﻿1
In May 1 865, the Mimosa set sail from Liverpool for Argentina.
On board were 1 63 Welsh men, women and children
fleeing the poverty of their hill farms and the low wages of the coal mines.
They hoped to find a promised land
where they could be free to speak their own language and prosper.
Two months later the Welsh came ashore in Patagonia,
a far-off territory
inhabited only by small tribes of the nomadic Tehuelche people.
They faced a barren and inhospitable desert.
The settlers endured years of hardship, starvation and near failure.
They laboured to irrigate the land and eventually,
aided by the Tehuelche, they conquered the surrounding desert.
The Welsh settlement has survived to this day
and so too has the dream they called Patagonia.
S4C & THE FILM AGENCY FOR WALES present
in association with
THE WALES CREATIVE IP FUND & JC TRUST
a RAINY DAY FILMS / BOOM FILMS production
in association with RED RUM FILMS
a MARC EVANS film
and introducing DUFFY
I was in Wales.
It was just a dream.
Hello?
Yes, speaking.
Yes, of course. I'll be there at four o'clock.
Yes, I am.
Right. Thanks. Bye.
I don't see the point at her age.
It's not just the money.
The bus to Buenos Aires will be too much for her.
That's why Alejandro is taking her.
Why him, for God's sake?
It was her idea. She insisted.
And you just caved in, as usual.
Señora, would you like a sweet?
You know,
they're waiting for me to die so they can have all this.
Señora, don't talk nonsense!
They think because I can't see, that I can't hear.
I'll leave it here.
You going to that meeting, then?
What?
Haven't you got an audition?
Oh, yes.
It feels like one.
Are you OK?
Don't smile!
This is a serious matter!
Get him to stop smiling!
What do you want me to do?
Tell him that life is one long disappointment,
that the world is ending.
That's it!
Great. Works every time.
Who's in the picture, then?
It's you in the picture, is it?
Hiya, Sian, are you OK?
Hiya, Gwen, how are you?
Fine, thanks.
A photo for his first passport.
We tried putting him in a booth but he wouldn't sit still.
- Thanks, Rhys. - No problem.
So how did the audition go?
Oh, you know...
Rhys, you know your photography trip to South America?
Maybe I should come with you after all.
If that's still OK with you.
What about your crappy job?
You're right, it is a crappy job.
It's going to be fantastic!
Honestly.
So is everything clear, Alejandro?
Go to the clinic tomorrow afternoon...
Yes, I wrote it down.
Alejandro!
- How are you, Cerys? - Very well.
Let's go, Mother.
Now who's the lucky one? A brand-new pair of eyes!
You'll see better than any of us after the operation.
Remember to phone me, Alejandro.
It's only six days, Mother!
Bye, Alba.
Did you bring your passport?
Yes.
Pardon me, but why do I need a passport if we're only going to Buenos Aires?
For identification purposes.
Come on! Dance with me.
Come on, please!
No, don't!
No one here knows you.
There you go!
You're welcome. Thank you.
You can't learn everything about life from books, Alejandro.
Look.
Who is this?
My mother before she sailed for Argentina.
1 927? Wow!
Roberts.
That was her maiden name.
Roberts.
Nant Bri...ashw.
Nant Briallu.
The name of her farm in Wales.
Which one is your mother?
That young one there.
She looks happy.
She was pregnant, with me.
Here's 3,000 dollars.
That's a lot for an operation.
Wedding presents.
Family heirlooms.
We can get a very good price for them, if we need to.
The money will cover the cost of the flights
and the bus to my mother's farm.
We are going travelling, Alejandro.
We're going to Wales.
To Wales?
Yes!
I can hardly believe that we're here.
And tomorrow... Patagonia!
Marry me, Gwen Davies.
What?
Marry me in Patagonia. Miles from everyone and everything.
OK, well, we don't have to.
- Rhys! - I'm just taking a shower.
Love you.
Love you too.
Alba, get Mum on the phone now.
What do you mean, she isn't there?
Albita, listen, turn that TV off!
I'm in Buenos Aires with Cerys.
Well, she's mad.
I need to talk to Mum urgently!
Albita?
Alba?
Hello?
WELCOME TO PATAGONIA
Do you think that's him?
Carlos?
No, Mateo. You speak Welsh, don't you?
Carlos sends his apologies. He's not well.
He has sent me instead.
- So you're the guide? - Well, yes...
They fetched the water from the Chubut river.
Back-breaking work.
A lot of Welsh come here to the colony on their holidays.
I'm not on holiday, I'm here to take photographs.
- Oh, I see. - Yes, I'm a photographer.
- And you, Gwen? - I'm on holiday.
Here to enjoy yourself.
Why not, eh?
Rhys?
You OK?
Dreaming.
Rhys?
I really loved last night in Buenos Aires.
Don't worry...
We don't have to get married, it was just an idea.
I know.
Good morning.
I forgot where I was.
And here I am.
It's perfect, isn't it?
No need for anything else.
A little breakfast, perhaps?
Breakfast!
Cerys.
Are we in Wales yet?
Yes, I think so.
- Are you OK? - Yes, fine.
Hello. Hello, Mum.
Mum, how are you?
Very well. Mum, we've just got off the bus.
Calm down and listen!
Tomorrow we are going to the farm.
And the day after, we are coming back, OK?
- Are they empanadas? - Yes, empanadas.
Is everything OK?
No.
I just spoke to Mum. She's not happy.
Don't worry about your mother.
She needs to learn to let you go.
Must be interesting.
- What? - Your book.
I've read it before.
It's a... murder mystery in space.
How can it be a mystery if you've read it before?
It's better when you know what's going to happen, isn't it?
So what's the story?
Well, it's quite complicated.
There's this detective who is agoraphobic and an android.
A robot. You know what "agoraphobic" means?
I know what it means.
- I am agoraphobic. - You are?
I don't like people.
Ah, you mean misanthropic.
Look.
Look what I've bought you.
I want you to take pictures of me in Wales.
Smile!
What do you think?
It's fine.
Watch the step.
Good night.
How are you?
I'm very well, thank you.
Would you like two rooms or one?
- You understand Welsh? - Very little.
He gets paid for doing this?
It's an important commission; the Welsh chapels of Patagonia.
- But a bit boring for you, though? - Rhys finds them heroic.
Heroic?
These little chapels in the desert.
Is that a play? Something you're going to act in?
One day, maybe.
It's from an old Welsh legend about a girl made of flowers.
Blodeuwedd.
So she's beautiful?
Beautiful enough to steal the hearts of two men.
What happens to her?
She is transformed.
She's changed into a tylluan.
A gwdi-hw?
Ah, an owl!
Well, maybe a girl like that needs wings.
Thanks.
For what?
For persuading me to come here... with you.
- I saw you with him. - What?
Smoking.
Oh... I had one little one...
Three at the most!
I thought we were going to have a break, relax a little bit.
This is my good friend Diego.
He sells dreams to the tourists,
takes them across the desert on horseback.
- He'll take you if you like. - So this is the photographer.
OK, muchachos, cold beers for all!
- You know what? I have to go up. - So soon?
- Early start. - Come on, stay for another one.
- Stay if you want to. - Are you sure?
I've got a few things to do. Good night.
Come to bed.
Let's pretend that we've just met in the bar
and you've asked me up to your room.
I need to finish this, my love.
Listen.
I'm sorry if I'm not being... exciting enough for you.
It's not that, Rhys.
You know there's only one thing I want.
That's to be with you,
to have children with you.
What if that's not possible?
It will be.
I promise.
Sometimes I have too much insulin and I need chocolate.
Sometimes I have too much sugar
and I need insulin.
It's a delicate balance.
How do you know which to take?
Don't worry, I always know.
What happens if you get it wrong?
I never do.
- Yeah, but what if you did? - I'd go into a coma.
We should never have come.
Alejandro, stop worrying. Relax.
Go and see the city.
I can't. I said that I would stay with you.
I am old. I need to sleep.
Tomorrow we will search for the farm.
Go, Alejandro, please.
I like your face.
Nice one. So you speak Welsh?
- Do you speak Spanish? - Spanish?
You speak Spanish?
Are you OK?
Cerys.
Cerys, are you there?
When the Welsh first came here, it was very hard for them.
They had dreamt of somewhere green, I suppose.
Arriving here, on the other side of the world,
and seeing such a wilderness was a shock.
The founders endured extreme hardship,
digging ditches from the Chubut river to bring water to the barren land
but they succeeded because they had faith in their dream.
Heroic.
What?
Heroic.
Cerys, where were you?
At the museum, doing research. They have a wonderful archive.
- We were really worried! - I found a map.
A map? And I was looking for you all day.
Let's go to the room.
Tomorrow, we find the farm, then go straight home.
I don't want any more problems. I need to avoid all stress, Cerys.
Even though I am young, I don't have a strong metabolism.
Metabolism isn't very democratic, Alejandro.
Tomorrow we are going to that farm and coming straight home, OK?
Fine.
Now I need your eyes.
Look.
We have three farms with the name we are looking for.
Nant Briallu.
Three?
In Welsh, it means "Stream of Primroses".
What a pretty name.
Three farms?
Yes, can you see? The girl at the museum marked them for me.
Can you see them?
Yes, I see them.
But how will you know...
I mean...
..with your eyes,
how will you know when we've found the right farm?
I'll know.
It's not funny.
Come on, I know the way!
- Have we arrived? - I think so.
Mind the kerb.
Cerys.
Give me the photo.
I'll be right back.
"Nant" something.
It says "Roberts". It's you!
- Yeah, that's you! - Piss off, I'm adopted!
They've left us!
- Is this the place? - No.
- It's not? - No, I'm sure.
- It's not here? - No!
Here we are!
What's this?
Oh, travellers leave offerings.
- What for? - Well, to ask for miracles.
I don't believe in miracles.
Come on, you never know.
Maybe it will help.
What else have we got?
Look!
It worked!
A miracle!
Did that heap of yours break down again?
- Hello. - Hello.
- What's your name? - Gwen. And what's your name?
Hey, Pablito!
Can I take your photo?
One, two, three...
Magic, yes?
- Do you ride? - No.
Come on! Sometimes you have to be adventurous.
I don't want to go on my own.
Of course not. One, two, three!
There you go!
Look at the photo they took of me!
Do you like it?
Yes.
Hello!
- Three beers! - You OK?
I've rented a car from Esquel. It'll be here in the morning.
Great.
We can drive out to get the truck.
Actually, we won't need you any more.
We'll be fine on our own.
But how will you get back to Trelew?
On the bus.
I've just booked nine o'clock, Friday morning, from Esquel.
How much do I owe you?
How does that song go?
I want some brown eyes
I'm selling some brown eyes.
Who will buy them from me?
I'm selling them because they have betrayed me
And because they have done me wrong
Despite all this, I love you more
And spend every night
Pining for your love
Right!
We have to catch a bus early tomorrow that leaves at 8: 1 1 am.
Then a train that leaves us in Mach..yn..lleth
Cerys.
Can I ask you a question?
How come you don't speak Welsh?
We didn't in our house, out of respect for my stepfather.
- He didn't speak Welsh? - No.
He was a lawyer from Buenos Aires who moved to Patagonia.
There he met my mother; the young, pregnant Welsh girl from that photo.
So he employed her as a maid.
Well, eventually he married her and gave her a new life.
He loved her and they were very happy. We were all very happy.
So how come your mother went to Patagonia?
Her parents sent her there to relatives, to hide the shame
and that's where she stayed.
She met my stepfather and had a happy life.
But a small part of her was always sad.
Only I could see that.
I knew that I reminded her of someone she'd left behind.
There's a place here with six "L"s in it.
Must be a misprint.
I can't believe you did that.
He's useless.
Did you see the look on his face? You upset him.
What's it to you?
Look...
There's an asado later. Why don't we go?
Come on. It'll be fun.
Every summer he falls in love. Then every winter, he's heartbroken.
Maybe that's the point.
Oh, yeah. Like in the tango songs. Lost love.
And you?
Right, I'm going to ask you all
to toast the chef.
Raise your glasses!
Why does this happen every time?
They're like big kids.
Why not? Yes.
The sky is so vast.
You can almost touch the stars.
There's a place high up in the Andes.
You should see it.
A very special place.
Cholila.
The sky is so clear
and the stars there are amazing!
Don't worry, Alejandro.
I'm not dead.
For such a small country, it's hard to get around.
It's a shame trans-molecular transportation
hasn't been invented yet.
It's theoretically possible.
Where would be the fun in that?
Alejandro,...
..I've been thinking.
We'll have to find something for you to do when you get back.
What do you like doing?
I know what I don't like doing.
Well, that's not a bad start.
He's gone.
SMILE, YOU'RE IN PATAGONIA
Where have you been?
Where have I been?
I was worried about you. I thought you'd left without me.
Left.
Without you?
Where have you been all night, Gwen?
And do me a favour. Don't lie. OK?
- Rhys... - Just don't.
Where did you go?
We went to the asado.
And then to visit some caves.
What was it, a school trip?
Did you have sex with him?
Well, did you?
Do I have to ask again?
Did you have sex with him?
I thought you'd left!
Reckoned he was a better bet, did you?
Hoping he'd give you a baby?
And then what were you going to do?
- Tell people that it was mine? - No, Rhys!
It's me who can't have a baby. It's my fault!
They told me just before we left.
Why are you telling me this now?
I didn't know how to tell you.
I was scared, confused.
You were confused?
MISSING
Penmachno?
- Yes, get in. - Thank you very much.
I'm Kate, by the way.
And they are Mali, Cati and Myfi.
We're hoping that the next one will be a boy.
It better had be.
My partner, Dave, wants to call it Caradog after some king or other.
You haven't understood a word I've said, have you?
Here we are, our house.
- Are they going to take us? - I think so.
Good night, my love.
Good night.
Good night, my love.
This is my wife, Luned.
We were together every day for 60 years.
Not one day apart.
It's so different these days.
Look at Iwan.
His girlfriend left him
for a Polish builder!
It's not the farm.
Come on, Dad, they want to go.
Hey! How's it going?
- What's this place? - My home.
Matito, how are you?
Welsh!
The Welsh dragon.
You speak Welsh?
It's always good to welcome someone from God's country.
This weather can make a man thirsty.
- Would you like a drink? - Why not?
Another litre bottle!
I've had a hell of a day.
Me too.
I lost my dog.
Cheers, Rhys!
You break.
1 982!
The Falklands War.
I was there!
- Thanks. - What for, Blodeuwedd?
I don't know.
For looking after me.
I'll never forget.
Really.
Why don't you stay here for a while?
Rest, breathe. Why not?
Pretend you're a Patagonian farmer's wife for a while.
Why not?
- Where's Gwen? - She's gone.
- You OK? - Yes. Just a bit tired.
I need to sleep.
- But first I need to eat. - Follow me.
Look, customers!
- What's she saying? - I have no idea.
Do you speak Spanish?
I know you.
I know you. How are you? Are you feeling better?
Sorry?
In the club in Cardiff, before you passed out, remember?
You live here?
How do you say...? Erm, that's my uncle.
I was at college in Cardiff.
I was ill, so I came home.
- Do you understand? - Yes.
- You know each other? - Yes. We met in Cardiff one night.
OK, two minutes.
You are a dark horse, Alejandro!
It's been a long day. You should sleep.
I'll try and get some directions to the farm.
Are you going to ask the pretty waitress?
The uncle said he'd look for it on the map.
Ah! Give me the photograph.
That might help.
We are close, I can feel it.
It has to be the one.
Maybe tomorrow we'll drink from the "Stream of Primroses".
Maybe.
You know you asked me what I like to do?
To travel. I like travelling!
You see, that's why you should always carry a passport.
You never know when you might need it.
Sleep tight, Cerys.
- Sweet dreams. - Thank you.
- Hello. - Hello.
Very pretty.
The oldie, is she your grandmother?
The oldie?
The... The lady.
Lady. Sorry.
No, she's my neighbour in Argentina.
I see.
She's...
She's incredible!
Yes.
It's raining.
Rain.
I like the rain.
I like the rain!
Me too!
Say something in Spanish.
Say
something
in
Welsh.
- Was that in Welsh? - Yes. No!
Come on. Come on. Don't worry.
Come on!
Breakfast?
But no more stealing!
OK.
And no more knives.
OK.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
- What time is it? - Are you leaving already?
I was meant to find directions to the farm.
Don't worry. Uncle Will knows.
- Hmm? Sure? - Sure, yes.
When was this picture taken?
There's something written on the back.
Nant Briallu.
It was a really pretty place too.
It looked down over Capel Celyn village,
but it was one of the farms that they drowned.
to make way for the reservoir in 1 965.
Does he know the farm?
Yes, he knew it. It was beautiful.
I remember them taking the bodies from the graveyard.
It was terrible.
And they moved them down to there.
But it's disappeared.
How?
What happened?
It's... under the water.
Yes.
- She's not there. - What?
She's not there. I don't know where she is.
Cerys.
Cerys, you forgot your tin!
Cerys.
Cerys, are you alright?
Cerys, what do you need?
Cerys, chocolate? Cerys?
Cerys, chocolate or insulin? Cerys?
Oh, no!
I would have killed you, you know.
I don't think so. You fell flat on your face.
No, not last night.
The Falklands, during the war.
Maybe you would have killed me.
Maybe you did.
I don't even remember that war. I was only nine at the time.
Have you got a woman?
No. No.
Well, I don't know.
You don't know? You must know.
I had a woman once.
A girl more than a woman.
What happened to her?
She married a cousin of mine.
After I came back from the war, she told me she'd been unfaithful,
and I couldn't forgive her.
I was too young.
An idiot.
What shall we do, Alejandro?
I don't know.
We should take her to the farm.
What?
Nant Briallu.
He wants to take her to Nant Briallu.
Have you decided what you're going to do?
Finish things off.
The chapels.
The bus to Trelew tomorrow morning and then home.
Your dog.
I think he may be dead.
Maybe.
Where is she?
I'm not sure.
But I think she's gone to a place called Cholila.
It's you she wants.
It's too late for that.
Come on. Let's go.
Excuse me, sir.
Maybe I can come and visit you.
In Patagonia? Maybe.
What's up?
I'm sad.
Don't be sad.
Everything is fine.
Bye.
In memory of Edi Dorian Jones, photographer of Chubut 1 952 - 2008
Directed by
Written by
Produced by
Line Producer
Executive Producer
Executive Producers
Director of Photography
Production & Costume Designer
Editor
Music by
Mateo's Theme by
Casting Directors
Hair & Make-Up Designer
Production Sound Mixer