I'm so thirsty...
...and my feet hurt.
I have rocks in my shoe.
I'm sure they're going to kill us.
Why do they want to kill us if we didn't do anything?
One day my father left us
and went to the U.S. when the war started.
My mom didn't come out to say goodbye.
And she told me that I was now the man of the house.
But first I had to go to the bathroom.
"Two wings. Who had two wings?"
"Two wings to fly."
"This afternoon on the mountain, I almost had them.
...with the crazy with to spread my wings and fly over the sleeping sea."
No, no now!
Help me, Fito!
Help me!
Mom is coming home.
Excuse me.
I had to walk Antonio and Fito home.
They can't walk themselves home?
You know how chicken they are.
Don't come home late again.
These soldiers aren't playing.
One day, God forbid, they'll grab a rifle and shoot you.
You understand me?
Yes mommy.
Temo! Temo! Temo!
We were all scared of turning 12.
...because that's when the army takes you.
I had one year left.
You know, Ancha? Me and you are alike.
We are! We're both little!
Yes, I'm little.
Little in size, but not up here.
Ancha was my friend.
Everyone said he was a fish brain.
Thank you, Anchita.
But he was the only one that wasn't scared to have a birthday.
Good, God bless!
Hi, farty sister.
Where were you?
It's late.
Take care of your brother and sister, OK? Don't worry.
Rosita!
Don't feed Ricardito after 8:00 OK?
Even if he screams.
Why, mommy?
I love you. Take out the garbage.
and close the door, bolt it...
...and don't let anybody in.
You're the man of the house.
Yeah, right, the man of the house!
You don't even know how to wipe your own butt.
Leave my brother alone!
He fell asleep.
The matresses, Chava!
I want mommy!
Watch out, Chava! Don't get up there!
Get under the bed! Quick! Get under here!
Good night, see you later, good night.
Grandma Mamatoya!
Mamatoya!
Have you heard from Beto, mother? Nothing.
Nothing since they closed the university...
I don't know...
Let's hope he's alright.
We'd know if he wasn't.
Bad news travels fast.
He'll show up.
It was really bad last night.
and the kids were alone...
I going to quit my job.
And who's going to support you?
Why don't you come live here?
How can we, mother? There's no enough room.
I don't mean with me.
Refugio's house is empty.
That way we can keep an eye on the kids...
...and help with their homework.
If we move, he'll never find us.
Don't fool yourself.
Those who go north, get swept away.
Lift your head up, Kella.
His loss.
Those who leave suffer more than those who stay.
and those that stay, fight.
I'm going to catch. you, stupid head!
With these right now!
...are you going to buy a gun?
Since mom started working at home...
...the war didn't seem so big.
Beto loves you a little, a lot or nothing at all.
Cecilia! It's curfew, go home!
Just a little longer...
Angelita, don't worry about your grandma. Go inside.
Please, grandma, five minutes. Tell her...
Goodbye.
You too, Chava.
One day there they were. The Gringos.
The same as they are in the movies.
What some gum?
Lets go!
They said they were there to help us.
Who wants gum?
Don Yeyo!
Spit that out, Chava.
Don't you hear me? Spit it out. Why? It's yummy!
Because the men who gave you that gum.
...They are training our soldiers to kill us.
Not so yummy anymore is it?
Angelita finished first in her class.
...so her grandma is taking her to the beach.
But she's a dummy. What do you know?
Lots.
You wish.
You too! Children!
You more. Kids!
A dormir.
Get on the floor!
Ricardito!
Get down!
Uncle Mario!
Dear God...why?
Why?
Why? What happened?
You drunk!
Wake up!
Go home, shame on you!
I'm going to tell your mom.
Shame on you!
Drunks!
You're now ashamed? It's for the hangover.
What hangover? Go home!
This time nothing sold.
I'm sorry Chavita.
Are you trying to steal it?
What are you doing? Answer me! Just playing.
With whose permission? I need to work.
You want my job? No.
Take it, it's yours.
I got you kid, I got you!
Why do you like driving?
Because...you can go lots of places...
Cruise the streets and make lots of money!
Yeah, right...
And... how old are you? 11.
Let's see, stand up!
11 months?
Hold on, hold on.
You want to work?
Here's the deal...
You call the stops. I collect the fares and I drive.
But if you rob me...
I'll cut your balls off, shorty!
Downtown!
What happened with the dresses?
Where did you get that?
I didn't sell anything, but I got a job on the bus.
So you don't have to work so much.
You should have asked me first.
Can I?
Will you be careful?
And you're be back before curfew everyday?
I promise, ma.
Where did you get the money? I got a job.
I'm a driver... Yeah, right!
Did you hear Miss Sol had a nervous breakdown?
Why? Because of all the shooting.
They say she's in the nut house.
4....5....6....7....8
Chava! Chava!
The following boys will form a line.
Pablo Argueta...
...Manuel Ayala...
...Antonio Gutiérrez...
...Alfredo Argueta...
...Mario Sánchez...
What's your name? Temo...
Temo what? Morales Morales.
Get in line. But he's only 10!
It's not fair! How can you do this?
Temo! Temo! Sergeant!
Mario Sánchez...
...Arturo Reyes...
...Gerber Reyes...
...Roberto Olse...
Continue.
...Roberto Olsen...
...Bardo Pérez...
...Agustín Reina...
Quickly!
You should feel proud, boys.
You're going to be soldiers like us.
You will defend your country.
Sergeant...
Let's go!
Squad!
Positions!
Hurry up!
Come on!
Stop!
Who gave the order to do this?
Step aside, father.
Worry about their souls.
Hi baby. How was school?
Are you deaf?
How was school?
What's wrong, baby?
Tell me.
Did somebody hit you?
Did the teacher punish you? They took Antonio.
Antonio? Who took him? The soldiers.
They took him in a truck with some other boys.
And the took Temo.
Temo?
First we need to get the common denominator.
Multiply there two numbers...
3x4 12
Very good
Then we say, 12 divided by 3. 4
4x2 8
Then what's 12 divided by 4?
3
3 x1 3
If you like her so much, go tell her.
I see it now!
Don't be a chicken.
Hi
I wanted to know if...maybe...
...if you can...and if you want to...
...come play with Chele, Marcos, Fito, and Ancha and me.
We're going to fly paper fireflies.
Uglier than a frog? I didn't write that.
No? Then who did?
If you want... we can meet at the store?
...Doña Celia's at 4.
OK
Let's go. Let's go, Chava!
No, Ancha! Ancha, No!
Ancha! Ancha!
Ancha, no!
The paper fireflies were fun.
Yeah.
Well...I have to go.
Bye.
Ancha, let's go!
We were flying paper fireflies...
...and they started shooting and we had to run for it.
I'm going to show you some fireflies.
So you learn to be back early!
Sit down and eat.
Stinky girl!
Farty sister!
Sorry, ma.
Yuck!
...that really stinks.
Uncle Beto!
...so mom bought a sewing machine.
She makes dresses and I sell them.
And I give her my money from the bus.
I collect fares and call for the stops.
Yeah? Show me.
Downtown! Downtown! Downtown!
That's great, munchkin.
And since mom keeps telling me I'm the man of the house...
I take care of my brother and this one.
Yeah, right. Especially me.
I'm glad you're so responsible, munchkin.
Daddy!
Oh, this boy! He calls every man "Daddy".
What's your name, little boy? Ricardito.
Mom is worried about you.
Don't disappear like that again.
You're not in trouble, are you?
My brother takes care of me and one day...
...he bought me a cookie but I dropped it and the ants ate it.
Chava, the matresses!
Chava, Rosita, under the bed!
Shhh...baby.
Angelita! Doña Amalia!
Oh my God, help!
Doña Amalia, it's Beto.
I'm coming!
Get down!
Chava!
Angelita!
My girl!
Angelita!
Get down, Chava!
Get down!
My baby!
Chava!
Are you OK? What happened?
I'm here with you.
Don't be afraid.
Chava, press here.
Hard day?
Kella...
Kella... Stay there! Don't move!
Angelita!
Don't leave me!
Angelita. Help me, please!
My girl is dying!
Don't leave me!
Angelita! Angelita!
Baby!
Oh God! Help me, please!
My baby!
Oh God!
My girl!
Dear, God, my girl has died.
What's happened?
Help me!
It's over mommy.
Don't play that, Beto. They'll kill us all.
How sad the rain sounds...
...on the cardboard rooftops.
How sad my people live...
...in the cardboard houses.
Children, the color of my land...
...with the same scars...
...bellies bloated with worms...
Look at the suffering.
The burden of the suffering.
Above in the village.
He leaves his pregnant wife.
Below in the city...
...he gets caught in its web.
Thy Kingdom come...
...and do you will on earth as if in heaven.
Give us our daily bread...
and forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us.
... and lead us not into temptation...
and deliver us from evil...
God save you, Mary, you are of Grace.
God is with you.
Blessed art you among all the women.
... and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
The bullet that killed Angelita could have come from the guerrilla.
How long have you been involved?
For a while.
We're preparing an offensive to disrupt the army, Kella.
This is the only place left between the capital...
... and the guerrilla and it's going to explode.
It's going to get dangerous.
It's going to get much worse.
Chava's about to turn 12.
We've got to get him out of here.
Yes...
...your side also takes boys.
Morazán and San Vicente are liberated areas.
He'd have a roof. He'd have food.
We're building schools.
What he needs, Beto...
...is to be here with me.
He's too little.
If you stayed here with us, Kella...
Kella...you've got to understand.
The army will take him away.
At least with me he'd be safer.
Let me take him.
Do you have a girlfried? Only one.
Only one?
What's her name? Cristina María.
She's the daughter of the new teacher.
She's the prettiest of all of the girls.
Listen, Chavita...
What I'm about to to tell you is very important.
So pay attention.
What happened to Angelita are things that happen.
Chavita...I won't lie and say things are going to get better...
Understand?
Because it's going to get worse before it gets better.
Understand?
This might help you understand better...
...what's going on...
Look for "Radio Venceremos" here.
It's the voice of our people.
It's not always on, so you have to keep looking.
You have to be alert.
Chava, it's banned, so you have to be careful.
You can find the song I played last night.
Did you like it?
Ratón! Chava!
Will I see you again, uncle?
Next time I'll take you with me.
At this moment we are broadcasting...
From some place in El Salvador.
Radio Venceremos, voice of the guerrilla resistance.
What's your answer?
Hey, no!
And you?
I asked you first.
One.
two...
three!
Can we go out?
Did you finish your homework? Yes.
Okay...
...but don't forget the curfew.
Take care of her, Chavita.
Let's go.
Don Yeyo!
Hey!
That's Don Yeyo.
He won't talk to anyone except to his animals.
Why? Doesn't he like people?
This song is banned.
My mom says we have to fight so that nothing is banned.
You're really pretty. And you're uglier than a toad.
But I like you too.
Bastards!
Good afternoon! Good afternoon!
Excuse me.
Father!
Let them go!
Move!
Help us!
Father!
To what do I owe this miracle?
Are you okay?
Yes, Chava. Thank you.
The soldiers hit you really hard.
There are worse pains than this.
And the girls?
Did they recruit them too?
No.
Are they going to kill them?
Here.
... help me light the candles.
Get out of the way!
Come on!
Let's see what time it is! Come on!
Look! What do you have? Are you crazy?
Get rid of it!
Come on, are you crazy?!
Didn't you see it was running out of gas?
What? Was I the one driving?
Can I?
You look like a bald girl.
What's wrong with you, baby?
What happened?
We were working...
...and we ran out of gas...
...he started sucking gas from the can with the hose...
You irresponsible old man!
Daddy!
Daddy my ass!
Get out of here!
Don't come near my son again!
Get out!
...in the cardboard houses...
...down comes the workman...
Turn it off! Turn it off!
Below in the city...
...he gets caught...
...in its web...
That song is forbidden, father.
Nothing is forbidden to God.
I must ask you to turn it off.
Turn it off yourselves.
But leave you weapons here.
No one may enter the house of the Lord with weapons.
...children, the color of my land...
What kind of crap is in your head?
What did I do now?
Give me the radio.
I didn't do anything.
Don't lie to me.
I'm sorry mommy. I didn't mean to.
I won't do it again.
I know you won't.
...because you're going to give me that radio right now.
I won't do it again.
I'm sorry.
Give me the radio.
For the last time, give me that radio!
Don't just sit there sulking. Help me, fussy!
Help me!
And don't grunt.
Your mother knows what's best.
Why do you always take her side?
There's only one side here.
But you're very touchy, Chava.
You hear something you don't like and you run away.
So I can be with you.
But when you're on the bus...
...you don't see how bad it is.
And it's getting worse.
And you still don't know how to take care of yourself.
So you have to obey.
Can I ask something? Of course.
Do you pray? What do you mean, do I pray?
Do you pray for the war to end?
Not for that...
This damn war will never end with a prayer.
Never?
Who would like to read their poem?
Okay, Yanira? May I go to the bathroom?
Go out quietly and don't take long.
Let's hear yours, Chava.
None of the kids in my school want to fight.
They don't like war because they want to play.
The soldiers look for them.
They want to recruit them...
But when the soldiers come, me and my friends will hide.
What's wrong, Yanira?
Chava!
Chava, get down!
Don't shoot!
There are kids in the school!
No!
No, son!
Chava, you're crazy!
Go back!
Chava!
Mommy!
You asshole. You let them in the bell tower.
You son of a bitch.
The sniper killed three of my soldiers.
Brothers...
...there will be no mass today.
But I want to speak to you here.
on the street
I want to speak to everyone.
The word of Our Father...
...must also be heard.
...by those who have not yet found grace within.
What is grace?
Grace is the presence of the Divine in everyone...
...of our actions...
Look around you.
The faces of our children have lost their innocent...
...spirit...
In its place there is fear.
Because our children have lost the hope to survive.
The skeptics say...
If God existed, there would be no war.
And I respond...
If men would obey the word of God...
then there would be no war...
Because God, Our Father...
has given man the privilege...
to live in grace...
or, on the contrary, to provoke disgrace.
I assure you, when one lives in the grace of God...
...war doesn't exist.
Nevertheless, there are those who ignore...
their own divine nature...
...and they satisfy themselves by robbing...
humiliating and killing their own kind.
Brothers, this is the moment to rise up!
...our voices against them...
...to defend our right to live!
...to use our strength to oppose the force of death.
Today, brothers, it is not enough to pray.
They closed the school for good.
Ancha, hurry! Walk faster!
Because our village was between the guerrillas...
and the army...
...mom decided to move us to the other side...
of the river...
She said it was safer.
Grandma Mamatoya!
Boys!
No, Ancha, the table!
I like my new house!
Aha!
Blow out your candles!
I also want one, please.
Chava!
Remove one!
One less...
Ancha!
Ancha, you almost hit him!
I've had it for a while.
Why did you change the station?
Fito, Shhhh!
What's up, Shorty?
When are you coming back to work? When I grow up!
Then you're never coming back!
Where are you going?
You're on, let's go!
You're going to run out of gas, Shorty!
You're no fun!
I can't read or write...
I miss your face.
What's wrong, little boy? What's wrong?
Shut up, boys!
They ask me at school...and at home...
Now all of a sudden...
When I heard roll call and she was not there...
The girl with the blue backpack...
and the sleepy eyes.
...got me very excited and low grades.
Super bomb!
Let's see who goes the farthest...
Antonio, what's up?
Where have you been? What are you doing here?
Just hanging around...
Look at me, like a monk...
Every day, more a hunk...
Yeah, right. Who do you think you are?
Come on, let's play!
Do you know how to skip stones?
Come on!
When we arrived at the army base we were more than 40.
The majority 13 and 14 years old.
I was one of the youngest...
...but I learned fast...because our instructor...
...was a gringo who had been in Vietnam.
He showed us how to shoot and ambush.
Last week we ambushed some guerrilla fighters...
...and I was the one who caught them with this.
You guys are next.
They're recruiting everybody.
Big ones...
...and little ones.
...are you still a bunch of chicken shits?
I'm not a chicken shit! Me neither!
Fucking chicken shits.
Don't call us that!
You'll be crying and pissing your pants...
...when they come to recruit you...
Chicken shits!
Chavita!
Don't be scared, it's me Ratón.
I heard shots last night.
Was it you guys?
We cleaned out the area. And Uncle Beto?
He sent a message.
The army is recruiting tomorrow. Warn your friends.
Hide.
Okay, drivers, you know what to do. One under each door.
Let's go!
Where are the boys, lady?
I haven't seen them since this morning!
Where are the boys?!
Sergeant, there are no boys! Keep looking!
8
9
10
11
12
11!
Did we count right? Chava is 11.
These are the mornings that King David sang about.
Today is your Saint Day...
That is why we sing to you...
Wake up, Chava, wake up...
What a beautiful morning...
and the birds are singing...
Chava!
Wait, Chava!
Chava!
You run fast.
Open it.
It's batteries for you radio.
Toad...
Thanks.
You can't go in there!
They took them all!
You've noticed, there are no children!
We've got a snitch!
Chava!
What happened?
Father, father!
They're going to kill Ratón. Help him!
They took him to the river.
Where's the priest? The soldiers took him yesterday.
Don Yeyo.
Chava... Did you know fat Marcos left?
Where? With the guerrillas.
When? I don't know.
Chava! What?
Maybe we should go too?
To join the guerrillas? Well, what else can we do?
Let's count them.
Look at that one!
There's another one!
We would stay there all night.
One time we counted up to 230,000 stars.
I wanted to tell Cristina Maria.
First I thought I was on the wrong street.
That it wasn't her house.
Hey, kid! Where are you going?
Let me go!
Chava! Chava!
I have reasons...
...to look for you.
I need to see you.
... to hear you and talk to you.
I have reasons to wait for you.
...because I don't believe...
...that there's no one else in the world that I love.
I have reasons...
...to ask the wind to return you
...even as a shadow...
I have reasons!
...to not want to forget you.
Because that little piece of happiness...
...it was you who gave it me.
Chava, let's go. We know where to go.
We have to get to the Little Face Woods.
That's what Fat Marcos' mom said.
Turn off the lights! Shut up!
Who else is with you? No one.
Shut up! Follow me!
Sleep here. Tomorrow we'll see what to do with you.
Chele! Chava!
Silence! No names here. Lie down!
Do you have anything to eat? Yes, cookies.
Shut up!
Go to sleep!
Do you want one? Yes.
Hands on your heads!
Wake up! Wake up!
What's wrong?
We have to go. The soldiers are coming. They're burning everything down.
They're close.
Get dressed quickly!
Where are we going? I don't know.
For now, into town with everyone else. Let's go!
Baby, wake up! Wake up, Ricarditio!
Where's your brother? I don't know.
Where are we going, grandma? We have to leave.
Chava! We have to hurry!
Because of the bullets? Yes, because of the bullets.
Chava! Chava!
The birth certificates, where are they?
Put yours and your brothers clothes here.
His clothes are gone!
And his good shoes!
Where is my brother?
Let's go...
I'm so thirsty...
...and my feet hurt...
I have rocks in my shoe.
Soldiers....killers!
Inés, take my sewing machine. I'm going to look for him.
Soldier, go home!
Your house is being burned by a soldier like you.
Murderers!
Chava!
Mommy?
Let's go away from here.
His documents are here.
I didn't want you to sell your sewing machine.
Don't worry about us.
Promise me, you'll be strong.
Promise! I promise.
Bye farty sister. See you!
Be careful.
Bye, brother! I'll miss you!
Take care of yourself!
Now I'll be the man of the house.
I don't want to go to the United States.
But if I stay, they're going to kill me.
But I'm coming back.
Because I promised my mom I would get Ricardito out...
...before he turns 12.
This story could have been told by Fito or Chele...
...or Cristina Maria.
But it was left up to me.
It's for them.