"See this insect?" "It's an anopheles mosquito, vector of an infectious disease known as malaria, which still today causes 2 million deaths a year." "The female carries the parasite, and while searching for blood to nourish her eggs, she bites humans and infects them." "The disease involves high fevers and damage to the kidneys, liver, spleen, and brain, causing death in a matter of Days." "For over 50,000 years, this mosquito was the undisputed queen of Italy's pontine marshes, an inaccessible area inhabited only by wild animals and outlaws." "In 1929, dictator Benito mussolini, founder of the fascist party, decided to undertake a venture that had eluded even the ancient romans." "He wanted to reclaim the marshes, eradicate malaria, and transform that area into farmlands." "It was an enormous undertaking, which required thousands of desperate workers from Italy's poorest areas." "They worked nonstop, night and day, to present the duce with littoria, the first fascist new town." "But how many workers lost their lives in the marshes?" "Hundreds, thousands." "it remains an unsolved mystery, since the fascist regime concealed all documentation." "Helena!" "Please wait!" "Buongiorno." "Both:" "Buongiorno." "Buongiorno." "Both:" "Buongiorno." "Helena!" "(Phone rings) Ah, si, questo va in cucina. (Beep)" "and to what do I owe this pleasure?" "Hey, how's the move going?" "How are things in Cancun?" "Having fun on the beach with your new girlfriend?" "Come on, Sofia, please." "I just asked, "how is the move going?" "Fine." "I feel better now that I'm out of your house." "Remember it was our house." "Plus, uh, nobody forced you to leave." "And you're gonna be paying more expenses now." "You just worry about sending the money for Helena." "I'll take care of the rest." "Dad's on Skype!" "He wants to speak to you!" "Later!" "I don't feel like it right now!" "You heard her." "Yes, I heard her." "Just try and have her call me later." "I'll try, but I can't promise later." "I'll try, but I can't promise you anything." "Sofia, I understand you're upset with me, but don't turn" "Helena against me, okay?" "I never said anything bad about you to her." "Helena just misses her father." "Please-- it's been almost a year since she last saw you." "Let's not start this again." "Robert, what is that on your tooth?" "Oh, you mean this here?" "This is a diamond." "You like it?" "All musicians got it." "But you're not a musician." "Well, listen, I got to go." "Um, have her call me later, okay?" "Bye." "Mum!" "Come here!" "Coming!" "I like that closet!" "Can I have it?" "Yeah, but..." "When did you see it?" "Helena, come on, baby, get up." "Come on." "Helena, up." "I'll be late for work again." "(Groans)" "(Sighs)" "Helena, come on!" "Mum, my tooth is loose." "Show me." "Does it hurt much?" "yes, a little bit." "Darling, it's nothing serious." "It's just your baby teeth coming out, that's all." "Okay?" "Come on." "(Rapid footfall)" "Helena, wait!" "Come on." "Mummy, scrooge!" "(Door buzzes, opens)" "(Door shuts)" "At the end of the road, turn right." "I think, pretty soon, you'll be toothless." "But I don't want a mouth full of missing teeth." "I want a beautiful smile like yours." "Of course, you will." "New teeth will replace the old ones, and they'll be even more beautiful." "And for every tooth that comes out, you put it under your pillow, and the tooth fairy will replace it with a lot of money." "Follow Franklin boulevard for 4.2 kilometers." "Can we call dad and tell him?" "Tell him?" "About what?" "My tooth." "♪ (Crackling over monitor) it's 2:00 in the morning in Cancun, Helena." "If he's still there." "Follow Franklin boulevard." "Mummy, is the tooth fairy scary?" "Why should she be scary?" "Mum!" "(Sighs) Helena!" "Uh-uh-uh." "Still." "You're daughter's fine." "(Sobs)" "Where is she?" "She's just in the next room." "We gave her a cat scan, and everything looks fine." "You were both very lucky." "(Sighs)" "I want to see my daughter." "(Thunder rumbling)" "I'm so sorry." "I got distracted." "My tooth fell out." "My tooth fell out." "Where?" "In the car." "When we had the accident." "All right." "We'll look for it tomorrow." "Go get it." "Helena, I don't even know where they've taken the car." "I want my tooth." "Helena." "I want my tooth." "Go find it." "Helena, please." "I want my tooth!" "Hear me?" "Mum!" "What is it, darling?" "Another one is loose." "Close your eyes a moment." "Show me." "What is it, mum?" "(Sighs) Nothing, darling." "Nothing." "Close your eyes." "Nice and wide." "Okay, it's just gonna hurt a little bit, okay?" "Let's go." "(Zipper zips)" "Do you feel better?" "Yes, mum." "Why don't we go home, put it under your pillow and wait for the fairy?" "What are you doing here?" "I was just checking if the tooth was in place, darling, and seeing if the tooth fairy had come yet." "But it already came." "See?" "The tooth isn't there anymore." "The tooth fairy already took it." "I see." "Come on." "Tomorrow," "I'll tell you all about the tooth fairy." "Right now, I'm going back to sleep, okay?" "Hey." "Did you find any money under your pillow?" "Yes, I found it under my glass of milk." "Thanks, mum." "And why would you be thanking me?" "Well, because I know you were the one who put it there." "Mm." "Mm." "What are you drawing?" "The tooth fairy." "She also gave me money." "Look." "Baby, where did you find this?" "She gave it to me." "The tooth fairy brought it." "Please take a seat." "Thank you." "Excuse me for calling you in, madam." "Helena's never been in trouble before." "She's a very sweet girl." "Please, just tell me what my daughter has done." "Well, she bought these from some of the other children." "I don't know why." "Bought?" "Yes, with this money." "Are you a collector of old coins?" "So where did you find the money?" "Helena." "Can you at least tell me what" "You intend to do with these..." "With these teeth?" "They're for the fairy." "Helena, please." "Now she's angry with my teacher." "She wants her teeth." "So how long has Helena been displaying this sort of behavior?" "Or should we say disorder?" "Since she lost her first tooth." "And this fairy supposedly lives in her closet, does she?" "Yes." "Well, children do tend to have very vivid imaginations." "I mean, I remember when I was a kid, I was totally convinced I had a ghost under my bed." "Doctor, believe me, this is different." "My daughter's behavior is completely out of character." "She's obsessed with this fairy and..." "These teeth." "I mean, I don't know." "Could it be a head injury from the accident?" "Well, nothing came up on the cat scan, but, uh, if it would make you feel better, we can scan her again." "Yes." "Thank you, doctor." "May I show these to a colleague of mine?" "Of course." "Oh, just one thing." "Helena's never suffered from hallucinations, has she?" "No." "Have you?" "No." "Um, anyone in your family?" "No, absolutely not." "Well, I really wouldn't worry about anything." "It's probably much less serious than you think." "She may have heard a scary story from one of her friends or seen something on TV." "We'll be in touch." "(Closes, locks door) Ma'am." "Yes?" "Is this your daughter's?" "You speak English?" "I learned it from the from the American soldiers many years ago." "Your daughter draws well." "Thanks." "I'll tell her." "She calls me scrooge, doesn't she?" "Oh, please don't be offended." "Helena loves giving people nicknames." "I know." "I was a child once too." "Certain things scare children." "Yes, of course." "Well, good night, and thanks again." "You must leave this house before it is too late." "And why must we leave?" "Leave now." "I won't be able to help you later." "Thanks, but we don't need anyone's help." "(Clattering) You can come out now." "Come on, darling." "Let's try to be on time today." "Helena." "I'm not going to school today." "And why is that, miss, hmm?" "Why aren't you going to school?" "Because miss cavendish is dead." "That's not funny, Helena." "Now, come on, get up." "One minute." "Hello?" "When did this happen?" "Thank you for calling." "And let me know when the funeral is." "It was the fairy, mum." "The fairy in the closet." "Hello, this is Dr. Patrick speaking." "Do you remember me?" "Hello, doctor." "Of course, I do." "Yes, I just wanted to let you know that my colleague" "Professor fabiano has looked at Helena's drawings and would like to see you as soon as possible." "Fine." "Where should I go?" "It's number 32, via del mare." "Okay?" "Thank you, doctor." "I'll let you know how it goes." "Okay, bye-bye." "Helena!" "Helena, is everything okay?" "Helena!" "My colleague tells me that your daughter's unusual behavior is quite recent." "Yes, since she lost her first tooth." "Well, children can be very susceptible to suggestion." "There is one thing, though, that does try me about all this." "Your address." "Sorry, what?" "Is there any chance someone may have told your daughter what happened in your house many years ago?" "Sorry, what?" "What happened in my house?" "before the war, when the city had just been built, that house was the scene of a crime of passion, of jealousy actually." "The killer's name was" "Battista Greco, an army officer at the time." "One day he saw his wife smiling at another man, and so he decided to punish her..." "And ripped out her teeth..." "One by one." "Then, when he finished his dreadful work..." "He locked her in a closet..." "And just left her to die there..." "Slowly. (Slow banging on door)" "Mr. ferri?" "(Door hinge creaking) Mr. ferri." "Mr. ferri!" "Mr. ferri." "Mr. ferri!" "(Phone clicking)" "Hello?" "Anyone here?" "(Door creaks open) Mr. ferri. (Button clicking)" "(Banging) Get up!" "Get up!" "Get up!" "Come on!" "(Grunts) Come here. (Grunts)" "Come here." "(Grunts) (Panting)" "(Screaming) (Screams) Run!" "Oh!" "(Screams) Run!" "Oh!" "(Screaming)" "Oh!" "(Screaming) Run!" "(Screaming) Run!" "(Screams)" "Run!" "(Screams) Run!" "Run!" "(Screams) Run!" "Run!" "(Grunting)" "Run!" "Run!" "(Grunting) Run!" "Run!" "(Grunting) Run!" "Run!" "(Grunting)" "Run!" "Run!" "(Grunting) Run!" "(Grunting) Run!" "Helena, run!" "Run!" "Helena, run!" "Run!" "Helena, run!" "Run!" "(Grunting)" "Run!" "(Grunting) Run!" "Run!" "(Grunting) Run!" "Run!" "(Screaming)" "No!" "No!" "Go." "Hey." "How's it going?" "Same as yesterday." "Same as two days ago." "Same as it's been for almost two years." "Actually, that's..." "That's what I wanted to talk to you about." "I'm thinking of taking Helena with me." "I think it might be a good solution." "I hope you're kidding." "No, I mean, she's been here for a while now and hasn't been improving." "I think it might be the right solution." "I mean, she hasn't spoken for the last 18 months." "And where would you take her?" "To Mexico?" "Yes, yes, Mexico." "Why not?" "And what medical center would you take her to?" "Or would you just take her to some resort?" "No medical center." "Listen, I want to get her out of here." "I think Helena needs a change." "Yeah, you know what?" "I can't believe this." "You come back to Italy after how many years, Robert?" "How many?" "Say it." "Almost four years." "You left me and Helena, saying you needed to find yourself." "Truth was, you were chasing after one of my students, even even though I pretend still not to know." "Sofia, this is not about the two of us." "This is about our daughter." "That's my point!" "For years, you've acted as though she's only my daughter." "And now you're telling me what's" "And now you're telling me what's best for her." "Look, whatever it is, I don't want her hanging around these loonies here." "Maybe you're used to this, but this is not what I want for my daughter." "Got it?" "After all these years, I'd forgotten what an asshole you were." "you know what?" "I'd rather be an asshole than be crazy." "Thanks, I'll be right there." "What's over there in that building?" "Where?" "Over there." "Oh, nothing." "It used to be the mental unit." "Thank you." "(Thunder rumbles)" "Tell me what you see." "I see my ex-husband." "I want to know what he told you." "that your mother was schizophrenic and committed suicide in a mental hospital." "Can I ask you why you didn't tell me this?" "Because I don't want my past being used as a reason for" "Helena to be taken away from me." "I know what it's like to grow up without a mother." "Isn't that reason enough?" "Sofia, I'm a doctor." "I need to be able to assess everything." "If you withhold information..." "For months we've been trying to get into Helena's head." "You know, when she first came here, she was obsessed with this fairy, this fairy that wanted to take her away, that wanted to take her away, that wanted to harm her." "What are you trying to say?" "That I might be the fairy?" "You know, schizophrenia and home environment are often closely connected." "Look, I'm gonna ask you again, and I'd like you to be truthful this time, for Helena's sake." "Have you ever suffered from any form of mental disorder?" "Or have you ever had any hallucinations?" "Helena's ready to go out with her mum." "I have to go out with Helena now." "Okay, we can talk about this later" "Hello, Helena." "You go and have a nice stroll and get your mum to buy you an ice cream, all right?" "The land was predominantly populated by world war I veterans and their families who had left their homes to come to agro pontino, in the middle of nowhere, in the hope of creating a better future for their children." "Marco." "Yes?" "Did someone touch my photo file?" "No, it's the same as always." "Why?" "No reason." "Never mind." "She's back, mum." "What did you say, baby?" "She's back." "No, darling." "That's not true." "We left her house." "We're safe here now." "She's mad at me." "Why would she be mad at you?" "You haven't done anything to her" "Because those weren't her teeth." "She wants her teeth." "(Whispering) But he hid 'em in a secret place." "(Mechanical whirring) (Computer keys clicking)" "Everything looks fine." "what exactly did you talk about?" "She said, um, that she had fun on our stroll..." "She enjoyed the ice cream." "Hmm." "(Computer keys clicking) Well, that's a good sign." "Yes, indeed." "A good sign." "I'll be right back." "Everything's all right." "mummy's here with you now." "There's a little girl in the mirror." "is it really?" "Yes." "Mummy will take a look." "Do you want me to send her away?" "There's nobody here, baby." "She's gone." "The doctor said that Helena never had such an attack before." "You know, epilepsy would explain a lot." "But the tests were inconclusive..." "As always." "Yes." "(Sobbing) Shh, shh." "I don't know what to do anymore, Robert." "I don't know how to help her." "Listen, if they can't figure it out here, you know, we'll find some other doctors." "But what if it's not a medical problem?" "Do you remember that apartment that I moved into after we split up" "Yes, and then you didn't like it, then you moved out again." "In 1938, a murder took place in that apartment." "A man tortured and killed his wife there." "He ripped out all of her teeth." "See?" "And you told Helena the story?" "Please, just listen." "I know I may sound crazy, but believe me, I'm not." "I didn't know about it." "Helena didn't know about it." "But then she started saying that that woman, the woman that was killed, lived in her room and wanted her teeth back." "Look, if you didn't say anything about that, then maybe somebody else did, and, you know, it just got to her." "That's what I thought too." "At first." "And then?" "And then, uh..." "And then," "I started seeing her too and her husband and their little girl." "I'm not crazy." "You know me!" "I'm a professional." "I've always had a rational mind, but there's something about that house." "It followed us, and it's making our daughter lose her mind." "Sofia." "Is this little girl sitting here right beside me?" "Is she--is she there beside the the Jesus figure, talking to him?" "And, tell me, is the mother here somewhere?" "Please, Robert, I beg you- - maybe we can find a way to save Helena." "We can do it together." "Helena has started speaking again." "She's trying to communicate with us." "She's asking for help." "You are Helena's problems." "No, I'm not." "And I'm gonna put a stop to that." "No." "No, you don't understand." "Oh, yes, I do understand," "Sophia." "No!" "And I'm calling the judge in the morning because Helena is coming with me." "No." "No!" "No!" "(Crying)" "Hey, pumpkin." "I'm sorry." "Daddy's sorry." "Daddy's gonna get you out of here." "And then we're gonna take care of mummy." "Do you want something to eat?" "They won't take me away from you, right, mum?" "What makes you think that?" "I don't know where her teeth are." "I told her, but she doesn't believe me." "Why does she want them from you?" "How are you supposed to know?" "Why won't she just leave you alone?" "Hear me?" "Leave my daughter alone, you witch." "Leave her alone!" "(Banging on door)" "Everything is okay?" "Do you need anything?" "No, we're fine." "Thank you. (Door shuts)" "Stay here." "Thank you." "how's Helena?" "Yeah, she seemed--she seemed okay." "We put her in another room." "I don't think she understood what happened." "She understands much more than you might think." "Are you sure those were Robert's teeth?" "I don't know." "I don't know anything anymore." "I'm not sure of anything." "Do you see him too?" "Do you see him too?" "We can't both be having the same hallucination." "Anyone there?" "(Creaking)" "Aah!" "Sofia." "I saw the light on." "Do you need anything?" "Actually, yes." "I need to view this." "Can you help me?" "Where did you put them?" "Huh?" "Where'd you put them?" "Where'd you hide them?" "God damn you." "But he hid 'em in a secret place. (Deep breath)" "Aah!" "(Both grunting) (Screams)" "The wolf doesn't eat children." "Robert." "(Crying) (Sobs)" "I gave you back what you wanted." "Now leave Helena alone." "(Chuckles) I still can't believe it." "What?" "Helena's progress is remarkable." "When do you think I should tell her about her father?" "I'd wait a little longer." "You're going home tomorrow, and that in itself is already a great result, right?" "Yes." "Yes, it is." "I'm going home with my mum now." "Here, you keep it." "When I was afraid at night," "I held her close." "But I'm not afraid anymore." "The fairy's gone." "Arrivederci, professoressa." "Arrivederci." "See you tomorrow." "So will you come out with us tonight?" "You can't keep saying no." "Well?" "Yes, all right." "I'll come." "Great." "By the way, I transferred the the old film for you." "Do you want to see it?" "What film?" "The one that you gave me." "Do you remember?" "manuela, have you seen Helena?" "Yes, she's upstairs." "Why?" "The ogre has teeth again and can now eat children." "Helena?" "Helena?" "Sofia, need anything?"