Valentina becomes hostage in a situation where a pair of German Businessmen (actors Rudiger Kunze and Jens Lenhert) have taken she and her friend back to their shitty hotel after what appeared to be a casual encounter in a Bogotá club. Valentina's friend Karmen (played by Maria Cristina Pimiento) rapidly becomes dangerously intoxicated. When the men begin to take advantage of the semi-conscious Karmen and the situation grows more sexually hostile, Valentina attempts to flee. Her departure is prevented by one of the businessmen (Rudiger Kunze) and she wanders to the bathroom. Locking herself in -- she now searches for a new version of escape. However, at this height, and with this old building....climbing out is not an option. From this altitude, she spies none other than Serafina down in the alley below as the day is dawning....who (in the original chronology of the film) had been thrown out by Jason only several scenes before.
Valentina calls to her -- immediately identifying Serafina...asking her to recall the night where Valentina 'rescued' her from her attackers in the Alley (at the beginning of the movie). Serafina, naturally does not recall the encounter with Valentina. But Valentina is beseeching her to help her. Explaining in a rampant, terrified fashion that she is in great danger with the Businessmen. For a second it looks as though Serafina doesn't want to get involved... but when Valentina identifies Jason or '80' as she calls him...and 'the bearded one'...Serafina knows that she probably has a duty to rescue this girl from her dire situation.
What ensues is a demonstration of Serafina's selflessness on behalf of this virtual stranger and her cunning and bravery in the form of this rescue.
It was important to illustrate the courage of Serafina during this aspect of the movie. I wanted to create a situation where Valentina, who was dabbling in a casual form of prostitution had found herself in a situation way over her head. And it was Serafina (a girl who, unlike Valentina, does not have the luxury to choose or not choose prostitution as a form of survival) who becomes the hero of the piece. Serafina, throughout the course of the movie became for me the only person who placed the needs of another protagonist above her own. Indeed, she places herself in peril in order to do what she knows to be right. Which, in the wake of her recent departure from Jason, made her all the more heroic... She has no need whatsoever to help this troubled young woman...and yet she does, because this noble aspect of Serafina is that prevalent.
Again, the scenes did not work in the greater scheme of things. It seemed as though this belonged to another movie. Not a disinteresting movie....but rather a movie in conflict with the one I had intended. Watch the brilliance of these performances....particularly Rudiger Kunze (a mesmerizing villain) and Julieth Restrepo who creates such a wonderful degree of tension and disguises it before her captors.