All language subtitles for Ai.Weiwei.Never.Sorry.2012.1080p.BluRay.x265-RARBG.eng

Let's start.

We have a lot of dogs and cats.

Out of the 40 cats,
one knows how to open doors.

Where did this intelligence
come from?

All the other cats watch us
open the door.

So I was thinking,

if I never met this cat
that can open doors,

I wouldn't know cats
could open doors.

The biggest difference
between people and cats

is that cats
will open the door

but they will never close it
behind them.

Oh, it's right here.
I was looking for this hat.

Being an artist
within the system.

It's too cold in here,

but the light in this room
is great.

Don't you want
to connect them?

Not yet.

I'm getting ready
for two shows right now.

One is for the autumn show
at Tate Modern in London.

The other is for
the Sao Paulo Biennial.

At this point,
my head is empty.

I don't know
what I'm going to do.

I've been asking everyone
around me for good ideas.

Actually, I have
very little involvement

in the production of my works.

I mainly make the decisions.

I prefer to have other people
implement my ideas.

Or maybe I just have an idea,
and somebody else can use it.

I'm just his hands.

I'm like an assassin.

He tells me, "Here's some
money, go kill this person."

I wouldn't ask him,
"Why do you want him killed?"

That's silly.
You just get it done.

We're just hired assassins.

When I eat, there isn't enough
for the rest of you!

He's okay just eating buns.

He always feels
art is not a big deal.

"What the hell is art?"
he may say.

I think that his role here

has surpassed that
of an artist alone.

Describe yourself.

I consider myself more of a...

more of...
a more of a chess player.

My opponent makes a move;
I make a move.

Now I'm waiting for my opponent
to make the next move.

Every year, I do more
than 100 interviews

with international press.

Same goes for Chinese media.

Typical Chinese critics

are mild but skillful.

They don't criticize the
Communist Party or government.

But Ai Weiwei is different.

He uses
the most aggressive words

to point out
society's dark side.

- Hello.
- Hello.

Are you the Sichuan Post-Quake
Reconstruction Office?

Yes.

We want to know more details
about the student death toll.

The death toll is a secret.

What do you want
this name list for?

Are you some kind
of American spy?

At the time I was at home

taking care of my child,

I was reading Ai Weiwei's blog
on SINA.com.

That was before
it got shut down.

A lot of people
were reading it.

One day,
I saw an entry he wrote

about investigating the student
deaths from the May 12th quake.

He said he was
seeking volunteers

to help him to do his work.

How many casualties
were there?

About 94.

The volunteers went
to every town

to ask parents and schools
for the names of the dead.

You can't call it
tofu construction;

it's the dregs of tofu!

A group of parents
came together

to have a reunion meal.

They said it was
an illegal assembly.

They detained five of us.

Did authorities know
you were Ai Weiwei's people?

They suspected it,
but we dodged the question.

We said we were all volunteers,
there on our own.

The way I see it, we weren't
there as anybody's people.

We were just doing
the same work.

That's what
I've always thought.

It's like we were doing
the same work as Ai Weiwei.

I think it has to do with
every one of us.

It doesn't just have to do
with art.

It also has to do with life.

Blogs and the internet

are great inventions
for our time

because they give
regular people

an opportunity
to change public opinion.

There was a group of people

like him in Beijing,

like Ai Weiwei, long ago,
in the Cultural Revolution.

Their parents were party
members, very famous ones.

But their fathers were labeled
as "Rightists" in 1957.

Mao didn't like them.

They feared nothing
and condemned everything

and said whatever they felt.

He's like his father,
the poet Ai Qing.

He was also an opinionated
and romantic artist.

Artists can
easily offend others.

When my father was 18,
he went to Paris to paint.

He came back when he was 20.

He was captured by Chiang
Kai-shek's Nationalist Party.

They kept him in prison
for many years.

By the time he got out of
prison, he was a famous poet.

After that, he joined
the Communist Revolution.

He went through 40 checkpoints
on his way to Yan'an.

That's idealism.

At any checkpoint he could have
been thrown in jail or killed.

During political struggles,

my father was always the
biggest enemy of the people.

There were political actions

in every corner of China then.

No one could escape it.

One time during
a demonstration,

I remember someone used
brushes and ink,

the kind
we do calligraphy with,

to splatter my dad's face.

His whole face was covered
in black ink.

Another time someone used a gun
to beat his back.

Things like that
happened many times.

Weiwei saw all of this.

My dad tried to kill himself
many times.

These are experiences
I cannot erase.

Before that trip to Chengdu,

we'd never met
the activist Tan Zuoren.

We just heard he was
also investigating

the students' deaths.

If a society, when faced with
such a big natural disaster,

has no one who speaks up...

I think maybe I'd rather
not be a part of it.

Where's Lao Ma Ti Hua?

By the time we got to Chengdu
it was about midnight.

They took us to grab a bite.

We had the local snack,
lao ma ti hua.

Thank you for your hard work.

Then we were followed back
to the hotel,

but Weiwei handles this
his own way.

He went over to the police car
and asked them,

"Are you following me?"

You looking for me?

What are you doing?

Nothing, just asking
if you're following me.

I don't know you.
I'll call the police!

Go ahead.
Call the police.

Motherfuckers.

They didn't look right to me.

ID cards.
Take out your ID cards.

At about 3:00 we heard...

The sound of banging
on the door

was incredibly loud
and terrifying.

I said, "What the fuck?

Who is fucking knocking
at this hour?"

I started to swear like that.

They shouted, "Police!"
So I had to stop.

The police can give you
a lot of trouble.

- Who's there?
- Police.

- What police?
- From the local station.

Why are local cops
knocking on doors so late?

- Inspection.
- Inspecting what?

Identity papers.

Who allows you to check IDs
at this time?

We'll explain things
after you open the door.

Open the door.

The police
kicked the door open.

This young cop
wanted to show off.

He went up and punched
Ai Weiwei.

- You're hitting me?
- Who saw it?

Is this how
police officers behave?

Who hit you?
Where's the wound?

How did my clothes get torn?

You did it yourself!

I tore my own clothes
and beat myself?

That's right—
it's the only explanation,

because I didn't see anyone
hit you.

Officer 7998,
I'm taking your badge number!

Where are my five assistants
that you detained?

I just want to know
where they are.

I don't know, and I'm not
sure I can find out.

Where are they being detained?

It's not that they are being
detained exactly...

You took them away!

You can't say that you don't
know where they are.

It hurts so much.

It's like my head
is splitting open.

It was like this
back in China too,

but I thought if I waited
it would get better.

Fuck you, motherland.

Fuck you, motherland.

When he was unexpectedly hit
in Sichuan, I was terrified.

It was something
I never imagined.

For us, life and work
are mixed together.

That's because our home and
our work are in the same place.

So being together, getting
along for so many years,

16 years...

It's pretty special.

Antiquing was one

of our father's hobbies.

This love for antiques

eventually became a part
of Weiwei's art.

He started smashing pottery.

Things from our past
often influence our future.

There are reasons
behind some things.

Did your family
influence you?

I don't really think my family
influenced me very much.

Could we visit your mother
to ask her about you?

That wouldn't be good.
She's too old.

How she sees me
isn't who I really am.

Here's an idea: just find
a random person to be my mom.

It'll be fine.

Just ask about her own son,
then write my name instead.

I could write a contract.

It'll say, "I authorize you to
interview any random mother."

Then you can say
it's an artwork of mine.

- Weiwei?
- Yes?

Look.
We have guests today.

Hello, hello.

How's your head?

Well, it was treated,
and now it's fine.

I'm very lucky.
I almost died.

How does it feel seeing all
these articles about your son?

I feel very proud,

because he speaks out
for the average citizen.

I wish he would just be
purely an artist.

One person cannot solve the
problems of the whole country.

But if everyone ignores
the country's problems,

what will happen?

What will happen?

Mom, let me give you a DVD.

It's about the earthquake
investigation

to collect the names.

Watch for a bit,
and you'll understand.

Over 5,000 students died,
and they didn't have to.

So are you searching
for the cause?

Yes, think of their
families...

You understand.
You're a teacher.

They were their parents'
only child,

from three-year-olds

to students
about to start college.

Their farmer parents put

all their hope and resources
into them.

Some very bright kids.

One loud boom,
and they're gone.

You have to investigate

if there was shoddy
tofu construction.

Every night I can't sleep.

What are you doing?
There's no need to...

I'm worried they'll bully you.

If they want to get me,
they will.

There's nothing we can do
about that.

No, those people...

I'm worried that Mommy
won't see you again.

Don't worry.
I'm not afraid.

How can that be?
Aren't you human?

We all endure what we can.

I've thought this out
clearly.

You say this so lightly.

So what can you do?

Well, you're my son.

So what?
Come on, this is unnecessary.

This isn't necessary.

You don't need to worry.
There's no need for this.

Many people say

that the government
doesn't touch him

because he has so much
foreign support.

But didn't they still
beat him up?

Didn't they still silence him?

The government isn't afraid
of anyone.

If the government was afraid
of someone,

it wouldn't be
the government anymore.

Liu Xiaobo was not convicted
for his thoughts.

Liu Xiaobo, by doing things

like publishing
his essays online,

incited the overthrow

of China's political power
and system.

This violates Article 105
of the Criminal Law

of the People's Republic
of China.

This is the crime of inciting
subversion of state power.

After he was punched,

we kept writing to the Chengdu
Public Security Bureau,

but they never gave us
a response.

Hello.
We are here to file a case.

Oh, you're Ai Weiwei.

Yes.

Oh, now I get it.

Now you get it.

Hand me a DVD
of Lao Ma Ti Hua.

This is for you to watch.

It's a film we did
about what happened.

About what happened?

Yeah.

Your company affiliation?

None.
I'm an independent artist.

Can you state
what you are here for?

I was assaulted here.

I'm here to report
my assault and...

I'm mainly here to report
my assault.

You don't want to sit?

No.

Today Mr. Ai Weiwei came here
because he was hit.

We hope you will start
an investigation soon.

Does this get mixed in?

It's for dipping.

I was one of his earliest

and most loyal fans.

Did you know they call us
"Ai fans"?

Teacher Ai?

Yes.

I follow you on Twitter.

Have a seat.

I'm not staying.

I'm completely content now
that I've seen you.

Thank you.

We'll go
as soon as we finish eating.

We think Chengdu food is best
when eaten outside.

We came all the way
from Beijing.

What time do you think
you'll be finished eating?

It'd be good for us to know.

When we finish what
we've already ordered,

we'll go inside, okay?

How much longer will that be?

Half an hour.
Half an hour.

Weiwei has a hooligan side.

So he knows how to deal
with other hooligans.

Because the Communist Party
are just hooligans, really.

So you have to turn yourself
into a hooligan as well.

He didn't say anything.

He didn't take anything
when he left either.

He just wanted to leave.

He had hours and hours

of free time every day.

We'd be out,
and he'd suddenly say,

"Atlantic City is calling me
to go gambling."

Why did Weiwei and I
come to New York?

We came here to have this
great collision, so to speak.

He used his camera
like it was his diary.

I saw one of his works

at Cohen's place,

the profile he made
from a coat hanger.

I really liked it.

I saw him on a hunger strike.

During his hunger strike, he
tied something around his head.

He wrote "Fuck your mother"
on it.

He stayed like that at the
UN building for several days.

Sure he had worked hard

during those 12 years
in New York,

but he didn't have anything
to show for it.

He explained that his dad
was old and sick.

He wanted to be at home.

What are those?

These are some
of our documentaries.

Here's Lao Ma Ti Hua, also
the Sichuan earthquake film,

and my work Fairytale
you can share

with your colleagues
at the magazine.

Great.

In an interview,
you once said:

"We became more human
after the '80s."

Freedom
is a pretty strange thing.

Once you've experienced it,
it remains in your heart,

and no one can take it away.

Then, as an individual,

you can be more powerful
than a whole country.

Yeah, this is the first issue

of the Black Cover Book.

It's from 1994.

It was a very free space.

You could write anything.

Weiwei's three books—

the Black, White,
and Gray Cover books—

were very important
for Chinese contemporary art.

All three books have
my poetry and lyrics in them.

In that, his wife held her
skirt up in Tiananmen Square.

We'd stand by art galleries

and ask people,

"Hey, are you interested
in this book?"

So we'd sell them secretly.

It was very tense.
It was like an adventure.

I always thought
of the Black Cover Book

as an exhibition on paper.

They also introduced artists
like Marcel Duchamp,

Joseph Beuys,
and Andy Warhol.

The show's Chinese name

was Uncooperative Attitude.

Its English name
was Fuck Off.

To do something like that
back then

required a lot of courage,

because in China
at that time,

a lot of things
were illegal.

Fuck Off had a lot
of experimental art.

The atmosphere
was very good,

a lot of positivity
and creativity.

There were also
performance art pieces,

like Yang Zhicao planting grass
in his shoulders.

When he made the Black
and White Cover books

and put together
the Fuck Off show,

he was mainly concerned with
issues facing the art world.

But now China's developing
so quickly,

and there are
too many problems,

so he is getting involved in
China's broader social issues.

Yanping, how many names

did we get just now?

4,546 names of children.

Pick a name to read
and record it.

You can use your cell phone
or a computer to record it.

Then email it to us.

It's only been one week?

That's right,
less than one week,

last Friday night
that Teacher Ai

put the request
on Twitter.

We are always trying
to think of a way

to get everyone involved.

The earthquake anniversary
is coming up,

so I think this method
is very good.

It helps everyone to learn
about using resources,

making recordings,
and sending messages online.

Have you seen

the list of names
in his office?

Three years
of blood and sweat

have turned into a few pieces
of paper on the wall,

covered in tiny names.

I think Ai Weiwei's
doing work

that the government
should be doing.

This is our country,
our government.

What are they doing?

Are they busy divvying up
their money?

Daddy's here.
Let's go.

Daddy's here.
Mommy will carry you.

Oh!

We have two guests here
today.

Grandpa's cousin's daughter.

She worships you.

I don't need people
to worship me.

They've been waiting
to see you.

It's like they're waiting
to see a master.

I don't want to see them.

I refuse to see them.

Beans.

He's so good
when you hold him.

Ai Lao is happy

when his dad
takes him out.

Weiwei is very good
to Ai Lao.

He's happy
when Ai Lao is happy.

Take a look.
Nice, right?

Who is this?
He looks like the devil.

Weiwei,
you look terrifying here.

You're like the leader
of the mafia.

Dandan, I told you not to buy
ice cream bars.

Why don't you listen to me?

It's not like we have them
every day.

We only live once, right?

You eat an ice cream bar
every time you come here.

These little ice cream bars
are so good.

I got mung bean flavored ones.

He so good with you.

He's giving me melon to eat.

Give Dad another piece.

Give Dad a piece.

All gone.

He's not fussy at all.

All gone.

Don't give him any more.
No more for you.

It's all gone.

Do you think you're
an optimist or a pessimist?

Your actions
often feel optimistic,

but when you speak out
about China,

you seem like a pessimist.

Pessimist, really?

I think I'm actually
an eternal optimist.

I think optimism is whether

you're still exhilarated
by life,

whether you are curious,

whether you still believe
there is possibility.

From this perspective,
I am very much an optimist.

I'll take a look.

This is in response

to our inquiry about
the Chengdu beating, right?

"After our exhaustive
reinvestigation,

"we stand by
the original findings

of the Chengdu Police."

This has to be posted online.

If it's not publicized, it's
like it never happened, right?

Save a copy for our records.

Okay.

This is the report we prepared
on his case.

It includes the photos
he took that night.

We've prepared 15 copies.

Weiwei has

a very strong
personality.

The more you push him,
the more he'll resist.

It's not allowed here.

No, listen, you tell me
where it is allowed.

Leave the courthouse!

Okay?

It's not like things
will change

after some news report
comes out.

Of course, some people
have to pay tragic prices.

Like Liu Xiaobo.
He's in prison.

They accepted our materials!

No photography here!

Thanks.

He thinks they won't see us
today.

It can be done.

We must follow
standard procedure.

Please turn that off.

Don't touch me.

If you touch me,
you'll be in trouble.

What you're doing
is illegal.

I'm acting illegally?
You're acting illegally.

You detained me before.
Was that legal?

You illegally detained me.

You're abusing the law.

No, you're abusing the law.

I recognize you.
It's you.

I recognize you!

The police are hitting people!

The police
are hitting people!

You should be tweeting.

Be clear about
what happened today.

Write more than one line.

If you tweet nonstop,

people will understand
what's happening.

I took his glasses off
to take a photo of his face!

Do you have that tape?

When I took
his glasses off?

How much can they do in a day?

It's about two rows
per day.

When we got here,

they'd already done about
half of this.

So it'll be done
in another day and a half.

It's on now.

It's not just a nomination,
he won, right?

You see,

everyone is retweeting
what I just posted.

He's smelling them.

For Mr. Liu Xiaobo

and many others
who are jailed like him

or have gone missing
or have been hurt

or have no outlet
to speak out,

this is a great reward.

I think that

what he's doing
is art,

but other people,
like the Chinese government,

don't get it.

He really is making art.

He really
has to protect himself,

because he is just
so precious.

I know very well
that here,

in the end,
they will crush you.

Then he would be gone,
and that would be a great loss.

What are your plans?

Are there restrictions
on your freedom?

Can you say a few words?

I'm very happy
to see my son.