From the Depths (2013) - full transcript
Breathe.
Breathe slowly.
Your eyes
will get used to the dark.
Don't be afraid.
This is our world
This is your home.
Do you remember ?
That's what you told me
the first time you brought me here
500 meters underground.
Dad, how long has it been since then ?
FROM THE DEPTHS
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy Name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day, our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive
Those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
Amen
Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women
And blessed is the fruit
Of thy womb, Jesus
Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners
Now and in the hour of our death. Amen
Because it's there, in the junction.
- There is nothing ... only 10%.
- That’s something...
Here it's dripping.
There was also some smoke coming out,
can you remember it ?
It wasn't in this area,
perhaps it was by the stack number 70.
A little bit further down.
I think it was around that.
No, it's oxide.
Not oxygen.
Go on ! Go on !
What's going on, Antonello ?
Has the flexible metal hose been broken ?
What an asshole !
- Let's check over there.
- Yeah, let's check everything.
I have to wash my face.
- This heat is killing me.
- Tomorrow we have to change this lamp.
This one doesn't work.
These have been greased by Luigi,
You can tell because they are well done.
- This one is rather hard.
- That can only mean you did it.
These have been done by Luigi.
They are beautiful, aren't they ?
Looks good.
Do you know what it needs ? A bit of oil.
Do you know why you can't open it ?
Because you haven't got gloves.
Did you try with gloves ?
Look, you are scaring me.
Once you came home with a cricket.
"We are like crickets ", you said to me.
Pushed into the gaps.
Squashed under the stones.
They are born and die here
and you cannot catch them.
You were right.
Pressed between stones.
Squashed between dust and silence.
We are like crickets.
Which conveyor belts have stopped ?
A stone got stuck on the FIRST GRP.
Will It take a lot ?
I don't know,
they are trying to remove it.
It's all right ?
Yes, all right.
Are you going out now, are you ?
So, what did they say ?
I don't know.
- I heard you were asking about...
- About the conveyor belts ?
He says there are the electricians.
No, there is a stone that got stuck.
They are removing it.
It's been since 1993
that they have been saying
that the mine needs
to be closed and yet it's still open.
Closed or open. They must decide.
How many times did the politicians
come here with their promises ?
- All of them.
- All of them.
They all came here
to do their fancy rallies.
They don't understand
the tragedy that we are living.
They don't understand what it means
living here and working for nothing.
You know, they can spend the amount
of our monthly wage on a dinner.
And we have to work
a whole month for that !
For those people
our wages are just pennies.
This is what they think about Sardinia.
Sardinia it's just a holiday destination.
The rest simply doesn't exist.
They know us just for that.
Once we were at least
remembered for kidnapping.
Now not even for that.
That time has ended too.
If they won't give us an answer, they will
remember of us for something else...
Hello. Are you okay ?
Have you eaten ?
Ok.
I'll take a shower now,
and then I come.
No, I haven't eaten yet
and I don't think that I will.
Later, ok.
Yes, let's go tonight.
When I am at home,
I need just ten minutes rest,
but I have to find everything in order...
I want to find everything in order
and then we can go.
Fine. Ok.
Bye. Bye ... till soon.
Fabiano ?
Tell me, Marco.
- Are you done there ?
- We are at the last stacks.
- Let me know so I can turn off the pumps.
- Ok.
Good evening, this is the lift cage
that everyday carries the miners
up and down 500 meters underground.
This is the Carbosulcis Mine,
the only coal mine in Italy.
Since Sunday night, this mine
has been occupied by its miners.
There are now 40 miners
doing the night shift 500m underground.
I'm here with Sandro Mereu,
one of the leaders of this protest.
Sandro, could you explain us
how long you are going to stay in here,
but most of all,
how do you plan to defend a mine
which is considered to be
a waste of money and a case of damage.
There are two ways to access the mine:
Through the vertical access shafts
or by adit.
Today we are going to close the adit.
Firstly because we want
the full control of the subsoil
and secondly because we are getting tired.
This protest can't last for a whole month.
What will be the consequences
of closing the adit ?
It means that the only access
to the mine is via shaft.
- What does it really mean ?
- We'll know soon.
Come here Fausto,
I’ll show you where I started working.
I worked in Seruci mine.
and you were here in Nuraxi.
Pay attention where you put your feet,
you might fall.
Don't worry.
Whatch your step!
Don't worry. Let's clean up a bit here.
04.
July, the 27th of 2004.
Beautiful day. Payday!
- Whose name is it ?
- Mauro.
- He died of cancer.
- Poor fellow!
You always feel sorry,
even if he wasn't a colleague of ours.
Death
is always something difficult to accept.
The miners are always the ones to die,
the white collars never die.
I died and resurrected twice.
- Because I am a miner.
- I was dead, once...
Is there a gas leak, Antonello ?
I have a headache.
If they stop funding,
we stay at home.
So you say,
stop funding and we stay at home.
- But it's not a right thing for others.
- Wait, I am not talking about you.
There are guys with 5 years of service.
What will happen to them ?
Or don’t they have the right to work ?
Mario told me:
"I am about to retire
so if they close the mine, I don't care".
- And I am in the same situation.
- I am not saying that.
No, I didn't say you did.
I am making an example.
Look, Rodolfo... I think you have 5 years left until retirement.
- Are you kidding ? I thoughts less.
- Less ?
When you were hired,
they were already talking about closing.
We had just began
and there was already threatening to close.
I started working on July the 15th or the 16th,
the day after we were already on strike.
I arrived in 1981,
it was my first job.
So I was 21.
I arrived in 1987. I was 25.
You had a chance and you made the most of it.
It meant to have a job,
to be independent from your parents.
The salary was
one million and two hundred thousand lire.
At that time,
it was the maximum you could ask for.
Today you could only dream such a thing.
Careful.
- The tunnel could collapse.
- This way!
- Let's see if we can go down.
- Don't know, let's try.
Whatch your step!
In Seruci there was no hot water.
Let's see if today the water is hot.
- Why ? when did you come here ?
- When I worked there.
- Can I bend down ?
- Sure.
I warned you!
Wash your armpits.
- Beautiful! Really Beautiful!
Are we going to come again tomorrow ?
- Dive, came on! Dive!
- You are a crazy man.
This is the water
coming from the broken pumps.
- Did it spray up also ?
- Yes, it did.
It spray from here.
When the mine will be closed,
we can open a disco here.
a lot of people could work for us
and we would earn even more.
What can I say ?
I hope the mine
closes as soon as possible.
- Yes.
- I hope so.
Antonello, I had my pension estimated.
- Do I have to tell you ?
- Tell me.
- 790 euros.
- 790 euros ?
Do you remember ? When you began
working here, you were 5,9 Ft
Yeah... the mines made me shrink.
- Probably it means you worked a lot.
- I know.
Here, in the poorest area of Italy,
the situation could switch
from dangerous to explosive.
Every passing day is dangerous oe
and we cannot wait
for the bureaucratic procedures
to solve the crisis in Sardinia.
We aren't available.
We can no longer wait.
If somebody has decided to kill
the miner's families,
Then Sirs, we will kill ourselves.
Stay back, please!
Stay back !
Give me the knife.
Stay back !
- Let them go out. Come on !
- Get Out !
The coal is old stuff,
it doesn't heat up anymore.
coal is an old story.
How much time spent down here
protecting the dark.
We're always in a battle.
Without any victory.
Sometimes
I think that our name will be forgotten.
Our stories wiped out
like clouds by the mistral.
We are like crickets.
Here, It's like a never ending night.
Ah, Fausto.
It's so sad here.
I would like seeing
some politicians to work as miners.
- Working in the mine ?
- Yeah, it would have been wonderful.
Lying on the ground
while asking us for help.
- As Luciano did into the mud ? Help !
- Yes, just as Luciano did.
Called for help.
And you thrashed him on the head.
Yeah, I did. I sinked him even more.
- Then, it's a beautiful thing.
- Yes, it is.
When I was a child
I had a dream: working in a mine.
In South Africa,
gold mines, diamond mines.
Me too, I have always dreamed
of being whipped by my bosses
and working like a slave.
This was my dream
when I was a child.
And now, what's your dream ?
Now, I have to think about the future.
We are here trying to understand
all the aspects of this affair,
which is more and more worrying.
We are in contact with Sandro Mereu,
representative of RSU Carbosulcis.
Which are your purposes ?
When are you going to leave the mine ?
We are here, we won't leave the mine,
if they want to close the mine
they won't be able to do it.
but we will close it,
if they don’t take a decision.
IT'S TNT TIME
You were a strange father.
You never told fairy tales
the adventures of Cinderella,
the adventures of Pinocchio.
But yours.
The set was always the mine.
I would like
to write some stories too, today.
Do you remember when I was a child
and I wasn't doing very well at school ?
You usually told me:
Stefano, I couldn't go to university,
but you can.
You haven't to be a miner.
You have to do other things in your life.
But I do have decided to be a miner.
Your adventures,
screwed me over.
I remind our last dance.
It was your birthday.
You were holding me tight,
but you were missing the dance steps.
Tonight I'm alone without you
You left me alone in front of the school
Come to pick me up, I feel like crying
My shoes filled with stones
My face filled with slaps
And my eyes filled with you
It's good that you're not here.
Just as everything is disappearing.
In Sardinia, the protest
of the Carbosulcis' miners is over.
In Nuraxi Figus, after 7 days,
the miners have decided to suspend the protest.
This decision depended on
the government's announcement:
the mine won't close at end of the year.
But miners are still waiting
for further developments in the case.
Breathe slowly.
Your eyes
will get used to the dark.
Don't be afraid.
This is our world
This is your home.
Do you remember ?
That's what you told me
the first time you brought me here
500 meters underground.
Dad, how long has it been since then ?
FROM THE DEPTHS
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy Name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day, our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive
Those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
Amen
Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women
And blessed is the fruit
Of thy womb, Jesus
Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners
Now and in the hour of our death. Amen
Because it's there, in the junction.
- There is nothing ... only 10%.
- That’s something...
Here it's dripping.
There was also some smoke coming out,
can you remember it ?
It wasn't in this area,
perhaps it was by the stack number 70.
A little bit further down.
I think it was around that.
No, it's oxide.
Not oxygen.
Go on ! Go on !
What's going on, Antonello ?
Has the flexible metal hose been broken ?
What an asshole !
- Let's check over there.
- Yeah, let's check everything.
I have to wash my face.
- This heat is killing me.
- Tomorrow we have to change this lamp.
This one doesn't work.
These have been greased by Luigi,
You can tell because they are well done.
- This one is rather hard.
- That can only mean you did it.
These have been done by Luigi.
They are beautiful, aren't they ?
Looks good.
Do you know what it needs ? A bit of oil.
Do you know why you can't open it ?
Because you haven't got gloves.
Did you try with gloves ?
Look, you are scaring me.
Once you came home with a cricket.
"We are like crickets ", you said to me.
Pushed into the gaps.
Squashed under the stones.
They are born and die here
and you cannot catch them.
You were right.
Pressed between stones.
Squashed between dust and silence.
We are like crickets.
Which conveyor belts have stopped ?
A stone got stuck on the FIRST GRP.
Will It take a lot ?
I don't know,
they are trying to remove it.
It's all right ?
Yes, all right.
Are you going out now, are you ?
So, what did they say ?
I don't know.
- I heard you were asking about...
- About the conveyor belts ?
He says there are the electricians.
No, there is a stone that got stuck.
They are removing it.
It's been since 1993
that they have been saying
that the mine needs
to be closed and yet it's still open.
Closed or open. They must decide.
How many times did the politicians
come here with their promises ?
- All of them.
- All of them.
They all came here
to do their fancy rallies.
They don't understand
the tragedy that we are living.
They don't understand what it means
living here and working for nothing.
You know, they can spend the amount
of our monthly wage on a dinner.
And we have to work
a whole month for that !
For those people
our wages are just pennies.
This is what they think about Sardinia.
Sardinia it's just a holiday destination.
The rest simply doesn't exist.
They know us just for that.
Once we were at least
remembered for kidnapping.
Now not even for that.
That time has ended too.
If they won't give us an answer, they will
remember of us for something else...
Hello. Are you okay ?
Have you eaten ?
Ok.
I'll take a shower now,
and then I come.
No, I haven't eaten yet
and I don't think that I will.
Later, ok.
Yes, let's go tonight.
When I am at home,
I need just ten minutes rest,
but I have to find everything in order...
I want to find everything in order
and then we can go.
Fine. Ok.
Bye. Bye ... till soon.
Fabiano ?
Tell me, Marco.
- Are you done there ?
- We are at the last stacks.
- Let me know so I can turn off the pumps.
- Ok.
Good evening, this is the lift cage
that everyday carries the miners
up and down 500 meters underground.
This is the Carbosulcis Mine,
the only coal mine in Italy.
Since Sunday night, this mine
has been occupied by its miners.
There are now 40 miners
doing the night shift 500m underground.
I'm here with Sandro Mereu,
one of the leaders of this protest.
Sandro, could you explain us
how long you are going to stay in here,
but most of all,
how do you plan to defend a mine
which is considered to be
a waste of money and a case of damage.
There are two ways to access the mine:
Through the vertical access shafts
or by adit.
Today we are going to close the adit.
Firstly because we want
the full control of the subsoil
and secondly because we are getting tired.
This protest can't last for a whole month.
What will be the consequences
of closing the adit ?
It means that the only access
to the mine is via shaft.
- What does it really mean ?
- We'll know soon.
Come here Fausto,
I’ll show you where I started working.
I worked in Seruci mine.
and you were here in Nuraxi.
Pay attention where you put your feet,
you might fall.
Don't worry.
Whatch your step!
Don't worry. Let's clean up a bit here.
04.
July, the 27th of 2004.
Beautiful day. Payday!
- Whose name is it ?
- Mauro.
- He died of cancer.
- Poor fellow!
You always feel sorry,
even if he wasn't a colleague of ours.
Death
is always something difficult to accept.
The miners are always the ones to die,
the white collars never die.
I died and resurrected twice.
- Because I am a miner.
- I was dead, once...
Is there a gas leak, Antonello ?
I have a headache.
If they stop funding,
we stay at home.
So you say,
stop funding and we stay at home.
- But it's not a right thing for others.
- Wait, I am not talking about you.
There are guys with 5 years of service.
What will happen to them ?
Or don’t they have the right to work ?
Mario told me:
"I am about to retire
so if they close the mine, I don't care".
- And I am in the same situation.
- I am not saying that.
No, I didn't say you did.
I am making an example.
Look, Rodolfo... I think you have 5 years left until retirement.
- Are you kidding ? I thoughts less.
- Less ?
When you were hired,
they were already talking about closing.
We had just began
and there was already threatening to close.
I started working on July the 15th or the 16th,
the day after we were already on strike.
I arrived in 1981,
it was my first job.
So I was 21.
I arrived in 1987. I was 25.
You had a chance and you made the most of it.
It meant to have a job,
to be independent from your parents.
The salary was
one million and two hundred thousand lire.
At that time,
it was the maximum you could ask for.
Today you could only dream such a thing.
Careful.
- The tunnel could collapse.
- This way!
- Let's see if we can go down.
- Don't know, let's try.
Whatch your step!
In Seruci there was no hot water.
Let's see if today the water is hot.
- Why ? when did you come here ?
- When I worked there.
- Can I bend down ?
- Sure.
I warned you!
Wash your armpits.
- Beautiful! Really Beautiful!
Are we going to come again tomorrow ?
- Dive, came on! Dive!
- You are a crazy man.
This is the water
coming from the broken pumps.
- Did it spray up also ?
- Yes, it did.
It spray from here.
When the mine will be closed,
we can open a disco here.
a lot of people could work for us
and we would earn even more.
What can I say ?
I hope the mine
closes as soon as possible.
- Yes.
- I hope so.
Antonello, I had my pension estimated.
- Do I have to tell you ?
- Tell me.
- 790 euros.
- 790 euros ?
Do you remember ? When you began
working here, you were 5,9 Ft
Yeah... the mines made me shrink.
- Probably it means you worked a lot.
- I know.
Here, in the poorest area of Italy,
the situation could switch
from dangerous to explosive.
Every passing day is dangerous oe
and we cannot wait
for the bureaucratic procedures
to solve the crisis in Sardinia.
We aren't available.
We can no longer wait.
If somebody has decided to kill
the miner's families,
Then Sirs, we will kill ourselves.
Stay back, please!
Stay back !
Give me the knife.
Stay back !
- Let them go out. Come on !
- Get Out !
The coal is old stuff,
it doesn't heat up anymore.
coal is an old story.
How much time spent down here
protecting the dark.
We're always in a battle.
Without any victory.
Sometimes
I think that our name will be forgotten.
Our stories wiped out
like clouds by the mistral.
We are like crickets.
Here, It's like a never ending night.
Ah, Fausto.
It's so sad here.
I would like seeing
some politicians to work as miners.
- Working in the mine ?
- Yeah, it would have been wonderful.
Lying on the ground
while asking us for help.
- As Luciano did into the mud ? Help !
- Yes, just as Luciano did.
Called for help.
And you thrashed him on the head.
Yeah, I did. I sinked him even more.
- Then, it's a beautiful thing.
- Yes, it is.
When I was a child
I had a dream: working in a mine.
In South Africa,
gold mines, diamond mines.
Me too, I have always dreamed
of being whipped by my bosses
and working like a slave.
This was my dream
when I was a child.
And now, what's your dream ?
Now, I have to think about the future.
We are here trying to understand
all the aspects of this affair,
which is more and more worrying.
We are in contact with Sandro Mereu,
representative of RSU Carbosulcis.
Which are your purposes ?
When are you going to leave the mine ?
We are here, we won't leave the mine,
if they want to close the mine
they won't be able to do it.
but we will close it,
if they don’t take a decision.
IT'S TNT TIME
You were a strange father.
You never told fairy tales
the adventures of Cinderella,
the adventures of Pinocchio.
But yours.
The set was always the mine.
I would like
to write some stories too, today.
Do you remember when I was a child
and I wasn't doing very well at school ?
You usually told me:
Stefano, I couldn't go to university,
but you can.
You haven't to be a miner.
You have to do other things in your life.
But I do have decided to be a miner.
Your adventures,
screwed me over.
I remind our last dance.
It was your birthday.
You were holding me tight,
but you were missing the dance steps.
Tonight I'm alone without you
You left me alone in front of the school
Come to pick me up, I feel like crying
My shoes filled with stones
My face filled with slaps
And my eyes filled with you
It's good that you're not here.
Just as everything is disappearing.
In Sardinia, the protest
of the Carbosulcis' miners is over.
In Nuraxi Figus, after 7 days,
the miners have decided to suspend the protest.
This decision depended on
the government's announcement:
the mine won't close at end of the year.
But miners are still waiting
for further developments in the case.