"Season's Beatings" "Portier is here and Dumez as well." "He's the manager of the orchestra of Lille." "He would have liked that." "And Milla?" "She's coming." "She had a reunion." "You'll be cold." "What are we doing on the 24th?" "It's Janine." "Didn't you inform her?" "She'll understand eventually." "You didn't tell her." "That's terrible!" "They were married for 10 years." "I didn't tell her." "Take Marie back." "She's shivering." "Go say hello to your grandmother." "About the key rings, horseshoe or four-leaf clover?" "Four-leaf clover." " Did Sylvie call you?" "Are they coming?" "They're coming." "And the pilot?" "We can't be 13 people." "And if we are 13?" "Organise a buffet or kill one of them?" "Certainly not a buffet." "German if possible, but first of all bilingual, English-French." "Knowledge of modern art would be good." "It's for the curator of the museum of Düsseldorf." "This time, don't send me a giant." "Last time, with the Japanese, there was a problem." "Yes, the rest was fine." "Milla!" "It's not finished, is it?" " No, not yet." "It's that way." "8 o'clock in the Lutécia bar." "I'll brief him beforehand and I'll give him a blank cheque." "I'll explain it to him." "We lost a real musician." "There you are!" "He would have liked that." "I'm here for you, mum." "I'm so sorry." "My condolences." "Thank you for coming." "Pierre and I, 2..." "The children, 4..." "Sylvie and Mathieu, 6..." "Their children, 8..." "Pierre's parents, 10..." "Louba, 11..." "Dad, 12..." "Are you coming now?" " Not really." "What does that mean?" "No." "You can bring anybody you want." " Thanks." "If mum comes and you don't, we'll be 13 people." "If you both come, we'll be 14 people." "Me, I'm leaving at 11 o'clock." "I'm singing on the 24th." "Beyond 14, we'll need 2 tables or a buffet." "But that's not very nice on Christmas Eve." "Pierre hates it." "And dad will sit alone, in a corner." "I'm not going to spend Christmas with that old asshole." "We can't let dad spend Christmas Eve alone because Jean-Louis is dead." "Dying on 20 December is bad timing." "Come on, Sonia." "There are enough problems in the world." "Let's have some fun with Christmas." "Where?" "With whom?" "For whom?" "For the children." "Yours don't believe in Father Christmas anymore." "How old is Arthur?" "That doesn't have anything to do with it." "Christmas is a symbol, a reunion..." "My Russian class!" "I forgot to inform my student." "For once, I won't spend Christmas Eve with Janine." "You used to spend Christmas with Janine?" "Yes." "Since when?" "Since always." "Not when I was young." " No." "Later." "After she lost her 2nd husband." "No family, no children..." "Jean-Louis never forgot about her." "Did you know?" "Yes." "You love me, don't you?" "Yes, mum." "If I put chestnuts in the turkey I can't make a chestnut log anymore." "Or truffles." "About the Christmas log, Pierre hates Grand-Marnier and my sister-in-law is allergic to vanilla." "Last year we picked coffee." "Do you remember?" "This year, I want to make a designer log." "All gold and white." "I'm fed up with red and green." "You could make a log with rice and milk or oysters and pistachios." "A real... designer log, no?" "Stop!" "That's hostile depression." "Bread!" "Have some bread." "Are you alright?" "Don't cry, mum." "We're here." "You can come to the house." "Do you love me?" "Yes, I love you." "You know what I would like?" "What I'd like the most in the world?" "Spend Christmas with my three girls." ""You can bring anybody you like"." "You know what that means?" "That means:" ""You think I'm middle-class..." ""...but I'm tolerant." ""I'm capable of making a special effort for Christmas..." ""...for the "reunion"." ""But you... you're only capable of insulting my brother-in-law."" "You know, the pilot." "She's right." "I am capable of that." "I don't know how you can stand her." "You're harsh." "Without her, we'd never all be together." "There will always be funerals." "Does she still shop at Rungis?" "300 bucks more or less per week, that's a lot." "And she kept going on about that log." "And the decorations." "She keeps everything from year to year." "The ribbons, the wrapping paper, she puts it in a box." "That's so sick!" "And the tree decorations!" "She still has the ones from before our parents divorced." "Does she still help you with dad?" " Of course." "By the way, it would be good if..." "I forgot." "I'll give you the cheque tomorrow." "I'll talk to dad about the 24th." "I can stay with him." "Mum can go to Sonia." "See you!" "Never a present." "Not even for the children." "She doesn't know how old Arthur is." "She's so tight." "Her "I don't care about Christmas" is just stinginess." "Two years ago, a rock for Marie!" "Can you believe that?" "She painted a clown on the rock." " It was pretty." "Terrible!" "She has such bad taste!" "A miniskirt at a funeral!" "If she'd enjoy life at least." "There's more to life than IT!" "She works 15 hours a day." "She has no guy, no children either." "That's not her fault." " Yes it is." "She not a giving person." "She doesn't even ask how you are." "They might have gold piping for my table cloth." "Do you mind?" "We'll stay together." "Don't cry." "Keep the scarf." "I'm giving it to you." "It looks good on you." "For once, we decided to open the presents before dinner." "We talked about it for hours, every year." "After dinner, we were sleepy, but the kids loved to wait." "Anyway, Stanislas gave me a ring." "A great gift when you're divorcing." "Asshole!" "He pretended not to understand." ""We'll spend next Christmas in the sun."" ""Next summer, we're going somewhere."" ""Right, Yvette?"" "As if the girls hadn't understood." "I was focused on the telephone." "I only cared about that one phone call." "Jean-Louis was in Nancy with the orchestra." "We had a code." "Two rings and then hang up." "That way I knew he'd come home and I could call him." "Whenever I could escape." "The girls were opening their presents." "I locked myself in my room." "There was only one phone with a long wire." "I said to him:" ""I love you, Jean-Louis"." ""This is my last Christmas without you."" "And I hung up." "I cried my eyes out." "I turned around." "Milla was there, so tiny, with her new doll in her hands." "She looked at me with her big eyes." "It was terrible." "For tonight?" "Absolutely." "I can do 30 of 1.20 meters." "I'll send you the catalogue." "Thank you for this nice evening." "I'll see you in Munich January 3rd." "Bye." " Take care." "Bye-bye." " Bye-bye." "Thanks." "Could you give me the bill?" "It's for my expenses." "Here it is." "Thanks." "Was the English ok?" "Perfect." "Don't worry." "Very well." "Goodbye." " Goodbye." "What are you doing on Christmas Eve?" "I'm going to see my mother, in Nantes." "Ok." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Aren't you asleep?" "I brought you some blinis." "It's hot, here." "Aren't you walking today?" "How was the funeral?" "You'd have loved it." "How can you stand this heat?" "I bet your mother got quite some people together." "But it's not in the newspaper." "You'll say, 3rd violin of Radio France, you pay for your own death." "If you don't pay for the ad, they won't redo the layout." "Your mother could have paid for her own man." "Stop it, dad." "And get up." "My legs hurt." "Was Morin there?" "Why do you care?" "Who is that?" "We went to the conservatory together." "He introduced me to your mother." "I was on a date with another girl." "Didn't I tell you?" "Yes, you told me." "Ok..." "There's a problem with the 24th." "No problem." "Forget about me." "If your mother comes, forget about me." "Can't you say "Yvette"?" "I'm not coming." "You're terrible." "It's been 25 years." "It's not a problem." "I can be on my own." "The neighbour is alone too." "I'll invite him for dinner." "Which neighbour?" "Your tenant." "The little young guy?" " He's not that young." "Sonia's making an effort to get everybody together." "If it wasn't for Christmas, I wouldn't see her often." "She's organising everything." "Without her, we'd have a hard time to make ends meet." "Pierre is too trendy for you." "Too much rooted in the present." "Where did you get that?" "Why do you say that?" "Believe me." "His father is an anti-Semite." "That pisses me off and I'm keeping my mouth shut." "They'll celebrate Christmas amongst goys." "What's gotten into you?" "You've never practised." "I'm getting older." "I'll tell Sonia." "That her parents-in-law are anti-Semites?" "She's forgotten I'm Jewish." "For me, Christmas, is the birthday..." " ...of a little Jewish careerist." "I know." "Please, dad." "Your girls will be there and your grandchildren who are also hers." "Did you ask her?" "Did you ask Yvette?" "Did you ask her if she wants to spend Christmas with me?" "Did you ask her?" "You're pissing me off." "See?" "It's me." "Your neighbour." "I brought some blinis." "Would you like some?" "Thanks." "There's tarama too." "Is it spread on the blinis?" "Yes." " I don't like tarama." "You don't?" "Is that a bottle of vodka?" "Are you offering?" "It's working." "She'll be happy." "How old is she?" "Five." "Do you have her in the weekends?" "The news spread fast." "Which news?" "That you can fix everything." "Ugly, old, broken..." "does that inspire you?" "I wanted to thank you for the other day." "Finding a plumber at midnight..." "When I was little my dad played the violin here." "Did he tell you?" "We called it the annex." "Can I ask you something?" "I'd feel better if I could give you our keys." "The building hasn't had a caretaker for the past 3 months." "My father's health isn't very good anymore." "He's been depressed ever since he stopped working." "I already have your keys." "You have our keys?" "Your father gave them to me the night I fixed the leak." "He trusted you with them?" "He's so suspicious..." "So we had the same idea." "Do you want some?" "No, thanks." "I'm pregnant." "I can't tell my sisters, or my father, or my guy." "My mother, at the moment..." "It's not easy." "I don't know what to do." "Get an amniocentesis." "Sorry?" "At your age..." "That's true." "I'm 42." "Do you still live with your father?" "It's only been 4 years." "I was kicked out of my apartment." "It was only for a couple of days." "And then..." "Alright!" "My baby might have Down's syndrome and I live off my father." "I was feeling a bit down..." "I'm very glad I came to see you." "Me too, I'm a bit down." "This time of year always gets to me." "That's a hostile depression." "I've got the opposite." "The more I feel bad, the more I need to be loved." "So the more I feel depressed, the nicer I am." "Good evening." "Good evening." "Are you alone on the 24th?" "No, why?" "Nothing." "Hello?" "Yes." "Yes, I'm doing a visit." "No more roosters?" "But, Françoise, there are other butchers." "Yes, I love meringue Christmas logs." "But my mother hates meringue." "You only need to make 2 logs." "Did you find the lamp?" "A lamp with a leopard foot." "I don't know." "She wants it for her room." "We should be able to find one." "Did you get places for late mass?" "Alright." "I'll call you later." "Will your mother spend Christmas Eve with you?" "Are they still fighting?" " They made up." "And the girls are ok?" "They leave for Val Thorens on the 26th." "You didn't tell me that they made up." "It doesn't make a difference for us." "That's true." "Louba..." "Once the girls have grown up..." "I know." "The table-cloths, the tea, the biscuits." "There." "I can't live without you." "Shit!" "They're early." "Goodbye, sir." " Goodbye, madam." "Gilbert Cellier, Perrin agency." "Will you call me?" "Absolutely." "Over here is the hallway with two cupboards." "Don't let me disturb you." "The hallway with 2 cupboards." "In the back there..." "I forgot the soap." "In the back there is the kitchen." "Aren't you at the office?" " There's no reason for you to spend Christmas Eve like that." "Tell them all to fuck off." "I'll get you some foie gras and and some Sauternes wine and we'll have a picnic." "Yes, why not?" "It's bloody hot, here." "Were you at the funeral?" " Oh yes!" "It's still not in the paper." "3rd violin with Radio France." "Why should it be in the paper?" "You didn't even give me a hug." "Each Christmas, it's the same." "Even when you were little." "You think?" "I don't know what it is." "I don't want to see you together." "Is the tea hot?" " Who together?" "You and mum." "Do you want some?" "Yes." "Is there somebody there?" "It's my neighbour." "He's fixing the leak." "Which neighbour?" "He rents the annex." "It's ok." "Joseph, meet Milla." "The youngest." "Hello." "There." "Do you call him by his first name?" "Well..." "Yes." "You're subletting the annex to him?" " Until he finds work." "He's an electrician." "It's on and off work." "You, with your diplomas, you always had it all." "Yeah, but..." "Shit!" "I was sure I brought my chequebook." "I promised Louba." "That's what I came for, shit!" "I always thought she'd be cheated upon, but I never saw her as a widow." "You "thought"?" "You made her world champion." "Do you feel like going?" "If she's there, no way." "I'll be back." "Me, you know..." "Christmas..." "We left Paris at dawn." "We arrived in the village around midnight." "I remember the bells at night." "It was the end of mass." "After Russia, I never saw this much snow." "I was wearing a fur coat." "A crazy idea of my mother." "She didn't understand that in France children don't wear that kind of stuff." "At school, I got beaten up so often because of that coat." "That night, I was happy to have it." "They put us in an old chalet." "There were lots of mattresses on the floor." "That's where we slept, my parents, my uncle, my aunt and me." "Then they returned from late mass." "Their name was Baud." "B-A-U-D." "Mr Baud, his wife, their children, cousins." "They gave us soup." "The best soup I've ever had." "And cheese with country bread." "Nobody said much." "Except my aunt, who didn't stop saying thank you." "At dawn, they woke us up." "There were toys in the chimney." "The children were still asleep." "Mrs Baud gave me a red wooden horse." "She said: "You're big, you." "You don't believe in Father Christmas anymore."" "We walked through the snow for a long time and Mr Baud said goodbye to us." "At the other side of a big pine-tree." "That was the Swiss border." "What's this?" "I don't know." "What is it?" "I said I was in Aix-en-Provence on the 23rd." "We should open an office there." "It's been a long time since we didn't spend the night together." "I work on the 23rd." "That's ok." "I'll pick you up around midnight." "I have a surprise for you." " I have a surprise for you too." "Bye." "When the girls have grown up, things will change." "See you tomorrow, my love." "I forgot my mobile." "He's bloody late!" " No." "I can't trust you." " We're on holiday." "They called about the TV." "They didn't receive the payment." "Yes, but this month..." "Can you feel it?" "She's moving." "Christmas is sacred." " My work is sacred as well." ""My bank, my Christmas dinner my promotional presents, my mistress."" "What mistress?" "!" "That walking parrot with her red and green suits." "Go fuck yourself with your key rings." "I'm staying in Paris for work." "You're terrible." "What are you doing here, sweetie?" "It's for Father Christmas." "He ate everything the last time." "It's too early." "There are 2 more nights until Christmas." "What if he's early?" "Are we going skiing for sure?" " We're going skiing." "Tell him." "Come." "You'll go with mummy... and your sister..." " You promised!" "I'll wait for you in Paris." " Why aren't you coming?" "I have to work." "It's not for long, only a week." "But you didn't do it?" "You didn't do it, right?" "Of course not." "No regrets." "A con man, even a smart one always ends up in his own traps." "There are too many people involved." "But you didn't do it?" "You didn't do it, right?" "Of course not." "He gave me a meccano set." "It was in a restaurant." "A brasserie, near the Bastille." "Each time I go past it, I remember." "My mother didn't stop telling me:" ""Tell him you're happy with it."" "But I couldn't thank him." "For years... they harassed me for "thank yous"." "And I had to say thank you to this guy who I never saw apart from that ritual breakfast and some birthdays and who didn't give a shit about me." "And then one day..." "Well, one Christmas..." "The fire engine, the meccano set, that I hadn't asked for..." "That was no longer father Christmas, that was "your father"." ""Say thank you to your father."" "She asked me ten times:" ""Are you happy to see your father?"" "I answered: "What does that mean?" "Did you sleep together?"" "I got smacked." "My jaws are still trembling from it." "She apologised later." "But I never forgave her." "Can I help you?" " Do you have white Christmas flowers?" "Yes, in the back." "Follow me." "500!" "Did it work with the tree?" " Yes." "I sawed of the trunk." "Do you remember last year?" "Yes, I remember." "I'm cold." "I'd like to be a florist." "Do you think I could be?" " You get cold to easily." "You're right." "When I open the fridge, I sneeze." "What's your place like?" "I'll never see it, will I?" "You will." "But I'd have to tidy up." "I'll get peonies." "Do you sometimes think: "She has her meat delivered, she shags the butcher she has her fish delivered, she shags the fish-monger?"" "Sometimes." "You're a real bitch." "I forgot." "Are you making fun of me?" "What does it matter?" "Don't you want to be on your own, here?" "You didn't add his birth date." "He never wanted to say his age." "I placed an ad." "I mean, such a great musician!" "Did you include his age?" " Yes." "Did he suffer?" "I brought him his herbal tea." "I couldn't wake him up." "How much room is there left?" "For one." "Quite a musician, though." "What a musician." "I'm going to Aix." "I have to visit 3 more abbeys and tomorrow, I'll catch a train." "Listen, Christmas or no Christmas, I'm working." "The customers are here because it's Christmas." "What?" "You didn't do it?" "How do you want me to find..." "How do you want me to find a leopard lamp in Nîmes?" "I'll see what I can do." "I'm here to pick up 40 key rings." "Under the name of my husband's company, Invest  Lemarchand." "Madam!" "Would you like a key ring?" "It's a present." "Who wants key rings?" "Key rings!" "Here you are, sir." "Who wants four-leaf clovers?" "Present!" "Merry Christmas to all!" "Hi." "Hi." "Do you want a drink?" "No, thanks." "I'll get changed and we'll go." "Stay like this." "I love it." "33000 plus charges." "I got the keys this morning." "Is that the Ritz?" "Yes." "Wow!" "Shall we go?" " Let's go." "One, two, three." "It's beautiful." "It's brilliant." "I was dreaming of it." "It's crazy." "You too." "It's too much." "Merry Christmas, darling." "I can't live without you." "I want a child." "Well, yes..." "Too late." "It's not too late." "Over 40..." "We can have tests done." "Or adopt." "Yes." "We can't adopt a child." "Why not?" " Think about it what would they think of our case?" "Family situation:" "single mother, married father." "Place of residence:" "1503 addresses..." "You've been telling me for 12 years that you..." "Can you or can't you?" "Forget about it." "Mayonnaise?" "Jelly." "With your job, you can't allow..." "Forget about it." "What are you going to do with the watch now that they've reconciled?" "I'll have to talk to my mother." "Will you tell her about me?" "You can't." "You're right." "I shouldn't." "I'll say it's a bribe from a customer." "That's better." "I'm here." "You'll be ok." "No!" "You can go now." "You've been very nice." "Yes, I'll go." "I'm going to have a smoke." "An echography takes some time." "I've got the number of the First Aid doctor, if you want to thank him." "He saved him." "You too." "Thank you." "This is not First Aid." "It lacks atmosphere." "Are you going to take the amniocentesis?" "You're getting on my nerves with that." "He won't leave his wife." "I'm not going to have his child without telling him first." "It would still be a child." "An old mother half a father... and if I keep the baby, Gilbert..." "We're not about that." "What he likes about me, is the bohemian." "Last night, I mentioned the idea of having a child." "For the first time in 12 years, quite a shock." "If I don't get the message..." "If I were you, I'd keep the child and I'd get rid of the father." "Are you Milla?" " No..." "That's me." "He wants to see you." "Dr Bazin." "Will they operate on me?" "Do you think they'll let me out for Christmas?" "What do you care about Christmas?" "You'll get out when you'll be ok." "After all, Christmas with the family..." "I'd like that, this year." "He's obsessed with Christmas." "Did the neighbour leave?" " Yes." "Will you see him?" " I'll go with you and then I'm off." "I saw the doctor." " And?" "He said: "He must spend Christmas Eve with his family"." "Who's that guy?" " The assistant." "No, the electrician." "He doesn't pay rent." "Did you know?" "Really?" "Do you think he's gay?" " He's got a daughter." "No!" "Dad!" "Is he becoming a bit gay?" "Dad?" "Come on!" "He could never get enough." "But they were always women." "What do you know?" "What are you talking about?" "How do you feel?" "Pretty much beat." "Be careful though." "It's cold." "I'll take you home." "Get on." "I live there." "What shall we do?" "I'll walk from here." "Ok." "Thanks." "Do you like guys?" "I'm not asking because you didn't want to come up." "I'm just suffering from a full on hostile depression." "Do you know Sonia?" "No." "And you, do you like guys?" "Yes." "Yes and no." "I always find them inconsistent and so scared that I feel like scaring them even more." "Ah." "I've got a bottle of vodka." "Sounds good?" "In the annex." "Is this where your father played his violin?" "Not at night." "I'd pinch his key." "I really went wild here." "Did you make that?" " It's for my daughter." "She lives in Marseille with her mother." "Ouch!" "I forgot." "There's a spring here, in the corner." "Were you married?" "For five years." "I lost my virginity on that one." "Do you have good memories, apart from the springs?" "He fucked like a football player." "Straight to the point and without using his hands." "And your wife, is she a good memory?" "Or maybe she's not a memory yet?" "She always has problems." "And I'm not very cheerful either." "So we played "I'm unhappier than you"..." "In a couple, you need a victim and a bully." "Otherwise, it's no fun." "Did you all live here when you were little?" "We'd curl up there when he'd be rehearsing." "Sonia said he played badly." "That wasn't true." "Who's Sonia?" "My sister." " I know." "But who is she?" "Historically, she's perfect." "She had talent." "She painted." "She could do anything." "But when we're together I become an insect." "I sting, I drive her up the wall." "We don't get along." "I don't agree." "Victim, bully, that's bullshit that people tell to reassure each other when they can't live together." "But yes, it's a game." "I loved it." "I was the bully." "Besides, I won." "He committed suicide." "You see, it's terrible." "I have to tell you things like this." "It's not necessarily your fault." "It's not my fault at all." "Can I top myself up?" "You too?" "No, thanks." "Mr Roman, I have good news." "We're not going to operate." "Your heart is a bit enlarged." "But we'll treat that with medication." "Diuretics, digitalin, a salt-free diet." "We'll get it under control." "You can go home for Christmas." "Could you loan me 2 francs?" "My daughter will pay you back." "Here you are." "Thank you." " You're welcome." "Hello?" "I'm going to die." "I wanted to see you." "What did the doctor say?" "Blah-blah." "He thought I was an idiot." "You're not answering?" " No." "So?" "What did he say?" "Everything's alright." "You're having a fight?" "It's not the right moment." "Why not?" "Terrible, this suit and this coat." "Did you bring my chequebook?" "What's with the coat?" "It's your own coat." "Why is it not the moment?" "It's Christmas." " Christmas, right." "I still have to buy all the presents." "I have no money and no ideas." "Here." "Do what you want with it." "Stop here." "Where are you going?" "I have to do some shopping too." "You just came out of hospital." "You're crazy, this is your savings account." "Exactly." "You look very well." "I'm not going to die right away." " Don't get worked up." "Sit down." "Aren't you in mourning?" "He hated black." "When you have to work wearing a smoking..." "We haven't talked for 25 years." "What's wrong with you?" "I was always afraid to walk into him." "A whisky, no ice." "A vodka." "Do I look bad?" "I expected worse." "Did you have your face lifted?" "Yes." "Once, a long time ago." "It looks good." "And you?" "What's wrong with you?" " A cardio..." "Anyway..." "My heart's too big." "I thought that was an expression." "I didn't tell the girls." "I was hoping that an operation..." "I almost died." "So I told myself..." " No more chance that Jean-Louis answers." "Yes." "Let's not talk about him." " No." "I watched "White Lies" the other night." "Was that dud on TV?" "You were great." "You could have had a career if..." "I quit at 40." "My career wasn't that short." "You lost confidence." "You gave up everything for..." "We're not talking about him." "Did you never try to get into a new relationship?" "The older you get, the more difficult you become." "And the less desirable." "Do that again with the lipstick." "It's not lipstick." "They're dry." "So, last night you saw your life pass by." "My life isn't going anywhere." "It's disappearing." "Fortunately Joseph called First Aid." "You know, Nadine's son." "Do you remember Nadine Pérut?" "The check-out woman of the Etoile de Moscou?" "She's not dead?" "A couple of years ago." "Her son lives with you?" "He has no job." "He has a little daughter." "He's the same age as Milla, no?" "Roughly." "You think I'm an idiot." "You always did." "Yes, you do." "Why are we here?" "Are we going to exchange more stories?" "You're going to die." "Jean-Louis is dead." "Good old Nadine too." "All the sluts that you've jumped, must be as good as dead." "Ever since Jean-Louis is gone I feel like jumping out of the window, every morning." "It's only been 2 mornings." "And we're going to tell each other stories." "Why did you want to see me?" "Is this your little Christmas story?" "Did you want to see the damage?" "I'm old, ugly and a widow." "Does that make you feel good?" "Widow, yes." "Ugly, no." "You know, let's make the best of it." "Let's tell each other everything." "Both of us." "Everything." "You want to?" "For starters, you know..." "I cheated on you too." "And not once." "What do we do with the left-over stuffing?" "Put it in aluminium foil." "I forgot the truffles." "That's a disaster." "Without truffles, it's not Christmas." "Shall we open it up again?" "It took me 20 minutes to close it." "I had all the ingrediunts." ""Ingredients."" "What, ingredients?" "Are you a Russian or a French teacher?" " Russian." "Open it up again." "What are you thinking of?" "Of something else." "I can't do that to my mother." "The whole family circus, once a year..." "She worked like crazy for a bunch of idiots we only see during Christmas, to please my father who's going to go anyway." "Yes, she must know." "He pretends not to know that she knows." "Me, I'm keeping my mouth shut." "They're having a Christmas truce for the children's sake but even my little brother suspects something." "I'm thinking of dad, for example." "Last night, he almost died." "Dad?" "He almost died?" "He didn't want us to tell you." "He had a pulmonary oedema." "It's not all about truffles." "How is he?" "I don't know." "They let him leave the hospital." "He wanted to bring his neighbour." "He's afraid to ask him." " Who is it?" "Joseph something." "He saved his life." "Dad wants to help him." "He's single, but has a 5 year old daughter." "A 5 year old daughter?" "I know that Pierre..." "But just for once..." "You know him, this guy?" "What does he do?" "He's not a CEO or a VIP." "Pierre won't like him." "Or you." "Stop it, you sound like Milla." "Sorry." "I'm nervous." "What's with those judgments?" "What I like, what I don't like..." "Who am I?" "Do you know?" "Tell me." "Stop it." "What do you know about my life?" "I'm stable, I've got money, a husband, children." "Who am I?" "Reliable?" "The talented one, who could have..." "Shit!" "You're fed up with me." "You're crazy." "Sit down." "Sit down." "It was December 22..." "No, 23." "Anyway, I don't remember." "I went to my friend Delphine, Rue de Belleville." "We were going to see "Jules et Jim" in the Cinémonde Opéra." "We walked past a brasserie." "Delphine said to me:" ""Isn't that your father, there?"" "It was him, with a lady." "She was around 40, quite beautiful." "A bit showy, blondish." "Dad had a little boy on his knee." "He was opening presents." "I looked through the window." "Dad hugged him." "I was paralysed." "I couldn't leave." "Dad wrote the lady a cheque." "And I understood everything." "Right away." "That evening, when I came home, he told mum that he had played at a wedding." "I looked at him." "Straight into the eyes." "He knew I knew." "There." "This woman lived all her life in the shadow of her child?" "That's our problem." "Stop eating." "It's shocking." "Dad must have been torn apart." "It must have been devastating." "You never understood who he is." "He's a liar." "He always lied to everybody." "He's selfish." "A loser." "And bitter too." "None of his dreams came true." "Salzburg, Bayreuth, Karajan..." "No kidding." "He can't even play "Yiddishe Mame" without a wrong note." "He got his revenge on mum." "With the only instrument he was able to use." "Nothing." "Minute." "Dumez, I can't believe it." "Do you say that to piss me off?" "It didn't last long." "Hardly a month." "Maurin, however..." "Not Maurin, please." "He always stayed in the house." "He wanted to talk to you." "He was so in love." "And you?" "I always did it out of revenge." "But Maurin, that lasted a while." "And Viller?" "I always suspected him." "No." "I never liked Viller." "He was not a musician." "It's funny." "Musicians, all my life." "Sound, always about sound." "A man capable to create..." " But, wait a moment..." "What about the children?" "Are you telling me..." "Your girls are yours." "Don't worry." "Yes, I'm worried." "Are you telling me..." "What difference would it make?" "Maurin, that was before Louba." "Louba is yours." "She looks like you." "Although we're not allowed to say it." "Sonia, no doubt about her." "What: "No doubt about her?"" "She was a love child." "We really wanted her." "I remember the day we made her." "In St-Etienne." "We had a moment of grace." "That tour was terrible, though." "Limoges, St-Etienne, Montauban, only big hotels." "She didn't look too good, behind her cash register... of the Etoile de Moscou with her grey sweater that matched her teeth." "Nadine Pérut." "She didn't have grey teeth." " She did." "That's why I didn't suspect it." "What a slut!" "You didn't think I'd leave you." "No." "You let me get away with quite a bit more." "I already had an affair with Jean-Louis." "That was the happiest period of my life." "From 5 to 7 with Jean-Louis and the nights with you." "At the beginning, that is, because later, the nights with you..." "What: "The nights with me...?"" " I felt guilty." "Once I realised that I was really in love with him." "You're a real bitch." "That's the second time I'm told that since yesterday." "If you already had an affair with Jean-Louis Milla was born in 67." "Milla..." "Are you saying that to destroy me?" "Is that it?" "Did you come here to destroy me?" "Milla was always your favourite, wasn't she?" "He dressed up like Father Christmas to make me like him." "He did anything to to make me like him." "Once, he dressed up like an Easter egg." "And as a clown on my birthday." "As a crepe for Candlemas." "He wanted to teach me to play the violin." "Dad didn't bother with me." "But Jean-Louis had plans for me." "I always told him:" ""Why do you care?" "You're not my father."" "Mum acted like the big martyr." "Both: "It's all my fault" and "What did I do to deserve this?"" "Very good at that, mum." "He stood in front of the chimney." "With his white beard and his red costume." "Rolling his eyes like an idiot." "I recognised him right away." "But I pretended to be scared." "I screamed." "Hysterically." "Just to piss him off." "He didn't know what to do." "It was our first Christmas without dad." "Sonia didn't care." "She already had a little asshole in her life." "Louba had a broken heart." "I detested this guy." "I hated him." "And mum." "I only thought about one thing." "Go to dad, forget about Christmas lock myself in with just him." "Besides, as soon as I was old enough, I told them to stuff it." "Dad!" "My darling!" "Is mum there?" "What are you doing here?" " I'm spending Christmas with my parents." "Without...?" "Yes, without him." "He's gotten bigger." "What's his name again?" "What did you ask from Father Christmas?" "A doll's house with lights in it." "You know." "We wrote the letter together." "This one." "There's 2 more plus the car seat." "Are you moving?" "Yes." "Really?" "To Paris?" " Be happy." "You'll see more of her." "Car seat!" "To Paris without...?" " Still without, yes." "You got me wet." "Did you meet?" "Is it official?" "Not really." "She loaned you her car, Lydia, is that it?" "Louba." "We're neighbours." "Does she know?" "And the others?" "Do I ask you questions about "you know who"?" "His name's Antonin." "Do I drop you off at Levallois?" "I want to keep Mathilde tonight." "But I gave daddy's address to Father Christmas." "Father Christmas called me yesterday." "He doesn't mind going to Levallois, to daddy and mummy." "Don't take her from me tonight." "Just this once." "Are you pulling my leg?" "Father Christmas thought it was no problem." "I got a fax from Father Christmas, this morning." "He knows about our plans." "He's coming to my place tonight with his reins and his sack." ""Since Mathilde will be with her dad from 24 to 30 December..."" "Stop it!" "Annabelle, Father Christmas told me that if my wife obstructs the judge's decisions again, because of her mental fragility..." "Shut up!" "Shut up!" "You're completely nuts." "I'm alone." "My life is fucked." "Go fuck yourself." "You're assholes." "Ruthless!" "Go fuck yourself!" "Go fuck yourself!" "Annabelle!" "Mummy!" "Daddy!" "Don't move." "Annabelle!" "The shops are open until 10pm for those who haven't bought all their toys yet." "Hello." "Hello." "My hair is wet." "Makes me look different." "We haven't seen each other often." "Once." "Twice." "Not too much chloride?" "It relaxes me when I'm stressed." "You must go often then." "I found a lamp for my mother." "Do you have my mobile number?" "Louba gave it to me in case she'd die." "So I can warn you." " Did anything happen?" "No." "Where is she?" " I don't know." "Why did you call me?" "It's not always up to the same people." "Maybe it's your wife's turn." "Your daughters are grown ups." "You never intended to leave her." "I'm over 40." "It's been 20 years that..." "Carole Bouquet and Sharon Stone are 40 as well." "I care about Louba." "She's 42." "She hasn't had a life for 12 years." "Very convenient." "Do you have a life?" " It's not about me." "I make Louba happy." "She's not depressed." "She's not seeing a shrink." "She's not glued to the Internet." "We're a couple, in spite of everything." "We talk, make love, laugh." "And the three of you?" "What's the plan?" "Didn't she tell you?" "Yes." "In her own way." "Don't deprive her of that." "That would be horrible." "Milla!" "I don't have 2 children, I have 4." "My wife's expecting the 5th." "My work sucks." "I'm going to break down." "I love Louba." "I can't live without her." "You poor guy." "I'll walk with you." "I live really close." "You'll get cold." "Hurry." "Should I tell them about Joseph?" "Since you ask the question, you'll tell them." "Will you help me?" "Oh, no." "You're on your own here." "Get on or you'll miss it." "Bitch!" "Hello." "You have the keys, apparently." "He's not answering." "Is that your daughter?" "No, it's Régis'..." "Here." "It's for her." "Bye." "Thank you." "Dad?" "Hello, Louba?" "Vlado broke his arm." "Your father has to help us out tonight." "Why didn't you open the door?" "Where is he?" "Getting groceries." "At this hour?" "It's bloody hot, here!" "I must have eaten something wrong." "How did you get in?" "Joseph gave me the keys." "Why didn't you tell me?" "You know?" "Who told you?" "I guessed." "That's quite big news, isn't it?" "If it had been a girl I don't know how I would have taken it." "How does it make you feel?" "At first, my mouth dropped." "It's a bit late, but oh well..." "We should make sure it will work out." "Sorry?" "We should make sure it will work out." "And that's coming from you?" "Of course." "What's wrong with you?" "What's the matter?" "I'm afraid you'll do something stupid." "Something stupid?" "You have to keep it." "They've already gotten bigger." "Do you know it's a boy?" "No." "It's not a boy?" "Yes, yes." "I'll help you look after it." "You hate children." "No." "Only Sonia's children..." "So, Joseph..." "What about Joseph?" "Don't you get it?" "That you like him?" "Me, no." "And you?" "Neurotic, aggressive, borderline alcoholic introverted, not happy with himself..." "I'm sold." "Normally, I don't like people who have the same shortcomings as me." "I'll get it." "You're here?" "I came to bring dad a present." "Really?" "Is he feeling better?" " Yes, he's better." "He's not back yet." " You could have called me." "It's nice and warm here." "Is that tea hot?" "Aren't you looking after the turkey?" "Guess who's coming to dinner?" "I'm worried." "We should already be at your place." "I called mum." "She's not answering." "You should be at your place as well." "Did you tell her?" "I guessed." "You didn't guess anything." "Shut up." "She's getting things confused." "Listen to me." "Sit down." "Do you want to tell her?" " No, go ahead." "Well?" "Go ahead." "A long time ago... how long?" " 30 years." "You weren't born yet." "Yes, I was." "It must have been at the same time..." "No, not at the same time." "Well, yes." "30 years ago dad..." "I'm a bit pissed..." "Pretty pissed." "What's that?" "You can exchange it." "They've got zebra stripes as well." "Nobody told me." "Or I would have gone." "Gone where?" "To the hospital." "How do you feel?" "Very well." "Apart from..." "Somebody's waiting for you outside." "Who?" "I don't know him, but I've seen him before." "What are you waiting for?" "Don't say anything." "Not a word until I'm back." "Louba..." "You're right to leave me." "But don't leave me." "Do you know what time it is?" "You'll miss late mass." "Look at the time!" "She understood." "She knows I won't be back." "You'll go back." "Right away." "No." "You can't leave like that." "And your girls?" "You're ruining Christmas for the rest of their lives for them." "Gilbert!" "Louba..." "I want that baby." "You do?" "You think?" "We'll manage." "I'll manage." "Joseph Pérut, do you know him?" "In the back the door at your right." " Thank you." "Do you know him?" "He's my brother." "I'm the mother of Mathilde." "Do you know Mathilde?" " Not yet." "Do you have a brother?" "Yes." "You never told me." "There are things that you never told me." "Certainly." "Will you help me find an apartment?" "Of course." "A real one?" "Of course." "I walked kilometres to make her fall asleep." "It's beautiful." "She'll be happy." "Are you going to wake her up?" "Not yet." "I'm not ready." "I'll get my luggage tomorrow." "Is that ok with you?" "We can have breakfast with Mathilde." "Don't you want to?" "We'll see." "See you tomorrow." "I'd like you to give that to little Arthur." "Do you know what it is?" "Yes." "Do you remember?" "Yes, I remember." "You should give it to him yourself." "Not now." "When he's old enough." "You'll tell him." "You'll tell him that in his veins..." "You'll tell him that that his grandfather..." "You'll tell him that if the bastards would have won he wouldn't have been here today." "He must know." "It's important." "I'll tell him." "Even if Pierre..." "I'll tell him." "I'm going." "The turkey must be burning." "I'm going to leave Pierre." "Actually, he's going to leave me." "But it's still me who leaves him." "It's not clear." "Well, for me, it is." " Good." "Good that it's clear, I mean." "I understood." "Shit!" "Hello." "Hello." "One day, we should call a real plumber." "I'm a coward." "They were there, all three of them." "That never happens." "It was the perfect moment." "And I didn't say anything." "I can't." "I'm a coward." "Forget about it." "I've had it with family." "Don't say that." "There's nothing more beautiful than family." "Are you trying to clear your conscience?" "It's too late, Stanislas." "You'll die guilty, like everybody else." "I looked forward to it for days." "It was wonderful, magical." "We had a ritual." "First, mum and me went to the cinema." "Then we joined dad." "He always played on Christmas Eve." "At Novi's, at the Etoile de Moscou..." "Sometimes he played in more than one club." "We'd sit in a little corner." "I loved it when they applauded." "I felt alive." "Then we'd go home." "There were presents in the chimney." "And under the tree." "We opened them, the three of us, in the middle of the night." "Mum said: "Is this supposed to make me forgive you, Stanislas?"" "In the morning, when I went to school I'd leave without making a sound, so as not to wake them up." "I found them so beautiful, asleep." "I wanted to do everything the way they did, later." "With Janine, we're 13." "Do you know Janine?" "They were in a terrible mood." "Tell me, is there a problem between Sonia and Pierre?" "A yiddishe Mame" "Dos iz dos beste in der Weld" "A yiddishe Mame" "Oy wey wie bitter wehn sie felt" "Wie sheyn und lichtig iz in Hoys" "Wehn die Mame iz dort" "A yiddishe Mame" "Wie sheyn und lichtig iz in Hoys" "Wehn die Mame iz dort" "Wie traurig Finster wert wehn Got" "Nehmt ihr oyf Oylem habo" "A yiddishe Mame" "A yiddishe Mame" "Keep it." "It's better." "It's a four-leaf clover." "Brings good luck." "Thanks." "I said to myself it felt a bit like we were twins." "Too bad." "A soul sister, that's not easy." "It's funny." "I always thought that was Romeo and Julia's problem." "They were brother and sister." "That's why they were given a hard time." "Their mother knew, of course." "Mothers know everything." "It's a matter of making them talk." "I have a good Sauternes wine and some foie gras." "Maybe we can..." "Me and Christmas Eve..." " Me neither." "But I don't have a Christmas log." "They disgust me."