"Are you afraid?" "No, I'm not afraid." "Express 290 with destination Germany now arriving on Track One." "Departure time 21:00." "Your attention please!" "Express 290 for Germany arriving on Track One." "You here again?" "What are you doing here night after night?" "L dreamt about him last night." "He seemed bigger than the other times." "Come on!" "LANDSCAPE IN THE MIST a film by Theo Angelopoulos" "Go to sleep!" "When are we going away?" "Go to sleep!" "Will you tell me the story?" "Again?" "In the beginning was the darkness... and then there was light." "And the light was divided from the darkness... and the earth from the sea... and the rivers, the lakes... and the mountains were made." "And then the flowers and the trees... the animals..." "the birds..." "It's Mummy!" "This story will never finish." "She keeps coming and stopping us all the time." "Hullo Seagull!" "Seagull!" "Hullo, Seagull!" "It's going to rain and my feathers will get wet." "L'm going away." "Where are you going?" "To Germany." "Every day you go away to Germany." "Alexander, we're late!" "Goodbye!" "What's Germany like?" "In three minutes" "Express 290 will be leaving for Germany on Track One." "Come on!" "We made it!" "We made it!" ""Dear father," "We are writing because we have decided to find you." "We have never seen you and we miss you." "We talk about you all the time." "Mummy will be upset that we've gone." "Deep down inside we love her, don't think we don't... but she doesn't understand anything..." "We don't know what you look like..." "Alexander says all sorts of things..." "He dreams about you." "We miss you so much." "Sometimes on my way home from school... I think I hear footsteps behind me... your footsteps... and when I turn to look... there is no one." "Then I feel very lonely." "We don't want to be a burden to you... we just want to get to know you... and then we'll go away again." "If you send us a reply... do it with the sound of the train... tatan... tatan... tatan... tatan... here I am..." "I am waiting for you..."" "Tickets please!" "Hey, tickets!" "Have you got tickets?" "L don't know what you're going to do... just sort things out." "Sit down." "Where are you coming from?" "Orchomenos?" "Clear the track for the 290." "Announcing the arrival of express 290." "Yes, yes, yes." "At least tell me where you're going." "Cat got your tongues." "Hell, I'm not going to do the cops' work for them." "We're going to our uncle." "So you've decided to speak." "Good girl!" "Well?" "How did you get here?" "And is that Alexander?" "What's up?" "They were found on the express for Germany... without tickets" "They said they were coming to find you..." "Come here, come here and tell me what's going on." "Fine then, everything's settled... you don't need me any more." "Just a moment!" "Look here..." "I can't get involved." "L'm not getting involved." "Aren't you their uncle?" "Yes..." "I am their mother's brother... but we've been out of touch for years." "L can't take the responsibility." "The whole thing's my sister's fault." "Did she have to tell them that their father is in Germany?" "What father?" "What Germany?" "She doesn't know who their father is!" "There is no father..." "there is no Germany." "The whole thing's a big lie." "And for what reason?" "She didn't want to tell them they're illegitimate." "And this is the result!" "But why Germany?" "How should I know?" "So that they have something to dream about." "Look here... don't get me involved in this." "Notify their mother." "You're lying!" "You're lying!" "Our father is in Germany!" "You're lying!" "Our father is in Germany!" "You're lying!" "Wait here!" "It's snowing!" "It's snowing!" "It's snowing!" "It's snowing!" "He slipped the rope round his neck..." "He slipped the rope round his neck..." "He slipped the rope round his neck..." ""Dear father," "How were we able to wait so long?" "We've been travelling like a leaf blowing in the wind." "What a strange world!" "Suitcases... freezing railway stations... words and gestures we don't understand... and the night which scares us!" "But we are happy." "We are moving on."" "Damn!" "He's dying." "He's dead." "Hello there!" "What are you doing in this wilderness?" "The town's still a long way off." "There's lots of room back there." "L don't eat children." "You haven't told me where you're going." "Far away." "Okay, I'll drop you off in town." "They're stage costumes." "And that one there's mine." "What do you do?" "L make people laugh... and cry." "D'you know how difficult that is?" "What d'you play?" "My part." "Seven knocks on the stage... then three... and the curtain goes up..." "The accordeon player plays the overture... and I enter." "The day dawned and Pleiades shone in the sky." "What's Pleiades?" "It is the morning star..." "the dawn star... which goes out just before daybreak." "Let her rest, you must have walked a long way." "Want to see something?" "Come on!" " D'you like it?" " Is it yours?" "There they are!" "They're coming!" "What happened?" "Nothing... we couldn't get theatre..." "Do something!" "Orestes, grandfather will die if we don't find a theatre." "Do something!" "Okay, I'll go to the Pantheon." "L'll meet you back here, okay?" "Did you see them?" "They're sad." "Times have changed." "Everything's changed." "And ravaged by time they wander stubbornly..." "And ravaged by time they wander stubbornly all over Greece... all over Greece always performing the same play." "L've got something to do." "Let her sleep... I'll be back." "Is your name Orestes?" "A sandwich please..." "D'you have money?" "No, but I'm hungry." "Yes, you're hungry, but you known to eat you need money!" "Even I pay when I'm hungry." "Yes, but I don't have any money and I'm hungry." "L understand." "Listen, if you want to earn money for your food... you can clear all the tables you see in here... you'll work a little and then you'll eat." "Agreed?" "All of them?" "Clear them up." "Hey, what's going on here?" "Seagull!" "Seagull!" "Seagull!" "Where have you been?" "He went by and didn't see me." "Where have you been all this time?" "See..." "I earned it for you..." "I worked." "You're funny kids, you know that?" "It's as if you don't care about time going by... and yet I know that you are in a hurry to leave." "It's as if you're going nowhere... and yet you're going somewhere." "You do know where you're going, don't you?" "You're funny too." "Me?" "L'm a snail slithering away into nothingness... I don't know where l'm going." "Once I thought I knew." "Where am I going?" "The only thing I know is that in a few days... I'll be going into the army..." "to do my military service." "What is it?" "Can't see anything." "Look carefully." "Nothing." "Can't you see?" "Behind the mist... in the distance... can't you see a tree?" "No." "Me neither." "L was kidding." "Will you give it to me?" "It's yours." "Where are we?" "Good morning!" "In the meantime the Turks took Afion Karahisar... it was in August of l922." "After the Germans left..." "in the autumn of l944... the front began to break the British marched into Athens..." "The first government of National Unity was formed." "There were rallies..." "enthusiasm." "Because everyone had believed in the liberation... and in alliances and in the Allies." "Come child..." "let me comb your hair..." "That's no way for the hair of a child like you to look." "Who'll do the train?" "...and seeing the Nazi collaborators... free and rearmed by the British... we felt betrayed." "We were notified to stage a demonstration." "L was arrested at the end of l947." "After the Germans left..." "in the autumn of l944... the British marched into Athens." "The first government of National Unity was formed." "There were rallies." "There was enthusiasm." "Because everyone believed in alliances and in the Allies." "L keep forgetting the beginning." "Let me enumerate the obstacles." "...events intervened, sounds, factions... ships intervened from the raging open sea... the popular orators..." "my breast... the voices... the factories..." "October 'l7." "L936..." "December '44." "For this I will keep on wearing the rags I wore... when the French revolution bore me... when you bore me Mother Spain... a dark conspirator." "Shall we go..." "The play that we are going to perform for you tonight... is Spyridon Peresiades' immortal love story..." ""Golfo, the Shepherdess"... with a select company of famous actors, young and not so young." "Golfo's tragic love... will touch the depths of your heart... and all... I'm sorry you people..." "it's out of the question." "They want the auditorium for a dance and paying big money." "L'm sorry!" "We've worked together for many years, but... what can I do?" "Times are hard." "L know I'm putting you in a tight spot..." "Orestes, take me to town." "There are others besides this gentleman here." "L dreamt about him again last night." "L can't any more." "Where are you going?" "Up north." "Come on!" "Are you hungry?" "For three... and wine, honey." "Are you going very far north?" "Why?" "L've come!" "Are you new?" "Can't you tell?" "Where are you going?" "Up north." "Up north where?" "L've come again." "L'm coming too." "The property's off limits, buddy!" "You don't say!" "Now see here... I'm busy now." "Take them with you." "L'm going in the back to get a little sleep." "Come here a minute." "Come with me I'm telling you." "Voula!" "Voula!" "Voula!" ""Dear father," "How far away you are!" "Alexander says that in his dream you seemed very close... if he stretched out his hand he would have touched you." "We are travelling continually." "Everything goes by so fast... cities... people... but sometimes we get so tired... that we forget you... and we don't even know if we're going forward... or back." "Then we get lost." "Alexander has grown up a lot." "He has become very serious." "He gets dressed all by himself." "He says things you wouldn't expect... I have been very ill the past few days." "L was burning up... now I'm slowly getting better." "But it's such a long way to Germany!" "Yesterday I even thought we should give it up... what is the use of carrying on... that we shall never get there." "Then Alexander got mad... the way grown-ups get mad... and he told me I was betraying him." "L was ashamed."" "D'you miss Mummy?" ""We each write to you the same things... and we both fall silent before each other..." "looking at the same world... the light..." "and the darkness... and you."" "That's it!" "L know it!" "We were on the train... and the train stopped... and the police came on... and we ran all the way here... and here we found more policemen." "You must help us get away." "We got away!" "The sea!" "Didn't I say you were funny kids?" "And now hold tight." "We're taking off!" "Are you scared?" "No..." "I don't want it ever to end." "What?" "This." "If it was summer we could swim." "If it was summer... I'm thirsty..." "Come on!" "A beer and two orange drinks." "Where are we going afterwards?" "Where are we going?" "To Thessaloniki, remember?" "Didn't I tell you that night... that in a few days... I would leave the company and go into the army?" "From there you... I don't know." "L'm not asking." "L realize I musn't ask." "The only thing you gave me to understand... is that you must catch a train at all costs." "Shall we dance?" "L don't know how to dance." "L'll show you." "Let's leave her alone..." "Today's she's discovered something very great!" "We must leave her alone." "Our journey ends here." "At least mine does." "Don't let's go yet!" "What?" "Aren't you leaving?" "Not yet." "Aren't you catching the train?" "In the evening." "Not yet." "Then there's nothing for it You must come with me... wherever I go." "What have you done to me?" "L've lost my mind!" "Shall we go?" "Shall we go?" "What are you doing?" "Have you gone mad?" "You're selling off the costumes?" "Who decided it?" "Where's grandfather?" "He's not well, understand?" "He doesn't want to come out." "These are the ones." "Some day I'll open my mouth... the gardens will fill with waterfalls... in the same courtyards..." "the arsenals." "L don't like funerals." "Goodbye." "'Bye." "If I were to shout, who would hear me... out of the armies of angels?" "D'you want it?" "How much?" "How much are you giving?" "It makes me sick to have to sell it." "Okay." "Got a cigarette?" "L'll bring it round tomorrow." "Tonight I need it." "What we just did... is what we in the theatre call the final act." "Shall we go have something to drink?" "Didn't you ask for an orange drink?" "What's taking him so long?" "You stay here." "Is he asleep?" "What's the matter with you?" "Nothing." "Get some rest." "L'll be back." "You forgot your bag." "You're going to miss the train." "L wouldn't like us to part like this..." "To hell with everything else." "L don't care." "L wouldn't like us to part like this..." "We had agreed I was to take you to the railway station." "L wouldn't like us to part like this." "Little Ioner, that's the way it is the first time..." "That's the way it is the first time, little Ioner." "Your heart beats so you think it will break." "Your feet tremble... you want to die..." "How much does the ticket for the border cost?" "What's the border?" "When's the last train?" "Will you let me have 385 drachmas?" "What's your name?" "L've said something dumb again." "Your attention please!" "Passengers for Germany are kindly requested... to have their passports ready for the border inspection." "Beyond the river lies Germany." "A boat!" "Are you afraid?" "No, I'm not afraid." "Wake up, it's light." "We're in Germany!" "L'm afraid." "Don't be afraid." "L'll tell you the story." "In the beginning was the darkness... in the beginning was the darkness... and then there was light." "Copyright C 1988 Greek Film Centre/Theo Angelopoulos"