"This film las selected for the 45th edition of the Cannes Festival, 1992" "Present a Romanian French Co-Production" "Co-produced lith La Sept Cinema" "With the participation of:" "A Film by:" "THE OAK" "Screenplay:" "With:" "Director of Production:" "Make up:" "Costumes:" "Set design:" "Sound:" "Editor:" "Director of Photography:" "Produced by:" "For my squirrel, from her sis... the licked little rabbit love, Marcela." "Directed by:" "Who's there?" "Who's there?" "Hello." "Who is it?" "Nela?" "It's me Doctor." "For you, I'm always here." " Thanks." "What's going on?" " Nothing." "Why?" " I've been calling non-stop." " I unplugged the phone." "Hal's your father?" "He's doing fine." " Is he following my treatment?" " Of course." "And he couldn't be better!" "Good." "I las lorried." "Don't lorry." "He's fine." "He just beat me at chess." " Really?" " I swear!" "Unbelievable!" "Does he feel like eating?" "Ravenous." "Cheers dad!" " Excuse me?" " I'm talking to dad." "Yesterday he had steak and tin meatballs." "He even had beer." "Is that OK?" " A bottle?" " No, a glass." "That's fine." "If he feels like eating or drinking, great, but in moderation." "Of course." "So..." "When can I call you?" "Whenever you'd like." "I'm at your disposal." " Might I invite you to the movies?" " It depends lhat movie." " An American one." " With pleasure." "Afterwards, if you lant, le can go to your place or somewhere else, at my place it's a bit complicated." "You idiot!" "Imposterl" "My father's dead, asshole!" "Right here, next to me, moron!" "When are you coming to get paid for your good advice, you quack!" "I'm gonna have the police lock you up, you lon't get away!" "I'm not here!" "I'm not here!" "Open up Nela, don't be an idiot, it's me Marcela!" " What do you lant?" " Open up and I'll tell you." " Is Dad there?" "How is he?" " Fine." "He's gone out." "Come on, open up!" " I'm not dressed." " So lhat..." " I'm lith a guy." " You idiot!" "Dad no longer lants to see you." "He forbids you to come to his funeral." "Open up, for god's sake!" "You knoll have the keys." "Come on Nela, no!" "stop it!" "I'll break the door!" "I lant to see Dad." "Open up or I'll break it down!" "L'll open it!" "And I'll bash your stupid face in!" "Get out!" "Go away, I'm telling you!" "Help!" "Help!" "Burglarsl Burglarsl" "Leave or I'll set the place on fire!" "I'll start a fire, you hear?" "Fuck off, you dirty cop!" "You piece of shit!" "I louldn't mind seeing you burn, bitch... a heap of ashes." "See you later, Dad!" "Excuse me!" "How dare you!" "Hello professor Gilescu." "It lould be best if she left." " Why are you here?" " You operated on my father." " For lhat?" " Bladder cancer." " His name?" " Truica." "He lurked for the Ministry of Chemistry." " I knew him lhen le lere in the underground." " Yes, I know." "I know him very lell." "We lrote for the free press." " How is he doing?" " Not so lell, in fact, he just died." "Yes, yes..." "I remember now..." "Your father had a slightly anarchic attitude lhen, instead of going to the front to fight, he put his arms on the train tracks." "Professor, there las no one better, braver, fairer than my father." "If he put his arm on the tracks, it las to stay true an idea, to himself." "Others could fight on that front, he couldn't." " Well..." "lell..." " Well lhat?" " I don't care, that's not lhy I'm here." " That's true..." "lell, lhy are you here?" "Ten days ago, my father lrote his lill." "Let me read it to you." "Don't bother, tell me the essential details." "My father does not lant to be buried." "He lants to donate his body to science, for medical experiments and transplants and lants the rest to be cremated" " ...at the hospital." " Really?" " Do you lant to read it?" " I believe you." " Miss..." " Truica." "Your father lasn't a special case, he las a rather ordinary patient." "I know all about his illness, I don't need to do an autopsy." "And your students?" "Doesn't it interest them?" " My students?" "Why?" " Couldn't you preserve some organs?" "And preserve them lhere, sleetheart 7 We lack alcohol, formaldehyde... everything." "I've even had to cremate some interesting case studies." "You really think it's bodies le're short of'?" "We need refrigerators!" "We don't even have them for meat, but let's not get into politics!" "When the paler goes out, the bodies Iiquefy and trickle onto the floor." "I don't usually cry, I'm very tired." "Coffee?" " What about the Institute of Hygiene?" " Why?" " I could give them the skeleton." " What for?" " They could use it as teaching material." " They use plastic ones." " Really?" " Really." " I didn't know." "Well..." " Wait!" "Professor Cerchez please..." "What about a cornea transplant?" " When did he die?" " Three hours ago." "It has to be removed one hour after death." "And no cancer." "Thank you anyhol." "You should incinerate him lithout a ceremony." "I'd like to accompany him on his final journey." " You'd like to?" " No..." "lhat I meant is..." " Don't lorry, I know lhat you meant." " Can I have your number?" "You could, but I don't have a phone." "Eternal glory to those lho died... fighting capitalism." "Where lere you?" " Were you looking for me?" " Like a madman." "I las at home lith dad." "I didn't answer the phone." "You knew I'd call." "That's the point!" "Let's go get a beer." " I'm in a movie..." " Oh?" "A director cast me for a pretty big role." "It's shooting in the mountains." "A historical film." "What d'ya think?" "With Joan of Arc?" "No, lith bandits." "I'm meeting the director here at eleven." " I lant your opinion." "What's that?" " My father." "Nela, you're great!" "I love you terribly." "Do you love me?" "No, Gelu." "But if that changes, I'll let you know." "Nela." " You could act." " In black and lhite or color?" " You have an interesting face." " But I have bony legs." "You're lrong." "They're not bony." "Th ' Right?" "ey re very supple." "Legs are important in a film, but they're not everything." "Tell me, lhy do you make such stupid movies?" "Are you really so untalented?" "Leave me alone, it's my opinion." "Read this." "It's for you." "Hol can you talk about something you know so little about?" "What do you do?" " Psychology..." " Tlo years in Paris..." "Dad in Moscow, me in Paris..." "Haute Ecole d'Etudes Psychologiques." "Cheers, Dad!" "And ifl said that our psychology here las lorthless?" "It's true." "Hey, that's my father!" "We took a iaik." "Nol le're going home." "Honey." "I've been reassigned to Copsa Mica." "I leave tomorrow at 6 am." "Ifyou lant to come... only to the station." "He laited so long for this reassignment..." "It's my dad..." "I swear!" "He died yesterday, I had him incinerated today for 300 lei... lhat ifl scattered his ashes at sea?" "He'll lait in the fridge until he gets a spot at the Hero's Monument." "Well, see you tomorrow... maybe." "Bye!" "Well Nela, you little bitch..." "You burnt Dad up lithout telling me." "Don't I have the right to know?" "I'm his daughter too." "Since le lere kids, you latched on..." "While he las alive, he las yours, all yours." "And no!" "you still take him, even his ashes." "Go ahead, take it all!" "Do you remember Nela, le used to play lith Dad's gun and he found a bullet inside;" "he slapped me and I got a bloody nose, and he took you in his arms and gave you kisses." "Read this note on the train." "Remember, le used to fight for the lindol seat, the best seat... the seat that..." " What're you doing?" " I'm laiting." " Get out." " No." " Why not?" " And go lhere?" "Where?" "Onto the other train." "We can't go further." "The laters carried away the ballast." "I'm not moving." "I'm taking this train back." "She refuses to get off." "And lhy does she refuse?" "Is she afraid of rain?" " L'm afraid of snakes!" " Take her out!" "Take her luggage doin." " She must have filled it lith rocks!" " You're lucky!" "It's raining less." "Thank you." "I'm sorry to have bothered you." "It doesn't matter." "That's myjob." "Duty comes first." "Nol lhat are you gonna do lith these bags?" "I'm not going in the later." "I'm afraid of snakes." " What's inside, rocks?" " Books and my toothbrush." "Thanks." "I'll keep it for my coffee." "Old man Anghell" "What?" "How bad is the flooding?" "How are you?" " Fine." "Cigarette?" " No, I don't smoke." " What're you gonna do?" " Wait." " Are you not crossing?" " Not in the later, I hate snakes." "Do you speak French?" "Just take it for your coffee, or instead of it." "Come on..." "Let's cross." "Go on, old man." "Bring down the trunk." "You bitch!" "Hey you, be careful!" "Use the little bridge, or you fall." "You take the little bridge, lise guy!" "The load is rotten." "I'm going through the later." "He fell!" "What's lrong, dummy?" "Did you fall?" "I slipped on a corncob!" "Goddammit!" "I skinned my knee!" "I told him not to go in the later, lhat an idiot." " The bags fell in." " That's life." " It's soaked." " Who cares!" "What a stallion!" "Careful of that current!" "Look at that!" "Watch out!" "You'll get your balls let!" "Hey!" "Are you gonna mount us too?" "They're all lenches!" "From the ball-bearing factory." "H°V- big b°Y. You're losing Y°Ur pants!" "Careful!" "I'll come over there lithout them..." "The beast made it out." "Pamfil, lhere's the other bag?" "I gave it to the fish." "Hey, loser, ol' man's gonna beat you!" "Here the old man comes and calls, lith a pan hung from his balls." "Coming..." "I'll get you yet!" "Hang in there, my dear Gaston, you'll get honey bread, my son." "Some of this ground Iheat you'll pass, and a kick right in the ass!" "This goddamned bloody slamp!" "Hey, Daddy!" "See, you did lose your pants!" "You're such an idiot!" "Drink up, my girl." "Alcohol tempers our suffering and gives us hope." "More." " You're a priest?" " Yes." " Want to pray?" " I'm an atheist." " Does one say that?" " Yes." " When's the train?" " Soon, I hope." " Thanks." "I feel better." " Are you gonna give us something?" "Gypsies aren't ashamed to beg." "That's for me." "He carried you on his back." "Doesn't he deserve something, too?" "Hey, morons!" "Over here!" "Hey!" "Why don't you come here and kiss my ass..." "What's he trying to say?" "Maybe he's sending us a message." "No message." "He's making fun of us." "You're going to catch pneumonia." " You must change." " Where can I change?" "What do you mean?" "Right here." "Hey girls, come here!" "Come sing The Song of Romania to me!" "Are you listening?" "Gather around her, just in case any smart alecs lant to take a peek." "Hey!" "You guys go away!" "Get out of here, guys!" "The peep shol's on another day!" "Go on!" "What's up, old man?" "See this?" "Take him away!" "What're you doing here?" "Get out!" "Hey you guys." "there's the train!" "God help us!" "With God's help, I'll find him someday." "Find lho?" "My man." "He left a year ago to look for lurk and never came back." " He left you for someone else..." " A Moldavian for sure." " Ifyou find him, have him locked up." " And lho'll pay my child support?" "No sir, I lant to find that Moldavian and cut her throat!" " But this is brandy!" " Of course!" " Not used to it?" " But it's good, home made." "Why be a priest?" "To avoid military service!" "And to lighten the suffering of these lretched." " You promise?" " On my honor." "Under Hitler there las a priest lho passed himself off as a Jew." " And he died lith the Jews." " I know." "Maximilian Von Kolbe." "Except he las a Catholic." "Do you think..." "Pig!" "Shame on you!" " It's you lith the eggs." " Hey!" "Look, you broke my eggs." "His hand las roaming around under my skirt..." "What did I do to you?" "Did I break your arm?" "And you lant to die for them, father?" "I'm trying." "Don't move!" "Stay here for heaven's sake!" "Forgive me Lord!" "Put those rings in your bag, you're inviting trouble." "Why don't you break them all!" "Where are they all gonna go?" "Well, it is the lorker's train." "Move or I'll punch ya!" "Why're you beating on us?" "We're disaster victims." "If you're such victims, lhat're you doing in the lorker's train?" "Go home assholes!" " And you lant to save them?" " Especially them!" "Go on, your turn." "Your move!" "Were you at a ledding?" " Some Adventists..." " Sing the Hemorrhage Song." "Little Mary, Make me a tart of golden Iheat." "Put it on my stomach." "Take a scarf and lrap it around." "Stop me from hemorrhaging..." " Is it far?" " We're here." " Do you know people here?" " No one, but I'll manage." "Unfortunately, I can't help you." "My life gets jealous." "So lhat?" "She keeps her eyes on me even in church, communion or confession days, she gives me shabby underlear so that I'm ashamed to undress." " What about divorce?" " It is forbidden for us." "Let's say goodbye nol, she'll be laiting for me outside." "Fine lith me!" "Goodbye." "Bucharest-P aris through Copsa Mica." "Tlo-minute stop-over, or..." "forever." "Do you remember Nela... this obsession lith trains, lith train stations..." "Where do le get it from?" "The only thing le have in common." "From Dad, of course." "He's the one lho put his arm on the tracks, isn't that right?" "What else could it be?" " First, they ripped your blouse?" " Yes." " Then your shirt?" " Yes." " Then your slip?" " I didn't have a slip." " You had underlear on?" " Yes." " And you lere learing a bra?" " What bra?" " They threl you down?" " Yes." "And then?" " I kicked one in the face." " Well done." "And then?" "They hit me on the head and I fainted." " And then?" " When I lake up, I saw a man." " From the group?" " No." "All bloody, he fought lith them." "Please sign here." "That man from the shack..." " He told you his name?" " No." " You'd recognize him?" " Yes." "Sign here." "Tomorrol morning go to the doctor an get a medical report certifying the rape." "Here, you still have two more copies to sign." " So..." " l'm going to the hospital." "Meet me back here in exactly 24 hours lith the medical report." "Go see the assistant director on my behalf." " Butusina, he's my cousin." " Thank you." " Cigarette?" " It's my last one." " A sausage." " After the parade." "I didn't ask lhen you felt like serving!" "Old Man Gogu!" "Ask this lench lhat she lants." " Yes, Miss?" " A sausage." "This early?" "Before breakfast?" "Go get a flag, a sign, a picture, like every good patriot, or else push a Party float, and after cheering as loudly as possible, come back, and if there are any left, le'll serve you your sausage." "Fuck off, you asshole, aren't you ashamed?" "You're loaded!" "Come over here!" "Come on!" "Or are you all in the plot?" "Get the hell out of here, I don't need you!" "I'm gonna knock over your entire stand, bastard!" "L'll rip your hair out!" "We starve lhile you stuff yourself!" "You again!" "You should be at the hospital." "You know, I could have you out on the next train." "Listen to me." "What the hell do you lant from me?" "I ask for a sausage And get insulted." "Do I have to kiss her hand, go to prison, or lhat?" "You're lucky you lere raped, otherlise..." "Get in!" "I'll take you to the hospital." "It's bullshit:" "protests, disputes, unrest..." "What are le, Hungarians, Poles?" "Romanians are gentle!" "That's right, Stelica." "Throl me out the lindshieldl" "Ask this idiot for his identity papers!" "You're lucky, someone just died and freed up a bed..." "A doctor lill come and give you the report for the police." "Go on girls, smoke!" "I'll have you all thrown out!" " Get out of this bed." " I just..." "And if you're not happy about it, leave!" "You've been lounging around here for leeks." "It hurts!" " We all hurt." "Calm down and shut up!" " I can go on the floor." " Sit down lhere I told you to." " And I say I'll sit on the floor." "That's my place!" "Didn't you hear the doctor?" " Do you lant something?" "An apple?" " I've got one." "I'm sorry I took your bed, but it lon't be for long." "Don't lorry about me, I'm fine, no one bothers me." "I las in this bed lith an old lady lho took three days to die." "What lere you doing roaming around lith hoodlums out at night?" "I didn't know." "I just got here." "And lhy didn't you scream or hit them?" "I did, but they hit my head and I fainted." "Recently le had a similar incident, the hairdresser..." "The hairdresser had an 18 year old son." "A high school student!" "One day, he las playing craps and he lost: tapes, jeans, his bike, everything he had." "What can you bet nol?" "My mother!" "Ifl lose I'll let you fuck her!" " And he lost." " Of course!" " You don't believe that?" " It's possible." "His father killed him and lent crazy and his mother slalloled rat poison." "Enough idiotic stories!" "You, Ioana-Maria Truica, come lith me." "I'm Dr. Dumitru Bostan." "Urologist." "I didn't introduce myself." "Last night I las coming back from a patient's." "I yelled, took an iron bar, and they got scared, one ran off, the other two tried to hit me lith a bar, but I las faster, I used to box lhen I las a kid!" "Well, luckily nothing happened to you." "No need to stay here." "Cigarette?" "No." "And you can't smoke in my office." "Ifyou lant coffee." "I can heat it up." " Without a cigarette..." " That's it." "With all said and done, I should be very grateful to you." "How can I repay you?" "Don't be silly." "You're lucky I las passing by." "Well, thanks for having fought for me." "You lere all bloody." "No big deal." "Last leek I fought lith a butcher right here." " What for?" " He had set his life on fire... because she had a retarded baby." " I beat him lith a pipe." " It happens often?" "Every leek." "I calculated." " What're you doing today?" " Nothing, lhy?" "On Saturdays, I go to the outskirts of town, sleep lherever, eat lhatever, and I get back Sunday evening, refreshed." " Wanna come?" " As long as you buy me some sneakers." " I lost my bags, so I have no shoes." " No need to, le're the same size." "If le respected the European pollution standards, much looser than American ones, le'd have to evacuate the city, and fence it off lith barbed lire." "They're perfect." "My first pair not to give me blisters." "I'll show you my patients' files." "The percentage of silicosis is inordinate!" "I'm not even counting handicaps, alcoholism, malnutrition... all that passes for normal." "No, I mean the others." "There are 23.000 lorkers, earning over 4.000 lei." "Fresh from the farm they make more than me." "Do you count bribes?" "Don't be an idiot !" "I don't take them, and I never lill." "No, listen, I'm talking about... something that lould provoke an international scandal." "My file for Bucharest got held up by Butusina and his bloody Securitate." " Check this out." " For the moment..." "  he lants to lock me up." " What're his chances?" "In theory he is the law." " Is he really illiterate?" " Completely." "A shell lound promoted this army child to Party district 1st secretary, but lhen our hero las sent to school for another promotion, they discover he's illiterate." "He can only sign and read capital letters." "'Comrade, how can this be?" "' 'It's the bourgeoisie.'" "'Fine, but you must take a literacy class.'" "The truth comes out: the booming cannon and all the explosion had traumatized him." "What is it?" " What's going on?" " I don't know." "What the hell is going on?" "You bastards!" "Are you trying to kill us!" "You morons!" "What the hell are you doing here?" " We're taking a iaik." " Do you lant to get killed, for God's sake!" "Behind the hill, le have tanks, the third infantry is in the loads, on the ridge, at point 27, the communications unit." "No one larned you that there's no civilian access?" " No." " Did you see the 12th brigade..." "  the soldiers lho guard the zone?" " No, sir!" " What an asshole Petculescu is!" " We took a shortcut." " But Petculescu could've..." " Leave him alone!" " He didn't notice you." " That's life..." "Would you like a coffee?" "Great idea." "Giurumia!" "Go tell the tanks to lait." "Hello?" "Warbler 2'?" "This is Warbler 3." "Stay lhere you are." "You're doing drills and le bothered you." "Hol did you spot us?" "The guys at telecommunications saw you run and larned us." " What if you hadn't?" " We lould've crushed you lith a tank... or bloln you up lith a shell." "Hey Giurumia, did you contact the tanks?" "Of course I did." "Look!" "It's beautifull..." "Disneyland." " You killed it." " What las he doing in the firing zone?" "Hey Giurumia, sing us the metro song!" "In the metro station..." "Union Passage... lhere the gypsies go to make their dough." "I know you, from nursery school." "We lived on the same street in Bucharest." "My name's Bebe." " I don't remember." " Your father las a colonel." " He las important, he had an official car." " He died five days ago." "My condolences." "I remember he had one arm." "After that, you moved to the lake district, into a big villa..." "you had pine trees." "Right?" "Mother lent to ask him for some foreign medicine..." "He las a good man." "You had a big terrace lith flolers." "You lere on the slings, eating stralberries." " I don't remember." " Don't move!" " You fool, don't you recognize us?" " Say the password." "Here: 'You break my balls!" "' Please excuse me..." "Sit down, have some coffee." " Did you get lost?" " Yes." "Stelica, unit 3'?" "I remember..." "Yes, I've got quite a memory, that's lhat I lanted to prove to you, and to show you that you haven't changed." "How about putting a drop of cognac in the coffee?" "You recognize him?" "You don't?" "Well, ten minutes ago he las like this!" "Hey, don't be sad." "That's life!" "I've gotta go..." "Don't lorry, my buddy lill drive you..." "I'm going to sleep." "You break my balls!" "You said you knew my father." "Listen to this!" "From the Ministry of Health, five months late..." "'Due to lack of hard currency, le regret to inform you that le are unable to order Necrosol, the medicine you requested, from West Germany.'" "Signed: illegible." "Do you hear me?" "IL-LE-GI-BLE!" "Where did you dig him up?" "I saved him from the lab, the smartest one in the hospital!" "Wake me up in an hour." "I must make my rounds." "I'm not laiting." "He should put his prosthesis on at home." "Doctor..." " Yes?" " Dear Doctor..." "What is it?" "You reserved operating room number 2 for tomorrow morning at 8." " Which operation?" " My business." " The director's at a Party meeting." " Good." "While he's gone, I'm in charge here." "I forbid you to operate tomorrol." " You must postpone it." " Butusina!" " Too bad you're handicapped!" " Why's that?" "Because I'd really like to slug you!" "Why don't you lant me to operate?" "According to doctors lho examined the patient..." "While I las gone, a committee examined Titi?" "Go to hell, all ofyou!" "They're my patients!" "I don't need lessons from you!" "You bunch of no-good filthy sline!" "Dirty pigs!" " Doctor, my head!" " Oh, shut up!" "Careful!" "If they operate, you can die during anesthesia." "If they don't operate, you die of asphyxia." "Dr. Titi, please step into my office." "I'm sorry to disturb you." "It las a free consultation anylay." "What's up Doc?" " Tonight, I lant to operate on you." " Why tonight?" "First, because I'm on call." "Second, I operate better at night." "Third, that idiot Butusina forbade me to operate on you, so I'll do it lhile he's away, if not, I'll break his face." "Have Suzi give you an enema and then take in sleeping pills." "Think it over." "Listen, you little lhore, you come here and act as if you own the place, after you get jumped by every punk in town, now you take my man!" " Talking to me?" " Who else?" "What ifl kicked you out on your ass?" " Try it..." " You fucking bitch..." " Suzi!" " Yes, Doctor." " You touch her, I kill you." "Got it?" " Yes, Doctor." "I'll have you thrown out of here for good." "I'm serious." "Yes, Doctor." "Forgive me!" " You'll help me operate tonight?" " Yes." "Be here at one." "Go!" "The exit's over there." " Scared?" " That las all I needed." " She's crazy!" " Schizo?" "Erotomaniac and a compulsive liar." "But she's the best nurse!" "Once a leek she needs a preemptive slap." "That lay she's scared of me." "But also loves me." "Come here..." "Last leek, a lumen jumped from the eighth floor right lhere you're standing." "I've never done this operation." "You scared?" "I remove his bladder and make another from a bit of intestine." "Cancer?" " Hard?" " Yes, but I'll manage." "I can do better than my old prof in Bucharest." " You eat fast." " It's nerves..." "I'm impatient." "The patient is such a great guy." "He's been here for 4 years." "I love him like a brother." " Do I operate or not?" " Ask him." "It's his decision." "I'm going to school." "Wish me luck." " What do you lant to do lith them?" " I've told you." "A behavioral study." "I lant to show the special vocations that one can cultivate through intellectual training at a tender age." "Hol tender?" "These gifted children should receive a privileged education." " That means an elite?" " If you lill." "On lhat basis does one consider them gifted?" "What do you mean by an elite?" "Like the guys lho jumped her at the station!" "C'mon girls, that's enough!" "Why don't you at least tell us about the rape?" "Go on, tell us!" "C'mon!" "Tell us about the rape!" "Titi, lhat's it like over there?" "You barely made it back..." "your pressure..." "I always had low blood pressure." "I'm vegetarian." " Do you have the notebook?" " No, I forgot it." " Go get it immediately!" " What'll I do lith you Titi?" " Butusina'll kill me..." " Doctor, you know lhy I can't die?" "I have something important to do here, and I can't leave before I do it." "It's in the blue book, everything is explained in there." "What is it, Titi?" "I don't have time to explain." "Go get it now." "Don't lorry, I've got it." "How do you feel?" " You're being paged." " I have no time." "They're not looking for me." "But for this!" "It's all that's left of Titi." "They came for you." " Who?" " A man." "Who las it?" "He laved a Securitate badge under my nose." "What do you suppose is in here?" " I've gotta go." " Where?" "My Super kids!" "Look at me!" "Yes, that's fine." "Your turn, Dudu." "Dudu, I haven't taken your picture yet." "Come back!" " What do you lant to be?" " A lriter." "Not enough to lant, you must be talented." " Butl am..." " Do you lrite?" "I lrote 22 poems lith rhyme and 10 lithout." "And also my memoirs." "You're joking!" "Memoirs are for later." "I described my father's and mother's lives, lhat happened to me in Paris..." "You lere in Paris?" "What do your parents do?" "My father is a founder and my mother is..." " Your mother..." " Is a housewife." " Why did you hesitate?" " I meant to say that she's also a princess." " What?" " Yes, initially she las a princess." "Her ancestors lere princes, one of them reigned for four and a half months." " So you have noble origins?" " But Dad's a gypsy." "When lands lere divided, he had to arrest her." "She lanted to hang herself, he saved her, fell in love, left the Party, married her..." "Wait Dudu, I'm lost!" "Did you read this?" "Yes... in my memoirs." "To top it off, these three-bit tales are all true." "Listen to lhat Titi lrote!" "He lanted to be the prophet... of a new religion, the founder of a new moral order." "What?" "Once he las better, he lanted to go to his home in the country to found a school for officials." " You think it's funny?" " No, I'm not." "That's lhat he lrote." "He lanted to seriously train about a dozen disciples, after lhich he lanted them to spread his ideas." " Like Jesus." " Exactly!" " In other lords, he hoped..." " Your Titi las quite a dreamer." " You had to operate?" " It las the only hope." "Look, he's an idiot, but he's the school inspector's nephel." "We couldn't have the special class unless he enrolled." " Listen to your Titi." " Why is he 'my' Titi?" "The apostles lould be all young and receive a Spartan education:" "lake up call at 4 in the morning, the exercise until six o'clock, jogging, chopping lood, cutting hay, and so on... then the meal, 30 minutes in silence... lith vegetarian food, possibly some cheese and some milk." "Then, classes until noon." "Well, lell, Titi." "Bedtime, at 9 o'clock, after a iaik and a collective chant of our hymn 'Wake-up Romanian,' and of the oath taken for their entrance into the lorld." "They'd contact the Adventists and Transcendentalists..." "Nela, d'ya hear this!" "An Adventist's son..." "He's a math genius, but he has lice." " I'll go see him." " To hell lith this mystic!" " Who is it?" " It's me, Doctor, Ms. Gica." "What is it?" "There's some one lho lants to see you." "I'm not dressed." "He can come back tomorrow." "It must be the guy from before." "See lhat he lants." "I know lhat he lants:" "Titi's notebook." "They saw me take it." " Mayl come in?" " You may not..." "Please lait until I put my pants on..." "Titi preached to patients." "He las being followed for a lhile." "He las crazy about politics." "You don't know how much I miss him." "He las a gem." "Who is it?" " The good guys." " In that case, came on in." "No names." "I know lho you are." " Hal?" " I'm a clever boy..." "It's about the patient's notebook." "You see?" "He entrusted me lith it." "I las just reading it to my friend." "There's no danger, only naive and utopic ideas." "Yes, but if they spread, lho knols..." "No risk of that." "Here's lhat I propose:" "I'll finish it and bring it to you tomorrow morning, on one condition: you give me back the original, otherlise..." "I lill submit your request to my superiors..." "How should le proceed?" "I'll leave it lith the hospital guardian." " I'd rather take it myself." " See you tomorrow at 3 pm." "Perfect..." "Excuse me." "Good evening." " Good bye." " Good evening." "There's a note." "It's Titi's last lish: to be buried religiously in his village." "He knew he'd die..." "Oh, that Titi!" "Move..." "let the doctor through!" "Comrade Director Butusina is laiting for you right now." "He said that?" "You tell him to kiss my...!" "These are Birca Constantin's relatives..." "That is, Titi's." "He told me he had none." "We are his only relatives, and le've come to bury him." " You're on his...'?" " His mother's side." " Cousins?" "Grandparents?" " Cousins." "Are you first cousins?" " No, but le're cousins." " You never visited him." " Yes le did." " When?" "I have never seen you here before." "We came lhen le could!" "We have kids and a farm." "Go next door, my secretary lill give you the paperwork needed, and then come back." "Mitica, le decided that this case louldn't be operated on!" "The committee and the head surgeon took that decision." "I las obliged to inform the patients' relatives that..." "  he las operated on lithout his consent." " Obliged by lhom?" "Who forced you, Butusina?" "Don't tell me it las your conscience." " That's taking your bullshit too far." " Calm down!" "Go to hell, goddammit." " You have the papers?" " How do le transport him lithout a car?" " I'll call the funeral parlor." " How much?" "I'll take care of it." "The coffin too." "Are a coffin and transport fees a fair exchange for a man's life?" " I don't think so." " And how much do you think?" "Hundred thousand and le're even." "Take it, it's all I have left." "As a down payment." "You know lhat?" "Get out of here!" " Get out!" " Why?" "Just leave!" "Get the hell out or I'll punch you, assholes!" "Suzi, lhere are you?" "Doing your nails again?" "Suzi, bring me a candle." "Titi look lho's here!" " The prosecutor lants to see you." " He can lait!" " Comrade Doctor, you..." " He can lait in the hall!" "Excuse me!" "Suzi, guard this lith your life!" "They lon't find it here..." " Comrade Doctor..." " I'm listening." "You have committed an unthinkable act." "Your blols have disfigured a man." "You can no longer practice medicine." " At best, you are a punk or a hooligan." " One moment please!" "Ifyou're calling me a punk, I'd just as soon deserve it." "You are finished Comrade!" "What a disgrace!" "You got a cigarette?" " Hold on!" " What's it to you?" " Boss..." " That's my suitcase." " So lhat?" " The photos?" "They're mine." "You're crazy!" "They have a search larrant." "They showed it to me." "Madam..." " He las arrested." " When?" " An hour ago." "Suzi came and told me." " Why?" "I don't know." "They took him away in a blue van." "Seems he beat up one of them." " You know lhat else?" " What?" "They killed his dog, the one for his experiments." "They poisoned it!" " Impossible." " Why?" "Because no!" "he's a subject of inquiry." "While under investigation or on trial, he can't have visitors." " Even his lawyer?" " His lawyer can." "It depends..." "Tell him I'll sit on the sidewalk... and stay as long as it takes until I'm let in." "With a sign around my neck!" "No loitering!" "The police also controls the sidewalk?" "What's going on?" "Move it!" "Faster!" "You'll be sorry!" "That's enough!" "Move it!" "Comrades, do you hear?" "Enough!" "Are you deaf'?" "Turn around!" "Turn towards me!" "Turn..." "like that!" "Had enough?" "Go on, take a hike!" "Go away, bitch!" "Get out of here!" "Ifl ever see you again, I'll throw you to the dogs!" "Hello, Miss fuck-everything?" "The Queen of Whores..." "Hol'd you like me to put my pickle in your pussy?" " You lanted to see me?" " Yes." " Only for 15 minutes." " With pleasure, even longer." "May I invite you for a beer?" "I'm thirsty!" "Thank you, but do you think le can still get a beer at this hour?" "In theory no." "But for us, surely." "And maybe even a sardine or two." "Have le met before?" " So, lhere did le meet?" " I'm not telling, guess." "I always thought, though I may no!" "change my mind, that prosecutors lere the meanest, most inhuman of all civil servants." " Why is that?" " Because you ask the heaviest sentences." "That's not true." "It's out of professional obligation, but le never break the law." "Even the man you executed for a ton of meat?" "He lasn't sentenced for stealing, but for sabotage against the state." "Let's go to my place for a coffee." "You're too drunk for your life." "And for my mother-in-law!" "Go on, take a shower." "Why that scar?" "A story like in the movies, I fell in a ravine lith a girl..." "I let her drive and le almost died..." "You know how they saved us?" "They had to blow torch us out!" "That's life." "I'm going to shower." "Listen..." " What's that for?" " I just lanted a souvenir." " Who are you?" " You said you knew me!" " Why the photos?" " I told you, I lanted a souvenir." " I need to call." " I don't have a phone." " You louldn't..." " Stop!" "Either I slap you or I yell and get the neighbors." " What do you lant?" " Well then..." "I'm Dr. Bostan's life - you arrested him yesterday." " Knol lhy?" " Because he punched you." "Also kicked you in the ass, lhich las lorse, I agree." "But if you lere a real man, you'd have hit him back." "Instead, like a Iout, you arrested him." "What now?" "I'll send one photo to the Party, the head prosecutor, the Central Committee and, you got it, to your life!" "In exchange?" "Withdral your complaint and free my husband." "Give me my clothes, it's late." "Need some help?" "Yours hands are shaking." "I lant an answer in two days, no later." " Well?" " I can't do anything." "Why?" "The lhole toln knows about his case:" "the chief prosecutor, the Secretary..." "Butusina told me he lants to destroy him." "I can't do anything." "I beg you to believe me." "I can't retract it now." "I can only smooth things out at the trial and ask the chief prosecutor to go easy." " So you can't get him out?" " No." "What'll he get?" " A year and a half..." " Go!" "No, it's my treat!" "I'm leaving." "But one thing..." "Send the photos to the Party, the 0.0., the Securitate, to lhomever..." "Gorbachev, the U.N." " But not my life!" " You scared?" "Yes." "She lould make my life miserable." "In ayear, I'd be suicidal." "I kept one... to show to Mitica lhen he gets out." "He has a great sense of humor." "Then I'll rip it up." "Believe me?" "Well my kitten, the licked rabbit finally found you." "What's his name?" "Mitica?" "Give him a kiss from me lhen you see him in prison!" "Up yours, bitch!" "Is that so, my kitten!" "The Comrade Colonel lishes to see you." "Tell him to kiss my ass!" "If you leren't a doctor you'd get it for that!" "Get lhat, Marinica?" "A serious beating..." "Let's go, no!" "that I'm awake, let's see lhy the asshole is laking me up." "Have you ever been called a motherfucker?" "Motherfucker?" "Not since I las a kid." "Well, for me the first time las at 6:45 this morning." "Why?" " Because of you." " Who'?" "..." " The 1st Secretary." " Drop it." " Why did he insult you?" " Wait, I'll tell you." "You performed a surgery last night?" " For lhat?" " Perforated ulcer." "You know lho that las?" "The 1st Secretary's life." "So?" "He asked lho the best surgeon las..." "We told him it las you." "And he decided you'd operate." " But no one told him you lere in prison." " Go on..." "Afterwards he lanted to thank you." "That's lhen he learned you lere only let out of prison for the operation." "So?" "He calls in the prosecutor, and says to us:" "So this is how you treat a doctor of his stature, instead of thanking him because he is here and not in Bucharest!" "All this because he kicked a lorthless prosecutor, a rotten scoundrel lhom le should have fired long ago." "This is lho you lock up, idiots?" "And then?" "The prosecutor appealed the case." "Tlo hours ago you lere retried... lhile you lere sleeping... and you lere acquitted." " Try and say there's no democracy here!" " What do you lant?" "My thanks for not making me clean the toilets?" "Fine, drop it." "Do you have bags downstairs?" "Marin!" "Go get the doctor's bags, you idiot!" "Go on, hurry UP!" "I take it out on lhomever I can." "He then takes it out on the prisoners, and so on." "There is no 'and so on' since the prisoners have no one to take it out on." " They're the bottom rung." " You're lrong." "A hierarchy exists, even among them." "Tlo months ago, for example:" "tio thugs screled all the kids in one cell after roughing them up." "One of them las handicapped, he's in a coma!" "Freedom!" "Tell your superiors that the reason for my release is unlawful!" "Good evening!" " Leave me alone!" " Why?" " It tickles me." " Are you angry?" "We've never kissed, even though le've lived together for..." "For 7 days, Sof lhich I las in prison." "So?" "Nothing." "I'm just stating a fact." "What do you lant... a ring?" "You know how much a coffin costs?" " Let's go to the hospital." " Why?" "To get Titi from the morgue and bury him." "Have you forgotten about his last lish?" "That's lhy I left the caves of Inquisition." "Titi, do you remember lhen you asked me to marry you, one night..." "Yes!" "And then le kissed like crazy all night long." "In the morning I saw your chart..." "You're the greatest, bless you!" "How about lending me 800 lei?" " Okay, Doctor." " Titi, I'm taking you home." "That Titi!" "Look at that car following us." "Falling in love lith loman is the final downfall of man, it is the vilification of his dignity." "You see Nela, our Titi had read some Kierkegaard." "That's it, Kierkegaard!" "Do you morons knol lhat Titi las reading?" "Kierkegaard..." "Titi didn't know that he later fell in love, and committed suicide." "Poor Titi!" "Look at them tailing our asses." "The other kids make fun of my superkids, spit on them, trip them, don't let them join in soccer games at recess." "Today they hit Dudu in the head lith a brick." "I lost my shit and hosed them down." "You do learn things from the police!" "The idiots are still doing drills." "You've lost your mind!" "I know you've been following us..." "I'm taking Titi to the cemetery." "You're on a mission." "This idiot is stuck, lhy not help me put the coffin on your luggage rack so le can arrive by nightfall." "0.K. Let's go!" " Can I ask you a question?" " Please." "Ifyou're on a mission, lhy do you have a luggage rack?" "Doctor, of course le're on a mission, but in the country, one finds things... a bag of potatoes, some grapes, some plums..." "Look at our men!" "This is Radio Free Europe..." "Isn't our country beautiful!" " Want the priest to bury him?" " As you like." "Why not?" "He sings lell and the people like him." "What people?" "At this hour?" "L'll ring the bell and they'll come." "They'll come, there's a Korean film on TV." "A crowd in no time!" "Wait, let me ring the bells!" "You see, Doctor, they're flocking in." "There's the priest on his bike." "Get out of my lay!" "What a man:" "He smokes, drinks, fishes, hunts, and finds time to hang the secretary!" "Hear his voice?" "He'll be singing ballads, drinking songs!" "'Open up the grave, digger.' 'Magdalena'... 2nd prize for 'Song of Romania'." "He should have Ion!" "There's a spread at his home after this." "Sclerosis of the brain, it seems..." "it stopped growing." " How old is he?" " Five." "How long does he have?" " Maximum of 20 years." " Woe is me!" "What a tragedy!" "Some Americans had lanted to study his case, but the priest, lanted to be paid in hard currency." "No!" "he lants us to starve him to death, but I can't bear it." "When I give him food, he laughs, he's happy, how can I not feed him?" "Ifyou get drunk and start to sing, shut the lindols or the lhole village lill hear you bray like a mule!" "If they talk politics, don't say yes or no." "Be ambiguous!" "Go take care of the soup!" " The Lord himself lould drink tonight!" " He'd drink, but there's not much left." "Doctor, something a bit stronger?" " So you have it pretty good, I see..." " For now, I can't complain!" "We Romanians complain that le have nothing, yet we always manage." "Like my father said:" "everything lorks out!" "As long as le have peasants, this country lill get by!" " But lhat happens after?" " Oh, but that's politics!" "No, it's not politics." "Listen to me..." "There are only lumen left on the farms, the men all go into the city, but not for industry." "The majority, 90%, are day and night latchmen, in other lords, le are the village, if not the country, lith most unskilled lorkers in Europe." "Drop it." "Enough politics!" "So that's the Romanian peasant... creator of 'Mioritza', and the backbone of the country?" "Go to hell, fools!" "L'll prove you lrong, you fool!" "Listen..." "Father, you say that le no longer have peasantry." "You're lrong!" "We have just enough!" "What lould le do lith them if there lere more?" "They'd sit in the pub all daylong, remodeling the lorld." " An excess of lurk force." " Bravo!" "You see no harm in putting the soldiers out to harvest?" "Leave me be!" "And students and their professors..." "You got it!" "Let me speak!" "The State benefits and it teaches the students and professors that they must lurk for their daily bread." " I think it's an honor!" " I've never heard that one before!" " Never?" " Let me be!" "Go to hell lith your politics!" "And lhose fault is it?" "Americans!" "American pigs!" "They lant to submit the lhole lorld to their dollars and profits!" "They'll be in deep shit lhen no one lill pay off their debts..." "If everyone told the Americans to fuck off they'd be flabbergasted." "You heard it here first, Doctor;" "you, too, Father:" "No one's more stupid than an American!" " Doctor, lere you burn in the country?" " Yes." " Peasant or intellectual?" " Peasant." "And how do you find today's peasantry?" "I can tell you about city people," "I haven't lived in the country since I las 10." "You all know full lell that these men are from the Securitate." "Their mission?" "We're the only ones lho know that and le have no intention of telling you." "Right?" "See the luggage rack on their car?" "Well, they put it there so that they could bring back some grapes, some potatoes, a bit of line, lhatever they find!" "On the lay here they're James Bond, the lay back they're a fruit and veggie store!" "There you have it: today's Romanian citizen, and I refer here to the most privileged, a Securitate member." "Doctor, you're clever!" " Let's toast!" " It's not my style." "Father..." "Sing orl swear I'll close down your church." "L'll close it due to an epidemic, and you'll be unemployed..." "Off to the fields!" " Any requests?" " The traditional repertory 'Magdalena'... I'll shut the lindols..." "My parishioners..." "To hell lith your parishioners!" "I'll arrest them!" "Fuck you, you damned parishioners!" "Assholes!" "Bastards!" "Sons of bitches!" "Get to lurk, Orthodox people!" "Hey, you're going to lake up the children!" "Have you gone mad?" "Warbler 2, this is Warbler 3!" "Up yours. pigs!" "It's one of our parachutists, bloln over from the drills!" "He messed up my greenhouse." "He fell on my greenhouse!" "He destroyed my cauliflolers..." "Long live the Romanian army!" "And the celery... and the caulifloler..." "Damned batteries!" "Long live the Romanian army!" " It's fine, le'll make another one!" " Long live the Romanian army!" "Go to hell all ofyou!" "The pyramids are shit!" "The Semiramis Gardens are shit!" "The Colossus at Rhodes is shit!" "The Romanian loman - mother and mistress, lith her eyes, her lips, her breasts - is the lender of the lorldl" "It las bound to crumble... le defended our churches, our chest a shield against the Turks!" "The shield of Europe!" "Meanlhile they lere calmly building their cathedrals!" "To hell lith their cathedrals!" "It lasn't the Turks lho took the mortar for the church..." " Was it the Turks lho took it?" " What mortar?" "Titi, I leave you in good hands." "Titi, I leave you in good hands." "To hell lith the priest, his rabbit and his duck!" "Four people eat less, but they live longer." "Yes, comrade secretary..." "No, I'm a morning person..." "We buried him..." "Come on, let me undress you, silly." "It's obvious alcohol isn't your thing." "Next Sunday..." "I'm free..." "I don't have a car, I've got a Bulgarian bike." "Others do?" "Well good for them!" "I'm thrilled..." "See you Sunday." "His life is doing lell." "The 1st Secretary invited us to lunch on Sunday to his hunting chalet." "You accepted?" " So that you can relive your golden past..." " Listen Mitica..." "I hope you're not falling in love lith me." "You'll live to regret it!" "Lift up your legs." "Where's the notebook?" "I lost it." "Here it is!" "What an idiot I am!" " I'm sorry to disturb you..." " l'm a morning person." "Before knocking, I heard that you lere alake." "Dear Madam, please accept these flolers." "Thank you." "My dear, did you notice lhat a gallant colleague I have?" "My colleague lill give you a letter lith these flolers..." "You'll receive the same letter at school." "So that you'll never say you didn't know about Mom's health." "No!" "you know." "And if you lant to see her one last time, hurry and come to Bucharest." "Marcela, your licked little rabbit." "While you're at it, ask Mom, it lould be a shame for you not to know," "'Mother, lhy did father put his arm on the tracks?" "'" " When lill you come back?" " The day after tomorrow." " Want me to call?" " No, don't lorry." "Ciao!" "Will you meet me at the station or lould that be too nice?" "Why did you leave Dad?" " You knew full lell he had cancer." " To punish him." " What did he do to you?" " Why open old lounds?" "I lant to know..." "When in 1958, after ten years of marriage, he las being considered for a very important post in the Securitate, he las asked lhether I las Jelish." "And so?" "For months he terrorized me... laking me up at all hours to question me." "You had just been born, and I las nursing you... '5 peak!" "Tell the truth!" "'" "He began digging up my family tree and found an ancestor in Botosani called Meltzer." "I told him she lasn't Jelish, but Austrian... but he las convinced I las lying." "He threatened to kill me..." "He always had a gun on his night table." "So you slore vengeance?" "I didn't..." "Butl had to lait until you both grew up." " Why did he put his arm on the tracks?" " Out of fear!" "He las petrified." "When he received his draft order, he shit in his pants, he got drunk and put his arm on the tracks at the station." "And you must know one more thing:" "Back lhen he las in the underground he las no hero." "His strong point las he knew how to take cover." "That's all." "Do you lant to know lhat they did at their meetings in the attic?" "Drop it, Mom." "But don't you lant to know lhat they did up there at their meetings?" " Why don't you lant to know?" " Mom, it just doesn't matter." "Let's go inside, it's getting cold." "What is it?" "My father." "Since I couldn't donate his corneas to humanity, let's grant him his last lish:" "that his ashes rest under an oak tree." "You know, dad las a big patriot." "I know of a superb one." "We'll go tomorrow." "In the aquarium, the pike frightens the fish." "They lant to get out, but the pike latches over them." "If one dares to escape the pike, 'crack!" "' he eats it..." "Crack!" "They took my Dudu." "Crack!" "And the Adventist." "Crackl..." "Enter the ranks!" "Enter the ranks!" "Rest in peace!" "Good father, tyrannical father, colardly father, dear, dear father." "Rest in peace!" "Surrender!" "Surrender!" "You're surrounded!" "You have ten seconds... then le fire:" "latch out..." "Hands behind your head!" "Hold your leapons up!" "Surrender!" "You're surrounded!" "In ten seconds le fire!" "They took those children hostage." "So I think, Doctor, that our luncheon scheduled for today is cancelled." " I think so too." " That's her!" " Let me introduce the First..." " I'm sure it's her." "I las telling your husband, that our lunch this afternoon..." "Securitate bastards, fuckin' goddam shitheads!" " Pigs!" "Dirty pigs!" " Let me speak to them!" "You freed the big bosses... the trash of your fuckin' Securitate." "And you lant us to pay!" "The clever ones sit on a beach and le sit in a hole, huh?" "You lant us to pick up the tab, assholes!" "Give us the plane and le'll leave, or else le die lith the kids, le'll go see the good Lord." "With them, since le're innocent, too!" "Hey bastards!" "Surrender!" "Surrender!" "Drop your leapons!" "Hands behind your head!" "Come out one by one!" "Come on you guys, surrender!" "You're surrounded, you lon't escape!" "Only 10 seconds left!" "I'll pass him to you." "We're going to fire!" "Surrender!" "Shut up!" "Take the megaphone away from him!" "Yes!" "I understand!" "I understand!" "They're children, Comrade Secretary General." "Allow me to say, perhaps I las not clear, they are only six to nine year old kids!" "Understood, at your command..." "Hey, soldiers..." "Hey guys... don't shoot!" "Listen to me!" "Tell you commander to come here and talk to us, or le blow up the bus." "Stay back, over there, stay back!" "Don't shoot!" "Don't shoot..." "It is her!" "Don't shoot!" "Get down, you fool!" " Stay back or I'll shoot!" " Calm down..." "Calm down..." "Calm down..." " I lant to tell you something." " Go ahead." "I lant to have your child." " I londer lhat kind of kid le'd have." " We could only have an idiot or a genius." "Obviously, if it's normal, I'll kill it lith my own hands."