All language subtitles for La Passion dAugustine

In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

You may begin.

Sister Lise, which Saint
are we celebrating today?

Saint Apollonia, Mother,
a virgin martyr from Alexandria.

What good did she do?

She is venerated
for curing toothaches.

ls she included on
the new liturgical calendar?

I don't know.

We ordered it from the motherhouse,
but it hasn't arrived yet.

Like everything else.

Go on.

"In the year 249 AD,

"Saint Apollonia was captured
during a riot against the Christians

"and so savagely beaten
that her teeth and jaw were broken.

"After she refused
to renounce Christ,

"the pagans threw her on the fire,
burning her alive."

Well then!

And yet here, we freeze.

Sister Claude,
I admire your frugality.

I can't say the same
for your sense of comfort.

We have to cut somewhere.

So, what's the news?

I've chosen an article
that concerns us all.

I'm warning you, Mother,
the writer doesn't mince words.

"Show them the door!

"No longer shall nuns produce

"masses of undereducated
good Christians."

Like I said:
the pagans are back.

What key are we in?

B major?

Yes, but it won't stay there.

Each chord brings a new emotion.

Back to F minor. Intriguing.

What is unique about this fantasia?

He wrote it in two days.

Perhaps. But it's the most puzzling
piece of his that I've ever heard.

The moment we detect
the slightest melody,

Mozart, perhaps
thirsting for freedom,

transports us elsewhere.

It's here!

Careful! Slowly, slowly!

It's not on there right.

It's all about music at this school.

Don't you play an instrument?

The most majestic organ of all,
Ms. Lepage:

the French language.

Please do the honours, Mother.

Please have it tuned.

Careful! It's icy.

Times are tough, Mother General.

Everything is moving so fast.

Modernism is attacking us
on all fronts:

Vatican ll, loss of faith,
fewer vocations,

and worst of all:
the Ministry of Education.

But has the Church lost
all its influence, Your Eminence?

We no longer have any power.

The government is taking control
of everything: health, education...

They're barely allowing us
to keep our boys‘ schools.

Prepare for the worst:

the exodus to public schools
cannot be stopped.

Thank you for your visit,
Your Eminence.

Mother General.

Mother Augustine,
what a nice surprise!

I wasn't expecting
to see you so soon.

We're here for the auditions.

Ah, yes!

For the Provincial Piano Competition.

I hope your efforts are rewarded.
Come by my office.

Go on in.

Thank you.

Concert tickets,
a grand piano and what else?

So many expenses!
But where is the revenue?

You know as I do,
you can't put a price on talent.

No, but I can put a price
on running a school!

We received an enormous bill for
heating oil that has yet to be paid.

Our oil supplier is proving to be
much less generous than his father.

Your ambitions
were always encouraged

by the late lamented
Mother Marie-Thérése,

but we must set the record straight:

your obsession with music
is costing us a fortune.

What do you intend to do?

I intend to pay for it,
as we've always done.

I was planning on discussing it
with my convent's benefactors.

"My"! Always "my"!

Tell me, Mother Augustine,

humility, sense of community,
obedience,

when do you apply all that?

Every day.

However, our idea
of community differs,

because at my convent,

the wealthier parents
pay for the poorer ones.

This method of accounting
seems to me to be more...

communal...

and much more Christian.

Thank you.

How is my little music school doing?

You seem troubled, Mother Augustine.

Having problems
with the new administration?

Not yet, but I fear the worst.

Our new Mother General
is fond of numbers.

She hates music,

at least, what little
she understands of it.

Let's start with Bach.

If God owed anything to anyone,
it would be to Bach!

The pans are all distinct.

Good rhythm.

Class B,
but soon she'll be in A.

Beethoven!

She's strong for her size.

Class B.

Scarlatti!

Her technique is remarkable.

My only reservation
is that it lacks emotion.

It's a little cold.

But she will be a great pianist.

Class A.

Good work, Mother Augustine.

- She won't let up.
- That's how she is.

Alice!

Who's that?

She must be new.

Come in.

What can I do for you, Margot?

"Margot"!
I haven't heard that in ages.

We haven't seen each other
in ages either.

What can I do for you?

You have to take Alice.

In the middle of the year?

I'm moving to Toronto.

I got a job there as a tutor.

- And Antoine?
- Antoine?

He's probably on tour somewhere.

We've been separated for ages.

He's still her father.

He's a musician, Simone.

You really dodged a bullet there.

I'll pay her fees
once I'm back on my feet.

I'd feel better
knowing you were the one

taking care of my daughter.

Can you let Sister Onésime know
we have a new student?

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THIS HOUSE

Ms. Champagne!

When a nun addresses you,
you respond with:

"Yes, Sister. No, Sister.
Thank you, Sister."

And when you wish to address her,

you don't stare her down;
you lower your gaze, modestly.

Do you understand?

Yes.

"Yes, Sister."

It's quite simple.
On your knees!

I need to check that your skin
is of decent length.

A new student,
Ms. Alice Champagne.

Have a seat next to Ms. Gauthier.

Ladies...

Mother, tell me something.

Who is Alice Champagne?

Which convent has she arrived from?

You always forget to let me know
about these things!

She's my niece.

Now you know.

Dear Lord, we take on this task
out of our love for You.

Get ready for dictation!

I really liked the poncho
you were wearing before.

"Some twenty years ago...

"we paddled along
a Mediterranean stream...

"while beetles

"produced stridulations
with their lovely elytra

"on the stems and leaves
of the Grecian laurel trees...

"which jettisoned

"their red, withered petals."

We are going through a year
of great upheaval

in our lives and in the world.

A difficult year

wherein a number of challenges
will shake our faith.

Above all,

do not settle
for shallow convictions.

And may the purity and innocence
of your youth

forever protect you
from the disillusionment of age.

I wish you grace.

Let us go in the peace of the Lord.

In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This was my last visit.

Really?

I'm retiring.

I can't handle the winter anymore,
or Vatican ll!

Turning the altar around
to face people,

switching from Latin to French,
modern music...

I'm too old.
I'm going to live in Florida!

I've always admired you, Sister.

Your little convent

is a great school.

- How long have you been here?
- Four years.

You've put up with this crap
for four years?

It's better than being at home.

Your home mustn't be much fun.

My mom really likes cocktails.

Well then!

Show me what you can do.

Three, four.

She's really good.

You do have
a modest talent.

Who did you learn from?

Bach for the prelude.
Myself for the rest.

Show me your hands.

You have good hands.

But talent alone is not enough.
One must still work.

I enjoy it.

Before making your own arrangement,
you must master it as is.

Otherwise, you'll never make it
further than this bench!

In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Good night, my Guardian Angel.
I commend myself to you.

You watched over me in the day;
watch over me in the night,

and protect me from danger
and sudden death.

Amen.

Your bid, Sister Onésime.

Seven of clubs.

Eight of heads.

You've got good hands tonight!

This brings us to birth control.

What is the issue at hand?

I was lucky. I only had 12.

Women should have control
over family planning.

22 pregnancies and 15 live births
are too many.

You're being hasty.
Let's wait for the Pope's answer.

How can they speak
of such things on the radio?

The Church has handled these issues
for centuries!

Wake up, Sister Lise!

Men are deciding for us again!

The pill will finally allow women
to decide for themselves.

We don't need
to debate the issue with God.

One, two, three, go!

Periphrasis!

Periphrasis is used
in dark and difficult times,

when thinking becomes muddled

and gives way to a series of words,

each more useless than the last.

Do you understand
what I mean by periphrasis?

It is the opposite of clarity!

Here, in our fine province,

periphrasis has become
our national disease.

We must travel through Ottawa
to get to Quebec City!

Alice Champagne,
give me that!

Come with me.

Look at your protégée's vulgarity.

How much longer will you allow this
in our school?

HAVE A FEEL, MY DEAR LORD!

You think this is funny?

- I didn't do it.
- That's enough of your lies!

I'm telling you, it wasn't me!

I was practising piano in my head.

Don't make me regret accepting you
at this convent.

I can go if you want.

I'd rather see the result
of this practice.

It's good, but it could be better.

Stan over.
This time count out loud.

One, two, three, four.

All right, play bars three and four
with your hands crossed.

It's going to be a hard road
if you want to win the competition.

I hope you're ready
to put in the work.

Let's try the prelude again.

I could give you the same speech

I gave to all the other nuns
who've been in my office lately.

But I can speak frankly with you.

Our congregation is up against
a formidable enemy:

the State, which is taking back
control of education.

If our congregation is to survive,

we must reform.

What's your plan?

Our biggest institutions
are not at risk.

The rich schools?

You could say that,

if you mean the institutions
that instruct the young women

who will become the wives
of our great men.

You mean maids.

I teach my girls
to aspire to more than that.

We will no longer be able
to financially support

all of our institutions.

Most parents will choose
free schooling for their children.

We have to face reality.

You want to close my convent?

I didn't know you were its owner!

Nothing is set for now.

All our little convents
are unique, you know.

But only one is a music school.

Are you prepared to work with me?

I will always choose my convent.

We're being treated like little
country nuns in a one-room school!

She didn't talk about Providence,
Novenas, the Lord's Prayer?

I must say that I'm not surprised.

We'll have to work hard
if we don't want to be all separated.

And let's get with the times!

We look like 18th-century widows.

You may begin.

- What news?
- The Saint of the day, Mother.

Let's skip the Saint.

We should pray instead
for our convent's survival.

Barring a miracle,
we won't be here much longer.

The new public schools
are threatening our convent.

That's our Mother General's
conclusion.

Our congregation is abandoning us?

We haven't said our last word yet.

We're going to fight...

for our convictions,

for our girls, for music,

for everything we believe is right.

And most of all...

because I truly love this convent.

When you first came here

with your big musical projects,
I thought you were crazy.

But when we won the silver medal
at the Provincial Piano Competition,

I was the proudest nun in the room.

I've been running the refectory
for 3O years...

There's no way I'm leaving!

He won't stop looking at you.

Yes, he's cute.

Who's that?

Marie-Louise's mother.

She keeps the convent going.

You should see their house.

They even have an angel
pissing in a fountain.

We have to convince the motherhouse

of our convents importance
in the community...

highlight its merits.

Absolutely.

One sugar, right?

After all, your daughter won silver
at the province's top competition.

Music is the main reason

why I sent my daughter
to this convent.

But to save it,

it will take more than indulgences.

You must dare to do what nuns
have never done: make some noise...

a lot of noise.

You have to come out of the shadows
and alert the media.

First it was electricity.
Now it's education and health...

Are we going to nationalize
the Church too?

Our whole world is crumbling.

Let's fight!

- Starting with our convent.
- Absolutely!

I'll take care of the media.
You handle the invitations.

Girls...

My dear girls...

Rumours have been going around
about our convent.

But I want to reassure you
that instead of closing our doors,

we'll be opening them up
to the media...

to show them what we do best: music.

I'm expecting
your complete cooperation.

It's up to us to defend our convent

and to make this event a success.

I won't use the words of revolution

that my colleague René Lévesque
used yesterday.

There's no need to exaggerate.

Do you think this situation benefits
the population, teachers, etc.?

Given that we want to standardize

teaching salaries across Quebec,

we will have to engage in
a province-wide negotiation.

We are fighting

for the profession
to be recognized as such,

for workers' rights,

for everyone to know that teachers

are no longer
volunteer missionaries.

The days of teaching in one-room
schools for $ 15 a month are over!

We want to be recognized
for our work.

Equal pay for equal work!
We're not cheap labour.

"Cheap labour"!

So-called French teachers,
using English expressions!

The days of women being paid
less than men are over!

And nuns even less than women!

- You sound like a union member.
- No, like an avant-garde woman.

Must I remind you
of your vow of poverty?

A virtue that coincides
with a lack of self-assurance.

Modernity is killing me.

Public schools threaten us.
The State controls education.

Would you sign our petition?

Would you help us save our convent?

Thank you for all you're doing,
Mother Augustine.

Sign over here, sir.
Thank you.

Look at him.
What a pitiful performance!

The Lord loses His greatness

when He becomes a Lord
without greatness!

Françoise?

Would you sign our petition?

So that others have to endure
Sister Lise? No way!

Ms. Champagne!

Since we'll be speaking
with a number of journalists,

today's class
will be devoted to diction.

A well-enunciated
and properly structured sentence

is a sign of well-organized thought.

Without rules,
everything falls apart.

Suzanne Gauthier, stand up!

Repeat after me.

Around the rugged rocks,

the ragged rascal ran!

Around...

Around...

Louder! We can't hear you.

- I'm listening.
- Leave her alone.

What did you say?

Leave her alone.

Out!

You too!

Out!

Bunch of crazy old bats!

-Wait for me Alice!

I need this floor so polished

I can see my reflection in it.

It has to shine.

Put your heart in it!
Our reputation is at stake.

Skate! Skate! Skate!

But keep the rhythm.

And don't let me catch you
skating in the wrong direction!

Rub, rub, rub!

And turn!

Rub again,

and change sides.

Rub, rub, rub!

And turn!

Rub again,
and switch lines!

Do any of you know where
Ms. Champagne and Ms. Gauthier are?

It would be unfortunate
if your silence forced me

to call your mother 24 hours
before such an important event.

They're in town.

At the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges dance.

Tattletale!

Whoa, man!

It's like two statues
moving in black and white!

Don't go!
We're all going to the same place!

We're all happy!

That was for dragging Suzanne
down here. And this...

Mother...

She's ruining her life!

All I can tell you, Alice...

is that thanks to you...

I had a great night.

Now you are the body of Christ.

It's my body.

SAVE OUR CONVENT

After all the recent upheavals
in education,

the nuns at a small convent
by the Richelieu River

have sounded the alarm
amidst worries about their future.

We no longer have a home

The enemies have taken everything

Even our single beds

They set fire to the school
and to our master, too

They set fire to the church
and to Jesus Christ

And the poor old man
who couldn't escape

Mrs. Thompson, Mister Deputy...

My wife has told me

that your convent
is an exceptional school

that my district cannot do without.

Thank you. Your presence here
is greatly appreciated.

- Mister Deputy!
- No, I'm sorry!

This isn't the time.
We're already late.

Mother, what an honour!

I didn't want to get my hopes up!

I wouldn't have missed it
for the world.

The day I set foot in this convent,

I wanted music to be free
from any class distinction.

I made it my mission.

And we succeeded!

Our little school is a musical jewel

that has earned
several major piano awards

and has made our village
and our community proud.

Here, our girls learn

that music can be
a prayer for the soul,

that it can drive hate
out of a loveless heart,

that it can give peace
to the restless.

What you are about to hear
was written by our students,

based on a piece by Schubert

We divide our time

Between playing and practicing

Our instruments
with rhythm and joy

We aim for harmony

We welcome you, dear friends

With this piece by Schubert

With this piece by Schubert

We chose it as our model

And we are faithful
to his melodies

We stand with Schubert
We stand with Schubert

Upon your visit here

You will get a sense
of our dreams

Our tastes
and our destinies

You can read them on our lips

Walking down our halls

You may hear tunes

Built upon lovely chords

Written by Schubert

Written by Schubert

We stand with Schubert
We stand with Schubert

We stand with Schubert
With Schubert

Dear Schubert

Marie-Louise
is an extraordinary student.

- Would you like a sandwich?
- Why, yes!

- She's very mature.
- Yes.

Learning to listen is the right
of every newborn child.

No one can deny the role
that nuns have played

in the teaching of music

since the founding of our colony.

And now, we're being asked to
bow out without saying a word?

Alice Champagne
refuses to come down, Mother.

I want to go home.

I'm sorry, Alice.

My actions were deplorable.

I was terribly worried.

You're too young
to be intimate with a boy.

Have you considered
the consequences?

You know, when I was your age,

I fell in love.

Yes, I know. My mother told me.

I may not know
what young love feels like anymore,

but this takes me back to a time
when I was deeply hurt.

It was the Russian, right?

I have big plans for my daughter.

Classes with a well-known
American teacher

and a tour with the Youth Orchestra.

- What a success, Mother!
- Thanks to you, Mrs. Thompson.

It's the Liszt that you played
when you were in the competition.

We've found our gold medalist.

A real little Mozart

And almost as much of a rascal
as the original.

Ms. Simone Beaulieu,
student of Sergei Berkovich.

"A musical jewel
by the Richelieu River.

"if there's one convent
we should save,

Typical Augustine!

Mother Augustine, please.

“Here, our faith
is put to the service of music‘,

"said the passionate
Mother Superior.

"Thanks to her, for over 15 years,

"her girls,
as she likes to call them,

"have learned to love
Chopin, Bach, Beethoven."

Mission accomplished.

Have you forgotten
all you were taught

when you were a novice?

Beyond being a religious order,
we are a religious community.

A community!

That word doesn't seem to be
part of your vocabulary.

You're going it alone!

In these difficult times,
we should all pray as one.

Have faith in Providence,
who has always seen to your future.

Still, we must help it out, Mother.

The heavens often turn a deaf ear.

Are you looking
for excitement, Ms. Hudon?

Get away from the radiator!

Write!

"Where there is no master,
everyone is master;

"where everyone is master,
everyone is a slave."

You're squeaking, Sister.

You're squeaking in B flat minor.

Just because you can
identify a simple note,

you think anything goes?

Being Mother Superior's niece
doesn't give you every right.

Should I sit or go downstairs?

Sit back down.

Come in.

You humiliated me.

You humiliated me
in front of the whole class.

Where you should be
teaching now, Sister Lise.

What do you know about humiliation?
You're a city girl.

My father wasn't a church organist.

No one forced me to become a nun.

I entered the convent for relief,

to finally live and breathe
without worrying.

But now,

with all these changes...

Taking the veil allowed you and I
to forget our suffering.

But what seemed just yesterday
isn't necessarily just today.

Change is sometimes needed.

Have faith in the future.

That's enough improvising!

And if you don't take your foot
off the pedal, I'll tie it down!

You can't always get carried away
by your feelings!

Once you've won the competition,
you can take liberties.

But in front of the judges,

adding a chord or omitting a rest
means elimination.

The choice is yours!

A cabaret or Carnegie Hall?

But Carnegie Hall
doesn't mean being precious,

like some pianists
who don't understand Chopin.

What can help us to understand
a musical phrase?

Tino Rossi.

The man who understands
Chopin's soul best.

What a wonderful love song!

It's my mother's favourite.

We're listening, Suzanne.

We've always held together.

And we'll continue to do so.

But we must stop living in the past.
That's the only way we'll survive.

The Vatican is asking us to be
less pompous, more approachable.

So within a few weeks,

you'll be receiving new habits.

And on St. Valerie's Day,

Not all of us!

That order comes
from the motherhouse.

You're blind.
You're all blind!

Don't you see that they're planning
to get rid of us?

We'll find ourselves without a veil,
a habit, or a convent when we're 80.

We'll be alone,
and we'll be the last ones.

So? Can we see them?

Nope.

I can't try on my habit?

No.

Just the skin.
It must need hemming.

No!

Do you know
if they're giving us garments

for our private areas?

It's called underwear.

I just mean the top.
I don't usually wear bottoms.

Pulling up a skirt, and another,
and the dress, and the apron,

then pulling down underwear
to sit down is too much!

Whenever I can, I don't wear any.

I should've thought of that sooner.

Do we still call you "Sister"?

It's as much of a shock for us
as it is for you.

It's more than a change of habit,

it's a change of identity.

The days when nuns were seen

as anonymous women are over.

It's up to you now,
my dear girls,

to make your way in society

and meet the challenges
that await you.

I brought you the new crosswords.

I feel naked.

You're not the only one
whom feels naked.

"Who", Mother.
Not "whom".

Yes.

I can see you're feeling better.

Thank you.

Now that we've joined
the modern age, Sister St-Donat,

I might as well tell you:
the food we're eating isn't good.

It's bland.
It's tasteless.

And spices
aren't that expensive.

We can't take it.

Monday, shepherd's pie;
Tuesday, baloney;

Wednesday, stew;
Thursday, beans...

- Thursday is hash.
- Enough of that, too!

And cabbage! Cabbage, cabbage!
We can't take any more cabbage.

I was always told to be modest.

Modesty doesn't apply to vegetables.

A little imagination, Sister!

I didn't become a nun
to use my imagination.

Girls! Come here!

We don't just sing
and make music at our convent.

We have to learn to play dirty
if we want equality!

Let's go, girls!

Come on, girls!

Let's go, Marie-Louise!

Alice, go get changed.
We're leaving.

Where are we going?

Mom!

You're like your daughter now,
running away from home!

- You never went to Toronto, right?
- Shh...

You've changed.

You know, Alice,

your mother put you in the convent
to protect you.

ls she going to die?

We never know when the Good Lord
will come for us...

but it is serious.

I don't want to do
the competition.

With talent comes doubt.

It's just nerves,

fear of the unknown.

Jean-Paul Ouellette, appraiser.

I'm hereto appraise the building.

It won't take long,
just some measurements,

and I'll check the roof,
the plumbing and the windows.

Has the building
been surveyed recently?

- Who sent you?
- Your boss.

She didn't tell you?

Tell my boss
that nothing is for sale here.

You know what the Church needs?
More women!

A female pope!

Except that our worst enemy
is a woman.

Yes.

We can't deal with the Church.

Only the ones who got us
in this mess can get us out of it.

We have to go to Quebec City
and meet the Minister of Education.

So, I should call Mrs. Thompson?

Do we have any other choice?

Her vanity is our best ally.

Are we waiting for Mr. Thompson?

Mr. Thompson got held up
with the Minister of Transportation.

Are we waiting for
the Minister of Education?

The Minister asked me
to handle the meeting.

My husband and I heard
that the bishops managed

to get funding
for their boys‘ schools,

and we wanted to know

if the State would also be
funding girls‘ schools.

If the concept applies to the boys,

it should also apply to the girls.

We wouldn't want nuns,

servants of the Lord,
His Eminence, the canon,

the curate, the priest, the verger...

..exploited for their cheap labour
like all factory women...

...not to have access
to the same loopholes

the bishops are using

to fund their boys‘ schools.

We're talking about subsidies
for private schools.

Yes.

I can see that you understand
the nature of our request.

Still, your motherhouse

must grant you permission.

Yes? I understand this is urgent?

I think I've found a way
to save my convent

and possibly
all our congregations convents.

You're still struggling
with humility.

This is a petition
signed by citizens

who testified to my convents
importance in the region.

And there's more.

We met with the
Deputy Minister of Education

who wishes to inform you
that my convent could benefit

from the same funding
as a public school

if it separates
from the congregation.

In other words,
if it becomes independent.

Do you think this is news to me?

I've known all that for a long time.

Your efforts to save
our congregation are laudable.

However, Providence has decided
otherwise for your convent.

It has been sold.

The heavens often turn a deaf ear,
isn't that right?

Your improvising
was always tolerated,

but I think you were given
too much leeway.

A teaching position awaits you
at our boarding school in Rouyn.

That is your future
within our congregation.

I'm leaving
the religious life, Sisters.

Where did you expect me to go?

I couldn't even bring a child
into the world.

But I've done my time.

I've carried my cross.

I'll always be there for Alice.

I'll be there, I swear.

She could've been your daughter.

Ms. Alice Champagne,
student of Simone Beaulieu.

"The Simone Beaulieu Music School"
has a nice ring to it, no?

Selling her convent
was a big mistake.

Bravo, Alice!

Translation by Josh Beitel