Daughter (2022) - full transcript

Family is the most
important thing in this life.

You know that, right?

Right.

You know why that
had to happen, right?

Right.

Then you know you could've
prevented it, right?

Right.

So you'll try harder next time?

Right.

Alright.

It's alright.
Settle down.



I want you to
understand something.

I don't want to hurt you.

I don't want any harm
to come to you at all.

But if it comes to it,

you will be harmed.

Do you understand?

This could be the safest place
you've ever been.

If you let it.

Or...

you will die.

You don't want that, do you?

Good.

Neither do I.

Nothing in
there but water.



Please, just let me go.

Let me tell you how
it works in here.

We're not violent people.

You'll be safe as
long as you are safe.

Nobody's going to touch you.
Not in a sexual way.

I promise you.

Your name is Daughter.

You can respond to Sister
when it's appropriate.

I won't tell anyone.

I promise I won't, please.
-Daughter.

Daughter, listen
to me now.

Listen to me.

You are safe here.

But you're not gonna
leave this place.

Not for a while.

It's okay.

Listen to me.

The truth is

I need you.

I need your help with something.

And it took me a long
time to find you.

Please.

This won't be easy
for you, I know.

I know I'm asking a lot for you.

And things won't be
like they were before.

I'm sorry about that.
I am.

But I can't do this without you.

In a couple of years,

he'll be all alone.

And I want these last few years
to be special.

And after that,

all of this...
All of it can end.

You can go home,
and you'll be safe.

Unharmed, you understand?

It will take some time
to know each other first.

But a decision will need
to be made pretty soon.

Boy, I told you not yet.

Nobody here wants to hurt you.

Nobody, okay?

I'll let you think about things
for a while.

I hope you make
the right choice.

Are you trying
to get sick?

Easy there.
You're okay.

Just thought you
might be hungry.

There's somebody I
want you to meet.

This is your mother.

We had you 20 years ago, but we
tell your brother it was 18
years ago.

Because you're too
old to be here now,

but we still need you around
for a couple of years.

Two more years with him.

And then you can leave unharmed.
That's it. That's all we ask.

Could be fun
if you let it.

I'll let you two get acquainted.

You're very pretty.

Do you like
eggs and toast?

You don't have to
be afraid of us.

I know that'll be a hard thing
to hear for a while.

I'm here to help.

However I can.

I just want to go home.

I know.

And we'll do everything we can

to make sure
it's comfortable here for you.

We want you to be happy here.

Please, just let me go home.

I won't tell anybody.

I promise.

Please just help me.

This is going to be
home for a while.

You have to understand that.

You don't have to be sad here.

You don't have to feel trapped
or be tied up all the time like
this.

You're part of the family now.

And we just want to love you.

Please.

No.

And we want
you to love us.

If you're happy,
it'll be easier.

On all of us.

It'll be okay in the end.

As long as you do as he says.

You'll be safe here.

Safer than you've ever been.

Why are you doing this?

Because we're family now.

Family is the most important
thing in this life.

And families stick together.

For better or worse.

Was that your son?

Mm-hmm.

Now...

how about some breakfast?

Yes.

Maybe.

But not for very
long, though, huh?

There's a cost.

Out there.

A heavy cost.

The soul is immortal

and everlasting.

And uncorruptable

if you protect it well enough.

The world in all
its glory will pass.

Most of it already has.

The rest will
extinguish one day.

One day soon.

And all its corruption
and rot along with it.

But the soul continues forever.

If it's corrupted...

If it's damned...

It's damned forever.

That's the cost.
You understand?

They traded the essence
of their existence

to a temporary plane.

Now they're paying the price.

But we can help them, right?

There has to be
other people like us.

Everybody can't be sick, right?

The diseases out there
don't play by the rules in here,
son.

There are no rules out there.

That's why it got so bad.

"The finite is nothing if not a
transition into the infinite."

Man's purpose is to
surpass the limits of life.

This home...

is our finite.

If we make it safe
in here, then...

this is like the world for us.
A world we gained.

But to let
people suffer...

We knew that we could've helped.
That has to be bad for our
souls.

So what does our world matter

if we gain while others suffer?

You know what?

I think you're on to something.

That's it for today.
Go on and play.

We'll save the
rest for tomorrow.

Is Sister okay?

Can I play with her soon?

We have to be sure
she's not still sick.

We need to be careful.

When she's ready.

This is just to
hold you in place.

Then I can let the
other ones go, okay?

We'll get you there.

I have to learn to
trust you first.

Trust takes time.
You know that.

And hopefully by then, you'll
trust that I am a man of my
word.

And I hope that you've been
listening to what I've been
telling you.

There we go.

Now, see?

That's better, isn't it?

What do you say?

Thank you.

My pleasure.

See?

It will get better here.

But there's a couple things
you need to understand.

Everything I do, I do to
protect that boy in there.

He's special.

And right now he
needs his family.

His whole family.

What can I do?

How you behave over the next
couple of week determines what
happens next.

How the rest of your time here
will be spent. It's entirely up
to you.

Show me that I can trust you.

Okay.

School starts now.

Know all of it.

Trust it.

Then we can talk
about what comes next.

Smile.

Rise and shine.

You finished?

I think so.

You ready to behave?

He's dying to meet you.

If you're ready.

I'm ready.

The rot stays out there.

I know.

I want to help.

I will help.

I'm very glad
to hear that.

How do I play?

I can't say how happy I am to
be here with the people I love.

Today is a big
day for all of us.

We finally have our beloved
daughter back with us.

It fills me with joy to know
that our family is whole again.

We are all going to do a better
job this time.

To keep you safe.

Make sure you don't
get sick again.

Thank you.

Will you try your best, too?

Yes.

Alright then.

Welcome back, Daughter.

-Would you like some help?
-If you'd like.

Could you grab that one?

What's with the whispering?
You know I don't like that.

Just making sure she knows
she's been doing a great job.

It's so nice to
be together again.

That can be said in front of
the family, don't you think?

Yes, of course.
My mistake.

And you, Daughter?
Anything to say?

No, sir.

Just happy.

I don't like secrets.

Secrets in a place like this
are dangerous.

Families rely on trust.

We're not gonna have an
issue with trust, are we?

No, sir.

Good.

I hope not.

And please...

call me Father.

Everything okay?

Yeah, I'm having fun.

-Is this all you do for fun?
-No, but...

Father says it's good for you
to take things slow here.

And why does he say that?

Because of the air.

And the games help you
get more comfortable.

What happens...

when I'm comfortable?

What do you mean?

What am I getting
comfortable for?

To move in, silly.

I miss having my sister around.

So, I hope you'll stay.

I don't like when
it's just me, but...

father says that's
just a part of life.

-What is?
-Being alone.

I've had a lot of sisters,

and I'm always alone
until they come back.

Mother thinks you'll
be here awhile.

I hope you can move in soon.

And then what?

And then we can have more fun.

It's your turn.

No, the other one.

Right.

Sorry.

"And so man left
it up to the future

to justify its
present existence.

Thus, its existence
was never justified.

The present was corrupted

and the future
left unattainable.

They toiled away,
and they rotted

one generation
after the next.

Blinded by the delusion

that their sins would
never catch up with them."

Why?

How'd they let
that happen?

Daughter?

They act irrationally.

And it gets them in trouble.

They act out of a desire to
possess something that isn't
theirs.

Yes.

"You desire and do not have,

so you murder.

You covet and cannot obtain,

so you fight and you quarrel."

"You do not have because
you do not ask. You ask and
don't receive

because you ask wrongly
to spend it on your passions."

Very good.

And sometimes it's malicious.

Why do you say that?

Because it's true.

People poison each
other with lies.

And deception.

Bad faith.

False realities.

You think
there's a cosmic order out there

to what's true and what isn't?

There exists such a thing
as objective truth.

That's enough for today, go
play. I need to have a word with
your sister.

But I don't
understand the lesson.

There's no lesson.
Your sister was joking.

A funny joke.

Oh.

Go on!

Story time later.

Don't you poison that boy.

Don't you forget what I told you
about your time here.

I'm just trying to contribute.

You're trying to be a smart-ass.

We don't tear pages out here.

False pages are mistakes.

We learn from
our mistakes.

Wear them like badges of honor.

Lest we make them again.

Understand?

So don't let me find
any missing pages in there.

Do you understand me?

Understood.

So how do we learn
from today's mistake?

What is happening here?

Why is no one allowed
to leave this house?

The outside is toxic.

It's much safer here.

It is true.

That's insane.

Now...

finish your dinner

and come listen to a
good bedtime story.

"Remus wanted the city
to be on top of Aventine Hill,

but Romulus preferred
Palatine Hill.

And when Romulus started
building, Remus got angry.

Because, you see,
to settle their argument,

Remus and Romulus sought counsel
from the gods.

And would be
delivered in augury.

Birds would be examined

to see which brother
the gods favored more.

Remus was the first
to see six birds

and took that sign
as the gods' will.

But Romulus later saw twelve

and assumed greater favor.

So he started to
build on Palatine Hill

even though
his brother's sign came first.

And in Remus's jealousy,

he mocked his brother,

who toiled away
to build his city.

Romulus,

angered by his
brother's belittlement,

decided to kill him.

And so,

his city was completed."

Hey.

I couldn't sleep.

-Something wrong?
-No.

I just can't sleep sometimes.

My sister usually tells me a
bedtime story when I can't
sleep.

I'm sorry.

I don't think I know any.

What kind of...
What kind do you want to hear?

I want something
that can help me tell my own.

What do you mean?

I want to tell a
story like Father's.

They're so good.

I never know
what'll happen next.

How can I come up
with anything like that?

Well...

He has a lot of...

help.

Inspiration...

I mean.

From the world.

You mean he knows a
lot about the world?

Sort of.

But what if I don't know enough?

I'm sure you know plenty.

Like...

what about the air outside?
-What about it?

Well, it makes
people sick.

Right?
-Yeah.

So how do you know?

I just know.

Okay.

If you had to
explain it to someone

or tell a story about it,

how would you?

This is too hard.

I didn't mean to wake you.
I'm sorry.

Tomorrow I'll help you
find a story, okay?

Okay.

-Goodnight.
-Night.

Father and Mother tell the
best stories for my birthday

and I want them
to really, really like mine.

I like when father tells stories
because he gets up

and he moves around

and he makes everything big
and loud and...

sometimes he does voices.

Like this.

Like a play.

We can make ours a play.

But it's for story time,
not for playtime.

A play.

Like what Father does.

Only ours will be better.

And more fun.

We could say the words
to the story out loud.

We could dress up
as the characters.

We could even make
our own costumes.

You know?

Pretend.

Pretend to be stories?

The characters.

The people in the stories.

It sounds dangerous.

What if we get stuck like them?

We won't.

I promise.

Okay.

But we have to ask Father first.

This is very irregular.

This is very irregular.

It sounds dangerous.

We'll be very careful.

-This is what you want? -Sister
says it will be a lot of fun.

Danger is not fun.

Please?

Like Sister said,
we'll be very, very careful.

I'll think about it.

Daughter.

I'm counting on you.

And then you say...
Here.

"One of us will
be Miss..."

And then turn to the audience.

"Kentucky."

And smile.

And then I say,

"I found this new girl
from the country."

I have a question.

Yeah?

What's Kentucky?

Nowhere you'd like to go.

It's somewhere outside?

Yeah.

Are there sick people there?

Mostly, but this
is not about them.

Don't worry.

I won't be any good at this.

Sure you will.

I can't even think
of anything to help, but...

you're doing all the work.
-No.

Not all of it.

Want to know a secret?

That you can't tell
Mother and Father?

Sometimes...

a story already exists, but...

it's not good enough,

so you make it better

by changing what's bad about it.

Someone else thought
of this story first.

But...

it was dangerous.

It hurt people.

So...

I'm making it better.

And you're helping me.

Because that's what
brothers and sisters do.

Now, we're going to have fun.

Just like what
Father does.

He doesn't make it
all up, you know?

He takes what's
there and changes it.

Understand?

It'll be okay.

I promise.

I take it you two
had a good day?

We're telling a fun story
about a soldier

and a girl who...
-No.

Don't.

Sorry.

It's just...

it's a surprise.

We want it to be a surprise
when you hear it.

So it'll be more fun.

So...

not until your birthday.

I forgot.
I'm sorry.

It's okay.

It's about a soldier?

What do you know about soldiers?

It's a story that
we're changing.

To make it better,
so that it's fun.

It's not about
anything like fighting.

It's a safe story.

A safe story.

You know how...

How you change your stories
to make them better.

What's that now?

It's an old storytelling
trick, right?

Is there something
you'd like to share with us?

Something you know
about my stories

that I don't know.

No, si...

Father.

We just want to
put on a good show.

Rise and shine.

That was fast.

We're not done yet.
I'm just going to the bathroom.

Go on then. Come back
here when you're finished.

We're done here.

What is this for?

This is for your protection.
You know that.

I'll be back in a few hours. And
everything will go back to
normal.

-Would you like to paint with
me? -No.

I'm okay.

Why does he take your blood?

He's just testing the air.
Probably means it's almost my
birthday.

Does he do it every year?

Only sometimes.

He says there's an interval.

But I don't know
what an interval is.

Does he ever take mine?

Of course not.

Have you ever
been outside?

Only to stop the sickness
from spreading.

But I don't like doing that.

Please don't make me go outside
again. -Okay.

I won't.

Promise.

A little more, please.

You've outdone
yourself this time.

-Sister helped.
-Did she?

That's what I
like to hear.

What about you, kiddo?
-I made a new painting today.

You did? You'll have to
show me after dinner.

How's the air?

You were testing
it, right?

That's right.

And I'm happy to
report it's improving.

Believe it or not.

Like I predicted.

By the time your birthday
rolls around next year,

you might be able to go help
some good souls like you wanted.

Assuming we can find any.

What does that mean?

"Do not forget to do
good and help others

for with such sacrifices,
the soul cleansed."

You heard the man.

What was the blood for?

What's that old saying?

"Curiosity
killed the cat."

Sorry.

I was just wondering
if there was a way I could help.

I'm just joking around.

After all, there's...

a cause for great
happiness today.

I told you
your brother here was special.

There's never been
anybody like him.

The blood that flows through him
will save all of us one day.

That's why the world seeks
to corrupt it so.

But soon...

He'll be ready.

You just keep being
a good sister to him.

You're helping him more than
you know. I promise you that.

Alright, lights out.

What's all this?
-We're finishing our story.

The big mystery.

Well, time for bed.

But we're almost done.

It's really fun
and requires lots of energy.

I think you'll really like it.

A couple more minutes.

Father.

Is there anything
we can use to...

put the finishing touches on it?

Like... a device.

Or a machine.

To make it look more formal?

Not by hand.

We wouldn't use it
for anything else, of course.

Just writing.

If there is such a thing...
I mean.

You know what.

I may just have
the thing you're...

you're talking about.

Maybe I'll dig it
up in the morning.

Y'all get some rest now.

Goodnight, Father.

Goodnight, Son.

Daughter.

Goodnight, Father.

Testing her limits.

I knew this would happen again.

She's too old.

She's a bad influence on him.

He's happy with her.

She's been a great
sister to him.

You too?

Of course not.

I just want a
happy family.

I want a safe family.

Then let them have this.

If she's happy, she'll stay.

And if he's happy...

then you've been a
wonderful father.

I appreciate
you, you know?

The effort you're
putting in this time.

Things keep up...

you'll be off punishment soon.

How does it work?

Oh.

That'll make it go faster.

And now all we have to do is
finish typing up the final
version

and it'll be ready in time
to practice for your birthday.

Want to see whose
hands are faster?

Okay, sure.

How do we do that?

I have an idea.

HELP I HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED
KATHERINE HUYNH

FOLLOW THE PAINTING!

What are you doing?

I couldn't sleep.

I just wanted to take a look
at your painting again.

It's really good.

I just want to make him proud.

I want to do a good job
and do what I'm supposed to do.

What are you supposed to do?

Can I show you something?

But promise not to tell father.

He doesn't know that I know.

Of course.

He says that one day
when the time is right...

my blood can save the world.

I think this is what
he was talking about.

How will you know
when it's time?

He hasn't told me yet.

The truth is
man bargains.

Sells himself.

Corrupts himself.

All for a finite world

that will never exist the
way it does in our dreams.

That's what made them
poison each other.

Poison the air.

That's what got
them all sick.

They thought for a
sustainable means to an end,

but what it really meant
was a quicker end.

That's why we work every
dayto surpass the limits of
life.

You're the infinite, Son.

One day, you'll
show them.

Daughter.

Daughter.

Daughter.

Now, how about that
birthday story?

The heat is
on in Kentucky

The heat is
on in Kentucky

The heat is
on in Kentucky

The heat is
on in Kentucky

WELCOME TO KENTUCKY

It's okay.

It's okay.

It's okay, I've got you.
It's okay.

It's okay.

It's okay.

-No, no, no, no. She's not sick.
-No!

She's not sick.
No!

No, please, don't do this.
Don't hurt my sister.

No.

I don't want another sister.

Please!

My name is Sylvie.
You need to run!

Mother!

Father!

Son.

You okay?

See, the door's closed.
You're safe.

I'm sorry.

You're safe.
Get ready to go.

We can still save him,
but we need to go soon.

Listen to me!

I'm sorry.

It's okay, hey.

I'm sorry for what I did.

I was wrong.
I was angry.

I apologize.

But you don't understand
what's happening right now.

You don't.

Alright?

We need to leave.
All of us.

It's not safe
here anymore.

You win.

I'll get what I deserve.

But please...
For the boy.

Help me.

Just because you can breathe
out there, doesn't mean he can.

I didn't mean to...

I didn't want to do that, I...

He went outside.
Those are the rules.

He was sick.
I couldn't breathe, I...

I couldn't breathe.

I didn't want to.
I'm sorry, I didn't...

It's okay.

I promise.

You trust me, right?

And you know I'd never hurt you.

Right?

See?

It's safe.

Whenever you're ready...

you can try, too.

But only when
you're comfortable.

Okay?

Everything's going to be fine.

I promise.

I'm going to call for help.

I'll be right back.

Subtitles: Bbo Subtitulado