Barrage (2017) - full transcript

Come along.

I'll be back, Charbon. Don't move.

You call that a backhand?

Stop wiggling,
you're not mopping the floor.

All the way, your arm!

Position yourself,
stand your ground

One, two, slam!
It's not witchcraft!

Go ahead!

Come on, concentrate!

You're no pussy!

Good morning. - Hello.



Go ahead.

The room at the end of the corridor.

What is it?

Go have a look.

Did you finally talk to your mother?

She doesn't pick up.

I leave her messages,
but she won't call back.

You want me to go see her?
Talk to her?

No, I have to deal with it
in my own way.

She can't treat you like this.

You know that you're
within your rights, Catherine.

Hello.

You know who I am?

The last time we saw each other



you weren't much taller
than this racket.

I've lost it...

Your turn.

When are you leaving?

Why do you say this?

I have no intention of leaving.

Why do you think
I'll be leaving again?

I don't know.

There's nothing here for you.

Nothing disturbs you...

the world around you doesn't exist...
four...

the only thing that counts is my voice.

Listen to my voice,

it gives you the strength to go on.

Even if it hurts,
especially when it hurts.

One... if it hurts,
you clench your teeth!

Two... three... four...

Five... six!

Keep it up, you're the strongest!

You don't want to disappoint me,
start over!

One...

Two... three...

Breathe in through your nose.

Breathe out through your mouth, Alba.
Like this.

Well done.

And again.

You're wearing dresses now?

It suits you well.

Hello.

I love your hair.

You look rather well,
for a change.

I'm really pleased to see you.
You don't seem convinced.

Listen, Mum...
I don't understand why you...

Come with

Alba, keep practicing your moves!

I'll be back in a moment.

You could have called ahead.

You don't return my calls.
Put yourself in my position.

Put myself in your place?
You turn up out of the blue,

twice in ten years
and you want me to...

Not at all...
I told you that I was...

You want everyone to dance
when you whistle.

You snap your finger and bam!
That's not how it works.

Alba and I have a strict schedule.

Her next tournament
is in three weeks.

All I ask for is to spend
bit of time with her.

Just a few hours,
no matter when.

Out of the question
that you see her before!

It would upset her.

I know Alba.

You can't keep her from seeing

That's not what we agreed upon.
You can see that I changed.

I get it!

Hello!
- Hi!

Let me try at least.

Try what?

Let's go upstairs.

I don't know...

Try to make up for lost time?

Who's that?

So she's back?

I thought she was on tour?

She's only here for a few days,

then she's off to the States.

Awesome.

So I just drop in to say hi...
and off I go again?

Nobody must know she's here,
you understand!

She won't want to.

She stays at a 5-Star hotel.

Why don't we ask her?

She can't tell anybody
she has a daughter.

You know what showbiz
people are like.

Singers are not supposed to have kids.
- Makes sense.

Hi Agathe! Are you well?

Yes, Madam. - Good.

Alba, dear...

Catherine wants to see you.

I told her we were busy.

It's a pity, but now
is really not the time.

You agree, don't you?

We could go to the zoo?

Or maybe for a swim?
What would you like?

Would you...?

Yes... alright.

Open up... it's candy time.

One more.

You get one chance, don't waste it.

Or we call it off.

You understand?

Yes.

I wish I could trust you.

Thank you, Mum.

Catch.

That one's for me.

Come on, Charbon.

What do you like at school?

A bit of everything.

What I really liked was...
taking French.

You know I went to
the same school you go to?

Is that one sports teacher
still around?

What was is name again?
Sounded like Lum...

Lumpen?

Lunckes!

You've got him too?

I wasn't too fond of him.

Then again, I was good
because of tennis.

Thanks to tennis.

I guess you could say that.

Does your friend play tennis too?

Agathe?

Yes, does she also play tennis?

Is it her you're texting?

I'd like to be called Agathe.

Bear the name of a stone.

There's Jade...

but Agathe is... I don't know, it

...heavier.

Yes, heavier.

But it's also more...

Why did you never write to me?

Say that again?

It doesn't matter.

No, no it does matter.
A lot even!

Did you just ask me
why I never wrote to you?

Yes.

So you never received
any letter from me?

Never.

What kind of...

Shit!

It would have suited her
if I were dead.

It's over, I'm no longer upset.

Elisabeth did it for your own good.

You're right, it doesn't matter.

I wrote to you many times,
even sent you photos.

Alba!

Ouch!

Alba!

Ouch!

Where are you going?
Wait for me!

I'm going home!

You can't go home like that.

Stop screwing around, Alba!

Show me your arm! Please!

There, are you happy now?

Does it hurt?

We'll go to my place, okay?

It needs to be disinfected.

And you can get changed.

Come with me.

This is my place.

It's not quite finished yet.

Follow me.

Hush...

and not a word.

All fixed up.

I let you change your clothes.

Hello?

Is that you, darling?

No, it's Catherine.

I was about to call you.

Where's Alba?

She's changing clothes.

Oh well... how was the park?

Very nice.

Are you coming home soon?

Actually, Alba insists
I take her to see "E.T.".

I think she would really like it.

E... who?

"E.T."

It's on at 4... 4.20 actually.

I'll bring her home afterwards. Okay?

I was sure you would like it.

We can put on the music you like.

There's no bed yet,
but we can choose it together.

Can we go?
Can you take me home?

Yes, of course.

Where are you heading?
That's the wrong way.

Do you prefer waffles or ice cream?

He adores waffles, right Charbon?

Even the word makes him drool.

Waffle... waffle!

Stop!

You said you'd take me home!

You must be hungry?

I'm not hungry,
I want to go home!

Not even the best waffles
in the world?

Change of menu

Are you up for it?

Keep an eye on Charbon,
I'll get us some fuel.

You watch over the Princess,
don't move!

Alba!

Alba! Alba! No!

Do you still want to go home or
will you help me bury him?

I don't know.

You don't have to.

What were you trying
to do just now?

Hitch a ride,
in the opposite direction.

Hitch-hiking is cool.
You meet plenty of people.

We'll find a nice spot for him, right?

I can't find my phone.

When did you use it last?

At the park.

You might have dropped it on the lawn.

We have to tell Zaza.

I'll buy you a new one, right?

Where are they at now?

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13... 14?

I'll text her, tell her
we'll be back tonight.

Are you not eating anymore?

The little one, is she your daughter?
- Yes.

It's no fun to start a holiday this way.

Where are you off to?

The lake.

Camping?

Don't worry.

At her age, they forget quickly.

I'm not worried about her,
I worry about myself.

You like it?

Mmmh...

Mmmh yes ...or mmmh no?

Mmmh no.

Have you ever been to a funeral?
- No.

This is my third,
but it's the most beautiful.

Last time was for a friend.

Her entire family was there.
Heavy stuff.

Did she have an accident?

No... well... actually yes,
you could call it an accident.

It is important to let
the dead leave in peace.

We shouldn't bother them
with our tears.

Otherwise they can
no longer leave.

Thanks for everything, little Charbon.

Thank you for your love,

for your courage, your patience...

your joy.

You know, I told myself if there was
a paradise for dogs...

Well, go there, the doors
are wide open for you, run

You can do whatever you want there,
you'll be free.

You'll eat when you feel like it,
you'll sleep.

You can...

He was the tiniest little thing,
minuscule even.

At first I thought it was a cat.

He wasn't even in a basket,

just on top of a trash can,

like an old shoe.

Thank God I walked by there.

Actually you saved his life.

He saved mine too,
in a certain way.

He helped me step out of the tunnel.

Black like coal...

What's that?

Don't you know the song?

"Black like coal".

No.

This looks like Hansel and Gretel.

An old lady is waiting for us inside,

with a glass of fresh lemonade
and some cookies.

But first we have to find the keys.

So...

nope... not here.

Maybe here...?

Wrong again.

Bingo!

How did you know?

Let's stop fooling around.

You really don't know where we are?

How could I know,
it's the first time I come here.

You were here before.
We even came together.

Together? That would surprise me.

The chalet belongs
to Elisabeth's family.

You never spent your holidays here?

No, Zaza always takes me to the sea.

Is that me?

No, it's me.

Who are they?

Here's Zaza, her father, her brother.

You never knew her father, did you?
- No.

I had just won the junior championship.

You were playing tournaments?

I didn't know.

That's what I figured.

That was Zaza's father's great love.

His greatest love and pride.

He stuffed it himself.

It scared me when I was little.

Not you?
- No.

Nothing scares you?

No... well yes... the dark.

What do you do when you're scared?

Do you have a trick? What do you
tell yourself do get over it?

I don't tell myself anything,
I jump directly into Zaza's bed.

Charbon!

Charbon!

Again!

Again!

Does this remind you of anything?
- No.

We did this when you were little.

You went swimming afterwards.

You wore floaters on your arms,

some kind of ducks, you loved them.

You wouldn't take them off,
not even for dinner.

Ducks? Oh yes, that rings a bell.

But you, you didn't swim?

No, I didn't.

Didn't the ducks go quack-quack?
- They did.

Of course. You see,
you remember perfectly.

Mum?

Mum!?

Merry Christmas.

Go ahead, it's for you.

Isn't it a bit early?

Rather a bit late, no?

We have a few Christmases to catch

You know this?

Of course I do, what did you think?

Zaza likes all kind of dolls,

but I'm not too sure about this one.

But how do you like it?

Her green hair is funny.
What's her name?

What do you think?

No idea... something green, maybe.

Pine-tree?

Snots!

Yuck, you're disgusting. No!

Pea? Or lawn?

Spaghetti, because of her hair.

Or Noodle maybe?

Noodle... no way. Fennel!

Fennel!

See, she blinked her eyes.

There we are, she's baptized.

Can we go now?

I'll get stuff for tomorrow.

Why tomorrow?
We're going now, aren't we?

What are you doing?

This belonged to Pipo.

Zaza's uncle, your great-great uncle,
if I count correctly.

He didn't have a single tooth left
at the end of his life.

Isn't this sexy? It would suit you.

Doesn't she look cute?
- Cut it out!

I'm the forest bogeyman.

I eat little girls wearing
checkered trunks.

am the little lady...
- Stop it!

What a killjoy
You're no fun at all.

All work no play.
You take after your grandmother.

Your legs, Alba
Watch your backhand!

Looks like you're mopping the floor!

Backhand, mop the stair,
strip-poker, polyester!

I want to go home!
- What does little fly-fly want?

Are we going home now?

What's Miss Fly-Fly saying?

I don't want to return
into the drawer.

Fly-Fly doesn't want to go home.

I don't want my meat
wrapped in a mop.

Ouch!

We'll sleep here tonight, okay?

Tomorrow, after our swim,
take you home if you want.

I want to leave now, not tomorrow.

Be reasonable, Alba,
we can't drive at night,

it's dangerous
with all those bends.

How did you imagine me?

Like Mother Goose?
Sugar Mummy?

I must put on some weight then.

Tomorrow we'll make
chocolate pancakes, okay?

After that, we'll train.

You want to play with me?

Do you want to go home
because of your grandmother?

Are you thinking of her?

I think of her too.

A lot... way too much by the way.

But I don't want to call her now.

I'm not spending an hour
on the phone with her.

We'll call her in the morning.

Or we call her right now.

And we tell her all about Charbon.

We tell her the truth,
the whole truth.

Is that what you want?

We're at the chalet, we took the car,
there you have it.

Stop shouting, Mum... I know!

You already told me, I'm not deaf!

You keep telling

Let me talk, please!

Go ahead, call the cops

You drive me mad!
Thank God Robert reassured me.

I'm glad Dad is around,
what would I do without him.

We said two hours, not four, not eight.

I know, Mum, I'm sorry,
I should have told you,

but you would have said no.
I had no choice.

What about her training?
She has to practice!

We talked it over yesterday.
We can do it here.

Can you swear she's okay?

You want to speak to her? She's up.

Put her on.

I haven't told her
about Charbon or your injury.

That'll be our secret, okay?

Are you alright, sweetie?

Yes.

Sure?

I'm okay.

Aren't you afraid?

No, why should I be?

Isn't it too cold?

No, we have blankets.

Did she feed you at least.
What did you eat?

Chips... and we'll be making pancakes.

Upstairs. In the big room.

When are you coming back?

I don't know.
We haven't talked about it yet.

But... you are coming home soon?

Why did you never
show me the letters?

What are you talking about?

She said she sent me letters.

I'll explain when you return.

Why not now?

If I tell you that now
is not the time, I mean it!

You want me to come get you?

No...

Are you sure?

Yes.

What about the tournament?

I'll practice with Catherine.

Do you smoke?

Are you nuts?
Why would I fry my lungs?

Zaza smokes when I'm asleep.

She doesn't know that I know.
Don't tell her.

I was wondering.

How do you tell your friends?

Tell them what?

Do you tell them Zaza is your mother?

No, why?

Just like that.

Agathe, for instance...
what does she know?

She thinks you play in a band.

And that you're always on tour.

Then again, I'm not sure
if she really believes it.

You two are funny.

A bit like Rihanna then?

A little bit, yeah.

So I'm a rock star?

It's fabulous, I love the idea!

What are those?

Medication...

...to get rid of dark thoughts.

And you need it?

No, you're right. Come.

Good riddance.

I want to buy something.
I'll meet you in the car.

What is this?

It allows fish to cross the dam.

Otherwise... squish! Gruel!

When I was your age,
with my friends from the village,

we came here to ice-skate.

We took off from that bridge.

To check if the ice was thick enough,

we threw rocks from the bridge.

I loved the noise that made.

It went like... dong!

Dong... dong... dong!

Dong... dong... dong...
dong... dong... dong!

Wasn't it dangerous?

That's what made it fun.

We played at who would make it
closest to the dam.

What about Zaza,
didn't she mind?

I didn't tell her everything, thank God!

Do you tell her everything?

Not everything, of course.

Go ahead!

Yesss!

Not too bad.

You need to place
your legs better.

You're too close to the ball.

Your backhand racket is too inclined.

No wonder you miss every other time.

You see, you need to open it up!

You're too close, think ahead!

What now?

I give up, Alba. You win.

What, already?

How long do you last?

40 seconds? A minute?

A minute 20 seconds.

I'm going back up. I'm thirsty.

Are you coming?

Alba?

Why did you stop playing tennis?

I was fed up with competing
and the entire circus.

Why?

I didn't feel like fighting anymore.
Against myself, the others...

against my mother.

We have exactly the same nose.

Our eyebrows too are the same.

And the bang. - Yes.

But our eyes aren't
the same color.

Not at all.

Is it true what Zaza told me?

That my father... that he...

What did she tell you about your father?

Alba, what did she tell you?

That I don't know who he is?

Yes, it's true.

I'm sorry but I wasn't well at all
at the time.

But now, I'm okay... I'm here.

We'll get along just fine, you'll see.

You'll have everything you need.

The apartment is great.
Don't you like it?

And the decoration in your room
is nice, I think.

The colours are pretty.

Don't worry, I'm here.
All will be fine from now on.

Careful, the ice is very thin!
Don't go too far.

Help, help
Be quiet or I'll spank you

Leave it.
It won't fall any lower.

Alba, cut out that noise!

What are we going to do?

What do you want to do?
- I have no idea.

Are you hungry?

Yeah, a bit.

Didn't we agree
that we were on holiday?

You need to do it, even on holiday.
Every day.

You sound like Elisabeth.

Can't you forget her for five minutes?

What has this to do with it?

Stop that stupid exercise.
Come help

Why stupid?

It's stupid because I tell you so!

Aren't you fed up hurting yourself?

It doesn't hurt. - Is that so?

Really? For starters, straighten up.

You don't stand upright.

Plant your feet into the ground.
Go on, push!

Your thighs are burning, right?

You ignore the shaking.

You want to hold it... and you do!
You hold!

You want to outdo yourself
and you do!

You're about to flinch, but you don't.

Even when you want to flinch,
you hold on.

When it's no longer possible,
it's still possible!

When it's no longer possible,
it's still possible.

When it's no longer possible,
it's still possible! Still possible!

No Alba, not that.
That I can't take anymore.

I need to breathe.
Let's get out of here.

Wow!

Your finger goes here.

The last phalanx on the trigger,
you're all set.

You aim a little bit higher...

Bang!

Did we get it? - You got it!

You're a fast learner.

You see the tractor over there?

Pardon?

Do you see the red tractor over there?

I own two of those.

What's your name?

Don't tell me... I'll guess.

Don't tire yourself.

I'm not alone,
I'm here with my daughter.

With your daughter?

Is that why you drink like that?

Another one... - Same for me

One night, I almost threw her
out of the window.

I was beside myself.

There was her, there was me,
and there was me beside myself.

There were three of us.

It couldn't work.

Nobody understands that.

Do you understand?

What is it? Are you sulking?

Don't you talk to me anymore?

Who was that guy?

I don't believe it.
Are you jealous?

If you're jealous,
you must like me a bit.

A little bit?

I don't like people who drink.

Screw you.

Alba, what are you doing?

It's bedtime.

I'm not tired.

You're getting on my nerves.

If you don't want to sleep,
watch a video.

I'm going out again.

This one's great.

You like sports,
you won't be disappointed.

Go on, leave!

It's exactly what I said.
All you can do is leave!

I'll be right back.

I don't believe you. Zaza was right.

Alba, what do you mean, she was right?

It was better to stay with her
than with a junkie mother.

One might as well die, yes!

No, I can't.

It rocks, I swear! Come on!

I tell you, I can't!

Where are you?

With my mother.

She should come too, awesome.

Cut it out, Agathe! It's a real pain...

What do you mean,
what's going on?

She's going nuts.

I don't know what I'm doing here.
She left me alone at the chalet.

Agathe, you're still there?

Yes, wait a second,
I'm trying to go outside.

Agathe?

Shit!

You stop your circus now.

The pain is in your head.

You count to three
and at three - disinfection.

One...

two...

Alba?

Alba!

Alba?!

Catherine, wake up.

What are you doing here?

Alba phoned Agathe
in the middle of the night.

I want to know what's going on!

Why did you do that?

You're screwing it all up, fuck!

How dare you talk to her like that?

I said I'd be back.
Why didn't you trust me?

If ever there was one
not to trust, it would be you.

You're one to talk about trust,
so leave me be!

Enough, Catherine!

No, it's not enough,
it's just starting

I wrote to her for ten years

And during those ten years
I raised her.

If you're not happy
with the result...

I'm over the moon with the result.

Thank you Mother,
you've done great!

What are you on?
I'm on nothing, bloody hell!

You both suck!

We managed very well without you

So why did you
leave her on her own?

I come in, you're on a sofa
and she's buried under a shroud.

Under a shroud?
What the hell are you on about?

And I don't sleep next to her
every night, if you need to know.

What are you saying?
You're insane.

What are you insinuating?

Alba!

Alba! Come here, we re going home!

Alba!

Alba!

Alba!

Look at the state you're in,
my poor girl.

That green dye is crap.

You could have chosen
something decent.

Alba!

The pills too are crap!

Straight into the wall.
Always the same with you.

That's it, right.

You're smoking? That's new.

Give me a break.

And what about that room?

Robert helping you
with the rent is one thing,

but try and be realistic.

Keep out of it, please.

As if Alba would ever leave my house!

Where are you going?
What are you doing?

You stifle me! I suffocate!

Everyone in this family
is suffocating, even you.

When I see Alba doing her
fucking "chair" exercise,

I feel like throwing up.

We're all stuck to our tennis rackets
like on a merry-go-round,

and it spins and spins.

The old boar is dead and stuffed,

you've got nothing left
to prove to him.

I never forced anyone to play.

You loved it.

I remember your tiny legs...

We were happy then, right?

Look at me.

There is no "we".

Stop thinking for everybody else.

Mum!

Where are you in there?

Did it ever occur to you
to look after yourself,

to do the things you like?

Catherine!

Catherine!

Hello, yes...

I'm calling because my daughter, well,
my grand-daughter, ran away.

And we can't find her.

Alba!

Alba!

Alba!

Alba!

You know, if I left,
it wasn't because of you.

It was never because of you,
I was the problem.

It was always me.

Go ahead if you want to...

It's better if you
go back with her, isn't it?

Are you returning to Switzerland?

No, I'm staying here.

I'll come and watch you
play your next competition.

I'm not sure if
I still want to do it.

Really? Are you sure?

Well yes... I don't have to.

No, you don't have to.

Discuss it with Zaza,
she'll listen to you.

Keep it.

You'll get cold.

I'll come and get it back.

Okay.

Okay?

Go ahead... off you go.

Go on...