"I know, the light mists," "The fresh snow of winter mornings." "I could find you," "The white hare who's never seen." "But the bird, the bird has flown away," "And never shall I see him again." "Because I saw, the bird fly," "I saw the bird, I know he was leaving." "I heard him cry," "The beautiful bird chased by the wind." "The birth of a child usually causes a lot of joy to his family, yet for this one needs a family, and this wasn't the case with Sébastien." "But before I tell you his story, I'll introduce myself." "I'm Cécile Aubry, you're in my home and therefore your home too." "And returning to Sébastien whose destiny begins with a tragedy." "His mother died giving birth to him in a mountain refuge." "It was a January morning, it had snowed all night." "They tried to find out who this woman was, but nobody knew her, investigations came to nothing." "As for Sébastien's father, nobody has ever heard of him." "In the village, it's said he may be dead, or that he lives somewhere without bothering about his son." "Moreover, perhaps he's unaware that he has a son." "Hey, Emmanuel!" "What's going on?" "Come on!" "Can't you hold her back?" "Nothing doing, sir, she wants to go in front." "Yes, but she can't keep the pace, she ends up last." "All right." "Marc, jump on and take over." "You need to hold her head at first." "Then you let her go and you urge her on to the finish." "She needs that." "Well you're okay, there's no problem." "Lancelot' s making progress, he's lengthened his stride." "He needs to work over longer distances." "He's short of breath." "Hey, Pierrot." "Yes, what's up, Thomas?" "There's the postman, who..." "But you just had to leave it on my desk, it's not worth trotting this far with your gammy leg." "Well yes, I left the bills on your desk, but this is a registered one." "So I signed for you." "But you should still read it, eh?" "Thank you." "Hey Mario!" "Was it you that bridled, Monseigneur?" "Yes sir why?" "You must be careful, you know." "You can see it from here, it's too short, look at that." "What sort of work is this, just look at it." "Well, tell me, could you run if you..." "He has a sore mouth with a bridle like that." "I'm sure it didn't hurt." "All right, have you finished laughing." "Do what I tell you and then shut up." "In my day, apprentices weren't allowed to speak, but today..." "Good old Thomas!" "There's no good old Thomas." "In any case I knew how to saddle a horse." "And when I was told off, I said nothing." "By wrapping them in cotton wool, we spoil them." "Isn't it better that way, your bridle?" "It's not that difficult." "Ok, take them back into the home stretch." "Without pushing them." "So are you going to read your letter?" "Look at them." "What do you think of Monseigneur?" "Mario he had him bridled like a pig." "Don't you think he has a bit of a short gallop?" "Oh, I say, short or not, there aren't many of those in the Maréchal stables, I can tell you, eh?" "Hey Thomas, nobody came this morning?" "Well... the butcher, the baker..." "No." "Oh, and then the postman." "What about Sylvia?" "She told me she'd come to see the training." "Really?" "Well no, I haven't seen her." "Perhaps she won't be long." "Hey, read your letter." "You'll end up forgetting it in your pocket." "No, but I promised the postman." "You're getting fussy in old age, Thomas." "Ah yes, maybe." "It's not trouble I hope, boss?" "Hey boss, is there a problem?" "Oh dear, if I'd known." "Okay, tell them to go, that's enough for today." "Come on, the boss says you can go." "That's enough for today." "Go ahead." "Pierre." "Don't you recognize him?" "The American cousin Pierrot." "Have I changed that much?" "How are you Bertrand?" "Are you going to be in France long?" "For two or three months, perhaps always, it depends on business." "But you know I'm glad to see you." "We've completely lost touch." "It's been at least 10 years?" "13, I think." "Ah yes, you're right." "Good old Pierrot, eh?" "You were dying to see the horses." "Look." "Superb!" "And I see old Thomas is still going." "Are you coming with me?" "To be honest, I want to stay 2 minutes alone with Peter, if you don't mind?" "You're already there?" "Secretive, you said nothing to me." "Go away or I'll make a scene." "Lucky devil." "He's a nice guy, but he can be exasperating." "He fell on the house like a bomb this morning without warning us he was coming." "He's staying with you?" "Of course, do you expect us to send him to a hotel?" "Why not?" "Oh darling, because he's my cousin, and Dad loves him." "It'd make him ill." "What's wrong with you?" "You're not having a fit of jealousy, are you?" "I like Bertrand, that's all." "He's of no importance." "Nice horse." "It is, yeah." "You take care of them well, at least, you don't work them too hard?" "He's Monseigneur" "This one's Monseigneur?" "Ah yes, it's Monseigneur, a fine horse." "Come on, get them over there." "Darling but what's wrong with you?" "You're not your usual self." "And now am I like usual?" "Almost." "Sylvia, I need to leave for Paris immediately." "Really, you are a bore." "I thought you'd come to lunch with us." "And when will you return?" "I don't know, tomorrow or the day after." "Pierre, you swear it isn't the arrival of Bertrand that put you in this state." "No, of course not." "I have a problem, that's all." "Oh, some old history that's surfaced." "Tell me." "I received an anonymous letter." "When?" "Earlier." "I want to know who sent it to me." "It has to do with what happened 10 years ago?" "Yes." "If you start being secretive before marriage, what will it be like after?" "Because what it says in this letter, may be absurd." "Don't force me to tell you about it now." "You trust me?" "You know I love you." "Yes." "I love you too." "So, everything's fine." "You're the anonymous letter?" "It's me." "And you, your name is Pierre Maréchal?" "Yes." "What proof do you have?" "Will my identity card suffice?" "Ok." "You have the money, I suppose?" "That's not what we agreed." "Talk and we'll see." "For this price, I haven't much to say." "No, talk, hurry up, I have no time to lose." "What I wrote in my letter, I learned in prison." "Once out, I thought it might be useful." "I wasn't wrong, it seems." "You know, you learn things in prison." "There are days when guys have the blues, then they talk." "Rigaud, a gypsy, that means something to you?" "You'd better make yourself clear." "Hey, don't push it, eh, leave me time to explain." "So Rigaud, he became friends with me." "He told me how he'd knifed you in the ribs, because of his sister, because she was expecting a child." "Then he went crazy." "And she died by bringing a child into the world." "I see you can read my writing." "Yes... she died in the mountains." "It happened on January 20, 9 years ago." "And the child is alive?" "Yes, the kid is alive." "And Rigaud knows what happened to him?" "Of course he knows, and me too." "So what are you waiting for to tell me?" "Well, my 2000 Fr." "I need money." "You'll have it, but later." "What do you take me for?" "Did you imagine I'd swallow whatever you say without checking if it's true?" "Then, goodbye." "All things considered..." "Rigaud was my friend." "He asked me to find you and tell you the truth." "So here goes, and too bad if I'm had." "Your kid is still where he was born." "The region is Belvédère, in the Maritime Alps." "The farm is above the village." "It's there that he lives with an old man called César." "I don't have his surname." "You have nothing more to tell me?" "No." "Where can I send you the money?" "To Tatar in Remoustier." "I'm Jeannot, but everyone knows me there." "Off with you." "And the blackmail's over." "Next time it's the police who'll meet you." "Don't worry." "I've had enough of the cops." "Goodbye Mr. Maréchal, but if you don't keep your word, watch out, I'll find you." "Did this guy seem for real?" "I had that impression at the end of our interview." "You intend to pay this 2000 Fr?" "Of course, if everything he told me turns out to be true." "That's why I came to see you." "Biard, it's to a friend that I speak, as much as to a lawyer." "I'm listening." "Do you remember the time when I left Jonquières on a whim." "My father has never forgiven me." "And then one day I found myself in Sainte Marie de la Mer." "I was 18 and I hadn't a penny." "I met Maitcha." "She and her brother helped me a lot." "I had a really great affection for them." "One evening, I don't know on what new whim..." "Obviously, I couldn't do anything other than take care of horses," "I decided to start a circus." "There was eventually about twenty of us in the business." "I got along well with them." "Of course they were almost all of the family of Maitcha and of Rigaud, up to the old uncle who played the role of clown." "I've rarely seen better." "Maitcha... she kept an eye on things, took care of everything." "She was only 16 years old, but she was beautiful." "Rigaud realized that we were in love." "He became hard almost cruel." "He sought every excuse to provoke a fight." "And I wanted to take Maitcha far away from this." "I decided to marry her, whether my father liked it or not." "Only we had to wait three years." "And then you learned she was expecting a child." "Yes." "I wanted to go with her." "Finally, you know the rest." "Rigaud was mad with rage." "He insulted his sister, in front of me and it ended with a stabbing, which put me in hospital..." "for 8 months." "When I came out, I tried to find Maitcha," "She had disappeared." "Rigaud, he ended up in prison." "During his interrogation, he didn't even mention his sister." "Perhaps he didn't want to know what happened to her." "Moreover there were 20 witnesses to say the fight had nothing to do with her." "The family joined forces against her and me." "And then one day I received a letter from my father." "He asked me to return to Jonquières." "And I gave in." "Meanwhile, as you know..." "he died." "Time passed, I forgot." "Mr Biard..." "If a child really was born, I want to know what became of him." "It's easy to check, I think." "This child, if it exists, has a civil status." "I can know by a simple phone call." "Then, do it, please." "This is one of my friends, he'll be able to inform me... better than anybody and quickly." "Hello..." "Jardin?" "Mr Biard, here." "Very well, thank you, and yourself?" "Tell me, Jardin, would it be possible to make a quick phone call to the Belvedere town hall?" "It's a village in the Maritime Alpes." "Yes, rght away, and if you could do so personally, I'd appreciate it." "Thank you, you do me a great service." "I'd like to know where, when, and how... a child whose first name is Sébastien was born." "He lives on a farm with an old man called César." "No, I don't know the surname." "Thank you very much." "Bye for now, Jardin." "He'll call me back." "Hello, yes." "Oh, good!" "Thank you, Jardin hope to see you very soon." "The child was born of unknown father and unidentified mother, but certainly of gypsy origin, at least assuming by her look and clothing." "The old man César hasn't officially adopted the child, but he raised him and has custody." "And what language did she speak?" "Spanish." "How old is the child?" "The child was born on January 20, he's nine." "The old man César has a passion for him, that's become legendary throughout the village, it seems." "Mr Biard, if possible," "I want you to go and find this man." "It's very possible, I'll leave the office to my first clerk, and leave as soon as you'd like." "Thank you." "You must ask him two questions." "That will help you to identify the child's mother?" "Yes." "If I get the answers I expect..." "I shall recognize her son." "Had this woman a physical detail, any distinguishing feature that you noticed?" "Yes, she had a brown spot under her chin, a rather broad birthmark." "It seemed like a little ivy leaf, you see." "I reported it at the time, but it wasn't enough to identify her." "Was she wearing a necklace or any jewelry?" "Yes." "Yes, it wasn't a necklace, it was a small gold medallion, hanging from a chain around her neck." "Here you are." "I always have it on me, until Sébastien could look after it himself." "I was afraid he'd lose it." "This is the only memory he has of his mother." "See, on one side, there's the Blessed Virgin, and on the back there are two initials engraved:" "P. M." "I have long wondered what it meant." "Pierre Maréchal." "Sir, I don't want to hide it from you any longer, it's the name of the man who sent me." "He said he hurt himself engraving his initials on this medallion." "He's undoubtedly the father of this child." "César, I can tell you also that Pierre Maréchal wishes to recognize his son." "What position do you take with respect to him?" "I always hoped that Sébastien's father was alive," "And that he'd show up some day." "Though I've loved and raised this child, it's not to deny him... a father who comes out of the blue." "And a fortune." "It's not important." "What matters is to make Sébastien a man." "And I'm too old to go to the end of my task." "Have no fear, I'll speak to him." "Belle!" "Belle!" "Belle!" "Sébastien." "Belle!" "Yes, but you will come with me?" "I'll accompany you." "Yes, but I mean, you'll stay?" "At the beginning, yes, but not always." "Then, I'm not going." "I want you, Celestine, Belle, and then the mountain." "I don't know this guy." "He's your father, Sébastien, nothing more, nothing less." "I don't know him." "You must get to know him." "What if I don't like him?" "You have to like him." "Why didn't he care for me before?" "He didn't know that you lived here, Sébastien." "There, just below the tip of the grand bayou, there are two fawns roaming." "You see them?" "There!" "Think no more of fawns, Sébastien, or our mountains." "Over there at your father's, there are horses." "Beautiful horses with manes like the hair of a girl." "Do you think Belle will like them?" "What about you?" "I don't know." "I don't know them." "Besides, you don't know them either." "No." "Then why are you talking to me about it?" "The lawyer told me everything while you were roaming the mountain." "And then, I guess..." "Over there..." "there's the sea, and the beach," "And between the sky and sand, the horses run." "But, you don't know my father either." "No." "Why did you say that I had to go away with him?" "Because." "That's weird." "No." "You'll do as the chicks when they finally learned to fly... and they set off for the long journey." "You've said that you liked to watch the birds leaving, Sébastien." "Me?" "I never said that." "Sébastien's Destiny" "Subtitles by Oliver Sanderson"