Serendip (2018) - full transcript

No one has asked me

what can I do for my country.

I've never seen so much comittment,

so deep.

But it happened.

I saw it with my own eyes.

The day Andrea took

the plane to come to me,

I was seated on the

rocks of Colombo's seafront

to once again enjoy

the colors of the sunset.

With three hours of time

difference in anticipation

of him and a month of

preparations here on site,

I waited for him,

following the traffic updates

on the stretch of highway

from Bologna to Milano.

I had one bite after another of the cookies

with honey given to me by Udaya's mom.

I knew that flavor, so familiar,

soon would become part of him too.

- As you can see, Iím at the airport.

Iím a little late because of traffic.

I just spoke with Antonio

and he has prepared

everything for the

220 kids at Ambewela.

Weíll reach them and get the

delivery done in the next few days.

Keep following us on

our Facebook page Take

Me Back where youíll

find our daily updates.

The appointment

was for six o'clock at

Guanasinghepura bus

Station. Colombo. Sri Lanka.

- How are you? Are you guys well?

- Yeah, we're all good.

- Hey, Dad.

- So, tomorrow I'll see

about a good time to call

so I can say hi to

Grandpa as well, is that ok?

- Sure, lunchtime is fine.

- Okay, talk to you later.

- Okay.

- Bye.

- May God bless you.

- I think I'm pretty close, it

says "Central Bus Terminal"

- There's a market on the right

where we're going in on the bus

- There's a market.

- I can't read what is says.

- Hey!

- Hey, Andrea!

- Come over here

We're in rush hour traffic in Colombo.

We couldn't find a better time to get here.

We'll see you about further

updates later if we're still alive.

- Hello!

- Nice to meet you.

She's the owner.

- Nice to meet you, I am Andrea.

Nice to meet you.

- Thanks for everything.

- No problem.

- This is the staff.

- I am Andrea.

- She's the driver.

- This is the team that

helped me organize everything.

- How are you?

- Thank you for everything.

- We are ready now.

- Well done!

- Last week I went to the

school and the teachers gave

me hand to double check

the details of each student.

So we divided them by class. So we have

the list of boys and girls for each class.

Every column shows the

measurements of each of them,

the measurement of shoes,

backpacks and uniforms.

Weíre having everything in

place so we can be sure that each

kid will get his backpack

with the school supplies inside.

Itís 196 kids for eleven

classes all together.

It hasnít been simple

because itís a lot of kids and

the measurements were

all different, but we did it.

- You did it.

- We did it.

- Guide me, Antonio.

- As low as possible...

- That's great!

- My friend! Thank you

so much for everything.

- Thanks a lot.

- Beauty!

- Hi everyone. Weíre in the

van. This is all the stuff we loaded.

- The van is packed!

As you can see, we

have backpacks, balls

and toys for the kids.

- One, two, three, four, five...

Seven and eight are practically the same.

Thereís a tiny ìhuhhî, that

makes a huge difference.

Nine and ten.

With the 220 backpacks, at 11:15,

we leave in the direction of Pattipola,

where Udaya (the teacher at

Ambewela's school) will host us.

The landscape changes slowly and steadily.

We head first toward Kandy to then

continue south entering Hills County.

Left the city, we also leave

those foreigners' forks and spoons,

to feel the true flavor of the earth

between our fingers, spice after spice.

- Good?

- Yes, good.

- Hello?

- Hello, Udaya!

- Can we see inside the school?

- Yes, yes, yes.

- Nice to meet you.

- Can you show us?

- Yes, yes, yes.

- Hello.

- Hello.

- Ok Udaya, thank you!

- See you later.

We continue to climb in altitude.

There's a strange and pleasurable

sensation of getting closer to home.

- It's okay, it's okay.

- Taste it.

- What is it?

- It's milk, cheese.

- Like the cheese of your country.

- We like it a lot, we like everything.

- Taste it, it's only milk.

- This is very good!

- Very very spicy.

- This is a little sweet.

- Sweet but tasty.

- One of the best things of this project

is that we meet a lot of people like us,

with the same mentality.

- You come from another

country offering something to us,

to donate to our country, our people.

We have to support you.

We appreciate your

effort, you're doing well.

It's a good thing.

God will give us more to

keep doing these things.

- We have the same goal.

- We are the same.

- It's beautiful.

- Udaya!

- Come in!

- How are you?

- Nice to meet you.

One afternoon I was headed to Kandy.

Having gotten of the train

for who knows what reason,

around me a feeling of emptiness and

little more than a dozen small houses.

In front of the red one there was a

distinct man who invited me inside.

A few moments later

his mother arrived offering

me a newly prepared

plate of coconut-roti.

She didn't speak a word of English,

but immediately I was already

in love with her and that scent.

That was the beginning

of my bond with Udaya.

- Milk tea. Exquisite. Really awesome.

Udayaís mom made it. Nectar of the gods.

- The train will arrive shortly.

Now we need to see

if itís a red or blue train.

- What does it matter?

- Basically, the blue train is

faster of two really slow trains.

The red one basically has a

really old engine and when it rains

it slips on the rails. So it

stops and gets mad late.

- So it doesnít move. What do they do?

- I donít know. They dry the

rails, find a way to move on again.

But they tell me that itís always late,

and they canít upgrade the engine.

So, thereís a red train and a blue train.

- Given that it rains eight times a year...

- Yes, exactly.

I always fought the idea of

finding myself living a banal life,

of goals reached too soon,

and of living with the conviction of

knowing all there is to know about myself,

as if there were nothing more to conquer.

When I was little and

they asked me what do you

want to do when you

grow up, I answered: "fly".

I have the same name

as my grandfather Antonio,

a visionary, a man who gave everything

for his true passion, without compromise.

After years of trying to be like him,

I figured out what I had to do.

I learned to fly.

- Ryan!

- How are you?

- Oh, I'm fine!

- Welcome back.

- Welcome back, Take Me Back!

- We're very tired.

- It's so hot today.

- Yeah.

- The pope is from Rome.

- Yes.

- You could visit the pope,

and tell him about your

project here in Sri Lanka.

- Let's go visit the pope.

- You're strong, Antonio.

Honestly, I believe in you.

It's a bit complicated in

real life. I understood that.

- Now you understand everything.

You understand better than us.

- Why?

- Because you are here, you are Sri Lankan.

- I'm only a guide. Don't give up, Antonio.

I'll give you an example.

There are some people that don't believe in

what are you doing, right? Unfortunately.

"The spider web"

It breaks, but you can build it again.

You kill the web only

if you kill the spider.

For the future.

- It's a good example for Sri Lanka, also.

- And for you all.

- You are like my children. Honestly.

- I know, thank you.

- Hey, Dad.

How is Grandpapa, is he good?

- Yeah, he doesnít even

need to take the medicine.

- And tomorrow weíre going to

Ella's Rock, a little mountain near here,

together with Ryan,

whoís going to be our guide.

- Alright.

Say hi to Antonio.

- Say hi to Grandma and

Grandpa and everyone, okay?

Building bridges, that was my life.

My grandfather was dutch,

irish, portugues and english.

I married a Buddhist

woman, being a Christian,

which it wasn't easy, but I built a bridge.

She gave me five daughters.

Four are married, one is still studying.

One of them married a Muslim,

which was surprising for me.

But we are all humans in this world.

Sometimes it's not easy.

It's heartbreaking.

I would never thought that my

daughter could do something like that...

But she's still my daughter

and we are humans.

That's what we need:

unity in diversity.

That brings us together.

It takes me back...

I worked in a hotel, I worked on a

ship, I worked in many countries.

I worked as a guide for the last 35 years.

But this is the first time in my

life that I meet a person like you.

I'm thankful I met you.

I appreciate it from the heart.

I saw what you're trying to do.

I didn't believe it in the first place.

Then when I saw what

you're trying to achieve,

it was strange to me.

Because I've taken many

guests up Ella's Rock...

But no one has this concept of my country.

- We'd like to change

how richness is perceived,

because now people

base it on material things.

Not with the heart.

- But what is money?

- It's nothing.

- Nothing.

- It's only in the mind.

- There are only few in the world that will

try to respond to the call of human nature.

We have to help each other.

That's human nature.

I hope it will happen.

I know you'll do that.

I trust you.

In my country there are

maybe 50.000 that are illiterate.

According to the population,

it's one third of the country.

In India there are more than 15

millions of people, the entire population.

But maybe 450.000 are illiterate.

They don't study, they don't have a chance.

You gave life to those children.

Out of 200, maybe 50 will go somewhere.

I saw that.

Thank you very much.

- Hello, everyone. Weíre on Ellaís Rock.

As you can see, behind

me are Antonio and Ryan

contemplating the

tea plants. They say hi.

This afternoon weíre going to

Mahiyanganaya to meet a real Vedda tribe.

So keep following us. Bye, everyone.

Raveena has one of those

smiles that remain indelible,

of those who know how to make

you happy before anyone else.

Like a mother with his own child.

- Thank you. Bye.

- How are you?

Do you remember me?

The first time I met Udara he

was stuck in the middle of the road.

He stopped the tuk-tuk that was taking

me to Damban and he approached.

I thought he wanted to devour me.

I found in the little Akile my alter

ego, just as had happened with Ryan.

It's as if step after

step I met parts of me

I had never allowed to

live, grow, and mature.

- One, two, three, four, five...

six, seven, eight, nine, ten...

- Very good!

The potential that he

recognized in my smartphone,

I knew for the first time in the force

of the club, of the river and of the bees.

- Our tribe already existed before

prince Vijaya came to Sri Lanka.

We are descendants of Kiriamilatho

(the Great Mother) known as Kuweni.

Srilankans were born from the

union between Veddas and Indians.

We are one blood, one flesh.

Only our customs and beliefs are different.

- Wow, bull's eye!

Kalu Bardara Deyio is

our God, protector of trees.

Of nature?

- Yes, plants and animals ask him

for protection against wild beasts

and before taking anything from

nature, they ask him for permission.

- Are there some Veddas that decide

to go studying in Colombo or in Kandy,

or every Vedda stays in the jungle?

- The members of this

tribe never leave the jungle.

Cities have no room for anyone,

wherever you go they

are crowded with vehicles,

ready to honk at you.

We'd end up leaping off

one side and go the other.

Forests and jungles are our

home, they're peaceful and quiet.

- Then Akile is very lucky.

In our country, if you're father is a

doctor, probably you will be a doctor.

If you're father is a police man,

probably you will be a police man.

- In Kalu Bandera Deyio's tribe no

one is allowed to leave the jungle,

for me there is no restriction though,

if Akile wants to move to the city

and become doctor, lawyer,

he will be free to do so.

- When I play they laugh,

because I canít get it right.

Goddamn, Akile!

"I don't have time... you

have time", he answered

me when I asked him what

time I would have to leave.

I felt smaller for the

first time. Less evolved.

I went from there with the rhythm of Udara,

marked by the vigorous "Ondemai"

with his strong handshake,

of a day enjoyed without useless deadlines.

- Hi, guys, weíre leaving Ella. Weíre

off to the old town of Iengheregadue.

I know, itís a tough name. Say hi, guys.

- Hi - Hi!

- Now weíre going to eat some fresh mango!

Udaya has five sisters.

With his mother and brother, as soon

as they've collected the necessary money,

they travel the same route every

month to bring rice from Pattipola

and some support to those

most far away from them.

Four hours by bus, thirty minutes by

tuk-tuk and then thirty minutes by foot.

- What's Sewandhi doing now?

- Studying for her exams.

- Exams? Does she go to class?

Does she follow the repetitions?

- Yeah, she goes to the

repetitions in Wellawaya.

- Does she have any idea what she

wants to do when she's finished studying?

- She would like to go to college

and become a bank manager.

She just passed her exams studying

by the light of a kerosene lamp.

They are going to give you

electric current soon, right?

Still nothing...

Not counting the three kilometers

she travels to school every day.

- Right...

You haven't even finished the

roof in time for the rainy season.

- The repetitions she goes to

are Saturdays and Sundays.

We pay 600 rupees a

month for one class. For the

other, we pay 700. For

the bus we have to pay 200.

- There's no other way, right? To

study you have to make sacrifices.

- Would she be able

to do it taking a tuk-tuk?

- My husband says let's get a tuk-tuk,

but we'd have to pay 3000 rupees for

all 3 of us, we can't send Sewandhi alone.

They're looking to skip

school because they're

frustrated and exhausted

walking like this every day.

- If I had the money, I'd

help you take the tuk-tuk.

- Doing side jobs isn't

enough because with

what I gain I have to

think about everything.

- And you go to meet them every time?

- Yes, I go half way.

They put the slippers back

on when they get out because

to enter the school they

make them take them off.

Then we walk for an hour

and a half to come back here.

We walk slow and steady,

sitting once or twice to rest

from the sun beating

down... It's not always easy.

- "All members are coming"

It's a meeting.

"13th of June 2017,

at 2pm,

come here."

- Here? Will they meet here? In this place?

- No, it says "in the main hall"

- Ah, the main hall.

- "Come and we will discuss"

- So, what's it about?

- Basically itís a convocation for a

condominium association meeting.

- Damn, the milk tea they

make here is good. Mamma mia.

- Thank you, thanks so much.

The swaying of our heads,

as they do around here,

filled the voids left by those words

of farewell that I did not want to utter.

- Did you get everything? Everything?

- Hello?

Yes.

Today, tonight and tomorrow night.

From today.

For two nights.

Yes, two nights.

- Tell me something. Isnít that Buddha?

- Yes, thatís Buddha.

- And isnít the one on the left Ganesh?

- Yes, thatís Ganesh.

- So?

- From what I understood,

all the divinities are mixed.

- One and the other, one and the other.

- Yeah, there are four

Buddhist and three Hindu.

- Four to three? Like Italyís four

World Cups to Germanyís three.

A mix of cultures and

religions all living together, wow.

- Hey guys. Weíve left the mountains

for the beach, towards Mirissa.

We are also leaving the curry

rice for a terrific plate of grilled fish.

I start to feel the size of all

the stories told up 'til now,

one by one slipped into the backpack.

I feel covered in faces, tales,

experiences that I will still

be covered in when I walk

through the front door of my house.

I'm both vulnerable and invincible.

Andrea has for one moment

stopped with the public

speeches for a dialogue

that only he can hear.

I witness the change, I watch him

approaching the person he wanted to be.

The person I wanted to be.

I guy who grows into a vehicle for others.

A solidarity courier.

- Hi guys. Weíre guests

of Pushpa e Abev and this

evening weíre having a

lovely plate of spaghetti.

- Two minutes.

- Next time you come to Sri Lanka,

keep in mind that the best season

is january, february and march.

It's very good.

- I know, I know.

- Are you a fisherman also?

- When I started with this job,

I put everything else on hold.

There's no room for anything else.

- And now you are the tuk-tuk man.

- Hello!

- Nilanga, it's nice to see you again!

Will you stay here today?

Yes, but this afternoon

we have to take the train.

Today is our last day.

- In 2004, the day of tsunami,

we were sleeping, it was a holiday.

The first wave in this

area was tall about 1 meter.

We only had time to have a look around.

We are well aware that

the ocean is a threat for us.

With my father and my

children we ran to the mountains,

there was a scary sound,

the water was black and brown, very dirty.

In 20 minutes there were 2

meters of water everywhere.

When the water receded, we

came back to see the damage.

A lot of this houses weren't there

anymore, or they were damaged.

Many people died, it was really sad.

- I was a small child when I

saw for the first time a baby turtle.

I was 6 years old, my brother was

8. One morning we went to the beach,

we saw the baby turtle and we took it home.

The turtle stayed with us for 3, 4 hours.

Then my father took us

to release it in the ocean.

It made us very happy.

20 years ago, in a small

village very famous for a beach

that has a nesting area for

the turtles, called Mahamodara,

there was a man among all peoples

that liked turtles eggs and meat.

I saw him cut the neck of a

big green sea turtle, in a box.

Very sad. It a was a great shock for me.

Nilanga would have

gone on to talk for hours.

He wanted the story of

how he avenged that turtle, to

avenge every pain and fear

experienced by his family.

His determination and courage and that of

his volunteers have in fact conquered all.

- What else do we

need to remember? Let's

not forget anything.

You have a list, right?

- Yes, I made a list, donít worry.

- Okay. There are 196

kids. And they divided

them into classes

within this building.

The parents all took a

day off to come today.

- Wow, in Sri Lanka a day offÖ

- Yeah, itís something that

they usually canít afford,

but they made themselves

available for today's event.

They learned a song in Italian.

That peace that you

showed me? Oh, I canít wait.

- Some kids learned some

phrases. Theyíll recite some English.

- See, theyíre arriving now.

- Hey, guys. Weíve unfortunately

arrived at the conclusion of our voyage.

The wealth of experience that we are taking

back with us is reacher than when we left.

Lots of incredible and beautiful emotions.

Now weíre on our way to Colombo by train.

And what can I say?

Thanks for taking part in this

experience. See you at home.

- Bye!

- If coming back home, someone

asks which moment did you like the most,

the most meaningful moment,

what would you answer?

- I was actually thinking

about that the other day.

The day of the school

delivery, among the

desks, there was a

lady, one of the parents.

She had a baby girl in her arm, she

must have been eight or nine months old...

She approached me

with the baby and held her

out to me to caress

her, as if I were the Pope.

- As if you were the Pope.

- Yes, as if I were the Pope.

That look gratitude... It's

what touched me the most.

- Beautiful.

- Iíll never forget it.

- One thing that hit me the

most, among lots of things,

was Nehal, I think that was his name.

- Nehal? Did I meet him?

- No, you didnít. Nehal

is the person we were first

in contact with to acquire

the school supplies.

His reaction when I told him

that we were no longer going to

buy the supplies from him,

because we found another channel.

And when we heard this,

he didnít distance himself. On

the contrary, he thanked

me for having thought of him

and he said he would

give me a hand anyway. ìlf

you need something just

ask, î thatís what he said.

Even after telling him that we

no longer needed his services.

So, these people understood more

than we do, as a country I mean,

how easy it is to be happy. How simple.

They really understood the

heart and soul of what weíre doing.

- I absolutely agree.

The Sri Lankans, like the Indians, move

the head in a way which seams to mean "No"

but is actually the exact

opposite, they mean "Yes".

- Hey, little one, are you ready?

Youíre moment has arrived.

You know what to do, right?

Your life begins here.

Youíll now have to face all the

difficulties to win your freedom.

Weíll take you as an example.

Come on, letís do it.

You can fight for your freedom.

The wave is about to come.

The wave of freedom is on itís way!

There could be predators after you,

but you know youíre going to make it.

Like we all can.

Go forward and donít let anything stop you.

I know that itís hot.

But you can do it. Youíre about

to get past your first obstacle.

Like we all do when weíre children.

But then, unfortunately we

get too distracted by bullshit.

Come on, you got this!

Come on!

Here it is, the good wave.

Swim now, swim!

That's it!

Come on!

Yes!

Yes!!!

Yes! Yes!

Yes!

- We did it! Weíre here. Hey, everyone.

We just attended the kidís marvelous

show, with dancing, recitals, singing.

They received the

backpacks that you donated

and now weíre in this field partying

with Antonio jumping, as you can see.

How beautiful, guys. Truly amazing.

Thank you, everybody. Thank you.

Bye!

The ancient name of Sri Lanka, from the

Persian Serendip, derives from Serendipity:

fortunate coincidence in the

discovery of something marvelous

while searching for something else.

- (in italian) To all our

Take Me Back friends,

we thank you for the help you gave us.

We'll wait for you in Sri Lanka.

Thank you! Bye.