paper.
I never change. Ask for Cindy.
-Is it a disco, a bar? -A bar, obviously.
Be very careful, you have to drive around before you get there.
It's downtown. Make sure no one follows you.
When you get there, tell Cindy I sent you.
-Cindy will take me to them? -Exactly.
Fine, I'll do it.
I'll pay you after that.
Villamizar, I don't work for free.
This transaction is risky and expensive.
So, the cash, please.
Are you going to snub the lady?
Take it.
-Cheers. -Cheers.
What's all this about?
Every Christmas, my grandma has a choir.
This year, she decided to record it for my mom and all of the abductees.
Father García Herreros?
Heard the pope talking about the kidnappings?
And how does that affect us?
My dear, you don't know what the Holy Father can do.
Mrs. Nydia,
I came because I wanted to talk to you.
Do you sing?
Sing this.
♪ La la la la la la la ♪
♪ La la la la la la la la ♪
♪ La la la la la la la ♪
♪ La la la la la la la la ♪
Well, we have a baritone.
-Come with me. -Yes, but I need...
Your mother is going to see you.
♪ La la la la la la la ♪
Shall we go again?
One, two, three.
♪ La la la la la la la ♪
♪ La la la la la la la la ♪
♪ La la la la la la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la la la la ♪
Diana?
Simón?
Thank you.
-What's this? -Oh, that.
Well,
you know I can't sit still.
So I'm writing down what I think is happening.
What I think Escobar is doing.
He's playing his hand.
He's getting rid of the "obstacles."
The lesser cards, to pressure the government.
And he's left with three crucial aces.
Francisco Santos,
the son of the owner of the biggest newspaper in Colombia,
Maruja Pachón, the wife of Alberto Villamizar,
and third, me. The former president's daughter.
So this is really where the game begins.
Now we have to figure out where this is going.
What the next move will be.
And me?
You.
You are here to film the interview with Escobar.
Simón.
Will you ever forgive me?
It's all right.
Hello?
Excuse me, ma'am.
How elegant. You look like an executive.
If I met me, I wouldn't recognize myself.
Can I help you?
Tomorrow, when you're home with your kids, you won't even remember this.
Tomorrow when I'm with my children,
I'll remember yours.
Our children don't deserve this.
It's important that you know of him.
Let's listen to him. Soften your heart to him.
Because despite our sins, he was able to became a man.
To come to this earth, and die on the cross to save our dignity.
This way...
Careful with the step.
you'll get to know what real love is.
There's no other love like Jehovah's.
-What else do you need? -All I need is to take you both with me.
That is, if I do get out.
Nothing will happen to you. We will get out. All of us.
I'll make a dinner to celebrate our reunion.
What do you mean dinner? I'm going to throw a huge party.
I'm going to get proper drunk. I'll sleep over that night.
What is it, Negro?
You're all happy.
Of course we are.
The first thing I'll do when I get out is get my friends out of this hole.
That sounds great.
Bastard.
Don't mind him.
Romerito.
-Mrs. Nydia, welcome, come in. -Thanks.
Good morning.
-They have tapped our phone. -Okay, I understand.
-You go first. -Thanks.
-Hello? -Hello, Andrés?
-Hi, Dad. -Good to hear you. Are you okay?
Yes, yes. We heard.
Horrible, everything was horrible.
Please put Mrs. Nydia on the phone.
Okay, Dad.
-Take care. -You too.
-I love you. -Me too.
Alberto.
Did you hear, Mrs. Nydia?
First Richie and his men, now Peña.
Not sure who's worse, Escobar or the police.
If it was the police, we'll know from Escobar's reaction.
I hope it wasn't.
I don't know what to think.
They're all the same. We don't know who'll screw us first.
Take it easy, Alberto.
I've thought of another alternative.
But you have to be careful, okay?
Do you have a pen?
Yes, wait.
Tell me.
These are big words.
You're going to the estate of Fabio Ochoa himself.
I think that as his sons are thinking of surrendering to the law,
he'll want to ingratiate himself with you as a congressman.
But I repeat, don't trust them.
Because, for better or for worse, Ochoa has a direct line to Escobar.
This is as far as I go, bro.
You're just going to strand me here?
That's the entrance to the estate.
If I get any closer, they'll ask me to take someone to town.
And then the only way to stop being the Ochoa's errand boy is death.
1,300 pesos, brother. Good luck and thank you.
Here you are.
Thank you.
Look, Doctor, the congestion starts here.
Through the veins and comes down,
to here,
to the hoof where the pressure begins.
At first, the horse walks as if it had a thorn.
At that point, one should start worrying.
Or the horse will stop walking.
And without knowing it, it's his death sentence.
Help me up, guys.
Thank you.
They're like children.
Small children, small problems.
Big children, big problems.
I don't understand my children.
They had everything, they never lacked anything.
But look how they repay me. I'm ashamed to tell you.
No need to mention it.
The three of them hiding like rats.
The police, the DEA, Interpol, everyone's after them.
I'm always worried, wondering when they'll kill them.
I'm sorry about your situation. But this is very important.
Do you know about Pablo Escobar's decision to kill the hostages one by one?
Yes, I heard something.
And your wife will be the first one.
What do you mean? Where did you hear that?
Things you hear through the grapevine.
-Then we must act immediately. -How is Mrs. Nydia? I remember her.
More so now with that problem she has with her daughter.
The same suffering that I have.
Stop, Don Fabio.
There is so much you can do for the abductees right now.
Especially Mrs. Nydia's daughter.
She'd be so grateful. Believe me.
Not only her, all of Colombia.
Help me.
Damaris?
Honey.
Look. Let's build the tree.
Leider, take that off.
What are you playing? That's not how you play!
-What the hell are you laughing at? -Don't be like that.
He's a child, he doesn't understand.
Doesn't he?
What's happened to you?
You're like a bitter, old woman.
You used to celebrate everything Leider and I did.
-Don't leave me alone. -Take care of her.
Maruja, don't leave me alone in this hole. Don't leave me in this hole.
No, Maruja Pachón, you can't leave me here in this hole.
No, ma'am.
No, Maruja! Don't leave me here alone, Maruja!
Maruja Pachón.
Watch out, kid.
Leider.
-Leider! Come here. -Damaris, Damaris.
Get into the car, Maruja. Everything is all right.
-Where are you taking me? -Get down, woman.
-If you're going to kill me, do it now. -The old woman is brave.
Yes, brave.
Cheer up, boy. Change that face.
We managed to send a counter-order.
Seriously, Don Fabio?
I hope it was in time.
How so, in time? How will we know?
Bad news travels fast, son.
Let's have lunch in peace.
If we don't hear anything by the time we finish dessert,
everything will have gone well.
Relax, sit down.
Rene, bring us drinks, we're celebrating.
Sit, Don Alberto, take it easy.
Sweetheart,
why don't you build the manger? Go on.
Leider,
go help your mother.
Go on.
Hello?
All right.
Come on, Grandma.
-What? Where? -For a walk.
For a walk? No, hold on.
Where? Dressed like that?
-No time. Come on. -No time? Let her change.
This is not a fashion show.
No, no, please.
-No! -Get off!
Please be careful.
These are the game rules.
Go on.
Come on, let's go.
-What's wrong? -Everything is okay. Please, let me go.
Let me go, Don Pacho.
Let me go.
Negro, you stay here.
Out of my way, *.
Easy, Grandma, it's me.
-Dear Divine Child. -Dear Divine Child.
Deliver us from those who would harm us.
Deliver us from our enemies.
-Our enemies... -Dear Divine Child.
Deliver us from those who would harm us.
-Dear Divine Child... -Deliver us from our enemies.
-Deliver us from those... -Enough!
The praying is over.
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
Hey, Don Alberto, congratulate me.
-Did it work? -It worked.
We did it! Come here!
Everything went well.
Thank you so much. God damn it!