Original subtitles

(engine humming)

(water lapping)

(birds chirping)

(June breathing heavily)

(toilet flushing)

(June moaning)

(door opening)

(footsteps approaching)

(June yawning)

- You woke me up.

- Sorry, June Anne.

I couldn't poop.

Could you?

- Mom.

- What?

(birds chirping)

- [June] Look at this view.

- Do you see the carpets?

They're Persian.

- Let's go explore.

- Oh darling, you haven't unpacked yet.

- [June] We just got here, I'll do it later.

(birds chirping)

(soft music)

Mom, no, higher, higher.

Always should it higher because it looks better.

- Wait, Juni.

- What?

- Your dress is falling off.

- Oh, but not, what are you?

- [Lela] It looks better this way.

Much nicer.

(soft music continues)

(church bells tolling)

(birds chirping)

- [June] Isn't it beautiful?

- I brought something for you.

(plastic rustling)

I saved it

from his last haircut.

We can throw it in the water together.

- Can we just enjoy being here right now?

(birds chirping)

- Hello?

Sorry.

Can you maybe take a picture of us here?

- Oh, sure. - Thank you.

(camera clicking)

- [Lela] Honeymoon?

- Yes. - Yeah.

- And you, your first time here in the Azores?

- [Lela] Yes.

My husband came here once.

A friend brought him here after his father died.

He fell in love with the island,

but he always wanted to bring us back here,

but he died.

- [Lela] Got it.

- Thank you.

- [Lela] And now we came here

to be together.

- [June] Okay, mom, let's not ruin their honeymoon.

- Do you want a picture too?

- Oh. - Come on.

I'll take for you.

You're in paradise together.

- [June] Okay.

- [New Bride] One,

two,

three.

Smile,

(camera clicking)

- So.

June and Leila.

- [Lela] Lela.

- Lela.

I have you here today

for the honeymoon special couples massage.

- No, no, couples massage.

We're not a couple.

I'm single.

- I'm her mother.

- You look like sisters.

Anyway, there is only

one massage available right now.

So you want it?

- No, thank you.

- What's the big deal?

Let's just do the couple's massage.

- I don't wanna be naked in the same room as my mom.

- [Lela] I changed your diapers.

- [June] Didn't you wanna check out the pool?

- [Lela] Don't you want to be together?

We barely get any time together.

It's such a short trip.

(water sploshing) (people chattering)

Do you want one of my swimsuits?

- [June] I'm good.

(people chattering)

- [Lela] Your bum's hanging out.

- [June] I am good, mom.

(birds chirping) (people chattering)

- I give them a week.

Them,

a year, two tops.

Five years.

Soon as the honeymoon phase is over,

they'll come running to me for counseling.

Maybe a little longer.

- Mom. - Thrown in an affair or two.

- Shh, everyone here speaks English.

- Learn Farsi so we can have our own secret language.

What about you?

You never tell me about your love life.

- There's nothing to tell.

(birds chirping)

If this is making you sad, we can go.

- It's okay.

We can be sad together.

(people chattering)

What are we doing for the anniversary?

- You told me not to plan anything on that day.

- Well, I didn't wanna do anything touristy,

but I still wanna do something special for papa.

Like a memorial, you know,

hold each other and cry.

(lips kissing)

(gentle music)

- [June] Hello?

(gentle music continues)

(candies rustling)

- So,

you came back for your massage?

- Are you the one giving it?

- I can give it to you

and your mom.

- Okay, is it just me or is everyone here

like an actual honeymoon couple?

- Yeah, the honeymoon weekend deal is popular

with honeymooners.

- Right.

There's just so many happy couples everywhere

and they're all gonna be on the tour with us tomorrow.

Fuck.

- Do you want a private tour?

- That, thank you, that's so sweet of you.

- My pleasure.

It will be

double the price.

- Oh.

I really wanna give my mom a special trip,

so yes, okay, let's do it, yeah.

- Okay.

It's Lela and June Mayeri,

and we're in room 11, - Okay.

I'm June.

- Should I charge it to the the card on file?

The name is Lela.

- Yeah, uh huh, yeah. - Yeah?

- Thank you.

So are you the one giving us the private tour?

- No.

(Lela sobbing) (door opening)

- That was fast

Mom, about the tour tomorrow,

it's actually gonna be just the two of us.

Is that okay?

- Of course, darling, I miss you.

Can you do me a favor?

Can you help me wash my back?

- What?

No, mom, that's weird.

- What, I don't know how anyone can wash their back alone.

- Just turn around in the shower.

(shower running)

(birds chirping)

- Fuck those fucking fucks.

The morality police in Iran just killed another girl

for an inch of her hair showing.

- Mom, can you please stop reading sad news.

We're only here for a few days,

let's try to have fun, all right?

Can you hand me my sweater?

- People are marching all over the world for women.

For Jina.

- Who?

- Mahsa Jina Amini.

She's the one they killed

that started all this Woman Life Freedom.

How can you not know about this?

- Oh no, I know who Mahsa is.

Of course.

- Jina was her Kurdish name.

She was Kurdish too.

So you should call her Jina.

It means life,

- Jina.

- Jina.

- Jina.

(Lela speaking Farsi)

- She looks just like you.

She could be your younger sister.

- You really think she looks younger than me?

(soft music)

(phone playing)

- Mom, go to sleep.

- [Lela] Sorry.

Are you awake?

- No.

- Can you help me turn this

"Remember this day” thing off?

- What?

Mom, what the fuck?

- [Lela] It keep showing me the worst hospital photos.

- [June] I don't wanna ever look at those pics of dad.

- Sorry,

I can't make it stop showing them to me.

I mean, how'd you turn it off?

- Nobody knows.

- June joon?

- What?

- [Lela] Can you hold me from behind?

- Mom,

I'm not dad.

- [Lela] I know.

(Lela speaking quietly)

- Mom! (Lela farting)

Mom.

- Sorry, June.

Sorry.

(water lapping)

- Have you ever slept with your mom?

Or you know what I mean, like just,

can, can we just get two separate beds?

- The honeymoon special package comes with one bed.

You don't like to share a bed?

- I mean, it depends on with who.

- With your mother.

- No, that's what I'm saying.

- There is a double room, but it's double the price.

- There's no like other way you could help me.

- It is double the price.

- Okay, we just really can't have any more alone time.

- Oh, your private tour guide will be here shortly.

(quiet lively music)

(birds chirping)

- Where should we go for the anniversary?

- Can I ask you a favor?

Could you not tell the tour guide

about dad and the anniversary and all that?

And please like no political or religious debates,

like nothing about Iran

or the Islamic Republic

or like women getting killed, that kind of stuff.

- What if the tour guide brings it up?

- Can we just try to have a good day?

(birds chirping)

Remember the magic ocean pool Dad always talked about

where you could feel the hot and cold water

at the same time?

Remember how he could never forget the taste

of the sweet corn

that was cooked in the hot springs?

We are gonna taste that just like he did.

- Do you want a jacket?

I brought you one.

You're gonna get sick as a puppy.

- It's sick as a dog.

(birds chirping)

- Hi.

- [June] Hi.

- Hello.

- I'm Joao, your tour guide.

- I'm June, this is my mom.

- I'm Lela.

- Nice to meet you. - Yes, you too.

- June, Lela.

You ready to have fun today?

(light music)

So what brings you to Azores?

- Just a little mother daughter trip.

- That's nice.

Not everyone is so close with their mom.

- Well, we never see each other.

She lives on the west coast.

I live on the East coast. - Oh.

Different oceans.

But your accent, where,

where are you from?

- Oh, I'm Persian, from Iran. - Right.

- But my Iran doesn't exist anymore.

See, after the revolution in '79,

these monsters took over, took the country backwards.

Women aren't free anymore.

My family's Kurdish.

We had to run away, I was very young.

Her family moved to England, so.

- Wow.

Right.

I meet people from all over the world.

But maybe you are the first from Iran.

- Do you know the Woman Life Freedom movement.

- So Joao, or am I saying that right?

- Joao.

It means Yeah, it means John in Portuguese.

- Oh. - Yeah.

- June means my dear and Farsi.

- Really. - Joao?

- [Joao] Hmm?

- What was it like growing up here in paradise?

- It's, it's normal,

school, family, surfing.

- [June] Oh, you surf?

- I just ride the waves I get.

- Cool.

(lively music)

(engine rumbling)

(birds chirping)

- [Lela] Thank you.

(birds chirping)

- [June] The air feels so good up here.

- Do you want a jacket?

- I'm good.

(birds chirping)

- Yeah, I can't look.

- What's wrong?

- The waves,

They're so good today.

It hurts.

(June laughing)

- So funny.

- I'm not joking, it really hurts.

- Oh, sorry, I'm sorry. (phone ringing)

- Sorry, just give a second.

- Sure. - Hello?

(birds chirping)

- Should we do it here? - No.

No, mom, put it away. - Why?

- Please.

We'll do it on the anniversary.

- Where?

- We'll find the right spot.

It has to feel right.

We'll do it tomorrow.

- [Lela] Should we ask Joao if he has any ideas?

- [June] What, no.

- [Lela] Do you like him?

- Do you?

- Come on please.

He could be my son.

You know, when I met your father,

he used to say I was playing it cool.

I wasn't playing, I just wasn't drooling all over him

like every other girl.

- What are you saying?

Wait, he's back, he's done.

- [Joao] Sorry about that.

- It's all right. - It's okay.

- You want a picture?

(lively music)

- Where I'm taking you,

you will see two lakes next to each other.

One is green and one is blue.

You know why?

- [June] Why?

- It's a love story.

There was a beautiful princess.

She had blue eyes.

- They always have blue eyes.

- [Joao] She loved nature.

And she ran away and met the sheep farmer.

He had green eyes.

- Just like dad.

- They fell in love.

But when the king found out,

he forbid them from being together.

So they secretly met one last time and cried together.

Their blue and green eyes cried

the tears that made these lakes.

(birds chirping)

Yeah,

Sorry about this.

Let's wait.

Sometimes it clears up.

- [June] It's still beautiful.

- Yeah.

- It's sad.

Stories of separated lovers.

- It's actually science.

The real reason the lakes are blue and green is algae.

But Azoreans love romantic stories.

More poetic.

- Just like Persians.

Hmm.

Reminds me of a poem by Rumi.

- Rumi's, a famous Persian poet.

- Oh.

- It's about seeing a beautiful garden

filled with pomegranate flowers.

If you're not there, these don't matter.

If you're there, these don't matter.

- Persian poems are all so dramatic.

It's very like, if you're not here,

I will break my heart and it'll shatter like glass

and I'll walk on it for thousands of years.

- And June's too scientific for poetry.

You know, when she was little,

she used to dress in her father's white coat

and play doctors. - Okay.

Mom. - For her teddy bears.

- Mom.

- That's true.

I mean, she was the best in her class at medical school.

- Dr. June?

- No.

No, not any, I left.

The hospitals are

too sad.

- You know,

when a big wave hits you

and you fall and

the world beats you up,

it takes time

to go back in the water.

- Because it does take time. - Yeah.

- [June] We gonna go in the hot and cold ocean pool?

- Yeah, yeah. - Yeah?

- Yeah, we'll go there.

- Don't you get tired of doing the same tours all the time?

- The place is the same, but the people are different.

- Yeah, I bet you get to meet so many new people.

- Every day is a new goodbye.

(upbeat music)

- [June] Obrigada.

- [Joao] De nada.

How do you say thank you in Persian?

- [June] Merci?

- Like French? - Uh huh.

- [Joao] Oh, can you teach me more Persian?

- [June] Can you teach me how to surf?

- [Joao] With your mom?

- [June] Or just me.

- [Joao] She would like it.

She understands the wave of life, you know?

- [June] Me too.

(birds chirping)

- Yeah, let's wait for your mom.

(June coughing)

You okay?

- Yeah.

Yeah,

- Everyone

wants to have a real talk with people they just meet.

Sometimes it's just

on the surface of the water.

But your mom,

she's like

diving deep, is like--

- I like to just

go with the flow. - Yeah.

- And she asks real questions.

My grandmother just want to know if I have a girlfriend, so.

- Oh, my mom's a couple therapist,

so she'll want to know that too.

Do you?

- Oh, therapist.

Wow.

- I am too old for this.

- Mom, don't say that.

- So you are a therapist?

- [Lela] Yes.

- I, I never talked to one.

What do you talk about in therapy?

- Hmm.

Your mother.

- Okay, I will never see a therapist.

- Well,.

takes time

to open up about some things. - Yeah.

Takes time. - Yes.

(lively music) (all chattering)

- Yeah, but I'm taking a break.

(lively music continues) (both chattering continues)

(lively music continues)

(water flowing)

(lively music continues)

- Are we going to the hot and cold ocean pool?

- [Joao] Yeah.

(lively music continues)

(waves lapping)

Sorry.

The waves are good for surfing, bad for swimming.

- [Lela] It's still beautiful,

isn't it, Juni?

Just like he said.

- [June] Should we go to the corn now?

- [Joao] What corn?

- [June] The corn they cook in the hot springs.

- Oh, the, the corn ladies, no, we, we don't go there.

Sometimes they are there, sometimes not.

You never know if you would be lucky.

(waves crashing)

You see those rocks over there?

It's a love story.

- Let me guess,

another sad ending.

- Don't be rude, June.

- A nun and a monk run away to be together.

(phone ringing)

I'm so sorry.

Hello?

- [Lela] Honestly.

- So

now I take you back.

But,

can I stop home and check on my grandma?

That was her calling me.

- Yes, of course, is everything all right?

- She doesn't like to be alone for too long.

- Hmm. - It's better if I check.

You can meet her if you want.

She just has some memory problems.

Yeah,

I take care of her.

It's,

a long goodbye.

- I'm sorry sweetheart.

- Yeah.

(gentle music)

(water flowing)

I can take you back anytime.

You really, guys, don't have to stay and help.

It's not necessary.

- No, it's fine.

You know,

she stayed with my dad in the hospital

every night for months,

and she slept on a chair next to his bed

and held his hand

every night.

That was a long goodbye too.

Cancer.

Tomorrow's the one year anniversary.

- Oh.

My condolences.

- Don't tell her I told you.

- No, don't worry.

My mom left when I was little

and my father

left before I was born.

- Oh,

I'm sorry.

- People leave.

- Is that your surfboard?

- No.

It's Vovo's.

(both chuckle)

- I need the bathroom.

- Oh, it's over there.

- June, what are you doing?

Go and help.

- No. - |-

(birds chirping)

- She always found a way to make my husband smile.

Even in hospital, she brought music.

He loved music.

He loved life so much.,

Always with a cappuccino in the sun.

He didn't have it easy.

He lost his father young.

He was alone.

But somehow he managed to, to love life again.

But life betrayed him.

His body betrayed him.

I can't believe it's been a year without him.

- I'm very sorry.

- Don't tell her I told you.

She never talks about it.

She's so much like her father.

- I think she's like, you too.

- Do you think so?

- Azorean pineapples are very small and sweet.

We grow them inside glass houses.

Once there was a fire inside

and it was like the pineapples knew their life was short

so they got ripe as fast as they could,

but they didn't have time to grow too bigger.

Just sweeter.

- Hmm.

- Like the guys here,

short, but sweet.

- [June] Is that you?

He's so cute.

(Vovo and Joao speaking Portuguese)

- [Joao] She forgets I grow up, sometimes.

- It's all right.

Hmm.

(birds chirping)

- [June] That's my dad.

He came here a long time ago.

- Oh wow.

Wait,

I know that beach.

- Really? - Yeah.

It's, it's one of my favorites.

- That's where we should go tomorrow.

- Yes.

(Vovo speaking Portuguese)

- Vovo.

- What'd she say?

- She said you should keep it.

Yeah, that's a good reason to come back.

- What did you say?

- I teach you Portuguese if you teach me Persian.

- June doesn't speak Farsi.

- No, I, I do speak a little Farsi.

(soft music)

(birds chirping)

- Obrigada, for everything.

- De nada.

(birds chirping)

- Every day's a new goodbye.

- Yeah.

(birds chirping)

Or hello.

(engine starting)

(phone video playing)

- Mom, are you watching sad news again?

- They arrested the musician

who did the Woman Life Freedom song.

I need to do something.

I need to tell the world.

Can you help me post it?

- Okay, but I'm your only follower.

- They've taken everything,

even music.

I thought there was hope.

I thought I could go back before I die.

But no.

- Who's dying?

Do you have to say that in the most Persian way possible?

- Oh,

when I die,

don't forget I left you my gold necklace,

the one with the Persian coins.

It, it's in my underwear drawer.

- Did you see the dancers?

- What dancers?

- The Iranian dancers.

The women that were dancing without their veils outside.

- Hmm.

- Aren't they so fucking brave?

- They're shir-zan.

Lion women.

- [June] Wear your glasses.

(upbeat music)

(birds chirping)

(people shouting)

Mom?

What is this?

- [Lela] Who said you could go through my bag?

- Are you taking antidepressants?

Why didn't you tell me?

- I just bring them

with me in case. - They're not candy.

You can't just pop one when you feel sad.

You have to take SSRIs as prescribed.

- If you wanna play, doctor, go and finish your residency.

- Mom, I'm serious.

Are you taking these?

- No,

they're not even mine.

- But dad didn't take antidepressants.

Why didn't he tell me?

- He didn't want to make you sad.

You were his Adam's apple.

- It's apple of his eye.

- Whatever.

You know what he was like.

What did he talk about

when he spoke about his trip to this island?

- How beautiful it was.

- Right.

That's all we ever heard.

But he came here right after his father died.

Do you think it was all beautiful?

- But he did find a way to actually enjoy life again, right?

Like he was happy.

- Nobody's happy all the time, darling.

But yes.

He, he, he, he was happy

after we met.

And then when we had you,

sometimes we'd just sit outside once you'd gone to bed

and we'd smoke and talk and,

and say how happy we were

with our little life,

- He smoked too.

- Just a little pot.

(insects thrumming)

- [June] Hi Joao.

- [Joao] You miss me already?

- [June] I have a question for you.

Do you think we can ever truly be happy?

Or is it just an illusion?

- [Joao] Okay.

I thought you would ask

where is the best food in Sao Miguel.

- [June] Ha, ha, sorry.

- [Joao] I think

it comes in waves

in the little moments,

but it's not forever,

Even more good reason to ride the wave when it comes.

Even if it will go

because it will go.

For example,

right now,

I know you are leaving soon, but

every cell in my body

wants to make you cum.

(upbeat music)

- [June] Why didn't you do something all day?

- [Joao] Your mom was right there.

What was I supposed to do?

I'll drive to you right now

and fuck you in my Jeep.

(upbeat music continues) (June quietly giggling)

- [June] Okay.

(upbeat music continues)

- [Joao] Good girl.

(insects thrumming)

(Lela farting)

(birds chirping) (bells tolling)

(birds chirping)

(marching band music)

I think there's some kind of march or something.

- [Lela] Maybe it's for Women Life Freedom,

- [June] I don't think they're following the news from Iran.

(marching band music continues)

- [Lela] Papa would've loved that.

Like a Fellini film.

I couldn't quite tell if it was a mourning or a celebration.

- [June] I think it was both.

(waves lapping)

- [Lela] Should we do it now?

- Okay.

Everything okay?

- I can't find it.

- What?

What?

- Dad's hair.

It's not here.

- Well, maybe you left it at the hotel.

- No.

No, I always bring it with me.

It's gone.

- Mom.

Fuck.

- I'm sorry.

June, I'm really sorry.

I miss him.

I'm such a mess.

- Stop, it's fine.

It's okay.

(waves lapping)

What are you doing?

(soft music)

(upbeat music) (waves lapping)

Will you take a picture of me?

Like Dad? - Yeah.

(people chattering) (people whistling)

Okay, got it.

Come on, get dressed. - Why?

- [Lela] Those guys, they're staring at you.

Put this on.

- Is this dad's jacket?

- [Lela] Yeah, put it on, let's go.

They've seen enough of that.

- Mom.

Really?

- Really what?

- What about Woman Life Freedom?

- What are you talking about?

- You keep trying to cover me up.

- You're being too melodramatic.

Come on darling, let's go.

- Every time I wear whatever I wanna wear,

that's me saying "fuck you"

to the people that wanna throw a veil over us.

Do you understand that?

That when I don't hide and, and when I appreciate my body

and when I feel pleasure,

that that's me being free.

And that's, that's me celebrating my fucking life.

Like dad, like remember when dad wanted

to be alive more than anything?

And then he couldn't eat anymore

and his body was disappearing

and now he we're alive.

We're alive.

Can't we just enjoy being alive?

- Be honest.

You wish it was me, don't you?

- Did you not hear anything I just said?

- Trust me, I wish it were me too.

- Oh my God, oh my God, stop.

Please stop.

- He just wanted us to hold each other.

We cried together.

- I don't wanna cry.

- Like apple, like tree.

- You mean “the apple doesn't fall far from the tree”.

(people chattering)

(brooms sweeping)

(engine rumbling)

- You missed me already?

- I did.

- Where is your mom?

- I don't wanna talk about my mom right now.

- Okay.

What do you want to talk about?

- I don't wanna talk.

(shower running)

- God, your body's like a wave.

(rock music)

Let's do like this.

(rock music continues)

- Um, I like the other way.

(shower running)

(rock music continues)

(Lela moaning)

(rock music continues)

- June, are you okay?

(Lela moaning) (shower running)

(June crying)

(shower running)

- [June] I really thought I could just have a good time.

- I am having a good time.

- Really?

- Really.

How do you feel?

- I feel

good.

(thunder rumbling)

Mom?

(thunder rumbling)

- I forgot an extra jacket.

(soft music)

(hair dryer humming)

(thunder rumbling)

- I'll just go and get some candles.

- [June] Oh, I can go.

- No, stay.

Your hair's still wet.

- Wait mom. - Yes?

- Thank you.

- It's just candles.

(rain pattering)

Hello?

- Good evening.

- Hi.

- Hi.

You came back for your massage?

- Me?

- You.

- No, I came

for candles.

- Oh, of course, for candles.

But you can't have fire in your room.

- Oh.

- You can stay here with me.

- Excuse me?

- We have candles,

We are going to put it on the lounge areas for the guests.

- I'll just go and tell my daughter.

For her.

- Take one for you too.

- [June] No.

No.

- [Lela] Merci.

- Okay, one more.

Service back?

What is it?

- The dancers you showed me.

They were arrested

for dancing.

(lively music)

D Til we are D

D Til we are D

(lively music continues)

(water bubbling) (birds chirping)

- Okay, enough now.

(birds chirping)

(waves lapping)

(lively music)