"TOO LATE" "GERMANY, 1996" "All subways will be delayed ten minutes..." "RUMANIA, A FEW MONTHS EARLIER" "Fix that beam, we'II all be crushed." "Who cares?" "If they find out, you'II be sacked." "So what?" "The mine's closing." "Son of a bitch!" "I told you to hang your bag up." "Forget it." "Here, take mine." "It's nothing." "Forget it." "Who's there?" "Stop!" "What was it?" "The water's cut off at 10 a.m." "When's that music gonna stop?" "I'm going crazy!" "Out of order." " Since when?" " Since always." "Damn it!" "Is it running here?" " Running?" " The water!" "What water?" "It's cut off at 10." "Come in, Iet's have a vodka." "Why are you here anyway?" "Who are these jokers?" "Who brought them here?" "They're from the Conservatory." "They were on the train." "Schubert." "I don't care!" "Who called them in?" "Same old shit!" "The miners get the pit, plus..." "Miners don't give a damn about Schubert!" "We dumped Ceausescu for this?" "They'd gather us in the yard..." "Then Bodoc comes in:" ""Comrades, the artist no Ionger lives in an ivory tower." ""Comrade Ceausescu has told the artists:" ""Leave the clouds, bIacken your hands!" ""Raise up the level of the comrade miners!"" "Bodoc's at it again." " I want to see him." " He's with his sister in Germany." "The bastard!" " Don't touch the cable." " It's electrified?" "550 volts." " If you trip..." " careful!" " ...and touch it..." " You sizzle." "insulate it!" "It's marked everywhere." "Tough luck for them." "Those jokers must go." "Good luck!" " How's it going?" " Making do." "You'd better, for your pay!" "Take the Prosecutor to level 300." "I have cars ready for level 250." "A problem?" "You miss the pick and shovel work?" "I'm disabled." "Then it's back to the surface, and no more bonuses." "But my family, Sir?" "Then do as you're told." " To 300?" " AII the way down." "The Chief Engineer will be there." "And if not?" "You're doomed!" "One long, one short." "Okay, he's there." "He'II guide you." "Chief Engineer..." "To hell with you." "Sorry, you can't smoke here." "Come along..." "careful..." "An endless trip!" "It's your first time down under?" "Costa." "District Prosecutor." "Munteanu." "Work Safety." "To help you in your investigation." "There're women in the pits?" "Yes, still." "Just in case." "AIina Ungureanu." "Topographer." "To help you get on." "We'II get on together." "You'II see, we'II get on fine." "The lady's here for measuring." "There's always measurements to take." "And you, lost your tongue?" "Marcu." "gallery electrician." " But it's not my fault!" " We'II see." "What's to see?" "It wasn't me!" "Shut up!" "Who asked you?" "The Supervisor'II deal with you." "Democracy's gone to their heads!" "He's not out for you, he's here to look around." "There's nothing to see." "shall we go?" "First time down, you cross yourself." "Looks like an ossuary." " A cemetery." " A bit." " The life we have here!" " He's not investigating your life." "VasiIe!" "Mr. Munteanu!" "Fine, but nothing more from him." " And when we die, he investigates?" " Shut up!" " My brother died right here." " Shut up!" "walk on the rails or you'II soak your boots." "You're lucky... with your tail boots." "Watch the cable." "Over here, without the right boots, you're screwed." "We're at sump level where water is directed." "It's drained here and pumped out." "On St. Varvara's Night, miners' ghosts prowl about here." "will you shut up!" "Ghosts?" "Where are the men?" "I saw no one." "Here, there're just mechanics." "Like the wretch who died." "You knew him." "What was his name?" ""Fish"." "He lived in the water!" "But his real name..." "He didn't have one?" "In a mine, you leave your name above." "After a year, it's forgotten." "You're named "Pickaxe" or "Chock", after your tool." ""Line" or "cable", after your body." "We even had twins:" ""Ficht" and "Ferzatziu"." "After the two digging faces." ""Ficht", left face, "Ferzatziu", right face." "Ferz went mad, he threw himself down a shaft." " And what about Ficht?" " A madman, too." " Now we just go by numbers." " It's easier." "Here we are." "You moved him?" "What for?" "He was already dead." "Suffocated." "In his sleep, no doubt." "He sleeps on his job?" "Of course now his mother weeps!" " Happy now, bastard?" " Mr. Munteanu..." "Get a hold on yourself!" "calm down!" "You moron!" "We're all on edge." "Don't force me to..." "See?" "It works like a clock." "I did my job." "Leave me out of it." "He died because he fell asleep." "Write it down." "What?" "Date, time, place..." " What date?" " Your last servicing." "The day before he died." " Write it down." " Got that?" "Write what?" "That fucking fan was working!" "I won't be no scapegoat!" "You're talking to a prosecutor!" "But I did nothing wrong!" "What about the foreman?" "Where was he?" " Who?" " "sterile"." "The big mouth." "Everybody calls him that." " If he'd made his rounds..." " What?" "He should go down and call roll." "He's no fool, he waits at the exit!" "I didn't see him all night." " Sit down and write." " But what?" "What you just told the Prosecutor:" "the fan and the rest." "At your service, Sir!" "Are you out of your mind?" " Put it in my office." " Or in ours." "Get it right." "Let's do it by the book:" "a separate room, even small, and I keep the key." "I thought you'd need a safe..." "In the showers?" "I never asked them to..." "Get rid of this!" "Out with it!" " Where do I put it?" " Take one guess!" "Enake." "Mine Safety." "I worked with your predecessor." "I didn't know him." "District Prosecutor Costa." "If you don't need me anymore..." "Got it all down?" "It's there." "You took your time!" "Look, don't leave town." "Where would I go?" "Hear that?" ""Where would I go?"" "If you're born here, you stay here." "They're made for the pits." "Up here, they're worthless." "Where would they go?" "It's legal procedure." "Your first case in the mines?" "Accidents are all the same." "An accident?" "That has to be established." "What is established, so far?" "The facts are inconsistent." "The witnesses..." "What witnesses?" "The rats on level 300?" " Sorry." " A man is dead!" "Sorry." "The rats..." "The man suffocated despite the fan." "If it was working!" "The electrician says it was." "Of course!" "What would he say?" ""I'm a jerk, I fell asleep and that's that."" "He'II confess, I'II see to it." "You'II see to nothing at all!" " If it pleases you." " It pleases me!" "Can you believe this guy?" "He can barely write!" " Like the others." " Excuse me..." "Now what?" "The kids want to take a shower." " What kids?" " The concert." "What concert?" "still here?" "The hotel cuts off the water at ten." " What do you want?" " Some water after ten." "The young lady wants a miner's cock?" "Let them shower and show them to the canteen." "What the hell are you doing here?" "I said to get them outta here!" "Stay seated." "Mr. Prosecutor, you're in line?" " Why?" " The Chief has a seat for you." "The lady's already asked me." "We're dining out," "Mr. Prosecutor?" "I didn't see you." " Is this rice?" " No, barley." " It sticks to the ribs." " And that, beans?" " Yes." " That's a relief." "It gives you endurance." " The Japanese..." " They're experts in..." "Those Japanese!" "I did the accident diagrams." "Aren't you coming?" "Bring her with you." "Have it your way!" "shall I bring them to your office?" "call me Costa." "And your name?" "I've only been a prosecutor briefly." "It's AIina." "I've been a topographer forever." "How'd you end up in this cuI-de-sac?" "In Fundesac?" "It was hell getting my degree." "I couldn't land a job." "I had to work at City hall:" "Registrar," "Bureau of complaints..." "bullshit!" "And one day, the revolution and its radiant promise..." "This job had been... vacant for six months." "Nobody wanted it." "The old boy ends up prosecutor." "And you?" "Nothing special." "I was born in the valley." "Mining college." "Mining Institute..." "No other choice." "I smoked some, I quit." "Married young, divorced young." "Why not leave?" "To wash toilets in Germany?" "Come now." "Don't be shy!" "How about some of this?" "What's this pickled stuff?" "It's watermelon." "And rotten!" "Isn't there somewhere better?" "A restaurant?" "I was hoping you'd ask." "I saw you inspecting my breasts." "compliments of the Engineer." "A bistrot?" "My place is better." "I don't doubt it." "The Schuberts, you're hungry?" "They are hungry." "Come this way." "They're hungry!" "They'II get nothing to eat if they don't play." "They're the people's artists, no?" "Let them play for the people!" "On with it!" "Look at them..." "They're waiting for the miners' leftovers." "Come back!" "He's stealing spoons." "What is this thing?" "What's it to you?" "What is it?" "You saw this on TV?" "They say it brings good luck." "Who's "they"?" "Them!" "You idiot!" "Take it easy." "Mr. Prosecutor!" " Even here?" " He can go to hell." "Coming..." "He'II wake the whole building." "Stupid cat!" "Ask him what he wants." "There's work to do:" "another man is dead." "They're bringing him up." "He shouldn't be moved!" "He's minced meat." "Engineer, the Iaw requires..." "You can hang your law!" "My law says:" ""Keep off the conveyor belt."" "And this slacker sleeps on it!" " How do you know that?" " Experience." "Look at them... all slackers!" "It's easier on the legs, the belt?" "Sometimes." "It's not the first time." "Speaking of the Iaw, there's no smoking here." "Here they are." "Get the men out, it's no labor meeting." "Here they come." "What're you waiting for?" "What're you doing there?" "Break it up!" "It's unbelievable!" "What a mess!" "Get the hell out of here!" "Move it out!" "That's great." "Now we're all together!" "I told you to get them out of here!" "Move along!" "There's nothing to see." "We gathered up the pieces." "AII of them?" "AII of them." "The Supervisor... rats were eating his head in the South shaft." "The South shaft?" "It's been shut for two years." "Step aside, Marie." "There's a piece missing." "A leg." "Must've caught on something." "You'd return this to his family?" "Go back and find it!" "That's an order!" "Is this a reason to slack off?" "Back to work!" "Dock them an hour." "Stop that goddamn siren." "It's your nerves." "Haven't you left yet?" "Sorry, should we stay, or..?" "I want to go back to Bucharest." "Good, go back to Bucharest." "How?" "We haven't been paid." "How much is the fare?" "About 15,000." "10... 15..." "Don't cry, here's 25,000." "Stop crying." "My name's AIina." "GiIda." "Like the GiIda in "RigoIetto"?" "How'd you end up in this mess?" "It's all I've got." "There's enough for a beer!" "We'II play for you." "Any orders?" " We're all under orders." " I saw the light..." "Can I take you to the hotel?" "We left the hotel." "Then wherever you want." "I have the car." "Take a look..." "Mean anything to you?" "You're doing coIorings?" "The path of the Supervisor is in green." "He was inspecting the East sector." "In red, the South shaft." "Shut down." "Over a mile away." "It's a Iong way." "What was he doing there?" "That's right!" "Look..." "could it have been suicide?" "Did the topographer tell you about the Iast case?" "What case?" "You don't know?" "And I thought that..." "There was Ficht and Ferz, identical twins..." "Even their wives mixed them up." "Both mental cases up in the Ukranium." "Ficht was insane." "The hospital's best client." "His brother was hardly better." "And then?" "Ficht liked flowers." "Ferz picked them in the fields for him." "He was a looker!" "Women couldn't resist." "Good-Iooking and sad." "The topographer knew him well." "One day, drunk in the mine, he says:" ""I'II only come out feet first." "I feel good here."" "That evening, at shift's end, no Ferz." ""Hey, Ferz!" Nothing." "The earth swallowed him up." "His wife's brought in and told:" ""Make him come out, he's crazy."" ""Ask the whore he sleeps with!" she says." "And then?" "A few days later, the conveyor belt brings up an arm, fingers spread." "Then a leg... and the other..." "nothing but pieces." "Torn apart by the winch." "No head." "The rats ate it." "We filled a bag with the pieces, called in his wife..." ""Is that him?" "That's his watch."" "He had a big Mexican wrist-band, ...studded." "Like his loony brother." ""That I know!" "He'd drink and bash me with it!"" "And then?" "They showed her the rest." "But there's some justice after all:" "out of the bag, they took his member in perfect condition." ""And this?"" ""That's not Ferz's." "His was twice as big."" "Twice as big!" "And then?" "It really was Ferz's." "But his wife imagined it bigger." ""Yeah, that's his cock." She's no dummy!" "She wanted the insurance and union aid." "should've questioned the whore, too." " Dear God!" " May I?" "please." "Come in." "State investigation." "Prosecutor Costa." "Off you go!" " Who is it?" " Come this way." "Who is it?" "I don't know him." "Who is it?" "It's nothing, Mama." "It's not the bank." "We owe them." "He's with the Party." "Prosecutor's Office." "The police!" "Sit down." "No, thank you, this won't take long." "Want a drink?" "Stop crying, Mama!" "I've got work to do." "I'm making soap." "Costs so much." "Four kids, it makes a Iot of washing!" "tell me about your husband." "He's been buried." "What happened?" "Did he have enemies?" "He docked hours but sacked no one." "If they slept, he'd kick asses." "But nothing worse." "Who is it?" "Quiet down!" "I must ask this:" "Were you happy?" "What?" "Did you fight?" "I'II find out anyway." " We hardly talked." " About what?" "About what?" "We were married for twenty years." "I worked the house, the kids, the animals..." "And him, the mine." "When he came out, he'd go straight to the bar." "One day, he had enough." "He borrowed money and took a seamstress to the sea." "Never even took me to town, two steps away!" "He came back, I was making soup." "I threw it in his face." "I almost blinded him." "What's going to happen to me?" "Dear God!" "It's you looking for a murderer in my company?" "It's just a working hypothesis." " What's with the beard?" " A family mourning." "May I sit down?" "Nice lamp!" "Hence your name:" ""elephant Foot"!" "I did copper in Africa." "Then came back." "But the valley's dying..." "Exhausted coal veins, rising costs, even in human lives..." "Imports are more profitable." "This town was born from coal, it won't outIive it." "There are more galleries here than streets:" "600 miles spread out like roots..." "My roots!" "Ten years now... investment's down, work's down." "The government won't dare shut the mine." "Out of fear." "Are you recording me?" "It's a habit these days!" "I don't care." "I'm expected in Africa." "In this valley, ten thousand men are doomed." "They only know mining." "They'II all rise up if their world is threatened." "Yes." "I saw them beat up women and kids." "They felt endangered." "And who told them:" ""You're in danger?"" "It's none of your business." "You want to arrest him, too?" "Have you read this?" "In two years, he'II be shot like Ceausescu." "But after a real trial." "Not some farce mocked by the West." "You want his hide, too?" "One was not enough?" "Fucking yellow journalist!" "Why arrest a good electrician?" "It's only temporary custody." "Because one man suffocated?" "Someone must've shut off the air." "could've been a power failure!" "An electrician dozes when not needed, it's normal." "They wake him if the power goes." "And the Supervisor?" "Four kids, just before retirement, he'd kill himself?" "Why not?" "Think you'd last as long?" "I have work to do." "Don't stir these people up." "Go make your name elsewhere." "still here?" "But you had money!" "They jumped us and took everything." "GiIda sold her ring to leave." "Try asking elephant Foot." "Good luck." "Come in, comrades." "Who sent you?" "Bodoc." "Where's Bodoc?" "Get him in here." "He's in Germany." "So go there!" "They have swans, you won't starve." " Find him!" " Dead or alive." "Productivity is faIIing, and Bodoc..." "Two guys from the Securitate are there..." "Who cares?" "There's some cold water left." "I don't wash in cold water." ""Honky Tonk"!" "I Iove this movie." "What?" "Nothing." "It looks good on you." "You want more?" "I want a massage." "By the way, what's your name, other than Costa?" "Dumitru." ""Mitica"!" "Don't call me "Mitica", I hate it." "Harder." "Such demands, Mitica!" "How about shaving?" "I'II shave the day I catch him." "elephant Foot filed suit against me." "On what basis?" "I'm "violating human rights"." "Know what that is?" "They talked about it on channel 2." "careful, he's very powerful." "I don't care." "They'II transfer me to the city." "Some punishment!" "Why don't you leave?" "will you take me along?" "You should be thinking about it." "In 10 or 20 years, the valley will be dead." "And me, will I be alive?" "Don't be stupid." "The shaft's pIundge tempts you, too?" "Stop that, or I'II quit." "My neck, too." "My little old man..." "If you don't like it..." "But I do!" "I Iove touching you." "It's AIina what?" "Ungureanu." "Ungureanu, get lost!" ""Zuspat"?" ""Zu spat" - "Too late"!" "For you, too, Mitica?" "Last one out turns off the lights." "With Ferz," "was it like this?" "This damned mine..." "May it be cursed for all eternity!" "Not bad." "Not bad at all." "Who did this?" "tell me, who did this?" "Who was it?" "Who was it?" "Mr. Prosecutor!" "Yes, Chief Engineer?" "Another accident?" "You'II report it's the dead man's fault again?" "He hit himself on the head with a shovel?" "He doesn't even have one!" "He doesn't have a head!" "You got that?" "Anyone moves, I shoot!" "Oana!" "Stop!" "I'm going mad, Mr. Prosecutor." "Shut up!" "And this?" " What's this?" " A nose bleed." "Two men arrested for nothing." "No proof, no legal procedure." "And you're trigger-happy!" "Mister "Anyone-moves-I-shoot"!" "You're a laughingstock!" "Trying to anger the miners?" "It's a sensitive area, Mr. Trainee." "And complaints are piling up." "Who's making them?" "The suspects?" "The duly entitled!" "What's wrong with you?" "You're violating human rights?" "These men don't know what that means." " Not even that they have rights." " Enough!" "Find the murderer and drop the sociology." "Don't overdo it or you're off the case." "Don't be stupid, they'd butcher you in a second." "Quiet, I want to talk to you." "I got the autopsy report." "An autopsy, what for?" "He had his skull smashed!" "Procedure requires it." "I'II give you procedure..." "Remember "Deep Throat"?" "The victim's stomach was empty." "But scraps of food were found at the murder scene." "Don't you get it?" "He watched the man's blood drain out while he ate!" "He's a good fuck?" "He fucks good?" "Why does he always go for the head?" "Must be a beast!" "Another coffee?" "still here?" "elephant Foot threw us out." "typical." "I'm living with a waitress." "I'm filling in." "And the others?" " GiIda's fine." " In Germany." "Who told you?" "Now it's only me, Izu and Mitica." "We're in luck:" "we've been hired for a wedding, with a helicopter..." "The daughter of a Partyman, now a businessman." "It's the wedding season!" "We got a witness!" "Don't bother, it's on me!" "There he is!" "will you have the mine shut down?" "Is the killer known yet?" "Is a shutdown imminent?" "No comment." "I've nothing to say." "will the case take long?" "Who's covering up?" "will the mine close?" "I told everything to the sergeant." "Repeat it." " I was relieving Fane..." " Who?" " The victim." " It's not you I'm questioning!" "So, relieving the victim..." "And then?" "The gallery was filled with sludge..." "should've been drained." "It was strange, all alone there." "And then?" "I saw someone far away." "Who could it be?" "The sector was closed because of water!" "And he didn't have a lamp..." "In the pitch black..." "I'd break my neck!" "I thought:" "it's a safety check." "A Work Safety inspection." "Unannounced." "And then?" "I hid behind a support." "He passed by you?" "close by?" "His hair touched me!" "Long hair." "What punch-in?" "It's been transferred!" "So you saw him?" "Yes, but in the dark..." "Later, I found Fane covered in blood." " Did you see him, or not?" " Yes." "I think I saw him." "Come here." "Move it!" "Faster!" "Is that your shift?" "Operator?" "Get me the shower room." "To the showers!" "Line up!" "Move it!" "Attention, stop washing!" "Stop the showers!" "Understand?" "Everyone against the wall." "Against the wall." "Move it." "In line against the wall." "Like in the army." "Stop drinking the water." "silence!" "Now, listen up..." "Long-haired men to the right." "Got it?" "I said, long hairs to the right!" "help them, they understand nothing." "Don't upset the Prosecutor." "You!" "Don't you know if your hair's long?" "Stop cIowning around, or else..." "The water'II run out!" "You'II wash tomorrow." "You, with the others." " And the shuttle?" " You'II take a taxi." "And pay how?" "You, to the back." "Next group!" "Got it?" "You're gonna get Art. 213!" " Prosecutor!" " silence!" "Shut up!" "Now take your time." "Shut your ass!" "You won't stop me now." "This time, I've got a witness." "You ain't got shit!" "Did you spot him?" "Try again." "Is he fucking you now?" "He fucks good?" "It's the canteen cook." "You've been under everything but a train!" "That jerk-off better beat it." "He wants to play the big shot..." "Our boys'll fix him like at the B ucharest Miners' Rally." "Did he forget the Rally?" "The films!" "Hey, cocksucker, tomorrow I'II shove you in your cesspool, a carrot up your ass, and let the pigs at you!" "The films..." "You stupid fool!" "fool, fool, son of a fool." "Cat of a fool." "I'm the king of fools." "First train to Bucharest?" "5:10 a.m." "God bless your cook." "Begin with these here." "It's the first rally." "My friend'II have more tomorrow." "Never have such methods of repression been used." "It appears the fire was fanned by lon lliescu." "Just elected triumphally, his image has now been tarnished." "Fast forward." "We're not interested in politics, here." "Look at each shot, each face, ten times..." "The man is here to help you." "At the least doubt, have him stop." "Keep looking, until you find him." "He's violent." "He must've been noticed." "We'II find him in the end." "He's out there!" "Faster." "Skip that one." "Now, pay attention..." "Look closely." "Don't shut down the mines!" "Robbers!" "Robbers!" "I'm the Chief of police." "You're 5 minutes late." " Be happy I'm here." " Beg your pardon?" "I don't work under your authority, Sir." "I'm here out of simple curiosity." "You're young." "I know what it's like." "Sit down." "Fine, then stand!" "Coffee?" "No, thanks." "Not even coffee?" "A real man of rage!" "In my day, school didn't teach you that." "Nothing." "We wait." "The key to success: to be a good phone operator." "Are you one?" "No." "I've no time to waste." "You're upsetting the valley." "You're stirring up trouble." " I'm leading an enquiry." " By watching news footage!" " Who told you?" " Proper channels!" "A routine identification." " Of whom?" " How about the criminal?" "They fear lists are being made." " Who, "They"?" " The Communists." "You're an Adventist?" "I forbid you!" "I am..." "An ecologist." "We know." " What kind of lists?" " The men at the Miners' rally." "You have these lists!" "They fear Iay-off lists." "Lay them off?" "They obeyed there!" "We'd have used them and then laid them off!" " Isn't it a fact?" " Fingering me, now?" "I'm doing my job, that's all." "Let them shout." "After an hour they'II go home." "Look..." "Forget the past." "It's history." "What's done is done." "Let them get on with it." "You can't understand, you're new." "But they sense it:" "if the coal is worth nothing, then they're worth nothing." "Liars!" "Liars!" "The Master sees all!" "What should we do?" "Sweep up the glass." "I'm not telling you to stop but to be more careful." "One small spark..." "You're young, a bright future..." " And shave that beard!" " It's the acne." "Here comes the free press." "We're credentialed journalists!" "In the name of democracy, we protest..." "Your free press, you can fuck it." "My last picnic I was in high school..." "We got ants." "We'II get them everywhere." ""He coated him in honey, threw him to the ants." " "only white bones remained."" " You're babbling!" "Take it off, that tickles." "What's Oana want on a Sunday?" "He identified him!" "And these, you goof?" "Take me away, Costa." "That's him." "You sure?" "Look again." "Don't rush." "Damn!" "Watch one more time." "One last time." "Yes, that's him." "You're absolutely sure?" "Yes, that's him." "My file is here, too?" "Where else would it be?" " Might've burned in the revolution." " No chance." "A joke's always good for your health." " You're embarrassing us." " I'm doing my job." "Your job?" "It's your job to expose our agents?" " My job's to find the truth." " You don't say!" "Know what Sartre said?" ""Truth is on the side of the victor."" "Sartre can go to hell." "I think you're right, that Sartre guy was a jerk." "Justice sees no fathers or mothers, justice locks up the guilty." "final." "No exceptions." "That's our principle, too." "At least, we try." "Things have to change here." "Otherwise we'II never join Europe." "Let's see who this bandit is." "It's the Architecture Institute?" "You filmed in Beta, or Super 8?" "The editing, it's the Group?" "Bravo!" "excellent!" "Good work!" "Pres. lliescu gave warm thanks to the miners who, he said, came to the aid of the Government." "Why drag him through the mud?" "Why deny it?" "That's our agent, Marasescu." "I read your report." " I have a witness." " A what?" "He sees in the dark, your guy?" "First he complains of the dark, then he sees fine!" "The crossing was lit." "50 yards away!" "could you see in such light?" "Not even in the street!" "We need hard evidence to snare this bandit." "The court will judge." "A Communist court?" "A court already judged your witness:" ""Five years ago, the defendant" ""residing in X... was arrested for shoplifting a gas-bottIe."" "You call this a witness?" "Find me a real one and I'II nail him." "You must let me interrogate the suspect!" "impossible!" "Don't you see?" "It's impossible." "Why?" "This beach..." "Recognize it?" "Agent Marasescu, 1990, just afterwards." "Marasescu, 1993, with his kids." "You should hear his boy speak Portuguese!" "Here's me in '94." "I was his guest." "Agent Marasescu has better things to do than strangle miners." "Four years now, he's cultural Attache in Rio de Janeiro." "Agent Marasescu cannot be under suspicion." "He's a decorated officer." "Twenty years of active service for his country!" " I see..." " You see what?" "It was you, Bucharest." "You who incited the maiming and killing of the idiots who faced the tanks!" "You buffoon!" "Get the fuck out of here!" " So?" " Nothing." "false trail." "Just my luck!" " And Marasescu?" " He's basking in Copacabana." "We were wrong, it's not him." "Marasescu was moved out after the rally." "Now he's cultural Attache?" "Somewhere in this coconut tree." "God above..." " What'II you do?" " Start from scratch." "They hate you for showing their true face." "So let them!" "You're not big enough for this war." "Give me your charm." "They won't put up with the nuisance of you poking your nose into everything." "You've seen the papers?" "They'II call their friends." "They have phones everywhere:" "in basements, garages, toilets." "At Easter, the people sang "Christ is risen"" "while their waIkie-taIkies sang "The goods are here!"" "The State Prosecutor'II transfer me." "Or even the Minister, up top." "I've asked for reinforcements." "An army platoon." "I'II deploy them in the mine, organize watches, forbid isolated tasks, search each sector." "A real hunt." "You don't belong here." "Give it up." "I'm too stupid!" "Know what I heard?" "Before he died, you'd bring food to Ferz..." "The curtain!" "The bucket!" "They're panicking." "Pigs!" "To flee." "To disappear." "Or stay." "To fight." "His wife threw gas on him." "Come see my butterfly collection." "First butterfly:" "Ficht." "mentally retarded." "Schizo-paranoia with mystic delirium." "Psychotic dissociation." "A real lamb ready to explode." "His brother Ferz, a mental case too, threw himself down a shaft." "They were shepherds." "Barbarians." "We're all shepherds." ""..." "In a beautiful valley, a proud country."" "Who do we start with?" "Let's see this Ficht." "I got the cement." "It's up there." " should've brought it." " Empty the coal first." "We're doing it." "Enough." "It's too heavy." "We're short of bricks." "We'II bring some with the cement." "How about a gulp for our throats?" "You're drinking it all." "And your buddies?" "Someone was up there?" "Of course not!" "You're hearing things." "There is someone up there!" "Did you leave a tool?" "Son of a bitch..." "He's stealing our food!" "Just you wait, you bastard!" "Look out!" "Nice watch!" "Who gave it to you?" "How's Ferz?" "You're not hungry?" "You're thirsty?" "Why do you break lamp bulbs?" "He thinks it's a rat that's going to attack him." "He's hallucinating." "typical delirium tremens." "It's in every textbook." " What's going on?" " Nothing." "He's crying." "What are you doing?" "Let him go!" "We know our job." "alarm at level 502!" "Faster!" "Faster!" "Straight ahead!" "Back up, everyone!" " Forward!" " Move it!" "fall in according to sector." "Faster!" " South sector:" "GaIca?" " Present!" "Screw the free press!" "tell him what happened." "I thought he was stealing our tools." "They break theirs and..." "Not a thing to steal!" "Just food." " He left nothing!" " We'd have skewered him!" " We ran..." " And the car..." "The cement rushed towards us!" " We took cover!" " We'd be dead!" " In pieces!" " There was dust everywhere." " Even up my ass." " A real blizzard!" "talk one at a time!" "You'II get it down later." "Make way." "Get in place!" "You, here!" "North sector:" "Gramada?" "Where's your brother?" "You, there!" "Come here." "You, with the cap..." "Step forward." "It's our painter." "I whitewash." "I'm from the North." "It's our painter." "What are you hiding?" "My brush." "I'm MoIdavian." "Go on." "They're all here." "AII of them?" "AII of them." "No one's missing?" "No one." "Where is this son of a bitch?" "No one's got cement on him." "Leave me alone." "They're either coal black or snow white." "Whoever pushed the car should be white!" "He couldn't wash yet." "I don't get it." "call roll again." "Only comrade B erila's family aboard!" "With the orchestra." "The cymbalum, clear out!" "The cymbalum stays behind." "The kids, out of the way!" "Get those kids out of there!" "Clear the area." "Only Mr. B erila's family!" "You moron, take that horse away!" "Bastards!" "They're throwing flyers?" " It's not flyers." " What, then?" "Announcements." "BeriIa, the ex-director..." " The man with the stores?" " He's marrying his daughter." "Are you crazy?" "Lost your mind?" "You too?" "At your age, you're doing this?" "You want to cut off his air?" "Is that it?" "It's premeditated murder!" "Orders from above." "impossible." "Try to understand!" "It's okay, leave us." "Stop flying over the mine, you're tearing off my roofs." "I'm not forgetting, my friend." "I'm forgetting nothing." "Okay." "I'm busy now." "You could've changed." "What do you want?" "You're wailing up access to 502?" "You want him dead down there?" "And I should twiddIe my thumbs in this chaos?" "Men are scared to death, they're huddling like sheep..." "Production's collapsed." "I don't care." "Then go away!" "What's the valley to you?" "Nothing!" "What have you done?" "Just made waves." "Wrong suspects, useless controls..." "Have you caught anyone?" "No one!" "Because he won't come out." "I'm not coming!" "I've got problems." "Big ones." "Yes, big ones." "You should go!" "It's a nice wedding." "The helicopter'II relax you." "You could use it." "I'm perfectly relaxed." "Just between us..." "You knew that one of these men, forced into that shithole, would one day refuse to come out." "He's adapted." "He sees in the dark." "You're mad." "Not me." "He, maybe." "He was psychologically unstable." "Now he's crazy." "A madman turned beast." "Managed reverse evolution!" "An animal... who kills to feed." "In each case, except for the Supervisor who must've seen him, he stole the victim's food." "You're out of your mind." "He's the perfect product of this infernal system." "The prototype." "The matrix." "The first of the series." "We should break out the Champagne!" "Like in "tequila Sunrise"." "And Master above!" "Leave us!" "What do you intend to do?" "flush him out." "I'm expecting reinforcements." "An army platoon." "We'II search every square yard." "And he'II be mine." "I'II put him in a cage in the town square, for TV." "So everyone can admire him:" ""The product of your industry!"" "A natural reserve of orangutangs... programmed to order." "Hurry up!" "fall in!" "Attention!" "Mr. Prosecutor..." "Lieut." "UIea, awaiting orders." "Fucking helicopter!" "Hope you and your bride crash!" "At ease!" "Where'd you get these kids?" "The service officer." "He'II show them to the canteen." "Then to the lockers." "For overalls and boots." "Leave your guns there." "I want him alive." "A corpse'II prove nothing." "I need two guides." "Today, we search the South." "finally!" "What is it?" "It came in the mail." "They did it." "I liked you..." "You stood up to them." "The State Prosecutor himself." ""...contravened professional ethics..."" "Pigs!" "Tomorrow I'II drive you to the train, pick up your fiII-in." "It's not tomorrow." "Not yet." "The course of justice is being diverted." "Report this in the local and national press." "also, that this helicopter of the Securitate..." " our fellow citizens have a right to know - ...has been rented for a wedding." "For the daughter of ex-director BeriIa, the tyrant of the mines converted into a businessman, who sells in his stores aduIterated vodka." "Fucking BeriIa!" "I shit on him, his mafia, his Arabs and his fucking copter!" "Have the men brought out." "call roll, for those asleep." "No more shifts today." "Stop the ventilation." "Tonight, no air." "Questions later!" "You seal off the shafts." " Use your men." " We have tarps." "Shut off the main gallery." "A sergeant will stand guard." "The door is not airtight." "Make it so!" "We'II cut off all his exits!" "No air must get in." "We'II only leave him the South access." "He'II have one choice:" "come out, or die." "The shafts are closed." " They're gonna kill us." " Cut the power." "Cut it!" "It's now or never." "The mine's never stopped in a 100 years..." "Not bad!" "Yes, Sir." "They're drawing him to the South." "I warned you." "public opinion's not my department." "I'm sorry, I can't do anything more." "I'II await them." "It's over." "Who's there?" "We're ready." "To flee." "To disappear." "Or stay." "BIeiben:" "To stay." "Verschwinden:" "To disappear." "Shit:" "Scheisse." "Too late." "Get those damn goats out of there!" "Idiot, get rid of that goat!" "Get down!" "Down!" "Are you deaf?" "You, where're you going?" "Everyone, hold still." "The wedding party... get down!" "Troops, keep down!" "He should've come out by now." "Forced out by toxic gases." "Any left?" "Give him some." "I thought you were sleeping." "Who could sleep here?" "Thanks so much." "It's nice and hot." "Stay down!" "Shut up!" "You're driving me crazy." "Stop with the guns!" "Stop all that clatter." "The wedding party, beat it!" "Get down!" "Fucking clowns..." "I'm afraid." "Of what?" "He's surely dead." "He should've come out." "I'II take full responsibility." "You'II have to." "Coffee?" "Soap will take care of that." "Stop with that gun!" "I said no guns." "It looks like..." "Cows." "In the mine." "They must've settled into an old gallery." "Take care of it!" "Look!" "Where?" "There!" "Look, something's moving!" "My God..." "It's him." "Troops, fall in!" "Faster!" "Faster, you slugs!" "Fix... bayonets!" "Quiet..." "Take aim!" "Nobody fires, he's haIf-dead." "Get their stupid guns down." "Lower... arms!" "Come on... come on." "My God..." "He's backing up." "He can't, with the gases." "Keep your men under control." "Take this off." "Are you crazy?" "Yes, I'm crazy." "You know..." "I know who it is." "Who is it, Mitica?" "I'II tell you if I come back." ""tequila Sunrise"..." "Down." "Lie down now." "Ferzatziu!" "What have they done to you, Ferzatziu?" "An impressive explosion, but since the Prosecutor survived, the mission was only a partial success." "A few months later, Costa and Alina left for Germany." "Ferzatziu vanished into the smoke for good." "The mines are still being worked." "And Ficht?" "What about Ficht?" "What happened to Ficht?" "He escaped from the hospital, stole 10 Ibs of TNT..." "And then?" "He now wanders about Europe, bomb in hand:" ""Hey, Ferz!" "Where are you, Ferz?"" "Listen, Mitica..." "What?" "I saw him in the subway." "Saw who?" "Who?" "Ficht!" "It couldn't have been Ferzatziu." "Or was it Ferzatziu?" "english subtitles by paul J. Memmi" "Processed by C.M.C." " Paris"