Francisco Pérez, an esteemed sculptor, is accidently killed by his own invention: a machine that mass produces busts of the revolutionary hero José Martí. The movie begins with the friends and relatives of Paco, as the deceased is more commonly known, attending his funeral, and after a brief summary of his life’s work that exemplifies how he fulfilled his duties as an exemplary proletariat, the scene cuts to a comic cartoon to explain how he died.
Unfortunately, Paco was buried with his work as a badge of honor to his commitment to the communist cause. When his wife goes to claim her pension, she finds she is unable to receive anything without this card. Since hope is the last thing one loses, Paco’s nephew begins the struggle through what seems to be a nerverending paper trail, in order to exhume his uncle and recover the card.
A Francisco Pérez, un estimado escultor, lo asesina accidentalmente su propio invento – una máquina que fabrica en serie bustos del héroe revolucionario José Martí. La película comienza cuando los amigos y familiares de Paco, como se le llama al fallecido, asisten a su funeral. Después de un breve resumen de su vida y trabajo, el cual ejemplifica la forma en que cumplió sus deberes como proletario ejemplar, la escena pasa abruptamente a una serie de dibujos animados que explican cómo murió.
Por desgracia, a Paco lo entierran con su tarjeta de trabajo, que le fue colocada como insignia para honrar su compromiso con la causa comunista. Cuando su esposa va a reclamar la pensión, descubre que no puede recibir nada sin esa tarjeta. Como la esperanza es lo último que se pierde, el sobrino de Paco comienza la lucha en medio de lo que parece ser un rastro de papeles sin fin, para poder exhumar a su tío y recuperar la tarjeta.
SPANISH LESSON
“…la esperanza es lo último que se pierde” ‘Hope is the last thing we lose’
Sometimes in life, we are happy and excited about attaining something; often it is easily achievable and at times not so much. Although we see that the goal is difficult, we keep inside a small feeling (called hope). It makes us think that what we want can be accomplished. And we’ll keep that hope until the last moment. Therefore, we say that hope is the last thing you lose.
The next time you want something wholeheartedly, put all your hope in that your dreams will come true and, although it is very difficult to attain, remember that hope is the last thing we lose.
For example: ‘Le pediré a Elizabeth que se case conmigo. La esperanza es lo último que se pierde’. (‘I will ask Elizabeth to marry me. Hope is the last thing one loses.’)