"But how can I start?" "Say something about the rueido, about what it meant for us, for our community." "Getting together to do all the heaviest work, being united." "Then you could talk about the rueido at the end of the war, the one you were involved in." ".. and the wind blows round..." "THEFTS CONTINUE IN THE UPPER VALLEY" "Hello." "I'd like to know if any houses are for sale or rent in the village." "I don't know, try." "May I help you?" "I'd like to know if there are any houses for sale." "I went to the municipality, but it's closed." "It's always closed in the afternoon." " Is it for a holiday home?" " No, to live in." "Personally, I don't know, but if you drop by on Sunday you'll find homeowners and more people besides." "Can you direct me to the mayor's house?" "He lives in the city." "I'll leave my phone number in case anyone can help." "Goodbye." "He didn't even buy a coffee!" "Excuse me!" "Come in." "Make yourself comfortable." "It's fantastic!" "Why are you looking for a house here?" "So I can live here." " Would you like a coffee?" " Yes, thank you." "Where are you from?" "I'm living in the Pyrenees, but I want to leave because they're building a nuclear power station." "I checked out Switzerland and the Valle d'Aosta." "Then I thought I'd go back to France and I found this valley." " You like the mountains?" " Yes, I'm a shepherd." "I've got goats." "I make cheese." "It's very good!" " Do you live alone?" " No, I'm married." "I've got three children." " I need a big house." " Most people moved away." "Many went to work in Turin, others live further down the valley, some..." "Pina, come here!" " Phillipe Heraud." "Hello." " Hello." "I'm Fausto." " Mr Heraud is looking for a house." " A holiday home?" "No, I'm not a holiday-maker, I'm a cheese-maker." "He's a shepherd." "He'd like to move to Chersogno." "So you're living in the Pyrenees?" "For some years." "I used to be a teacher, but I left..." "Didn't you like it?" "Too much bureaucracy." "They teach children too many useless things." "The Pyrenees are beautiful, but my wife's worried about this nuclear power station business." "If this continues, we might as well close down the show." "I've got better things to do than come here to talk about nothing." "This business of the Frenchman looks like a good opportunity." "Before thinking of foreigners, let's think of our own problems." "The village has changed, there are local necessities." "The village is deserted eleven months of the year!" "That's why the thieves come!" "These are the local necessities." "He'll want us to clear the roads for him in winter, and pay for a bus to take his kids to school." "It's an opportunity we can't miss!" "If there were opportunities, you think I wouldn't come back here?" "Costanzo, what do you expect from a ghost town?" " And who is this stranger?" " Careful he's not a drop-out." "Seems like a clever guy, he's got an education." "What is he, a freak?" "A bit of a retard?" "Let's ask the region for a loan instead, then we can restore the statues of our patron saints." "And then the road to the ARP so that cars can go on it." "Then we should get those TV people up here." "These are things that help attract tourists!" "Attract new life to the village!" "If I'm not mistaken, we all had a hand in writing the programme we presented at the elections." "What do we want to be, an administration of vacationers?" "Costanzo, you know things are impossible here." "Everybody's gone!" "Why should the council take risks for something pointless?" "Because it's right!" "It's right to take risks every now and then." "Valentino, you have the brain of a tourist." "You live for the fortnight you come here on holiday!" "Let's not go to far." "Anyway, I don't want to cause you problems." "You always do what you want." "If you want, I'll continue being deputy mayor like this, like a tourist, during the fortnight I'm here in Summer." "The we'll see how things turn out..." "We'd need someone to rent him a house, a barn, pastures..." "They're all so diffident." "But if someone gives them a push, they'll follow and bit by bit they'll get to like the idea." "I'm tired of all these battles." "I always hoped one of our lot would come back one day." "Maybe the son of emigrants." "Maybe someone like you, but with a normal job, with a family." "Costanzo, come on, we're going down!" "You're late." "I stopped to talk for a bit." " Anything new?" " No, nothing." "Fausto met a foreigner who'd like to come and live in the village." "He's a shepherd." "He's got as young family, we should give him a hand." "You can imagine what the others said." "Why on earth did I stand for election?" "A young family in the village... a bit of life..." "I brought back the books you lent me." " All that weight with one arm..." " I'll help you carry them home." "A temporary arrangement would suffice for the moment." "If you've not rented that house in Borgata Durandini, it would do nicely." "He'd stay up here all year?" "And who is this phenomenon?" "You really want to come here, or is it just an idea?" "If there's the possibility..." "When?" "This winter, before the kids are born." "What does your wife say?" "I described the village to her, I think she'll like it." "She'd like a big house." "We've got to find a house to rent." "It would be important for the village." "No, no... we don't know him." "We must know the people that come." "Don't let yourself be cowed by diffidence!" "They say we'll be swamped with Albanians next." "I shouldn't say this, but they're scared that someone will succeed where they failed." "Look, the people of Chersogno!" "I'm all dirty..." "I'm doing the rounds to see what people think and if anyone's willing to let their property." "What do you think about these French people?" "French?" "It used to be people from here moving to France!" "They're a young family, with three children." "There are plenty of empty houses, but who'd rent one out?" "Anyone who's got one uses it in Summer." "There's our place in Borgata Martini, but... it's in bad shape, even the roof needs fixing." "It wouldn't cost much." "You think everything's easy." "Then you've got to see how people feel about a foreigner moving here." " Delicious!" " It's very good!" " It's just made from goat's milk?" " Yes." "Between crotins frais and little cheeses" "I turn out 2,300 kilograms a year." "This is Maggiorino." "He has a house for rent." "Let's go and see it!" "29,900 euros..." "Whew!" " But it's ancient." " Yes, it is a bit old." "There are only two rooms." "Yes, but there's a kitchen out by the stalls." "It's wonderful!" "They kept cows and goats here." "They'd left the whole house to the old folks home." "Damp..." "It's too damp for cheese." "Could we make a ventilation hole on the West side?" "I think so." " Oh, it's you!" " Hello, Palme." "Excuse me." "I came to take a look." "With all the terrible things you hear about..." "He's from Savona." "Since he retired he's here all year long." "Excuse me." "He's pleasant, easy going." "He wants to import some special goats from Austria." " Says he earns 50 million a year." " Maggiorino's very crafty." "He's getting his house fixed up for free." "And he's earning with the rent." "I made you some soup to take home for dinner." "MERRY CHRISTMAS CHERSOGNO" "He got out a little computer, did some sums and said:" ""We'll make excellent cheese here!"" "I could understand if he wanted to set up... a restaurant, or a camp site... but to herd goats..." "My husband wanted to rent him the land my in-laws left us." "It's wonderful that a big family is coming up here to live." "And they're not from the South!" "I told the mayor to give him our pastureland." "I won't charge him, but he must keep it clean." "A thousand, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, forty-five." "If it's more, tell me." "You could have come in Spring, like last year." "Tell the mayor that I don't want any surprises on my land." "Can you give me a receipt?" " We usually send it to your house." " No, give me something signed." "It's better that way!" "Write it out properly!" "There are 42 dates lined up." "It's nothing too exacting, just a small orchestra." "It plays holiday resorts, important places." "Classical repertoire, you needn't work hard." "It won't hinder your recovery." "I'm going." "The wind blows round and everything comes back sooner or later." " Heard the latest?" " Is it really true?" "They're all there working, doing a rueido like in the old days." "What does the mayor think?" "He's working hardest of all!" " Here, it's from Fausto." " Thanks." "Always studying, eh?" "We're coming on fine, we've done a good job." "The state that place was in!" "We'll be finished in a couple of days." "Come and sit down." "Hello, Bep." "Only just got here?" "Where's Fausto?" "His manager's here." "That woman from Turin." " He'll have better things to do." " About time too!" "Be seeing you." "Thanks." " Will this be enough?" " Yes." " Make a note so you'll remember." " Okay." "Have the goats eaten?" "I was just feeding them." "All right, goodbye." " Who was it?" " The mayor." "Again?" "Put some lavender on, it smells nice." "Close the door so everything gets disinfected." "We welcome the Heraud's." "Philippe, Chris and their children with a warm heart and the best wishes for a happy future." "The Chersogno town council would like to thank those who've made their land available." "The town council wishes the Heraud family an honest and dignified future with the fruits of a labour that's a natural continuation of the activity our ancestors performed here in the past." "Thanks to everyone." "To everyone who helped with the house, who cleaned the stalls," "and to all of you who've come tonight." "It wasn't easy for my wife and I to change countries, to come here with a new language, or for our kids either." "But I believe that in life, you have to do something crazy sometimes." "Thank you." "Thank you all, really." "May I?" "Hi." "So how's it going?" "I brought you some vegetables." "I didn't think you had any." "Go ahead and use this, I'll bring more next week." "Otherwise it will go bad." "It's that way, from there to the river." "You can graze your animals in the pasture on the other side." "That's where you can graze them." "Great!" "You over there!" "That's mine over there!" "Those are my pastures!" "And my shed!" "Stop yelling, Emma." "We're here to do what's allowed." "Sure you are..." "We'll see what you do." "We'll see!" " Is something wrong?" " No..." "NO GRAZING ALLOWED" "Hello." "Put them away right, Max." "Your goats have gone into Aunt Emma's property twice." "Her cows won't eat where your goats soil the grass." "They'll end up falling into the gulch." "Virginie must not have noticed." "Anyway, stay away from there, you've got your own space." " The priest wants to bless the house." " No." "Did you hear about the French guy?" "Father Franco went there to bless the house." " But they wouldn't let him." " Are they atheists?" "Maybe they had no money for a donation." " They can't go broke over a donation." " Some holy water might do them good, considering all that dirt out front." "They leave their little girl in front of the stall, with all that dung around!" " Everything okay, Father?" " Yes." " How about some Pastis?" " I'd love some." "But let's bless the house first." ""May the Lord bless this house and let us understand it, love it and serve it." "Let us have its peace..." "Where's Philippe?" "Out in the pasture." "He asked me to take him to get some limestone." "I'll go find him." "Sorry." "Bye." " Looking for deer?" " Yes." " Seen the French guy?" " No." "People have to protect their own culture to survive and speak their own language." "Languages prove people have lived in peace for centuries." "No." "Culture comes from living together." "Day after day." "When I realize that people have lived here for 900 years and spoken the Oc language, and still do, from here to the ocean they've spoken the same language for hundreds of years..." "I get so emotional!" "What's left of Occitanian culture?" "Nostalgia." "If you're humble, they say you have no balls." "Imagine if today's society took notice of all the people who wake up unsatisfied in the morning." "To truly rebel you have to change." "Do what you really want to do." "But you're considered crazy if you break society's standards." "Then I'm crazy and glad to be!" "What's the point of living?" "If you're not happy?" "You're afraid." "Come on." "I can tell you're afraid." "I used to be too." "Everyone has the same fear." "Not being good enough for life or what they want to do." "You have to enjoy life." "Congratulations, you have a beautiful girl." "Congratulations." "Next time it will be a boy." "I have to go back to Turin, have a nice party." " Finally a little life around here." " The first of many celebrations." " Well?" " I'm here." "Are you really going to live with Philippe?" "I'm helping him out, he's all alone." "Everyone wants to leave this place but he wants to stay." "He only did what he wanted." "Your father can't stand him." "I've had it up to here with what my father and everyone else says..." "What they want me to do." "Everyone tells me what to do." "I can't stand anyone anymore." "This was inhabited by Jews," "Muslims, Heretics and Catholics." "They all lived together." "At one point they almost killed off the Oc culture." "You know why?" "They were tolerant." "I don't like the word "tolerant"." "If you have to tolerate someone, it means you there's no equality." "I believe... that all violence stems from sexual repression." "It has turned into power." "A society based on other people's frustration." "Frustration..." "Frustration is the cause of the most base feelings." "A repressed man only wants revenge sooner or later." ".. ten, eleven, twelve... thirteen, fourteen..." "Run!" " Hello?" "Hi." " What's up?" "Cancel the tour, I've thought it over." "You want to play for the goats?" " Exactly, I want my freedom." " What about when you grow up?" "I don't want to do tours on boats anymore." " The contracts?" " Call it off and work it out." " That's what you're paid for." " Go f...!" "I'd help you out with your land and stuff like that." "For a house." "But I want Massimo... to go back to the pastures." "If your son wants to come and live here, you should be helping him out." "But..." "I have almost 100 cows in the field." "I have problems, I just redid the stalls." "I need help." "I've got debts to pay." "I see." "But if Massimo doesn't give this a try, he'll never find peace." "And who says kids have to do what their parents want." "And now there's arguing with my wife at home." "Massimo was already coming here." "But ever since you came round... we've had these problems." "At least help me get him to come home." "I'm asking you to talk to the French guy." "What about?" "I was wanting to have two or three goats." "Maybe he could sell me one..." "This isn't council responsibility." "Go to the Forest Rangers." "They are only in charge of protected plants." "If someone damages a stone pine, they fine them." "But this is the second time my roses have been eaten!" "Rose-flavored cheese." "But who's paying me?" "My field's covered in goat shit!" "Free fertilizer." "You wouldn't have this problem if it were up to me." " My points?" " I gave them to your husband." "I'll sit here." "I'm the mountain ghost." "I'm going to eat everything!" "Grandma's here." "Don't you have anything to do?" " I need help." " Just a second." "There's work to be done." "But the mountain ghost is always here!" "Emilie says she heard yelling in the house down there." " Stop it!" " What's going on?" "A new policeman in town!" "It's fine for him to stick his nose in other people's business." " The newcomer wants to be boss!" " That bastard!" "TOWN OF CHERSOGNO" "IMMIGRANT RAISES GOATS AND SELLS ROTTEN CHEESE" "COMPLETE NEGLIGENCE OF HEALTH STANDARDS" "Write with your left hand..." "POLICE, DRONERO POLICE STATION" "HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CUNEO" "The soup!" " How's it going?" " There's so much to do." "You're always by yourself." "You have to go the pasture to see my husband." "It's no hurry, I just wanted to talk about the goats." "But I can tell you." "You should probably go tell him." "I have to go into town now, I've got errands." "Come and have some coffee, I've just made it." " How's our brother?" " He called." "He says they haven't had holiday yet but they're coming for the Assumption." "To see them bring the statue back to the church." "Good." "How's it going with the French guy." "He's got a nice family, nice kids." " All they do is work." " Let them!" "That way they stay out of the way." "The mayor shouldn't have done that." "He went too far, letting a goat herder come here." "He went too far!" "Hello." "Hi." "You like taking risks." "I've seen dogs fall off the cliff here." "I came to talk to you." "I saw your goats the other day grazing on private pastures and you weren't given permission." "Really?" "I find that hard to believe." "I saw it, I'm sure." "You'd better pay more attention to people's property lines." "AII I see is empty houses and badly managed fields." "No, people here take care of their own property." "They let grass rot in their fields." "What's the difference if I let my goats eat that?" "It's a matter of property, of respect." "You can't take advantage of people when they're not home." "I'm sure the mayor told you that." "It's for your own good." "Go and teach my goats what they can and can't eat." "And bring a map of the area so they can see where to go!" "Mark lines on the ground so the dogs will have to work harder." "Keep an eye on your goats." "If I find one more in my stalls or in my field," "I'll catch it, roast it and eat it!" "Mom!" "Virginie's teacher said she needs to wash because she smells like a goat." "It doesn't matter, school's almost over." "We should have stayed in Bagneres." "These Italians are weird." "Sometimes they're nice, almost too nice." "You need to be patient." "They're just like us, like everyone." "You'll see, once we get a bigger house, everything will be easier." "And I have no reason to be jealous here..." "Or are you going to dump me for a local?" "What if I fall in love with the guy in the jump suit?" "Really?" " Then I'd better start working out." " What?" "What are you doing?" "It's a souvenir from a rueido." "Everyone in town has one." " So you should too." " Thanks." "During the war, the people got together and hid the hay in the church so the Germans wouldn't get it." "After the war they got together again to bring it back home." "Let's decide where to hang it up and hope the house doesn't collapse." "The municipality can apply for European funds for the house." "You can fix the stall up and improve the pastures." "I understand, Costanzo." "It doesn't take much to make Chris and I happy." " How long are you staying?" " until tomorrow." " Let's go and get ready." " Okay." "I'll take that." "So you're not going out?" " It's not my kind of thing." " It's Occitanian music!" "That's enough, Simon!" "Stop it, Emilie!" "Stop it, Simon!" "Don't you have anything else to do?" "Virginie, clear the table." "Emilie, help your sister." "We're going to make cheese now." "Your mother will be happy when she gets back." "Go get the cultures." "Simon, get up and do something." "Dad!" "Hurry up, the basement's flooded!" " Come on we're late!" " Don't get flustered." "The old buggers won't die because of one dance less!" "What's that stink?" " Where's all this stuff going?" " Milan." "So you're going back to your public!" "Can we go now?" "How much did she pay you to make you change your mind?" "Will you ask Chris to water my plants sometimes?" "Sometimes we do things that others don't understand but that make a lot of sense to us." "Put that toy away and help me." "Can we taste these?" " Good!" " So fresh!" "Got any riper ones?" "No yet, you'll have to wait." " How many do you want?" " Two of these." "Delicious." "They really taste of goat." "The French know how to make cheese!" "Another piece." "I brought these cakes for your children so they'll have something good to eat." "Here are some clothes from the Good Will." "You know about the Occitan situation?" "These valleys where they speak another language?" "The success of this initiative could bring other youngsters, other families." "We're trying to develop this area, put that in the article." "I can't tackle social or political issues, it's a food magazine." " Here's Chris, the cheese maker." " Wonderful!" "Come on, let's take some photos." "We'll take a photo with the girl and the mother." "Stand up straight and turn round." "With the lady." "Get the goats in too." "Look, here's another one!" "You get in shot too." "You stand here..." "Fine." "You look lovely, ma'am." "We'll shoot you like this." "Excellent!" "I've come for the faxes." "I've moved my manure heap, like the Health Board wanted." "You can tell the mayor." ""PALATO FINE" RESTAURANT "BOCCA D'ORO" RESTAURANT" "Faxes arrive here every day." "I've got other things to do, and paper costs." "What a stink!" "What is it?" "A dead pig, don't touch it." "Dumping a carcass near the village in this weather is a criminal act!" "Maybe it fell by accident, or it broke loose." "Who knows what it died of." "He acts like God Almighty, but he can't look after animals!" "Come away from there, you'll catch something!" "They're worse than gypsies!" "It's criminal!" "Some children saw a dead pig on the slope." " Know anything about it?" " It was Phillipe." "It was dead." "Scoundrels!" "There are children here!" "You think you can throw dead animals down the escarpment?" "What's the problem?" "The vultures will eat it." "What vultures?" "You'd better go home." "They didn't mean any harm." "In the Pyrenees, vultures eat the carcasses." "He's a scoundrel!" " He should go back to the Pyrenees!" " I'm sorry, we didn't know." "They're being smart!" "Beat it, go home!" "The Forest Rangers already fined him twice, but the mayor won't call the Health Board, you'll see." "Costanzo will ruin his reputation like this." "I'd like to see what happens if an infection breaks out." "That pig must've weighed a hundred kilos." "We should get the law on him." " They're barbarians!" " Goat's cheese is disgusting." "I bet they fired him from teaching because he's so dirty." "They say they've seen his wife on the highway at night." " Just think!" " They've been seen naked too." "They were walking round the village in the nude!" "That's enough!" "The cultures?" " Are there any more cellars?" " No." "Goodbye." "It's not my fault, I'm just doing my job." "But the pig belonged to that Frenchman." "They found the carcass in the woods, not in his stalls." "In a case like this, we must check all the herders in the area." "I have to sling all the milk because of that bastard?" "For how long?" "We'll speed things up, two or three weeks." "And what about all the money?" "What'll happen to that?" "We'll take you to our brothers." "We'll carry you along the streets." "Stay with us, don't leave us." "The night..." "It'll be the Frenchman's." "He'll have done it on purpose!" "CANCELLATION OF AUTHORIZATION" ""Dear Mr Heraud, I hereby cancel authorization for use of my land as pasture for your livestock. "" " Simon, did you wash your hands?" " Yes." " More of the same letters?" " Yes." "We should cut down more trees for fodder." "Here." " Want some water?" " Yes." "Here's the soup." "Some for me too." "I'll show him!" "He cut down all my sister's wood!" "Thief!" "I'll pull the whole lot off here!" "Here we go!" " What are you doing?" " Thief!" " Are you mad?" " Off it comes!" "Thief!" "This is my sister's wood!" "That's not true!" "Stop!" " Come on..." "I'm sorry." " No!" "The Health Board checked everything and found it all in order." "I put the results up in the square but I still got this." "They're still complaining." "The goats, the pigs, the stink, the mess..." "No one seems to remember the job their fathers used to do." " They want to kick him out." " We'll get this settles." "We'll find him a house in an out of the way place." " Then no one can complain." " What did Philippe say?" "The usual, you know what he's like." "But I told him to calm down, with all the upset he's caused!" "And that business with Emma?" "To settle that I've thought of calling everyone together," "Philippe included, to make peace." "Next Sunday." "Emma said she was coming back from the meadow and saw Philippe stealing wood from the pile." "She said she went over, she was very angry." "She had a stick in her hand and he grabbed it off her." "She wanted to get the wood back..." "One way or another," "Emma got two fingers broken." "And now she's up there with her arm in plaster." "And that's that." "1° LOCAL CHEESE FESTIVAL" "If the mayor continues to side with foreigners, the village is done for!" "The council has always worked for the good of village." "Everyone has to do their bit." "We've got to be a bit more humble, Philippe too." " The village must keep going." " Philippe's must apologise to Emma." " And pay for damages." " All right." "But at the meeting we must say things face to face." "He's got to say sorry and pay for damages first." "We'll see what we can do." "You've got to decide who's side you're on!" " You again?" " Yes." "I spoke to Lidia, you've got to apologise to Emma." " Why?" " Why not humble yourself for once?" "Give her the satisfaction." "A bit of humility would be a good start." "Want to pass me off as a thief?" "For someone who goes round breaking people's bones?" "Lidia says she told you where to go, but you went and took Emma's wood on purpose." "Look at me!" "You think you're different, but you're all they same." "Only the language changes." "Two goats have disappeared, go and look for them." "Try and convince him to come to the meeting." " Oh, it's you." " How are you, Don Franco?" "I'm trying out this contraption." "I came to ask you if you'll come to the peace-making meeting on Sunday?" "Maybe if you're there..." "Peace-making..." "The mayor did the right thing." "People should live in harmony." "I don't want to create any embarrassment." "But I'll try to put a good word in." " So, is he coming?" " I don't know." "I'm not this father!" "Are you going away too, then?" "Ah, there he is!" " Sorry, I'm a bit late." " No, I just got off the bus." "How can I start?" "Say something about the rueido, about what it meant for us, for our community." "Getting together to do all the heaviest work, being united." " Community spirit." " I understand." "Today we're joined by Costanzo Giraudo, mayor of Chersogno, a charming village in the Monviso Valleys where Occitan is still spoken." "Costanzo asked us to do a feature on his village, which had a thousand inhabitants a century ago." "Today, surrounded by a splendid mountain landscape, it offers the possibility of a wonderful holiday." "Also with us is Mr Ponte, the oldest man in Chersogno." "But now I don't live..." "Tell us about your life in the mountains." "Mountain life wasn't easy." "Haymaking was the most important thing for us." "Hay was as important as bread, maybe even more so because we gave it to the animals who'd keep us supplied with milk, butter and cheese." "When the Germans started burning haylofts, we thought about about hiding it churches in the hope that they wouldn't look for it there." "Then us boys would secretly go and get it and give it back to the farmers." "We'd try to help one another for free." "We also did the rueido, which means helping one another for the good of everyone of us." "What's happened to us?" "We've become unrecognisable." "Monica asked me to read you these words." ""A warrior was dying at the end of a battle." "A man came up to him and said:" ""Don't die, I love you very much. "" "But, alas, he still kept on dying." "Two other men came up and said:" ""Wake up, come back to life!"" "But, alas, he still kept on dying." "They came up in 20, 100, 1.000, 500.000, saying:" ""So much love, but we can can do nothing against death!"" "But, alas, he kept on dying." "Millions of individuals formed a chorus around him:" ""Wake up, brother!"" "But he kept on dying." "In the end, all the men on Earth surrounded him." "The corpse saw them and, moved, got up slowly." "He embraced the first man and started to walk. "" "...the wind blows round and everything comes back sooner or later..." "Subtitles by:" "Laser S. Film s. r.I." " Rome"