- Two moments in the life of Pedro. First in 1997, he lives with his family in Rio de Janeiro and works at Gás do Brasil, a company that is undergoing a tough restructuring process, with layoffs and early retirements. Soon, privatization will come. In the second moment, two years later, Pedro lives retired in his hometown Barbosa, in the company of his childhood memories, his dog and his girlfriend. By interweaving these two moments in time, we put ourselves in Pedro's skin and experience his fears and delights.
- PEDRO was a child in the small town of Barbosa during the 50s. He was 11 when he first heard the story of a jaguar turning up during the night in the nearby farms. One night, a farmer prepared a trap and killed the jaguar. The next day all the kids went running to see this beautiful creature, lying dead, with its yellowish skin full of black dots all dirty of blood. This image stayed with Pedro for the rest of his life. Fast-forward to the 90s and Pedro (55) now lives in Rio de Janeiro with his family. He works as Environmental Projects Manager at Gas Brasil (GB), a state-owned company. His wife SONIA (45) is an economist who has just lost her job of many years at a multinational company. ROSA (20), their daughter, is studying Journalism at university. PAULA (40), KATIA (39) and GUTO (35) form Pedro's team at Environmental Projects. DANTAS (53), also a manager at the company since the 70s, is Pedro's best friend. In order to get GB ready for sale, the government hires an American firm specialised in restructuring corporations. Dismissals and forced early retirements become part of everyday life at GB. White little dots start to pop up on Pedro's skin. Having worked for over 20 years at GB, Pedro cannot be fired, but is instead offered a generous voluntary early-retirement package, as were many others in his position. Sonia's dream is to have her own business. After crunching up the figures, she realises that the payout money could make that dream come true. Pedro refuses to consider retirement. Still in his 50s, he believes his experience is a valuable asset for the company and that there are many projects he has yet to develop. More white dots start to appear on Pedro's skin. He says to Sonia, kidding: I am becoming a jaguar. Around the same time, DANTAS begins to work on restructuring, discreetly preparing lists with the names of employees who can be dismissed or "retired". The ghost of corporate restructuring has arrived at GB's imposing building in Rio's business district. Slowly, it creeps upwards, floor by floor, firing those with less than 5 years with the company, and "retiring" those who had worked there for 15 years or more. Dantas tells Pedro that the projects he is currently working on will be suspended indefinitely and that his team has to be dismantled within the next 24 hours. Dantas argues that the department would still exist, but without the current team. They quarrel. Pedro tries his best to save his team but fails miserably. Pedro wakes up early next morning and heads to the office. He lets his entire team go and feels like he's shot them point blank. More white dots appear. "It must be vitiligo; the Cubans have found a cure for it" he was told by his friends. Now there is only Pedro in his large office. Dantas takes the early retirement package. His plan is to work as a consultant to the newly privatized GB, and he uses his payout as well as a large bank loan to fund a luxurious new office space for himself. Dantas believes that the new managers at GB will have to rely on the know-how of its old employees. Pedro plans to stay with GB for similar reasons: he thinks that when the company is finally privatized, his experience and knowledge would be needed once again and that he then be asked to head the new Environmental Projects department once again. Sonia dreams of the business they could have if only Pedro accepted the early retirement package. Many employees lose their jobs; others take the voluntary early retirement package. GB is not completely emptied out because young newly hired execs take over some positions. One day, when he arrives at work, he notices there is no one left working on his floor. He sees his desk pushed up against the wall in the hallway. His things are neatly piled inside a box on the desk. He finds that strange. Who would have done that? Pedro continues to walk towards his office door. He hears voices - so the floor isn't quite empty yet. He walks in and finds two young execs chatting away. They greet him and explain that a new team would be taking over that space. Pedro loses it and tries to hit one the guys. In a quick jiu-jitsu move, he's forced onto the ground, hitting his head in the process and losing consciousness. Pedro retires a few days later. Gas Brasil is privatized. A few months go by. Pedro and Sonia start up a cleaning supplies distribution business. Sonia is happy, and loves running her own business. Pedro is not enjoying it. Pedro needs to get out of Rio for a while. Sonia and Rosa decide not to join him. Back in his hometown Barbosa, his childhood friends are now middle-aged men. LOLA (50), his ex-girlfriend when he was a young man is now divorced and the mother of a grown up son. She's still very attractive. They get back together again, and Pedro feels he's come home. The white dots on his skin have spread all over his body. The memory of that bloodied, dead jaguar gives way to one that is very much alive.
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