Itīs good that life runs in circles.
But mine exists of one circle, not even a whole one.
The most important is missing.
I have written her name so many times in my mind.
Here, at this moment, I canīt close anything.
I am alone.
As a child, surrounded by the world, I felt safe.
But on a cold afternoon, after school...
something happened.
I knew nothing about girls.
Where do girls run to?
Why did they stare at me?
If she wouldnīt have stared like that, I would have kept running untill I had the ball.
Or especially there, if the shoe of the guy hit the ball the right way...
then I would have stayed on the field and I could have been on the goal.
Everyone would have congratulated me.
But it didnīt go like that.
I like cold weather. What about you? -I donīt. Why?
Winters should be cold, so you appreciate the spring more.
I love summer, the hot weather.
Life runs in cycles.
Everything emerges and dies again. -Not everything.
Do you know something that lasts forever?
Thatīs how life is, inevitable.
Happy and sad.
Time affects everything.
Also love.
If you run out of gas for example, you get stranded on the road.
You have to accept problems in your life.
Because they come and go.
They never last forever.
Iīll be right back.
Itīs not my fault.
Your mother and I are getting a divorce.
My child.
I will always love you.
And if I run out of gas, Iīll die.
airmail.
How is this journey going to end?
Are there any questions?
Eight-year-old children ask 33 questions per hour, did you know that?
I even ask more, but always the same question.
Are there really no questions?
May I go to the toilet?
Is that your only question?
I think you have a much more important question.
Do girls ask the same questions as we do?
Let me think.
They ask less questions.
Girls of your age are more grown up.
Did you read that? -Whom are they from?
Itīs loaded with it. -I would be ashamed like crazy if I got this.
What a poseur...
Thereīs only one sentence. -Everytime the same.
Romantical, huh? Thatīs the big question of life.
I decided I had to talk to her.
Firstly I would ask her name.
I would say my name is Otto, also possible to read from right to left.
Hello, my name is Ana.
Iīll wait here as long as needed.
I am waiting for the biggest coïncidence of my life.
I have encountered many kinds of coïncidence.
Coïncidence forms the path of my life.
The first and most important time was the worst. It came like a drama.
My mom came to pick me up from school with terrible news.
Stop crying, then it wonīt happen.
That stupid car.
Stop it, I say.
If I say no, I mean no.
Can you walk backwards? A few hours? Your whole life?
It was my fathers life. If his daughter didnīt run. who would?
Where did he come from? From the death of my father?
Maybe to make it up to me that he died to early.
I thought it was himself.
That night I viewed his youth pictures.
They didnīt look like eachother.
But that didnīt matter.
As a child I began to believe that my dad was living on as a boy.
But better than him.
I got enough of seeing my mother cry.
Dry your tears. Daddy isnīt dead.
How did it happen?
When itīs cold, most things happen faster.
Coïncidences, I mean. I love cold weather.
On a cold day I read a loveletter, too beautiful to be from a child.
I had to share the message with someone.
Here, mom.
How pretty.
From whom is that?
It comes from...
...that mister.
Really? -If you donīt want it, I want it back.
What are you saying?
I think itīs beautiful.
It was him again.
The message came from my father.
Cold, huh? -Thatīs right.
My name is Olga.
Mine is Álvaro.
I heard his name.
If I wanted to wait too. What a sucker.
What got into you? You are getting crazier every day.
Heīs soaked.
You donīt have to bring us home.
Iīll bring him to his mom so he can take a bath. Ok, Otto?
Then Iīll bring you home.
Hé, Iīm here. Iīm Ana.
Do you remember?
Say something.
My name is Otto
Do you know your name? -No. Yes, I do.
You can also read Ana from right to left.
Ofcourse. -Thatīs a palindrom.
Did you notice it just now?
My dad said a palindrom as name brings luck.
And it changed my life.
I donīt feel so good.
Whatīs wrong?
I donīt know. I feel sick.
Do you know why I am called Otto?
Not right now.
Iīll walk a bit further.
Iīm near my home.
I am stubborn and not easy to convince.
I decided that Otto spoke from outside and my father from inside.
I spent a lot of time beside him.
I spoke with him, without Otto hearing me.
Mothers boyfriend is only for her, right?
You are my only dad. One is enough for me.
Good bye. -Say hi to your mother.
See you tomorrow.
A kiss. Give me one too if you hear me.
Hello Otto. -Had a nice sleep?
Very nice.
The fact that Ana seemed so weird, admitted my love.
Your dad made a promotion.
Didnīt you tell that? -He doesnīt even know what I do.
He has a bigger office now.
Your dad is very busy.
Ana, you can talk with eachother sometime.
You are almost brother and sister. -I donīt want a brother.
And I donīt want a sister.
Oh well, you just need to get used to it.
We will sleep in our new house today. You can see it if itīs all done.
Come and stay over for a weekend.
All of a sudden everything changed.
Are you hurt?
Are you crazy? -You have to stop right now.
I have two children in my car.
Donīt try that again. Get your papers please.
Get out, I have to leave the car here.
Take the bus from now on. You are old enough.
Different houses, different busses.
I only saw her in the weekends. Once every 2 weeks.
I couldnīt wait any longer.
I wanted to admit my love to Ana and know what she thought about me.
Ana, my dear, I love you.
It took my dad a long time to leave Otto and really die.
Do you know why my name is Otto?
On a sunday afternoon I finally listened to Otto.
You be quiet now.
At the bombing of Guernica my grandfather went angry into the forrest.
He saw a German pilot who jumped with his parachute.
The German was stuck in a tree.
You there. Your gun.
If he dropped his gun my grandfather would help him.
The pilot did it.
My grandfather kept his promiss.
After that they smoked half a sigaret.
My name is Otto.
Otto the pilot.
The pilot said he would be grateful forever.
My grandfather gave him back his pistol and the German gave my grandfather the sigaret.
He was almost out.
My mother is German.
My grandfather told my father that she was a gift from the German pilot.
Thatīs why I am named after him, Otto.
Otto the pilot. Ofcourse.
Itīs late. Your mother is waiting for you.
But why did he safe him? He was a fascist.
If I were that German, I would have never killed anyone again.
Why was he called after a nazi?
The loveletter on that plane came from Otto, not from my dad.
That story about the pilot is a joke, right?
That afternoon I knew that Otto was in love with me.
I want to be in love too.
This is where the Arctic Circle runs.
There the sun wonīt go down in the summer.
Thatīs the midnight sun.
Thatīs weird, huh?
I couldnīt say a word.
You arenīt listening. Are you bored?
I wish I were born without a tongue, that way I would have an excuse.
Itīs only wednesday. -Iīm going to live here.
And your mother? -I didnīt tell her anything.
Idiot. -Otherwise it wouldnīt be permitted.
Ofcourse not. Iīm going to call her right now.
Whatīs wrong? -He wants to live here.
Without telling his mother or anyone else.
She hasnīt got anything to say.
Oh well, if itīs for a little while..
Whatīs wrong with that boy?
Donīt cry. You always think you are sad.
Easy now.
I donīt know either why he wants to live here.
No, not live. Only for a little while.
Iīll give it to him. Maybe he wants to talk to you.
Mom, I am sorry.
Iīll visit you every day after school.
Come to my room tonight. Climb through the window. Be brave.
Come on, your best smile.
Be brave.
Ana, Iīm here.
Wake up.
What do you think about our family picture?
What a nice list. -I already have a family.
One is enough for me. -You are lucky with two families.
Do you have to be proud about that? -Yes, we are a handsom family.
Mom, here I am.
Come, weīll go out for a bit.
Weīll go to the mountains with the train.
One more left.
Iīll make nice pictures of you.
Arenīt you there?
I guess you are shopping.
Iīll get some more photo material and call you. When youīre back again.
Come back soon.
Mom, itīs me.
I am back.
Now one of you?
The camera is full.
You are very pretty. -Thank you, my child.
I donīt understand why daddy didnīt love you anymore.
You canīt understand things like that. They just happen.
Your father is a good man. Itīs not his fault,
Yes it is. And heīs not good.
You say that because you still love him.
No, I only love you.
The love of a child is forever.
Iīd rather have that you were dead.
You are way too hard on your father. Apologize.
I wanted to do that, untill a second ago.
But not if you say it like that.
You canīt ask for someoneīs apologies.
'Please, let my mother live again.'
Ok, Iīm sorry.
But you really have to change. You have too much pride.
I am sorry, daddy, Itīs all my fault.
I am going with you. -You canīt.
I will go all the way down.
Thatīs why.
You will jump off too fast.
Thatīs too fast. Jump off.
Stay with them. I am going.
Jump off. There is the cliff.
Why arenīt I dead.
I didnīt know how many lives I had left...
but I only wanted to live with my mother at that moment.
I wanted to go back to her.
Skii up.
But you are Ana. -Yes, my child.
Do you want to be my mother?
I canīt.
I remember my first time at the Arctic Circle.
Being in love isnīt easy. Next to desire you also have to hear it.
No one has a heart like Otto. Neither do I.
Itīs only wednesday.
One evening Otto came to live with us.
He left his mother.
To see me every day.
And every night.
I love the smell of smoke.
It makes me think about Otto the German.
He should still be alive.
I like it that your name is Otto.
Youīre like my mother and Iīm like your father.
I got very close with him.
I wanted to love him as much as he loved me.
Where is Otto? Heīs not in bed.
You fell asleep.
I bet heīs in the garden.
No, I looked everywhere.
Get up, 8 oīclock. Your brother is gone. Do you know where he is?
I donīt know anything about Otto. And heīs not my brother.
I canīt stay any longer. I have to go.
And your weird little son? -Donīt you worry.
I bet he went to his mother.
Did you look under his bed?
Ofcourse not.
Why should I?
No idea. I hear snoaring in his room.
Otto, itīs 8 oīclock.
We have been looking for you.
Do something we can understand too.
Do you always sleep naked here?
You donīt live here alone, you know.
Donīt I get a morning kiss?
I never enjoyed sex as much as in that time with Otto.
At home, sneaky.
I never had such a red heart as in that time.
How lovelly. I bet your mom likes that.
I think itīs ugly. -Please stop it.
Did you decide? -I donīt know.
I always think that color is ugly.
Listen, the best hearts are red.
What will you give me for Christmas? -Snow.
As much as you like.
Do you have a phone? -There is one outside.
Iīll call your dad and say weīll come later. This already costs two hours.
Should I wrap it?
He will carry it.
Your mother is coming. -Here.
Did you buy it?
I am running out of patience.
Your dad is pretty cranky.
Iīd like a red heart.
Should I wrap it?
Yes, itīs for my mother.
Fine.
More hearts? -No, thatīs it.
Can I borrow thousand peseta?
I also have to pay the cab.
Very good. Brothers and sisters have to help eachother.
Good evening, excuse me.
I am Álvaro Midelman of the Spanish Television.
Do you perhaps want to do an audition for news reader?
Excuse me?
I'm looking for someone of your age for the evening news.
Excuse me...
but I accidentally heard you making that phone call.
It's just an audition.
Youīve got nothing to lose.
Today in Guernica a German delegation officially expressed their feelings of...
...remorse to basque authorities.
During the ceremony, the german ambassador in Spain held a speech.
He recognized the bombing on Guernica for the first time...
in which back then 2000 civilians died.
What you just saw has no meaning.
I've got everything under control.
Do you want to do something for your mother? Keep it secret.
I'm good in keeping secrets.
I'm never going to leave Álvaro, the Álvaro that's waiting home.
This one is also named Álvaro.
Believe me, I'll never leave you.
I'm your mother after all.
Otto's mother died unexpectedly. Afterwards he would never be the same.
Go away.
Just leave.
Otto wanted to die. And I went with him.
Stop it. -You are going to fast. Jump.
Come on jump.
Jump, there is the cliff.
Answer me.
Stay alive, do it for me.
We are going to get some help. -You go, but I stay here.
That's to dangerous. -I don't care.
Come here, immediatelly.
Otto, we are searching Otto, damnit.
Stop it.
You are not dead.
So I'm not going to cry.
Otto, I found Otto.
Is he alright?
Are you alright?
Tell me you are.
You are Ana. -Yes, my child.
Where is my mother?
Nobody knows. It depends on you.
Otto didnīt want to be with me any longer.
His guilt was so big that it enclosed me too.
Where is your brother?
No idea. He didn't sleep with me.
No jokes for a moment.
Did you see his room?
I've looked under his bed.
And in the closet?
Look in it. With him you can expect anything.
I was hoping so much that he would be in there.
Your son has left.
Asleep.
Naked.
How long will you stay? -Don't know yet.
Will you open the door, please?
Otto took money from his father.
A lot of money.
Ana, I want to talk to you.
What's wrong with you?
You have to see a psychiatrist.
My mother left Álvaro. She asked me if I wanted to live with her.
The money I had stolen was almost gone. So I travelled on.
But I didn't want to live anywhere.
I still know that it was spring.
vacancies
Do you have a cigarette for me?
They are heavy, though.
I smoke everything.
vacancy: pilot long distance flights
Thanks.
I know you. -Are you serious?
Sorry, I don't know you.
Do you like fate?
Depends if it's positive.
I was also taught by Sofia.
Ana. -My name is Javier.
You left Sofia, right?
I don't have luck anymore.
That's my fault. I consumed all of it.
You are Otto's sister.
Our names are palyndroms. You donīt forget that very fast.
My life was empty.
By leaving Ana I had no longer a destiny
I had to create one myself.
Finland.
Flying at night, during day sleeping. What could a life like that bring me?
What are you doing here?
I just came to visit you. I'm doing good.
You are a little late with that.
It's too late now. I don't want to see you anymore.
That's mutually.
I'm not coming for you.
Why did you come to live here? You ruined my life.
Are you happy now? -What's happened?
They are gone. They left me.
I'm all nerves.
Where are they?
No idea. -And Ana?
Somewhere.
She lives together with a teacher from your old school.
Who?
Someone who couldn't help you.
He now fucks your sister, who is 20 years younger.
The world is getting greedy. With a lot of bastards.
I see how you are doing. -You never saw anything.
You didnīt see me either.
I'm your father, aren't I?
I'm really sorry.
It's too late for that now.
Everything is broken here.
Do you still love Olga?
Draw a person.
Who?
You can choose.
Give it to me.
Is this yours?
Whom is it?
Here, you are.
Who is that? -My mother.
She's very beautiful.
Yes, she died of love.
How can you die of love?
She was left alone.
Are you kidding? -She was german.
She died while washing salad.
Ana, what a surprise.
How are you doing?
Pretty good. And you? Are you still with your teacher?
He's not my teacher.
And I'm a teacher too now.
How is your mother doing?
Good.
She has been thinking of going to Australia.
Much too far away.
If you let her go, you'll never see her back.
He's in Portugal since last summer.
How is Otto doing?
No idea. Well, I think.
You know how he is.
He doesn't tell where he lives or works.
But from time to time he calls me or visits me unexpectedly.
If you had acted like brother and sister...
everything would be like it was.
Lend me some money.
What has happened?
I've left Javier.
I saw that coming. What are you going to do now?
I want to leave for a while. -This is very bad timing.
We are going to Australia next month.
Have a nice trip. -Wait, don't be so proud.
Stay over here untill we leave. But after it has been rented.
This is the first place where Javier will come and look for me.
You can join us to Australia.
That's too far for me. -Too far, too close...
It's never good enough.
What do you want? -I don't know. I want to go away.
Where to? -To Lapland.
Do me a favor.
Think about it.
You can't just leave your husband whom you have been living with for 4 years.
You own nothing and you don't even have a plan.
You are always very practical, yes.
Do you want to go to Lapland?
My father lives in Finland, in a town called Rovaniemi.
He has a little house near the lake, inside the polar circle.
Next month the sun doesn't go down at night.
That's the midnight-sun.
Another world.
You smoke to much.
I'm bored with this disaster movies.
As a child you loved air-fights and fighters, remember?
I've changed radically. -So hard?
Completely. -Are you scared for airplains now?
Did you ever fly?
Yes.
And I'm not affraid of it.
I'm going home.
Visit me more often. -Next week again.
Oh yes, there's been a letter for you last week. It's on the table.
Who sent it? -There's no name on it.
Only an address in Finland.
66 33 40 North 02 55 05 East
I recognized the plane number and the package number.
It mostly surprised me that I had transported it myself, without knowing.
Who would also know it?
'I look at night to the sun and wait for you. Be brave. Descend through the window.'
Be brave.
'The fate we both waited for.'
Iīll stay here tonight.
Fine, you still have your own room.
'The fate we both waited for.'
I've met the real Otto, the pilot who rescued your grand dad.
It was a good thing that he rescued him and shared a cigaret with him.
He went to Finland with a Spanish girl. He left the war.
His son is called Álvaro, my motherīs friend.
What do you say about that? And it becomes even better.
Otto said farewell to your grand dad. He travelled along and saw a bombed house.
He saw a man. He was dead.
His daughter cried.
He was all she had.
When she saw Otto, she ran away.
Otto followed her.
Here name was Cristina.
She was only 17 and ran very fast.
But then she fell.
Otto stood still and looked at her in a way...
...that she felt he asked for pardon. For everything.
And it really went like that.
Otto promised silently that he would take care of her if she would forgive him.
Here is the little house.
Between the forest and the lake.
Exactly on the polar circle.
They can deliver your food, even in the winter.
You have to go the shop in the village. I hope it is still open.
Since the dead of my wife i haven't been there.
That has been 7 years.
She was a Spanish, just like you.
She looks young here.
Almost a child.
There she is only 17.
She was my life.
There was something with this guy.
Something alarming.
Why are u named Otto?
There is no explanation for that.
Life contains much things that are not explainable.
But Otto is a name that's very frequent in Germany.
Are you a German? -I'm a Finn now.
Only my name is still German.
It's such a geometric name, Otto.
And me Ana.
I 've been thinking about that.
You can read our names the same way. From left to right and visa versa.
Do you want an explaination for that?
There might be none. -Could be.
On the day my wife died, I got mail from my son.
He wrote he fell in love with a Spanish girl.
Why?
I was with my mother that day.
I got a present as well.
And now I've got a very beautiful Spanish granddaughter.
You are here thanks to Cristina.
I feel her hand in yours.
Thanks, Otto.
It's nice to know you.
The polar circle.
There had been something known mixed together with the unknown.
I was on my final destination.
I had a weird feeling, the first of many.
I felt the present of fate. That could be Otto.
Otto had sent me.
The owner of this house.
He asked me if I could bring this. -Thatīs very sweet.
Come in.
Do you know if Otto used to be a pilot? - I don't know.
But his wife was a Spanish, just like you.
He met her in Spain.
He was brought her over here. She came alone, like me.
I didn't know that.
For how long will you stay?
I'll see how long I can hold out.
Bye.
I thought all day about Otto. I couldn't be calmed down.
One morning I heard a car.
It was the mail car.
I thought: if I run, there is something in it for me.
Do you have something for me? I'm Ana Lopez.
Let there be something for me.
Itīs from Australia.
Hallo, Ana.
Hallo, mum.
Australia is the ideal place to start over again.
Forget the North and come over to live with your mother.
First I want to say to you...
What is it?
I think alot about you. Everyday more and more.
More than ever before. Sorry.
Now you just sound like my mother.
Your mother is getting old.
And good.
That would be about time.
Very nice. Fantastic.
Álvaro's father is very happy, that he has met you.
He calls you his granddaughter. He's happy.
You have brought warmth in his house again.
He's named Otto, but you already knew that probably.
Of course.
But did you know that Otto is a pilot? -Which Otto?
The story about that German pilot who jumped with his parachute...
Well, forget about it.
You brother took that story so seriously that he became a pilot.
That's what we heard from someone who has flown with him.
We don't know where he works, but that doesn't matter.
He lives with his head in the sky.
Otto the pilot. Of course.
The polar circle.
How will this journey end?
66 degrees, 33 minutes, 40 seconds, north.
2 degrees, 55 minutes, 5 seconds, East.
Tonight there will be no sun-down.
That spanish airplane must have had something for me.
Who else?
I'll wait here as long as it takes.
I wait on the greatest luck in my life.
I have known a lot of different kinds of luck.
Luck runs through my life like a continuous thread.
It's good that life passes in circles.
But mine consists of one circle, and not even a complete one.
The most important is missing.
I've written her name so often in my mind.
Here, at this moment, i can't lock anything up.
I'm alone.
Got something for me?
Ok then, Iīm tired.
I'm going home.
I'll be lunching soon.
Did you hear about the airplane from Spain?
Last night a messenger plane crashed in the north of Finland.
Did someone die? Do you know the name of the pilot?
Are you going to Rovaniemi?
Everything thatīs left, is for the city. -Can I drive with you?
Here you go.
Thanks. -Donīt mention it.
Where are you from? -Spain.
What's your name?
Aki.
I'm Otto.
I'll never forget this. Thanks. -Donīt mention it.
Do you have a cigarette? -No.
Never mind. The rest is going great.
Thanks.
Donīt mention it.
Do you know a Spanish woman, Ana?
Do you know where she lives?
Over there.
Good bye.
Thanks. Oh, donīt mention it.
She's not there right now.
She isnīt? -No, I just saw her in a car.
We passed on the road.
Where was she heading? -I donīt know.
It was a messenger car.
Ana is a messenger? Like me?
No, she was with the messenger. Rovaniemi is that way.
The eyes of Ana
Thank you.
What has happened? Translate it for me.
Calm down. It doesn't really matter at the moment.
There is someone here that wants to see you.
Oh? Who is it?
How did you come here? -With my parachute.
You were in that plane.
That's him, right? The german pilot.
The one who smoked with your granddad. -Thatīs right.
Otto in the eyes of Ana
Music calms you down.
Can you skii up hill?
Otto lives over there.
In memory of my father