Original subtitles

The digitization of this film preserves

all the attributes of the original work.

It was achieved thanks to

The Memory of Quebec Cinema

After the defeat of 1760

and the occupation of our country,

the British instituted a fierce exploitation system,

as in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

In 1837, our ancestors took up arms

to cast off this corrupt regime.

Poorly trained and armed, the Patriots faced

the world's strongest army.

General Colborne's 8,000 troops crushed the revolt.

Hundreds of men died fighting.

Villages were torched, the prisons overflowed.

For his services, Queen Victoria named Colborne "Lord Seaton."

For the Patriots, he became "Lord Satan."

"In the pain of our dispossessions." Gaston Miron

Hey, Frenchie,

you piss like a horse!

I could fill Colborne's helmet, my bladder's so full.

Sometimes pissing's even better than fucking.

Don't want to freeze my knots off.

Knots? I told you, we call 'em nuts!

Knots or nuts.

mine are freezing!

Instead of hanging us,

the bastards are freezing us to death.

To save on firewood, miserly buggers!

Just so long as we don't cost 'em much.

Whining again, are we?

They feed us, lodge us, wash our linen.

And what's more,

we learn English!

Don't start this early.

The only English words I've learned are Goddamn.

...shit and hungry.

Hey, you Goddamns!

We're hungry, Jesus Christ to shit!

We're hungry, understand?

You never stop?

You go on writing?

We lost. It's all over.

Why.

Don't start.

They defeated us.

Stop it.

I can't take it. I'm going crazy.

Do you ever have doubts?

I have doubts constantly, Brien.

Constantly.

I wake up wondering how I'll make it till night.

It tears at me, I feel it in here.

Then it eases.

All I know is if we give up, it's over.

It is over.

No, it's never over.

Not if we keep fighting.

Why not admit it?

Because.

Because why?

Because.

Because I'm still alive.

It's what life's about.

But fighting for what?

We're all alone, behind bars.

Outside, people are grovelling, grateful for crumbs.

To hell with them.

Let 'em do what they want.

I want independence for me.

It's hopeless.

Listen to me.

If we cave in now, here,

they'll crush us for good.

So we have to keep fighting.

Fight for every sip of water, every crust of bread.

Every day, every second.

We have no choice.

We must keep going.

We must resist.

It's our only hope.

The coffins.

I have the coffins. Co... co... "cofin"...

I don't understand.

I think he wants that paper.

How many men are in prison?

Patriots?

About 800 men.

How many to hang?

There were 99.

They've already hung 7.

So there are 92 left?

Open the doors!

Alright.

They hang the Patriots here?

Yes.

Tell me what happened, Papa.

I can't.

I want you to tell me.

I can't tell you. I just can't.

You must.

You must tell me.

I can't talk about it.

When will we get straw and blankets?

Don't ask me.

For 4 months we've been freezing.

Even thieves get straw and two blankets.

They treat us Patriots worse than dogs.

I just do what I'm told.

Don't forget my candles.

The fat ones.

not the ones the nuns use.

This loaf doesn't weight one pound.

Stop complaining.

McGill has to line his pockets somehow.

It tastes like sawdust.

In France we call it baker's scourge.

Thanks, Joseph.

Five came in.

Five came in.

Five.

Five came in.

Christ!

Five came in.

- What? - Five. They got five.

You just keep at it.

How do you do it?

Aren't you afraid?

Of course I am.

What choice do I have?

Sit around all day brooding?

I'd go crazy.

Listen to me.

There are 92 men and 5 coffins.

I've always hated lotteries.

We have to occupy the men.

They'll get discouraged.

What about the classes?

Lewis will lecture on Irish history.

Is he ready?

No, maybe next week.

And Payeur wants to teach music.

I'm working on the Union proposal.

Still worried?

They've talked about it for 30 years.

With political conditions now it's a real threat.

They'll do the same thing as in Ireland in 1800.

What do you mean?

They crushed the revolt of 1798,

then passed the Union Act by force.

Just like in Scotland in 1707.

With the Union, they'll make us a minority.

Exactly.

A conquered people, annexed by force.

They call it the Rule of Law.

Where are your boys?

One's in the States.

The other.

Hey, the Goddamns!

Gentlemen, please.

Lieutenant Elliot.

Order of the Court.

His Excellency...

Sir John Colborne, Lieutenant General Commander

of the Forces in the provinces of Lower and Upper Canada,

and the Administrator of the Government

of the said province of Lower Canada has decided...

...that Charles Hindelang

and Marie-Thomas Chevalier de Lorimier

shall be hanged by the neck...

...tomorrow,

February the 15th,

1839...

...'til they be dead.

You look like you're at a wake!

The blockheads can see you!

Don't let them break you.

Are we rebels, bloody hell?

Show some dignity, dammit!

Hey, you on the second floor!

Lewis, give me a hand.

Answer, someone!

You, down below!

What?

Were any of you named? No one up here.

Hindelang and De Lorimier.

And in the hole?

Here, Narbonne.

You over there, any word?

Here they took Nicolas,

and in the east block Amable Daunais.

Amable!

Courage, men! Courage!

Come in.

Come in.

I'm afraid.

I knew it might end like this.

The night of our pledge.

Remember?

Yeah.

"Liberty or death."

I knew there was a price to pay.

But it's not so simple.

I just hope my legs will carry me tomorrow.

I want to die with honour.

And the three others?

Daunais, Nicolas and Narbonne.

Anything I can do?

No thanks.

Xavier.

My wife.

They can't.

Not Daunais.

Not Daunais.

What am I doing?

You're about to.

And it's me who.

Forgive me.

Don't apologize.

We're still human beings.

They can't take that away.

Poor Lévesque.

It's only natural. Daunais's like his brother.

Do you know the two others?

Well, Nicolas.

All I know is he's from Quebec City.

Narbonne?

You know, the one-armed guy from St-Éduard.

Right, his wife died while he was in prison.

The Goddamns burned his farm.

His three kids were left paupers.

Let me tell you,

his only regret is not killing more of them.

No wonder he's full of rage.

How are you, Mr. Dumouchel?

Today, not so good.

My Lord, five more men.

When will it end?

It'll never end.

They won't give up till they've killed us all.

Keep faith.

Thanks, Sister.

Remember us in your prayers.

The Lord keep you.

- Courage, M. Primeau. - Thanks, Mother.

Thank your countrymen. Their alms are for you.

You're not forgotten.

Thank them for us.

M. Laberge.

Thank you, Sister.

We'd starve on the rations they give us.

Shut yer trap, you lily-livered ass.

Get stuffed, blockhead.

I said get stuffed, and eat a bucketful of shit too!

Sorry, Sister. I couldn't help it.

I didn't hear.

I serve soup, not politics.

Eat. bucketful. shit!

Get it, pig brain?

No? Shit.

Big, big pile of shit.

You eat pile, all of it.

The money.

Here.

Tell Joseph to buy whatever he can.

Wine, lots of cider, and rum,

especially rum.

Charles, rum comes from Jamaica.

Why do you bug me about Jamaica?

The Goddamns own Jamaica.

No imports.

Not a cent in taxes for the English.

That's true, shit!

Damn the embargo.

You're such a pain.

Rum's good.

Not a cent.

All right, let it go.

Maybe I got talked into this.

Not me.

I was a Son of Liberty.

When O'Callaghan's newspaper was ransacked,

tens of the bastards grabbed me.

They beat me with pick handles.

De Lorimier had been shot,

but he jumped in to help me.

Without him, I'd be dead.

I've followed him ever since.

At St-Eustache, Ste-Martine, Beauharnois.

I'd go to hell with him.

We're there now.

They're frozen solid.

I'll put those away.

Do it later.

We have to talk.

I can't stay with him tonight.

This is all my fault.

I can take your place.

I'll talk to him.

I saved you one.

My mother sent them.

Thanks, I'm not hungry.

Want me to leave the plate?

No, don't bother.

Jacques will eat it.

Brien.

the confession you signed.

You're not to blame.

By deciding to court martial us,

they didn't need it to declare us guilty.

This is about politics, not the law.

Save your strength.

You'll need it.

When this is over,

I'd like you and Brien at the autopsy.

I'd also like you

to see they send

my heart to Mother.

Brien will get my boots,

the Baron, my helmet.

The Baron?

Fratellin, the Hungarian.

Give my greatcoat to Morin.

And my knife to Pacot.

Not so fast!

He gave it to me.

You keep my jacket.

It was a gift from Dr Davignon.

Give my other clothes to Joseph.

Is that it?

That's all I own.

It's about submission.

La Boétie wants to understand why so many men obey like dogs

without rebelling.

Like here.

Yeah, more or less.

Would you mind reading some to me and my brother?

With pleasure.

All right.

"The first reason why men serve willingly

"is they are born and raised in bondage.

"Additionally, and as a result thereof, tyranny renders men

cowardly and effeminate."

Sure is hard to understand.

Yeah, but try. It's worth the effort.

"The people, once is has been subjugated,

"quickly fall into such profound forgetfulness of their franchise

they cannot reawaken to obtain it."

Franchise means freedom.

Frank, French have the same root.

"The people begin to serve, so freely and willingly,

"one would think they hadn't lost their freedom,

"but rather gained their servitude.

"It is true that at first one feels constrained

"and defeated by force,

"but those born later,

"never having known freedom

"and being ignorant of it,

"serve without regret

"and willingly do as their ancestors were forced to.

"Men who are born under the yoke,

"born and raised in servitude

"live happily as they were born.

They mistake for their nature the condition of their birth."

You're different. You can write.

Me, I never learned my letters.

Look at my hands.

Misshapen hands.

Hands made to grasp the handle of a hoe or an axe.

I could've strangled that Goddamn Ellice

when we stormed his manor.

Him and his family of Goddamns.

All the land the wretches took from us,

a million and a half acres, dammit!

When I think of it!

A million and a half acres to enrich parasites

who don't even live here!

Speculators, the lot.

I toiled like a beast, dawn to dusk, and now I have nothing.

They took everything. There's nothing left.

That's why I fought.

Because of that and their other evil deeds.

You see these hands?

They were made to pray,

to cut bread,

to hold my grandchildren.

With these hands, I just want to say thank you.

No need to thank me.

You'll tell them, you'll talk about my hands?

Yes, I'll tell them.

Baptiste?

This is the outline for my text on the Union Act.

The classes must be given.

Will you read it to me?

It's just an introduction.

"A) Terror as a political instrument

of the British Empire; "a calculated terror.

"First, quash the spirit of resistance.

"Second, create among the vanquished a sense of fatalism.

"Third, convince them of your generosity.

"B) Ensure acceptable conditions for the vanquished;

"an imperial policy.

The Roman and Ottoman empires, the Persians."

I was working on C.

When you stroke, put your head in the water.

Breathe, stroke.

Swimming.

Can't you see, numskull?

We're learning to swim, jerk!

Anyone. has ailments?

Yeah,

me.

My stomach fever is back.

Stick out tongue.

Two a day, four days.

Me.

My legs are covered in sores.

Trousers up.

Not serious, go away soon.

Two a day, four days.

Gentlemen!

Old bastard!

Drunk as a skunk!

With that quack we may as well pray.

Always the same damn pills

if you have a headache or the runs.

Old louse.

Two a day, four days!

He only gave me 7.

Here, have mine.

Prisonners walk.

What really saddens me is,

I won't see the spring.

Trees are beautiful.

I remember the apple trees in bloom in spring, in Chiddes.

I planted the trees with my neighbour, old Jean.

Forty-seven apple trees.

That's all I'm leaving behind.

Forty-seven apple trees.

You understand?

Bloody hell.

I do hope Jean looks after them,

when I'm gone.

Bloody hell!

Hey! Keep apart!

Come on!

Keep apart!

Go ahead, shoot, you bugger!

Shoot, if you're a man!

What you waiting for?

Let's have done with it!

Alright, that's enough!

Leave 'em alone!

We're soldiers, we're not murderers.

Alright!

Anyway, we're hanging him tomorrow.

I'm really, very sorry.

I'm a peasant like you people.

The landlord threw me off my land.

They were no jobs in England.

My family was starving.

I have children too.

"Enfants", you know?

I don't really like all this, but I only am doing my job.

Please forgive me.

Try to understand.

I'm a soldier.

I'm following orders.

Please, juste say something.

I'm innocent, it's not my fault.

Stow it there.

How's Charles doing?

You know him, putting on a good show.

As usual.

You can always count on him.

Like you.

I'm glad you're here, Prieur.

Me too.

Look, you see your g?

You have to raise its little tail.

I'll raise your little tail!

You old fool!

I'm going to trounce you good.

Big talker.

C'mon, let's see!

Don't give up, Lévesque.

Watch what the champ can do!

Can't you play something livelier?

C'mon, Payeur!

Mademoiselle,

may I have the pleasure of this dance?

I couldn't see the Governor.

His wife received me. We talked half an hour.

She was very kind.

She says her husband might pardon you if.

But why?

I can't lose you!

Why'd you crawl to that scum?

What will I do if you die?

Some things we must not do.

I love you, Thomas.

You're all that matters to me.

I'd do anything to save you, you hear?

Anything.

That's all they want,

for us to beg for grace, to grovel.

Those thieves!

80 years of exploitation.

I can't lose you.

It's you I love,

not your revolution.

You're my homeland.

They're making you pay for the others.

Not for the others!

I'm not a victim. I'm not a missionary.

I despise victims. They're weak.

It was my decision. I'm fighting for myself!

I can never accept.

Enough of this talk.

Those are only words, phrases. It's only politics.

The people, liberty, nation.

What matters is life, not words.

Think of me for once.

Think of the children for once.

Just once!

Stop it.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

They're setting the ropes.

One's arranging the traps.

The pigs have the coffins.

I hate those bastards.

Not enough.

What did you say?

I said, not enough.

You still don't hate them enough.

You could never hate them the way I hate them.

Everything they did to us in Ireland.

You cannot imagine how much I hate them.

It's like a fire.

It consumes me.

Touch me.

there.

That's your problem here.

You're not capable of hate.

Like some hot tea?

Don't mind the mugs.

Thank you, I'm freezing.

Sorry, it's all we have.

Thanks, that's all right.

Thank you.

In his report Lord Durham writes:

"Assimilation to English habits is already commencing.

"English is gaining as the language of the rich

and of employers of labour."

Who asked that bastard?

Let him read. For once we have a paper.

"The government's first object ought to

be making it an English Province."

"Much time must elapse before English

spreads over the people.

"We must determine if

"the few French in Lower Canada shall be made English now,

"or if the process shall be delayed

until they are more numerous."

Wash your socks somewhere else!

Sorry.

Three times a week you wash 'em and wet me.

Afraid of getting sick?

It was an accident.

That'll do.

Him and his damn socks!

That'll do.

I'm a foreigner too, and a Protestant!

You didn't come to rob us,

but to fight, like O'Callaghan and Brown.

So?

The English set the immigrants against us.

Should we kiss their asses?

Immigrants will always defend their own interests.

Why should they take the weaker side?

It's not true, it's not normal.

You're normal, Lewis is normal.

We don't care where you're from,

or if you're white, black, yellow or green.

All we care is if you're with us or them.

So simplistic.

Yes, I'm simplistic.

If you're with me, you're my brother.

If not, wherever you're from, I hate you.

You're a dirty dog.

I helped her.

Look, this is you.

Me, François.

Marguerite.

This is her.

Here's the grass.

Look, a duck,

a baby rabbit.

She asked me to stitch this.

The prison. What's this?

The firebird rescuing you.

- Does she know? - No.

She asks when you'll be out. She misses you.

Does she understand?

Last week she asked me,

"Why are the soldiers so mean to Papa?"

What did you say?

What can you say to that?

How's school going?

Fine. Sister St-Pierre encourages her.

I love seeing her write.

She copies her letters, her tongue stuck out, so serious.

She's discovered your old globe.

She asks me, "Where's France? Where's England?

Where do we live?"

And Marguerite? Does she still dress up in your clothes?

All the time.

With you gone, she's impossible.

Won't get dressed or eat. I'm at my wit's end.

She'll get over it.

At her age Léopoldine was the same.

Yesterday I was washing the dishes.

She asked me, "Mama, what's liberty?"

Daunais's calling.

Amable?

It's Guillaume.

You know?

Yeah.

I'm scared, Guillaume.

I'm so scared, I don't know if I can walk.

I don't want to die.

I don't want to die.

You can't crack, Amable.

Not in front of those bastards.

I know all that.

But I'm still scared.

Listen, Guillaume.

What?

If you get out, promise me

you'll look after my bees.

Guillaume?

I swear.

Go to my room at M. Mallette's.

In the desk, in the bottom drawer,

you'll find a book on bees.

It's old Bessette's.

Give it back to him.

Don't worry.

And get my toolbox from Thibert in Ste-Martine.

You can have it.

Take care of it.

You can be sure I will.

Oh yeah, I don't know how to say this.

I was too shy.

But tell your sister that I liked her.

You can say, a lot.

I noticed.

It was mutual, I think.

Speak louder, I can't hear.

She loved you too.

Amable?

Amable?

Amable, are you there?

Amable?

Amable!

I think that this defeat

is even worse that the defeat of 1760.

The greatest threat isn't the military occupation,

but the occupation of our minds.

I fear we'll grow accustomed to our misery

and that those who hasten to sell us out

will try to convince us that submission

is paradise on earth.

Our prison bars.

they'll be in our heads.

Alphonse?

What's this?

Our farewell feast.

Chicken, roast pork,

ham, duck,

pâté.

It's not pâté, Frenchie, it's cretons.

Hey, guys, cretons!

Let me smell.

Pâté, cretons, who gives a damn?

It matters. What do you Frenchies know?

Like my mother's.

Leave some for the rest of us!

I'll kneel to eat them.

Cherry wine!

And dandelion wine!

Guys, cider!

Cider!

Pass me the jug.

Cider, holy saints above!

Two fingers, Jos!

Sure beats the horse-piss Molson foists on us.

Thomas,

we're ready.

Start without me, I'll be along.

He says not to wait.

Well, let's begin.

There's enough for everyone,

if we keep an eye on Jos.

Want some?

Remember last year,

at Île des Soeurs?

It wasn't last year, but the year before.

- You sure? - Yes.

It was spring, the year of the floods.

We canoed between the trees.

You remember?

Like it was yesterday.

I remember the soft breeze,

the sun glinting off the water,

the pebbles on the shoreline,

the smell of your skin.

I can still see you,

your head thrown back,

your eyes closed,

your breath,

the beads of sweat in your hair.

It's funny.

Each time we made love,

I was discovering a treasure.

Each time.

For ten years.

And the other guy,

with his stupid hat and English face staring at me.

Thought I'd die laughing.

Dumouchel, you look like you're at a funeral!

Pour me a drink!

God, why are you all so glum?

Alphonse, tell us a dirty joke!

A dirty joke.

I've got one.

There was this old guy,

comes into the bedroom with his mast full up.

First time in 10 years.

"For once it's unfurled,

now's the time to wash it!"

I've got one!

With my scythe, by accident,

I cut my cow's legs off.

How is she?

Too low to get the pail under her!

Know what the difference is between a Goddamn's tie

and a dog's tail?

A dog's tail covers the entire asshole.

My only regret is

not loving you enough.

No, it's true.

When I met you, you were everything.

Nothing else interested me.

Seeing you made me dizzy.

I couldn't get a word out.

Then I took up politics.

I was caught in the maelstrom.

Forgive me?

For not loving you as I should have.

There's nothing to forgive.

I knew how important it was. It was your whole life.

The love I lived with you is like the one

I dreamed of as a girl.

Yes, but I was always gone,

crisscrossing the country.

You raised our kids on your own.

That was my way of fighting.

I hardly saw them grow up.

That's not true.

You always looked after them.

Kiss me.

In this part of the prison, there's only two of them

De Lorimier and Hindelang.

Hindelang? How do you spell that?

And who is he, exactly?

Well, we don't know to much about him.

He was born in France,

but his family is originally frow Switzerland.

After that, he spent some time in the United States,

where he joined the patriots.

You mean the traitors, don't you Mr De St-Ours?

Oh, yes, of course. The traitors.

Excuse me.

He's a soldier and was one of the commanders

at the battle of Odelltown.

And the other one?

De Lorimier...

He's what you can call a professionnal troublemaker.

In 1830, he worked for Papineau and the other candidate

at Le Parti Patriote.

He was Secretary General of the Central committee.

He was with Chénier in Saint-Eustache.

Then, he went to the United States

to organize the rebellion.

What's that noise?

I don't know.

What's going on in there?

The prisonners are having their supper, sir.

They're crazy!

Excuse me, but.

the men want to see you.

You should be with us.

One moment.

Like to come? It won't be long.

No, I'd rather wait here.

I'll be right back.

Dear compatriots,

down with tyranny.

Long live independence.

My friends,

Here's to those who resist exploitation,

who refuse to live on bended knee,

to all the patriots around the world,

who fight for liberty.

To all of us!

No, it can't be. I can't!

I don't want to. I'll go mad.

Henriette, calm down.

What'll I do without you?

I'll never be able to touch you, smell you,

hold you in my arms.

Never again, ever.

Listen to me.

I don't want to listen.

I won't let them hurt you, and me.

They want to destroy us. I'll fight them off.

With my feet and nails and teeth.

I love you, Thomas.

Do you understand?

I love you.

I love you.

How can I go on living if you die?

You're me, I'm you.

You're part of me.

I won't let them tear you from me.

The monsters.

I'll defend you. I'll bite them.

I'll claw their faces, gouge their eyes.

Stop it.

Stop it.

It's hopeless.

You can't let them.

You have to live. For me, our kids, for you!

Stop it.

It's too late.

Don't make it harder for me.

I need my strength to face this with dignity.

Help me.

I beg you, help me.

For Hindelang and De Lorimier, given the circumstances,

the prison authorities

have extended visiting hours till 10:00.

The rest, inside.

Alright, you heard him.

Back to your cells, let's go!

Come on! Move!

Come on! Get going!

Come on Primeau! Get going!

We're not animals.

Get going, Primeau! Come on!

A bed, old man.

with white sheets,

freshly ironed,

that still smell of wind and soap.

Two woollen covers.

No, three.

Thick homespun wool.

And a warm quilt, with flowers. sweet Jesus!

When'll they give us straw mats?

They're trying to break us.

Keep dreaming.

A nice feather bed,

real thick,

with my missus asleep next to me,

her hair loose.

You snuggle up to her,

it's warm,

and Lord, it feels so right.

I wonder who'll be next.

- Hello, Guillaume. - Father.

Xavier.

Hello, Charles.

Evening, Father.

I just found out.

I came as fast as I could.

I'm sorry.

Like they say,

we all have to face it some day.

Anything I can do?

You know my beliefs.

Thanks anyway.

How's Thomas holding up?

He's with his wife.

He's taking it hard.

Mercy!

Father,

did you see the others?

Daunais and Narbonne.

He's all right.

He's enraged, as usual.

It's Daunais I'm worried about.

He's like a wounded bird,

crushed in his corner.

His eyes are black with fear.

Heaven help us.

He mentioned your sister.

Only her memory keeps him afloat.

Thank you, Father.

Come on, Henriette.

No!

It's over, my love. You must go.

I won't leave you. I'd rather die.

Don't touch me!

You have to go.

I'm staying. Don't touch me.

Come on.

My love, you must go.

The children, Thomas.

No, Thomas. No!

We let you have two hours more. You must go.

Don't make me use force.

Alright! Come on! It's over!

The time is up!

Courage.

Courage.

Guards.

Courage.

Don't touch me!

Alright! Move her out!

You understand me, it's an order. Now!

Lieutenant Elliot!

Leave me!

She's his wife.

Let me go! Let me go!

Come on!

Pick her up!

Are you deaf? Pick her up!

Not another word out of you!

We'll carry her.

Do it!

Do it quickly!

Farewell, my darling.

My beautiful darling.

The worst is over.

Are you all right?

How did it go?

Xavier, would you mind waiting outside?

At the gate she was still unconscious.

It'll be awful when she wakens.

At least she won't be alone.

This is all my fault

and I can do nothing.

I watch those I love suffer, but cannot help.

I'm powerless.

You're not alone either.

He is present.

Shall we pray together?

My God, you who bear all the suffering of men,

the weight of our fears,

help us to die with dignity.

My God, you too died on the gibbet,

like a criminal.

Hear our cry of distress

and ensure that our death is not in vain.

Welcome us into your paradise

where all suffering is abolished.

Our Father, which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

They kingdom come,

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

I can't, Father.

I can't forgive our enemies.

Not for what I saw on my wife's face.

God can't ask that of me.

Forgiveness, yes, but justice too.

Thomas,

I think God is able to understand that.

Xavier.

How's he doing?

He's calm. He's with the priest.

Who's that priest, a traitor?

No, he's a simple priest, on our side.

Wipes his ass with the bishop's pastorals!

Bloody Goddamn loving bishop!

Leave religion out of it.

It's not religion,

but that scum in robes who sleeps with the Governor!

"Submit! All authority comes from God!

"Rebels will be excommunicated.

Peace! Peace is the greatest good."

Bloody hell!

We keep the peace, they keep the land and power.

Amen.

Thank you, Father.

It's me who thanks you.

So few people are willing to stand up.

Thanks for coming.

Guard!

How are things outside?

Outside?

Are there protests?

Not yet.

People lay low and wait for the storm to pass.

Then there are the moderates and cowards

and profiteers who accuse the Patriots

of being extremists.

They blame the disaster on us.

As usual

history will be written by the victors.

For cowards

liberty is always extremist.

On the eve of rendering my spirit to its creator,

I wish to share my feelings and thoughts.

I die without remorse.

I sought the good of my country,

in insurrection and independence.

Death has taken many of my collaborators.

Others are rotting behind bars.

Still more are in exile, their property destroyed,

their families abandoned to our harsh winter, destitute.

Despite all this misfortune,

my heart is filled with courage and hope for the future.

My friends and children will know better days:

They will be free, my conscience assures me.

My children's only inheritance will be the memory of my woes.

Poor orphans!

It's you I feel sorry for.

Your father's only crime was failure.

As for you, my compatriots,

the executions of me and my companions

will have a purpose,

to show exactly what may be expected

from the English.

I've but a few hours left to live.

Dear compatriots,

for you I die a murderer's

ignominious death on the gallows;

for you I leave behind my young children and wife;

for you I die shouting:

Long live liberty! Long live independence!

Dear Henriette,

you, my darling wife, have made me truly happy.

I shall not see you again in this world.

But you, my beloved Henriette,

you shall see me one more time,

though my body will be cold, lifeless, disfigured.

You must take courage,

you must live for the love of our dear children.

So be happy, my poor, darling wife.

This is my soul's most ardent wish.

Farewell, my tender wife, again, farewell.

Live and be happy.

Your miserable husband,

Thomas

Can I see?

At this hour my mother's dreaming.

When she learns the news.

Yes.

Though I'm glad she's not here.

We didn't always get along, but

I know she loves me deeply.

I always ran away.

I don't know why, I couldn't help it.

Now, in a few hours,

I'll die without having seen her again.

Bloody hell!

Every day since I've had children, I've thought of death.

Every day.

Every time I see them.

But little François, I tell you, when he laughs,

when I kiss him on the neck,

it's fantastic.

You forget everything.

It's like the tinkling of little bells,

like a gurgling brook in spring.

For a few seconds, death doesn't exist.

That's what eternity must be,

a sparkling laugh.

If you're not careful, it passes you by.

You miss so much of life.

Marguerite, I remember her,

lying on her tummy,

pulling up her gown, saying:

"Papa, Papa, rub my back!

Please!"

I think I melted.

It's as if

you're holding all the softness in the world.

She's soft, she's warm.

She's limp with love.

She's learning what tenderness is.

You're learning what tenderness is too.

In her eyes, a tiny flame begins to flicker.

It shines so bright.

We must remain as children.

Mind that you do, Xavier.

We have to fight, but.

we mustn't stop laughing.

We mustn't stop watching the sun.

Old madame Champenois,

with her white hair pulled back.

I'd gone to say goodbye before I left.

She'd come out onto the path beside her house

with her dog,

a little black and white dog,

almost as old as her.

We embraced.

She told me to be careful.

I set off.

I turned around a few times as I walked.

She was still there,

all hunched over and white amidst the leaves.

The trees formed a canopy above her, like a church.

I knew I wouldn't see her again.

Listening to you, I can see her now.

She passed away last year.

That's the last memory I have of my village.

You're not asleep?

No, I'd rather sit up with you.

You should try to sleep.

I can't.

You think too much.

You mustn't, if you want to survive.

We have to kill time,

otherwise it'll kill us.

I never did anything worthwhile, Thomas.

If I hadn't met you,

I'd have wasted my life.

If I hadn't fought with you,

I'd have lived for nothing.

I'd have died for nothing.

With you, I finally broke out.

For the first time in my life

someone was counting on me.

For the first time in my life

I was part of something bigger than myself.

That's when I started to exist.

Your resistance.

allowed me to exist.

For the first time in my life

I was with people who didn't judge me,

even if I was different.

Are you sorry?

Not at all.

Anyway, it's too late.

It's not a question of whether we'll live or die,

but of choosing how we'll die.

My only hope is people don't forget us,

but learn from our mistakes.

That they are able to unite for once, just once.

So we don't die in vain.

Finally!

We're freezing in this hole.

I don't want any bread.

No, give it to me after all.

I don't want them to have it.

See you, Joseph.

Thanks.

Amen.

Amen.

Leave room for the noose.

Goodbye, Charles.

Goodbye, Guillaume.

When I'm up above, in the next world,

send me a few English soldiers, to keep me company.

But don't forget, I was a major.

So I'll need some generals above me.

Farewell, my friend.

What's that?

What's that?

His wife's hankie.

What?

His wife's...

We'll show them how Frenchmen die.

Courage, Charles.

In the name of the Father

and the Son and the Holy Ghost, amen.

Dear Jesus, I willingly take up your cross,

and sip the bitter wine from the chalice you hold out.

But Lord, you know how weak I am.

Help me, support me,

strengthen me,

so that I do not stumble under the weight of my cross,

but bear it, in your footsteps,

with courage and perseverance,

to the summit of my Calvary,

to be crucified and die with you there.

In the name of the Father

and the Son and the Holy Ghost, amen.

I'm ready.

To the gallows!

March!

Amable!

Don't let the Goddamns win.

Think of Louise, Amable.

Think of Louise.

Let go of me, I can walk on my own!

Guillaume, tell your sister

I died like a man.

Farewell, Guillaume!

We'll meet in heaven,

one day.

One day they'll pay for this.

We'll make them pay.

One day we'll take back

what those bastards stole from us.

We shall win! We shall win!

They're tying their feet.

Please...

Say something.

Today, I'm not afraid anymore.

It's your turn to be afraid.

Holy Mary, pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, blessed art Thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.

On this scaffold, built by Englishmen,

I die knowing I have done my duty.

This sentence is unjust.

May the guilty answer for this crime.

Farewell!

I bequeath to you the motto of France:

Long live liberty!

Long live liberty!

Long live independence!

Narbonne's hand.

He's holding on.

Hit him!

Hit him now!

Hit him!

"I am a drop of blood that fertilizes the soil.

I die because I must die, so the people may live."

Anonymous, quoted by Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

MELS Studios

This film was restored in January, 2021.

It was done with the following material, conserved at the Cinématèque québécoise:

35 mm original negative Magneto-optical disk

The Memory of Quebec Cinema