Opening Scene of
IN A DREAM, DESCENDING

INT. DARKROOM, SOMEWHERE IN MEXICO - DAY

The room is bathed in red light.

CLOSE ON a blank piece of 8x10 paper, held by tongs, sliding into a pan full of developer. A fuzzy, grainy image begins to bloom.

We see a DARK-SKINNED MAN standing astride a supine BLONDE WOMAN, her face contorted somewhere between surprise and ecstasy. A torrent of urine appears to cascade over her nude body.

INT. A FERRARI - OUTSIDE A MEXICAN VILLA - AFTERNOON

PAN AROUND the Ferrari's wood and leather interior to the steering wheel and the Ferrari prancing stallion.

CLOSE ON a lambskin-gloved hand as it appears, holding an open manila envelope. The other gloved hand inserts a batch of photos and negatives into the envelope.

The unseen DRIVER tosses the envelope to the passenger seat, then ignites the Ferrari's engine.

EXT. THE MAZATLAN COAST - AFTERNOON

POV FERRARI: While the car hurtles down the highway and into the slummy outskirts of Mazatlan, we see a series of images:

-Sinaloa's impossibly green countryside, studded with palm trees, thecloud-capped coast range in the distance;

-Mule-drawn carts loaded with produce and whole families;

-Old beat-up American cars, belching smoke;

-Clusters of small houses;

-Gradually thickening traffic, through which the Ferrari glides and swerves, its gearbox singing, its engine howling;

-Mazatlan's slums, clogged with pedestrians, bicyclists and taxis, where slaughtered pigs and cattle carcasses hang on hooks;

-A lengthy strip of highrise hotels looming over the beaches.

The Ferrari zooms down a ramp into the darkness of an underground parking lot of the HOTEL CORONA DEL MAR.

INT. HOTEL BAR - NIGHT

A cheesy mariachi band plays on a low stage.

Immaculately-dressed, gorgeous, androgynous ORFEO DEL RIO sits in a corner booth. The blonde woman from the photograph sits across from him. She wears shades that cover her swollen, bruised eyelids. Next to her we see her fortyish HUSBAND who, though livid, holds his rage under control.

ORFEO
And how are you enjoying your vacation
in our beautiful country?

HUSBAND
(Pulling a small envelope part way
out of his coat)
Look...I've got the money.
Give me the negatives and the prints.

Orfeo gestures with a finger. The husband removes the envelope from his coat and slides it halfway across the table. Orfeo lets it sit.

ORFEO
And your charming wife, Mrs.--
(To the wife) Disc˙lpeme.
(To the husband) I never can recall a woman's name without seeing her eyes. (To the wife)If the lights are too bright, I'll order them dimmed...

In a nearby booth, we SEE a not-too-handsome thirtyish Mexican man, RODOLFO, who is eavesdropping. Rodolfo smiles imperceptibly.

Orfeo looks more closely at the wife.

ORFEO
It appears you've been beaten.
(He turns to the husband)
Are you one of those American wifebeaters
we hear so much about?

HUSBAND
Gimme the envelope, greaseball.

ORFEO
(Clucking his tongue)
Your cuckold's horns hang heavy, Mr. Gringo.
You Americans...why do your women stray so often?

Orfeo stares at the husband. The wife begins to cry. Orfeo removes the manila envelope from his inner coat pocket and gently places it next to the envelope containing the money.

The husband picks up the envelope and starts to open it.

WIFE
Please. Not here.

As the husband stands, he cannot resist looking inside. Then he looks at his wife with rage and disgust as they walk out of the bar.

Rodolfo slides into the booth. He opens the envelope and counts the American bills.

ORFEO
(In Spanish, subtitled)
I used to kill cows...

RODOLFO
(In Spanish, subtitled)
Now you fuck them...

ORFEO
It's a hard life we lead, compadrito.

RODOLFO
This will buy many guns.