Original subtitles

A true story we want to tell you

happened in a fishing kolkhoz on the northern coast of Estonia.

Ordinary kolkhoz, ordinary people,

and nothing extraordinary sticks out in this story here either.

Hard to tell whether everything was as is shown in our film.

Fishermen are taciturn, little was spoken about it.

The nature of a fisherman's job.

Nevertheless, we decided to tell you this very ordinary story.

Something seemed to change in people that survived this story.

And here is the story.

FELLOW VILLAGERS

Script: Aimée Beekman, Vladimir Beekman

Director: Jüri Müür

Cinematographers: Jüri Garšnek, Harri Rehe

Starring:

Featuring:

Will you stay then?

Do say something.

I won't come back.

And that's all?

My bus will come soon. You really have nothing to say then?

Here you go again.

Do you think it is easy for me?

Why did you drag me here? We can talk some other time.

Hello. - Hello.

Take a seat.

You sure live in a pigsty.

How long will you keep me waiting? You could marry me once and for all.

Why marry me, a crone. Look at the younger ones.

I've grown old, waiting for you, the younger ones no longer want me.

Let us settle the matters.

This Feliks Kandel, living abroad, will not come here any more.

He would've come a long time ago.

You can see that I don't really want to live any more.

But we would otherwise finish building this house, right?

There's no love any more.

Feliks Kandel has been away for 16 years already.

Who knows what seas he's been ploughing.

I have nothing against you.

I've only been thinking:

I must wait for Feliks.

I had a child with him.

It died when it was born.

Juula...

Only costs...

30 kopecks.

How much was the geography book then? - 35.

You could've bought a second-hand one, it would've been cheaper.

A second-hand one won't do.

I told you they published a new book.

They are only printing...

33...

You haven't earned a single kopeck yet.

35.

How much is it? - 38.2 °C.

The doctor? - Will come tomorrow.

You only fiddle-faddle.

When I was your age, I worked like a man.

Go to bed, I have a tough day at work tomorrow.

Go on, go to bed!

Lord, help my children become good fellows.

Did you start warming up the food? - Keep yakking.

Where's Raimu? It's time so start the engine.

He overslept. - He was paid in advance yesterday.

The schooner came from Hull, heavy load aboard.

The mast broke off in Kattegat, the strait said, "Off you go!"

Off we go or what?

You sure are off already.

Where are you going, drunk as a fiddler?

It's alright. Everything is as it should be.

Let's get the fish, and that's it. - Storm is coming.

Storm is coming. - The sea is rough today.

Won't kill a man that's been eatin'. - Will kill one that's been drinkin'.

Get ready the boat!

Damn it, are you driving me away or what?

Juula, why are you here so early?

Nothing special. I came to see whether you will still go.

The sea will be rough today.

The sea is the sea.

Please go and wake Jüri up, he should come with us.

He knows his way around the engine...

Raimu is unfit today.

I'm off then.

Listen... Listen, Juhan...

The storm raged for two days, the bos'n went overboard.

That was it with these days, he was like a bag of salt.

Well, what is it?

Damn it!

Oars ready, hold the bow into the wind!

What is it?

And this happens during a storm... Make sure you get it running!

The former inmate is a burden to us, Raimu didn't have such problems.

Stop talking, start rowing!

So be it.

Help me, Lord.

How much longer?

Sailcloth up, and down the wind. - Where will that take us then...

Wherever. Niglas, get the sailcloth out!

Please help us, Lord!

You and your prayers! Get a move on!

Don't come here! Get the engine running, quickly!

Juhan, it's rolling!

It's moving too slowly, it doesn't answer the rudder!

I see, release the fishing boat!

You're crazy, abandoning the new boat. - Ah! Bottle!

You fool! My bottle from down there!

Kustas, get the boat to hard-over! - OK, done!

"Our engine is broken. Fetch the boat, should you find it.

Juhan Lepp, Koduranna kolkhoz."

Let go!

You're like Robinson, message in a bottle. Damn it, we ain't drowning.

Is it better now?

Tallinn? Hello, hello! Tallinn?

Yes, I requested it.

Hello. - Hello, chairman of Koduranna kolkhoz speaking.

Our pound net boat went to the sea, and has not returned.

You can see the weather, they went to Laia bank.

The boat number is MS 13.

Well, how are you? Let's try to hang on.

Go take a break. - It's OK, I'll manage. One night.

It's the dog in the hall.

Go to bed now. - In a minute.

Guys, the land!

Praise the Lord! - Do praise Him, soon we'll be on the rocks.

What an uproar!

Kustas, light the light, they'll see it on the shore. - OK, done!

Jüri, give me the oil!

My vest! - You'll get a sable one soon. I need a wick for the lamp, you fool!

It is how it is.

It will hold. We won't make it alone. - We must try. Reef the sail!

If only we could get to the shore! - You daft one.

Guys, a boat!

Come in.

Take your clothes off and make yourself at home.

Yrjö, get some dry clothes. The men are drenched to the skin.

Otherwise we'd be like Baltic herrings in brine.

Here you go. - Thank you.

Guys, off to sauna now.

You'll warm up in the sauna. - Wait a second.

Dear host, we would first need to inform the embassy.

Everyone's worried back home.

The Soviet embassy. Telephone, inform.

Yes, I will... One moment. Yrjö!

Go and inform the police that we saved Estonian fishermen.

Is it that urgent? - Then the police will inform Estonia.

Off to sauna now.

Sauna it is then.

Anna-Liisa! - In a minute!

Make some coffee for the men. - I will.

There they are.

The Finnish sauna will get rid of all your problems.

Thanks to the whisk maker and to the whisk user as well.

Please, give me that. - Here you go.

So, here's the constable.

Have we done any harm? - Haven't you seen police before?

Good evening. - Hello.

Constable Lehtonen.

Come to the table. There you go, Mr. Constable. - Thank you.

So you are Estonian fishermen? - Yes.

But how did you get here?

Engine failure, storm.

Storm, tempest. - Yes, yes, stormy weather, storm.

Have you got your documents?

Have you got passports? - Passports? Yes. Guys, get your passports out.

Boat documents as well. - I will.

Yes, that's me.

Please, inform the embassy that we are here, safe and sound, and...

Call the Soviet embassy.

Consul, telephone, Helsinki.

Yes, I will call them. - That's settled then.

I understand. Got it.

Damn boozer!

The fishing boat was found. It had been released.

And Juhan's letter.

They have an engine failure. - Engine?

Injectors.

Injectors?

So, lads, we need that one now. - Yes, that one, indeed. Cheers.

Go on, take a dram as well.

This ain't the real Estonian vodka. - No, we left that one behind.

It does not go with the office. - He doesn't drink while working.

I must go now. - Maybe I should go as well.

It might be better to make the phone call myself.

Don't worry, I will sort it out.

Take care.

Where is the girl? Anna-Liisa! - In a minute!

More coffee, please.

She is shy. - She is shy with strange, young men.

You're guffowing. Better thank Jehovah for saving us from dying at sea.

So Jehovah saved us? Didn't see him on the boat.

Honour and power might be unto Him.

There's the Father, there's the Son, and here's the Holy Spirit -

thank them for they saved you. - Alright, guys, here's to us.

What's your name? My name is Juhan but what's yours?

Juhan? As in Jussi? - Yes, Jussi.

How nice, Jussi, my name is Esko. I am also a fisherman.

To Esko! - To Esko.

Thank you. - You are welcome.

Thank you, bye. - Bye, say hello to your family.

What's with them?

They are not customers.

Good evening. - Constable, what's new?

Lehtonen keeps murders and dynamite thefts away from here.

Storm brought 5 Estonian fishermen to our coast. - What? - You don't say!

And now I must report them.

Eero Antero Lehtonen, dear constable, wait a moment.

Let me call the editorial office first.

What an event!

Constable, let's go to the back, it's more comfortable to talk there. - OK.

This Seppo is an active correspondent but his articles are never published.

Yes, I haven't seen our local news in the newspaper yet.

This time lucky, maybe.

When madam does her part as well, the article will get there.

Juhan!

Feliks Kandel...

Who would've thought. Juhan...

We heard the Estonians are here but men from our village!

Take a seat.

Say something, haven't heard much about you.

Do you live in Finland? - No, in Sweden.

So, how are things back home? Kolkhozes and all, eh?

I've been to the sea alone before, too. - Yes, of course.

There's a boatful of you or? - Five men.

The engine broke down during the storm.

All fellow villagers then? - Yes.

You should remember old Ervin and Niglas Narusk. - Well, yes!

And Kustas Kiidjärv. - Blimey.

You haven't met Jüri Laas, he came later. - How long will you stay?

We're expecting the men from the embassy. - I see.

And you? - Who, me?

Have held several positions.

It isn't easy abroad.

Home is home. - Exactly, Estonia is dear to an Estonian.

Do you still remember Juula?

Juula?

Of course I do.

She must be married for a long time. - No, she was still waiting for you.

For me?

In vain.

Years have passed and I have a family here. The boy will soon go to school.

I'd like to see the others, too.

Or is somebody from the party keeping watch?

Keeping watch... The party is not the police.

I'm from the party myself.

Oh, I didn't know that. - Why talk when you don't know. Let's go.

The men lay down, the Finns didn't let us sleep.

Whole village came over to inspect. The men will be surprised now.

Is this your guy? - Yes, Jüri Laas from Tallinn.

A distant relative of mine, I took him in. - I see.

Well, step inside.

Beautiful, isn't it? - Beautiful?

Yes, nice, lovely.

Lovely? Yes.

That's true, the sea is lovely.

You could stay here for the night.

Why have I had bad luck in life? - They will probably come back.

And I married Jüri, of all people.

We were both broke. I discontinued my studies.

I forced Jüri to make more money.

And then the court case.

He was sent to prison.

He was incapable.

Now he fled here. - You are both young, it will pass.

Who knows, maybe the storm led them to Finland.

To Finland? - It has happened before.

Jüri won't return from Finland.

And I've always been scared of

youth passing before I get to have a decent life.

It has stopped raining, you can still make it to the bus.

Only sitting...

If we could fix the engine, we'd be off.

What ideas you get! This is official business.

The men from the embassy will come, then...

They could already be here. - They will, let's wait them out.

Only sitting...

How about we helped Esko? His nets are broken.

Let's go.

God speed you! - Hello, hello.

So, do you need some help?

No, we can mend them ourselves.

Indeed, but we'll help. - Yes, that's no big deal.

You fisherman, me fisherman.

Give me one of those as well...

This one is completely broken.

Broken. Well, in pieces, in many pieces. You need new nets.

New? New ones cost a lot.

Did you hear that? New ones cost a lot.

Yes but... - Have you forgotten how things were back home in the past?

And what's worst - there's not much time.

What are they saying... The same like the tourists do.

Feliks.

Niglas...

Everyone else is there, but you're here alone. - Alone.

I don't need anyone. - Still trusting in God as before?

How come? Religion is forbidden there.

You left me there. - I couldn't wait any longer.

Russian tanks were already in Tallinn. - You took my boat.

It was a matter of life and death but you are talking about a boat.

Did I get this boat easily?

Stop it! Now you can also...

What? - Now you can also take the opportunity.

Now?

Not any more. My family, home and money are there.

Russian money costs nothing and you will lose it anyway.

Do you think your trip to Finland won't get any attention?

Plus your religion.

I didn't leave you light-heartedly.

The Swedish government paid for our boats.

Your money is in the bank, waiting.

It would be enough in the beginning.

And your family...

Let's try to do something about it.

Time will change, it won't stay like that for long.

Take heed, Niglas.

What is it again?

Mother, what if father will not come back?

God forbid...

It would be better if he did not come any more.

Lord... Look at the sin in your mind!

Dear mother, but it would also be easier for you then.

Are you out of your mind?

We would manage but I can't keep going like that.

Your father isn't like that because of evilness.

Life has been tough.

He has been busy with oars since childhood...

He was always afraid of the dark days.

He cannot act differently.

Well, yes...

You've got quite a lonely life then.

Do you know anything about the lads? - Sure I do.

Ross died in the battle.

Juku was mobilised by the Germans, he is now in Canada.

Ants was the only one we lost.

What does Juku write from Canada? - This and that.

Does he not invite you over? - He does.

And you? - What is there I haven't seen?

Yes, it's hard to go abroad from Estonia.

What about Sweden? I know my way around here.

What good did running away do for you?

Stop talking about me. Nobody headed there light-heartedly.

We're talking about you.

I thought I'd help you. After all, we are fellow villagers.

Sure, you're the big helper here. We all know that.

So, you'll give up the plan with Juku? - What?

Why are you bringing Juku up?

The lads know where home is.

I'm too old to chase them around the world.

Well, where are you going then? - I'll go get some fresh air.

Did you have an argument? - Not at all.

But he's strange like in the old days.

Old age is approaching, but he is working hard.

And he misses the lads a lot. - Yes, yes.

Well, aren't you homesick?

At Christmas and in spring I do think about how life was and we lived.

But now is not the time to return.

How come? - Don't be childish. Do you think I miss Siberia?

We will return differently.

So you're definitely returning? - You'll see.

Free world hasn't forgotten Estonia, you can promote it differently, too.

Yes, of course. I've also been thinking.

Hey, Kandel.

Can it be done somehow, what do you think?

Are you serious? - A human being is always looking for a better place.

Honestly? - Fellow villagers!

Shall we do it?

I just don't know whether it'll be beneficial for you.

Beneficial? You think I want to benefit from it?

It's promoting the Estonian cause. - Yes but...

There's this old damned nuisance, I cannot keep quiet at the right time.

I remember damn well your shouting "Work and bread!" at the 1940 meetings.

You did the land reform.

Ran around the village with a red ribbon around your arm,

and so threatened to join the party.

That's a splendid joke I can tell for a long time in Sweden. So, shall we?

I don't get you. - You suggested I ran away.

Look what they've done to you there.

This is pure persecution mania.

But we'll remember that you are one of the Reds as well.

Blimey!

Hey, girl!

Do you speak Swedish? - Yes.

Hey, little girl,

do you like this tall Estonian boy?

Look, little girl, this tall Estonian boy is in trouble.

It'd be better for him if he stayed here.

Do you want him to stay here? - Me?

Tell him that. - Why must I tell him that?

You are silly. He loves you.

You could help him decide.

Me?

Yrjö!

Anna-Liisa? - That's me.

Will you stay here now? - Me?

Here?

Would you like me to stay?

This other Estonian also said that...

Kandel? What did he tell you?

What did he tell you?

What did you say to the girl?

Nothing.

Is that so?

I see you were in prison for a reason. - That's what I thought.

Come quickly! Your Yrjö and the other guy are fighting.

Jüri!

Stop it.

Leave the manure alone, it will stink.

Treating a foreign citizen like that..

Look for a suitable hole out, you "foreign citizen".

Damned louts. - May the masters have an easy road ahead.

Is he Estonian?

He was. - Was? I see...

What the dickens.

We must phone the embassy ourselves, things are getting fishy.

Otherwise we'll wait here until the sea freezes over.

No more joking. Listen, Esko...

This is sorted then. Had we known, we would've called ourselves.

Bureaucracy is everywhere, with all the documents.

How much is the call? - Nothing.

Farewell. - Take care.

Will you not get back any more?

We'll probably return.

When? - It'll take time.

Sit and wait, I'll get the tickets.

An old man but such a fool.

Where did he go? - Needs chaining up or what?

You cannot restrain him by force.

This is what Kandel and him were plotting here. Servant of God...

And he has five children at home. - They won't starve now because of it.

Are you a fisherman as well?

Where do you come from?

I should know all men from this neighbourhood.

I'm sitting here and thinking that I do know the men.

He asks where are you from.

As far as I can tell, he is 100% mute. - That's what I think as well. - Same.

Don't fiddle with this nonsense.

You aren't thinking about becoming a fisherman in Sweden, are you?

What else? I want to save up for the boat.

Money for the boat is nothing. - A new boat and...

Our guys need you.

You're offered a life of a master.

Enough of toiling, old man.

You come from there.

You can make a lot of money with that, you just need to have the skills.

Do not fear, I will help and guide you.

Not like that... but with radio, newspapers.

You've got friends and fellow believers there.

Small messages - it's all money.

So that's the money of the masters. - Exactly, old man!

I'll get some cigarettes for the trip.

Your turn.

Rubbish.

The bos'n went overboard,

that was it with these days.

Guys, don't you...

Listen, give me a pencil.

Have you got a pencil?

I do. - Thanks.

The schooner came from Hull, heavy load aboard.

The mast broke off in Kattegat, the strait said, "Off you go!"

Take your clothes off, you're soaked.

There, your trick.

The mast broke off in Kattegat, the strait said...

Suit. - Mast, ahoy!

Who will shuffle? Here you are.

We only heard about your odyssey from the newspaper.

It took time to verify everything. - That's alright.

We had a good time here, the host is a good man.

But the boat? - Do not worry, we'll escort the boat. All will be well now.

Do they know at home?

Yes, we informed them right away that you are safe and sound.

So much that... -Thank you.

Thank you. - You're welcome, they did not bother us at all.

I will send you out.

Well, let's be off. - Let us. Farewell, Finland!

Have you seen my hat?

Let's go then. - Let's go.

Beautiful weather.

Off we go then.

The sea is calm.

Calm indeed.

Hello.

Were you hoping I would drown?

Waiting for me not to return. - Father!

Father, when you talk like that, we will all leave.

You can then be alone.

Yes, we cannot keep going like that.

You won't go anywhere.

Alright, do as you wish.

Where is Jüri then?

At the beach, talking to the guys. He'll be here in a minute.

Oh yes.

He has the summons waiting for him. This... still wants a divorce.

Hello. - Hello. - It's like a sanatorium here.

Well, I guess this needs to be settled as well.

But now let's eat.

The schooner came from Hull, heavy load aboard.

The mast broke off in Kattegat, the strait said, "Off you go!"

Hello. - Hello.

I drank from rejoicing over men surviving.

But, you see,

they left me sitting here again and put Jüri in charge of the engine.

Once, he already... - No nonsense chatter.

The wind is blowing 3rd day round, the mast breaks off, no strength around.

Sails flew such great distances across the waves - what a tempest it is!

The captain took a bottle

and put a message there -

we don't have a mast and load,

we're at sea, barely there.

Jüri, why are you aiming north?

Are you looking for Anna-Liisa on the Finnish shore?

And you, Kustas, are envious again? - Why else would he go on about it?

The weather should be good today.

It will be, there's no other way.

THE END

Translated by Liina Kivimäe

Subtitles: Mardisupp OÜ