INT - MIRAFLORES HOSTEL / CALI - DAY - LATER

Magdalena and Martín get back to the hostel. Santiago, the receptionist, is drinking a bear. He
notices them.

SANTIAGO

Hey, Martín!

MARTÍN

What's up, Santiago?

SANTIAGO

How did everything go in the end, last night? I saw you in very good company.

MARTÍN

Good, good, thanks...

Magdalena and Martín start walking up the stairs.

Magdalena

In very good company? Who? Maria?

MARTÍN

(in a low voice)

I guess, I don't what that jackass is talking about...

They reach the door of their room. Magdalena opens the doors and...

INT. MAGDALENA'S ROOM / MIRAFLORES HOSTEL - DAY

...the first thing she does is look towards Maria's bed. But there is no one in the room.

MARTÍN

So, do you want the bottom bunk or what?

Magdalena, still staring at Maria's bed.

MAGDALENA

Nah, don't worry about it. I slept like a baby on the top bunk last night.

MARTÍN
You sure? It's yours if you want it.

MAGDALENA

Nah, it's fine. Don't worry.

Martín flops into his bed.

MARTÍN

I feel like fucking shit./I'm a fucking mess.

Magdalena also on her bed and lies there, staring at the ceiling. Next to her is the envelope
labeled "Things to do in Cali". She opens it and starts examining it.

MAGDALENA

Oh, Marti! There's the salsa class now, wanna go?

MARTÍN

What? No, Omonga, what party bit you?

MAGDALENA

Come on, come with me!

MARTÍN

No fucking way! I feel like crap... Why don't you go. We can meet later.

Magdalena gets out of bed and starts changing clothes

MAGDALENA

Don't be a dick, let's go...

But Martín is already sound asleep.

--A salsa song starts playing;

EXT. SALSA CLASSES BUILDING / CALI - DAY

We see a residential building about 7 floors high.

Above the entrance hangs a sign that reads:

"SALSA CLASES, SEVENTH FLOOR"

Magdalena steps into the building.

INT. STAIRS / SALSA CLASSES BUILDING / DAY - (SEGUIDO

Magdalena walks up the stairs until she reaches the seventh floor.

There she sees a line of people standing in front of a door, leading to an apartment.
Magdalena waits in line.

DARÍO a young man of 20, sits in a chair (a stool?) at the door, checking for membership
cards.

Magdalena hands him her coupon for a complimentary lesson.

DARÍO

Come in.

INT. PRACTICE ROOM - SALSA CLASSES BUILING / CALI - DAY

The practice room walls are covered in/with mirrors on which we see the reflection of the
whole group of dances. One of the walls is made of huge bay windows that overlook
downtown Cali.

Around thirty people of different ages, genders and origins talk among themselves, waiting
for the class to start.

Magdalena, sitting in a corner in the room, ties her shoes and looks intimitated as she watches
the different dancers; maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea after all.

CRISTÓBAL, a Cali-born salsa instructor of about 35, swoops into the room like an
adrenaline-driven train, grabs a speaker and plugs in a USB stick.

Energic music starts playing.

CRISTÓBAL

Everybody up now, let's start our warm up.

Everyone, including Magdalena, slowly gets up to stand in front of Cristóbal.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'd)

(raising his arms)

Hands up, everybody!

People start raising their arms.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Strech, strech, strech...

Each one of the dances stretches their arms like there's no tomorrow. to the point of

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

And relax...

Cristóbal lets his arms fall drop as he bends down his torso, letting his hands touch the floor.
They all mirror his moves.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Upwards, up, up, up...

Magdalena raises her arms, her eyes examining the rest of the students, when she sees, at the
opposite end of the room...

M a r i a, who is also standing therre in the middle of the class, her arms raised. Magdalena
immediately looks away.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

And relax...

Everybody bends their torso and lets their arms drop until their hands touch the floor.

Magdalena's arms also drop. This position allows her to yet again take a peak in Maria's
direction.

Cristóbal then starts twisting around his waste, left to right and right to left.

CRISTÓBAL

Alright, now let's twist without moving our legs. Come on. One, two. One, two.

They all mimic his moves. Magdalena twists briskly, left to right, and back. Every time she
turns right, she catches a short glimpse of Maria.

CRISTÓBAL

One, two. One, two. One, two. One, two. Now, the legs!

Cristóbal starts bending his knees, just like a soccer player.

Magdalena mirrors Cristóbal's movements.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Very good, very good...

(Cristóbal turns the music on)

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Let's start with the basics. Eyes up, I don't wanna see nobody looking down.

Cristóbal does the basic salsa step.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

(slowly)

And... One.
Two.
Three.
Four.

The audience repeats Cristóbal's steps. One, two, three, four.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.

They complete the step. Five, six, seven, eight.

There are all kinds of dancers there, some of them can move, others just stand there puzzled
by Cristóbal's moves.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

(slowly)

Good! a-gain... One, two, three, four.

Five, six, seven, eight.

The dancers mimic the step.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Alright, now, at regular pace... One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

The crowd starts doing the step, this time at regular pace.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Very good! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. A-gain! One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight.
Cristóbal waves to NATALY, another dance instructor, around 25 years old, comes closer.
Cristóbal grabs her by the hand.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Okay, good! Now everybody choose a partner and repeat after me.

They all start forming dancing pairs.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Men: put your RIGHT hand on your partner's waist.

Cristóbal puts his hand on Nataly's waist.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

...and ladies, put your LEFT hand on your partner's shoulder.

Nataly puts her hand on Cristóbal's shoulder.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

Alright! Now, from the top, same step.

And... one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight... one, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
eight...

Magdalena's eyes shoot in different directionsm looking for someone to dance with, as her
options start to wane. The only alternatives left are a 12 YEAR-OLD BOY from Cali or a 60
YEAR-OLD MAN from Bogotá.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

And.... cue the music!! People!

A salsa song starts playing.

The old man from Bogotá and Magdalena stand there, staring at each other. There are no
options left.

The old man takes Magdalena's hand and Magdalena, keeping a cautious distance, puts her
hand on the old man's shoulder.

They both start to mimic the step.

CRISTÓBAL (O.S.) (CONT'D)

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight..

Magdalena's partner is a pretty bad dancer. She is visibly uncomfortable dancing with the old
man.

CRISTÓBAL (O.S.) (CONT'D)

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight... one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
NOW SWITCH PARTNERS!

Magdalena immediately lets go off the old man's hand and starts dancing with the 12-year-old
from Cali.

The kid is a natural, he dances gracefully, trying to impress Magdalena. She starts to relax.
Her movements start to flow more smoothly, become more precise.

CRISTÓBAL (O.S.) (CONT'D)

AND... SWITCH PARTNERS!

The kid lets go off Magdalena and immediately grabs hold of a new partner. Magdalena is left
alone.

From behind, someone touches her shoulder. Magdalena turns around to se..

MAGDALENA

Maria!...

MARIA

May I have this dance?

Magdalena laughs and grabs Maria's hand. Maria holds Magdalena by the waist and
Magdalena puts her hand on Maria's shoulder. Without moving a finger, they both stand there
looking each other in the eye, giggling nervously.

CRISTÓBAL (O.S.)

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight...

Magdalena and Maria start off dancing synchronously.

CRISTÓBAL (CONT'D)

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight...

Magdalena accidentally steps on Maria.

MAGDALENA

Oh, sorry...
MARIA

(laughing)

Don't worry about it...

After three iterations, Magdalena and Maria start getting the hang of the step.

CRISTÓBAL (V.O.)

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. SWITCH PARTNERS!

They all switch partnerrs except Magdalena and Maria, who just keep on dancing.

After repeating the moves for some time, Magdalena's nervous giggle slowly fades away, she
looks both focuses and serene, as she masters the step.

CRISTÓBAL

SWITCH PARTNERS!

Magdalena and Maria don't let go. They carry on dancing, staring into each other's eyes.

CRISTÓBAL (O.S.)

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight... one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

INT. KITCHEN / MIRAFLORES HOSTEL - NIGHT

MAGDALENA

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Magdalena and Maria dance in front of Martín, demonstrating what they learned in their salsa
class.

MAGDALENA (CONT'D)

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight...

Martín, sitting at a large table in the kitchen, next to some empty beer bottles, smokes a
cigarette as he rolls a spliff with a surgeon-like precision.

MARTÍN

Wow, well, I think you're ready to dance salsa for a living.

MAGDALENA

(still dancing)
Yes, pretty dumb you missed that, huh?

Martín is still lost in the task at hand.

MARTÍN

It's just the guayacán I had was too fucking strong.

Martín licks the tip of the papersheet and rolls it.

MARTÍN (CONT'D)

But this Johnson's gonna take care of that!

(looking at them)

Shall we follow Stoner's law?

MARIA

What?

MARTÍN

He who rolls it, tokes it!

Martín takes out a pocket lighter and lights up the joint, puffs and passes it to Maria.

MARTÍN (CONT'D)

So, María, what's next? Where you headed after Cali?

Maria takes a puff.

MARIA

No idea.. I think I'm gonna check out some of the villages around this place. You guys?

MAGDALENA

We're headed to Armenia tomorrow. Then we hit the road to Tolima.

MARIA

Tolima?

MARTÍN

Yeah, the Magdalena river flows through that region.

MAGDALENA

Me and Martín are traveling with my mom's ashes. We're going to all the places she lived in.
That's where we plan to take her, and leave her.

MARIA

In the Magdalena river?

MAGDALENA

Yes, next to where she was born.

MARIA

Wow.

There's a moment of silence.

Magdalena smokes but the joint isn't burning.

MAGDALENA

(to Martín)

Pass the lighter?

Martín hands her the lighter.

MAGDALENA

(to Maria)

You should come with us...

Magdalena lights the joint and takes a deep puff.

Martín gives Magdalena an astonished look.

MAGDALENA

Well, if Martín doesn't mind...

Magdalena passes the joint to Martín.

MARTÍN

I don't mind, at all. The more the merrier...

MARIA
How long will you be on the road for?

MARTÍN

(smoking the joint)

Just three more days... We're spreading the ashes on the 7th. That was mom's birthday...

MARIA

Oh. Only three days?

MAGDALENA

Yes. Tomorrow we're taking abus to Armenia... We're spending one night there at a hotel
owned by our aunt. Then we go down to the Tolima region.

MARTÍN

It's a beautiful trip.

MARIA

Sounds awesome... But, I dunno, I don't wanna intrude./I'd feel bad.

MARTÍN

Intrude how? / Bad how?

MARIA

I dunno, it's like a very personal trip, isn't it?

MAGDALENA

So what? that doesn't mean it can't be fun. Plus, we came to celebrate mom's life... I'm sure
she'd have invited you.

MARIA

Is it ok if I think it over tonight and tell you tomorrow morning?

MAGDALENA

Totally/Totes/Yeah, sure. The thing is, we're leaving super early tomorrow.

MARIA

Well, I'd let you know first thing tomorrow. I still have to check some stuff about my plane
back.
MARTÍN

Atta girl!

Martín raises his beer, offering a toast to Magdalena and Maria.

MARTÍN (CONT'D)

So Maria says YES!

MAGDALENA

So Maria says YES!

THE THREE OF THEM

Cheers!

The three bottles clink loudly.

INT. MAGDALENA'S ROOM / MIRAFLORES HOSTEL - NEXT DAY

Martín is fast asleep. His mouth is half-opened. He's drooled all over the pillow.

MAGDALENA (O.S.)

Martín, wake up... Martín, wake up, we're super late.

Magdalena starts shaking him.

Martín opens his eyes, still half-asleep, and sees Magdalena packing up her bag in mad
haste.

MAGDALENA (CONT'D)

Come on, assface, we're gonna miss the bus.

MARTÍN

The bus?... What time is it?

MAGDALENA

Eight. We have to split.

Martín sits up on the bed, rubs his eyes and puts his glasses on. He sees Maria's bed, empty.

MARTÍN

What about Maria?

MAGDALENA

I dunno, when I woke up she was gone.

MARTÍN

Seriously?

MAGDALENA

Yeah. Get ready!

Martín gets up and starts cramming things into his bag.

INt. LOBBY / MIRAFLORES HOSTEL - DAY

Magdalena carries her bag down the stairs, looks in the direction of the reception, but there's
no one at the desk. She then checks the kitchen, which is empty except for A COUPLE of
fourty-yearolds, having breakfast. ( ES UNA PAREJA PAREJA O SOLO DOS
PERSONAS)

EXT. MIRAFLORES HOSTEL / CALI - DAY

Carrying her back, standing in front of the hostel, Martín smokes a cigarette as he waits.
Magdalena comes out of the hostel, in haste, looking at her cellphone.

MAGDALENA

Ok, we only have to wait for two minutes?

MARIA

For Maria?

MAGDALENA

No, for the cab. I don't know what happened to Maria. I couldn't find her anywhere.

MARTÍN

Did you call her?

MAGDALENA

I don't have her phone number.

MARTÍN

Way to go, dumbass.

MAGDALENA

Don't you have it?

MARTÍN

Nope.

The taxi arrives. Martín looks at Magdalena, unsure what to do.

MAGDALENA

Get in!

Martín gets into the taxi. Magdalena takes one last look around, but sees nothing and steps
into the vehicle.

INT. TAXI / CALI - NIGHT (SEGUIDO: SE ME OLVIDO COMO SE) DICE

The TAXI DRIVER is a forty-ish year-old man.

MAGDALENA

Good morning, can you take us to the bus terminal, please?

The taxi drives off without a word from the driver.

The car drives down the hostel , then turns left.

At the turn, the taxi passes a dolled-up/smartly dressed/well-dressed Maria, carrying her
backpack on her way to the hostel.

MARTÍN

(yelling through the car window)

Maria!

Maria sees them and waves the car to stop.

MAGDALENA

Sir, can you pull over?

MARTÍN

Are you coming or are you ditching us?

MARIA
Of course I'm coming, didn't Santiago tell you?

MAGDALENA

Santiago? No!

MARIA

Sorry, I was withdrawing some cash.

MAGDALENA

That's OK. You have everything?

MARIA

Yup, I'm all set.

MAGDALENA

Hop in! We're super late!

Martín steps out of the taxi, helps Maria with her bag and puts it in the trunk.

Maria gets in and sits between Magdalena and Martín.

Martín shuts the door and the taxi drives off.

INT. ARTIFICIAL MINIATURE HOUSE - NIGHT

We se the screen of a miniature TV, with no signal.

Sitting in front of the TV, on a miniature dirtym beat-up couch, a CRAB watches with a sad
look.

A miniature pizza box lies on the table, in front of the crab. On the table, there are beer cans
and cigarette-stubs. (cigarrillos, o restos de cigarrillos?)

INT. BUS / HIGHWAY TO ARMENIA - DAY

Magdalena watches the TV on the bus, with the crab on the TV show. Martîn sits next to her,
his earphones on, looking at Maria from a far.

Martín gets up.

Magdalena watches as Martín says something to the man sitting next to Maria. He's a FAT
MAN of around 40.

The fat man gets up. Martín points to the place Magdalena is sitting and the man nods.
Martín sits next to Maria, and the fat man walks down the aisle to stand next to Magdalena.

FAT MAN

Hello. Your brother told me you wanted to switch places.

Magdalena makes room for him and the man sits next to her. From up close, the man has a
rather amiable look about him.

FAT MAN (CONT'D)

Nice to meet you, Álvaro, at your service.

Álvaro offers Magdalena a hand.

MAGDALENA

(shaking his hand)

Magdalena. Likewise.

Magdalena turns around and looks through the window for a while. Alvaro breaths loudly and
heavily.

Then, she glances askance to Martín and Maria.

Martín pretends to read the paper, then puts it aside and, wearing sunglasses on top of his
regular pair, looks playfully in the opposite direction, towards Maria. He then looks at Maria
and pushes down the sunglasses.

MARTÍN

Pardon me, but ?

MARIA

What?

MARTÍN

Pardon my boldness, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Martín.

(Martín offers her a hand)

MARIA

(laughing)

Oh... Maria. Nice to meet you.

MARTÍN

No, no, please. The pleasure is all mine. Are you from around these parts, miss Maria?

MARIA

No, sir, I'm just passing by, traveling... You?

MARTÍN

Me too... I am also a traveler.

Martín goes back to reading his paper, pretending the conversation is over.

MARTÍN (CONT'D)

So... Are you traveling own your own or is someone with you?

MARIA

Huh... There's someone with me...

MARTÍN

Why, how wonderful! Who is it, if I may ask?

MARIA

Sorry?

MARTÍN

Well, I mean, are you traveling with a friend or with family, I don't know, a boyfriend,
maybe, or a husband?

MARIA

Oh, yes, certainly... I am traveling with my boyfriend and my husband.

MARTÍN

Oh, certainly. How lucky they must be...

MARIA

They actually warned me not to talk to strangers.

MARTÍN

I understand. Very wise indeed.

MARIA

(pointing at the glasses)

Your glasses, there's something in there.

Maria takes out a tissue (?) from the case of sunglasses and hands it to Martín.

MARTÍN

Oh, yes, the heat, of course... Thank you very much.

Martín wipes his glasses clean with the tissue.

MARIA

...I'm kidding, Mr. Martín, I am traveling alone, I didn't bring a husband or a boyfriend with
me...

MARTÍN

Oh, did you leave them back home?

MARIA

No, I don't have any... Well, I had one, a boyfriend, but I forgot about him already... at least,
I'm forgetting about him.

Martín smiles.

Suddenly the bus makes a blunt stop.

BUS DRIVER (O.S.)

LUNCH STOP! It's two o'clock. I'll leave at three on the dot.