Original subtitles

... the mechanisms that control the motions of the planets

and how a satellite moves between the planets...

Nothing seems to be able to stop the fixed link between Denmark and Germany.

Archaeologists are securing artifacts from the future factory site,

and infrastructure projects have already begun.

This pleases Lolland's mayor. Welcome to the studio: Holger Schou Rasmussen.

So what are you expecting to happen?

Well, that's a question of trade between Scandinavia and Europe.

If you take a map and make a 500 km circle around Lolland,

you'll find one of the world's highest GDPs...

We've been waiting for it for ten years now.

I'd hoped I'd be able to use the tunnel,

but I doubt it'll be finished in my lifetime.

Don't be so pessimistic.

So you like living in Berlin? - Yes, it's my home now.

But now I'm working on Lolland for the summer.

Because of the Tunnel? - Yes.

Yes, that project, but my work is for the Lolland Falster county museum.

Is it OK if I turn this on? - Yes, it's OK.

To record what we're saying. - Yes.

Today is June 4, 2018.

This is Dara Holmer from the Lolland Falster Museum

together with Leif and Birte Nielsen at 75 Runestenvej Road.

Leif, could you tell me about the farm?

It's an old family farm.

My grandfather bought it in 1927.

Then my father bought it in '47.

Thanks.

Then we bought it in '75 when my father got old.

We had hoped it would stay in the family,

but now it won't.

That's three generations.

We'd hoped it go to the fourth and fifth.

But that won't happen now.

It's sad that it'll be

covered in asphalt and turned into a highway.

So that is sad, but...

that's progress, you can't stop it.

I understand it must be tough having to move away from this place.

It is tough.

Birte, how do you feel about leaving?

Well, I don't feel too great.

Our boys were born and raised on the farm.

They built dens and we made fires in the garden.

They drew on the walls and left their mark on their rooms.

So I feel terrible about that.

And then I think about...

When we...

When I think about driving past this place,

I can't.

It's almost too much, Birte.

No, I think about

when Leif and I will drive by and see

a construction site.

I can hardly bear it.

Very nice.

Thanks.

Where did you put the things?

In the back of the car as usual. Why?

Andrzej is looking for his stuff. - Again?

He lost it or what?

Dude, there was a nice girl at the bar the other night.

Amazing. One of a kind. - And?

Did you talk to her? - Just small talk.

Gentlemen, no more talk, get to work.

OK, OK.

Move it.

Go, go, Piotrek. Move, move.

Give us the fiber cable.

Mind your feet.

Fuck, this wind is pissing me off.

Lay the cable, gentlemen.

Now fill the trench.

Andrzej, lay what you can, then fill in.

Alright, Lucek, start pulling the tape out.

Alright.

And forwards.

He tangled it again.

It has to be straight all the way to the box.

Good evening.

Good evening.

I was pretty shocked when the letter arrived.

We'd heard about plans for the tunnel,

but I didn't think it'd affect us.

I don't even understand why they want to build the tunnel.

The ferries have always worked fine.

They say it'll create more jobs in the region, but I don't know if I believe that.

But what do I know?

"January 12

Peter came today.

There was a blizzard.

It took him five hours to get here from Copenhagen.

He helped set up the bookshelves in the living room.

There are still moving boxes everywhere.

February 23

Why did I move here alone?

March 5

Gorm came by.

I made us dinner.

The scent of fried onions and tomatoes hangs in the kitchen.

He didn't stay.

I need plans for the garden.

The sun comes right into the living room now.

No, no, I'm not distant. I'm just tired. It's fine.

But, hey... - Yes.

... he's finally going. I just hope the doctors can convince him.

And I talked to your brother. They're coming next week. I'm taking care of Marius.

How nice.- They're going hiking with Stine.

Great. I'm just grabbing some wine. Keep talking. I'll hear you.

They're talking about buying a house.

Imagine, they want to buy in Sandvike! Close to Oslo.

Why not in Oslo?

Well, I'd say...

They say they want to reduce Stine's commute.

I don't know, my dear...

I'll show you the garden

See?

It's been so dry this year,

but they've done just fantastically.

And look, here are the green squash.

So pretty. They're fantastic.

I do my best.

So now I'm entering the greenhouse.

Tomatoes. Look at these.

Are they playing again today? - What do you mean "again?"

Fuck, they'll lose for sure.

I'm telling you. Fuck.

We'll do it today. - Do it! How?

Where did you put the beers? - In the fridge.

Wait, I'll check.

They're cold. You're grumbling like an old woman.

They were warm last time. - How long ago was that?

Zorro, where did you put the powder? - Here, wait.

Don't use too much.

It's expensive.

Whose turn is it today?

Przemek. - He was supposed to get us chips and beer.

A few more days.

We're finishing off one section, then I'll be back for four or five days.

As always.

But I'm still looking for a house for us.

One already caught my eye.

Yeah, I'll send it over later. Or do you want it now?

Only then can they come with it.

With the asphalt and all that.

No one can get through until we finish.

It was kind of that lady to make us pancakes. - Damn, they were good.

And that jam!

Damn, I thought you only get pancakes like that in Poland. She was talented.

And she didn't have to. - No. Maybe she has Polish roots.

Or she learned how because she's got a Polish husband.

Who knows, I didn't see a man.

Maybe she finished him off.

Could be, she was quite a woman.

So we're dealing with 800 acres.

Why do new stones turn up every year?

Well, it's unbelievable. As you can see,

Benny and Bjarne collect stones.

Every year.

And we wonder where they come from.

There are various theories.

One is that it could be the frost.

The frost freezes the earth in the winter and pushes the stones up through it.

That's one theory. Another theory is that

it's the rotation of the Earth that propels them out, the stones.

Which is wild.

I don't believe any of them.

But somehow or other, the stones surface.

You're the owner of 8 Fælledvej Road.

I'm here about the demolition of the house.

I've discovered that private belongings are still there.

I bought the property from the municipality

to cultivate the land.

I had no interest in the buildings.

I knew there were things there,

but I never...

I had no use for them, so I just left them.

I don't think anyone misses that stuff.

No family members have come to...?

No.

Did you know Agnes Sørensen?

Agnes Sørensen...

It doesn't ring a bell, no.

When are you going to Poland? - What?

When are you going?

In two or three weeks.

Or thereabouts. We'll see.

To Warsaw?

Yeah, that too.

I'll say hi.

For a day or two?

For a day or two...

Maybe longer.

Nice weather.

Look, another flint. Nice.

It needs its own bag.

This one is untouched.

Thanks, have a nice weekend.

"April 23

The first swallows have returned.

They call out from under the awnings.

I've hung Grandma's painting in the living room.

Work is better.

May 16

Lis is here.

Haven't laughed so much for weeks.

What would I do without her?

June 12

Gorm slept here last night.

I can still feel his hands.

Everywhere.

JUNE 18, 1988 RUTH ERIKSEN

SUSANNE ERIKSEN & JOHN NIELSEN INSURANCE/GROCERY STORE OWNER

INGE ERIKSEN, RØDBYHAVN FEAST OF SAINT GEORGE

LIS ENGDAL MANAGER OF NURSING HOME

How's it going? Are you finding what you want or can we help you?

No, well, I'm looking for a certain Agnes Sørensen.

She lived in the Rødbyhavn area in the 60s.

Until now.

Maybe you knew her. She was a librarian.

It doesn't ring a bell.

So that must be Agnes' farm.

Sure, I guess you'd know best.

You've been out there, of course? - Yes.

Have you tried peeling off the wallpaper? - No.

If you peel some off, you might discover something interesting.

You'll see the high water mark on the wall where the flood reached to.

It'll be about a meter above the floor.

I'll try that. - Check it next time.

Do you have a land register or other information about this farm?

I think I have the land register. It's small, so there's probably not much.

But I'll take a look. One moment. - OK, thanks.

She was fascinating.

Sorry? - Agnes Sørensen.

You knew Agnes Sørensen?

She took part in our nightingale tours in Hoby for many years.

Agnes Sørensen from Fælledvej?

And it was peculiar because

it was the locals who joined the bird tours.

And she came all the way from the other side of Rødby Fjord.

Back then, Rødby Fjord still divided those

who lived on the west side from those on the east.

So did you get to know her?

Well, we talked. She was very talkative.

She joined us for coffee after our bird-watching trip.

And then we talked.

But that was long ago.

Yes, but she came, a fine lady,

with binoculars and rubber boots.

She was a librarian in the Rødbyhavn area

and proved to be an expert on culture.

But you never went to her house? - No, never.

"June 23

Einar and Kirsten are visiting.

Have two weeks off.

We work together in the garden.

Have drinks in the evening on the terrace.

The sea has broken through the dikes.

I can't move,

I'm nailed down to the dining table.

The water flows into the living rooms,

foaming.

It takes everything in its path:

my books,

my pictures,

me...

So let's start, gentlemen.

What do we do? They'll cheat us out of our money.

If you talk to someone, could you fix it?

Listen, we'll contact you. I have your numbers.

Or we'll come to the site.

So maybe it could work out. That would be good.

We'll be in contact. - Do your best, please.

I'll do what I can. - Thanks and see you.

I wonder what those madmen came up with.

Who was that lady?

From the union.

What did she say?

She'll talk to someone from our department, and they'll try to fix it.

What about the cash? - We don't know yet.

Should we keep working or not?

We have to work. - "We have to?"

Excuse me? - If there's no money?

For two to three weeks. - "Have to," "have to!"

I'm not digging, Zorro. - What do you mean you're not digging?

What the fuck? I'm the boss here.

No money, no digging.

We work, that's it. - You work, I'm going home.

We're working and that's it. - Not me!

Don't let it go out, Mariusz.

No, it won't. You have to fan it.

Exactly.

Did it dry out your mouth?

It did not! I'll put it on the side. - Did you dry out, Piotrus?

No.

Don't fan, it's enough.

You sure? Because I'm not.

So guys, a round, huh?

Cheers. - As a starter.

Here's to safety at the site.

To Przemek. So he grows up well.

To good health.

And the colonel was standing to attention at the garrison.

Przemek and I missed things like that.

I'm telling you: I lost two years of my life like that.

Later on, they say, if you were in the army,

you came out a man, you'd learned something.

Some of us learned to smoke there. That's all.

And how to be insolent and so on.

I dug it out of the trench.

A saber. It goes on a rifle.

It's a bayonet.

You need to clean it properly.

Soak it in Coca Cola. - There isn't any.

Just like that, you could take it from a guy's yard.

And I said fuck, that's what you can get from this land?

You just wanted to fill it in? - I thought it was a silver spoon.

Fuck, a silver spoon!

This wasn't the first one. The other was first.

I was moving past, thinking: It really is a silver spoon.

What the fuck, a silver spoon! I jumped out of the digger

and tried to pull it out.

I said, what the fuck is it? A fucking sword!

You thought you'd pinned the silver spoon down with the digger!

I didn't see how fast the digger was.

I'm going over to the digger, I thought I'd be watching it.

Then I packed it in the digger.

How was it when you first came here?

In the very beginning?

It was tough.

Making the decision to come here was tough.

I made the decision with my wife because our daughter had begun to study.

We'd bought a house, invested money in it,

and unfortunately, with Polish wages it's unrealistic

to keep such a home and educate your children at the same time.

As soon as one child finishes studying, the next one begins.

And it's like that to this day.

I came here in 2007...

I think it was July or August.

It's going to be eleven years now.

I was thinking, if everything goes well, I'll bring my wife here.

They'll all come eventually. But that'll take some time.

Our youngest son needs to finish school,

but then we'll buy something here,

and I'll bring my whole family over.

I think, then everything will be OK, you know?

There won't be that longing anymore, you know?

That's all, I guess.

Well, that's obvious, you know:

Three children, a wife, it was a serious matter.

And my wife was still working back home.

But in the end we agreed that if we wanted to improve our lives,

then I'd have to do something like this,

change my line of work and country.

This separation is tough.

We'd been together all our lives.

But it all comes down to taking care of one's family.

I think they imported it from Italy.

Unfortunately, we can't help you.

It's a third or fourth subcontractor.

And... what should we do now?

It's hard. There's no union agreement, so it'll have to be a civil lawsuit.

And how long will such a case take?

Between 12 and 18 months.

Fucking great. You hear? About a year.

And what are we to do about it now?

What can we do now?

Send us your payslips and contracts and we'll do our best to solve it.

And if we send them, will you be able to help us,

or should we just say goodbye to the money?

We'll do our best, but I suggest you go home. It could take a while.

So let's say thank you and go home, gentlemen. There's no point in staying.

Sorry I can't help you.

There's nothing we can do about it.

We're going home. Period. Thanks for your help and...

we're leaving.

This is bullshit.

Nothing will come of this. We're going back to Poland.

We're getting the fuck out of here and that's it.

What did you think of Claudia?

All of a sudden, she realizes he doesn't understand her.

And never will.

Because he'll never make all the detours he'd have to

to catch up with her.

He becomes aware that he knows nothing about her.

Neither her name,

nor her address,

nor what she's doing in the town where she found him.

She said it's too late to know anything.

Knowing and not knowing

would be the same.

She says,

I'm like you now.

She says, I'm like you now.

Having emerged from a long, mysterious wait,

a form of suffering,

the cause of which I do not know.

I'm Balder. Shall we...? Anne...

Shall we roll the dice?

Kjeld, can we roll the dice? - Alright.

You don't sound so sure...

Do you know Mayer?

He's really cute.

"Peter called.

We have no more to say to each other.

July 22.

I get up,

put water on the stove,

open the garden door...

I know the sounds,

I know the scents,

know the feel of the floorboards under my feet.

August 5

Met Madsen on my usual route.

They're harvesting early this year.

It's my sixth summer down here.

October 28

The door is open.

A quiet rain falls.

That was in 2006.

And how has it been living here? - We've been very happy.

Can you tell me more about the house? - Yes, the previous owners added the dormer.

The original building was a timber frame house from the 1880s or 90s.

But it was changed into a brick house and the dormer was added.

We've continuously modernized the interior.

And then there's this nice park. - Yes.

A little park.

How do you feel about moving?

We're actually OK with it.

We've talked about moving for a while,

so this was a blessing in disguise.

Cheers. - Cheers.

What's wrong? - It's just...

What are we doing here?

I've no idea. Let's dance, come on!

Oh, there you are! - Yes, here we are.

Finally on the dance floor!

It's the music's fault.

Case file SMLF 256 Fælledvej 8, 4970 Rødbyhavn.

Contemporary historical assessment: smallholding, constructed in 1866.

One storey, timber frame. Uninhabited since 2005.

No special features.

Current owner: Knud Fulstrup, land owner.

Previous owners:

1866-1898 Hans-Jørgen Andreasen, land owner.

1898-1914 Petrine Wilhelmine Christiansen, smallholder

1914-1961 Knud-Erik Knudsen, land owner.

1961-2005 Agnes Sørensen, librarian.

Documentation concluded. Demolition request approved.

Subtitles: Way Film Translation, Matthew Way