All language subtitles for The Far Side of the Moon (2003) -- Robert Lepage-En

Before the telescope, people
thought the moon was a huge mirror,

and the mountains and oceans
on its luminous surface...

were merely the reflection of
our own mountains and oceans.

Later, in the 20th century,
when the first Soviet lunar probe...

sent back images of
the far side we never see,

the world was stunned to find
the moon had a second visage,

more deeply scarred by the
pounding of meteorites...

and other celestial debris.

NASA scientists
liked to ca“ it,

'the disfigured
face of the moon.'

This irony mostly reflected
the fact that from then on...

all craters on that side
would be named after...

Soviet cosmonauts and
great Russian writers.

The first crater was
named Tsiolkovsky,

after Konstantin Tsiolkovsky,
the great engineer...

who originated the formula
that allows us to break free...

of Earth's gravity.

Tsiolkovsky also conceived
the first liquid-fuel rocket...

that detached in stages
during its ascent,

allowing the Russians,
50 years later, to launch...

Sputnik.

The first artificial satellite
emitting a signal...

that could be heard
on radios all around the world.

Tsiolkovsky's greatest
prediction was that...

One day, Man would walk and live
in weightlessness on the moon.

The ideal refuge, he said,
for those who find life heavy.

"THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON"

Now boarding...

Guidance...we're a go.

Roger, you're a go...you're
a go to continue parking.

You're a go to continue
parking there.

Roger.

Forward...forward...
2O feet down, go to...

May I speak to the
lady of the house?

Hello, Mme. Raynald Brochu.

Le Soleil is currently
soliciting subscriptions.

We're offering a free 2-week
trial period, after which,

if you're still interested, you'll
get 15% off the normal price.

Would you be interested?

Pardon me?

No, that's the
Journal de Québec.

This is Le Soleil.

No, they're a tabloid.

We're a real newspaper.

The big format.

Doesn't fit in your mailbox.

That's a reason not to subscribe.

We'll take note of it.
Thanks, goodbye.

Hello, André?
It's Philippe.

Where were you last night?

No, I waited half an
hour at the laundromat.

You never showed up.

You can't give a dead
person's clothes to charity...

without washing them first.

Do me a favor?

Adopt her goldfish?

It's a little fish in a bowl.

You're allergic when you eat
fish, not when you feed fish.

It's the last living
thing Morn had!

I can't flush it.

When do we meet
about the will?

Would you mind
showing up this time?

Going somewhere?

It's not even 1:00.

Well...

I thought, since I sold
my quota, I'd leave.

If you hadn't made personal
calls, you could've sold 13.

I didn't make calls, plural,
I made one...to my brother.

He was verbose.

Family stuff...you know?

No.

You have a family?

No, 2 dogs.

- Are you married?
-No.

Never wanted to have kids?

A dog's housebroken
at 3 months.

At 10 years, it's dead.

In a rush?

My thesis defense is at
2:00 at Laval University.

Thesis?
What's it about?

Narcissism.

The theory of my dissertation
tries to demonstrate that...

space exploration in the 20th century
was motivated by narcissism.

To support my theory,
I'll refer to the work...

of the Russian engineer,
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.

If you go to page 25 of the
paper I sent you last week,

you'll find a photo of
Tsiolkovsky visiting...

the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Tsiolkovsky had conceived
a structure tall enough...

to exceed the stratosphere,
and reach into space.

This structure had a small
elevator to carry people...

to an observation deck
located at the top.

He called this,
"the space castle".

So, we clearly see the
influence of fairy tales...

on his engineering.

The only thing
hindering construction...

of such a structure is that
there exists no material...

strong enough to support its weight.

But if this problem were solved,
it would cost approximately...

40 U.S. dollars in
electricity for each ascent,

compared to the $400,000,000 U.S.
it currently costs...

for every space-shuttle launch.

Tsiolkovsky is
famous for saying,

"The earth is the cradle of Man,

but Man can't spend his
whole life in a cradle".

With these fine words, I proceed
to the main argument of my thesis.

Careful.
This vanity's an antique.

Cover the mirror and
carry it separately.

No, leave this here.
My brother will get it later.

Sign here.

Our satellite picture shows
the storm system prevailing...

over most of North America,
bringing heavy rains...

to the American west coast, changing
to blizzards once they reach Canada.

This will move east overnight,
changing into freezing rain.

If you live in the Gaspé region,

you should take tomorrow off,
and be careful...

on the roads in eastern Québec.

Closer to home, as expected,
temperatures are way above...

seasonal norms, starting with
a high of -8 for Toronto,

-10 in Ottawa, a little
colder in Sudbury at -15,

-14 in Chicoutimi, -10
for the Montreal area,

and a cozy -12 for
the Québec City area.

That's it for now.

On behalf of all of us,
I'd like to wish you all...

a very happy holiday season.

Use the money to
go to Florida!

It's only $5,000.

What can I do with that?

You're 42, you've never flown.
It's weird.

When I try to help,
it's always the same story.

You thwart me.
You know what your problem is?

Pride.
Too much self-esteem.

Where do I sign?

That's it?

She had nothing: about $5,000 in
savings bonds and no life insurance.

Did her fish have a name?

She called him Beethoven.

He's deaf, or plays the
Ninth when he's fed?

How did your defense go?

Badly.
I was rejected again.

Really?

What will you do?

I don't know, find a
sympathizer and appeal.

What else?

You got more guts than me.

Two rejections,
I would've given up.

Know what?

The problem isn't
the content.

I'm sure it's the way
you present yourself.

Whenever you address a
group, you get flustered,

you mumble, you babble.

Try the exercise we did
in announcer school.

Every day, we stood in
front of the class and said,

"I speak loudly and
I'm not ridiculous!"

"I speak loudly and
I'm not ridiculous!"

Repeat this until you muster
the volume and energy...

for your delivery.

What if you don't
get your Ph.D.?

Planning to live forever
on loans and bursaries?

What else?

You're so chicken.
There's this amazing woman...

I don't need financial advisers.

She's not an advisor,
she's a financial medium.

Huh?

She reads wallets
like tarot cards.

To see if you respect money.

Otherwise, it
won't respect you.

She examines your wallet.

Is it real leather or vinyl?
ls it wrecked?

Are 5's with 5's, 10's
with 10's, 20's with 20's?

She helps you get rid of
things you don't need,

to make room for new money!

She thinks money
is like a guest.

If it doesn't feel
welcome, it won't stay.

I don't have a wallet.

How do you carry
credit cards?

I don't have any.

Your money?

Easy.
I have none.

You would, if you took the
5 measly grand Mom left me...

as my Christmas gift to you.

Mom's dead, Philippe.

She'll never know her
last wishes were adjusted.

Everything she owned-
clothes, furniture,

and goldfish...

Instead of having
a yard sale,

you bring it all here where
there's no room to breathe.

You don't make room in your life
for new things to happen.

It's unhealthy to stay
in your childhood home!

Where did you put my coat?

In the closet on the left.

Would you look at this?

If I were money,
I could never fit into this.

Bye!

Call me when
you're not so moody.

Now, a serious question.

Are we alone in the universe?

Or does there exist another
form of intelligence...

asking the same question?

With us this morning is
Marie-Madeleine Bonsecours...

from the Canadian bureau of
S.E.T.l., who'll outline...

a new approach to this question
of extra-terrestrial life.

- Welcome, Mme Bonsecours.
- Hello, Monique.

What does S.E.T.l stand for?

S.E.T.l. means Search for
Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence.

Excuse my
rudimentary English.

Mine's the same!

It's an organization devoted to
the search for intelligence...

or forms of
intelligence beyond Earth.

It was created in 1959 by
2 physicists from Cornell...

who thought that by
transmitting radio waves...

we could communicate with
other solar systems.

And now you're soliciting
the public's participation.

Yes.

So far, our program has focused
on listening for messages...

sent by extra-terrestrial
civilizations.

Now, we're asking the public to
send their messages on home video,

intended for unknown civilizations.

Really?

I could send a tape of my son
falling asleep in his ice cream?

No, not really...

The selection will
be quite serious.

This is a contest.

We'll choose 10 videotapes,
convert them to binary code,

and send them into space.

To participate, here's the
address: Project S.E.T.l.,

261 Cactus Drive, Box 105,
Phoenix, Arizona, 95020.

Again, those who wish to
participate should...

send their tapes
to Project S.E.T.l.

261 Cactus Drive, Box 105,
Phoenix, Arizona, 95020.

Stay tuned.

After the break, chef
Alberic de Tiers...

will be demonstrating
Norwegian cooking.

We can already
smell the salmon!

When we earthlings seek
protection from the elements,

we take refuge in "houses".

We less fortunate ones take
shelter in "rented apartments".

So, this is my
rented apartment.

We're in the "living room".

Entire families once
lived in such places.

They'd gather here at night
around the fireplace...

telling stories, talking
about their day.

Of course, TV has now
replaced the fireplace.

TV tells the stories.

TV talks about
the day it had.

This is what's
called a "sofa".

It's very practical,
especially for guests.

If you visit, you'll sleep
here, so keep that in mind.

Unfortunately, there's
only 1 bed in my place.

We have all kinds of beds:
single, double, twin.

But sleeping in a single bed
doesn't mean you're single.

Sleeping in a double
doesn't make you a couple.

And twins are rarely
slept in by twins.

It's often a couple, bitterly
wishing they were still single.

Here, we have the kitchen.

This is a very important
room where we prepare...

the vital elements of nutrition.

Hence, the appliances.

But in my kitchen, the best
appliance is the phone.

It's essential
to my nutrition.

It allows me to order food.

Then, we have the toilet.

Some think calling it a
"bathroom" is more elegant,

but when it's dirty, leaky
and unrenovated for 40 years,

I would call it a "toilet".

There's also a storage room
but it's pretty boring,

except for some of my
parents' furniture.

There are boxes of old
clothes, women's shoes.

My mother had dozens of them.

She found it very important to have
a pair of shoes for each dress.

She loved showing
off her legs,

the anatomical part
she was most proud of.

But in the end, she couldn't
wear her pretty shoes.

The doctors started by
amputating her toes.

Then, it was her feet.

Then they had to
amputate her legs.

It was a catastrophe.
My mother had gorgeous legs.

Even though he was
preordained to be a painter,

his interest in aviation
led to piloting jets...

and studying engineering.

Among his many exploits, he
executed, on March 18, 1965...

the first walk in
space, and, in 1915,

he participated in the
Apollo-Soyuz mission,

the first one to join together
Soviet and American spaceships.

That was when I had the pleasure
of meeting Alexei Leonov,

and I had the good fortune
to be his interpreter.

You cannot get any closer, sir.

Do you think that afterwards,
it would be possible for me to...

uh, to meet him
just for a few minutes.

Because I have a document
I'd like him to read.

You can leave the document to me
and I'll pass it on to him.

Yes, that's very nice of you
but I prefer that, uh...

nobody else and myself...

We have to inspect
all suspect persons.

Yeah, but it's...

ls it compromising material?

No, no, no, no, no
it's just a theory.

A theory about what?

Just give me back my document.
Give me back my document.

Would you give me back my document?

I'm often asked about
the difference between...

a cosmonaut and an artist.

But for me,
it's the same thing.

Both must have curiosity...

and a sense of adventure.

I just wanted him
to read my thesis.

If he agrees with it,
I'd ask him to endorse my Ph.D.

That's all.
I'm not a terrorist.

Yeah?

And what's all this?

Those are receipts.

Ever heard of a wallet?

Hey.
I'll talk to him.

Mr. Leonov has agreed to
meet you Thursday night...

at 10:00 in the bar of his hotel
to discuss your theory.

In that case, he should keep it.

It's fine.
We made a photocopy.

Hey!

You photocopied my thesis?

You can go.

That bozo xeroxed my thesis!

Hello?

The lady of the house, please.

No.
Mommy.

No.
Mommy.

Go get Mommy.

Mommy.

Go get Mommy.

Hello, Daddy?

Wait, sweetie.

I'm coming...

Mommy.
Go get mommy.

Coming...

Here...

Hello.
Hello. Hello.

Hello, I'm calling
from Le Soleil.

We're soliciting
subscriptions,

and our special offer is a
free 2-week trial period.

After this, if you're
interested...

Philippe?

Excuse me?

Is that you, Philippe?

Yes, it is.
Who's speaking?

Don't you recognize
my voice?

No, sorry...

Who is it?

Nathalie.

Nathalie?

I'm really sorry.

I'm trying to reach...

- I was calling Mme...
-Rodrigue Brochu.

Right.

That's my name.

What do you mean?

It's my husband's name.

When did you marry?

It's been...
3 years at least.

Really?
I had no idea!

Why not?

- No one told me.
-No, that's impossible.

We sent you an invitation.
Did you move?

No, same address
and phone number.

Yes, 692-5400,
I remember...

No, that's not my phone number.
That's my mother's number.

I mean, it was my
mother's number but...

She died 2 weeks ago.

Really?

My God.

Forgive me.

Sorry.
I don't know what to say.

You don't have
to say anything.

That's how it goes.

Anyway, her quality of life
at the end wasn't great...

Was she sick?

Her kidneys were shot.

She had dialysis
3 times a week.

She had to calculate the amount
of water she could drink daily.

She probably miscalculated,
and the excess water...

filled her lungs and heart.

When your kidneys don't work,
water builds up.

But...are you OK?

I'll be fine.

Don't you worry.

It'll be fine.

Listen, this is really an
incredible coincidence!

Listen, Philippe...

You're not soliciting
for a living?

Right now, yes,
but it's temporary.

But I heard you were
teaching at Limoilou College.

God, I haven't taught
there for at least 2 years.

It must've paid well?

Substitute teaching is
not very lucrative.

And I never had any
authority over the class.

Il look them 5 minutes to realize
they could walk all over me.

- Do you still teach?
-No, no, no.

Well, if you're living at...

51225 St. Louis Road in Siller,
you sure don't need to work.

What are you insinuating?

Nothing.

It's just that...

you needn't feel guilty
about hitting the jackpot.

Are you saying
I'm a kept woman?

- I didn't say that.
-That's what you meant.

- You're misinterpreting again.
-How should I interpret it?

You're being paranoid.

I was waiting for that.

Let's just stop.

Why, you want to cop out?

I know how this'll end.

Getting shit from my ex
wasn't on my agenda today.

Listen...

I'm sorry...

I'm glad to catch
up with you.

Sure, but I won't be
taking a subscription.

Fine.

Nathalie, I wish
you all the best.

Okay.

Bye.

Bye.

Coffee break.

Ten minutes.

That's the second time I caught
you making personal calls.

One more time...
and you're out. Get it?

It's almost like baseball.

Hey!

Cut the crap and make up
the time you already wasted.

Ignition sequence starts...
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, O.

All engines on.

Lift-off.
We have a lift-off!

And we're getting a
picture on the TV.

OK, Neil, we can see you
coming down the ladder now.

- Hope you have a good picture, huh?
-There's a great deal of contrast in it.

- What's on?
-Go back to bed.

Turn it off!

Hey!

Gimme that!

That's one small step for man...

Phillipe?

...one giant leap for mankind.

Mommy! Mommy!

Good.

Look up.

Down.

What happens when I do this?

It's a little blurry,
but I can see.

And this side?

I can't see anything.

Listen.

We got the results
from this morning.

On the X-ray, we spotted
a lump developing...

under one of his cerebral lobes,
pinching the optical nerve,

and obstructing the circulation.

That's why he has trouble
seeing from that eye.

There's a new treatment.
It's called chemotherapy.

It shrinks the tumor
before removal.

Of course...

it's still quite
experimental and...

the operation is delicate.

The welcoming parade
for Apollo 11...

You collect rocks?

You'd make a good astronaut.

That's all they did
up there: pick up rocks.

It occurred to me that if
you wanted to visit us,

you would have to
locate us first.

So I prepared this
little demonstration.

First, according
to scientists,

our solar system
is inconspicuous,

located somewhere in the suburbs
of our very ordinary galaxy,

which is in the
suburbs of the universe.

Take a left after the
mall and you'll find us.

But if you hit a planetary
alignment like this,

we live on the third
planet from the sun.

In any case, you can't miss it.

It's a blue planet.

It's marbled, from the
maelstrom of organic elements...

that foster life on Earth.

The planet's overpopulated,
with over 6 billion inhabitants.

So you should park
on a nearby planet.

It's crowded here.

Here on earth, we know
the universe is infinite,

yet we live as if
in a fish bowl.

We simply can't accept that
the universe might contain...

a superior intelligence.

So we swim in circles,
contemplating our navel.

Man is so convinced he's the most
complex and perfect of creations,

he seeks mirrors everywhere
to gaze at himself.

He's always measuring
and comparing himself.

In his search for perfection,
he pushed his narcissism...

so far as to create God
in his own image.

Excuse me, is that
the right time?

Yes, it is.

Is this the only
bar in the hotel,

or are there other
meeting places?

This is basically it.

I was supposed to
meet someone at 10:00.

Obviously, he's not coming.

Maybe you missed him.

I would've recognized him.

I was meeting Alexei Leonov.

- Who?
-Alexei Leonov.

Who's that?

- A hockey player?
-No.

A cosmonaut.

He's probably...

one of the most important
in the Soviet space program.

The Russians had a
space program too?

Of course.

When?

The same time as
the Americans.

How do you know this?

Because everyone knows it!

- Good night.
- Good night. Good night.

And the guy I was supposed to
meet tonight is very...inspired.

He's an artist.

A painter.

He paints.

That's why I wanted...

to have a chance to talk to him,
ask him questions.

Not just scientific ones,
personal ones.

Like, I don't know...
how he manages everyday life.

I guess...l don't know,
let's say...you spend your life...

exploring the cosmos,
orbiting Earth.

You know, things others don't.

And how, when you get back,
do you handle things like...

broken vacuum cleaners
and dishwashers.

How do you manage to reconcile
the infinitely banal...

with the infinitely essential?

How do you cope?

That's something I'd
really like to understand.

If the Americans
hadn't won the race,

Leonov was the one
the Soviets picked...

to be the 1st man on the moon.

Can you imagine how
bitter he could be?

And we think we
have ego problems.

You gotta be Zen to transcend
that and agree to take part...

in a cooperative space
program with the Americans,

the Soyuz-Apollo mission.

Although you're the loser,
you carry on and get over it,

have your space encounter,
shake the American's hand,

invite him to your capsule.

Yeah, well...

That interests me.

Bitterness is ultimately the main
obstacle to reconciliation.

You can't reconcile two people or
individuals if you harbor bitterness.

Take me.

I have a brother.

He may be, I don't know,
the only blood relative...

I still have living here on earth.

I don't know...

It's like I feel the need
to...get close to him...

To get over my
bitterness and reconcile,

but I can't get motivated.

- Why not?
-He's an asshole.

A terminal bourgeois,
a compulsive liar,

talks incessantly about money,

his fancy car, the condo
he just bought in Old Quebec...

with his "boyfriend".

I don't care if he's gay,
but, like most gays I know,

he's carefree, rich and lucky.

What does he do?

Weather.

The weather channel,
the guy with the goatee.

The guy with the
colonial accent.

He's so pathetic.

Standing there every day
by his satellite image.

He basically thinks
that, from space,

the earth looks exactly like
that: with dotted lines...

and arrows that show
how things work.

And borders.
You can also see borders.

From outer space!
Ladies and gentlemen...

this is the border
between Gaza and Israel,

the civilized world
and the Third World.

Here's Quebec and the
other Canadian provinces.

All compartmentalized.
Nothing can change.

The worst that could happen
is freezing rain and hail!

Just calm down.

He's not aware how
complicated things are.

Diplomacy's complex.

From space, Earth's a big pizza
where people have trouble coping.

Good night.

- Good night. Good night.
- Good night.

Sure, I'm jealous,
but not of his cash, his car,

or his historic condo,
but of his minimal conscience,

curiosity, and
compassion for others.

What makes my life hard
and makes me suffer...

my awareness,
my education, my curiosity,

and my great compassion...
it's all over his head!

Anyway-

What's all this mean?

Last call.

What time is it?

Time to knock it back
and give us a break.

You're closing early?

Is Montreal still in Quebec,
or has it merged with Ottawa?

No, we're closing.

What's your problem?

You want to finish early,
or you find me boring?

Just say so.

Am I boring?

Speak UP-

People have been telling
me that for 40 years.

Not boring.
Just drunk and loud.

The place is empty, damn it.

This is ridiculous.

No, it's not...

I speak loudly but
I'm not ridiculous.

I speak loudly and
I'm not ridiculous!

I speak loudly and
I'm not ridiculous!

Excuse rne, Miss...Is it too
late to call a guest here?

It depends...
what's his name?

Mr. Alexei Leonov.

Sorry, the Russian delegation
checked out at 2:00.

That's impossible.
How come?

There's a blizzard coming.

They wanted to
get a flight back.

But there's not a
cloud in the sky.

What can I say?

You can't always
trust the weatherman.

Excuse me...l don't mind,
but that's really not my thing.

Oh...that!

Don't get me wrong.

Aren't you Philippe?

That's my name.

I'm Carl.

Carl.
André's boyfriend.

Oh, Carl!

You're Carl?

I knew it was you.
You're identical.

You think?

Come on.
Like two peas in a pod.

We probably would've
met at Christmas,

but your mother died, so
no Christmas Eve this year.

Probably not.

It's dry in here.

Are you a member here too?

No, I had a coupon
for a 1-day trial.

It's handy for me.

I work at the
Finance Ministry.

What do you do?

P.R. for the Minister.

Really?

You're still at school.

Sort of...

I'm in Philosophy of
Scientific Culture.

What's that?

Great scientific events and
their impact on pop culture:

the space race between
the U.S. and Russia.

If they ever let
civilians into space,

I'll volunteer for sure.

There's no gravity in space.

Gravity's my worst enemy.

How come?

I train like a maniac,
but it pulls everything down.

I look in the mirror.
Even my face sags.

Sure.

Overtime, you turn
into a caricature.

Know what?

You must excuse me.

The heat...
raises my blood pressure.

Bye.

You undid your make-up.

L gotta go.

Tell Réal I'll be
back in an hour.

- Bye, Monique.
-Bye.

Oh, my god!

♪ All is bright. a'

♪ Round yon virgin, mother and child. a'

♪ Holy infant, so tender and mild. a'

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace. a'

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace. a'

♪ Silent night, holy night. ♪

♪ Sheperds quake at the sight. a'

♪ Glories stream from heaven afar. I

♪ Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia. a'

♪ Christ the savior is born. I

♪ Christ the savior is born. I

♪ Silent night, holy night. ♪

- Hello.
-Carl? It's André.

Sorry to bother you, but
I'm stuck in an elevator.

Where?
The studio?

No, Mom's old-folks' home.

What?
Aren't you anchoring at 6:00?

I stepped out.

I wanted to pick up that huge shelf
Philippe used when we were kids,

as a barrier to stop me
going through his stuff.

Mom called it
'The Wall of Shame'.

I met him today.

- Who?
-Philippe.

- Where?
- The gym.

I knew immediately.
You're identical.

- Even the ass.
-Come on.

We may share a family
resemblance but...

there's no time for this!

I'm almost out
of oxygen here.

What should I do?

Call the studio.
Tell them I can't make it.

Why me?

If I call them, they
won't believe me.

Why not?

I told them I was stuck
in an elevator last time.

What shall I say?

L don't know...

I'm stuck in my car,
the bridges are closed...

because some other idiot
said it would snow...

- I can't tell them that!
-Make something up!

- I won't lie for you.
- It's not lying!

You don't know
about lying, I do.

- This is a fib.
-So, I'm unimaginative.

No, you're just
mentally lazy.

Do your best.

Then call me here and
tell me what happened.

Do it now, please.

♪ >A' Been dazed and confused
for so long it's not true. a'

♪ Wanted a woman,
never bargained for you. a'

♪ Lots of people talking,
few of them know, a'

♪ soul of a woman
was created below. a'

♪ >a' You hurt and abuse
tellin' all of your lies. a'

♪ Run around sweet baby,
Lord how they hypnotize. a'

♪ >a' Sweet little baby,
I don't know where you've been. a'

♪ >a' Gonna love you baby,
here I come again. a'

Rather than see
the countryside,

we'll visit the battlefield
of the Plains of Abraham,

so you know what
nature looks like.

As its name indicates,
Battlefield Park...

was once a site of
conflict and fighting.

Now, it's rather peaceful.

A place where people come in
summer to picnic or fly kites.

I must admit that...

I prefer it in winter
because it's less crowded.

It's also a great
place for star-gazing.

In fact, I clearly remember the
first time I came here in winter.

I was 15.

That was when I'd started
experimenting with LSD.

♪ >A' Been dazed and confused
for so long, it's not true. a'

♪ Wanted a woman,
never bargained for you. a'

♪ Take it easy baby,
let them say what they will. I'

♪ Will your tongue wag so much
when I send you the bill? 4'

Mommy!

Ma!

- Carl, answer it.
-l'm refinishing.

- Hello.
-It's me.

Sorry to bother you.
I can't talk long.

I want to ask you
a small favor.

Remember the guy at the
Cosmodome who xeroxed my thesis?

He works at the Tsiolkovsky
Institute in Moscow.

He's organizing a huge conference
with speakers from all over.

Someone withdrew.
He wants me to replace him.

Amazing, eh?
I'm going!

- When?
-Next week.

So, could you pass by the
apartment occasionally,

to check the fish,
the plants and my mail?

I'd love to, but my car's
in the garage this week.

Come on!
For once, I need your help!

This is my big chance
to address my peers!

Fine, fine!
Don't freak out.

I'll send Carl.

Cut the pity, for once.
Do it out of solidarity!

Y“, Ma'am.

Yes, very well.

Hey! That's enough!
No more fooling around.

Philippe?

Pack up and get out.

I'll be back in a minute.

If you're still here,
I'll kick you out myself.

Back to work!

We have come to visit you
in peace, and with good will.

If you ever gel my message,
it'll mean you already...

received millions of
hours of television,

broadcast from Earth.

To me, the best reflection
of the contradictions...

of the human soul is poetry.

Unfortunately, there's not
much poetry on TV these days,

so I felt like reciting a poem.

This is by one of our greatest
French-Canadian Romantic poets.

His name was Emile Nelligan.

"My Mother"

I adore her old portrait, from
the glorious days of her youth.

Her skin lily-white,
her eyes shining,

like a stunning
Venetian mirror.

Here she is,
profoundly changed.

Lines have creased
her ivory brow.

She's lost the tender
brilliance that sang...

like a blushing poem.

I'm filled with sorrow
at the comparison.

One face, suffused with joy.

The other, in despair.

Golden sunset.

Mist dancing,
as years recede.

And yet, my heart
is mysterious.

How can I smile at
these withered lips?

Before such radiance,
how can I weep?

I took out last year's X-ray
to compare it with this year's.

Follow me.

We'll do the scan
before it gets too busy.

Doctor, is it dangerous to fly
after you've had brain surgery?

- Where'd you hear that?
-On TV.

The specialists were saying
that, after brain surgery,

you must avoid pressurized
areas to prevent hemorrhaging.

That's a wives' tale.
You've flown before.

No.

And I'm leaving
for Moscow tonight.

Moscow on your first flight?
What an initiation!

Doctor Levasseur
requested in obstetrics.

By the way, I'd like to
offer my condolences.

For your mother.
It's sad.

I admired her a lot.
She was very brave.

I saw her doctor.
He told me how it ended.

What a pity.

It was better that way.

Once you start amputating,
patients soon get discouraged.

Most get suicidal
much sooner.

But she was stoic
in her pain.

Her desperate act was understandable
under the circumstances.

Excuse me...

What "desperate act"?

Let's not start
playing word games.

Let's call a spade a spade.

Yes, but...

You're not implying...

- You talked to her doctor?
-Yes.

Well...
What did he tell you?

To read her death
certificate.

That only charts
physical cause of death.

He couldn't write she killed
herself by drinking water!

Why are we
discussing this now?

You should've consulted
her doctor long ago.

Nothing was ever mentioned!

Maybe you wouldn't listen.

Hello.

Glad to see you.

Passenger Aleksei.
Passenger Bradley.

Where are you going?

Are you here for
the conference?

The conference is over, over.

- I don't speak Russian.
-In Russian.

I'm attending the conference.

There is no one left.
They went home.

It has been over
for sometime now.

- Look what time it is.
-That's the wrong time.

5 minutes to 5.

Good Lord!

lam telling you
the right time.

5 minutes to 5.

What do you think
lam fooling you?

Look, look, I'll open
the door for you.

They have already
left a long time ago.

They talked and talked all day.

Then they went home.
See there is nobody there.

Look, it is empty.
As I said, they all went home.

We waited for you,
you know...

Now, everyone's gone.

Wait.
I'll come down.

I'm a bit relieved you
decided not to wait.

To be honest...

I don't know if I
could've done it.

I'm very sorry I was late.

I've been preoccupied.

I forgot to adjust my
watch upon arrival.

You mustn't be bitter.

May I request a
reference, at least?

No.
I can't.

Sugar?

Why not?

Because I disagree
with your theory.

Why did you invite me?

To fuel the discussions.

I agree with you that...

since the beginning
of Humanity...

Man has sought mirrors
to gaze at himself.

But he doesn't do it
solely out of narcissism,

but out of a desire
to know himself.

If this desire didn't exist,
there would be no science.

There would be no art
to show us both...

our virtues and our flaws,
our physical wounds...

and wounds to our self-esteem.

Voila.

5,4, 3, 2, 1

So, tonight, freezing
rain, violent winds,

with gusts up to 15 kph.

You should stay home to
avoid slippery roads.

Accidents have been reported.

Same forecast next
week in our capital,

where more than 40,000
viewers have no electricity.

Thought so.
No power for 2 days.

It's freezing in here.

Go check the pipes,
while I get the mail.

- Doesn't work!
-Really?

- André, come and see this.
-What?

Look at what?

What's wrong?

Maybe it's just frozen.

If we thaw it,
it might revive.

This isn't Walt Disney,
it's a fish!

It's frozen stiff.

What now?

What else?
Measure it and get another.

What for?

To replace it!
I can't tell him!

Why not?

He'll decapitate rne!
He'll accuse us of neglect!

Find an open pet shop.
I'll do the rest.

- Maybe he'll react...
-Listen, I know my brother.

He's non-negotiable.

- Why?
-He thinks I'm an asshole.

- When's he coming back?
-What was that?

- When's he coming back?
-No, before that.

I said, he thinks
I'm an asshole,

and you mumbled something.

What was it?

Mumbling, that's all.

Too bad he thinks that.

Is it what you think?

André, don't start.

Truth or Consequences.
ls that what you think?

No, it isn't.
Maybe a bit.

- Really?
-Yeah.

Out with it, then!

Mistruth is one thing,
but lying to your brother...

Enough petty moralizing already!

I won't be lectured to
by a dim bureaucrat.

Where are you going?

Carl!

Hello?

Yes, I accept.

Yes.

Philippe?

Yes!
How're you?

You're in Moscow?

Listen...
I can't talk, Phil.

It's an emergency.
Call me later.

My taxi's waiting.
I'll leave my cell on.

I'm at your
apartment, actually.

He's fine.

Yes.

He looks a little
stunned, but he's fine.

Okay, listen, Philippe...

I don't know how to tell
you this, but I'm afraid...

Beethoven's dead.

Not the composer, Mom's fish.

It's not my fault.
I came over...

There's an ice storm, no power.

The place is freezing,
the fish is frozen.

It's not my fault.
I did what I could.

I hope you're grateful
I fed it for a week,

and I'm honest enough
to say he's dead.

I could've gone to a pet shop
and replaced it with another.

You'd never have known!

I know it's the last
living thing Morn had!

Now I'm the last
living thing Morn had!

So you better change
your damn attitude!

Philippe?

Philippe?

Are you really crying
or is this bullshit?

But why?

Not for a damned fish!

So why are you crying?

This isn't fair.
We're a world apart.

I can't help you if
you won't confide.

Did you know Mom's death
was probably a suicide?

Yes, I did.

Did her doctor tell you?

No, she did.

She often talked about
it when I visited.

Why didn't she talk to me?

I don't know...

You took such good
care of her, I guess...

she didn't want you to think
you did it all for nothing.

She felt sorry for me?

Of course not.
No.

If she felt sorry for either
of us, it was probably me.

Did I get any mail?

There's a letter from some
organization in the U.S.

Yeah?
Are you sure?

The stamp has Elvis on it.
You applied for immigration?

Gimme a break.

I don't know how
deep your despair is.

Open it.

It says, "Dear sir,
We're pleased to tell you...

that the video message you created
for SETI was selected among hundreds,

and will be one of 10 messages
broadcast into space...

...to be received by
extra-terrestrial civilizations...

- What the hell is this?
-A contest I entered.

- When'd you make the tape?
- Keep readingl

"Your original technique
and unusual ideas...

were unanimously accepted by our
international scientific jury.

Please respond promptly,

M. M. Bonsecours,
Director, SET! Canada.'

Congratulations!

- Don't force yourself.
-But I mean it!

- Your snide tone.
-What tone should I use?

You're never proud of me.

Sure, I am!

Your first video,
and it wins.

You say no one
listens to you.

Now the whole cosmos will.

Something to celebrate!

Still coming back Tuesday?

Yeah, early evening.

What time?

I don't know, 7:00-7:30.

- Via Toronto or Montreal?
- Why?

If it's Montreal, I can
come get you in the car.

We don't have to
come straight back.

We can eat out.

- You're flying business class?
-No.

- You'll be starving.
-Don't take me anywhere fancy.

There's the new new-media
district they're building.

- What new-media district?
-New shops, hip restaurants.

Gotta hurry.
It'll last 6 months.

At that hour, would a cafe
or a restaurant be better?

Well, that depends on...
on what you want to eat.

I don't know
what I'd want...

Come on, Philippe.

Do we have to
decide right now?

How can I reserve
if you can't decide?

You decide.

You're the guest of honor!
You decide.

Well, let me think about it.

How about sushi?

"ALWAYS HIGHER"