"Become who you are" "MY DEAR DEPARTED!" "They confess..." "Here." "Hang this up." "It's 3am." "Where on earth were you?" "Wait." "Who are you?" "Georges Elbert." "Who are you?" "My grandmother, my mother," "José, my husband," "Claire and Félix, my children." "Jérôme." "I'm Marianne Elbert, owner of the house." "Really." "You're in my house." "You look black for an Elbert." "I'm a Brazilian mulatto." "Born to slaves on the plantation of Count and Countess Elbert, who adopted me as their son and sole heir." "Hear that?" "Your grandfather." "Balderdash!" "My father was white." "How could this be?" " An impostor!" " Not if he knows Clemenceau." " Do you?" " He's my master." "Republican, abolitionist, defender of Dreyfus:" "I was his secretary during his first mandate, from 1876 to 1880." "It is Georges Elbert." "Grandma saw his photo." "If you allow me, I'll pay my respects." "To Clemenceau?" "He's an aircraft carrier." "The worms ate him ages ago." " He died 100 years ago." "You too." " Pardon?" "Are you hungry?" "Cold?" "Hot?" "Does your willy itch?" "No, nothing!" "Because you're dead." "Here, look." "How interesting!" "You're not my grandfather!" "Look at you and me." "We don't have the same blood." "You're lying!" "How dare you, lady!" "Why did I carve this motto?" "To annoy 5 generations." "To become a man proud of his dual origins." "Subhuman, yet also rich and educated." "I want to transmit this to my sons:" "Alphonse, white-skinned, and Firmin, who is black." "Firmin is black?" "Oh, Lord!" "Forgive me." "I am a sinner." "Where've you been?" "Don't lie." "I can't stand it!" "I was with Victor." "We walked and talked." "That's all." "Oh yes!" "Did you play cards too?" "You want me to say I slept with him?" "I wanted to, yes." "But I didn't, for I love you." "Stop it!" "You make me sick!" "I can't make you believe me." "Anyway, he's gone." "You regret that, of course." "Obviously she does." "You didn't have fun and now you get shouted at." "Seen the queen mother?" "Where are you, old bag?" " Show yourself." " OK." "Where is she?" "Where are you?" "Grandma..." "Grandma, are you there?" "I know you're there." "Why hide?" "It's not nice in there." "Leave me alone." "When Georges talked about Firmin, I saw you felt bad." "Is that it?" "I made a terrible mistake." "Oh my God..." "I thought you didn't know Firmin." "You know something?" "Tell me." "If something's bothering you, it's good to talk." "No, I can't!" " The letter T." " Tiresome." "T, I, R, E, S, O, M, E." "To change channel, press here." "If a black can't support a white candidate, a white can't vote for a black, blacks and Latinos can't get on together..." "This man is sure of himself." "Yes, it's Obama, president of the USA." "Don't make fun." "I'm not making fun." "He's been elected twice." ""Elected"?" "The people tell a different story..." "This is my second chance." "They're going to see." "Friends, Georges Elbert is back." "Wait, Georges." "Whatever you're planning, you stay here." "Look at that, a woman giving orders to a man." "Ever seen anything so funny?" "It's not funny, it's fact." "I'm off to work." "I don't want more problems." "You stay here." "You are not entitled to restrict my freedom." "This house needs a head." "Right." " Félix, you..." " Don't ask me to watch him." "OK." "I've decided to stand for election." "Have you done it before?" "Yes." "In 1900." "I could have won if I was white." "But imagine, a black..." "I barely escaped a lynching." "I ran away, leaving my family." "And now a negro is US president." "A negro president?" "The racists call him a monkey." "I don't like politics." "I don't see the point." "Is anything nobler than serving one's people?" "I return to you, my city, as a father reaching to his children over the wall of the tomb." "Copycat!" "That's Victor Hugo!" "I'm Victor Hugo's negro." "Yes, I can!" "You look awful." "You must help me." "Your father's a pest." "Since the wedding fiasco, he thinks I love him." "What can I do?" "Tell him I can't stand him." "He won't believe me." "He says something happened when we kissed, that a kiss can't lie." "Everything can lie." "I'd better keep out of it." "Whatever I do doesn't work." " I'm worried about Carmen." " Is she playing up again?" "No, actually." "That's not a good sign." "My handsome rascal..." "This time it's your turn." "I always said you had the makings of a mayor, a great one." "You said I was boring." "I was stupid." "I can see you in your tricolor sash." "There, there, there..." "Me too." "But physique isn't everything." "I'll organize your social life:" "charity sales, old people's homes, my bridge group, etc." "You must get close to the people." "Right." "By the way, don't you think it's a bit flashy for a mayor?" "True, people can be so nasty." "I'm late for the hairdresser." "So, my Gégé, are you sulking?" "Forgotten your tigress?" "I'm bored." "Shall we go and visit our daughter?" "Marianne, it's mum and dad." "Get out of my life." "I'm busy with my campaign." "No one must ever know who your daughter's father is." "Goodbye, Brigitte!" "Hello, Brigitte." "Still here?" "You were supposed to clear off." "I'm not here for Marianne." "I'm here for you." "You are so..." "What can I say?" "So..." "Phenomenal." "Sensational." "Amazing." "Yes, I know." "But idiots like you, all talk and no action, are not my thing." "It's not what you think." "I just wanted to talk." "What?" "Jean-Lou?" "Victor." "Cancel my appointments." "I'm staying here." "I've found my subject." "It's literally deadly." "Call me, I'll explain." "I know what you'll say:" ""Best-seller," ""best-seller."" "Yes?" "You didn't go?" "I couldn't." "This is too serious." "That's why you must leave." "Please go." "I don't want to spoil my life." "I can't help waiting for you." "I've cancelled my engagements." "I'm going to stay in the hotel and write." "When you want me, I'll be there." " I won't come." " You will." "Where do I go to apply for the position of mayor?" "Take that to Jacqueline." "Gérard Rebec, deputy mayor, standing for mayor." "How do you do?" "Which party?" "Radical." "Me too." "The party must choose one of us." "Georges Elbert, secularist, Dreyfus defender." "Elbert?" "Brigitte's relative?" "I see you know the family." "A little too well." "Look, politics is serious." "If you're what I think you are, that's the way out." "Yes, I can." "Me too." " Stop this..." " Just a kiss." "Control your stiffs." " One of them's kicking up a fuss." " What?" " You know where I am." " Yes, yes." "What?" "I'm asking you to put me on the list." "Georges?" "But... what are you doing here?" " Come on." " I've not finished." "This person refuses to put me on the list as I have no birth certificate." "I can do it, but I need it for the form." "He said he was born in 1863." "I must correct it." "To 1963." "He doesn't understand." "Impossible." "Check your records." "The elections of 1900." "Also my marriage to Constance, née Dupré and the births of my sons," "Alphonse in 1897 and Firmin in 1899." "What more do you want?" "My cousin is a little..." "Why do you lie?" "I'm your great great grandfather." "I want to register." "We'll ask the archives and they'll do it." "Now let's go!" "A dead candidate." "It's absurd." "Why?" "I'm in good health." "I have ideas." "I won't be deprived of my freedom twice." "What about my freedom?" "I work here." "You're making trouble for me!" "Once I'm elected, you won't have to work." "How lucky for me!" "Meanwhile, go home." "Home!" "Excuse me!" "I'm a journalist." "I heard you and I support your cause." " Can we have a coffee?" " Certainly!" "Baby..." "I cheated on you, Jérôme." "Sorry." "You bitch!" "My hairdo!" "I'm giving my husband another chance." "He needs me." "I must promote his career." "I'll miss you." "I'll miss you too." "Please don't make me cry." "Here." "It's for you." "To remember me." "Us." "But... it's too much, baby." "I can't accept." "Even out of love?" "Call the boss." "I paid for this." "José Portal." "What's wrong?" "I paid for Intense Plenitude, and she won't do the lot." "I didn't come for just a massage." ""The lot"?" "There must be a misunderstanding." "We don't offer that." "But my colleagues told me." "They've all had Intense Plenitude." "I won't accept this." "He's police, Mr José." "I saw it on his papers." "Oh, shit!" "See why I told you to stop?" "He came to trap us." "Intense Plenitude is just a lumbar massage." "Or we'll go to jail." "José." "I'm going to New York for 2 weeks." "You'll have time to think about my offer." "I've thought." "I don't want your cheque." "Nothing against you, but I don't like shady deals." "It's quite simple." "I'm sick of lying, scheming, this rotten life!" "I'm going to burst." "Cool down a bit." "Don't mind me!" "Hey!" "Imagine, I met a journalist, a serious young man who doesn't find my plans absurd." "A journalist?" "Are you crazy?" "We'll be like a circus." "Imagine, dead people coming back?" "Who do you think you are?" "I didn't tell him I was dead." "Or that you stood in 1900?" "That's what we talked about." "He was spellbound." "Oh, no!" "Give me his name so I can stop it, if it's not too late." "You're disagreeable, treating me like a child." "Who's the elder?" "The divorce summons." "Thursday, 9am." "You'll be free to see Mayence." " No need to lie." " Hang on." "You can't accuse me of lying." "Really?" "You said he was gone for good, didn't you?" "I saw him this morning." "I thought he'd gone." "If I lied, it wasn't deliberately." " You're making things worse." " No, José!" "I had a crush, that's all." "I don't want to fight, or hurt you." "Well done." "Were you never attracted to someone else?" "It could have been you." " But it's not me." " Know what?" "If it happened to you, even if it hurt me," "I hope I'd have enough love to accept it." "I don't own you." "I like you free." "You sound like your mother." "That's easy to say." "You can't cope with being a negro yourself?" "Your hair's nearly as frizzy as mine." "You weren't impregnated by a devil." "That's a relief." "Do you hear?" "Stop playing dead." "For God's sake, what do you want?" "I'm bored." "Fighting with you passes the time." "I've had enough of fighting, Brigitte." "I deserve to rot here for eternity." "You're a negress." "No big deal." "I don't know what to do." "José just keeps thinking I'm lying." "There are truths we don't want to hear." "Sometimes you have to lie." "What?" "Have you ever lied to me?" "I'd be lying if I said no." "You know you can tell me anything." "I can take anything from you." "That's the Rebecs' car." "What a cheek!" "This isn't a car park." "This is what they deserve." "It was a gift to me from Solange." "A parting gift." "There!" "Don't worry, they won't know it was us." "You had your method." "I have mine." " My conscience is clear." " You're stupid." "How did I keep the cops quiet?" "By bribing them, giving them what they wanted." "Hello." "Mr. Portal?" "Ms Suira, from Deschamps." "I'm handling your case concerning "Intense Plenitude"." "I thought it was Mr Deschamps." "I'm afraid you're a bit young." "It's very serious." "From what you've said, they wanted to catch someone having an Intense Plenitude?" "I advise you to lodge a complaint." "Fast." " About who?" " Those responsible." "Your father and brother." "What?" "I can't do that." "It's hard, but you could get 7 to 10 years in jail." "For pimping and cheating the health service." "I can't do it." "You've no choice." "If you delay, you'll look like an accomplice." "I see you're getting a divorce." "The hearing's Thursday." "I didn't want my debts coming to her." "You did well." "I'll pass the case to Mr Deschamps, as you don't trust me." "Good luck, Mr Portal." "How do you know that song?" "I don't know." "I think I was born knowing it." "Same here." "A former slave trader wrote it." "An Englishman." " John Newton." " Really?" "Do you remember when you were a child?" "A slave?" "The men danced in the evening, after a day's work on the plantation." "I've something to confess." "I did something I'll never forgive myself for." "It was Firmin." "I threw him out of this house." "His house." "It was during the war." "A man appeared." "He said his name was Firmin Elbert, and this was his home." "Naturally, I didn't believe him." "Why on earth not, wretch?" "He was black." "How could I know that Firmin Elbert was black?" "I thought he was lying." "Like with you." "I thought you weren't Georges Elbert." " What did you do to him?" " Nothing." "What do you think?" "He ran away from the soldiers." "The house was requisitioned." "I never heard of him again." "I deprived him of his home and inheritance." "And you children," "I deprived you of his memory." "You're my granddaughter." "If you accept me as your grandfather." "Oh yes, Grandfather." "No, David." "We won't marry." "I don't love you." "But..." "Claire, you've told me you do for 2 years." "I was mistaken." "Kissing you disgusts me." ""Disgusts"?" "Goodbye." "It disgusts her?" "Hello, David." "You OK?" "It's over." "I broke it off." "I was stupid." "I couldn't say I didn't want him." "Good news at last." "I'd forgotten there was such a thing." "It was obvious she didn't want her pastor." " You did well." " Yes." "Thanks." "I'm sorry, darling." "Your father sensed it, but I didn't." "I'm so sorry..." "It's OK." "I apologize too." "You kill me, old bag." "You've the right to reject me." "I was a bad mother." "I didn't know your origin." "But past can't be changed." "You deserved a mother who loved you." "I've always sinned through ignorance." "But above all... through heartlessness." "Going with a Nazi to make us half-Nazis!" "Yes." "But you came with me to save Alphonse's honour." "You loved our mother." "You have a heart." "And a lot of courage, to say that." "I agree." "Now I love you completely, Grandma." "Thank you, dear children." "Thanks to you," "I feel light." "Light..." "Light..." " She's done it, Mum." " Shit!" "Just when she became tolerable." "Wait for me, Mum." "Mum!" "Why can't I go?" "I can't do it." "It's like Victor Mayence is in bed too." "See what I mean?" "Read it, it annoys me." "To know who loves you secretly..." "Send MYLOVE to 6969" "You're lucky." "I was a bad mother too." "Mea culpa." "Mea maxima culpa." "Amen." "Don't you know you're disturbing us?" "Why don't apologies work for me?" "Well..." "I don't know." "Maybe they're not sincere." "Hello." "It's 8am." "Here's Bénédicte's horoscope." " Hello, Gérard." " Hello." " Morning, darling." " Morning, Mum." "Haven't seen Georges today." "Where's he gone?" "An appointment." "An interview, I think." "Really?" "Did he say where?" "If you know, tell me!" "I'm serious." "The bar of the Palace Hotel." "Tidy this up." "Thanks." "Mr Portal?" "I've reconsidered." "I want you to take the case." "I trust you." "You calm me down." "I'll try to get you out of this." " Where are you going with that?" " My hotel." "Let me help you." "Thank you." "My pleasure." "Would you like a drink?" "No, thanks." "I'm waiting for someone." "Marianne!" "I knew you'd come." "I'm looking for someone." " Come with me." " Stop it!" " I can't believe you came." " I came for someone else." "Ms Suira, my lawyer." " My wife." " Pleased to meet you." "Me too." "I've heard a lot about you." "About the divorce, I mean." "You told me no divorce." "Victor!" "Introduce your friend to Rachida." "Everyone knows Victor Mayence." "How do you do." "How do you do." "Shall we go?" "I told you to go!" "Did you plan this?" "José, wait!" " I'll call you." " Thanks." "Goodbye." "I know what you think, but I didn't come for him." "But for Georges." "Georges?" "Let's see..." "You're pathetic." "Really?" "And you?" "You're cheating with that one." "Rachida?" "Strange that it bothers you." "You said if I fell for someone, you'd understand." "Yes." "Provided you tell me." "OK, I'm telling you." "You're having an affair, me too." "We're quits." "That way you're happy, and I'm happy." "Perfect, no?" "Yes, perfect." "Everything's fine, then." "Everything's fine." "See you tonight." "Have you seen a man with a hat and a walking stick?" "He's just left." "Shit!" "Every day you do something stupid." "Get out of here!" "Don't talk to your daughter that way!" "No need to put up with that." "What's it to do with you?" "You're not family." "Why not tell her we're sisters?" "Tell her, or I will." "Keep quiet or I'll tell people you have your lover in the office and your ancestor wants to be mayor." "Don't be angry, baby." "I can't stand seeing it every day." "It's odd to realise you're in love just when it's over." "My poor Jérôme, I broke your heart." "I miss you too." "My crazy darling..." "But you have your husband." "He complains I wear him out, while I'm working for his campaign." "Oh, I swear..." "If I didn't have a sense of duty..." "My baby..." "You have one new message." "José, it's Carmen." "Tell your dad, if he won't call," "I'll write to the cops about the whores in the spa." "Pass the message on." "Mr Elbert, I'm sorry I missed you this morning." "In the light of your offhand behaviour," "I'm no longer inclined to give an interview." "A pity." "I already found a title:" ""Georges Elbert, a descendant of slaves, for mayor."" "Agreed." "A cognac?" "I don't believe it!" " Cheating on Mum with a who..." " Félix!" "Rachida's my lawyer." "I'm just paying her." "Why are you here?" "A crazy woman called." "She wants to tell the cops about the prostitutes." "Are they here?" "No!" "Well..." "See you later." "Maybe." "Sorry." "If it's Carmen, I can't control myself." "Carmen." "It must have been amazing to be back home after 100 years." "How did you feel?" "What's this to do with the separation of church and state that the Radical Party fought for?" "Do you work for a gossip magazine?" "My dear Victor." "I didn't know you were here." "You know this journalist?" "What journalist?" "He's Marianne's lover." "Muckraking crook!" "He's the journalist?" "You should take care of your home, not play the hussy with this rogue!" "Run her home..." "Maybe pick your nose for you too?" "You're looking for scandal, exploiting my family, to sell your next shitty book?" "I didn't know you were vulgar." "You've seen nothing yet." "If you publish one word, they'll find you." "You'll know pain." "Heartbreak is painful." "I know about that." "What?" "It's not the same." "Thank God I didn't sleep with him." "That's good." "It'll calm José down." "It's just as well." "I don't want him to know." "It's humiliating enough, him showing off with Rachida." "I don't want him sorry for me." "Home already?" " You OK?" " Yes." "We must talk to the kids." "Children," "Mum and I have something to tell you." "Tomorrow we're divorcing." "Again?" "We need to know." "It's one day yes, one day no." "We've had enough!" "This time it's for real." "Dad's cheating." "I saw his chick." "Félix, Rachida's not a chick." "And not my chick." "And your father's not cheating on me, as I know." "You accept that?" "She does, because she's seeing someone." "Cool!" "You're swapping partners?" "Trendy." "They're still novices." "I know about free love." " Shut her up." " Shut up, Mum." "I've tried it all: with 2, with 3, with 10." "I'm sorry to say it, but sexual freedom is bullshit!" "It's no good." "That's new." "You told me nothing was more sacred than freedom." "I wanted to think that." "So I wasted my life." "Say what you like, that's not the way to happiness." "So stop this nonsense and think again." "Hey!" "I was sincere, wasn't I?" "Won't that do?" "What must I do to get out of here?" "Why is she here?" "I thought she was just for the spa." "It's kind of her to come and support me." "You'll see, she's nice." "José, do you still love me?" "Of course I do." "I don't want a divorce." "If you don't love me, OK." "It's to save the house." "So they can't take it." "I'm your wife." "I'll stand with you." "Sorry to rush you, but they can't wait." "They'll wait, because we're not divorcing now." "I can't understand my parents' stories." "It'd be better if women played the role of wife and mother with true devotion." "What are you saying?" "Nature did not give us the same talents." "To be elected, you must update your ideas." "Let me tell you, we vote too." "I regret that." "I adore you." "I don't want you to leave, Georges." "Ever." "I plan to stay for eternity." "In that case, you'll need a makeover." "That's why my campaign will defend the values we need in time of crisis." "I'll be a mayor who gives the family pride of place." "Well done!" "Then how about publicly acknowledging your daughter?" "Why are you here?" "I don't know you." "You're crazy." "Clear off." "Lucky Marianne." "Your dad defends the family." "He wants everyone to know he's proud of his daughter." "Leave my husband alone, slut." "Hush." "He had her out of wedlock." "His Trotsky phase." "You can't do this." "Disappear." "By walking, please." "Tell me this." "Were you really a Trotskyite?" "Mind what you say." " Is she really yours?" " An error of youth." "I won't forgive this, Gérard." "And I fired my lover to devote myself to your career!" "You fired him?" "A big mistake, Solange." "A big mistake." "Someone to see you." "Oh no, not you." "Not now." "We're talking business." "You laughed at me over the wedding." "It's my turn now." "I've just posted a nice anonymous letter to the cops." "I told them everything:" "your scheming, your dirty business, everything." "You know, what I'm enjoying is the look on your faces." "You didn't do that?" "Shit, she didn't!" "Harm one hair on her head," "I'll break every bone in your body." "You fight, I'll catch Carmen." "I'm no brother of yours." "You poor idiot!" "You'll see..." "We're connecting you to the police..." "Jérôme." "I hope we're not disturbing you?" "No." "You shouldn't have." "It's a pleasure." "To be honest, my daughter and I were shocked to learn he had an illegitimate child." "Speak for yourself." "I'm sorry, Mrs Rebec." "Sandra too." "I wish... you'd found out a different way." "No." "It was funny." "Know what?" "It's a good thing." "We can show we're a modern family." "Rejuvenate his rather classical image." "We've come to ask you to lunch on Sunday, with your husband and children." "Sunday?" "I like it here." "It's old, ugly." " Sandra!" " May I look round?" " She's not polite." " Yes." "With pleasure." "Coming?" "Mr Rebec, come and see." "Can you take this, Jérôme?" "Thanks." "Here's the dining room." "It's huge!" "So you're Baby?" "Yes." " You're invited on Sunday too." " I don't think..." "No kowtowing." "Do you love my wife?" " Well..." " I'm asking because I can't cope on my own." "She harasses me." "I should have told you long ago." "But you finding Rebec's your father, and me with Baby..." "I'm useless." "You look after me, yet I don't listen to you." "I don't see you, what you feel." "A godfather's duty." "But I'm not 3 any more." "Stop scrubbing, I'll do it." "You know what, Marianne?" "You don't need me now, not like before." "If we want things to move..." " Oh no!" " I'll go away." "It'll be better." "Otherwise we'll never move on, and we must, you know." "I've decided." "I'm going to the cops." " Shall I come with you?" " No." "And don't worry." "I'll be there several hours." "They'll summon Francis." "And your father." "I don't want my father involved." "He's what he is." "A son doesn't attack his father." "José, they're both responsible." "It's suicide to cover him." "These documents show I'm innocent." "Don't go, I have a bad feeling about it." "Give your father back his shares and we'll move away." "I won't run away." "Rachida says, when it's sorted," "I can sell the spa and buy the estate with Malouin." "That's what I want." "You see?" "Mr Portal?" "You're under arrest." "I'll ask you to come with us." "Let me kiss my wife first." "I don't want them to take the house." "Sell it." "Subtitles:" "Eclair Media"