The story is set during the Great Depression , specifically around the time of the 1933 Long Beach earthquake . Camilla ( Salma Hayek ) is a fiery , beautiful Mexican café waitress who aspires one day to be above her current standing in society , to make something of herself , to give her and her future children a place and chance in the world . Arturo ( Colin Farrell ) is a struggling writer who comes to Los Angeles 's Bunker Hill area to start his writing career . Though he falls in love with Camilla , he does not marry her . Later , Camilla is infected by tuberculosis and leaves Arturo without informing him . When Arturo finds her , she is about to die and he promises to marry her , but Camilla dies and Arturo writes a novel dedicated to Camilla . Arturo writes a dedication in one of his books to her and throws it into the sand
1933 Long Beach earthquake
1933 Long Beach earthquake
Ask the Dust (film)