2 YEARS EARLIER
It can still be redesigned.
Engineer.
-Hey. What were you checking? -Let's go.
Hey, what were you checking?
-Answer me, dammit. -Let's go.
We're in danger, aren't we? Engineer, answer me!
Sons of bitches.
Help, Dad!
NUEVO LEÓN BUILDING, TLATELOLCO ALBERTO AND BETO
I can't hear him.
Beto!
EVERY MINUTE COUNTS
Everything okay?
Check to see if she needs anything.
Of course.
Doctor!
A part of the tunnel collapsed when Pepín was about to reach the nurses.
Toña?
Toña!
Toña, what happened?
-Are you okay? -Hilda!
Toña?
Toña? What's wrong?
-What's wrong, Toña? What is it? -Hilda!
Breathe.
Toña?
Does it hurt?
Pepín!
There's something wrong with Toña!
Something stabbed her!
She can't breathe! Please!
-More tools? -No, we have to remove stuff.
We have to move this. But...
-Hand me the flashlight. -Okay.
Beto!
-Where are you? -Here, Dad! I'm here!
Beto, shout loudly so we can find you.
Dad!
Don't worry, son.
Are you alone?
I'm with my friend, but he fainted!
Don't worry! Are you okay?
Yeah, but it's a bit hard to breathe.
-Dad, please get me out of here. -I'm close.
-Dad. -Beto.
-Dad.
Betito.
Move back. I have to move this rock.
-Betito, come here! -Dad.
Beto, I can't fit in there. Come here.
Dad.
-Dad. -Come here, come here.
What about Lucía?
We'll find her.
Okay?
1 YEAR EARLIER
What is it?
Pack uniforms, underwear, toothbrush. The essentials.
We'll get the rest later.
But why?
Only five tenants supported me.
-I told you. -They don't want their bills to go up.
Well, pack your things. Help your brother.
No, they're not going anywhere.
Hey! Stop it.
You're obsessed. You got the building fixed.
Nothing was fixed. They got us out for nothing.
It was a scam.
Stay here.
You have to let it go, Alberto, please.
Concentrate on getting a job.
You'll feel better.
Besides, we need the money.
It's not all about money. We're talking about our children.
You're delusional.
This is our home.
The building was built in 1962 and it's still here.
Then you stay. I'm leaving with my children.
Where to?
What are you going to live off, thin air?
Hilda, Toña. It's Ángel. Can you hear me?
Yes, doctor. I hear you.
Toña has a piece of metal in her rib cage.
Which rib and in what position?
In the sixth intercostal space, about 30 degrees, doctor.
-Is there bleeding? -Yes, doctor.
Is the wound deep?
It's deep.
The wound is deep, doctor.
Check to see if it's bubbling.
Negative, doctor, negative.
Hilda, sit Toña up at 45 degrees.
Insert a tube and let the air out of her.
Yes, doctor.
Wait. Here goes.
Wait.
I'm sorry.
She's bleeding heavily, doctor.
Hilda, listen to me carefully.
Toña has a pneumothorax.
She has air in the pleural cavity.
I'm going for a pulmonologist who'll guide you so that you can operate.
Me, doctor?
No, doctor, not me. I can't do it here.
I can't, doctor. It's awful.
We have no choice. We don't have time. You have to operate.
Breathe, calm yourself.
You're going to operate.
I'll be right back. I'll find a pulmonologist.
Doctor! No, don't leave me alone. Please, you can guide me.
Doctor, you guide me. Please, doctor.
I'm not going, I'm staying here with you.
We'll do it together, step by step,
but we have to stay calm.
We've been in much more complicated emergencies, Hilda.
All right, doctor. Yes.
I'm going for supplies and I'll be right back.
Keep Toña stable. I won't be long.
Yes, doctor. Okay.
This is all my fault.
I saw them--
I need you to dig a hole the size of a fist to pass the supplies through.
Done.
I trust you.
SECRETARIAT OF THE INTERIOR IGNACIO
The project has been in place for the last six years
and we recommended implementing the protocols, but no one paid attention.
Generalizing in a situation like this,
or a subject like this, is a little delicate.
Tell me exactly what was in that document.
In a nutshell, that we should prepare
people for an earthquake of this scale.
To set up rescue protocols,
to carry out drills in public institutions and schools--
Don't talk nonsense.
This is real life, not a simulation.
What are you saying?
Okay, Guillermo. Let him talk, he's the seismologist.
Better to be informed than to be caught off guard.
So, what should the government have done?
Prepare the population,
conduct evacuation drills in schools, hospitals.
Structures should've been thoroughly checked
for all buildings, starting with public works.
This was done then, but this government is going to do better.
Hopefully, because it's impossible to predict tremors.
I assure you, there will be more.
Maybe today, tomorrow.
The tectonic plates will continue to move.
Well, you've said what you had to say, right?
Thank you. Really, thank you.
And just one thing.
Don't even think about talking to the press.
We'll take your comments into account and will act accordingly but,
as you can understand, in this situation
the last thing we need is a scandal, panic.
As soon as this is over,
I promise we will call you to help us implement all these recommendations.
Thank you.
What we said doesn't leave this office. Understood?
Those don't leave either.
Thank you.
MEXICO CITY AIRPORT CAMILA
PRESS
I'm Camila Toledo, Senator Tello's special envoy.
I'm here to document the arrival of international aid.
Just a second.
Yes. I have Camila Toledo here
in a press van, 493 CHM.
Just a second. Let me check.
-Osvaldo. -Yes?
-Let her in. -Yeah.
Go ahead.
Thanks.
Mind your head
Careful with your head.
Son.
I'll help you, okay?
I'll be here, behind you.
Grab hold.
On the count of three, pull.
One, two, three.
Daniel, grab it.
I've got you. Hold on, like this.
You got him. You're here.
I got you, son. I got you.
What about Mom?
Your mom is fine. She's down there. Stay calm, okay?
-They'll take us down. -Okay.
Pay close attention, okay?
Yes.
1 YEAR EARLIER
Are our parents getting divorced?
I don't know, Beto.
Maybe, yes.
Who are we going to live with?
I'd rather go live with Dad.
Although I'm thinking of leaving for Acapulco with Pablo.
Why Acapulco?
We like the sea, and his uncle's there.
I want to go wherever you go.
No one is going anywhere.
Nothing and no one separates this family.
My boy, my boy.
You're here.
The rope, take the rope away.
You're okay, honey, you're okay.
-Are you okay? Are you sure? -Yes.
-Yes, I'm fine. -Lucía?
I don't know, Ma. She wasn't with me.
Didn't you go looking for her this morning?
Yes, Ma, but I couldn't find her.
I tried, but she didn't answer me.
Don't worry. We'll find her.
We'll find her. The important thing is you're here now.
Ma, we have to get Javi.
I promised to go back for him.
Yes, but you can't go back in.
-No, but I promised him... -Don't worry.
Explain to your dad where Javi is,
and he'll do everything he can to rescue him.
Is this all there is?
They raided the university's laboratories
and this is all we managed to get.
We have to improvise a catheter.
Something to drain, make an air trap.
Viscous liquids don't fall by themselves.
-Use this for suction. -A nasal aspirator for babies?
Yes. We can connect it to one of the hoses.
Yes, that will work.
That will work.
Chave.
Ibuprofen, tramadol, epinephrine, ceftriaxone.
We have ibuprofen and epinephrine, but almost no painkillers or antibiotics.
Go to the patrol car and use the radio to ask for what we need.
-Yes, doctor. -Hurry.
I'm going in, but please find a pulmonologist, okay?
Yes, doctor.
Help me search the bags of medicines that arrived.
We have to find and separate antibiotics and analgesics.
Hilda! How's Toña?
Toña could go into asphyxia at any time.
Hilda.
-I'm here, doctor. -I'm going to pass supplies to you.
Here you go.
I see them. I see them now.
Here.
That's three of them. Wait, there's more.
Here's more.
Pull it. It's getting stuck.
-I got it. -One more.
Okay, I got it. I got it.
Thank you, doctor.
First take the hydrogen peroxide. Disinfect yourself and the wound.
Yes, doctor.
I'm coming, Toña. I'm coming.
I'm coming.
Ready.
Okay, let's see.
I'm cutting.
Here I go.
I'm putting hydrogen peroxide on it. Okay?
I'm sorry.
Ready, doctor.
Okay, let's get started.
I need you to tell me everything you see.
Your words will be my eyes, okay?
Understood.
The metal is in the sixth intercostal space, right?
Right.
There may be fluid in the lungs. First, you're going to remove the metal.
Very carefully.
Make a plug with gauze.
Next, we'll perform a pleurostomy.
A pleurostomy, doctor?
No, doctor. No, I can't, doctor. I can't.
Of course you can, Hilda. Don't you trust me?
Yes, doctor, but I don't trust myself.
Either she dies while you watch, or she dies while you try.
Or we save her, Hilda. Which do you prefer?
Here I go, Toñita.
The piece of metal is out, doctor, but she's unconscious.
She's unconscious.
Javi!
Javi, I'm Alberto, Beto's dad.
Beto's outside, Javi. We're going to get you out of there.
Javi! Javi, are you there?
That's enough, isn't it?
-Give it to me. Okay, this one... -This one.
Oh, no.
I knew my dad would get him out.
Wait, my love.
Is he still unconscious?
He's very weak, isn't he?
He needs to rest.
He has to go to the hospital to be checked out.
But he's going to be okay, right?
Yes, he'll be fine.
He's just very tired. You can imagine.
-Do you know his name? -Javi.
-And his last name? -He didn't tell me.
Okay. Let's go.
Oh, my God.
Close it.
Lay him down.
Watch his little head.
Careful. Slowly.
Settle his little feet.
What do we do if no one recognizes him?
Well, we come back for him and hold a wake.
We won't leave him here alone, forgotten.
Teacher.
You don't know how grateful I am that you're alive.
Poor thing.
We have to appreciate it, you know?
All the time that we're allotted here.
And enjoy it.
Well.
Write his name.
Doctor! Toña isn't responding, doctor!
Calm down. It's better if she's unconscious.
We don't even have tequila to give her.
I'm finishing covering the wound to stop the bleeding as much as possible.
Ready, doctor.
Now locate the fifth intercostal space.
Make an incision of about 2 centimeters.
Have the tube ready.
Yes.
I'm cutting.
Now, insert your index finger into the incision
and move over the rib very carefully.
Okay, doctor.
-Cavity ready, doctor. -Good.
When she exhales, insert the tube,
carefully so you don't damage the neurovascular bundle.
Okay, doctor. Okay.
Talk to me. Do you see liquid, any bubbling?
One moment, doctor. One moment.
Cavity ready, doctor.
Do you see liquid or bubbling?
Bubbling? No! No liquid. There's nothing, doctor!
She's asphyxiating, doctor. Toña.
Hilda. Shut up, listen to me.
You have to pump it. Grab the bulb and pump.
I am. Nothing's coming out. I'm still placing the pump.
You have to drain it. It must be full of liquid.
-Come on. Come on, Toña. -Go, go, go!
Yes. I need you here, Toña, with me.
Stay with me, Toña.
Nothing's coming out.
It's out, doctor! It's out!
It's out. What does that mean?
That you've just graduated as a surgeon.
Toña.
Use the pump as a drainage method.
The idea is to keep going.
What happens if a lung collapses?
We have 72 hours before that happens. We're close. We're going to get you out.
You saved her life, Hilda.
It was both of us, doctor. Both of us.
Easy, easy. That's it.
Toñita.
Move aside.
Quick!
Step away from your desks.
No one touches anything at all.
Nobody touches anything.
We have a search warrant.
Don't obstruct our work and no one will get hurt.
Understood?
May I see your search warrant?
Thank you, Commander.
Treat these people well.
They're all respectable journalists.
Look for the video and what articles they're writing.
Can we talk?
Please.
We're trying to locate Camila Toledo.
No one with that name works here.
We know she was here.
We have nothing against you or your newspaper.
All we need is the video that I know she gave you.
She said something about a video, but I didn't accept it.
-So she took it to another newspaper? -Help us out.
I have to tell the commander something so he can stop bothering your people.
What do you know about Camila? You have to give us something.
Camila Toledo.
We have a satellite phone.
We lent it to her and, apparently, she called an international news agency.
Goddamn it.
Help us find her and we'll leave you alone.
We did it.
The international help we so desperately need is finally here.
More hands to rescue people who are still trapped under the rubble.
Send all the stuff back. Send it back. Send it all back.
But why?
I don't know. It's a direct order from the president's office.
Why do they have to go back?
Because we have everything under control. We don't need help.
That's a lie.
-Yes. -You have to come with us, please.
Am I being arrested? On what charges?
Misappropriation of a senator's office.
What are you doing?
Hey, this is illegal. You can't do this.
You're coming whether you like it or not. We don't need help.