Hi there, it's Steve Fishman. Hope you enjoyed the show. Welcome to a bonus episode of Avenger. Today, we're doing something different. We're going behind the scenes of an episode, our finale. This is the episode where the pilots of the Death Flights are finally brought to justice, in large part through the efforts of Miriam. What we're going to show you today are the mechanics of how this comes together.
This particular podcast is different from others that we've done because, as you know, we recorded all the interviews in Spanish, we translated the words into English, and then we brought in actors to voice those words. We were amazingly lucky to land Alexis Bledel to voice the part of Miriam. Alexis, you may remember, starred in Gilmore Girls and then she went on to win an Emmy for her starring role in Handmaid's Tale. She's also got a really special connection
to this story because her father is from Argentina. In fact, her first language was Spanish. We were also extraordinarily lucky to have Fisher Stevens director. Fisher's a co founder of our company, Orbit Media. More importantly, he's an Oscar winner for documentaries and the director of films, including stars like al Pacino and Justin Timberlake. What we're offering today is a peek behind the curtain Fisher directing Alexis. This is more or less a master class in directing and acting.
Hope you enjoy it. One quick note. The other voice that you'll hear is that of Andre's Caballero. He's our senior producer. At the beginning of this episode, he and Alexis are making small talk about kids, and what you need to know here is that Andres's partner is pregnant. Take it away.
I have two voys.
Okay, how old are they?
Seven? And three?
Ah?
Wow's bay sounds a fun age?
Three?
Well both Actually, yeah, it's good. It's really yeah, it's fun.
You can be honest with me. It's okay, it is.
It is there amazing, No, it's so fun to see them grow the day. The days are long, but the years are fast. The days can be long, but but it's good. It's all good stuff.
Okay, Well, here we are.
This is Fisher and by the way, Fisher's in New York, Alexis is in the studio in Texas, Andress in California.
Thank you, zoo. I think that's been a good way.
Yeah, definitely, that sounds good. We're recording today, right the the zoom.
Yes for people, Okay, for the role, I guess, yeah, that was. But if you get uncomfortable, just will turn it off. I mean, whatever you want, it doesn't matter to me. Okay, So why don't we go? And I apologize for the last time. My daughter's assembly got postpone because it rained, so I had to go watch her puppet parade, which meant a lot to her. So I appreciate you switching schedule. No, of course, no worries andres get ready for those And Alexis I been through there already.
It's like my favorite, like anytime they have like a show or something like the best.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Okay, let's go cold open and uh and let's read the whole cold.
Open by now. And Judge has attached the investigation.
And is our senior producer, and he's also the narrator of the podcast. At certain points he is reading the narration to que Alexis.
A surprise announcement and then there's the archival music archival Okay.
He said they had identified the pilots of the Death Flights who flew the Santa Cruz Church group in December nineteen seventy seven.
Just let's just do that one one more time, just warm it up.
He said. They had identified the pilots of the Death Flights who flew the Santa Cruz church group in December nineteen seventy seven.
All right, let's let's just do Alexis's lines from the top. So Alexis, just because this is the beginning of a new episode, I think we got to come in a little hotter, like you know, the Death Flights, And he said they you know, he said, I think you could come in just with a little more energy because it's the top of the show. Okay, cool, Then we'll do it a few times. But I think for the first one, just like, let's lay it out pretty this is the deal.
Okay, present the information.
Yeah, just and if it's too much, we'll bring it down. Okay, yeah, okay, Okay.
Now Alexis will end up repeating this same sentence seven times. It's like incredibly laborious. But I think if you listen carefully, you'll see how much better it gets from take to take.
He said, they had identified the pilots of the Death Flights who flew the Santa Cruz Church group in December nineteen seventy seven.
Much better, great who flew the Santa Cruz Church group and just laid the spell that one out, But the energy's awesome.
He said they had identified the pilots of the Death Flights who flew the Santa Cruz Church group in December nineteen seventy seven. I'll try it one more time because I messed up the date. He said they had identified the pilots of the Death Flights who flew the Santa Cruz Church group in December nineteen seventy seven.
Great, now, just do one more, just a little slower, but that's okay.
He said they had identified the pilots of the Death Flights who flew the Santa Cruz Church group in December nineteen seventy seven.
Great, now, one just really emphasized death flights, okay.
He said they had identified the pilots of the Death Flights who flew the Santa Cruz Church group in December nineteen seventy seven.
I think that's great. Andres I thought that was great, okay, So that is the right vibe. That's the right energy. Let's stay with that for these next couple.
Okay, great, was he trying to give the pilots a chance to leave the country?
Okay, we've skipped ahead a little. What's happening here is that there's now publicity about the pending arrest of the pilots, and Miriam's stunned and frustrated and worried about the effects of the publicity.
Try one, what wait, like, wait a minute, was like in your mind, it's like, wait a minute, was he trying to you know?
Yeah, was he trying to give the pilots a chance to leave the country?
Great? One more?
Was he trying to give the pilots a chance to leave the country?
And then just one, just do one with you. It was just like, was he trying to do it a little less?
But was he trying to give the pilots a chance to leave the country?
Amazing? Okay, now let's go into but then we realize something that it may have been a way to pressure the judge.
But then we realize something that it may have been a way to pressure the judge to finally order the arrests of the pilots.
Good, and then just stress the finally, but then.
We realize something that it may have been away to pressure the judge to finally order the arrests of the pilots.
Good, one more, just to have it.
It's great, But then we realized something that it may have been a way to pressure the judge to finally order the arrests of the pilots.
And then this pilot went to the judge's office and turned himself because this is fucking weird, like now they weren't running. The guy actually turned himself in.
M H Mario Danielle Arue. He was sixty two. He'd been flying for the National Airline. This pilot went to the judge's office and turned himself in.
Awesome, you want to just do one more different way? But that was fucking great.
All right, I love This must be a director's technique or some kind of you know, mix of sadism and technique. Fisher says, oh, like says that's awesome, that's fucking great, and then he adds just one more time, a different way. He must say that a dozen times in this short half hour version.
Mass Mario Danielle Arue. He was sixty two. He had been flying for the National airline. This pilot went to the judge's office and turned himself in.
Great, let's keep going. You're on a road.
That sounds great.
So the judge tells the pilot not to worry that he could go home, that someone would contact him soon. I mean, what the risk of the pilot's fleeing vanishing? It kept me up all night.
Great, just do that one again, right in it?
So the judge tells the pilot not to worry that he could go home, that someone would contact him soon. I mean, what the risk of the pilots fleeing vanishing? It kept me up all night.
Good. And then several weeks later, Miriam wakes up, makes coffee. Then she years the breaking news that they have been arrested.
Finally, the judge ordered the arrest of the three pilots involved in the flight that killed two French nuns and the mothers who were part of the Santa Cruz church group.
It's great, Alexis now you're so in it. It's fantastic.
Okay, okay, good, let's see.
Finally the judge ordered the arrest of the three pilots involved in the flight that killed the two French nuns, not the two French nuns. Um. Finally, the judge ordered the arrest of the three pilots involved in the flight that killed two French nuns and the mothers of the disappeared, who were part of the Santa Cruz church group.
Okay, let's try one where it's like. Finally, the judge formally ordered the arrest of the three pilots accused of participating. Yes, I said the wrong words. I said the wrong word, but no, that's um.
Finally, the judge ordered the arrest of the three pilots involved in the flight that killed two French nuns and the mothers of the disappeared, who were part of the Santa Cruz church group.
And the mothers of the disappeared.
Wait, he ordered the arrest of the mothers.
No, but it isn't. It killed the two French nuns and the mothers who disappeared, right yeah, or and the mothers who were I see why you want and the mothers I see why you took it disappeared out.
I'm sorry, uh, involved in the flight that killed the two French nuns.
Yeah, because right now, I'm like, wait.
They also arrested the mothers. Ye Okay, got it?
There we go.
Okay, Finally the judge ordered the arrest of the three pilots involved in the flight that killed two French nuns and the mothers who were part of the Santa Cruz church group.
I gotta do that again for accent.
Finally, finally, the judge ordered the arrest of the three pilots involved in the flight that killed two French nuns and the mothers who were part of the Santa Cruz church group.
Much better, that's clear. Two French nuns. How about two French nuns? Yeah, just be among them were the.
And finally the judge ordered the arrest of the three pilots involved.
In Okay, now, just slow it down a little bit.
Finally the judge ordered the arrest of the three pilots involved in the flight that killed the Santa Cruz church group.
And now, just have a little more sympathy with among them, just pick it up from there. Among them were the two French nuns.
Among them were the French nuns. And among them were the French nuns and the mothers who were looking for their disappeared.
Beautiful, that's great. I would use that last couple, she just said, andres with the earlier with the beginning of the other take.
After the Emnasty laws went into effect, there were trials that tried to expose the truth, but the accused were able to admit they had kidnapped and tortured people, and then they were just able to return to their homes and to their everyday lives with zero consequences.
Okay, that's good. I think now you can have a little bit more attitude and a bit more anger about this bullshit.
After the Emnasty laws went into effect, there were trials that tried to expose the truth, but the accused were able to admit they had kidnapped and tortured people, and then they were just able to return to their homes and to their everyday lives with zero consequences.
Much better, I think. The only thing I say is, but the accused they were able, you know, to admit that they had kidnapped and tortured people, and then like a little bit more like fuck then they could, you know what I mean?
Yep.
After the Amnesty laws went into effect, there were trials that tried to expose the truth, but the accused were able to admit they had kidnapped and tortured people and then they were just allowed to go back to their homes and their everyday lives with zero consequences.
Okay, you asked, Yeah, that was just a little more edge, and like, what the fuck can you believe this?
At which at the second half, right.
The second half, yes, the second.
After the amnesty laws went into effect, there were trials that tried to expose the truth, but the accused were able to admit they had kidnapped and tortured people.
One alt that was great, that's a good one. Just do one where you're just fucking really fucking pissed about this ship.
Now, Okay. After the amnesty laws went into effect, there were trials that tried to expose the truth, but the accused were able to admit they had kidnapped and tortured people, and then they were just allowed to return to their homes and to their everyday lives with zero consequences.
I think, yeah, if you just find the plug, I think it. Yeah, okay, yeah.
I sat just feet away from Astis. At one point he looked right at me with resentment, as if I owed him some sort of loyalty. It was absurd, as if he were telling me, how could you?
That was great, let's just do that again. That was really beautiful. I think it was absurd, as if you were telling me, how could you just don't rush that ending? But it was beautiful, Okay.
I sat just feet away from Astis. At one point he looked right at me with resentment, as if I owed him some sort of loyalty. It was absurd, as if he were telling me, how could you.
You got good? Let's just do what?
Yeah, I sat just away from Astis. At one point he looked right at me with resentment, as if I owed him some sort of loyalty. It was absurd, as if he were telling me, how could you great?
And just a disclaimer trash track day, so you might hear some crazy noises outside, but here we go.
Giancarlo is also there taking pictures, but we barely saw.
Sorry, I'm just reading through it.
Can I can we scroll down there? But we barely saw each other. There were so many people. Okay, I'm trying it again. The families and activists were anxiously waiting, so were the people who couldn't get in, watching live through a big screen outside the court. Giancardlo was also there taking pictures, but we barely saw each other. There were so many people.
Okay, one more time. Yeah, if you could just set the scene a little bit like okay, So this is what was going on, and it was so crazy the ones who couldn't get I mean like, this is a big, big deal.
Okay.
The families and activists were anxiously waiting. So were the people who couldn't get in watching life through a big screen outside the court. Jancardlo was also there taking pictures, but we barely saw each other. There were so many people and do.
You try one word? Gian Carlo was also there taking pictures. By the way, you know, everybody comes back in this ending, Yeah, even gen Carlo.
The families and activists were anxiously waiting, so were the people who couldn't get in watching life through a big screen outside the court. Giancardlo was also there taking pictures, but we barely saw each other. There were so many people.
Good, just do a pickup. Jim Carlo was also there taking pictures, but we barely saw each other. Just that one.
Gian Carlo was also there taking pictures, but we barely saw each other.
Great, that's great, okay, so then the trial happens more. It continues. The planes that killed mothers, whatever, whenever gen Carlo went to Rome, he'd fly Orlina said, Gina's And the thing is that these flights they tend to say the names of the pilots and rouse name. Why don't we take it from from whenever gen Carlo went to Rome. Let's just read that through right, or you want to just read the trial marks the mark the first time. Just take it from there.
Okay, the whole thing, just so, just so you get the scene. Okay, great, here we go this.
Trial here again, Andres is reading his lines, this narrator setting the scene.
Queuing alexis a state sanctioned assess nation program. The pilots were in the spotlight, especially those who flew the planes that killed the mothers and the nuns. The victims chosen from the crowd by a stieth. They'd been loaded on a death flight in December nineteen seventy seven, a skyvan, the same plane that Medium and Giangadlo had tracked down in Florida with the flight logs and the pilot's names.
Pilots who for thirty years were flying death machines had filtered back into civilian life, leading normal lives as if nothing had happened. At the time of the trial. Two of these pilots were flying regularly to Europe for Arlinus Argentinas, the country's national airline. One of them was Aru.
When whenever last name I had heard it before.
Whenever Jiancadlo went to Rome, He'll flied with Elinas Argentinas.
The thing is that in these flights they tend to say the names of the pilots, and the Aru last name struck with me because it was Assardo, last name from Sardinia, Italia. So when I looked at the list of pilots from Skyman, I immediately recognized the name. It was the same Aru I had actually flown with a death flight. Pilot.
Eru and Saint George had asked to leave the military around nineteen seventy eight, but not all the pilots did. One pilot, Alejandro DOMINGUOI Agustino, stayed and eventually ran airplane maintenance.
Seventeen days after the flight where the nuns and the activists were killed, a military superior wrote a letter praising the Agustino for his ability to follow instructions, his ability to be level headed.
Just how de Yeah, so let's just get so seventeen days, So, Alexis this is very important that you pinpoint this. Seventeen days after the flight where the nuns and the activists were killed, a military superior wrote a letter praising the Agostino for his ability to follow instructions, his ability to be level headed, which is like unfucking believable to kill these people. He's been praised, right, so make that very clear. It was only seventeen days after them.
Seventeen days after the flight where the nuns and the activists were killed, a military superior wrote a letter praising the Agostino for his ability to follow instructions, his ability to be level headed.
Wonderful one more time, just to keep that same, don't rush it same, okay.
Seventeen days after the flight where the nuns and the activists were killed, a military superior wrote a letter praising the Agostino for his ability to follow instructions, his ability to be level headed.
Beautiful networks.
I have to be ready to talk with lawyers and public defenders, and then I have to testify over and over again, which as long as I am alive, it's my responsibility.
At this point, a new prosecutor comes into the picture, and I say this, so so Riety has the big She has the big task of consolidating all the survivors testimonies people at ESTHMA with the evidence from Medium and gian Carlos investigation.
Okay, here say this, so let's just do this line again. I have to be ready to talk with lawyer you nailed it, and public defenders and then again, and then I have to testify over and over again, which as long as I am alive, it is my responsibility. I'm gonna have to keep doing this reliving this shit.
Okay, is it okay?
To scroll back up?
Dan? Please?
Thank you so much. I have to be ready to talk with lawyers and public def and then I have to testify over and over again, which as long as I am alive, it's my responsibility.
That was great. Now let's do one a little more intense. But that's a good version. That's an all And let's do an ALLT where it's a little bit more intense, like this is what I have to do.
I have to be ready to talk with lawyers and public defenders, and then I have to testify over and over again, which as long as I am alive, it's my responsibility.
Which as long as yeah, give me a little more energy.
Yeah, I have to be ready to talk with lawyers and public defenders, and then I have to testify over and over again, which as long as I'm alive, it's my responsibility.
Good addressed, Maybe I think that works.
And there they've and there they finally were sitting side by side. Sixty eight people accused a chain that started with Astis and ended with the pilots AREU, the Saint George, and Agostino went straight to a degree Acosta. Every single one of those sixty eight had done their part to complete this horrifying mission successfully.
Okay, that's great. Now I want you to say it, thinking about your life and all that shit that you went through and all those people that died hand of the sixty eight motherfuckers.
Okay, And there and there they finally were sitting side by side. Sixty eight people accused a chain that started with U and ended with the pilots Rue, the Saint George, and the Agustino and went straight to altigre Acosta. Every single one of those sixty eight had done their part to complete this horrifying mission successfully.
Very good, very good. You good with that on.
This Yeah, just it'd be good to just have that last line. Every single one of them. You nailed it in terms of the emotion. It's just like there was a slight starter and successfully other than that, but I think you nailed it.
Uh.
Okay, So handed with the pilot St. Georgian Agustina went straight to Costa. Every single one of those sixty eight had done their part to complete this horrifying mission successfully.
I can do it again. Can you do it again? Uh?
Every single one of those sixty eight had done their part to complete this horrifying mission successfully.
Great, and then the just the first line instead of and there they finally were, which we already got that just as back up, and there they were without the finally in it, just that line.
Maybe there they were sitting side by side. Sixty eight people accused.
And there they were sitting side by side. Sixty eight people accused.
Great, one more time sitting side by side, like let's see that sixty yeah, just slow it down. But that was.
And there they were sitting side by side, sixty eight people accused.
Great, sounds good, thank you Alexis yes, okay.
Um, where is the top?
Okay? So we don't want to quote him anymore, the like, where are those planes?
We cut that out right?
So just the.
Pink do we need that?
I'm not attached to it.
We already have this without gane Carlo. Yeah, I think it's better. Cool.
It's Chris, thank you for that.
Without gian Carlo, we never would have started this investigation in the first place. We never would have brought the pilots to justice.
Good. It's going to be powerful, you know, definitely going to be powerful. So all right, well, send Alexis and I the finished thing when you got it. I obviously here first, but then looking forward to it. Alexis, Yes, me too.
I can't wait to hear it.
All right, thank you so much, Alexis.
Thank you, Austin, call to to meet you person funk.
All right, I hope you enjoyed this peak behind the curtain. Just a couple of credits. Austin Smith is our associate producer, production coordinator andres our senior producer. Fisher Stevens is the director and in this bonus episode, we feature Alexis Bledell, who voices the character of Miriam. Remember as a member of True Crime Clubhouse, you can listen to ad free see you next time.