Oblivion Verses (2017) - full transcript

"The world is gone,
I must carry you."

It has been brought to me
that he was an old man.

He was 76 years old.

He wasn't from around here.

One night
he ironed his silk blue shirt...

...packed his suitcases
and left home.

In a note for his family he said...

...that he is off
to the closest bus station...

...to catch the first bus leaving
whatever its destination.

When he reaches that place,
wherever it might be...

...he will stay the night.



Early next morning...

...he will leave for the closest bus station
to catch the first bus...

...once again,
whatever its destination.

That's what the note said.

And that's how the gentleman
ended up here four months later.

I'm telling you.

It's a great ending for a film.

Hello?

Yes, ma'am. Tell me, what can I do for you?

My sincere condolences.

I'm sorry for your loss.

My condolences, madam.

But could you tell me
how did he die in the end?

How old was he?



God knows he went too early.

But tell me.

You...

...how old are you?

I'm at your service.

Will be a pleasure to meet you.

Goodbye, ma'am.

Yes, yes, yes.

OBLIVION VERSES

It is the end.

IDENTIFIED

Hey there.

- You work here?
- Yes.

I'm a bit lost.

- It's not far, I'll take you.
- Even with a map I'm lost.

I was lost last week too.

I found a woman's grave -
same name as my mom.

I sat next to the grave.

I started crying.

Then the real family arrived!

You married your cousin, didn't you?

Do I know you?

For her love, you slashed three men.
With a pair of scissors.

You got 15 years for it.

I've seen you before.

We were fellow inmates.

You were released after 2,679 days.

How many days?
- 2,679.

When you found out
you'd been granted parole

and would be released in 13 days,

you asked me to write a letter
to your cousin.

What's your name?

I don't remember names.

You remember everything except names?

It's not far from here.

Wait.

So is it true that I asked you
to write a letter to my cousin?

"My love, I hope this letter
finds you well."

By God's grace I'm fine.

I will be released in 13 days.

Thanks to my good behavior,

my sentence was reduced.

I'm counting down the days

until I can hold you in my arms once more.

I'm learning how to read and write,

and, God willing,
I'll be able to teach you.

I think about you a lot.

We'll be together soon.

"May God protect you."

Amen.

It's true.
I never wrote to her again.

She is over there.

Of course.

Wait, my friend.

I wanted to thank you.

There's something else
on my mind.

Why did they reduce my sentence?

You helped the guards.

What kind of help?

Plaster.

You helped them with plaster.

But I've never worked
with plaster.

I've never worked construction.

You know something?

I have terrible nightmares.

Or so I've been told.

The next morning I remember nothing.

As I told you,
I have a very bad memory.

But there is one thing I know.

I swear

that I've never worked with plaster.

You had a bucket for the plaster.

Every night, after the execution
of the political prisoners

they took you to the execution yard.

Your job was to cover
their spilled blood with plaster.

You got paid by taking the watches
off the dead bodies.

The next day you would sell them
to prisoners in the general ward.

You old bastard.

Goddamn fucking liar.

Son of a bitch!

A fisherman and his son made
a surprising discovery at the beach..

Seven whales have beached themselves.

Hundreds of volunteers came
to the rescue,

with buckets to pour water
on the stranded whales.

Legend has it that these mystical animals
are messengers of the ocean.

Experts still cannot explain
why these creatures

that are among the most intelligent
mammals on the planet, commit suicide.

But several theories are out there.

I was by the square.

I had to pick up the invitations.

As soon as I saw the first police car,
I knew something was up.

I jumped back into the
car, locked the doors.

Suddenly hundreds of cops arrived.

They started firing tear gas,
beating people up.

The crowd had nothing but stones.
One of the stones hit my windshield.

I couldn't pick up the invitations.

We'll have to call the guests one by one.

After church we'll go home.

Good wine, cha-cha-chá.

Come by around six.

- The wife will be upset if you don't.
- I'll be there.

Be careful with that windshield.

I can see just fine.

Here she comes again.

- How often does she come?
- Last Sunday of every month.

How long has this been going on?

Today is the 249th Sunday.

Why doesn't anyone tell her?

Since the new morgue opened,
they stopped bringing corpses here.

There are only two corpses left.

They'll close us down soon.

Close your eyes! Close them! Close them!

Close your eyes!
Is there somebody else?

Are you alone?

Six, nine, twelve.

- Twelve cold chambers, ten are empty.
- Twelve cold chambers, ten are empty!

You, what's your name?

Hey, I'm talking to you.

Are you by yourself? Sir?

Sir.

We are here.

Come on, move.

Keep going.

Stop.

On your knees.

First, don't go back to the morgue.

Second, I'll drop you off
at the cemetery office, the north entrance.

Tell them that you were blindfolded,

they threw you on the ground,
you hit your head.

At your age with a blow like that
you couldn't remember a thing.

You saw nothing, you heard nothing.
This is very important.

They needed time to organize themselves.

They couldn't risk going to the central
hospital with all those demonstrations.

Right now they're looking for a place
to dump the bodies.

Afterwards,

they'll pretend nothing happened.

It could shatter while you're driving.

I tell you something.

When someone dies,

the world dies with them.

Not just "a" world, but...

"the" world dies with them.

Their poor loved ones.

Carrying on alone
searching for an end to their story.

Every story needs an end.

998.

It has been brought to me that the doctors
had given him two weeks to live,

but he was waiting for his daughter
to come back from abroad.

She is the child of exile.

After so-called "democracy" came,

he returned,

but his daughter stayed with her mother.

He remarried, but didn't have any children.

He hadn't seen his daughter
for 18 years.

Finally, his daughter came.

He died two minutes after seeing her.

Well, I convinced his widow
to come and visit the grave.

Here she comes.

Really?

Perfect.

All right, go.

Go to the office
and tell them what happened.

Tell them you hit your head on something.
Off you go!

Go, my friend. Go.

This is not just a cemetery.

All the people out there:
Clerks, bosses, executives,

businessmen, ministers, even the president,
All end up here.

We have political and cultural
responsibilities.

You should know that.

Why were you here on a Sunday?

- I work seven days a week.
- That's illegal.

We don't work on Sunday.

Did you see anything?

- No, sir.
- No, what?

- I saw nothing.
- Nothing?

No, sir.

Good.

It's very good you didn't see anyone.

You came to the right person.

You saw nothing, heard nothing.
You weren't there.

It's for your own good.

How long have you worked here?

7,686 days.

You have a funny accent.

Anyway, the morgue is closed
and you are retired.

Happy?

But there are still two corpses.

They're dead.
What can happen to the dead? They're dead!

All right.

Now, you can go back to your hometown
and play with your grandchildren.

- You have any?
- No.

Buy a dog! Buy a dog,
it'll do you good.

Enjoy your last days.

Wait.

Maybe they were in a rush.

Maybe they had other bodies to deal with.

They took eleven body bags with them.

So they were in a rush and left one body.

They forgot it.

They'll be back.

I just hope they will forget
that they have forgotten.

If they remember that they forgot...

then they didn't forget.

Let me tell you, forgetting of forgetting.

That!

That's true oblivion.

They will come back.

To bury her with the others.

In the hills,

without a name,

without a trace.

Like that winter.

Right. That winter

without stories.

Let me tell you,

some die like that, true.

And others
don't even have a clue what death is.

Like this one
I'm digging a hole for now.

999.

It has been brought to me

that she died in a car accident.

"Exterminated like stray dogs."

"There is no such thing as disappearances."

"Temporary ban on strikes."

"Three female
and six male terrorists killed."

"Terrorism: Crime on the rise."

Police report?

Morgue certificate?

Birth certificate?

I lost it.

What was that?

What was...

this alarm for?

How do I know your daughter
is your daughter?

The law!

The law is the law.

I need the...

the birth certificate.

To stamp it

and give you the permit
so that you can bury her.

It was so long ago.

How can I find the birth certificate now?

What was this alarm for?

Now what should I do?

About what?

- About my daughter.
- What daughter?

She's the same age as your daughter.

Good.

A decent burial isn't cheap.

What about other plots?

You also have to consider

that the wake and funeral services
in this cemetery are expensive.

You would be better off
with a cheaper cemetery.

Why don't you bury her
in your hometown?

Please sit.

Sit down.

You told me you own a little burial plot.

Show me where it is.

- Under the big tree?
- Yes.

- Is it a permanent grave?
- Yes.

You must have bought it a long time ago.

Permanent graves aren't for sale anymore.

Eternity has become shorter now!

15 years.

It depends.

You own a superb grave.

Near the north entrance.

Under the big tree.

If you were to sell it,

you could buy two graves
in your hometown.

Two, for a very good price.

Three!

Four!

1,000!

1,000...

So we've reached 1,000.

It has been brought to me

that this woman is still alive.
Yes, yes.

She's 80, alive and kicking.

She's not sick or anything.

She's in great health.

She says she knows her time has come.

She's lived enough days and nights.

Now it's time to go.

She's made all the preparations.

She called all her children
so she could spend her last days with them.

She even bought meat and wine!

And good wine at that.

She's bringing me a bottle later.

Let me tell you.

No one believes her,

but she's going to die.

You have to dig her grave.

Whose grave?

But I don't know her story.

- You had the wedding invitations?
- Yes.

Congratulations. And you?

- A funeral announcement.
- My condolences.

Hang on just a second.

Yours was a funeral announcement.
My condolences once again.

We were closed
because of the demonstrations.

We reopened today and ran out of paper.

But we didn't want your order to be late.

We had some election ads left over

and my guys printed the announcement
on the other side.

So your order wasn't delayed
and here's the announcement.

Quality paper, nice design,

nice typography.

A little somber,

Absolute perfection!

VOTE FOR THE RIGHT ONE
THE PAST WILL PASS!

You won't see this side
it'll be stuck on the wall.

No need to pay me for the paper.

My condolences.

1,001.

And there were no more stories.

What are you doing here?

Didn't you retire?

Two bodies, sir. The rest is empty.
One of the chambers doesn't open.

It doesn't work.

I told the administration a long time ago.

So there were two bodies?

Yes, sir.

What were you doing here on a Sunday?

I keep the morgue open seven days a week.

That's against the law.

Did you see anyone?

I fell and hit my head.

I don't remember a thing.

You?

You don't remember a thing?

Well that's really something.

- Turn on the light.
- There's no electricity.

I use candles.

Calm down.

Damn, it's huge!

What's huge?

Can you hear me?

- Got any more candles?
- No.

Come back here!

- Go find him.
- Yes.

Go find him.

Go on, man.

Hey!

Can you hear me?

- I can't see a thing.
- Did you find him?

- Where are you?
- Here.

- Here, where?
- Here, here!

You're not here, you're there, idiot!

Can you hear me?

Can you hear me?

Come back here!

Come back!

Come back!

At the new morgue they told me.

The administration told me
that you went back to your hometown.

She's still in the morgue.

I went to the morgue.
They changed the lock.

I have to get her out of there.

They'll come back, they won't leave
us alone. Don't you realize?

I don't expect you to help me.

Tomorrow is your daughter's wedding.

Since the demonstrations
I've been getting nightmares again.

I'm not asleep.

I feel someone grabbing my feet,

trying to drag me

to I don't know where.

I try to shout,
to call out to my wife, my daughter...

but I have no voice.

Then...

then I see a face.

A young person's face.

And that face...

is constantly changing.

Here, sit here.

How are you, my friend?

Thank you for coming.

How do I look?

Great, you look great.

All too good!

Since his daughter is getting married
today, I told our friend not to come.

Are there many ladies?

Save that for the wedding.

The priest has not yet arrived.

"He'll come.

He'll come with all his power and glory
to judge the living and the dead."

All rise.

"We have only a little time
to please the living,"

But all eternity to love the dead.

There I shall lie forever.

Live. If you will, live.

"And defy the holiest laws of heaven."

Amen.

Please be seated.

Go sit down.

Father.

- You are late.
- Yes, yes.

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.

Does anyone wish to say something
In memory of our sister?

One of the beached whales was rescued,
but six others could not be saved.

Local rescuers, who have been working
tirelessly for the past few days

took advantage of high tides to get
the female whale back in the water.

The whale has been swimming
near the shore where the other six died.

As a sociable animal, whales forge
tight bonds with one another.

They feel the loss
of a loved one.

The animals cling to the bodies
of their dead calves,

relatives or pod mate,
refusing to let go,

behavior similar to humans.

Two glasses of wine.

This one here.

Excuse me.

Here you are.

Cheers, my friends.
Long live death that life is short.

- How did the funeral go?
- Fine. All too good.

The funeral is over, time for the wedding!

- Is there no live music?
- The band is getting ready.

Who are they?

Friends of the groom. Electronic music.

No, that's not good enough.

Tonight deserves something else.

This music won't just raise the dead,
it will make them dance with us!

Since when do you play at weddings?

This is my new job.
No more digging for me.

So tell me, what's the story?

- What story?
- What story?

Tell him, my friend.

If you want him to play,
you must tell him how the couple met.

You keep count.
What night is tonight?

Well, it's the first night.

It has been brought to me

that the bride and groom met
in an elevator.

They rode up together.

They were going to the 11th floor.

This is the beginning.