Original subtitles

- Read it. - Come on!

Read it.

- Please, read it! - Read the letter!

Please, read it!

"Dear Goffredo, with this letter, I wish you Merry Christmas..."

Children, order! I want you in line, two by two. Let's go.

Eye, evil eye, parsley, and fennel.

Mother Superior.

What are you doing in the dark?

Sister Caterina, open the blinds. Lavinia, open.

The Pupil.

"A film clumsily and freely inspired by a letter."

"Sent by the writer Elsa Morante to her friend Goffredo Fofi."

"Written and directed by Alice Rohrwacher."

Why haven't you made your beds yet? And on Christmas Eve, of all days!

I've made mine.

Yes, Serafina. I've noticed.

Let's go.

No, please, Mother Fioralba. Close the blinds.

Why?

Because they're jinxing me.

What's that nonsense? Jinxing? Witchcraft talk. Olga, stand up.

- Did you tie the mattress properly? - Yes, but they're jinxing me.

Because I'll spend Christmas with my family

- and they won't. - "My family..." Nonsense.

It is well known, we are all children of the same Father.

Now, say goodbye to your friend.

Merry Christmas, Olga.

Let's go. Your aunt is tired, and she can't keep waiting.

You'll miss the coach.

Enjoy your meal!

Make your beds. Now.

Run, let's go.

Move, let me see!

Can I see too?

No!

Her aunt is ugly.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas!

Out! Get out!

Dear Goffredo, with this letter

I wish you the merriest Christmas

And a happy New Year

And I'll tell you of a true fact For this occasion

Partly true, in fact, to a certain extent

That happened a long time ago

It took place During the Christmas holidays

At a Catholic boarding school

24 DECEMBER, CHRISTMAS EVE, 9:00 A.M.

Hello! Can someone open the gate?

Pretty girls?

Little orphans? Saints?

Open the gate! I have to talk to you!

Hello?

- Move. - Go away.

- Hi, pretty girls. - Lady, what do you want?

Do something nice for a restless soul.

Everybody knows the Virgin Mary listens to your prayers.

Innocent prayers, coming from your innocent souls.

I beg you, don't forget me. Pray for my beloved.

Yeah? Will you pray for him?

All right, we'll pray.

Wait, let me show you his picture.

Quick. Ah.

Look at how handsome he is. Can you see him?

He's dashing.

Girls, why are you at the window?

- What's his name, lady? What's his name? - Curious little chickens.

Miss, to speak with the orphans, I must ask you to come to the parlor.

Can I just give them the name of the person in need?

- What are you all laughing about? - Your mustache!

Come on, get dressed. Tempus fugit, you know this.

It's too cold!

- We're freezing. - The cold is a blessing!

Blessed be the cold night when our Lord Jesus Christ was born.

You'll be hot if you go to Hell.

Surrounded by the flames of the Devil and miserable souls.

Where is it?

- What have you lost? - Where is it?

I don't know. I'm sorry.

Serafina, have you filled it?

To the brim.

Quickly.

24 DECEMBER, CHRISTMAS EVE 10.55 A.M.

It's so cold.

Button up your tunic.

So, what are you still missing? The dress.

This belongs to Serafina. Here you go.

Wait for the heart. Here it is. Take a seat now.

This one is for you. Wait.

The heart. And the crown. Take a seat. The wings come later.

The wings later. Wait, come here.

Let me help you with that.

Quickly, let's move.

You're still not ready? Sisters, it's time for the announcement.

The announcement!

Turn on the radio, quickly!

Get in line, in line!

No one move, or we'll lose the signal!

The Italian...

The Italian legions, even with the dreadful weather,

and after four days of courageous conflict,

bring home a new success.

Against the extraordinary numerical advantage of the enemy,

the Italians have endured bravely during the first day.

In the following three days, the battle evolved quickly,

leading to the conquest of three railway stations.

Our artillery in action during the counteroffensive maneuver.

A journalist writes,

"Our soldiers' aggression is extraordinary."

Incoming British sources.

Our artillery is firing back vigorously.

Some of our enemy's tanks have been hit directly.

with these prohibitive temperatures,

- conditions that can only be faced... - Flora.

What are you doing here? You were told to stay in the bedroom.

You'll get cold in here. Let's go.

You keep listening. In line. I'll be back at once.

The operative plan of the enemy

has been foiled completely...

What's that?

What's that?

Serafina, what have you done?

No one's coming.

The Italians...

Kiss, kiss me, baby, on my little mouth

Kiss, kiss me, baby, on my little mouth

Kiss, kiss me, baby, on my little mouth

Kiss, kiss me, baby, on my little mouth

Turn that thing off! Now!

Stop!

With soap.

Let's rub them properly. And we'll wash away those bad words.

Today of all days.

How can we sing and dance when our brothers are suffering?

It's madness.

What kind of demon took hold of your actions?

What's happening?

Madness. Go on.

And you?

I didn't sing.

The lyrics of that song,

if you think about them, do you remember them?

Kiss... kiss...

Kiss me, baby, on my little mouth...

- So, you do. - But I didn't sing!

"Me, me, me!" I didn't know you could be so wicked.

If you know the words, it means you wanted to sing.

See, girls. Serafina thinks she's innocent.

But her sin is even greater than yours. Sometimes wickedness is accidental.

So, Serafina is wicked.

24 DECEMBER, CHRISTMAS EVE 12:00 A.M.

25 DECEMBER, CHRISTMAS!

He was born!

He was born in the East!

Come on. Come and pray with our little girls.

The mystery of the Nativity is powerful and miraculous. Come!

Come and ask the orphans for grace.

I brought you some pears, Mother. It's all I have, but they're really good.

If you could pray for my son. He's fighting in the war.

The last time I saw him was last summer.

- The war is a terrible business. - Hmm.

- His name is Luigino. - Luigino.

- Luigino. - Luigino.

Luigino.

- Thank you. - It's my turn. Mother.

I've brought you some oil.

My husband isn't getting better. He's all I have left.

Everybody else died at war or starved.

You must pray for him, please, Mother. His name is Mario.

- Mario. - Mario.

Sorry, excuse me.

Excuse me, I've had refined cake prepared for you.

It took 70 eggs to make it.

Really?

Yes! It's called Zuppa Inglese.

- English soup? - That's the name, but it's Italian.

- May I show it to the children? - No, they can't move.

Can they hear me?

- Yes, they can. - Then, I'll just go...

- Here you go. - Thank you.

- Seventy eggs, in times like these? - Madness.

- What a waste. - Yeah.

Girls. Girls.

You must pray for my beloved.

Count Aldovrandi-Cozza.

Aldobrandi-Cozza.

- No, it's "Aldovrandi," with a "V." - Aldovrandi-Cozza.

It seems he has forgotten me. His heart belongs to another.

That brute doesn't want me anymore. No, no. I mean, he's no brute.

Actually, he's an angel, it's just...

He's just a little confused. This woman is deceiving him.

- She's deceiving him. - Madam?

She's deceiving him.

Madam, thank you. If you could so kindly make room now.

- Let the girls focus. - You have to pray.

Pray for him

- to come back to his senses. - We'll pray.

And... Oh! Just a moment. To make your prayers even stronger...

I've brought you a delicious cake called Zuppa Inglese.

- filled with cream and chocolate. - Let the girls focus.

- Of course! - Leave them to their pure thoughts.

- I'll go and light the candle. - Yes, go, please.

Fernanda. Fernanda?

Come closer. Do you hear something in my head?

No.

Teresa, do you hear anything?

Those words are still in here. They don't want to leave.

I can hear them. "Kiss, kiss me, baby, on my little mouth."

"Kiss, kiss me, baby..."

Like Mother Superior said,

it's because you're wicked.

Girls, enough! Back to bed, come on.

And stay quiet.

25 DECEMBER, CHRISTMAS 12:30 P.M.

It's 27 lire.

We got some pears,

dry meat, and some oil.

- And of course, the cake. - Next to nothing.

- We're also out of soap. - Already?

Back straight.

You too.

Done.

Well, then, girls.

On this sacred day, thanks to our Lord, we have a bountiful meal.

For starters, number one,

homemade fettuccine. And to continue, number two...

you'll all get one pear.

To conclude, number three, the Zuppa Inglese.

Offered to us by a devoted lady.

You must know that it took 70 eggs to make this cake.

At least that's what that lady said. Now, girls, be good.

Let's say grace.

Paoletta? Go call the bishop's herald.

Do you mind?

- No, but... - We'll keep your plate warm.

The bishop's herald?

I want to send him a present for the Nativity before it gets dark.

- Yes. - It might be helpful.

Go on, quick.

Please.

Wait here, please.

- Mother, the herald is here. - One moment.

Girls, look at the beautiful cake.

So beautiful.

Wait.

Daughters. Children of God.

On this sacred day, during these times of famine,

I urge you to think about all the children who have nothing on their table.

With them in mind, I invite you...

to make a small sacrifice for Christ.

Everybody sitting at this table...

would be due a slice of the cake that you see over there.

Well, here's my proposal.

Give up your slice of cake

and offer it as a small sacrifice to our Lord.

All the good girls who agree to make this sacrifice,

stand up...

now.

Serafina, didn't you hear?

Then why didn't you stand up?

All the good girls did.

What about you?

I'm wicked.

You said so.

Think about this, Mother.

Reckless!

- Get out of my sight, immediately! Shoo! - Girls, let's go.

At once. Serafina, you too. Let's go, come on.

Quickly.

And kick that stray out!

Out, come on!

Sister.

Well?

Just one moment.

Mother.

Paoletta, what else can I say? Take a look yourself.

This is proof that we have a lost sheep in our school. A selfish girl.

I understand.

But why did you have me call the bishop's herald?

Don't be daft.

I wanted to gift that enormous cake to the bishop.

But now we can't. Please, find an excuse.

Give him a rosary to bless, quickly.

Please.

- Mother, what are we to do with the cake? - I don't want to hear it.

You know that sweets make me unwell.

And you... Let's leave it at that.

- Yes, but... - Leave me alone.

Mother, please. Don't worry yourself like this.

- It's Christmas, after all. - "It's Christmas, after all."

And now, who are you?

Merry Christmas! I'm the chimney sweep.

- Huh. - I've tallied the hours worked.

We cleaned all the chimneys.

- Fixed all the roofs. - Yes.

And changed

- the broken drainpipes. - Yes.

You have to pay 25 lire.

Here's five lire.

- Come back next year. - That's not enough!

- There's a lot of us. - Please leave.

- The others who helped me out... - Leave now.

They want to celebrate Christmas too.

- Do you... - Yeah?

- Do you see that cake? - It looks nice.

Yes, take it with you.

Ah.

And get out of my sight.

Go on, leave.

What a scrooge.

To get them to pay, you might as well ask the Lord for a miracle.

Goffredo! What's that cake for?

Come on, let's go!

- I want it! - Please, me too!

Just a bit more.

We're lucky that Serafina is wicked.

Can I have some?

- I want some too, please! - Me too!

- It's delicious. - Thank you, Serafina.

And that's how

Dear Goffredo, the chimney sweep ran away

With the huge

With the enormous Zuppa Inglese

And he ate it with his friends

The chimney sweepers

No!

No...

What a shame...

The end.

Moral?

Look at what he did!

Look at this.

Come on, let's eat the cake, it's still good.

- Come on. - It's good!

It's really good. They're good bakers. Delicious!

- Yeah, it's so good! - It is!

The end What's the moral of the story?

I don't know, who knows!

Destiny works in mysterious ways