"Am I beautiful?" "The most beautiful in the world." "Am I?" "Really?" "Mum?" "Mum?" "JOURNEY TO MYTILENE" "Please leave a message after the beep." "Eleni, the notary rang." "I inherited the house." "I'm coming to the island for a few days." "Where have you been, Kosteli?" "You're late." "The teacher will scold you." "Dad?" " Mum?" " Where have you been all these years?" "You look pale, child." " Who are you?" " Your niece." "Aunt Giorgia's daughter." "Uncle Miltiadis?" "You didn't even send a postcard to your uncle." "You forgot me." "No, I did not." " Grandma's pie." " Aunt Litsa." "Don't forget your book, in the evening." "Geography." "Yes, uncle Elias." " Eleni, what are you doing here?" " Grandma is waiting for you." "Granny?" "I settled the matter of the house." "Everybody agreed, except Elias." "For our dear boy abroad." "You go buy three underpants and two vests." "I 'm too old to do your shopping now." "And be careful." "They shouldn't be too tight." "Buy them large." "Take it." "Lift the sheets." "I want to leave." "Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to land in Athens." "Eleftherios Venizelos airport." "Please remain seated with your seat belts fastened... until the plane has come to a complete stop... and the seat belt sign has been turned off." "The captain and the crew thank you for choosing our company." "We wish you a pleasant afternoon in Athens." "Have a nice stay." " Will you stay long in Athens?" " A couple of days." " And then?" " I'm going to Mytilene." " What is Mytilene?" " An island... in the north Aegean Sea." "Is it a tourist island?" "Is the sea nice there?" "The sea..." " Are you Greek?" " You?" "Come on now." "Are you kidding me?" " Why are you filming?" " Do you mind?" "Yes." "Turn it off." "Kosteli, come on in." "My father's cousin is putting me up for a night in Kipseli." "When dad passed away... he continued working with the same old camera." "Do you remember little Joseph?" "I work in his shop now." "He wants me only for the black and white films." "Black and white photography is more difficult." "Requires experience." "Remember it?" "Your dad was the last one to use such a camera." "He insisted on that." "His father did the same." "70 years ago, it was fashionable." "Stand still!" "Someone wanted to have it as an antique." "But I'm keeping it." "I used to stick my head in there." "Wait!" "Hold on!" "That's it." "Look at here." "Smile!" "Don't close your eyes, Kosteli." "One..." "Two..." "Three..." "It will be yours, when you grow up." "He gave us a job, Kosteli." "I never got to know Athens." "I was just passing through." "I've never even been to the Acropolis." "Kostas!" "I found out about your mother." "I had promised your father." "She is gone now." "That's all that's left of Marigoula, son." "Her face..." "I dreamed about it, I saw it." "But her voice?" "Gone forever." "I'd give anything just to hear her voice again." "Where is the tree?" "Outside." "In the yard." " How did she do it?" " With wool." "From her cardigan, son." "And set herself on fire." "She was my mother!" "I slept endless hours hoping to see her in my dreams." "Alive." "She didn't show up." "I only felt her hand caress my hair and cheeks." "I chose to travel by ship." "I wanted to arrive late in Mytilene." "Just like on the last school excursion." "Sailing back from Athens." "A 13-hour journey." "The sea was rough off the Cavo D' Oro." "Seasick." "Asleep in the open sea." "And then, all alone." "Just me and the sea." "At dawn, I went up on the deck... and started recording." "You're cold." "Why don't you go inside to get warm?" "I want to smell the sea." "To see it." "The sun will come up soon and I'll get warm." "It's me, Dimitroula!" "Come on, uncle!" "I dance at the Gloria bar." "In Menidi." "At the last bus stop." " Come to show me in September." " Where?" "On television." "Do not undress in front of him." "Turn around." "Don't look." "Mytilenians love this sunrise." "Most people travelling 3rd class come out to watch daybreak." "Get ready." "Now." "Ladies and gentlemen, we are arriving at Mytilene shortly." "You are kindly requested to get ready for disembarkation." "Make sure no personal belongings are left behind." "ANEK lines, the captain, the officers and crew... thank you for travelling with us and hope to see you again soon." "I can smell the oil and the soap." "The barrels soaked the soil..." "and the cement... on the dock." "Aghios Therapontas' church." "My family's life is connected with its courtyard." "That's where dad's photography shop was." "Where is that music coming from?" "From Apano Skala?" "From the castle?" "It sounds like the band of the orphanage." "Hello, Bat." " Morning, Mirsinoula." " Good morning." "That's it." "Raise your hand in maths." "Show the teacher you've studied." "Yes, dad." "Kosteli..." "You see that balcony?" "Yes, dad." "How many pots are there on its railings?" "I can see them." "There are three." "One with basil." "You don't believe me?" "Go take a look." "My father's nickname was Bat." "Everyone thought he could see better in the night... because he put his head in the camera obscura." "He believed it, too." "And never missed a chance to prove it." "Well?" "Three pots, one with basil." "See?" "Come on now." "Let's go home." "We set off for distant places... foreign lands, unfamiliar seas..." "You are left alone on the wharf... the island will always be on my mind..." "We're not afraid of the waves, Kosteli!" "No, dad!" "We are not!" "Let's revise." " Five times six?" " Thirty!" " Louder than the wave!" " Thirty!" " Four times eight?" " Thirty-two!" " Three times nine?" " Twenty-seven!" "When did the Battle of Marathon take place?" "490 B.C." "Of Salamis?" " 480 B. C!" " That's my Kosteli!" "On the first day, I shut myself up in the hotel." "I watched the city from behind the pane." "I listened to the sounds." "And now and then, voices." "I thought I recognised them." "Giorgeli!" "You go to Apano Skala and bring the truck!" "To load the sacks for Aghiasos!" "You have a good afternoon sleep, Kosteli." "We're having a long walk tonight to the Virgin of Aghiasos." "To pray for strength." "Your father and I have made a solemn promise." "I think I can hear uncle Miltiadis... chanting hymns..." "of all the feasts of the year." "Bless Him, youths!" "Praise Him, O priests!" "People, exalt Him... above all forever!" "There's a fountain ahead." "Don't drink too much water." "You'll be short of breath." "I'm scared." "It's August 15th." "Fear not." "We honour our vow, Marigoula." "We are protected." "When you're tired, we can stop for a while." "Not yet." "Aghiasos is 20 km away." "If we walk 3 km per hour, we'll be there by dawn." "My shoe is too tight." "Better without shoes." "It's more pious." "Shall I take them off?" "Make radiant... my soul's attire..." "O giver of Light... and save me." "You want me to slow down?" " Yes, a little slower, moreli." " Mytilenian?" "I was born in Lagada." "At Zoodohos Pigi." "I'm from Aghiasos." "If I talk in Aghiasos's dialect, you won't understand a thing." "Did you get it?" "You didn't." "I can't hear any cicadas." "Only the odd one, now and then." "It's already autumn, moreli." "Haven't you noticed?" "Can you sound like a cicada?" "An uncle of mine, Miltiadis... every time we ate under the trees, he would do the crow, the blackbird... the sparrow, the cicada, the wasp, the scarab." "He'd leave the scraps lay there for hours... for the birds and the insects, he used to say." "Good morning." "I'm looking for Mr Miltiadis Chalikiopoulos." " I'm his nephew." " Mr Miltos?" "He plays in the theater at the back." " Ms Eleni Kountouri?" " She's there, too." "She's their teacher, moreli." "Three, two, one, go." "O, thou king of eternal night." "O, ye Godesses of the underworld." "I beg you." "See to it our stranger... does not perish with a heavy heart." "Why did you send for me, Oedipus?" "Son of Laius?" "O, ye Godesses of the underworld." "I beg you." "I like watching her through the camera." "From a distance." "Even if she gets angry." "I was expecting you." " Will you film the rehearsal?" " I've already started." "They'll like it." "It's a special day." " My uncle?" " Oedipus at Colonus." "Don't bother him now." "Sophocles lived in the 5th c." "B.C." "During the glorious days of Athens." "He wrote this tragedy when he was ninety." "If he was here with us... he would be the oldest." "Today, we'll rehearse scene six and the Exodus." "We begin." "Take your places." "Here comes Theseus, king of Athens." "Oedipus will lead him to the place where he will die." "He will ask the king not to reveal where the grave is, so as to make the city of Athens impregnable." "The characters are..." "Oedipus..." "Antigone, Ismene..." "Mrs Evgenia as the messenger..." "and the Chorus." " Does Oedipus stand here?" " Yes, Mr Miltiadis." "Action." "Why did you send for me, Oedipus, son of Laius?" "My time has come." "And before I die..." "I will uphold the promise I made... to you... and to the city of Athens." "What are the signs of your death?" "I'm being warned... by the successive thunderclaps and lightning flashes... that were sent by the hand of Zeus." "I believe you, Oedipus." "Tell me then, what should I do for you?" "I will lead you to the site... where I must die." "You must never disclose it... and that will always help you." "To no one of the citizens... not even to my own daughters... would I show the grave." "Despite the affection that I feel for them." "You... keep the secret." "And when you reach the end of your life... reveal it to your successor." "And he, in turn, to the one that follows." "And so, you shall never fear that Athens will be ruined... by our foes." "Let us now depart for that site." "For God's message has been revealed." "Let us not delay." "Let us go now, my daughters!" "Do not hold me back." "Let me go alone... to find that holy site... where Fate desires... that my body is buried in this ground." "O, Light, thou art dark for me." "Now is the last time that my body touches you." "May your happiness... be eternal." "And may you remember me... when I'm dead." "Neither was he caught by a burning thunder... nor by a waterspout risen from the sea." "It was a god that took him." "And the foundations of Earth opened up mercifully... for him to descend to the kingdom of the dead... without pain." "He didn't leave with sighs... nor was he tormented by disease." "May I say it in my own language?" "Let's call it a day!" " My uncle?" " Let him take off his make-up." "Can you picture Sophocles?" "I remember a description by heart." "Strong limbs... rich hair." "Bright, calm face." "As if attic grace took shape." "Are you happy, Elenitsa?" "Excuse me." "I come from the dry-cleaner's." " For Mrs Greta Kritikou?" " Number 18." "Did you see her?" "She was listening." "She won't come down to eat." "The nurse takes it to her room." "She doesn't want anyone near her." "Neither you." "With your telephoto lens." " Medium sugar." " Turkish?" "It's called Greek coffee now." "I haven't had one in years." " With froth?" " Sure." "Excuse me." "Yes, Roula." "I'm looking for Mr Miltiadis..." "to take his make-up off." " Isn't he in his room?" " Let me see." "Wait a minute." "Right there." "That's how I first saw you in Paris." "With that same look over my head." "Only the ceiling was spinning and the lights were flickering." "Quickly!" "Stomach pump!" "Hurry!" "He's taken barbiturates." "Why did you do it?" "I've asked you before." "Why did you do it?" "I know where he is." "Near the gorge, the landscape is completely different." "As if it was found somewhere else." "A tiny, exclusive paradise." "Your uncle knew about it." "He used to go there as long as he had the strength." "Let's go." "Look at the birds." "See the swallows." "This is where I first killed a bird." "I held a stone... aiming at it." ""Fly away"!" "I shouted." "It took no notice." "I closed my eyes... and threw the stone." "It fell at my feet." "Its wing, like that..." "Open." "I cried so much." "I'm still crying." "We used to come here with my father in the summer." "Great things are all here." "Miss?" "Listen." "A goldfinch." "It sings like a girl." "Listen, listen." "Sly little puss!" "I'm surrounded by love." "I can't take so much love anymore." "Set me as a seal... upon thine heart." "As a seal upon thine arm." "For love is as strong as death." "We are walking in heaven!" "But we are not dead." "Miss?" "Look at the curve of the mountain." "How gentle!" "I feel like a tree." "With branches and leaves." "O, how blessed are you my soul!" "My roots pierce the earth." "Now, the grouse... are singing, saying" "Wake up, my love..." "Come my love, wake up." "If only you came for a while... just for one night..." "Every single moment..." "I wanted to press the button." "To capture him on film." "And yet, something stopped me." "Light is a mystery!" "How did he get here?" "Hitchhiking." "He used to do that." "We had such a nice time... such a nice time." "We had such a nice time... all year long." "Uncle Miltiadis?" "It's me." "Kostakis." "Look!" "The moon has come up." "Now, I'm going to sleep." "Eleni, dear," "I'm scared on my own." " Please, come again today." " In a moment." "I'll be waiting." "You'll sleep well." "The camera is forbidden where I'm going." "It's forbidden." "By whom?" "By me." "Evanthia thinks I'm her daughter." "You can imagine all the rest." "Good night." "I read your file and asked to look after you tonight." "I have an early shift tomorrow and I live a bit far." " Are you from Mytilene?" " In a way." "I went to Mytilene as a child." "My dad was transferred there." " Was he in the army?" " He was a judge." " Where did you live?" " In Kioski." " With the aristocracy." " You?" "Our house was on 67, Zoodohou Pigis str." "Just outside the city." "Good evening" "He has to take the orange pill at 3 and the other one at 5." "Take his temperature at 6." " Note it in the medical file." " Alright." "Do you want me to call someone in Greece?" "I'm not in touch with anyone." "I have no one there." " How long does a quince live?" " Sorry?" "The quince in our garden." "We couldn't cut them because women made preserves out of them." "I haven't eaten one since." "At times, I wake up with their taste in my mouth." "Like now..." "I'm sorry, dear." " I can't hold it in." " Let's go and wash ourselves." "How did I grow old so fast?" " The water stings." " Come, sing along." "We are the only ones without hot water." "Dad is saving money for me." "Clean and washed..." "You'll become a doctor..." "I'm afraid of needles." "We'll stroll on the coast, Kosteli." "Arm in arm." "In the bathroom, mum and I played with the water." "I could smell her." "With soap in the hair." "Here is the towel." "Wrap yourself up." "Clean clothes are on the bed." "It's my turn now." "Come along." "Pour for me." "Those slippers are too big for you." "They will fit you next year, too." "Goodbye, Miltiadis." "And..." "O King of the underworld... help him pass peacefully," "Into the dark valley of dead..." "That night, aunt Giorgia called us at home." "She was sick and wanted the hot water bottle." "Mum wasn't there." "Dad told me to take it to her without warning me to be careful." "And I... after I left aunt's house, I went down to the harbour." "I'd never seen the quay like this before." "Strateli found her." "She doesn't feel a thing." "Mum!" "Go away!" "Where was I?" "It was just a bad dream, Marigoula." "Take one of me with the photographer." "Thank you." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Mr Petros is late today." "Very polite man." " What's the time?" " 8:30." "It's still early." "They'll start coming anytime soon." "The neighbourhood is full of people." "I'm waiting for the grocer as well." "I'll cook some green beans." "Eleni, do you want anything from the fridge?" "We're going to my office." "Are you coming?" "No camera." "Kostas!" "Can I bring you anything?" "Fetch me a can of orange juice." "Straight ahead." "Walk a little." "Just there." "That's the fridge." "Open it." "Take a can of orange juice." "That's water." "Try again." "That's wine." "Look again." "Well done." "Give it to me." "Taxi service?" "Please, come to the Old Folks' Home." "You'll be late." "Fine, I'll call you back." "Here it is." "Next to the heart." "This you give to the taxi driver." "It will get there and back." " Will he be long?" " That's what they said." "Be patient." "I'll call again." "Ms Evgenia..." " What is the taxi for?" " He's ready to go out." "He's been up since six this morning." "Poor fellow." "He rarely leaves the Home." " Where is he going?" " To Afalonas." "To a Mrs Mary." "He talks about her all the time." "As if she was here." "We can take him." "I'll go fetch the car." "Mr Apostolos is nearly 90." "He was imprisoned when still a boy during Metaxas' dictatorship." "After the war, he was exiled as a communist to Ai Stratis." "He was released briefly, before the junta and then off to Yaros." "He's been in prison all his life." "Except for ten years on and off." "He feels safe here in the Home." "Lucky us!" "We won't pay!" "Here is Mrs Mary's address." " You'll bring him back." " Sure." "I'm saying grace before lunch." "No one else can do it." "We can't eat without our Pater Noster..." "Closed factories." "Closed factories means..." "many jobless workers." "Nothing worse." "My heart aches for them." "It was better in prison." "We worked in secret." "For our ideals." "We dreamed of a fairer world for our children, sir." "We believed in it." "I think it's here." "We are in Afalonas." "Beside the olive grove." "Mrs..." "Mrs Mary?" "It's locked." "She's not in, grandpa." "She must have gone shopping." "I'll sit on that stump and wait for her." "Mrs Mary?" "She never left the house." "She always wanted me to stay for lunch." " What's the time?" " How do you know Mrs Mary?" "We worked together." "She's one of us." "She's been through a lot." "She got married, divorced... prison, exile..." "Now she's sick too." " Is she old?" " Not very. 80 or so." "What time is it?" " Nearly eleven." " Fine." "Time to get back." "I want to say Credo, but I always forget the words." "We believe in one God, the Father Almighty... maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen." "We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ..." "What comes next?" "I know how to light an oil-lamp too." "Aunt Litsa taught me." "When her husband died... she decided to get a driving licence." "She made it." "In her fifties." "She bought a second hand car and delivered coal she made in her field." "And every night, no matter what... she lit the roadside shrines." "When she went to the village... she used to take me with her." "Don't tell mum I took you with me in all that snow." "It'll be our little secret." "She'll be angry at us." "Here we are." "Get off." "Come on!" "Wrap yourself in the blanket!" "You'll catch your death." "Get the bucket!" "Well done, my boy." "Let's go to Giorgeli now." "May the Lord have mercy on his soul." "Holy mighty!" "Let's light the oil lamp to light him through the night." "Fine." "There are two Georges side by side." "Let's go now." "Let's go to Prokopis, the plumber." "There's an icon of St Prokopios, the Warrior inside." "A gallant Saint in magnificent armour." "Nice." "Now, we'll go to Marina." "A medical student from Kalloni." "They put an icon of St Marina... who was a girl when she became a martyr." "Down there, moreli, is the Crucifixion." "And the Resurrection, far beyond." "As if this road is the Golgotha of life." "From Crucifixion to Resurrection." "God forgive them." "Is Litsa still alive?" "Come on in." "Snow, more snow." "It's snowing outside." "Let's go to the light lamps." "God forgive Giorgeli." "He was from Sivris..." "he died long ago." "Prokopis." "Prokopis, the plumber." "And there's Gianneli." "He looked like John the Baptist." "God forgive me." "Who are you?" "Have you come down from the snow?" "Do you want charcoal?" "I haven't got any." "There is no wood left." "There are no more trees." "Beech, chestnut, holly." "That's what we burnt." "Tell her who you are." "Talk to her." "She might remember you." "Let'em burn me!" "Turn me into coal." "Reach for her!" "Lean on her!" "I can't." "That evening, I set my camera in the hall of the Home." "Mrs Marianna had taken her chair out... as if she was in her yard." "Won't the moon come up tonight?" " No moon tonight, my child?" " It's cloudy, grandma." "An old comrade knows the news." "Like it's on the radio." "Every night." "He stays up for the breaking news." "Otherwise, he won't sleep." "Do you know what he told me?" "That he dreamt of Mrs Mary." "Young." "Like in the old days." "Picking roses." ""I could smell them", he said." "Goodnight." "In wisdom hast Thou made them all." "To hell with You!" "I wonder where Greta went all alone so late." "She wanted to have a cigarette." "Quietly." "Without being seen." "I had to meet the notary in Mytilene." "I asked for the same taxi driver..." "I felt an urge to speak in Mytilenian dialect." " Finished your job?" " Yep." "What school did you go to?" " Primary or high school?" " Both." "You're younger and I don't remember you." "6th primary school and 1 st high school." "You had Fterouga for Maths and Madouvala for Latin." "Bah." "And Harding for physics." "You remembered "bah"." "It means "no" for others, but "yes" for Mytilenians." "I kind of remember you." " You were slim." " My nickname was "garfish"." "You lost some hair." "You're getting bald." "IOANNIS GIAKALIS NOTARY [I'm at the coast.]" "I'm looking for Mr Giakalis, the notary." "Are you the Bat's son, moreli?" "What are you doing there?" "What's that thing?" " Shall I go on?" " You might as well." "Hang on." "They don't bite anymore." "I called you three times about the house." "I should have been a fisherman." "Anyway." "They're leaving you the house." "Your father, uncles..." "All except your uncle Elias." "If you repair it, he wants one room." "If you get a block of flats for it, he wants a bedsit." "And if you don't want to see his face, you must agree on a compensation." "When you decide, come for the contract." "Do I look nice?" "Your father took my picture three times." "First, in high school." "I was in long pants... laughing like a half-wit." "The second time, I was a soldier on a leave." "I didn't know where to put my hands and I stood still." "The third time, at my wedding." "I was dead serious." "I got married in St. Therapontas." "As soon as you came out of church, the Bat grabbed you." "If he had taken three pictures of every Mytilenian... your father would be rich." "He wouldn't give you the photos right away." "He hand-coloured them to make them prettier." "Look." "Look how clean and beautiful are the houses in the harbour." "I should have been a photographer." "Come on, let's go drink some ouzo." "It's raining." "Did you have to send rain?" " Are they biting, moreli?" " They are not hungry today." "Put that thing down." "Let us see your eyes." "Where can I find my uncle Elias?" "Go to the cinema tonight." "Cheers!" "There were 3 cinemas on this street." "Now there's only one." "The cinema has hardly changed." "Same seats." "They will last forever." "My uncle was always late focusing from the start." "When the audience shouted, "Butcher" or "Wake up"... he used to laugh." "That bloody thing won't focus." " Not for anything." " Good afternoon." "What do you want me to do?" "It's clean now." "Don't go downstairs." "Watch it through the hole and keep me company." "This is my last year." "Do you know when I started?" "In 1963." "People would queue for hours to see Greek movies, back then." "Money was pouring in." "People watched them... and the poor believed that they too could marry someone rich." "Even crying didn't hurt." "It was sweet, comforting." " They showed foreign movies too." " Some Indian films and westerns." "A love scene." "I'll be damned." "Look at that girl!" " Who's that actress?" " What do you care?" "Right." "A good body doesn't need a name." "How is your arthritis?" "Not bad." "And your knee?" "How's your knee?" "Kostakis, you're back?" "My Kosteli!" " My Kosteli, you're back?" " Yes, uncle." "It's me." "When I saw that hall full..." "I did not see 400 people inside... but a strange creature with 400 heads... that laughed and cried." " Capital of Russia?" " Moscow." " The Netherlands?" " Amsterdam." " Finland?" " Helsinki." " Denmark?" " Copenhagen." "Bravo." "Come and watch the film now." "No!" "Not this scene!" "Close your eyes!" "You can look now." " Good afternoon." " Good afternoon." " That's my uncle Elias." " Nice meeting you." " Kostas has told me about you." "I'm finished." "There's only an afternoon show." "Shall we go down to the quay to pick up Irina?" "She'll be here any time." "She finishes at 8." "Every night, we rehearse on the beach, Kosteli." "No one bothers us there." "I help her keep in shape." "There she is." "Miss, you work at the Home, don't you?" " Our Miltiadis was there." " I looked up to him." "This is Irina." "She's a singer from Albania." "Good afternoon." " This is Eleni." " Nice meeting you." "This is Kostakis." "I haven't seen him for ages." "Kosteli..." "I want to show you something." "Come by the house tomorrow afternoon." "Early." "Before the cinema." "I've been thinking about it for years." "Miss, you come too." "46, Vournazou street." "Around 4?" "On 46, Vournazou street... at 4, tomorrow afternoon." "Come, come home together." "It won't cost you a dime." "Come on." "Let's go lie on the rocks." "Did I ask much for the house, Kosteli?" "I still have a long way to go, moreli." "I feel like I'm starting all over." "I recorded their song." "A song from Epirus on Mytilene's quay." "O, my short lemon tree... heavy with many lemons..." "Vyssaniotissa, I kissed you..." "In Paris, I saw at a Mytilenian's place an amateur film... showing the lowering of the flag right here where we stand." "We looked for a familiar face." "Some of us recognized the buildings and the cafes." "Through the lens, the images felt more real... than the ones I had actually experienced." " Are you staying at Sappho's?" " Lesvos' most renowned woman." "Want to come up?" "I'll sleep at my place." "My father won't sleep till I return." "You're rushing things." "So that you look better." "Hang on." "I want to have your picture." " Why are you doing that?" " To see you up closer." "Don't you take me for real?" "Like something fake..." "Viewed from a distance." "Do you see everything through the camera?" "You come as close as you want while keeping your distance..." "You steal other people's images." "Now, about us." "It was too early in Paris." "We didn't talk much." " We met... three times?" " Four." "I didn't have the time here." "How did you feel with your aunt Litsa?" "I saw that you got scared." "You wanted to run away as soon as possible." "I tried, but it was hard." "She scared me a little." "My aunt Litsa, whom I adored, actually scared me." "As if she was someone else." "You must convince me... that you can lie beside her for as long as she needs it." "To wash her... to wipe her shit off... without being revolted." "Do it once and you'll feel great." "It's like caring for children." "Can you do that?" "Can you?" "Until you can, you will scare me." "Tomorrow, at your uncle's." "Good night." "I'm more scared than you." "About our relationship too." "Kosteli, come along." "We're ready." "Captain Nikolas bought it." "He was trying to learn how to use it." "He took it to your father, thinking that being a photographer he should know." "They got film, they experimented..." "You'll see for yourself." "I'm going to work." "Goodbye." "Turn off the light on your way out." "Hello." "Argiris Stragalatzis in the background, selling nuts." "That's my father." "And that's me." "I want to be in the picture." "How curious!" "I grew out of it." "That's the bicycle with the rack." "I remember." "When was this filmed?" "When I was 10 years old." "We'll change to colour soon." "They shot on any film they could find." "Your blessing, father Haralabos." "He never came to have his picture taken." "He goes to the big studios." "To Vassiliou and the others." "God keep him well." "Just a little." "No, no!" "Stop there!" "Back a bit." "Great." "My father kind of inherited from grandpa... the right to set his outdoor studio in the forecourt." "Some priests didn't like that." "They thought it was inappropriate for a church." "But no one dared to kick him out." "Smile!" "One..." "Two..." "Three" "Stand still!" "Step on this." "You buy a ticket, Bat." "It pays out today." "I'm not counting on the lottery, Anastasseli..." "Look here!" "Not at me!" "Here." "Ready?" "Don't move!" "One..." "Two..." "Three." "A lady came out to see." "Done." "Manolis will marry you again when he sees it." "Nice motorcycle you have there, Dimitrakis!" "But let me tell you..." "Even if I had the money," "I wouldn't give up my bicycle for anything." "Look over here!" "Smile!" "That's right." "One..." "Two..." "Three..." "Belmondo." "Stelios, right?" "You can't find such a backdrop in Agrinio." "Here." "You look at me." "Smile!" "We'll find you a local girl and keep you here." "Captain, my captain, smile." "Life is a storm at sea..." "How does it go next?" "You don't remember either." "Stand still." "Come on in." "Congratulations." "First the couple." "The bride on the right, the groom on the left." "Behind you, will always stand Fikiotripa, the lighthouse." "Look at it." "Like a ship made of stone ready to sail on a long journey." "Like embarking on a new life." "That's good." "Smile." "Stand still." "Congratulations." " Thank you." " Take care." "Won't you take my picture?" "Kosteli, bring the mirror!" "A little on your left." "Stop." "It's fine there." "Giannis, I've never called you Bat." "Kosteli, my boy." "May St Therapontas watch over you both..." "What's wrong, Marigoula?" "Marigoula!" "Hold your head up." "Take a deep breath." "That's it!" "Don't move!" "Hold on tight." "It's a long way downhill." "Don't you worry, Kosteli." "We'll find her." "She just went out to get some fresh air." "Mum!" "Where is she?" " Mum!" " Don't." "Let's not disturb her." "You go now." "I'll wait for her." " Dad, no." " Go." "She'll get upset if she sees you here." "Go on." "I don't know what they said that day." "A few days later, he only told me... that mum looked so beautiful up that tree." "He had never seen her look more beautiful." "Calm down." "Calm down, my love." "What's taking the doctor so long?" "Get the boy out of here!" "Easy." "Kosteli?" "I can't take it anymore." "No more." "My soul is broken." "You are a big boy now." "You'll be fine on your own." "I believe in you." "I am sick." "I'll go away to get myself locked up." "I'll never forget her walk." "Like a bird." "She barely touched the ground." "She didn't turn around once." "I knew she could sense our presence." "Mum!" "It's just the two of us now." "Is she ever coming back?" "Change underpants every two days and your vest every three." "When your socks stink, put them in the wash." "When we have a lot of clothes, we'll pile them up... and take them to auntie Giorgia." "It's all arranged." "I will iron them here, myself." "Make your bed every morning when you wake up." "I'll show you how." "I'll teach you something new everyday." "You'll help me with the cooking, too." "We have enough oil for the whole year." "We can't cook without oil, Kosteli." "When I was little, I used to drink it raw." "It made me strong." "Look, a hole!" "It will take an hour to mend." "I'll teach you everything." "You will be a star." " Can I ask you something?" " What?" " Did you go to Keti or Soragia?" " Soragia, on the right." " How much did she charge?" " 150." "That much?" "With your pretty face, she might charge you less." "Forgive me, Kosteli for even thinking about it." "I'm ashamed, moreli." " What's up, guys?" " Welcome." "42,50." "That's all I got today." "Why bother with 0,50 for?" "Little by little, it adds up." "No spending today." "Not even coffee?" "You save up everything?" "I have a smoke every now and then." "One small Karelia pack a week." "I can't quit." "This month was hard." "I'm waiting for the Carnival now." "Last year was an all-time record: 2.923 drachmas." "Let's see, will I make ends meet this year?" "Count it." "Hello, Bat." "Are they ready?" "Come pick them up tomorrow." "I coloured them." "Blue suit, red tie." "Handsome as a groom." "Why not shoot them in colour to save you the trouble?" "Not the same as doing it by hand." "It's like a painting." "Well done, Bat." "A deposit, every day." " How many years?" "10?" " Yes, same age as Kosteli." "I'm going to pick up his school report." " Good afternoon." " Bye." " Is Mr Kakambouras in?" " He's coming." "Hey, Bat." "You've come about your son?" "Hang on a minute, I'll tell you." "Grammar, ten." "History, ten." "Gymnastics, ten." "Geography, ten." "Maths?" "I do all the sums in my head." "Maths... ten." "Straight A's." "Your son is an excellent student." "Vagelis..." "Come by St Therapontas for a picture." "For free, teacher." "I'll be round, Bat." "Wish you were here, Marigoula." "Kosteli is top in the class!" "Mouth open." "Chin and nose on the plate..." "Stand still." "Done." "Now let's check your chest." "Dr. Martinos played football in the same team as my dad." "When he came back after his studies... all his team-mates were proud of him." "They felt they had someone in the hospital who cared for them." "Take a deep breath." "And hold it in." "Don't move." "Well done." "Let's check the stomach now." "Lie down." " Pants off?" " Yes." "I'll take your picture." "This is a photo, too." "Martinos took charge of my father personally." "Stand still." "Done." "We'll run some more tests." "We should know in a week." "Bat?" " Giorgeli?" " Come for a ride." "Have you ever been inside one of those?" "Once." "They called me to photograph a dead man in a coffin." "I was kind of scared." "And you?" "I am a doctor." "They send for me when they are sick." "But the new owners abandon them." "Only few live there." "They are inhabited by vampires." "There lived rich folks in Mytilene once..." " Rich and poor side by side." " Aristocrats and paupers." "Giorgeli?" "Am I going to live?" "I'll see that you go to Athens." "Take me home, please." "Don't worry." "We will fight this." "Thanks, Giorgeli." "I'm coming to pick you up for the match on Sunday." "Kosteli, I'm back!" "Tomorrow, after school, we'll go to the bank." "I'll put your name on the savings account." " You're a big boy now." " Yes, dad." "I'm going to the studio." "I left the bicycle there." "Go finish your homework." "Argiris?" "Help me pack those things." "Nice walk." "Me along with the old Mytilenians." "I don't like the night." "Even if they call me Bat." "It's better to see the light." "The light of day." "The guard of the castle saw something down below." "He didn't pay much attention." "He couldn't know that my father was playing the game of his life." "Alone." "Without spectators." "One, two." "On Sunday, at 3 p.m. Aiolikos vs. Panaigialios." "Everybody to the stadium to support our team." "Aiolikos vs. Panaigialios." "The crucial game for the championship of B' national league." "Ticket price: 50 drachmas." "Entrance is free for children under fifteen." "Not this one." "It's too sharp." "Captain Manoli!" "Captain Konstantis!" "I never left this place." "You once wanted to take me along to Chios!" "Remember?" "But I was afraid of the rough sea." "Of going under in the storm." "Farewell, Kosteli." "I've lived all my life for you." "Goodbye, Marigoula!" "Wherever you may be." "I'm not afraid!" "Father!" "How could we let mother lose herself?" "All these years!" "It's my fault we fell apart." "That's why I was ashamed to come back." "Dad?" "I can't really stand my life." "I'm all alone." " Is there any hope?" " Who knows?" "She's on chemo." "Aunt Colette?" "Kostakis, I've been expecting you." " Are you fluent in French?" " For years now." "This is Eleni." "Pleased to meet you." "This is Ioanna." "She'll join us to look after me." " Nice to meet you." " And you." "I've parked outside." "We'd better take mine." "There's room for us all." "I feel like driving." " May I roll down the window?" " Please, don't." "It's as if someone else is playing." "I wonder how I would play it today." "With more feeling, for sure." "And less virtuosity." "Without agonizing for perfection." "It's like we're on an excursion." "Shall I step on it?" "You're not afraid, are you?" " Do you remember our house?" " It hasn't changed." "I'm going to look at the sea." "Come along." "Good morning, Madame Colette." "Welcome!" "Come on up!" "Madame Colette?" "This is Iphigenia, Margarita, Myrto and Katerina." " My nephew, Kostas." " Pleased to meet you." " Same here." " Let's go in." "Kostas." "The captain's jacket and his boots... we could give them to Mr Kostas, the sailor." "The grey coat with the herringbone pattern along with the brown suit and five shirts... go to Thanassis, the gardener." "His gabardine to Stelios, the coffee-house keeper." "The silver watch, to his son, Leonidas." "And the binoculars, to Mr Mitsos, the rural constable." "This is for you." "The big rug is for you, Fotini." "Thank you so much, Madame Colette." "The grey costume is for Katerina." "It will fit her." "She's small." "The red dress goes to Iphigenia." "It is so lovely." "I don't think I ever wore it." "As for the shoes, it will be difficult." "We need to know everyone's size." "Mr Kostas, I myself didn't know you." "My mother used to come." " Ms Tassoula?" " Yes." " Do you remember her?" " Give her my regards." "Have you made up your mind about everything?" "I was thinking about it during the night, in hospital." "I want to live the rest of my life as simply as possible." " I don't need much." " Don't talk like that, Mme Colette." "Let's recap." "The captain's naval jacket and boots... should go to Mr Kostas, the sailor." "The grey herringbone coat... the brown suit and five shirts... to Thanassis, the gardener." "The gabardine to Mr Stelios, the coffee-house keeper." "She gave away everything." "She arranged with the notary... that the house, its furniture and the car... after her death would go to the local community." "She met my uncle in Marseilles and followed him in the sea." "She always took the piano with her." "She played on the ocean." " Can you imagine?" " Colette!" "...God bless you!" " Thank you." "I remember uncle Miltiadis..." "Standing on this quay, wondering," ""Is it possible to find a new homeland"?" "It is." " Can I film you?" " Yes." "I am so happy." "I want to see it." "You are very beautiful." "Listen." "It's like I'm watching people laughing as they dance." "Goodbye." "Good night." "Do you want me to show you around Mytilene?" " There is still some light." " Where will you take me?" "Wherever you want." "To Blokia and the statue." "When I was little, I stood here and said..." "Let the cloud stay dry." "And the sharp wind not scatter the blessed earth that covers you." "I recited the poet Kalvos here, as well." "I felt that the whole world was watching me." "Let the swelling waves of the sea... wreck my homeland... like a desperate, deserted boat." "It's better for the Greeks... to travel around the world scattered... with their hands reaching out, begging for bread... than having protectors." "What dignity for a homeland before it even existed!" " Why is freedom a woman?" " So as to be desired." "And for women?" "To resemble to a mother ready to suckle her children." "Here, in the fishermen's coffee-house... most of them would remember me as a child." "We used to come here with my father." "I can't summon the courage to talk to them." "To tell them where I have been." "What I have done." "Where mum is." "Good evening." "Hello." " Would you like some ouzo?" " I had it a few times in France." "It's not easy to find there." "I like the smell better than its taste." "I used to suck up its aroma as a boy." "In the old days, the market reeked of ouzo." "Small factories in a row." "The smells." "I met people who remembered their country by drinking ouzo... by eating Mytilene olives and oil." "I've been thinking about what you said." "I want you to trust me." "I would never enter Greta's room to film her." "I know that would kill her." " Uncle Elias' cheque." " Let me see." "There you go." "You've signed too many papers." "But we are through." "Here's the key." "We're back." "Kosteli is here." "It's nothing." "It's nothing serious." "He'll be fine in a couple of days." " The truth, Yannis." " It's nothing, mum." "All children get the mumps." "Let him lie down with a cushion under his back." "We'll catch up with the lessons." "When you're well, you'll come to the cinema." "Off to bed now." "1 metre 25..." "1 metre 30... 1 metre 36... 1 metre 42 ...1 metre 46..." "Grandma used to say houses can hear people's voices." "That's why they can't get used to silence." "Nor live without sounds, footsteps, creaking doors, rattling windows." "Whenever someone returns, the house laughs with joy..." "It's me." "Your neighbour." "No one has been in here for twenty years." "This house is finished." "Deserted." "I can remember them all." "From the grandparents... to the little ones, the babies, morelia." "Litsa and I... we were friends." "She got married here." "They never came back." "Whose child are you?" "My uncle used to live here." "The teacher and the one with the cinema." "And my parents and I." "I'm the son of Yiannis the photographer and Maria." "Kostakis!" "Your mother was so beautiful!" "Ah, poor dear Marigoula!" "Grandma!" "My granddaughter." "When was this house built?" "Before the war?" "In 1920." "The whole family has lived here." "Like it says in the Bible..." "Abraham begot Isaac... and Isaac begot Jacob..." "It's a chain..." "Good morning." "I came early and had a walk in the neighbourhood." "What are you doing in the dark?" "Come and see." "Pink." "With green underneath." "Then, light blue." "Here, beige." "You saw your uncle MIItiadis in his last days." "His mind had begun to wander." "He didn't realize you were back." "Since I told him we had met in France, he never stopped asking," ""When is Kostakis coming?" "Our house is waiting for him." "67, Zoodohou Pigis street"." "His son was 18 when he died." "I was nine then." "He and Litsa looked after me." "Our house is on 67, Zoodohou Pigis street." "You can see the harbour from here." "The ship will drop anchor in 10 minutes." "Paris-Mytilene." "I'll divide my life between the two." "Translation Sofia Charalampous" "Revised and edited by Valli Despotopoulou" "Subtitling FASMA Ltd"