"Need a ride?" "Oh, Bernard..." "Funny, isn't it?" "Actually, I saw you leave." "I followed you and thought what the hell..." "I thought I saw you at the back of the hall." "You haven't changed at all in 30 years." "Well, you have, but I don't know how to put it..." "Don't bother, then." "I saw you about 10 years ago at a gallery preview at Tamaris." "You never saw me then." "Tamaris?" "No, I don't recall." "A luxury model, right?" "Yes." "It's fantastic." "Go on, get in." "No, I hate driving." "Get in." "Close your eyes, smell the leather, the wood..." "It's very low." "Red's a bit showy but if I don't treat myself now..." "And women like it." "Seen how soft the wheel is?" "For God's sake!" "It makes me look like some St Tropez poseur but I think it's funny." "I guess you don't." "Let me drop you off." "No, it's out of your way." "You know where I live?" "Been to these reunions before?" "The other times, I was either away or not interested." "This year I was in Paris, so..." "Once I got into the swing of it, it was fun." "I expected everyone to mull over the past at these reunions..." "Class reunions I suppose you'd call them..." "I mean, it was all so long ago." "We've drifted apart." "A lot of people were missing." "Anyone in particular?" "No, I can't remember everybody." "You remember Philippe?" "Of course..." "But I don't think he was there." "I saw Sophie." "Sophie..." "I can't remember her surname." "I didn't talk much, actually." "It's okay if you make an effort..." "You've never really made an effort." "That's not your style." "Don't get mad." "I'm not getting mad." "What's my style?" "No cabs." "You're stuck." "That's new for you." "Usually, you just whistle." "You know you had us all at your beck and call." "Even Philippe said so." "And he was pretty self-centred, right?" "All you had to do was walk straight over to him and... you gave him that look of yours." "Nice and easy." "Right?" "What a memory." "We were so young back then." "The weird thing is a princess like you fell for his sly smile." "I guess princesses aren't that perceptive after all." "If you say so." "In any case, I could never have said what he told us." "You like to talk though." "I mean, Fanette, how did you end up on his list with those other tarts?" "I am a tart and what's it to you?" "You always spy on people?" "You saw it all in the stars?" "I saw what I saw." "Others did too." "I was your ideal woman, is that it?" "What a joke." "I don't need some self-deluded guy who sounds a horn like that and I'm not starting now..." "Shit." "If Philippe had been here..." "He was, in his grey suit." "I didn't see him." "Neither did you, I guess." "Tough." "Shall I give him your address if I run into him?" "What a stupid question!" "It's a happy ending though." "I think it's the music." "Maybe I'm here, maybe not." "Leave me a message." "Fanette?" "It's Alain." "You must be tired after the move." "If you don't get back too late, let me take you out to dinner." "Call me." "If not, see you at the hospital." "Take care." "This isn't abstract painting." "For me, each sign corresponds to a story, something that exists." "You take reality and then you elaborate on it." "You tell yourself a story..." ""The Cockfight" is one in a series of twelve large drawings, about a journey that ends tragically in the Sargasso Sea where a ship overloaded with treasure sinks with all hands." "I don't build things up, but I cast part of myself onto a surface." "Through analogy, I explore the invisible world and mysterious forces." "I speak of it only through references that make something of nothing." "You're here..." "Morning, mum." "Morning, dear." "You got that bag from Laure's?" "No, I'll go round later." "You need it today?" "Can you start the coffee?" "Right away." "Lucie, why did you do that?" "Oh, come on!" "You always kissed me like that." "When you were little." "Not anymore." "Your lips are for others, for those you love." "Don't you love me?" "Yes, but if your lips kiss everyone, your kisses lose their savour." "La Rochefoucauld?" "You come out with such sententious crap." "It's not sententious to say you're too old to kiss me like that." "It could help me find a man." "That's not going to work, I'm no fairy godmother." "It suits you." "Keep it." "You still wear it?" "No, not very often." "Pity..." "It suited you." "How's life?" "Anything new?" "No, nothing I can tell you first thing." "Same here." "Nothing new in my life." "What's wrong?" "You want to tell me something?" "I don't think so." "Seeing as how I don't have a room here," "I thought I'd take a look round." "You know how an empty room freaks me out." "Don't start again." "It wouldn't have been empty with my stuff in it." "You moved out, didn't you?" "So?" "Didn't you think I might need a place to run to?" "You can always sleep on the couch!" "You have a key!" "This is your home." "But we're not a couple!" "Still, you wear dresses, me pants." "You have tits and me shoulders." "You have your father's body and his hair..." "You have lovely shoulders, a long neck..." "You're gorgeous, Lucie." "Yes, speaking." "What?" "I can't hear you." "Are you on a mobile?" "Who?" "What?" "Do I know you?" "Sorry?" "Hello..." "Are you okay?" "Did you ever go out with a Bernard?" "I didn't." "Did you?" "I don't think so." "Let's team up to look for Bernards." "Help me, it's my nails." "How many can we hook in one day?" "Make some coffee." "We can't even share that..." "Oh, shit." "Got a tissue?" "I don't know..." "Here." "I'm sick of crying." "Two or three times now, I..." "This is ridiculous, I feel like a real crybaby." "And you haven't been dumped." "No, but..." "Your dress is undone." "I don't care." "You should go out at night and then sleep 8 hours." "Try it for a few days and you'll soon see." "I can't sleep." "I have horrible nightmares." "How can I have such hideous things inside me?" "What are they about?" "I delve into his body, grope around and rip out his liver." "That's not a nightmare." "It's a violent emotion." "It could be worse." "Worse?" "Have you had worse dreams?" "The only dream I remember is one where I run around without a head." "Except in some streets where I still have it." "Okay, but you're alone." "You don't hurt anyone." "You think you don't but you always hurt someone." "It can't be helped." "Except in your case." "You still have leeway." "Not again..." "But you love me!" "Cut it out, Brigitte!" "Stop that, it's contagious!" "Cut it out now!" "I love your shoes." "What?" "They're really..." " I don't believe it." " What?" "I put it down, used the toilet, spoke to Marc... came back..." "And it's vanished." "What?" "That envelope Arnal gave me." "I put it here." "No one came in here!" "You didn't touch it, so..." "Hello, Fanette." "You have to cut your book by 20,000 characters." "It's too long." "I can't." "I've already cut it and I haven't finished my interviews." "There's no end to it." "You have to finish it." "Pain in the ass." "Isn't he better looking than ever?" "See those cute grey hairs?" "Bluebeard could rip out your heart." "He could do that?" "It's crazy how wrong you can be about a man." "He seems so reasonable." "How about that..." "You wanted to see me?" "I need to photograph some paintings in New York." "Can you fund it?" "I'm in a meeting." "Can't it wait a day or two?" "I'm not sure." "Is that for me?" "Get Suzanne to do you a ticket and bring back your hotel bills." "Maybe I'm here, maybe not." "Leave me a message." "Is that you or isn't that you?" "I may have the wrong number." "It's Bernard." "Hello, Alain." "Oh, screw it." "You're not answering?" "Is it working now?" "I had it mended." "Breathe slowly." "That makes my heart pound." "Turn round." "Take a deep breath." "Cough." "Cut it out, Fanette." "Do you lead a healthy life?" "I live like a monk." "You smoke." "I can smell it." "A cigarette from time to time." "What are you doing, Alain?" "The post-check-up caress." "You smell good." "So, am I better?" "I'm here for you." "Screw your condition." "I don't believe you." "Ever since you mentioned it, I've been short of breath." "No reason why." "A little tachycardia but your breathing's fine." "The other day someone slapped my face and it took my breath away." "Maybe he had his reasons." "Are you trying to be mean?" "Perhaps you want to do it too." "No, I'd have to kick up a fuss, start shouting, be a lot madder at you for making me suffer..." " I make you suffer?" " Can't you tell?" "Yes, a little." "I'm sorry you had to find out." "I'm sorry too." "I'll make some tea." "Are you in love?" "Shall we have lunch tomorrow?" "I don't have time." "Goodbye, Fanette." "Bernard?" "So you do recognize me." "Are you following me?" "Not really." "Well, yes." "I wanted to apologize." "We got carried away." "I can be impulsive, especially with you." "Really?" "You do have that effect." "Why did you call me?" "Was it the right number?" "To apologize." "Did you give Philippe my address?" "You're so predictable..." "Yes, I think I gave it to him." "I don't know when or where." "But he has it." "He travels a lot but he'll probably call by." "Maybe he already did?" "Aren't you staying?" "You've never really made an effort." "That's not your style." "I guess not." "To make a thing interesting, take a long look at it" "You can't stay there." "There was no one on the door." "I'll pay you." "You can see we're full." "Please move." "I'm not in anyone's way!" "I may not even stay." "Come along now!" "Please." "I'll call the police." "Christ, I've haven't peed here!" "Be quiet!" "Talk about a fuss over nothing." "Good night!" "Have you moved into Mr Leon's place?" "I can do your shopping too." "I'll let you know." "Philippe!" "Can you fall in love?" "See you on the 1 st at 11 p.m." "At the top of the Empire State Building." "The nearest thing to heaven." "Philippe." "Oh, Philippe..." "Am I disturbing you?" "No, come on in." "It's a real mess." "I wasn't expecting you today." "You're drenched..." "It started pouring down and it took me a while to shelter." "You can't walk fast in those." "I'd like to see my paintings." "Going back to it?" "What?" "You seem a bit..." "I'll get a hairdryer." "Here." "The socket's there." "Sorry about the mess." "It's okay." "I got caught in the rain." "This is Carole, she's Canadian." "She's staying here." "You don't have a Quebec accent." "My parents are French." "Drink your coffee while it's hot." "Did you get that bag?" "Shit, I forgot." " Tomorrow." "Coming?" " Where?" "The paintings are in the cellar." "They are?" "Shine it over here." "No, that's not it." "You're shivering?" "I'm cold." "This maybe..." "No, my cuddly toys." "Remember Vicou?" "He's not moth-eaten, I'll take him up." "You've kept your old swimsuits." "They're all worn out." "I keep stuff." "I don't throw out the past like you." "Why?" "What did I throw out?" "I don't know." "Things, people, photos..." "You never talk to me so I have to imagine things." "You're not an open book yourself." "You could tell me what you see in her." "Surely we can talk about that?" "I never ask you things like that." "Of course you do." "You just go about it differently." "I don't know." "I've nothing to say for now." "Shine it over here." "This is it." "That could be it." "You want them?" "I just wanted to look at them." "There..." "You got yourself spot on." "Very pure, very angelic..." "I didn't paint it." " It's not a self-portrait?" " No." "I bet you were like that." "Beautiful, virginal, like the princess with the pea." "I could sleep on a bed of nails." "What's that bruise?" "I banged my head." " Really?" " Yes, what else?" "An argument, maybe..." "Where did you get that idea?" "That's what I'd like to know." "You're crazy!" "I'm cold." "Shall we go back up?" "Have these three paintings photographed." "Is this the Nice school?" "I'm here..." "I'm here..." "Pierre, why do you go on these binges?" "It heals the wounds." " Okay?" " Yes." "You threw up?" "Take it off." "I'll get you a T-shirt." "Mum raised you to wash my shirts." "She pampered you to make other women seem like hell." "And it worked." "I want to go home!" "I'm cold!" "Shut up, Pierre!" "It's too small." "You've grown." "You've lost it?" "I must have washed my hands." "I had it yesterday." "I suppose I left it at Marthe's." " You slept there?" " Yesterday, yes." "Tonight she's sleeping with Mangin." " You don't know that." " I do." "He gets Tuesdays!" "She doesn't love him." "No, she loves me." "But she isn't with you." "You take too much for granted." "A bird in the hand..." "Go shit in your hat..." "I know she loves me." "She tells me, over and over." "I believe her." "Can't you see you mean nothing to her?" "No, I can't." "I can't see!" "You know nothing of the trials of love!" "What's up?" "You know this car?" "Maybe..." "Help me, it's my nails." "Wind it round twice." " You what?" "Twice?" " Twice." "Only natural." "Always two turns around a car door handle." "You poor cow, you're as mad as I'm drunk." "There." "Okay?" "Come on." "Allow me to help you, mademoiselle." "There you go." "Now the other foot." "I love speaking French." "It's a language full of flowers." "I spent 10 years in Monte Carlo." "The best years of my life." "Do you know Monte Carlo?" "What a pretty French name." "My name is Theo Lynch and if you want a coffee or..." "Sorry, but I just arrived." "I understand, I understand." "Allow me to offer you this to remember me by." "My respects." "Shit..." "Come on..." "Look at me!" "Come on, turn around!" "To my appointment." "A little glass." "Okay?" "It's like looking out of the window of a train heading south." "The oblong shape speeds past the time-rusted crossing gates freeing itself, taking on meaning and vanishing within the frame." "At any other moment, not contained between two others, nothing would..." "I don't believe it!" "Matt Goldberg..." "Bernard Jouando." "It's crazy meeting like this." "Mind if I sit down?" "Here on business?" "I speak a little bit..." "You do?" "You know Philippe's in New York?" "What a coincidence." "Although you never saw him again." "Did you?" "Not drinking?" "I'll drink with you." "Happy now?" "You have to go?" "Not yet." "Life's tough." "You said it." "Why waste your time looking for love in the wrong place?" "I'll be going now." "A goodbye kiss?" "If you want." "I don't anymore." "Goodbye, Bernard." "Adaptation:" "Brigitte Lescut"