Loosely based on real facts and characters.
Sálvora Island. 2 January 1921
Cousin!
Wish a happy New Year to all our cousins.
You can come and tell them yourself.
You might stop being single.
I'm not missing anything on the mainland, Benito.
I am. Take me with you.
Only men go there.
To have fun.
Go sell this. Let's see if you can make anything.
Will you give me one?
I don't have any of my own yet.
Come back soon. The island is very lonely without you.
When the sea allows our return.
Don't rush.
We'll be fine without you.
There'll be no men on the island.
Only the worst of them,
the overseer.
It's not a good night to be left alone.
The sea is rough.
THE ISLAND OF SECRETS
These animals live in the African savannah.
Can't we see them here?
Aside from the animals that you brought to the island,
there's hardly anything here.
I have a surprise for you.
Will you read it, María?
U-Under... the mild... sky of
the no-ble Ga-li-cia, bro-ther...
Ok, stop.
Lies... an en-chan-ted island...
of co-ral rocks.
You can stop there, María.
Light emerald...
un-der the moon-light.
Kissed by the calm crystal water...
where mermaids rehearse their captivating songs.
Our island.
Sálvora.
That's right.
It was written by Ramón Cabanillas.
He dedicated an entire book to your island.
We have to go now, to check on the land.
Yes. I have to go to the lighthouse too.
See you tomorrow.
There's a ship coming tonight.
Hush, María.
We've done our part. What else can we do?
That corner over there.
Looks like the orc left the sea.
Manolo, please, be quiet!
Good afternoon, Overseer.
Come on, work faster!
At this pace it'll get dark and the spirits will come out.
I'm more scared of some of the living.
With the little you speak...
you'd better stay quiet sometimes, María.
Maybe in your house,
but not outside.
Well, let's hurry up
otherwise it'll get dark.
Good afternoon, Overseer.
Tomorrow I want the tribute from the 7 houses on my doorstep.
The master is in a hurry.
Sir...
It was due in 3 days...
Without delay I said.
You're surely quick to speak.
A couple of rabbits.
Two shitty rabbits
was all they paid for this island more than 200 years ago.
And they still make money off it.
When you're supposed to speak, not a word.
But when you should be quiet, you sure speak!
María!
María! Come!
Come!
Let her go!
Be quiet!
Overseer!
- Tell your husband to come out. - He's not here.
What do you mean he's not here? Where is he?
He must be home.
They'll all die.
What happened, Tomás?
A shipwreck.
A big ship just hit the rocks of Apejar.
My goodness.
And the overseer is missing.
- The sea will smash them on the rocks. - Why's that?
They'll try to reach shore if they hear it so close.
It's impossible that way.
The fog is everywhere.
I don't think they even saw the lighthouse.
They'll see this for sure.
They'll know something's going on.
To warm up the survivors that make it.
If they make it...
The Overseer's missing, the only one who could do something.
For now, let's pray.
There's nothing else we can do.
We can go.
Let's go tell Ribeira about this.
Benigno, Secundino, take that boat!
We still know the way.
You're going to take a little dinghy on a sea like this?
We've gone out to catch octopus on days like this.
How will they know the way?
If they're south while we're north?
Be careful.
There's nothing more dangerous than the clutches of a drowning man.
I can't see anything.
Not even the lighthouse.
Then listen!
I can only hear the waves, María.
We have to get away from the coast.
Come on.
Help!
We can't make it.
Where do we start?
Oh lord...
Help!
Don't go towards the shore!
You'll die on the rocks!
Here!
The tholepin just broke!
It's pulling us in!
My children!
María!
Just her.
I need to find them.
It's easier if you come here.
Alberto!
Conchi!
- You'll make us fall. - I need to find them.
Don't move!
Help!
Hail Mary, full of grace,
our Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among 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.
Tomás Jáuregui.
Juana.
Juana?
Orbea.
All that time in the seminary has served its purpose.
We must be neighbours, Juana.
I'm from Donostia.
We're from Rentería, sir.
How long does it take for the sea to bring back a corpse?
It's... it's hard to know.
Yeah.
I just don't want them to be left alone.
It's so cold.
This was his last journey before he could retire.
The last one...
Last one...
María, what did we do?
I'd never seen the sea before.
How could I know what to do?
Juana...
They've done all they could.
No one is to blame for this nightmare.
Why isn't your husband here?
Sir... I don't know where he is.
Was he swallowed by the earth, Francisca?
Doesn't matter. Don't say a word.
I don't want to hear any of your superstitions about spirits.
Where are the survivors?
At the pub, warming up.
How many are first class?
From now on, don't get near these bodies.
They are in our custody.
We're taking them to Ribeira as soon as we can.
Congratulations.
What they did... raises up the people on this island.
My tenants are heroes.
In this case, heroines.
The three of you will receive the highest honours.
- Sir. - Yes.
Don't move.
- Sir. - Gentlemen, please.
What are you doing?
You can't touch the bodies.
Looks like someone has already done that.
The visibility was close to zero.
And the old lighthouse has a very weak light.
Yes. We couldn't figure out the location of the lighthouse.
Sometimes we thought it was there, and sometimes not.
The sea pushed us towards the rocks.
It was stronger than us because...
we were going at half speed.
We tried to go backwards but it was already too late.
What destination?
- Buenos Aires. - How many were on the ship?
256 people.
Emigrants and crew members.
You know how many were rescued?
Look, I only speak of corpses.
All of them third class, I assume.
I don't think so.
They must have died on the boat. The sleeping area was... a rathole.
And the smell of vomit, disgusting.
Even pigs had no reason to envy them.
What about the lifeboats?
As far as I'm concerned, the Santa Isabel had enough.
Yes, but some were destroyed when we sank,
and the first boats that went out hit the rocks full of people.
Poor people...
They heard the coast so close, came straight to it
and hit the rocks.
It all went wrong.
The ship, did it have more problems?
Would you care to shut up?
Write that down.
On its maiden voyage there was a problem with the turbines.
Was there a safe on board?
- Yes. - Tell us when you find it.
Well... we're done here.
I'll give this report to the port captain of Vilagarcía.
Don Luis, if you're ready we'll take you to the mainland.
Yes.
Once again, this shipwreck couldn't knock down our strongman.
Now we just have to wait for the next one;
there's always one.
When your drunken husband shows up tell him to come to the mainland.
To my house, right away.
If he shows up.
He will show up.
Excuse me, I was told there is another boat later on...
I'd like to find out a bit more for my article.
I hope you don't mind.
No problem.
Francisca will kindly help with all you need.
María!
Allow me to introduce myself,
León Cofré, distinguished correspondent from Buenos Aires,
the final destination of the steamer Santa Isabel.
I'd like an interview with you
to learn everything about your brave deed.
What?
How did you manage to save the lives of these 48 people?
You want me to talk about that?
That's right.
Josefa!
Let's start.
What you did is really moving.
What made you leap into the sea?
Why did you go?!
What else could we have done?
Wait onshore, safe and sound.
It was the right thing to do.
You could have waited for some help from the mainland.
We'd be in trouble if we had to wait for people to come from the mainland.
If we'd thought it through, we wouldn't have gone.
But you must be... very happy and proud.
Yes.
Why?
Because you saved the lives of 48 people.
What about the ones we couldn't save?
Everyone will be talking about you.
And what a series of coincidences leading to this shipwreck, right?
An old lighthouse, the storm,
an island with no men, a missing overseer...
What a tragedy.
A disaster.
Thank god you were there.
Well, I won't keep you any longer.
You must be exhausted.
Do you know the reason why... some of the bodies have their fingers cut?
Or their teeth pulled out?
The sea can do horrible things to a body.
Not to mention men and women...
They don't collect all that?
Half of what falls to the ground belongs to the one who finds it
or to the owner of the land.
This is the best sea wall ever.
We feel safe on the mainland thanks to it,
but they cope with the worst waves.
Are you awake?
You just woke me up.
- That night... - What?
María?
Go to sleep, it's still dark.
María...
I'm going to confess.
To a priest.
What are you talking about, Josefa? Are you out of your mind?
I can't take it anymore.
Of course you can take it, just as well as I can.
How are you, Maximiliano?
Yes, yes. It's a very interesting subject...
I'd like to stay a bit longer.
Yes, I know they were Galician emigrants but the ship was going to Argentina.
Seven people died from the same family.
This popular Basque businessman... I can't remember his name.
From Pehuajó. He knew how to advertise himself in the paper.
What was his name?
That's the one! That one, well,
he's not just any Galician.
I don't intend to split hairs but that island has something going on.
May I?
Yes, of course I talked to the heroines.
But those girls, they don't seem okay...
Would you bring me a coffee?
Yes, Maximiliano, it's as if they felt guilty...
There's something weird.
Look, the report was published too quickly,
and everyone is cleared of any responsibility.
A horrible accident. That's it. No more.
And... I'm not so sure.
Also, can we talk about my business?
- María, what happened to your hand? - Nothing, I fell.
Come, I'll take a look.
They say the men will arrive today.
If only they'd been here the other night.
We'll see if your husband comes with them.
I hope so, Francisca.
If he's dead it's better to know now.
Every newspaper is talking about you.
The three heroines of Sálvora.
Three? All of us were there doing what we could.
Some in the water and some onshore.
Josefa! The sea has brought back the body of the overseer.
What?
Come on. We have to go to the beach.
We'll fill him up with stones and throw him back in the sea.
They'll catch us. Oh god, they will.
We're not going to prison. Do you hear me?
Prison, that's the least of my worries.
It's gone.
María, it's not here!
May I speak now to the captain of the Santa Isabel?
I was told not to allow any visits for now.
He's not fully recovered yet.
He got pneumonia and something else...
- Something else? - After this shock he refuses to talk.
He doesn't speak at all.
He tried to shoot himself at sea.
- Of course. You saw that happening. - No.
- Don't be like that! I heard about it. - Ah, right.
She's there all day.
At 7 am, waiting for someone to bring the bodies of her children.
The marquis is very generous with her,
he pays for all of her expenses while she's here.
My deepest condolences. León Cofré.
What were you doing in the port the other day, searching the dead?
- What did you see? - The same as you.
Somebody took advantage of this shipwreck.
Don't keep quiet.
Don't fail the memory of my children,
how I failed them.
No, don't say that.
What could you have done?
Not get on that cursed boat my husband convinced me to take.
I could have thrown myself in the water.
Got them out...
I could have warned the captain when I saw the strange lights on the coast.
Why were they strange?
I'm not sure. I was on the deck with my Alberto.
He was feeling sick.
- And I saw those lights on the coast. - The lighthouse.
These were two lights.
Two lights?
I hadn't heard anything.
Still no news from your husband?
- He hasn't come back with the men? - No, sir.
I was waiting for him on the island. Who else is going to hunt with me?
Everybody out! The master is here!
Let's see, the famous María, Josefa and Cipriana.
Come.
Come here! Come on.
I have great news for you.
As promised, a tribute will take place for you.
You're the heroines of Sálvora now.
On the mainland everybody is... talking about you.
We want to thank you for what you've done.
On top of that, you will receive 5000 pesetas.
And that's only the beginning.
Are we going to the mainland?
Of course.
The tribute will take place in Vigo.
Tomás, apart from teaching them to read
you could show them how to behave in public, for the tribute.
Could we speak for a minute?
We're running out of daylight; I don't have time to hunt.
We'll talk after I get my game.
Congratulations on your tribute.
Thank you.
You need any help, Julia?
No, thank you.
Oh, heroines...
If I were you I'd go to the bar.
Those poor souls were lucky to have you there.
You must be proud.
Thank you.
It was the right thing to do.
I'm sure there were some who didn't do the same in the past.
Those are tall tales.
- They're not true. - Yes, I know...
I know...
And...
And what do those legends tell?
You know...
The thieves...
The lights...
What lights?
Cipriana, we have to go to the sea.
- Good afternoon, María. - Hello.
It's funny, one of the survivors told me she saw lights on the coast
before the shipwreck.
Whom should I speak to if I want to stay for a few days?
Good morning.
I'm sorry to bother but...
I was looking for a place to stay for a few days.
You can't stay here.
A-And is there any other place?
Perhaps.
I guess you like visitors.
We don't.
I see...
The toilet...?
There are gardens.
Quite big gardens.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Why are you lame?
Crippled.
I was beaten up.
I'm very sorry for...
what happened to your father.
What an unlucky coincidence...
that he disappeared on the night of the shipwreck.
He did not disappear.
He left?
He walked away?
Certainly not.
There's no better place to boss about than this one.
So he was murdered?
He was murdered by the thieves of the shipwrecked.
The thieves of the shipwrecked...
so that he couldn't stop them.
It's the first time since...
Cipriana, what are you doing talking to that journalist?!
Huh? What are you doing?
I wasn't doing anything wrong.
He just wanted to talk to me.
And I...
I want to talk about that night but...
I can't speak to anyone in the village...
they don't look at me the same way.
It will pass.
Or not.
Do you... sleep well?
I have very bad dreams.
Those faces and...
those hands and... all that screaming.
It's not the first time you see a dead man in the sea!
And I hit him...
I hit him in the hand.
Did you see it? And now...
Now you're alive.
And he's at the bottom of the sea.
And... what about his wife?
What about his children?
Leave, Cipriana.
If you're going to act like this, it's better to leave now,
you'll be a risk for us at sea.
Go!
You too?
If they stir up the thing with the lights
we're done for.
What about the body?
I'll take care of that, Josefa.
Let's go.
You know where to find me if you need me, Francisca.
Don't worry, ok?
You and me have to talk.
Look, Marquis, Sir.
- Yes? - Will the tribute be only for them?
Don't worry.
I heard you'll stay around for a while.
I would have preferred to arrive, hunt and leave
but my job entails these things.
This island means more to me than it has ever meant to anyone else.
If only the authorities had made the effort
to inaugurate the lighthouse once and for all
hundreds of people wouldn't have died on my coasts
putting my tenants in danger.
Servants.
If the island had radio or telegraph to contact land,
a lot of people wouldn't have died.
For them, they won't put it.
Now we have a lot of first class people dead and perhaps they'll reconsider it.
Why are there corpses with their fingers cut?
The Civil Guard has to return the belongings to their loved ones somehow,
don't you think?
Aha.
I hope you have a nice stay.
Me too.
León Cofré.
We didn't introduce ourselves properly.
Tomás Jáuregui.
This is the lighthouse then.
Why?
The new lens is coming from Germany.
How long have you been waiting for it?
For two years.
For two years...
It's not so long if we consider it's been 16 years under construction.
What is it? A cathedral?
Let me guess...
You'll inaugurate it just now.
It's too late for 216 people.
And why are the rocks shaped like that?
If you ask somebody on the island
they'll tell you stories of kings, jaws and tongues turned into rocks.
I'm asking you.
They are a perfect mixture.
A material that can be easily eroded,
strong wind blowing for hundreds of years and the humidity of the sea.
They're just like the shipwreck.
One could spend a lifetime trying to figure out their shape.
Depending on the point of view they have one shape or another.
Buy me a whisky.
I guess it must be hard for a man like you to live here.
Well...
The sea is not that idyllic when you see it every day
and it surrounds you everywhere.
You had a change of plans.
Excuse me?
You have to be willing to get away from something to end up here.
You tell me. You're here at Christmas time.
Far away from your country,
- from your people. - I can run away in a few days.
There's no hell like a small town.
I believe I'm out of whisky.
Yes. I won't bother you any longer, don't worry.
Just a simple question...
What are these "raqueiros"?
What are you looking for?
That word belongs to another time.
Old wives' tales, legends.
Did they use lights to sink ships?
Torches,
sometimes tied to the horns of oxen.
That tricked the captain into thinking it was the lighthouse
and then he would crash.
Savages.
Illiterates.
We're finally rid of him.
Maybe we should leave too.
Leave?
Is everything ok, María?
Tell me.
Can I borrow a book?
Of course.
I keep them in the lighthouse.
Let's go then.
Oh, it has sold well?
You want more morbid stuff?
Yes.
Blood...
Thorny details.
If you want more morbid stuff let's talk about my issue.
Once my article is sent my situation changes.
I can go back.
Good. Bye.
Could you pour a little something?
Can I talk to the captain now?
H-He left.
But you didn't miss much. He would only say:
"I saw nothing" "I saw nothing"
But you might be interested in the testimony of the good souls
that selflessly hosted the survivors.
Of course.
It's better if you don't mention my name.
What matters is that the public understands our charity,
just like that of the people in Sálvora, that's even more commendable.
What?
Illiterate and uneducated as they are,
that kind of charity is very commendable.
I think charity goes from top to bottom,
and not among equals.
What those women in Sálvora did is solidarity,
not charity.
What you're doing is charity.
The journalist thinks there is something weird about the shipwreck.
Like what?
In any case, he's gone.
For now, María.
You could use the money they'll give you to leave the island.
Why?
So that you can see other places, María.
Every day is the same here.
Nothing ever changes.
So?
There are places where...
where it isn't that hard to survive.
We have everything we need here. We don't need money.
- I don't miss anything. - Because you don't know anything!
You're trapped here.
Speak for yourself.
María...
María!
Say hello.
Wave at them.
- Ladies. - 'Hurry up, the heroines are coming'.
Welcome!
Come up here.
Come.
The heroines of Sálvora!
Thank you.
- Thank you. - Congratulations, my girls.
'Thank you so much'. 'Thank you'.
The four mermaids.
A board made up of men
has decided to award these modest people of Sálvora
the medals they deserve.
Because these three...
I mean, four, women from Sálvora
they are the sisters of our wives, our mothers and our daughters.
Because there is no greater love in life.
María...
They're clapping for us.
When have you ever seen applause for a woman outside of a procession?
Why else would they be clapping?
- Come with me, ladies. - What about the deceased, the families?
Today is your day.
Enjoy.
Good morning.
I am delighted to have you here.
I've been refused the insurance for emigrants for three days.
Because I embarked on December 29th.
We'll study your case, of course.
But now is not the right time, madam.
This ceremony is for the shipwreck of the Santa Isabel, right?
Well, yes.
All of my children died, the four of them.
And I paid the premium for each one of them.
I'm very sorry for your loss.
But those children...
were economically dependent on you.
The insurance does not cover those cases.
Excuse me. Follow me this way.
They want to give the donation to the heroines on the balcony.
Very well.
Are you in mourning already, Francisca?
I'll be wearing black until my husband shows up.
I see.
And I think I'll wear it forever.
Come on, hope is the last thing we lose.
My girl, either they made him disappear or...
Okay, Francisca, let's not resort to madness.
I'll report it to the Civil Guard as soon as we get back.
This disappearance has gone too far now.
We should find out where everyone was that night.
Come on, where could we have been?
At home, with our families.
Everyone?
Let's see if your father shows up.
We're worried.
I'm sorry.
If you're so sorry, why don't you comfort me?
Pig...
Pig!
If you don't do it, I'll tell them everything!
I saw you, María, I saw you.
Saw what, retarded?
Saw what?
I'll tell everything.
That you killed my father.
You're going to be mine, María.
I'll be the first on the island to do it.
You bitch.
Bitch. Bitch.
It'll be your word against mine.
Did you hear me?
You had more reasons to kill him than I did.
That bastard used to beat you and your mother up.
So shut up!
Shut up!
What have they done to you?
Paloma.
That cures everything.
This is what you use here when you're sick?
We're never sick.
That thing you're doing will cure me for sure.
Here.
What happened to your foot?
I'm going to show you something.
Pepe, where are we going?
Is this your father?
What are you doing with your father's corpse, Pepe?
I found it.
What do you mean you found it?
But your father was killed, Pepe.
A murder.
Was it you?
No.
Tell me the truth.
He hit you again and you killed him.
Don't touch it! Don't touch it!
Tell me the truth, Pepe.
You killed him.
Don't lie to me, Pepe.
Where are you going? Come here.
María did it! With Josefa!
What are you talking about, Pepe?
I saw them.
Why would they kill him?
Because they were leading the ship towards the rocks...
and he saw them.
With lights?
With torches!
She's an evil beast.
She did this to me!
But w-why were you hiding the corpse?
An evil beast...
Don't touch anything.
Leave the corpse where it is.
I'll come with the Civil Guard first thing in the morning.
Don't touch anything.
María.
There's no evidence here.
We only have the word of a retarded man.
And the body.
That's why I brought her, to tell us what she saw.
It would explain what Pepe says and some other things.
Juana, tell them what you saw from the ship
on the night of the shipwreck, when the deceased man disappeared.
Don't worry, Juana.
We're going to believe you, don't worry.
Please, Juana.
You have to tell what you saw from the ship.
Juana, stop for a second, please!
I can guarantee that...
they will believe you.
I didn't see anything.
Pardon?
I didn't see anything.
The lights.
I didn't see them.
I was in the cabin, not on the deck.
I lied.
I made it up.
Juana, were you threatened not to speak?
What do I care what they do to me?
Why would you lie then?
I wanted to hurt them.
Those who had stolen from the dead.
Those women.
Those women?
It's their fault that I'm alive.
I have to put up with this pain every day.
I'm sorry, León.
I heard the stories about the lights and I couldn't help it.
Look at what I have to go through.
Because of you.
Josefa...
Why do you have to be like this?
Always pushing forward, like an ox.
Josefa...
They couldn't find anything. It's over.
It's over?
Just for now, María.
Calm down.
I'm going to pay for something you did.
I defended you.
- He was trying to drown you. - Why were we there, María?
Why?
Why, huh?
They were about to sink another ship, Josefa.
Are you sure that's why?
Josefa...
Are you sure that's why you went and dragged me with you?
I didn't drag you.
And I didn't ask you to come.
I went because I didn't want you to commit an atrocity.
And I'm good for nothing,
because you did it anyway.
- They were about to... - Don't talk nonsense, María.
Don't talk nonsense.
You're like a plague, María.
Stay away from me.
My condolences.
ARE THE HEROINES OF SÁLVORA THIEVES?
Poor Cipriana.
The marquis sends word that all tributes and donations have stopped.
What are you doing here?
I was looking for you.
Well, here I am.
What did you do, Tomás?
Did you turn off the lighthouse?
It was impossible to see the lighthouse on a night like that.
A true lightkeeper would never say that.
They tricked me.
They asked me to turn off the lighthouse but...
- but they didn't tell me what for. - And you didn't ask what it was for.
The marquis gave me no choice.
Did you do that to the dead?
Of course not.
Pepe did it.
The overseer would have done it as well if you hadn't killed him.
Pepe told me.
You always poke your nose into other people's business.
Just like now.
You're a coward.
We look like thieves and it's all some bastards' fault.
Where do you think you're going?
If they find out about this we'll all go down.
But you'll fall first.
Understand?
Do you know that if you speak the marquis will put you in prison?
Who will believe the words of a simple mule against a deputy?
Do you understand?
Pepe!
Pepe, did you kill him?
Did he tell you why he did it?
Out of greed.
He wanted to keep the loot of the corpses.
Don't you think the actual catch might be a big game?
Case closed.
The best sea wall.
How much must have the marquis paid them not to speak...
not to talk about that night?
He makes us all be quiet.
I came to say goodbye.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
I came to apologize actually.
You're the only ones who know what happened on that night.
And I obviously failed to find out about it.
But one thing is certain.
You saved the lives of many people
without asking anything in return.
It must have been really hard.
I guess I was unable to understand it.
Thank you.
Forgive me, Josefa.
Forgive me.
THE STEAMER SANTA ISABEL HIT THE ROCKS OF APEJAR
DUE TO A GREAT STORM.
THE BEAM OF THE LIGHTHOUSE, OF JUST TWO METERS,
COULDN'T PENETRATE THE DENSE FOG.
213 PEOPLE DIED. HARDLY ANYONE REMEMBERS THEM TODAY.
THE THREE "HEROINES OF SÁLVORA"
,
PLUS A 4TH ONE, WERE FORGOTTEN FOR ALMOST A CENTURY.
THE FAKE RUMOUR THAT THEY HAD STOLEN FROM THE VICTIMS
MIGHT BE THE REASON.
To my grandmother, Concha Salgado