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The Platform 2 (2024) | Transcript

A thrilling physical journey that allows an approach to the darkness, where it is scary to look. It appeals to the viewer's civil responsibility and forces them to face the limits of their own solidarity.
The Platform 2 (2024)

The Platform 2 (2024)
Original title: El hoyo 2
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror
Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Writers: David Desola, Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, Egoitz Moreno
Stars: Milena Smit, Hovik Keuchkerian, Natalia Tena

Plot: The film returns to the world of “The Platform,” a large, tower-style “Vertical Self-Management Center” prison that houses various criminals and willing participants. The dozens of floors (333 to be exact) house two occupants per floor and a free-floating platform delivers food to them on a daily schedule. They also begin to attack each other on each level due to some unwilling to follow established tradition of saving food for others. This begins to sow the seeds of mutiny against the established order.

* * *

[children’s voices echoing in distance]

[unsettling instrumental music playing]

One meal?

Anything?

Anything?

Well…

Asparagus.

Lasagna.

Pizza.

Um…

Warm chocolate cake with coconut sugar.

Fried eggs and french fries.

I want a raw vegan salad.

I eat pizza every day.

Garlic shrimp, I’d say.

Could the vanilla ice cream be served on a separate dish, please?

And I want the yolk to be solid.

With some bulgur wheat.

The one with the most meat.

I hate it if they touch before I eat it.

Not broken.

Beef, pork, and chicken.

And with turmeric.

An object…

Anything?

Well…

Um…

Hmm.

That pen.

A razor.

An axe?

A dildo.

A dagger.

[chuckles] Okay, I was joking.

A very beautiful painting.

[man with shaved head] Can you guarantee that I’ll have pizza every day?

[male interviewer] I guarantee it.

[man with shaved head] I want you to know that I’ll be upset if that’s not the case.

[male interviewer] Uh…

How upset?

You know the reason why I’m here, right?

[pages rustle]

[male interviewer] Hmm.

It says here that you tried to set fire to your parents’ house

while they were asleep.

Well, that’s how upset.

[sounds swell and distort]

[distortion subsides]

[woman 1, above] Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves, you motherfuckers?

Yeah, you. What are you looking at?

[man 1] 21!

[man 2] Hey! It’s him!

The one who’s hiding. The guy on 21.

[man 3] He ate all the meat on the pizza and the pork loin.

[woman 1] The first day, and they’re already screwing it up.

[man 1] 21!

[cutlery clatters]

[Frenchman] Whoa! Hey, no.

[Frenchman’s cellmate] No!

[Frenchman] Fucking new guys.

How many times do we need to tell you?

That I’m only entitled to eat my dish?

Or something you swap with someone else voluntarily, yes.

It’s the Law.

[chuckles]

You mean the Law that means absolutely nothing to whoever ate my dish?

[Frenchman’s cellmate] We’ll solve it,

but you can’t behave like a Barbarian who eats whatever he likes.

No, no. The Barbarians are the guys on 21 who ate my stuff.

I, at least, should be able to have the right to eat something…

You have the right to let us, the Loyalists, protect your dish. Yes?

That’s what we’re doing.

If this is the way you, the Loyalists, handle everything,

then I think we’re gonna have a big problem.

[laughs] It’s not easy, but since the Revolution of Solidarity began,

each month, the Pit gets fairer.

And with everyone’s support, the Law will soon reach the last level.

Don’t you see that if you eat the food that another person has ordered,

they will certainly feel… aggrieved

and legitimized to eat whatever they want?

That it will be detrimental to other people,

which will affect many more.

And that will generate a chain disaster that will leave those below without food.

Are you done now?

Listen to me, you dumbass,

if you eat that chicken wing, that’s what will happen.

She called me a dumbass.

[softly] Watch what this dumbass does.

[cellmate] Yes. That’s what will happen.

Sure. That’s easy for you to say.

No one has eaten any of your fucking croquettes, have they?

Do you want one?

[sniffs]

Okay.

But I don’t want any surprises tomorrow, you hear me?

Fine. Just make sure you eat it before the platform leaves.

The Administration doesn’t allow us to keep the food.

They punish us for it. Just once, if you know what I mean.

I understand.

And why don’t they punish the motherfuckers

from 21 who ate my pizza?

[Frenchman] Only eating our dishes,

it is a rule we have established among ourselves,

not the Administration.

And remember, you’re lucky you woke up on Level 24.

But next month, it may be a lower one.

But what you have done on your first day is very commendable.

You have respected others, and you’ve kept your level tidy.

Make sure to not let the Pit keep you down.

[gentle music playing]

“Make sure to not let the Pit keep you down.”

[platform whirring]

What’s your name?

Zamiatin.

Perempuán.

[softly] Perempuán.

[coughs]

[Perempuán] Well, to be honest, my favorite dish was

the ham croquettes that my ex used to prepare.

But of course, that’s impossible now.

[female interviewer] Don’t you miss him?

[somber music playing]

[female interviewer] What are you looking for?

Time.

I need time to forget what I did.

[water splashes]

[Zamiatin grunts]

[exhales]

[coughing]

[coughs, grunts]

[sighs]

[man 1, above] 44!

[alert sounds]

[man 2] 44!

[man 3] 44!

[man 4] 44!

[man 5] 44!

[indistinct shouts]

[man 6] 44!

[man 7] 44!

[shouts in Korean]

44!

[shouting in French]

[Frenchman’s cellmate] 44!

[man 8] 44!

[man 9] 44!

[Frenchman’s cellmate] 44! Pass it on!

[man 10] 44!

[man 11] 44!

Down at Level 44, the communication chain has been cut off,

and from there down, we don’t know if food has been distributed fairly or not.

We do know from 21 on.

Hmm?

How many levels are there?

333.

[rumbling below]

[Frenchman] It’s not important how many levels there are.

The most important thing is that food gets to them all.

Tomorrow, our comrades from Levels 19 and 20

will go down to 21 to defend your pizza.

And the ones from Levels 42 and 43 will go down to 44,

so the people down below are able to eat.

That’s how it works.

And now, you should step back.

[whirring grows louder]

What’s the matter? Is it also forbidden to stand here?

[loud whooshing]

[male interviewer] How did that make you feel?

[Zamiatin] When I almost killed my parents?

[male interviewer] Uh… excuse me.

One second.

[papers rustling]

[male interviewer] According to what it says, you tried to burn your room,

but after 30 seconds, you thought better of it.

You burned a wastebasket, the autobiography you were writing,

and two empty pizza boxes.

You should know, you fucker,

that they sent me here because they’re afraid of me.

[Zamiatin] ♪ Where’s my fucking pizza? ♪

[woman 1] Shut the fuck up!

[woman 2] What’s going on? ♪ Where’s my fucking pizza? ♪

♪ Where’s my… ♪

[screaming above]

[platform whirring]

[woman 3] What’s going on?

Barbarians on 21 are still fighting up there.

I’m afraid they’re going to be punished just once.

[punches landing]

[plates shatter]

[platform whirring]

[alert sounds]

[screams continue]

[Barbarian] Come on! Who’s next? You? You? Let’s go!

[man] Motherfucker!

[Frenchman] 22!

[Frenchman’s cellmate] Come on!

[nervously] They’re on the platform.

If they can’t stop them on Level 22, it will be our turn to pacify them.

And yours too.

[Perempuán panting]

What do you mean, our turn?

I didn’t come here to fight.

Nobody said anything about fighting.

I’ll forgive them for yesterday and let it go.

Go break the bed frame and take out the bars. Do it now!

Take it. Now!

What do we do?

I don’t know.

Révolution solidaire!

[alert sounds]

[platform whirring]

[grunting above]

[tense music playing]

[Perempuán] Move, for fuck’s sake!

[grunts]

No. No.

[Perempuán panting, grunts]

[man, below] Hey, hey!

What’s happening?

They want us to fight.

What?

For the food. With the guys above us.

You?

[speaking Korean]

Hey. People above, you hear me? Do you hear me? Do you hear me?

I’ll give you my pizza. It doesn’t matter.

It’s yours, but please, don’t hurt me.

[platform whirring]

[Perempuán panting]

Hey!

[alert sounds]

[intense music building]

[shouting continues above]

[both scream]

[cutlery clattering]

[Frenchman’s cellmate] Get it out! Get it out! Hey! Hey!

[screams]

[gas hisses]

[gasping for air, screams]

[shrieks]

[panicked cries]

[Frenchman groans]

[Frenchman’s cellmate shrieks]

[frantic grunting]

[both groaning]

[flesh sizzling]

[strains]

[men grunting]

[screams]

[moans]

[Frenchman groans]

La plate-forme.

The… the food. We have to get rid of the food. Help us.

[Perempuán grunts, screams]

[Frenchman] Cold, cold.

They’re trying to freeze us.

Help me get rid of it.

[shouting wildly]

Come on.

Help!

[coughing]

[platform whirring]

[Perempuán groans]

[Frenchman] That’s it.

That’s all of it.

[panting]

[intense music subsides]

[platform rattling below]

[Frenchman exhales]

[Perempuán] It’s over.

[Frenchman sighs]

Well done.

You’re brave, huh?

[spits]

[shouts]

Is he still unconscious?

Yes.

[Zamiatin] Want some pizza?

Want some pizza, you bastard?

Want pizza?

Enough!

This asshole has caused a lot of damage.

And because of him, today nobody will eat.

But we don’t do things that way.

[Zamiatin] No. [tuts]

The way you guys do things is exquisite.

What?

Maybe he’s not the only one responsible. What do you think?

Yesterday, I could have eaten any other thing.

There was plenty of food, but you wouldn’t allow it.

[Frenchman] So it’s our fault?

I’m only saying that sometimes, if you grant some freedom…

No, no! You better shut your mouth now!

No? Of course not…

Freedom has nothing to do with eating whatever you like.

Nothing. Okay?

[Perempuán] She’s dead.

[somber music playing]

[Frenchman sighs deeply]

[cries out] You motherfuckers!

Fucking assholes! Fuck!

[grunting and screaming]

[sobbing]

[coldly] That was very brave.

[grunts]

Enough!

[tense music pulsing]

What do we do with him?

[Frenchman] You’ll do nothing.

I’ll go down with him until I find one of the Anointed Ones.

[Zamiatin] The Anointed Ones?

They are the people that were lucky enough to meet the Master.

The man who laid the foundations of the Law.

They are in charge of applying it wisely…

[Zamiatin] Wait, wait, wait, wait.

The Master?

[faucet squeaks]

Some people call him

the Messiah

or the Hidalgo.

Nobody knows if he’s still alive.

Or if he ever existed. [scoffs]

[Frenchman sighs]

[mournful music playing]

[Frenchman exhales]

[sniffles]

It was a long time ago.

Before I got here.

The Master sent a message of hope.

It is said that he survived for one full month without eating

on one of the lowest levels.

Meditating.

The next month, he woke up on a level…

a level that the food had never reached.

He cut the flesh from his own thigh…

and he fed all of the needy.

His Anointed Ones.

And since then, month after month,

they have spread his message of solidarity throughout the Pit.

Defending a fair distribution of the food.

[sighs]

It’s something that we all can achieve together.

And if heads have to roll, then so be it.

Whatever you say, Robespierre.

But I haven’t eaten in two days.

And I want my pizza!

[platform whooshes by]

Are you sure about that, Robespierre?

Don’t you think your master

will be thrilled if you cut her into pieces

and shared them out among the needy?

She is already cooked.

[Robespierre] No. Cannibalism is forbidden by the Law

since the Master showed us the way with his sacrifice.

Every day, you come up with a new rule, Robespierre.

[sighs]

[strains]

[unsettling music rises]

[body parts thud]

[fierce growling]

[alert sounds]

[intense, rhythmic music playing]

[exhales softly]

[Barbarian breathing shakily]

[Zamiatin laughs mockingly]

Look. [chuckles scornfully]

[tense music rises]

[water splashes in toilet]

These dishes belonged to the ones who died yesterday.

I have to throw them away.

Throw them away?

[Robespierre] The Law doesn’t allow us more than one.

Yeah, but why?

The arbitrary distribution of the leftovers

grants a privilege to a small few.

And nobody respects a law that allows inequality.

But the distribution doesn’t have to be arbitrary.

We can still eat all of that!

[toilet flushes]

Okay, so…

Mussels, torreznos, and roast lamb.

Now you are the custodians of the meals of those who are gone above you.

Each day, you must check that they are still intact

and get rid of this source of discord.

If you want to, you can swap, but that means you must throw yours away.

[plates clatter]

Okay?

Believe me, this is the best thing in the long run.

Nobody should ever benefit from the murder of a comrade.

[Barbarian breathing shakily]

Allez.

[grunts]

What are they gonna do to him now?

[Barbarian groaning]

It will be severe… but just.

[strains]

[Barbarian groans]

Shh.

I hope to find an Anointed One before reaching the Level 44 barrier.

There are not many left.

[alert sounds]

[platform whirring]

[Robespierre] Respect the Law.

And also enforce it.

[intense music pulsing]

[loud munching]

[intense, rhythmic music building]

[alert sounds]

[water splashes]

[toilet flushes]

[chewing loudly]

[intense music continues]

[speaking inaudibly]

[rhythmic music building]

[music subsides]

[low rumbling]

[ethereal music playing]

[rumbling reverberates]

[Zamiatin] Do you believe all that?

It’s the last day.

Show me what you can do.

[ethereal music fades slowly]

I’m more of a science guy.

I’m not as stupid as I look.

I devoted my whole life to pure mathematics.

One day, I quit.

Why’s that?

[charcoal scratching]

[Zamiatin] This is why.

The square root of minus one.

The solution to this root is

what in mathematics is called an imaginary number.

Imaginary.

One day, I concluded that if we accept something

that doesn’t match any physical reality of our universe as a solution,

I could never trust mathematics again.

Or anything else.

[Zamiatin coughs, groans]

I left my job at the university, my investigations.

[unsettling music rises]

And I abandoned my family.

You left your family because of that?

I went back to my parents’.

Do you have kids?

What’s wrong with the imaginary?

[Zamiatin grunts]

And you? Do you have kids?

The imaginary doesn’t exist.

And it doesn’t have a purpose.

What’s your story, Perempuán?

[Perempuán] I need time to…

to forgive myself.

[woman, below] This month, food has reached Level 175!

[man cheers]

[woman] 175!

[inmates cheering and whistling]

[woman] 175!

You hear that? 175.

[woman] Yes!

[Perempuán] Come on.

[Zamiatin] Why?

Let’s dance.

You wanna dance?

You’re crazy.

[“Sleeping Beauty Waltz” by Tchaikovsky playing]

[Zamiatin grunts]

[glumly] Fine.

[enchanting, regal waltz continues]

[dreamlike waltz concludes]

[man 1] No!

[screaming]

[man 2] Oh my God!

[Zamiatin exhales anxiously]

[woman 1, above] 179, cannelloni and sweet and sour pork.

[Perempuán] Pizza and croquettes, here.

[woman 2] Down there, they’re saying they won’t cooperate.

They’ll eat everything that arrives. When it arrives.

What’s your dish?

I ordered a dessert. Pantxineta.

[Zamiatin coughing]

[Perempuán sighs]

It would be nice to have dessert for lunch some days.

[Zamiatin] Can’t you see where we are?

The system is improving every month.

We can’t start doubting it.

[woman 3] 169!

[man 1] 169!

Is there any news from up there?

The chain is cut at 169. We don’t know anything.

[Zamiatin] I hope the Law is being enforced by Robespierre’s gang

and they are kicking ass right now.

[delirious man, below] The Law is love.

The Law is determination.

The Law is love under determination.

Don’t let fools confound you because there is love in the Pit.

They feel alone and helpless, but the Law…

The Law is for everyone.

Last month, he spent 25 days without eating. On 169.

Fucking moron.

My cellmate is new. There’s lots of new people up there.

[woman 2] And below.

That means a lot of people died last month.

We were also new here, and we learned how to respect the Law.

We learned how to respect the Law on Level 24.

[alert sounds]

[platform whirring]

[dishes clatter]

[delirious man, below] We have all been chosen.

We will all be raised on high.

And regrets are nothing but shadows that pass and go away.

And sorrow is not in us.

Strength and love are in us.

Look. Look at the light that the Master radiates upon us.

[tense music building]

[delirious man, echoing] Even if our home is destroyed by fire and sword,

his invisible house will stand.

His invisible house will stand firm.

[coughs weakly]

And you, even you do not yet know his full meaning.

He’s at the center of everything.

He’s the magician!

He is life.

And he gives life.

He is the flame that burns…

[lighter clicks]

[delirious man] In the heart of all mankind

and at the core of all stars.

Look. Look at the light that the Master radiates upon us.

If determination stops when shouting why,

and then determination stops, and it is not done.

The idiot sees the Law but does not understand it.

He is the flame that burns.

Would you fucking stop?

[Zamiatin wheezing]

[blood splatters]

[sounds distort]

[woman 2] It’s the sign!

[woman 1] It’s the Anointed Ones freeing the Pit of the Barbarians.

There’s no more fear.

Instead of murdering everybody, why don’t they come down

and protect our food?

And leave the ones who don’t respect the Law above?

That would be suicide for the rest!

[coughing]

The Law is power, severity, and order.

He who is upright shall remain upright!

He who is filthy shall remain filthy!

Shut up, asshole!

[continues coughing]

[Perempuán] Where’d it come from?

[woman 1] A long way up.

We’ll still have to wait a few more days.

[coughing weakly]

[delirious man] We have to seek and destroy the traitors.

Their death will be beautiful.

Their death will seal our true and only love.

[gently] Do good here,

and you’ll be rewarded forevermore.

[platform whooshes by]

[delirious man] Do good here, and you’ll be rewarded forevermore.

[woman 1] I have good news.

There’s only the blockage on 169 and 168.

Those Barbarians are trying to sabotage the communication,

but the Anointed One who leads the liberation wants us to be strong.

[Zamiatin wheezing]

Listen to me.

He’s asking us to identify the crippled man

and the cross-eyed woman who gorged themselves on 176.

And the giant man who assaulted his male cellmate on 98.

[woman 3 shouts indistinctly]

What was that about 24?

The fat guy on 24! He stole food from his fallen brothers!

A fat man, while he was on level 24, ate from the dishes of his dead comrades.

What a motherfucker.

What level were you on?

On 46.

And you?

[woman 1] 74.

Fine.

Fine.

[Perempuán, gently] Don’t worry. Nobody knows we were on 24.

[Zamiatin, weakly] They saw us.

When the food gets here, we can only eat our dishes.

Or the ones we can exchange.

And I ordered pizza.

I ordered croquettes.

[chuckles sadly, coughs]

Maybe I’ll die if I don’t eat enough.

The day they get here, we’ll have to behave.

But after, we’ll do whatever it takes.

We’ll be punished.

[sighs]

[Perempuán grunts]

[intense music rising]

[male interviewer] No, you’re not here because they’re afraid of you.

You dropped out of school at 16.

All your business ventures failed.

Your wife and kids kicked you out.

And your parents are getting sick of you too.

You were offered a place

because they think you need some… discipline.

[somber music playing]

Discipline?

[grunts]

[Zamiatin] Discipline for what?

[male interviewer] Discipline

to stop you making those pathetic calls for attention.

[Zamiatin breathing shakily]

[coughing]

[lighter clicks]

What are you doing?

[Zamiatin] I’ve made a lot of mistakes.

They are good kids.

Not very clever. They take after their mother.

I don’t harbor resentment.

What do you mean?

[Zamiatin] I ate what wasn’t mine.

Stay away.

I shouldn’t have eaten.

Stay away.

Stay away! Discipline!

[gasps]

I don’t want to drag you down with me.

You don’t deserve to be punished for helping me.

[Perempuán breathing shakily]

Go and see my kids when you get out of here.

Tell them I’ve always loved them.

Tell them that, at least, my end…

wasn’t a lie.

[somber music building]

[crying softly]

[sobbing silently]

[gentle, ethereal vocals rise]

[screaming inaudibly]

[embers crackling]

[ominous droning]

[Perempuán] I’d like to think he didn’t suffer.

[alert sounds]

[bittersweet music fades]

That he died quickly.

[sounds distort]

[excited voices echoing]

[woman 1, above] Hello.

It looks like everything’s good up there.

They haven’t identified any Barbarian.

We have paella and egg fried rice.

[Perempuán] Croquettes.

[bearded Loyalist] Raw vegan salad, entrecôte steak with pepper sauce.

Down to 71, everyone is a Loyalist or a newcomer.

Let’s see how they behave.

[faucet squeaks]

[water running]

[Perempuán] We’ve been lucky.

51’s a good level.

Once a day, a platform with food will go down.

We’ll have a few minutes to eat the dish we’ve chosen.

What did you choose?

[faucet squeaks off]

Hey. Hey!

[snaps fingers]

[ominous music playing]

[Perempuán] What did you choose?

Just plums.

You’ll only be able to eat that unless you arrange an exchange.

Is that your object?

My pillow.

I can’t sleep without it.

[ominous music subsides]

[gentle music playing]

[alert sounds]

[woman 1, above] Some of the newcomers wouldn’t respect the rules.

It looks like there are two obstacles.

One on 46 and another one higher up.

But there is an Anointed One above, and he won’t take long to pacify them.

[plates clatter]

You’ll eat tomorrow.

[platform whirring]

[lighter clicking]

[woman 2] Barbarian! Barbarian! Barbarian! There’s a barbarian on 54!

[man 2, below] 54!

[woman 3] Barbarian on 54!

There’s a Barbarian on 54!

He was pretending to be one of us,

but they recognized him, and he attacked his new cellmate.

[woman 4] The one from 2! He was on 2!

[bearded Loyalist] That one! From 2!

He was on Level 2 last month, and the people from 1 couldn’t stop him.

They said he ate like a pig, the motherfucker!

Every day, until he threw up.

Tomorrow we’ll go down to pacify him!

And that’s it.

I’ll go down with you.

[bearded Loyalist] There’s no need.

We can’t let that son of a bitch escape.

He won’t escape, but the rules are clear.

First, the four people from the levels immediately above.

My cellmate died

because of assholes like that one down there

who stuffed himself on Level 2 last month.

If the Law isn’t respected, people die.

The higher up you are, the more responsibility.

Do you understand?

[tense music playing]

[cellmate] I understand your anger.

It’s people like that who fuck everything up.

[sounds distort]

[lighter clicking rapidly]

[intense music peaks, dies down]

[lighter clicking steadily]

[clicking grows faster]

[distant scream]

[sounds distort]

[man 1] Fuck you!

[woman 1] Yes! Yes! It’s Dagin Babi!

The Anointed One is Dagin Babi! Hey!

It’s Dagin Babi.

The Anointed One is Dagin Babi.

We’re saved.

He will take no prisoners.

[inmates chanting] Babi! Babi! Babi!

[man 4] He has come!

[inmates] Babi! Babi!

Babi! Babi!

[alert sounds]

[distant cheering fades]

[bright music building]

[plates clatter]

[intense music playing]

We can’t let that asshole escape.

What the hell are you doing?

Justice.

[alert sounds]

[platform whirring]

What the fuck? No, you two can’t be down here.

Better six than four.

That’s against the Law.

And you’re endangering the communication chain.

The communication chain can be maintained perfectly well with three empty levels.

But it’s our turn.

No. We’re not getting off.

[Perempuán] You can choose.

Risk your lives with us or stay and don’t break the fucking chain.

You can go down with them. I’ll preserve the chain.

[alert sounds]

[Barbarian] Shut it, motherfuckers!

I’ll fuck you up!

[shouts]

Motherfuckers! You’re useless. Shut up!

We need more people to finish that pig. Orders from above.

[Barbarian] Shut up, son of a bitch. Shut up, or I’ll fucking kill you!

Don’t come down!

What do you want? What do you want? I’ll kill you!

[suspenseful music playing]

[Barbarian] Okay. I’ll kill you all, motherfuckers!

Come down, I dare you!

[shouts]

[grunting]

[screams]

[shrieks]

[shouts]

[grunts]

Girls, I don’t want any trouble. I’ll stop. [panting]

[alert sounds]

[cellmate] No!

No! [shouts]

[screams]

Motherfucker!

[Perempuán groans]

[Perempuán strains]

[Barbarian groaning]

[cries out]

[older man straining]

[groaning]

[grunts]

[screams]

[panting]

Hold on. Wait. Hold on.

Wait, wait.

I haven’t done anything wrong.

[shouts]

[panting]

[Barbarian] Let me keep going.

I’ve been stuck here over a year and a half.

[Perempuán grunts]

[moans]

Please.

[panting] I needed what I ate to recover.

[shouts]

Please, please, please.

I’m just trying to survive in here, like everyone else.

[whimpers, coughs]

[breathing heavily]

[crying softly]

[grunts angrily]

[alert sounds]

[grunts]

No!

No. No!

[Perempuán] No! No!

We have to keep going down!

He won’t get far.

[groaning]

[cellmate] It’s not about him. It’s not about him.

[Perempuán] No?

It’s not about him.

[both panting]

It’s not your first month in the Pit, is it?

[faint, ominous music playing]

[fabric ripping]

[reverberations resonate]

[cellmate] I’ve been here for six months.

[sighs]

[exhales]

On my first day,

my cellmate,

Kekasih,

she explained…

[takes a deep breath]

…the Law, and…

and I understood it.

It’s an unfair law.

Because it just protects the meal we enter the Pit with,

but…

I believed it was a good start.

We always respected the Law.

We only ate our portions

and took part in pacifications when it was necessary.

But one day…

[somber music rising]

…we found a young man.

Malnourished, almost dead.

We took the dish of a dead person

and gave him more food than he was entitled to.

And a few days later…

an Anointed One came.

[sighs]

Dagin Babi.

Dagin Babi is the strictest Anointed One.

He gets stricter every month.

Much more.

He decided to give out an exemplary punishment.

For breaking the Law.

[sighs]

Kekasih resisted, and…

[voice breaking]…she gouged out his eyes.

[exhales shakily]

[sniffles]

Dagin Babi ordered that she be tied naked to the platform

and sent her defenseless to the lower levels.

[sniffles]

They forced me to watch as a few levels down, they ate her alive.

[sobbing]

[gentle music playing]

We will never be safe inside of the Pit.

Never. [sobs softly]

Not all Anointed Ones are the same.

Last month,

one of them arrived in time to save a lot of people from starving to death.

How do you think he opened the way to your level?

We just have to keep on helping.

Being fairer.

We have to hold on until we can get out of here.

[scoffs] Haven’t you noticed?

No one… gets out of here.

No one here will survive.

[somber music playing]

[distant scream above]

[cellmate] But there’s something we can do.

Escape.

[whispering] Escape during the interval.

The what?

At the end of every month, well, to reset the Pit,

they… the gas they’re using

is a variant of sevoflurane.

We have to do it in that moment.

But… what’s going to stop us from sleeping?

Every month, I search for it.

So far I haven’t been lucky.

But we’ll only have one opportunity if we find it.

To do that… we have to keep going down.

[Perempuán] What are we looking for?

[platform whooshes by]

[man moaning above]

[alert sounds]

[tied man] No. No, no, no! [cries out]

[Perempuán gasps]

[blood splatters]

That’s Dagin’s signature. It’s now or never.

[breathing shakily]

[platform whirring above]

Dagin Babi and his people

must be coming down on the platform, but there was a blockage at 46.

They’ll have to stop there to apply their Law.

It’s our chance. We have to go down today.

[alert sounds]

[Perempuán] That plan of yours is crazy.

Enjoy the ride!

What if it doesn’t work?

I don’t know if it’ll work.

But I know what will happen if Dagin Babi reaches us.

[alert sounds]

[platform whirring]

Yeah! That’s what you get! [cackles]

[tied man moaning]

[suspenseful music playing]

Shouldn’t we take him with us?

[alert sounds]

[tied man choking]

[music building]

[man, above] Got what he deserved.

[alert sounds]

[platform clatters]

[sighs shakily]

[Babi] Get off.

[tied man moaning below]

I’ve been told extraordinary things about you.

Yes. About your determination to take part in a pacification,

even though it didn’t concern you.

As a reward, today you’ll be able to drink as much wine as you want

while eating your dishes.

Come on. Don’t be shy.

[cellmate crying softly]

[Babi] Eating is not just a right. It’s a duty.

We need strong men and women to defend the Law.

[tied man crying out below]

Enjoy.

[cellmate sniffles]

[whistles]

[Loyalists clamoring]

Let me go.

Let me go.

[alert sounds]

[Perempuán] Let me go!

Let me go!

[blond Loyalist] What is this?

Get off me!

Please.

[Perempuán gasps]

We must obey the Law.

And be sure to enforce it.

Always.

Without exception.

You know the Rule of the Next Four, right?

Yes, of course you know it.

If you know it, then tell me.

Why the fuck did you let them take part in the pacification?

[bearded Loyalist, muffled] I tried to stop them. They didn’t let me!

[Babi] Pardon?

[blond Loyalist] I…

I… I told them that it wasn’t right.

But you did nothing to stop them.

No, but I stood my ground, so the chain of communication wasn’t lost at any time.

Sure. Even a blind man can see how brave you are for doing so.

I have an idea.

Today’s impossible,

but tomorrow you can drink all the wine you want too, all right?

All the wine to wash down your last dinner.

After that, you’ll be executed for the double dereliction of your duties.

But… [muffled] What do you mean, double dereliction?

I…

Yes, double dereliction.

First, you didn’t go down when you had to. And second, you let them do it.

You also let them go down.

So you will lose an arm.

[grunts] And her?

Tell me why only me and not her!

Didn’t you tell me she was fooled by you? She didn’t know she was breaking the Law.

[timidly] But, um, having more people seemed right to me.

One does not interpret the Law!

One obeys it!

[young woman breathing shakily]

[Babi] The exception of the righteous is the excuse of the disloyal.

You committed an offense.

You’ll lose an arm.

You can’t punish those who obey the Law!

No. No, no, no, no. You’re wrong.

He who breaches the Law does not defend it.

Furthermore, he who acts like that

will sooner or later interpret the Law according to his own interests.

Listen to me.

Many people have died or lost a lot to arrive at this day.

I lost my eyes.

[Perempuán grunting]

And your friend should know what it’s like to lose something.

[cellmate sobbing]

Though it appears you… you haven’t learned your lesson.

Yes.

You have committed your second offense.

And now you deserve the same fate as your dead friend.

[Perempuán] No! Motherfucker!

[Babi] None of this is arbitrary. Absolutely nothing.

We kill to build a future where no one will kill anymore.

There are Barbarians down there.

And only fear subdues beasts.

And terror… is the message.

[creaking resonates]

[young man] If you let her live, she’ll escape.

[cellmate panting]

[Babi] Speak, son.

They have a plan.

Tell me about it.

I heard their talk about stuff that’s important.

They thought I was sleeping.

But I wasn’t.

Because I know being awake is the best way to learn things.

And she talked about the place

where this world is created again and again.

And she told her that if they ate a dog,

they could wake up from the dream and escape.

And they wanted to kidnap me, but I don’t eat dog.

[group laughing]

Shh!

[laughter stops]

[intense music rises]

Calm down, son. Hmm?

Nobody will eat any dog.

[muffled clamoring]

[cellmate’s cries echoing]

[screams]

[alert sounds]

[cellmate shrieking]

[cries out]

[frantic screaming]

[bones cracking]

[sounds distort]

[shrieking in pain]

[mournful music building]

[screaming inaudibly]

[children cheering with excitement]

[kids clamoring]

[screaming]

[cries of children fade]

[indistinct chatter]

[darkly ominous music playing]

Is this your first month in the Pit?

[water running]

[faucet squeaks off]

[woman 1, above] Good morning, neighbors. Another month in the Pit.

Here we have red sea bream and caviar, but we don’t swap it for nothing, okay?

Let’s see what these beggars have.

Don’t talk to the people above us.

[man 1, below] We’re at Level fucking 73. Where’s my food? I’m hungry.

Stupid fuckin’ Loyalists.

Shit.

[man 2] Who are you? Identify yourself.

[man 1] Identify yourself.

[man 2] Where were you last month?

Don’t talk with the ones below either.

Talking… is draining.

[man 1] I followed the Law!

A month ago, at 203, nobody was there to help.

Nobody.

[Perempuán] What object did you choose?

[darkly whimsical music playing]

[Trimagasi] I brought it to cut the bread into slices.

At home, I buy it sliced.

But here, hmm… I don’t know.

Can I hold it?

[cellmate] There’s something we can do.

Escape during the interval.

[Perempuán] But what’s going to stop us from sleeping?

[cellmate] Every month, I search for it.

[echoing] We have to keep going down. We have to find the drowning dog.

[alert sounds]

[tense, rhythmic music playing]

[platform clatters]

[woman] Oh my God, look at this guy.

Hey, what the hell are you doing?

You gotta respect the Law. He won’t stop!

Hey, we gotta respect the Law!

Hey, hey, hey. What are you doing?

You can’t step on the food, you animal! Don’t fucking look at me like that.

I’m gonna go down there and kick your ass.

You can’t step on the food!

You better come with me.

[woman] Pigs. Get down from there!

[man] You gotta respect the Law.

[woman] Is she deaf? She must be deaf.

This girl’s deaf. She doesn’t understand what I’m saying.

Get down.

Get down!

Coming?

Obviously.

[sounds distort]

Let’s go.

You won’t get anywhere alone.

If you want to face the Loyalists, you’ll have to act like them.

In a group.

[alert sounds]

Get down and obey the Law.

Calm down.

I will defend the Law with my life.

[Perempuán] Are you sure?

[man in sunglasses] Listen.

No one should restrict our freedom.

No one. We’re old enough to not have anyone tell us what to do.

This lamb is fucking delicious.

[man, above] Barbarians are comin’ down. They’re fuckin’ Barbarians.

They’re Barbarians.

Fuckin’ Barbarians!

[platform clatters]

If you want to survive the punishment and torture, get on.

[man, above] Tomorrow the Anointed One will come down.

All Loyalists will assemble, and we’ll come down to slaughter you.

One by one. That’s right.

Do you hear me?!

We should neutralize the other one.

[man, above] We’ll kill all of you. You are gonna regret this.

We don’t do things that way.

Fucking Barbarians!

[laughs]

[man in sunglasses] We were born free. These Loyalists hate freedom.

That’s why they hate us.

Because we’re free.

And we’ll always be free.

They can’t stop us from doing whatever we want.

This is full of food. Why can’t we eat whatever we want?

We have been dreaming of freedom all our lives.

Get on, comrade! Look what we’ve done.

[man in sunglasses] We’ve been here longer than them, and we have more rights.

[bearded man] For our freedom!

[long-haired man] Stop it.

[bearded man] Eat it.

Eat it! Good, right?

[long-haired man cries out]

[Trimagasi] Are you stupid? Get on!

Freedom is up there!

Get on here now!

Nobody can force me to get on anything!

[man in sunglasses] They want us repressed.

Crushed.

This is our moment.

[clamoring]

For freedom. For freedom! For freedom!

For freedom!

[intense music playing]

[flatly] That’s it. We’re staying here.

There’s enough of us.

Free men and women… [chuckles]…we’ll stay here.

[Barbarians murmuring]

[soft, ethereal music playing]

He painted it on a wall in his house.

Later on, they transferred it to this canvas.

Isn’t it amazing?

It’s the original.

I’m so pleased that we’re all finally doing something

about these awful sectarians and all their strict laws.

But we must rally together and organize.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I’d like to welcome you to my humble abode.

Your humble pile of shit.

[Barbarians laugh]

[older man] Hey, she’s a comrade.

I think this area right here will be…

Shut up, you old bitch.

[older man] Mind your manners.

[bearded man] You wanna talk about manners? Seriously?

[acoustic guitar playing]

[Trimagasi in French] ♪ Today, we have the pleasure ♪

♪ Of tasting the most exquisite foods And wines ♪

♪ The crème de la crème Lands at our table ♪

♪ Cooked to perfection ♪

♪ Then comes dessert, sweet and creamy ♪

♪ A nice coffee ♪

♪ Then comes dessert, sweet and creamy ♪

♪ A nice coffee ♪

♪ And we make love ♪

[older woman chuckles]

[bright, ethereal music playing]

[music fades]

[Barbarians snoring]

[whooshing]

[glass shatters]

[platform whirring]

What the fuck? Hey, get up.

[man] Okay.

[man in sunglasses] Get up!

Motherfuckers!

They’re coming down!

Come on!

Everyone get ready!

[Barbarians clamoring]

[suspenseful music playing]

[alert sounds]

[toilet flushes]

[platform whirring]

[Barbarians chanting aggressively]

[man] Get ready!

[alert sounds]

[chanting grows louder]

Hold on!

[platform clatters]

Fuck.

What’s going on?

[Babi] Day three.

There he is, son of a bitch.

[Babi] You won’t eat anything for the rest of the month.

Every day, the platform will go down, yes.

But it will be empty. Without food.

And once you’re all hungry and exhausted,

that’s when we’ll go down and kill every one of you cursed nonbelievers.

Motherfucker!

Come down here and say that!

And those bastards down there, are you also gonna sentence them to death?

No… there are plenty of sons of bitches like you down there.

Yeah. What are you gonna do about them? Are you gonna sentence them to death too?

Yes. It’s a terrible price, true.

But defending the Law is worth that price. Listen carefully.

If you surrender,

only the warlords of this absurd rebellion will be tortured.

The only warlord I can see here is you.

Comrades! Comrades!

Comrades, listen.

He’s offering us a solution!

And a reasonable one.

Shut your mouth, you old motherfucker. I’ll fucking kill you, you son of a bitch!

[platform whirring]

Get back up here, assholes!

Where the fuck are you going? Get back!

[Barbarians clamoring]

The blind man is just bluffing, all right?

He won’t sentence his people to death.

What if you’re wrong? Huh?

What are we gonna eat?

What do we do?

[chatter dies down]

[Trimagasi] I’ve got an idea.

What if we go down and eat his people?

[dramatic stinger]

[Barbarians laugh]

[man in sunglasses] You hear that, you blind motherfucker?

We’ll go down there, and we’re gonna eat your people!

[Barbarians laugh and cheer]

[Perempuán] After years of hard work,

my big night came at last.

It was my fourth exhibition.

[shouting inaudibly]

[Perempuán] I shared it with some influential artists.

I participated with a series of sculptures that represented animal brutality.

My boyfriend came to see me.

And he brought his son with him so I could finally meet him.

And, well…

[takes a deep breath]

…it’s impossible for kids to stay still.

At least, not him.

One of my pieces

was a beastly dog.

Cruel,

atrocious.

His claws were sharp blades that faced the viewer.

[spits]

[painting owner] You can’t go on like this.

If you don’t eat, you’ll die.

[Perempuán] They warned me it would be dangerous.

But to me, that risk and that boldness,

was what made it really special.

I refused to let them establish a safety perimeter.

The kid wouldn’t stop running.

Until he stumbled.

One of the claws…

One of the blades…

went through his eye.

I’d like to think he didn’t suffer.

That he died quickly.

The lawyers did a good job.

The judge saw it as an accident.

The insurance company paid.

And I became one of the most valued artists of my generation.

All the pieces of animal brutality

were sold for millions.

Especially the dog.

[man in sunglasses] Barbarians!

Go for the ankles!

[shouts]

[Barbarians] Go for the ankles!

[man in sunglasses] Let the revolution begin!

[man 1] Here it comes!

[bearded man] Be ready!

[man in sunglasses] Now or never!

[Barbarians chanting aggressively]

[sounds become muffled]

Barbarians, right now!

[all clamoring]

[Perempuán cries out]

[screams wildly]

[groans]

[clamoring fades]

[mournful music playing]

[clamoring resumes]

[Perempuán screams]

[man 2] Kill them! Kill them all!

[intense, rhythmic music playing]

[cries out]

[gasps]

[straining]

[Perempuán grunting]

[strains]

[grunts]

[gasps]

[silence falls]

[weakly] The painting.

Why is it so important?

[Babi moans]

[clamoring fading slowly]

[screams inaudibly]

[knife scrapes]

[platform whirring]

[gentle, ethereal music playing]

[knife scrapes]

[Babi moaning]

[Perempuán grunts]

[Babi] You.

[weakly] Finish what you started. Come on.

You’re defenseless, and I have a knife.

[Babi exhales]

[gently] But I think I have a better idea.

I could heal your wounds

and feed you for the rest of your days with your own flesh.

I would slice it carefully so you could go on living.

That way, you’d be worthy of your master.

But I won’t do it.

I won’t use my imagination to torture anyone.

[Babi] You don’t need to.

You have already condemned us all.

[Perempuán] They told me the dog was dangerous.

But I still went ahead anyway.

If I could turn back time…

To save him.

But it’s not possible.

What are you looking for here?

Time.

I need time to forgive myself.

I need to escape.

[platform whirring]

[Perempuán] To forget what I did.

[platform whooshes by]

[gentle, ethereal music playing]

[Perempuán strains]

[grunts]

I’m going.

Are you staying, or are you coming too?

[Trimagasi] No.

This was the best month of my life.

[Perempuán sniffles]

[Trimagasi] We’re all prisoners of ourselves.

And from that,

there’s no possible escape.

[knife clatters]

[Perempuán sniffles]

[grunts]

[cellmate] When we smell the gas…

That’s the moment.

[Perempuán] But what’s gonna stop us from sleeping?

[cellmate] If everything goes well, they’ll think we’re dead.

But we’ll wake up.

We’ll let them take us out from the top, with the corpses, and then…

[Perempuán exhales softly]

…we’ll have to improvise.

[Perempuán] What if it doesn’t go well?

Maybe we’ll die.

[ethereal music building]

[reverberations resonate]

[children clamoring]

[haunting vocals rise]

[reverberations resonate]

[gentle piano music playing]

[whispering inaudibly]

[filtered breathing]

[nearby thuds]

[dishes clattering]

[bright ethereal music playing]

[music swells]

[tense, rhythmic music playing]

[intense music swells]

[tense music building]

[tense music subsides]

[ethereal music resumes]

[suspenseful music rises]

[Perempuán, echoing] I need to escape.

If I could turn back time.

I need to escape.

If I could turn back time… to save him.

I need to escape.

I need to.

I need to. I need to. I need to.

Save him. Save him.

[music swells]

[music fades]

[somber music playing]

[thud echoes]

[loud thud echoes]

[sounds distort]

[music building]

[blade scrapes]

[screams]

[alert sounds]

[platform whirring]

[platform rattles, echoes]

[music fades slowly]

[footsteps approaching]

[labored breathing]

[low moaning]

[woman] Only they can go up.

I won’t abandon him.

[woman] Your journey is over, but he

will have another chance.

[uplifting instrumental music playing]

[dishes clattering]

[platform whooshes]

[intense, rhythmic music playing]

[platform clatters]

[Trimagasi] “We’ll leave together, and together, we’ll go on a pilgrimage.”

“We’ll share the same fortune and the same luck.”

Your journey is over, my snail.

[Goreng] She’s the message.

She’s the message.

[low rumbling]

[platform whooshes]

[footsteps approaching]

[Perempuán, softly] You.

What are you doing here?

[intense, rhythmic music playing]

[ethereal, emotive vocals rise]

[tense, rhythmic music pulsing]

[music fades]

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