Original subtitles

ALL IS FORGIVEN

Vienna, 1995

- What will you call her? - Doll!

That's not a name!

And what's her name?

Doll.

You can't name them both "Doll. " They'll get confused.

I don't care.

Naughty!

- Victor, it's Martine. - Hey.

- How are you? - Good, thanks. You?

- Nice you called. - It's only normal.

- Can I speak to Pamela? - It's Martine.

Hello, Martine!

- Happy birthday. - Thank you.

- So how old are you? - Six.

- You're a big girl! - Sure am!

We ate Tafelspitz and cookies.

Dolls.

But I think I'm getting more later.

If you're good.

Bye, Martine.

Get your jacket and rackets. Let's go.

Give me my ball!

Go on.

Meanie!

You're the mean one! Turn around, look!

Stop it!

I looked for you everywhere.

Can you take care of the monster?

Ready to go?

Stop it.

You can't start drinking now.

It's happy hour.

It's 11. You said not before 6 p. m.

We need to celebrate Pamela's birthday.

Don't we, honey?

For your birthday you should have a tiny sip.

Come on!

What did she do?

Stop it!

You're not funny.

Philip invited us to his show.

It's on for a week.

This time we can't miss it.

You hear me?

Another amateur night. Count me out.

Why are you so narrow-minded? You're not open to anything.

You're so sure you'll get bored,

of course you get bored.

You know I don't like theater.

Same old story.

You look down on my friends.

You're wrong.

Why were you unpleasant to Alex?

You did everything to seem rude.

Not true!

Yes.

I'm sure he found you arrogant.

He asked what you do

and you just sniggered

instead of answering.

Answering what?

That you write.

It's not a job.

You could have said you teach French.

I haven't in months.

What's the difference?

You�ll start again.

Why do you want everyone to think you're a loser?

I'm ready. Come on!

It's so pretty on you.

Can't you shorten it a little?

I don't think so.

Wait for me... I'll change.

Hurry up!

Yes?

It's us!

I was next to a redhead who works for the show.

I asked what she did. Costumes, sets, music?

She answered me: "Actually, I was the queen!"

What did you say?

"I didn't recognize you. Must be the wigs and make-up... "

Hey!

Hello, Karine.

I�ll take your jackets.

You look elegant.

Think so?

Lorenz and Thomas, keep it down!

Look who's here.

- Hi, Mom. - Hello, children!

Go say hi to Grandpa.

Leo?

- How are you? - Excellent.

Good.

Nektar?

He could read?

Not at three.

But the newspaper fascinated him.

Papa?

He cut it carefully

into thin strips.

We all know where he got that from!

He spent the entire night.

It was an ordeal to get it back from him.

His fingers were black

and he put them in his mouth.

And then when Martha left,

everyone cried but you.

You didn't complain.

As if you feared the sadness of others.

He didn't want to hurt Martha.

Annette's worried.

You disappeared last night.

Are you okay?

I was sick.

Not at my best.

I slept at a friend's.

That's all.

Watch out for yourself.

Who's more important for a child,

the father or the mother?

The mother, of course.

How are your poems coming along?

Can we read them soon?

Maybe.

Lunch is served!

Over here?

We're fine here.

Hands on the table. Both of them.

I dreamt about you.

You married Karine without leaving Annette.

We went to the wedding.

Your friends were there.

They were in the mafia.

You sold Nektar to them.

How awful!

Your image of me!

Wait, there's more.

You were drinking like fish.

There was a car accident

because you were drunk.

What an adventure!

I thought I was dead.

I touched my arm.

I was so happy to be alive.

What about Paris?

In a month.

Are you all ready?

We're ready, Papa.

Here.

Belated Christmas present.

Thank you!

Trakl.

Excellent.

Under the starry sky, a lone man

crosses the silence of midnight.

The child has left his dreams.

Gray, his face sinks into the moon.

The madwoman cries...

Thank you, Fritz.

Annette, I have a quick errand.

I�ll meet you at the Liliputbahn?

5:30?

Come on.

Be right back.

Ducks there, too.

Where's the fountain?

There!

Not all there.

I�ll have it tomorrow.

It's okay.

Look, Daddy's here!

My little sweetie...

Where have you been?

Pamela persuaded us to wait.

You really waited for me? What did you do?

I took the ghost train twice.

Twice? With Mommy?

Mommy doesn't like it. She was waiting with Karine.

You didn't get scared?

My love... come on...

See that bridge?

Before, there was another one. Another Reichsbrucke.

Then one day, in 1976, before you were born,

it collapsed. It was just 100 years old.

And they built that in its place.

Why did it break?

They never knew.

Several factors, but nothing explains it.

Did people die?

Lots. No, just one. It happened when everyone was asleep.

Can any bridge collapse?

Of course!

Mommy!

What?

Daddy says bridges can just collapse.

- Don't listen. - But that bridge fell.

You know, honey,

the material they use now for bridges is strong.

Bridges are indestructible.

BACK IN PARIS

I can't stay.

I can concentrate in the morning. I wake up strong

but lose my strength over the day.

At night I stop writing, powerless. I'm another person.

My conception of life: work in the morning, afternoon walks...

And at night...

I do drugs.

It can't go on like this.

I'm lacking in regularity and perseverance, I know.

Sometimes I'm paralyzed by anxiety.

Give up the ascetic fantasy. Be practical.

Fix yourself concrete goals you can reach.

You can't change overnight.

I sometimes wish I were someone else.

Please...

don't overburden Annette with this.

She's very generous, brings you a lot. You're lucky.

But love can run dry.

I know.

Be strong. She's not your mother.

When you feel bad, visit me or a friend.

You two are young. Your life together can be great.

She complains I don't make enough.

She's right, but I don't have any ideas.

- Still reading manuscripts? - No money in it.

You still consider teaching? I mean at university.

I'd need a Masters. It's too late.

I can't talk to kids. No interest.

You're exaggerating. It went well with that student, Sicard.

Enough, I'm sick of hearing about him!

The only word for it is alienation.

Eat...

Alienation, big word!

It'd be great if you could overcome this fear of work.

It's not good to float around, totally self-absorbed.

You should be out meeting people, getting bumped around.

Is Pamela getting used to school?

She's already made friends.

They visited Vincennes. She loved it.

Hello!

Look at you! What a mess!

We were painting.

- How are you? - Good, and you?

What's all this?

We painted.

You look like an Indian. Like a squaw.

What's a squaw?

An Indian who lives in a teepee.

- What's a teepee? - It's a house for Indians.

Have you eaten?

Yes. To each his hearth.

Come wash up.

Not so close.

You want to see the Clint Eastwood?

When, tonight?

Yeah, now.

And Pamela?

If only we could get rid of Pamela.

Come in.

Have a seat.

- So? - I need a prescription.

When was the last one?

- What's wrong? - I helped a friend.

I can't go along with that!

I'm not an ATM machine.

Otherwise, any other problems?

No fever? Infections? Pain?

I'll examine you anyway.

Open up, please.

I'm coming!

I saw a documentary today with Pamela

about monkeys in Japan.

They live in hot springs at the top of mountains.

They huddle together, with just their snow-capped heads above water.

They're happy. They don't move.

You can't imagine how I wanted to join them.

It's so cold here we can't even takes baths.

I don't know how you manage to write here all day long.

My fingers are icy.

I have to turn the radiator on all the way in Pamela's room.

It gives her headaches.

I don't like that.

Can you undress me?

Kiss me.

Zoltan!

I'm coming down.

I'm Gisele. Zoltan's out. I was expecting you.

Got the money?

I have to go.

See you soon.

You took my chair!

It stinks in here.

I�ll turn it off.

Did you go out today?

What's the problem? My watching TV?

- It's not that. - What is it then?

Stop, it's everything.

I can't deal with it anymore.

What have you been doing all month?

You hang out in cafes all day, you drink.

Out all night. I don't where, with whom, not that it matters.

All you do these days is get wasted.

Yesterday you stole money from my wallet.

Don't you think I notice?

I'm coming apart!

I thought there'd be a truce in Paris.

You can't imagine how much you annoy me.

I'm having dinner with Francois. Coming?

No.

Fine.

You see the time?

Where were you?

Go to your room.

Don't take Pamela to eat with assholes!

Tell your parents I hit you!

I'm a brute, a madman,

a crook and a good-for-nothing!

She's crying, the little chickadee!

Stop it! I hate you!

You hate me but I despise you! Fucking German bitch!

You've humiliated me!

I'm really sorry, Annette.

I'm going to Vienna for Christmas.

With Pamela.

I don't want you to come.

You're punishing me?

I need some calm.

A few days of peace.

I can't deal with this.

It's going too far. I can't.

Zoltan?

It's Victor.

Hey, Victor.

- Is this your room? - Yes, just temporarily.

My building burned down.

Burned?

The apartment two floors up caught on fire.

I wasn't there.

But all my stuff went up in smoke.

I salvaged a few things.

I like it here. I can't deal with solitude.

Got any kids?

A daughter named Pamela.

Unusual name, Pamela.

Her mother's Austrian.

Are you separated?

Not on good terms.

She lives in Austria?

No, she's in Paris.

Hand me that stuff...

You know what that stuff's called?

Pumpernickel.

You know why?

It's the bread Napoleon gave his horse.

"Good for Nickel. "

How do you know Napoleon's horse was named Nickel?

We just do. Everyone knew it.

You eat what they fed to his horse?

I like it.

Napoleon's bread had no name before?

Love of my life!

Are you okay, honey?

Yes.

My beautiful Austrian.

Mommy!

- Are you bored? - Yes.

No, stay.

Come here.

ONE MONTH LATER

Out in the street?

Gisele will be back soon.

I want to go to India this summer.

You want to come along?

To India? What a curious idea.

Why not?

I have no money.

Life is cheap there.

I'm not an adventurer. I'm not a hippie like you.

It's me.

Can I speak to Pamela?

You don't want to talk to me?

Yes.

I love you.

Victor, I need you.

Come back.

If I do, I won't leave.

No, you'll stay. I'll take care of you.

I've been thinking. We need a fresh start.

We'll go back to Vienna.

It's possible.

I want more children with you.

Stop it.

I want you to take me in your arms.

I want you to be nice.

I'm in terrible shape too and you don't care.

I'm ruining your life and I don't care?

It makes me want to die.

AII I ever do is hurt you.

Why do you talk about things as if there's nothing you can do?

I'm drained, at the end of my rope.

What are you up to these days?

- You're not working? - No.

- How do you score? - I manage.

Annette gives you money, I assume.

We had a fight. I'm at a friend's.

Does he help you get dope?

Sometimes.

I always played straight with you.

I can't make you better.

I can supply substitution treatment, but...

you haven't respected our contract.

It's getting too dangerous.

For you and for me.

AII I can do now is to ease your pain

and lessen your anxiety with tranquilizers.

- Where were you? - Out walking.

All day?

Yeah.

What are you doing?

I bought a dress today.

You want to see it?

Tell me...

how do you pay for your dope?

And how did you buy the dress?

- Did you steal it? - Not at all.

It was at 500 francs.

I negotiated and got him down to 350.

You like it?

A lot.

I love you.

What's wrong?

I'm fed up.

I'm so tired. I find myself ugly.

Are you crazy?

I look awful.

No, you don't.

You just need a vacation.

I'm always on vacation.

In Paris it's not vacation.

You say that but you won't take me away.

That's not true.

I said no to India because I know you.

If we go there we'll never come back.

Gisele?

Zoltan!

This way.

Hello.

I tried calling several times.

We're not at home at the moment.

I know.

Can we talk elsewhere?

How's the treatment?

They give me medicine.

What are we going to do now?

Can you forgive me?

I don't think so.

I don't think so.

I'm going to Caracas with Pamela.

A job�s come up there.

I don't ever want to see you again.

11 years later

Coming to the library?

- We're getting coffee. - Sell-out!

- How did you do? - I survived.

- And you? - Whatever.

Pamela!

What about that translation?

- No dictionary. - Borrow one!

I was short on motivation.

Coming to the library?

- I can't. - You're a pain!

- Ask Erwan. - He has class.

- Really? - I'm in the film section.

Hello, Pam.

I tried calling you.

You're as hard to find as Ben Laden.

My battery ran out.

- Have you heard? - What?

There's a new virus going around. Very dangerous.

- A virus... - A computer virus.

One computer out of three will be hit.

So beware.

You must have an anti-virus program.

Yeah, I do.

These viruses are conceived to thwart security systems.

If I were you I'd call tech support.

Yeah, I�ll do it.

Hi, Lou!

Kiss?

Come on my knees.

Your mother's eating out tonight.

I'm going out too.

Fine, then.

Can you not lie on the couch with your shoes on?

They're slippers.

Jacques Chirac, with nice glasses!

See the face he's making?

Show me.

Not bad.

Can I bother you for a minute?

What?

In fact I have something else to tell you.

I received an important phone call for you.

From Martine.

Martine?

Your father's sister.

Yeah?

We spoke for a while. She wants to meet with you.

It's been twelve years.

I tried to discuss it with your mother.

You know how she is.

So...

what do you think?

I don't know.

Mom has her reasons for me not to see her.

I don't want to hurt her.

Why does she want to see me?

She has things to tell you, I guess.

I think you should see her and judge for yourself.

At least call her back.

Here.

- What a pain. - You don't have to work. Masochist!

I'll have to pay the rent myself.

There's no rush.

What'll it be?

Coffee, please.

I'm glad you agreed to see me.

You sounded reticent on the phone.

Mom didn't want me to call.

How so?

She threatened me.

I'm not surprised. I tried contacting you before. I wrote.

Really? I never got anything.

Maybe because I moved.

It was before that. It doesn't matter.

- You have brothers. - Yes, Lou and Gaspard.

You get along with them?

The younger one, Lou, my half-brother,

is obnoxious but I like him a lot.

But it's outright war with Gaspard, my step-brother.

He's my age, which doesn't help.

Andre, my step-father, is nice but Mom thinks he spoils me.

But it's Paul, my grandfather,

Andre's father, I get along best with.

He lives in Correze.

- How is Annette? - Good.

She was sick but she's better.

Teaching art history?

She works at the Musee d'Orsay.

She's a specialist in 19th century decorative arts.

She works in publishing too sometimes.

Do you have kids?

No I don't. And I'm not married.

You live alone?

Usually, yes... with my old cat.

- What do you do? - I have a clothing store.

It's wild how big you are!

Now I realize how long it's been.

So Victor wouldn't recognize me?

Yes, of course he would.

You know, he lives nearby.

He does?

I thought he lived in China.

In China? What a strange thought.

He never left Paris.

Did Annette tell you that?

She's got some nerve.

What do you know about Victor?

Not much. Just what Mom told me.

That he got really sick, they broke up

and he just disappeared.

She left with you! You two disappeared!

We tried to get a hold of you in Venezuela, in vain.

Annette laid low in South America for a few months.

I tracked you down years later in Vienna.

But then Victor had lost interest.

3 years ago I heard you were in Paris.

Victor was an awful burden.

He behaved badly and drove Annette crazy.

But he never wanted to be separated from you.

That was Annette's decision.

Why didn't he stop her from leaving?

Why didn't he try to find me?

How can I explain?

Back then he could barely live.

He was very ill.

In a state of distress.

And all the years after?

It's incomprehensible. I'm sorry.

When Annette said you were leaving,

he didn't react immediately.

He could have held her back.

I don't know...

He was too angry with himself.

He did the only thing he could do: get treatment.

Later on, there were several attempts. To no avail.

Once I flew to Caracas. Victor couldn't travel.

But you'd moved again.

What did he do to make her hate him?

Shortly before they separated for good,

Annette needed a break. She asked Victor to move out.

He was staying with friends of his.

He was doing drugs back then.

So were they.

He met a girl there that he started seeing.

One day she overdosed. She died.

Victor was there when it happened.

It caused problems with the cops.

And how is he now?

Better.

He didn't start another family.

He's stayed a loner,

but he's slowly become happier with himself.

At least he says he has.

Would he ever see me again?

It's his dream.

THREE WEEKS LATER

Hello, good evening.

I'd like to speak to Pamela.

She's not here.

Can you tell her Martine called?

Thank you. Goodbye.

It was for you.

Who?

Martine what's-her-name.

It's you.

You didn't come. Victor was disappointed.

I'm sorry. Are you upset?

Of course not.

Can we get together some day?

Of course. When are you free?

This weekend. Saturday.

On Sunday I'll be with my family.

Here it is.

Be strong, come on.

I came with a friend.

No problem. Come in.

Pamela.

They came as a duo.

I tagged along.

Sit down. Coffee, anyone?

Yes, please.

You're in school together?

Yes, seniors, Section S.

You're majoring in science?

Our parents told us to, for the job market.

Good thinking.

What do you want to do?

No idea at all.

We know what we don't want, not what we do.

So what don't you want?

- EAP. - What's that?

Business school. It's a nightmare.

Maybe medicine, but we're not hard workers.

I want us to do literature but she's a hard sell.

That would be a total about-face!

Did you do university?

I studied literature. I even wrote a thesis on Jack London.

I used to read manuscripts.

That must be fascinating.

Most of the stuff you get isn't very good.

It's interesting when you're young, to make pocket money.

It's good to know what's being written when you write.

But it gets boring.

It's nice out. Maybe we can go for walk?

- Yes, let's go! - Good idea, go on!

- You're not coming? - Me? No.

That building is immaculate.

Everything used to be covered in dirt and grime.

Imagine living in a black city.

Old buildings are all cleaned now.

Notre Dame is always under wraps. I've never seen it naked.

With pollution they restart once they finish.

Yes... It's true.

Can I have a cigarette?

Shall we continue?

- Goodbye. - So long.

Goodbye.

You want to meet up again?

Are you really not eating?

How is it going upstairs?

Hey, it's Mom. Do you have time for lunch?

No, Mom... I only have an hour.

I can come pick you up.

I'm already meeting my friends.

I have to go to class. I'm late. I'll call you later.

You're beautiful!

- Where did we live? - In the 13th. Place d'Italie.

I have a few memories, like flashes.

They come from a photo album I found that Mom had hidden.

In Paris I see an apartment in a brick building.

I remember a very bright living room,

blue walls, ashtrays full of cigarettes of course.

No, that sounds like our place in Vienna.

The building was a renovated factory in the suburbs.

We lived on the third floor.

Paris was a dark two-room apartment on the first floor.

I imagined something really big.

Funny how memory distorts things.

After vacation, the size of my room surprises me.

My mother didn't explain much. I'd like to understand.

But I'm in no rush.

I can tell you everything.

Annette and I were happy for quite a while.

How did you meet?

She was my neighbor, studying here.

I kept bumping into her, found her pretty.

So I asked her out to dinner.

At first she refused, but I insisted until she said yes.

She was 20, engaged to a Russian, an asshole.

Older than her, stupid, ugly, musty.

Why was she with him?

Ask her, not me.

I sent her poems, followed her with flowers.

She called me Rosenkavalier.

Finally she fell in love with me and left him.

She liked underachievers like me.

As if my inertia made her stronger.

Maybe I'm exaggerating...

In any case I was pretty messed up.

Then one day, when you were 3 or 4,

Annette said: "We're moving to Vienna. With or without you. "

I didn't think twice, but I never fit in there.

She worked nonstop, tended to you.

I brooded. I hated money problems. I became spiteful.

I cared only about my own sadness.

It's what saved me when you left.

How so?

The intensity of my sadness helped me write.

Not a lot, but enough to live, to give meaning to life.

I didn't ask for you?

Sure you did. In fact I have no idea. I hope you did.

I wasn't awful with you. I loved you. I wasn't a bad father.

Your mother portrayed me in a bad light.

But I respect her. No hard feelings.

Actually I'm angry that she lied by saying I left.

I find that pretty vile.

I don't know how she can still hate me after all these years.

And then?

Then there was a long tunnel.

It was like a period of moral hibernation.

I was a traveling salesman. Electrical appliances.

I never saw anyone, lived in a rathole.

- Stop it. - It's true.

I ended up making some good friends. I moved out of Paris.

I had to forget if I wanted to see you again.

Mom and you can be proud of wiping out everything.

Now I'm sound in body and mind.

I'd like us to stop talking about the past.

We should go to the movies,

or to Eurodisney.

Or the Louvre. They've restored the French wing.

You must know it well.

I know: the St. Denis cathedral. Ever been?

- No, I don't. - Then we�ll go.

Okay. After vacation?

Before I go, can I see your place?

Sure.

If you want.

It's me!

- Can I see the rest? - Yes, of course.

There's not much to see.

I'll turn on the light.

My bed, my room.

We caught fish!

Tadpoles!

Let's see!

One of them will grow into a frog.

- No! - Yes!

We fished for frogs!

Careful.

Go on.

You're mean. You're rude to me!

Shut up!

I try to be nice to you and you reject me.

You blamed our cousin.

You said she's not the queen.

I always get blamed!

- That's enough. - Don't be a cry baby.

I'm not crying, but still...

He's getting fed up, right?

You can nap after lunch.

Here they are.

- So how was it? - Great.

You weren't too hot?

Not too cold either?

The fish didn't nibble your toes?

- Go underwater? - Use sun block?

We put it on.

Careful, you're going to burn in this weather.

You, on your shoulders.

This is not a nice salad.

Are you okay?

Yes... Are you hungry?

A little.

I'm not hungry. I'm mostly thirsty.

There's good stuff to eat. Too bad.

- What is there? - Tomatoes?

Look around and tell me.

- There's salad. - Yes and what else?

Tomatoes!

Good, yes!

My dear Pamela,

After you left I felt weak, fed up with my solitude.

But I'm not worried. Now I think calmly of your return.

I've started working, exercising

and guess what, I even listen to music.

I'm lifting myself up and you help from afar.

How can I describe what I felt seeing you? A shock.

My joy is so great it scares me. It sparks pain and regret.

You are as I imagined: lively and transparent.

I'm proud, and grateful that Annette did such a good job.

So despite the sadness they cost me,

the years that separated us were good for us all.

We're lucky to be able to meet now

and perhaps to become close again, like before.

Without your courage I'd never have braved our reunion.

I couldn't have, without your listening to me

and smiling sweetly.

It's great that you're here. I hope you�ll write me soon.

Don't work too hard. Enjoy your vacation.

With tenderness, Victor.

Dear Victor, I got your letter this morning but just read it now.

My cousins are always asking me to play

and my aunts want help with the meals.

I had to listen to my grandfather's stories

and play chess with him.

He won but I�ll win next time.

My room overlooks a lawn with two trees,

huge like skyscrapers.

A path starts there.

On the other side are fields. The path leads to the river.

It's magical. We swim. The water is cold. I love it.

I work a few hours a day, but it's tough.

I can't remember anything. I'm like a sieve.

My dreams are strange, sometimes scary.

Nights in the country are so much deeper.

Memories are coming back.

When I get back, I'll call you but not right away.

Don't be upset. I need time

to get used to the idea of seeing you again.

I'm glad you're better. I think of you.

See you soon, Pamela.

They don't know.

He wasn't answering the phone so his sister went over.

What's going on?

Victor is dead.

Oh no.

Mom...

We�ll see you later.

I want to show you something.

He had my last letter in his hand.

This one he wanted to send.

He'd already put the stamp.

- Here. - Are you sure?

I'll show you one I like a lot.

This one's by a German poet.

Here it is.

I'll translate...

More or less it means:

"What is waning today

"will rise...

"tomorrow...

"will rise and be reborn.

"Things... certain things remain lost in the night.

"Beware, stay alert and full of gusto!"

I'll start over.

What is waning today will rise again and be reborn.

Certain things remain lost in the night.

Beware, remain alert and full of gusto!

Documents...

in the archives, undiscovered till then.

Concerning that same family,

the Lafarges, but twenty years earlier...

before the accusation.

And it totally changes our way of looking at

that somewhat tragic family.

Who knows what will happen?

But 160 years later,

all these new twists...

Hello!

What's your favorite animal?

My favorite animal?

A dog. And yours?

My Labrador is named Follow because he follows us everywhere.

And your favorite color?

My favorite color?

Blue. And yours?

Mine is red.

- What's your name? - Pamela.

You're Alix, right?

Alix, leave her alone.

No, it's fine.

Too bad.

Can I be excused?

You don't want anything else?

Go ahead then.

I'm taking a walk.

See you later, Pamela.

See you.

Subtitles: Andrew Litvack

Subtitling: C.M.C. - Paris