Luna Film presents a film by Angela Schanelec
My sister's happiness
I don't know
What?
I don't know whether I am in love with you today
But I don't want you to leave
I don't want you to go to Isabel
I'm a little tired
I'm sick of all this shit
I have to talk so that I don't have to hate you for this crap
And you shouldn't talk at all
But I didn't...
I spoke very quietly
Yes, but it irritates me
That you have the courage to talk at all, rather than be quiet
That's not normal
But I want it to be normal
Only the crazy stuff in stories
Is beautiful, not in life
I once dreamt of loving a man whom I couldn't have
And then to become a nun, feeling nothing but pure love
And now I'm in love with you and want to sleep with you
I'm still young, do you think I can change?
No
- And you? - No, I can't change either
I don't care if you changed
I would say
"No, we're not together anymore"
"He changed, he's no longer the same..."
"He has grown old somehow"
"And old face, an old cock"
Did you think of that?
Of what?
Of your old face
Old nose, old ears
How long is she going to wait for the old ears, do you think?
You're hungry
I haven't eaten anything
Do you want me to join you?
Look at me
- What are you thinking? - I'm not thinking anything
But you are
In your head
Are we staying here?
If you like
Yes
For a while
Are you happy?
Say it
Tell me you are happy
Yes, I am
I am happy
It's that simple
Isabel
Do you know there used to be a brand of car by that name?
You mean Isetta
No, Isabella
The first child was named after a car, the second after a rocket
It isn't true anyway
The Ariane rocket came after I was born
I came first
Do you know the film The loves of Ariane?
Yes. I have to pee.
I'll come, too
Audrey Hepburn plays the cello, do you remember?
And she has a darling father
Kind, caring, loving, anything you like
Like the father in Schnitzler's Flirtation
He was helpless, too, when his daughter fell in love
And when it killed her he had to continue living with a broken heart
There's the bus
The women are wearing short coats
Above the knee, buttoned at the front, light-coloured socks
Stockings
Most of the younger ones have their hair permed blonde
What else?
Many have been with the firm for a long time, they're proud of it
Pretty noisy
Is that all of them?
Yes, I've sorted through them already
That's finished
You finished for today?
No, it's going to be a late one today
I want to live with Isabel, I'm going to leave Ariane
Did you toss a coin or something?
You don't believe me?
You're not picking Ariane up today then?
I am
I have to tell her
What time is it?
Half past three
She's not stupid, perhaps she knows already
How so?
She doesn't know
And Isabel?
She'll be dumbstruck
I think I would prefer Ariane
Is that supposed to be advice?
I wouldn't dare
Aren't you hungry?
No, we had bread dumplings today
Ariane and I won't come for dinner anymore
Will you take turns?
Right
I'll get on my way now
Are you coming anyway?
Where?
To my place
You can come to my place and
Think of Isabel there
You can talk about her, too, if you want
Or don't talk at all, I leave that up to you
You don't have to think, or to make any decision at all
If you want
We'll sleep together, let's see what happens, ok?
Are you thinking about it?
How we're fucking?
Yes
It's the best distraction
When I'm really horny
I don't think about anything at all
But that's not the issue
At work, I often don't think about anything either
I do my duties just mechanically, I don't care
Or when you're watching a film
Sometimes in the winter when I've the afternoon off
I go to the cinema
Whatever crap is on in the afternoon
And for an hour and a half you don't think anything at all
I don't want to compare it to fucking
It gets confusing if one isn't careful
Thinking is an art
But to forget oneself, too
It's completely necessary anyway
If you never forget yourself
You'll rage, you'll go mad, you can't even cry
- Stop it - What?
Are you two meeting now?
You know
What's important is consistency
If you worked consistently
Then you'd have a regular income
As regular as the seasons, do you understand?
You can count on that
It's the same for the plants and trees, year in year out
That's what I mean by consistency
They set an example for us
I go to work in the morning
And here they are, waiting for me
Motionless
I care for them
They need me
If I left them
There'd be a pretty mess
I know that someone else would take my place
But I'm happy that it's me
Do you talk to them?
Do you think I'm stupid?
They can't hear me
Sometimes I talk to myself, but that's different
I'm just glad
When I'm with them
And not by myself
Or
By myself, too, but not only by myself
Just like with a lover
With him, and in that I stay myself
Exactly like with you
Right now I'm quite happy, for example
I don't want it to get dark
It's still light out
I love you
I don't want you to be sad
When you're happy, I'm happy too
It is true
But it's not enough for you
You just can't get enough
You think that is why?
I don't know
She's rather beautiful
Sometimes
There's a deep wrinkle on her forehead, did you see?
It's there when she's kissing
I'll have to look out for it
Do
I want to hear about it
All we ever know is one side of a person
I really think it's a problem that
Everyone changes depending on our perception
When I look at her she seems maternal
Not particularly attractive, in my view
What a devastating word
And also
There's the feeling that I'll never get rid of her again
That's how it is with siblings, different fathers or not.
Do you think we're similar?
Not especially
When she says something
She closes her lips right away in order to emphasize it
You leave your mouth open most of the time
I leave my mouth open?
Slightly
What about her do you like especially?
If you want to know exactly
Sometimes she has these particular phrases
Phrases during fucking?
No
For example
I don't understand
I can't think of the whole phrase
It's from one of her translations
Obviously
Everything is from her shitty translations
She sits on a phrase until she can't shake it off anymore
But that she inundates you with that stuff
I do ask her about it though
She keeps losing her train of thought
So that I have to ask her what she's thinking about at that moment
Well that sounds exciting
Sometimes it is poetic
I'd rather poetry emerged from life, not from books
For example?
For example
The promotional poster by the Bundesbahn (German Railways)
"The coast is clear, come in"
That's rather poetic, I think
It's welcoming and simple
It warms your heart
Mine anyway
One would have to be rather simple-minded
I would like to know what is so much more complex about you
Nothing
I'm in search of simple things, too, but they're not so easily found
Sometimes they are
I also don't understand how you can be a photographer
And not have your camera on you at all times
Do you never think about all the things you're missing?
No
Then tell me what you are thinking about, for once
About you
Did I wake you?
Yes
I gave you a key, haven't you got that?
It's at home
How was it?
She says you're getting a thick wrinkle on your forehead
Really?
Why are you not asleep, it's early hours
I love you.
And will find you.
Even if the day turns dark.
All my life
And still
I wandered around, searching
I love you.
Your lips open.
The world is numb.
The world is blind.
And so is the cloud.
And the fallen leaves
Nothing but scattered golden dust.
From which we two are made.
Mom
Ah that's lucky
Do you have any engagements?
We can play later dear. Aren't you busy?
I do, Mom, I'll accompany you. How are things, good?
Couldn't be better
Talk to me, are you keeping warm?
Why wouldn't I, I've heating
You'd have to keep it going if you're hanging around at home all day
- I'm not hanging around - I mean if you're working
- Are you earning any money? - Do you think I translate for free?
- So they want you? - Yes, mom, they do
Sometimes I'm at the publishing house, too. I'm doing fine.
Did you hear the thing about the Hempels?
Which Hempels?
Their son was in Ari's year level
Martin Hempel, he was in my year level first
But then he was put back twice
He gave me his roller skates
I had to watch him pee for it
He was in your year level?
He hanged himself
What?
They found him two days ago
Who found him?
Who?
That I don't know
Are you coming to the staff canteen?
- See you - Bye
- Do you ever see Ari? - Rarely
If you see her, ask her whether she can drop off a few of those roses
I don't know whether she's still at the nursery
- Well, I want them. Bye - Bye
Do you know the date of the funeral?
It may take a while for a suicide
- Bye - Bye Mom
I would prefer to go somewhere
And where?
- To the cinema perhaps? - You cannot be serious
I don't feel like the cinema
This guy who was at my at Isa's school killed himself
Who?
You don't know him
A friend of yours?
Not a friend, no
Someone I knew when I was younger
Last night I dreamt about him
I was back at home
Where we used to live, Fleming Street
But it was rural
With a large village square
But I knew that it was Fleming Street
I was with all these people
Whom I didn't know
We were in this long queue, all of us
On a hill
As if waiting for a museum to open
But it was a kind of cave
The boy stood at the entrance
At let in one person after the other
When it was my turn he showed me everything
Showed what?
Inside the cave were many long hallways
Sometimes a hallway became wider
Acrobats performed in there
Juggling, dancing, you know
Like at the circus
The acrobats were all dead people
And the visitors
They could
Watch what happens when you're dead
After that he led me back out into the open
Isa was standing there
He said
That we should practice an act, too
That we would perform inside
And you did?
Yes
Somersaults
We were able to fly
Are you going to the funeral?
I don't think so
Perhaps, I'm not sure
Let's go to your place, ok?
Why?
My stuff...
Hey
How's things?
Do you remember me?
Yes, I do, sure
How's things? Do you live around here?
Yes
Just a couple of streets down
- Do you come here often? - No
Do you still work at...
No, no
Not for six months
Do you still know anyone there? I'm looking for work
Yes, I can write it down for you
You can contact this person
You can write it on here, got a pen?
Got one
Better don't mention my name
That might be better
Oh yeah?
- Can you read that? - Yeah
Thanks
See you
Do you want
What?
Do you want to go to my place?
I want to pick up my things
Be quick
I'm not coming back
Why not?
Drop the key in the letter box
I don't think she understands me
But I don't know what's better
To be understood or not to be understood That's not at all clear to me
First she didn't understand why I didn't make a decision
Now she doesn't understand that I made a decision
She doesn't understand at all
That time has passed since then
And anyway, how are we supposed to live?
At some stage she'll want me to pay
But for what? Can you answer that?
Perhaps for thinking that I couldn't live without her
If I had lived without her it wouldn't have killed me either
I mean, the moment the final bill is presented
You'd be well over the torment of your sacrifice
If you had in fact lived without her
What are you reading?
A memory from my childhood.
I allowed my little sister to toboggan down the hill
Without thinking that she wouldn't be able to steer around the iron railing
The result was a deep gash on her forehead.
It was stitched up and I got a thrashing
Carlton was looking at the front gardens
The birds and the women
Suddenly he realised
That he would never be able to comprehend it all
He asked me for a cigarette and said goodbye
Hi, same time tomorrow?
- It's David and...what's your name? - Eve
And Evie
- Tomorrow the same time
- Ok, see you then
Bye
I'm going to the studio. Should I take David with me?
The food is ready
See you later
Take off your coat
You're staying, ok?
What's going on with you two?
Nothing, we can eat without him
- Are you two not happy? - And you, are you?
Piece of advice. Make a decision while you still can
Otherwise you'll get dragged in so far that you can't do anything
You can't think and then randomly an intelligent thought hits you
Then all that will be without your input
What is without my input?
I mean, you quickly lose control over your own life
What is that?
Did you two agree on a strategy?
Kaiserschmarrn [imperial pan cake]
- Strategy..how? - Why emperor?
Your advice to me
I don't know
It's for emperors only
Why do you eat it then?
- Because there are no more emperors - A king?
- Neither
- What then? - Nobody relevant
Eat
If he says the same thing as I it may be because
We don't have to coordinate strategy anymore
The one knows what the other one is thinking
Most of the time anyway
Now and then there's a misunderstanding
Like before, that was one
Then again
It wasn't really
He wants to work at the studio
It's an odd thing, you know
Whenever I've to decide something I automatically know our two positions
What he would think
And what I think
My decision is a little blurred in the end
Half his, half mine
That's us, after all
Doesnt' that get on your nerves?
No, why?
Sounds terrible
Because you don't understand anything
Isabel wants to move in with me
When?
When did you ask her?
Yesterday?
At what time?
Why do you want to know?
I didn't pay attention to the time
Approximately then?
At nine
At nine I was at the cinema
It was 9am
So does she agree?
Yes
How did you spend the day?
We brought in the plants, from the porch to the stairwell
Because it's gotten so cold
I made coffee
While she worked some more on her translation
Then I had a dentist appointment
From there I went to the print shop
I then went back to her place, but she wasn't there anymore
The telephone rang a few times, nothing important
Then I called you to meet with you
And then she returned, with a new scarf
It was dark by then
It's me, can you come down?
Come down, we have to talk
Are you here for the flat, too?
I'll take it, I'm serious
Bye
Do you want to come up?
I'm not sure
Got a cigarette?
When did you make this one?
Do you want one?
I forgot to ask when you will be moving out
I've to give notice on my place, too
- I'll call you - Fine
It's cold, let's go up
Does Mom know you two are moving in together?
No, how could she?
And the others?
Does everyone know now?
I have no idea
I won't be able to visit anymore
I don't want you to visit me either
Are we going to meet somewhere else?
I want to know now, tell me, where will we meet?
Or do you prefer if we don't see one another anymore?
No
I see
And if I need to know something, will you reply?
If I need to I can just ask, right?
You haven't asked me anything in a long time
- That's not true - Yes it is
You're not sincere when you do
Of course I am, you force me to ask
You two say "It's like this" everything has been decided
That makes me ask questions, since I can't make any decisions
- Nobody asks me - I'm going nuts
Do you love Christian?
Yes
Did you tell him?
I don't know, yes
Then ask me! Ask me whether I love him
Your glasses are fogged up
You're getting too close to the stew
It's not the stew, it's cold outside
Take them off
It will clear up by itself
Take them off
Take a sip
No
Would you like a different glass?
I don't drink in the afternoon
There's something you still have to do, and it could go wrong
- Chicken - I beg your pardon?
You can put your glasses back on. They suit you.
There's much more that suits me
- What are you doing today? - Nothing in particular
Why don't you work?
I am, I'm looking for a model
For this tender
German photographers portray France
A French girl?
No someone local
Tell me
A pregnant woman
It's a photo story
Well, two photo stories to be exact
But there's no proper ending
A pregnant woman is travelling in France
The first photo:
Saying goodbye to her family
And then pictures of her trip, in the car
In town squares, taking in the sites, etc.
Parallel to that a young servant girl
Younger than the woman
She is always in the same place
She works at an estate north of Paris
Then on each page
A picture of the woman and next to it
Or below a picture of the girl
Then on the final page
The woman driving through a village
She sees the girl coming out of a bakery
The girl sees the woman driving past
- And that's that... - Yes
Do you understand?
I guess. We see the servant girl at work?
Yes, her day is completely regimented
While the woman does whatever she fancies
But not for much longer, or why is she supposed to be pregnant?
You disagree with that?
Did you find a pregnant woman who'll go on a trip with you?
I haven't found one I like yet
You think it's crap
Perhaps I don't understand it
Properly
Perhaps I'd have to see it
Why are you looking at me like that?
What if you didn't like it
Then what?
Don't you see that you judge people by what they produce?
- And you don't? - I don't
I don't believe you
- You know that exactly - No
Richard. Where are you headed?
To pick up David
Where is Christian?
Haven't you seen him?
Not much lately
You look beautiful, are you happy?
What?
Are you still together?
Didn't the thing with the coin toss help?
What?
I told him to toss a coin because he couldn't decide
And?
And what?
What was the outcome?
I don't know, he didn't tell me
So you don't know what you're talking about
I wanted to see Richard
He's not here anymore
Why not anymore?
His pictures are gone, and his things, too, almost all of it
- Did he leave a note? - No
And who are you?
He rents out half the studio to me. But just half of it
I don't know how to pay for it all if he doesn't turn up again
- Are you a friend of his? - Yes
He has mail
And also, his cat keeps hanging around
- May I come in? - Sure
He left the clothes rack and the mattress
Doesn't look like he'll come back
What's your name?
Patricia
The cat doesn't eat beans
I noticed. Doesn't talk to just anyone either.
Do you want to take the letter, too?
Listen, what am I supposed if he doesn't turn up?
Why, what do you want to do?
A friend of mine is looking for a studio
It's too big just for me
Well, you're not going to do anything for now
- Oh yeah? - See you
- That's my brother - Any more relatives anywhere?
No, it's just us two in the entire world
I can't picture how you live now
I can picture my own life, not yours
You got a cat?
Not mine
Where does she shit, did you make something for her?
Has she already shit somewhere?
Don't you have a shoe box?
Christian, how are you living now?
Without you
I do pretty much the same stuff as before
I don't understand that any of the people I see day in day out...
How many people does one see in a day?
In the streets
In caf��s, at the park
Hundreds
I don't comprehend that I never see you
I can't comprehend it
I have a proposal
I'll sleep here tonight and you go to Isabel
You can give that back to her, I finished it
And this is for you two
Leonard Cohen
I often listen to it
I'm heading off now
Were you going to her anyway?
I'm sorry
It's a total dump and then they ask you to pay for it
Richard is gone
Gone, how?
He moved out
Out of Nina's place?
Moved out of the studio, and out of Nina's place
I didn't know. Since when?
Two weeks
Do you know why?
No
- He told you nothing? - No
That with the studio is odd
Why?
To remove all the things
Otherwise it wouldn't be odd?
I don't know, he has nowhere to work now
Or did he leave Berlin altogether?
Looks like it at least
In that case
In that case what?!
He'll have his reasons
Actually, why do I have to pay?
Because you're trying to dump something
Ok, the plates
What's going on, are you upset?
Where are you going?
Anything I said?
It's fine
- Do you envy him? - What?
Do you envy him that he can just leave like that?
Where is Nina?
She's asleep
Do you know where he is?
No I don't
Do you?
I don't know anything at all
What happened?
Nothing
Are his things still here?
No note, nothing?
No
I heard Isabel is moving in with you?
Correct
Well now
Right?
So how did you decide?
I mean...
I know what you mean
I tossed a coin
You're crazy
It's sickening
If you see Richard
You can tell him that I was no longer in love with him
He left before I had the opportunity to tell him
But I'm not relieved
- Were you at the studio? - Yes
- Was there a letter?
You can give to me, I wrote it
Or do you want to read it?
Brotherly heart!
I come to you like the dewy morning
Open yourself like tender blossoms
You receive a sky
The happiness of golden cloud
Trickles down with swift gentle sounds.
Friend!
I know not myself
I know not the human
And now the spirit of all ideas is ashamed.
To grasp them too is what he sought
As he grasps the earth's affairs
To grasp
But vertigo seized him sweetly
And the eternal castle
Of his thoughts falls down.
How much time do you have?
Enough if you start talking to us
Why me?
What do you want to drink?
What is the difference between Isabel and me?
I don't understand
What's not to understand? How we differ, you should know that
I don't know much about you two anymore
Well then what do you remember?
I wasn't certain that you loved me
You loved Isabel very much
Can you only talk about yourself?
I'm speaking about you
And with Isabel you were certain?
I'd say so
But that's not what I meant
You always demanded things from others
Isabel rather from herself
Are you serious?
That's not all
- Don't you love me? - I do!
Then how can you say something like that?
Maybe I misunderstood you
- When? - What?
Just now or always?
Ari, what's the matter?
Why is talking to you impossible?
Because you can't
I've been talking all day long
And I asked you something just now
I asked you a question
Why do you love Isa more than me? I don't get it
What are you talking about, why would you say that?
I'm moving in with Christian
Do you want to come home with me?
I want you to explain it to me
I'm sorry
Talk to me
Why don't you leave now?
Don't you see that it's meaningless?
I can see that
Your hair is longer
Mom, are you happy?
Have you got a good life on your own?
What's odd is that
When I think of you I think of someone leaving
Leaving their men, I mean
I suppose it's different for you
I mean, to be able to decide against someone
You must have decided in their favour first
Before you said no
You must have said yes first
But for me you're not someone coming, but someone leaving
Leaving the first one, leaving the second one
At first with one child, then with two
I consoled Ari, because I knew what was going on
We took so many cabs, do you remember?
You in the front, we two in the back
Why did you never even get your licence?
Mom
Are you happy?
I'm anxious
That's why I'm only happy sometimes
You blame me for all this?
No, but I don't want to be blamed either
You taught me that there is no such thing as guilt in these matters
That things turn out as they should
I taught you that?
No?
Not that I know of
Oh mom
You don't want to be responsible. But I'm not holding you responsible.
That's quite like you
You reduce someone to nothing
And then you tell them it doesn't matter that you're nothing
Let's have a cigarette
No
I reject how you're doing things
I'm beginning to dislike you
Hi
How long have you been here?
Half an hour
Ari is here
Yes
She's sleeping
Should we let her sleep?
She's drunk
When did she get here?
Earlier today
When?
A few hours ago
And what's that?
Her supplies
For how long?
What?
How long does she want to stay?
Ask her
For how long do you plan to stay?
What time is it?
It's late. Aren't you feeling well?
- How long have you two been home? - Aren't you feeling well!?
Did I throw up?
Did she throw up?
How would I know?
I'm fine
Then get up, I'll drive you home
No
Are you pregnant?
Where's my hair tie?
Throw her out, she's gone nuts
What do you want to do now?
I don't understand
Well, what is it you want to do now
Why me?
Again?
Don't you have a girlfriend?
Sure
I didn't mean to pry
It seems that getting photographed gets one to talking
Especially if you're not used to it
To talk?
No, to be photographed
- Do you do this often? - What?
To speak to pregnant women you don't know
No
You're the first
It just came over me when I saw you
Do you think I'm pretty?
Yes, I think you are pretty
- And that's it? - That's it
Shall we get a coffee?
Yesterday there was a letter
What letter?
From Isabel
Yes?
What does it say?
It's for you
I didn't see it
I have it on me
Do you want to read it?
Of course
Can I read it?
Read it to me
It didnt' arrive yesterday. It came a week ago
From where?
Lyon. Her father lives in Lyon.
Dear Christian,
I've been in France for one week
It's a little as if time had stopped here
Perhaps because everything is so natural
Life in the streets, and how I move within it
It was never like that in Berlin
Not one day felt natural lately
I thought it was the exact opposite
The usual run is natural and what's different is exhausting
That doesn't appear to be correct
Our usual run was a heap of shit
I'm considering to look for a flat
It would be good to know a time
To know a certain time when one knows what one is going to do
It would be good to know a time
To know a certain time when one knows what one is going to do
Do you understand that?
Is there more?
I think of you
I think that I'm 32
And that I would like to love someone else
Sometimes I feel like throwing up here
I want you to see how I throw up
I want you to see how I shop and how I brush my teeth
Send my regards to my sister.
Isabel
- Has she called? - No
Really, she hasn't
Subtitles for KG (2012) by stefflbw
We had a complete script.