" Goodbye, sir!" " Goodbye!" " Hello, Lionel." " Hello, Éva." "Thanks." " Bye now." " Bye." "Éva and Léon" "Thanks." "Can I sit here?" "If you want." "Can I have a hot chocolate?" " Sorry?" " Please." "OK." "A hot chocolate, please." "Where did you spring from?" "Over there." "And your name?" " Léon." "And yours?" " Éva." "So who's your father?" "Napoleon." "No imagination!" "Honestly." "Then your father's been dead 200 years." "How old would you be?" " 11." " You see, it's impossible." " To be 11?" " To be Napoleon's son!" "Why?" "He died before you were born, and had no son." "Of course he did." "His son was called the Eaglet." "Hang on!" "I don't know much about kids, but that's forbidden." "That's on me." "Bye." "Tonight." "Room 8 Grand Hôtel." "I miss you." "From:" "John." " Hello." " Hello." "You can sleep on the sofa if you want." "I'm going to bed." " Hungry?" " A bit." "I have strawberries." "Where are you from?" "You ran away?" "You did a holdup?" "I knew it." "You look like a gangster." "I'm at the Garenne Home, in Saint-Martin-des-Champs." "What's that?" "An orphanage?" "Yes." "You're an orphan?" "No." "I just wanted to live in an orphanage." "You kidding me?" "Give me the number." "I'll tell them you're with me." "Hello." "I've a little boy here who says he lives with you." ""A little boy"?" "It's Léon, isn't it?" "He ran away last night." "Where are you?" " Paris." " "Paris."" " Do you have a car?" " No." "Well..." "Take him to the police." "They'll bring him back." "OK." "Goodbye." "Right." "I'll get dressed." " Who's John?" " A suitor." "What's a suitor?" "Someone who wears a suit." "He phoned." "Come on." "Éva..." "You must wait till your number's called." " You often do this?" " Yes." "It smells of orange flowers." "Why do you keep changing your glasses?" "Why do you run away?" "For a little holiday." "Try these." " What do you see?" " It hurts." " But what do you see?" " Nothing." ""Nothing"?" "How about these?" "Lots of colours!" " And these?" " Now I see well." " How do you want to see?" "I change glasses to see differently." "But it hurts your eyes!" "Right." "This is too slow." "Sorry, but I don't have time." " Hello." " Yes?" "I found a little boy in the street." " His home told me to bring him in." " A home?" " Yes." " You aren't his mother?" "No." "I don't know him." "Does he have papers?" "Identity card, passport?" " Is he French?" " No idea." " Where is he?" " There!" "What's he up to now?" "Léon!" " What are you doing?" " I've stuff to do." "Me too." "I can't leave you here!" " Why not?" " Something bad might happen." " Like what?" " I can't tell you." " Where are you off?" " To see my mother." "What?" "You want your glasses?" " Where are you off?" " Here." "Forget the glasses!" "You can't leave me like that!" " So where?" " To see my mother." " I thought you were an orphan?" " I was abandoned." " You know your mother?" " No." "Just her address." "Where is it?" "Opposite the café where we met." "OK." "I'll come too." " Are the others orphans?" " Who?" " The kids you live with." " No." "Some were ill-treated." " No one's there." " You'll see her next time." "I'm never in Paris." "I'll send you by train." " Hello?" " Where are you?" " I'm..." " You must come for the cake." "...on the way." "Coming." "Shit." "I forgot my nephew's birthday." "We'll make a detour." " Can I take a page?" " Yes." "Thanks." " High time!" " Hi, Lulu!" "Oh no!" "Stop calling me that!" "OK, Number 4?" "Hi, honey!" "Who's this boy with you?" " A friend's son." " You have friends?" "Come on!" "We're following you, kids!" "Hey, Léon." "André." "Capucine." "Georges." "Jacques." "You'll look smart!" " I'll look like a clown!" " Yes, but a clean clown." " So..." " She's cute." "That one's not mine." "No!" "I said no!" "We don't throw things about!" "There." "Can you help me, please?" "Can you not smoke in here?" "There's lots we can't do in your house!" " Dad didn't come?" " No." "He didn't." "It's not funny, Éva." "You're not funny." "You drink too much." "You have too many kids." " OK?" " Yes." "Follow that car." "Like in American films." "Want to come and see my dad?" "Change of direction." "Marnes-la-Coquette." " Right." " Thanks." " May I smoke?" " No." "Coming?" "Fasten your waistcoat." " Hello, Franck." " Hello, Éva." " Hello!" " Hello!" " Hello, Luc." " Hello, Éva." "Your father's having tea." "Thanks." "My darling." " You brought a visitor?" " Yes, daddy." "This is Léon." "Léon, hello." "Will you have some tea?" "He does." "He's just impressed, that's all." "Though he's well born." "Come in." "Help yourself." "Léon..." "He likes me." "You know why?" "Because I feed him." "And he doesn't know anyone else." "Éva, will you play for me?" "No." "Come for a walk with us." "I'm fine here." "It's not good, never going out." "Corsican separatists, in the New York Times." "Why are Americans interested in Corsica!" "Stop fidgeting." "Listen." "It's beautiful." "What is it?" "It's saudade." "What's "saudade"?" "Saudade... can't be explained." "Only felt." "He's looking for his parents." "Like Oliver Twist." "That's romantic." "Or Peter Pan." "Charming." "Why does he cut pages from books?" "To keep just the ones he likes." "What does he do?" "He watches time pass." " Is that allowed?" " Yes." " Where's your mother?" " Somewhere else." " What toys do you like?" " Planes." "Hello." "What do you want to do later?" "For me, later is now." "What are you doing now?" "Right now, I'm building a bridge." "The rest of the time, I do what I like." "Is that good?" "So-so." "Can you see who it is?" " Hello." " Hello." "Is Éva in?" "Yes." "Who are you?" "I'm Simon, her neighbour." "And who are you?" " Me?" "I'm Léon, a friend." " OK." "Pleased to meet you." " Oh, Simon!" "How are you?" " Fine." "Here." "Thanks." "The picnic for 14th July." "Oh!" "You know me, I'd forgotten." "It's OK." "Let's go." " Who's he?" " I'll explain." "No, no!" "Upstairs." ""Do you know anything worse" ""than this brushing against one another?" ""We love each another as if we were in chains," ""arms outstretched, but out of reach." ""When we want" ""to join together, we bump into one another."" " Maupassant, La Solitude." " Pretty." "What do you do?" "I'm a writer." "What do you write?" "Nothing." "But girls like it." "Are you a bit of a suitor?" "If you knew how right you are!" "Got any Xanax?" "He stresses me a bit." "I've something better." "Thanks." "What did you do today?" "I took him to Lucy's son's birthday." "Oh, Lucy." "It's like kidnapping a minor." "Take him back where he came from." "He's from nowhere." "I'm helping him." "Éva, call the home to tell them where he is." "There!" "It's started!" "Wow." " Shall I put him to bed?" " Yes." "Lucciana Agostini psychoanalyst" " Hello." " You don't have an appointment." "I know." "But I must talk to you." "Not now, Éva." "I'm experiencing empathy." "We'll talk next week." " I may not feel it then." " We'll talk then." " It's really beautiful." " Yes." "True." "I like it too." "Dead, but they look alive." "Better than the opposite!" "What's my mother like?" "I'm sure she's fabulous." "But she didn't want me." "I guess not." "But she did keep you." "She didn't abort you." "What does abort mean?" "When you don't keep the baby." " Before or after it's born?" " Before." " You kill it?" " No." "Not really." "It doesn't yet exist." "You can't kill what doesn't exist." " Why did she let me exist?" " I've no idea, Léon." "Hello." "I've one of your boys here." "I want to help find his mother." "Léon?" "You must return him, Mrs..." "I'm still a Miss." "I'll bring him, but I wanted..." " We have 150 kids here..." " 150 kids." "I'm only interested in this one." "Isn't that better?" "You can't keep him, it's illegal." "What's your name?" "Zelda Zonk." "You can stay a few more days." "Thanks." "But we're on the run." "We're Bonnie and Clyde." "He's the king of silence." "He never talks to anyone." "They're really in love." "They're always kissing." "I have a fancy dress party tomorrow." "Want to come?" "Great!" "She hid Corsican separatists." " My shrink?" " The shrink in our building?" "My shrink, a separatist?" "Sounds like a book title." "The orphanage." "My shrink's a terrorist: more catchy." " Did you call them?" " Léon!" "Come down and bring my bag!" ""Love"..." "No." ""Life is a sleep." ""Love's a dream." "Love and you've lived."" "It's no joke." "I asked if you called them." "Because you don't know the answer." " I do." "Easy." " Don't believe you." "We must go." " Hi." "Want some croissants?" " Yes." "Here." "Put these on, Clyde." "Thanks." "He screwed George Sand!" " Hello, Élie." " Hello, Éva." "What do you want to dress up as?" "A pirate." "Oh no!" "It must be something ridiculous!" "Look." "A big dog." "Whatever." "I forgot the theme." "The Great Gatsby." "Look." "It's easy." "I brought a crafty dwarf:" "Léon." " Say hello." " Thanks for the party." "Good manners." "He'll draw me a sheep later." " Hello, Ben." " Hello, Éva." "Some milk for the kid." "I've no milk." "I'll have orange juice." " Marie, go on!" "Sing!" " I don't dare." "I don't know anything." "Let life be great!" " Who's the boy?" " He's..." "He's the son of Man." "You mean John has a son?" "No." "Not that man." "Man with a capital M:" "you, him, the Pope, Napoleon." "Man!" "She must be depressed." "It's a pity." "She's getting fat." " She's back with John." " He divorced?" "Where are you from?" "From nowhere." "Want to touch?" "I'm on the run." "What does she do, apart from going to Tiffany's?" " She sells herself." " Surely not." "In the novel, she goes with men in the toilets, for 50 dollars." "Really?" "You're very naive." "That's attractive." " Can we go?" "I'm tired." " Yes." "Soon." "Hush, you'll wake everyone!" "I have to deal with the kid!" "What's all this?" "We went to a party." "It was good!" "Wasn't it?" " I'll call you, OK?" " Was it good?" "I'll take you upstairs!" "Stop!" "Stop playing!" "You're not funny!" "Can't you be normal?" "What do you mean, "be normal"?" "Do like other people." "Do you think you're normal?" "You're a runaway orphan." "No one wants you." "No one!" "Who are you?" "This is my house!" "Mine!" "So it's me who says what's normal!" "Stop it." "It's bedtime." "Come on." "When things go wrong," "I make lists." " Lists of what?" " All kinds of things." "Shopping lists, lists of places I'd like to go, of books I'd like to write, of sports I'll never do." "Women I'd like to succeed with." "Does John succeed?" "John?" "Yes." "A lot, yes." "And so she loves him?" "I don't know." "Maybe." "Partly." "Why did she get mad?" "She panics." "She's scared." "Scared of what?" "Her feelings for you." "She thinks you're great." "She knows she has to take you back, so she shouts at you." "I don't understand." "That's normal, Léon." "That's women." "It's hard for us to understand." "Room 5 Hotel Santa Maria in Rome" "Come." "I need you." "I don't just drink milk." "What else?" "I don't know." "Water, Coke." "I don't have those." "What's that?" "A list of things I'd like to do." "I'm off to Rome." " Can I come?" " No." " Please!" " No way." "Remember you're on the run." "Someone has to look after you." " No!" " Otherwise I'll put you on a train." "That's rubbish." "Right." "Go and get washed." "See you in a sec." "I don't need anyone to look after me." " No sugar, is that right?" " Wrong." " I need a favour." " I knew it." "My friend's son." "I have to go away." " You won't notice one more." " No." ""No"?" "No." "Assume your responsibilities." "A stupid expression." "What do I assume about them?" "I don't know what you do with them!" "Éva, I'm overworked." "I have a family, children, a husband." "I can't look after you." "I can't." "I can't." "Really." "Oh no!" "André's woken up." "Can you fetch him?" "What's it like to have it all?" " I'm borrowing this." " Oh, Éva!" "The Eaglet" " Hi." "Can I come in?" " What's up?" "I need to talk to you." "So..." "In the daytime?" " Can I have a whisky?" " Drinking at midday?" "Oh yes, it's only midday." "A Coke, then." " You look very fit." " Stop it!" "I don't like your decor." "I buy and sell on eBay." "I need money." "And your book?" "Stop it!" "I used to think bidets were for washing your feet." " In fact..." " I'm not alone right now." "Oh yes, Miss Butterfly!" "I'm going to Rome." "Could you feed Léon for 2 days?" " Why are you going to Rome?" " To see John." "No." "I won't." "Why not?" "I'm not your dogsbody." "And he's not a cat." "Why is he with you?" "To find his origins." "His mother may be a prostitute." "Oh no, surely not..." "Think how he'd feel." "Born of love or by accident, he needs to know." "That's Enrico Macias." " Really?" " Get out." " Go on." " What's saudade, for you?" " Ask the caretaker for Léon." " I hate her." "He'll suffer." " He's already suffering." " Bye." " Got a passport?" " No." " An identity card?" " No." "How did you take the train?" "I hid in the toilet." "Really?" "I never took a plane." "This isn't a plane." "It's a train." "Why go by train?" "I'm scared of flying." " What do you want to drink?" " A Coke." "Hide, then!" "Service." "Yes, Madam?" "A whisky with no ice and a Coke with no ice." " Of course, Madam." " Miss." "Of course, Miss." "Are you in love with John?" "A bit." "Why not a lot?" "Because he doesn't love me the way I want him to." "How do you know you're in love?" "You go to Rome." "Is that all?" "Hey, kid!" "See his smile?" "What's he doing?" "How do you think it feels to be pregnant?" "Your breasts hurt." "How do you know?" "You don't have any kids." "That doesn't mean I haven't been pregnant." " Really?" " Yes." " You had an abortion?" " Yes." "But why?" "Were you forced to?" "Not really." " Hello." " How are you?" "Fine." "Thanks, Pasquale." " What did John say?" " That I wasn't ready." "That I didn't know him." "We'd make another soon." " Were you ready?" " Yes." " Do you know him better now?" " No." " When was this?" " 5 years ago." "Is that "soon", for grownups?" "What did you say?" "Éva, what did you tell him?" "That I was leaving him." "My mother left me." "Mine left me too, but you don't hear me whining." "You do whine." "But you don't show it." "You don't know what it means." "I do." "It means crying." "You cry, without knowing." "You miss her, without knowing." "I see." "You're a wise man." "You know everything?" "You're 11." "You suck your thumb." " I don't." " You do." "I don't care." "Same here." "You have a family." "You shouldn't be alone." "You've seen my family." "A zombie and a shrew." "A mummy and a granny." "What if your mother doesn't want to see you?" " What if she says no?" " I'll have tried." "Let's go home." "Oh no!" "I want to have an ice cream!" "Really?" "You're in luck!" "This is Rome." "They have the best ice creams." "In all the world!" "Come on, Léon!" " How do you want to be loved?" " Sorry?" "You say John doesn't love you the way you want." "Simply, I think." "Does John have kids?" "Yes." "Three." " Does he have a wife?" " Yes." "Want your glasses?" "Here." ""A family tragedy with historic consequences."" "You think we could have historic consequences?" "It's unlikely!" "But we can try." ""Courage, child, stripped of your divine origins." ""Your glorious heritage is marked on your face." ""Any man who sees you" ""can notice, in your eyes" ""a ray of light, eclipsed," ""from the splendour of the skies."" "I see the ray of light." "You weren't lying." "The King of Rome was also known as Eaglet." "The King of Rome!" "Password." "Wolf Dog." "Good evening!" " Where will we sleep?" " In the train." " We're leaving tonight?" " Yes." "I like having a day in Rome." "So do I." "Let's say thank you." " To who?" " Whoever we can." " Thank you, umbrellas." " Thank you, martini." " Thank you, singer." " Thank you, sir." " Thank you, olives." " Thank you, Éva." "Happy birthday!" " What's this?" " To wish you happy birthday." " It's not my birthday!" " They don't know that!" "I want to live with you." "No, with your mum." "I don't know my mum." "She's not there." "No one's there." "Write her a letter." "One chocolate, one tea, please." "Thanks." " Shall I help?" " No, thanks." "Hello, Simon?" "Can you lend me your car?" "Thanks." "Yes." "Right away." " Can I put your address?" " If you want." " You're not angry?" " No." "How come?" "Who can I be angry with?" " Start with me." " I don't want to." "Everyone else does." "Am I intelligent?" "You're full of ideas." " Is that intelligent?" " It's better." "What I mean is..." "It's not being intelligent, it's showing it." " Is Simon intelligent?" " Very." " Is he handsome?" " Yes." "Is he funny?" " He looks after you?" " Yes." "But nothing like Rome." "That's right." "Exactly." "Will we stay friends?" "Of course." "We're friends." "We'll write, we'll phone." "What if I stayed with you?" "Impossible." "I'm not your mother or your sister." "Or your cousin or your godmother." "I'm no relation." "I've no reason to have you." "Is that him?" "Yes." "It's Jérôme." "He looks nice." " OK?" " Yes." "And you?" "Fine." "What's new?" "We made a cabin." " Hello." " Hello." "We must go." "It's a long way." "Here, Éva." " Thanks." " Bye." "Hey, Léon, don't forget there's a better life." "It's better if you want it." "Like eating sweets." "Yes." "A bit." "But eating sweets in a balloon flying over China." "Léon, you have the right to be different." "Here." " And always say thank you." " Thanks." " Bye, Éva." " Bye, Léon." "I choose you." "Léon" "Hello?" "Eva?" " Hello?" " Lulu?" "It's me." " Éva?" "Do you know what time it is?" " No." " You OK?" " No." "I lost my phone." "Yours is the only number I know." "Why don't you go home?" "I don't want to." "I'd like to come to you." "How to take in an orphan?" "He came to me by chance." "It wasn't deliberate." "You amaze me." "How can you take in an orphan by accident?" "Don't be so dramatic." "It's no big deal." "What?" "I..." "Put your hands on his ears." "What?" "Cover his ears." "I'm sick of being the boring, responsible, annoying one!" "I want to feel light." "You took all the joy." "I can be carefree too!" "I am as I am" "That's the way I'm made" "When I fancy him" "I roar with laughter" "I love the one who loves me" "Is it all my fault" "If it's not the same one" "I love every time?" "I am as I am" "I'm made like you are" "What more do you want?" "What do you want of me?" "Why do you ask questions?" "I'm here to please you" "And not to change anything" "She brought us up strangely!" "Goodbye, mum." " Evening." " Evening." "Who cares, dad?" "We miss her too." "I miss her all the time." "I hear her piano every day." "I usually imagine she's gone on a trip, far away." "That she's very happy." "But I know that's a lie." "Just because she doesn't recognize us, it doesn't mean she's stopped loving us." "Will you play for me?" "I'm here to help you." "Want a sweet?" "Thanks." "The CNAOP sent your letter to your birth mother, but got no answer." "Remember what the CNAOP is?" "The Council for Access to Origins." "That's it." "Remember, she could choose to answer or not." "We must respect her choice not to make contact with you." "Fuck!" "Fuck!" "Take chances." "Don't be personal." " Speed is important." " And above all strength." "Agreed, Léon?" "Éva?" "I thought you were coming tomorrow?" "Tomorrow's no good." "I've come today." " Hi." " Hi, Simon." " You OK?" " Yes." "I've loads to tell you." "This week I won 12 marbles." "On Tuesday I kissed Carole." "Next day she wouldn't." "I got 12 in a maths test." "I dreamed of a dragon." "What does that dream mean?" "I don't know." "I wrote you a letter." "Did you get it?" "No." "Not yet." "But I got another letter, for you." ""Hello, Léon." ""My name's Arthur," ""and I got a letter from you for my wife Joséphine." ""You say she had a baby 11 years ago." ""I didn't know her then." ""She died last year, and she never told me about you." ""I'm sorry not to have better news for you." ""Here's a photo of her." "Maybe you look like her." ""Goodbye, Léon."" " You OK?" " Yes." "Feeling all right?" " Shall I open the window?" " No, thanks." "How come you're always so nice to me?" "You know what saudade is?" "The longing for someone you love, whom you've lost." "Who might come back some time." "Though you left, I love you." "I didn't go far!" "Precisely." "Watch the road." " Can I help you?" " Yes." "I want a butterfly for a little boy." "Yes." "What kind?" "The boy or the butterfly?" "Sorry." "The pretty kind." "The kind..." "that's dead but looks alive." "Actually, we only have stuffed animals here." "I know." "I didn't say alive." "I..." "Dead, but looking alive." "OK." "I'm not sure I follow you." " I'll take that." " Very expensive." "It's OK." "There." " Thank you." " You're welcome." "I hope it'll work." "What did you tell them?" "I told them... we chose each other." "Because you... you really think it's a choice?" "I think the miracle is just finding each other." "Thank you." "Éva, look!" "Subtitles:" "Eclair Media"