Oma maa (2018) - full transcript

LAND OF HOPE

What has happened?
Her husband has died.

Oh, Ester.

I'm so sorry.

Wasn't Aarne in the same platoon?
Yes.

Only one soldier
survived that ambush.

Bad luck for our son.

With better luck
the survivor could've been Aarne.

What can you do with a wounded horse
like that? You can shoot it.

Can you do that
without the owner's consent?

A lot of people
have been shot lately.



These horses have seen action
on the front. Just like the men.

A lot of physical damage. And
other trouble. What other trouble?

Getting scared of loud noises.
Being unpredictable.

They don't behave rationally.

Where's Liinu now?
Out there, in the corral.

She bangs herself and the others
to the fence.

Out there she has room to run away.

Liinu, hey!

Come. It's Anni.

Come here.

The destructive WW II
has marched over Finland.

Almost half a million Karelians

are heading for the unknown,

sadly leaving their homes to
the ceded areas.



Also looking at the future
are the war invalids.

Their happiness is in the farming
of their own land.

That must be given to them,
that much we owe them...

First, you build a sauna.

Live in it the first winter.
And then, plough your fields.

Take me as your farmhand.

That's still far away.
The own land?

I'll fill the papers
as soon I get out of here.

They are dividing lots as we speak.

What's so funny?
Nothing. My eye hurts.

They won't give any land to unmarried
men. One has to get married first.

That's easier said than done.

Think about that. A house of your
own. And a wife and a few kids.

Naskali? With a family?
Yes.

Tarassed lumberjack Naskali?
With wife and kids and a farm?

How about that, Veikko?
Could you manage that?

I seriously doubt that.

Get some rest. You're so pale
that it's an eyesore.

Don't feel pity for me.
Pregnancy is a selfinflicted wound.

The manager just came by.
Cutely cheering up the young mom.

My father?
He said one more week and then out.

A lot of volunteers
to fill the vacancy.

Is that what he said? Well, it's
not his decision. I'll talk to him.

Don't talk to anybody.

Am I fired?

I don't see you for months. Then you
start pulling strings behind my back.

Firing pregnant war widows
as if I don't even exist.

War is hell.
Like the cavalrymen can tell.

Who's running this outfit?
Wow...

Have you learned to pee
standing up?

Anni, don't you go anywhere!
You were supposed to run things

until I'm back from the supply corps
or until Aarne comes back.

You've only been covering for us.
That's all.

Can't I carry on, in his place?
No.

Why not?

I can't see you negotiating
about cargo costs.

Those negotiations take place
in sauna.

Drinking vodka, passing cigars.

What would you do there?
Wash the men's backs?

Anni!

She's my horse.
Liinu?

She's recovering well.
Not so jumpy any more.

They say she can go home
after Christmas.

Anni Malmberg.
Naskali. Veikko Naskali.

You're Aarne's sister, aren't you?

Aarne...
died in the same ambush. Yes.

I was there.

We were not given any details.
How did Aarne...

We rode into an ambush like fools.
There was nothing we could do.

It was a slaughterhouse.

It happened real fast.
He didn't have to suffer for long.

He died quickly.

His body was left on the enemy side.

My mom thinks he's still alive.
No.

He's dead, for sure. I saw it.

I don't know if the Russkies
bury them or not.

We always buried the casualties.

But how is Liinu, my old war buddy?

I'll steal some bread for you again.

Veikko will bring you some bread.

Is your rump still sore?

I must be, still sore.

The enemy shot you with a cannon.
To the ass. Direct fire.

Russkies shot you to the ass.

Hey, wait!

Bring it over here, to Aarne's place.

For God's sake, not here.

Put it to the side table.

Right. Anni, you sit next to Putte.

And Hilkka here, next to me.
Like always.

Please.

Putte, that boat of yours.
Well, it's just a boat.

Quite a Xmas present!

A 28 feet ketch. German.

Putte wants to have it repainted
before the summer.

We need to give it a name.

Boats are named after women.

How would Anni sound?

Let's start with the grace.
Not aloud.

It would've been Aarne's turn
this year.

We'll, that's that.
Go for it!

The most lavish Xmas meal
in the parish.

Thanks for the ham, Kullervo.
Thanks for the cognac, Kalevi.

And one more thank you
for Putte's civilian commission.

Yes. It was a nice commission.
To match with my studies.

Didn't have to be in the front,
to get killed.

What Putte was trying to say here...
We're missing the butter.

Aarne?
It's not Aarne.

I haven't had chow this good
since the old man's funeral.

So, your father has passed?
That's an old sorrow.

Between the wars,
we were timber rafting.

And the logs got stuck.

The old boy rigged it up.

With a very short fuse.

He was always bragging
about that, drunk.

And a stroke of bad luck.

His boot got stuck between
two logs and bang!

That was the end for the oldtimer.

The local priest
started comforting me.

Said my father was
a filthy drunkard and a sinner.

He wouldn't get to heaven.

Not even if the whole Christianity
was praying for him.

And one lumberjack said
no one can tell,

but that was the general direction
he was heading, anyway.

Right, Liinu? That Naskali fellow is
not the sharpest crayon in the box.

Liinu and me, we're war invalids.
A little respect might be in order.

They almost spilled their wine
when they saw you coming.

I came because I feel we have
some unfinished business.

Thanks for bringing her home.
That means a lot to me.

We rode the same train.

I'll miss her.

Have you put on some weight, girl?

Veikko is spoiling you.
Liinu's a pretty girl.

She likes Veikko, doesn't she?
Liinu doesn't tell.

You can see it from her eyes.
Can you?

Good thing I came.

Is that so?
Mm.

Kullervo. Here you are.

More cognac?
Thank you.

Putte. Get the bottle.
And Veikko, over here.

That's the way.

Gentlemen. I'll pour.

Anni. A little crush wasn't enough
in the old days.

Love didn't guarantee happiness.
There had to be other things.

And happiness came in due time.
From everyday life. Children.

These days it's just enchantment.

I can leave if you have something...
We have no secrets.

Who is this Veikko?

Why do we suddenly have a lumberjack
at our table?

And you want us to take him
seriously. A lumberjack!

Suddenly this poor clan of bakers
is a noble family

whose holy values are raped

by the sheer presence
of a working man.

You have to maintain a certain level.
What bloody level?

You'll understand. If you want to.
I don't understand.

What level was father
when you two got together?

Well, he was...
What? A journeyman baker?

And you,
the princess of a cultural family.

Who's house was this? Yours.
Who financed the bakery? You.

I can't handle this right now.
I'm so worried about Aarne.

Aarne's dead.
Anni!

Veikko saw him die.
He's lying.

No, he's not.
Aarne's not coming back. He is!

I'll be all alone. I have nothing
left. You won't be alone, mother.

Don't you worry.

Don't you tell me how to mourn.
I know how to do that.

Why did I speak to her like that?
Pretty harsh words to your mother.

I don't know where they came from.
You got angry because of Veikko.

I just don't like the way
she despises people like that.

Well, you don't seem to despise
that Veikko.

Mommy got it all wrong.

He's not here on display. Anni.
Do you know what you look like?

You look like mommy got it right.

Putte. Go to sleep.

What?
Putte! Your pants are down.

Look after your son a bit.

Oops.

Good morning.
Welcome. This is Birgit.

This is Ida.
And Helvi.

Eeva.
And Anja.

Aino.
And Helena.

Here's Anna.
Maarit.

And Eila.

This is Katariina.
And this is...

We do have cigars.

The Germans gave them to me.

Nothing special.
But Cuban, nevertheless.

Why don't you leave when men
talk things over? Off you go!

Good. Let's start with figures.

What is your financial status?

Two suitcases, that's all.
And you're an invalid.

I have a farm.
A farm? Really?

Yes. Or I'll have one soon.
I'll fill an application.

Oh, I see. Boy, do you know
what a settlement farm is?

There's all sorts. Abandoned farms...
It's not a farm.

It's a state consolation prize
for those who were shot.

A small piece of wild forest.
Where you plough your field.

No roads, no electricity.
An uncultivated piece of land.

My wife tells me
you have plans for our Anni.

An absurd idea.
Our Anni, out in the cold.

With the inevitable children.

Among the vermin. Lice and
cockroaches. Like in the dugouts.

What have you been promising her?
Only to love her.

And she was fine with that.
To love her. But of course.

A girl like that. A woman.

Any man would love her. Also the sons
of my business associates.

Anni has a lot of choice.

But women tend to have
a taste of their own.

Are you fucking with me, boy?
I'm not.

Listen...

Veikko.
Veikko.

As a father of a fallen son,
I'm asking you. Don't ruin her life.

Choose a sturdy peasant woman.

Leave Anni to boys
who are equal to her.

Or, why not, get together.

But stay and work here.

This the best offer you'll get.

You'd be a bit like my own son.

I don't want a new brother.
I want a man for myself.

How dare you? To threaten to leave,
in times like these?

From a house of sorrow?

How can you do this to your mother?
What have you done to her?

Moving her around for years
as if she was a pot plant.

Very well, then. When Hilkka
graduates from business college...

Hilkka doesn't want to go there.
She will.

And when she graduates,
she'll find a decent man.

Like that Putte over there. And we'll
make Putte the head of the company.

I see.
Well, is there a problem then?

No problem, whatsoever.
Things are peachy keen.

I'll just go and pack.
And then we're off, Veikko.

Don't even try to get
to her bank account! Scoundrel!

I'll have it cancelled tomorrow
when the bank opens!

Scoundrel.

I ask you, Anni Malmberg,

do you wish to take Veikko Naskali

to be your husband and promise to
love him, in sickness and health?

I do.

As you both have declared content

to the question presented to you,
I pronounce you husband and a wife.

This is a serious matter.
It says here you're married now.

What? No way.

What now?
Anni Naskali.

An amusing name.

Aarne's suit fits Veikko perfectly.

I am envious of you.
About him?

Thank you.

This isn't a daily meal for me.
It won't be in the future, either.

Your standard of living
will crash down, Mrs. Naskali.

Anni. This is my, or actually
Aarne's wedding present for you.

It's his camera.

That was our present for Aarne,
last Xmas.

It was in Liinu's cart when
it came back from behind the lines.

Nine pictures taken, three to go.

Thank you, Veikko. Thank you.

Time to say goodbye.

We're not moving to America.

I can smuggle you some things.

That'd be lovely.
But only next summer.

We don't have much space in our hut.

I'll see you in the summer.
At the latest.

Right. Swallow your sorrow, sis.

You go that way
and we go this way.

I know this place from the log
floating days. We've camped here.

This is where the tent was.
And the bonfire over there.

Estate number 72.
The Babel's Shore.

22 hectares,
6 has to be ploughed to farmland.

The donator is Mrs. Luukkonen,
a widower and a retired teacher.

From this on, you do things here
in the order given to you.

That is the condition
for the state guaranteed loan.

Are you listening?
Yes.

Listen carefully. I'm in charge of
a dozenorso cold farms like this.

I don't have time to advise you
twice. Do you understand? I do.

You build your hut there

and plough your fields
in the place we just saw.

Your neighbors are the Hiironen
family from the Isthmus.

They moved there
before the Winter War.

If Vertti Hiironen doesn't know
the answer, no one does.

Is that your wife?

Ohoy, wake up!

Is it lumberjacks again?
And a wench, as well.

For your knowledge, boy.
Those are my net markers there.

And by the reefs,
I have two fish traps.

So keep your hands to yourself.

Are you from the crowd
that stole my beer last summer?

Last summer, I was in the frontlines.
My God! And you came out unharmed?

They marked my back a bit.
It looks like a sieve.

Is that right?
Ain't that hell, war?

I am Vertti Hiironen,
from the other side of the cape.

Originally from the Isthmus.
And he's not my blood.

He's Iivo, he works for me. Iivo!

Davai!

Iivo.

Thanks.
Iivo.

Keep an eye on that fire!

From the earth of frost and cold
farmland's not made of gold...

You better learn to hump'n"horny
the woods will hear the noise

The itch is hot and corny
and won't be for little boys

Your dad's got a bigger willy
but I guess that'll have to do

It looks a bit small and silly
but what can a poor girl do?

Don't tear it like that. How do you
pay for my net if it tears?

How can a slave pay? Shut up, girl.
In front of strangers.

I am his third wife.
He always wanted a boy.

Even from the other two.

Iivo is from the Isthmus too.

His mother died
next to the evacuation train.

The Russkies were shooting from
an airplane. She died in his arms.

Thanks.

Thanks.
No thanks.

Pour me some, too.

You're going to be up shit creek.
Do you read me?

I can cut down the trees.
Then your lumberjack work is done.

And your farmer work begins.

And then you're up shit creek.
With the stumps.

When you crawl in the mud,
black as a moor.

Sweat and toil. Come the night,
the stump's still there.

And you're flat out.

They said that the state caterpillars
will do the hard work.

Right. They say a lot.
But do they have the time?

Come next summer, the fall,
another summer.

You should be ploughing, harvesting
but the stump's still there.

And a hundred more.

Right. What's the point
of even trying? Did I say that?

No, I didn't say that.

But it's going to be a long haul
if you don't use this.

Veikko! What are you staring at?
Get a moveon with that axe!

That's your tree,
your forest, your field.

Take a look, Veikko!
Have you tried that?

I don't know. I haven't.
Not personally.

You cut the roots from the side
where you want the tree to fall.

And then the tree falls,
ripping the roots from the ground.

That's what's going to happen.

Iivo! He climbs a tree upside down
if I say so.

No need to do that!

Take the rope, climb halfway up
and tie it there.

Davai! Get going!
And girl! What are you?

Anni.
Take the end of the rope.

Tie the rope to the shaft.
And take the reins.

And when we yell, the horse pulls.
Do you read me?

I read you.

Now! Go!

Good.

Liinu. Liinu. Wait.

Good.

Wait, Liinu.

Liinu.

Veikko! She's not a weak tit,
this woman of yours.

But why do you have to slave away,
with a bad back?

I have a perfectly good hut.
The roof's a bit bent, that's all.

God damn it!

She's an educated girl.

But swears like a trooper.

What can I do? Must've looked at her
with an evil eye.

But you. You'll soon have
a baby on the way. Right?

I'll help you with the delivery.

I've seen how the bakery girls
handle that.

Pregnant women, with two babies
screaming their hunger.

You don't doubt Veikko, do you?
Or your life here?

You don't want to tie your leash,
do you?

Well, we don't know yet
how we can handle this.

And what if the leash is not
strong enough? If it snaps?

You have to weave the leash again,
every day. Otherwise it won't hold.

Put the whisk over your head.
It's not a whisk.

It's a whisk.

Good. Now, a straight face.

Fire in the hole!

Liinu! Liinu!

Liinu!

No problem. We've been in
worse places. Much worse.

Think about happy things.

New things. Don't think about
the war. What do you say?

Do you remember the stallion?

He sure was well equipped.

Easy does it.
There we are.

Two letters for you.

Look. There's Aarne,
with Liinu's feed bag.

That Aarne, he was a laugh.
From a good family but never jaunty.

This is taken in Ilomantsi.

Or what the hell
was the name of the place?

Are you OK?

Veikko! Veikko!

Veikko!

Veikko!

Veikko.

There. Good.
Carefully.

Lift him carefully.

The other leg, too.
Good. That's the way. Off we go.

Veikko.

He'll come back, Anni.
You better believe it.

There we are.

Good evening.

Maire Luukkonen, teacher. Emeritus.
Anni Naskali.

It was me who handed over this farm
to you. Have a seat.

Or sold it, to the state.
But you knew that already.

My son Aatos was against it.

But he's an oldschool fart.

Let's open the backpack. I'm coming
from the Marthas Xmas work party.

Here's some smoked lamb.
And ginger bread, of course.

This package you can only open
on the Xmas Eve.

Here you are.
No...

And this is for Veikko,
in the hospital.

Woollen socks and mittens.
And they predict

he'll need them this winter.

How is Veikko holding up?

Last time I went, they said
it might take a while.

The old wounds need to heal
before they can operate again.

He'll come back as a new man.
Right.

Are you afraid he's not coming back?

No need to worry about that yet.
Your life here has barely started.

After ten years,
you won't even remember this.

I miss him, so much.
Good. That's good.

It's good to have someone to miss.

Do you miss the town?
Not at all.

Open the other package,
after all. Open it.

It's for you.
Really?

Merry Xmas, Anni.

A very Merry Xmas.

Liinu? God morning.

Good morning. Look at that.

Wasn't that nice?

A Xmas breakfast.

We have at least
some sort of Xmas, don't we?

We do. Luxury.

Is that for me?
Yes. If you'd like to have it.

I do. Thank you. I'll say.
Just a little minnow.

We have bigger fish out there.

How's my gramophone working?
Sorry?

My gramophone.
The one mother gave you.

This is my shoreline.
Or was.

I see. I didn't know.

What's done, it's done.
It's no use crying over it.

We have a lot of shoreline.

Right. Aatos is the name.
My name.

Aatos?
Pleased to meet you. I'm sure.

I'm sure.

Thanks.

Dear Veikko. I got some money
from the settlement account.

Made some purchases.
We now have other animals.

The cowhouse is almost done.
Thanks to the neighbors.

You're embarrassed to read this.

But I miss you all the time.

I miss your laughter.
Your eyes, your touch.

Even your limping jokes.

Otherwise we're doing well here.

It's good to learn new things.

To see I'm up to hard farm work...

God damn it!

What did he say when you took
the car? Nothing. He was asleep.

The horseflies are coming in.
It's so hot. Hush now!

No one takes blood samples here
but the staff.

Not a good moment to visit.
He was operated this morning.

He's still in stupor.
Tomorrow would be better.

May I sit here, for a moment?
Of course. He is your husband.

I was supposed to say this.

It was a difficult operation.
Not always successful.

So I told him there's a chance
he won't come around.

What?
No, no. He's already eaten today.

But his level of consciousness
is varying.

He asked me to tell you

the wife, Anni, this,
with these words.

I wrote them down. "Dear Anni.

If I won't make it,
find yourself a new man.

And check this time
that even his backside is OK.

And don't cry for me.
I'm a happy man.

I have met you
and I will go smiling.

Take care of Liinu. Keep up
your fighting spirit. Veikko."

And think about that.
Little girl is left behind.

Liinu is a horse.
Say no more.

Anni.

Kiss me.

Your mother
didn't want to come at all.

She's afraid that she'd cry,
making herself ridiculous.

Well, that's always the danger.
What's with that tone?

Well, should I be sorry?

About my mother crying
and being afraid of being ridiculous?

You are twisting my words,
refuse to understand our feelings.

We feel like we've lost
two of our children.

I can't apologize
for the way you feel.

Or the fact that things don't
always go as you've planned.

But what should I apologize for?
Tell me.

Hilkka has started to talk
about university. Sorry.

Now! God damn it! Why
shouldn't I go to the university?

I only get to play the boss while
you make all the important decisions.

You won't have any of that.
Of course not.

But that's a different story.
How?

Always this.
Very well, let's be frank.

Is it because of me
and your mother...

Sorry. It's not a laughing matter!
Not at all.

No, it's not. Sorry.

Is it a small sacrifice

that we've slaved away for decades
covered in flour, breathing fumes?

And you sneer at that.

Is that a sin?

To try to bring you up, to educate,
to make you decent human beings?

Make you a better life.

And a steadier future we've ever had.

The sauna is warm.
Daddy, do you want to go first? No.

No, I'm not going at all.
God damn it. I'll sleep in the car.

All the memories so dear
all I have, nothing more

On my mind, pure'n'clear
days when there was no war

My longing is with me, forever
not always easy to carry

Your eyes won't leave me, never
your eyes always so merry...

What...?

Morning, Aatos.
We have started the harvest.

Now already?
The harvester broke down.

That's why I'm sitting here.
I see.

Well, I could've fixed it myself.
But didn't feel like it.

My man there is fixing it.

I hear your man in the hospital
is dying.

Mother knew.
What?

Yes, yes.
Haven't you heard?

The whole village knows.
Two weeks.

Well, good.
What now?

I thought it's recent news.

But it's old news.

I see. Damn.

I already thought

the pretty widow
makes a wife for old Aatos.

That was a compliment, right?
Yes.

I have a big house and lot of land.
I see.

And a pig sty for sale,
for a good price. To your new house.

Your mother promised that to us
for Xmas.

She did? And chickens?
Yes. And a cow.

A cow?

Not for free, of course.

Of course not...

But be in touch with the hospital.
We'll keep the offer valid.

Davai.

Let go off her! God damn it...

Sister and brother!
We are not siblings.

You are! In the villager's eyes!
Damn it. Stop that licking!

You don't know that.
And I'm not your boy.

You are a madman.
A nogood old fart.

Out of your mind!
Get the fuck off my face!

Or I'll whack you!

God damn, I'll hit you!

Do that and I'll break your head!
And you! Shall I say what?

Veikko!

You've been lacking this.
You noticed.

Yes.
It was very enjoyable.

It didn't hurt, did it?
No.

Are you quite well now?
Did they get the splinters out?

The biggest ones, at least.

Some are so deep
it's no use operating.

In the surface, as you can see,
a lot of ashes.

Tiny fragments.

They move around,
having a life of their own.

I don't want that again. What
happened to ya last winter. No.

Only minor flaws left.
Hard work will make me right.

Did you just say "ya"?
No way. What?

I thought I heard "ya".
Me?

Well, ya.

Could be.

Kaisa. Let's step on it!

Thank you, Veikko.
You're welcome. Put it on.

Give me a break!

Look, what's in there?

Come on, woman!

Don't go there. Come here.

I can't do this anymore...

Nothing.

Vertti said this is a good spot.
I'm not sure how this is done.

Is that your net?
You're still alive?

Yep.
When are the others coming?

In the morning. We have the logs
floating behind the cape.

Is that your sauna, at the bay?
Yep.

And a house a bit higher. Look
at you. And a wife and everything.

Anni.
A bonny lass she is.

You can bunk and bathe at my sauna.
Don't need to crash outdoors.

We'll see about that.

I must go. Check out that little
islet. Plenty of perch over there.

See ya!

You clean up that sauna.
What?

You clean up the sauna after the
jacks have left. I reckon I will.

I'm sure you will.
If the missus is too fancy for it.

Was it too much to ask me
if the men can stay there?

Better get going.

Come on! I don't know how to be
in a party like this.

Well, start learning. You have to
get to know our neighbors.

If they're only neighbors, why do you
have that gadget on your head?

Anni. From our village.
Hi. Anni.

Welcome. Father Iivo.
Nice to have you here.

Aune.
Anni. Nice to meet you.

Have you had coffee yet?
No, came to say hello first.

Looks like the light of faith
is burning bright with my mother.

The belief in the fellowman. To her
they're saviors of our fatherland.

How come you're tipsy, at this hour?
In front of children?

Don't you start whining to me!

Don't go anywhere, shithead.
Let's talk a little. You see...

The state came for a visit.

Saying let's cut out some land.

To the Russkie Naskali.
The shore where I kept my boat.

Maybe we talk when you're sober.
My wife's waiting for me.

A wife and a wife.
Don't you wife around there.

The state borrowed me the money.
I bought that land.

But I wouldn't have sold it, damn it.

Really, the wife's waiting.
The wife.

There are better men
around here, with no wives.

Dear friends. A downpour will
be upon us shortly.

A thunderstorm is coming.
We'll move indoors.

We'll continue there.
Ladies, take over.

Let's move
everything from the tables.

Good thing the menfolk is listening.
Learning the advice of the Marthas.

The new insecticide, DDT,
can be used for in powder form

in an apparatus like this...

My darling's beautiful
although skinny'n'slender

My darling's beautiful
although skinny'n'slender...

Let's dance.
I want to leave.

Don't you know this dance?
Get going!

God damn it!
Veikko!

Let go of me, damn it.

Let go!

Look at that.
Naskali and no tears.

Look at that...

The peasant
can't even get into his own sauna.

Cause the Marthas have put a padlock
on the door. Immonen, calm down.

Have a sip.
A corkful, no more.

In honor of your old man. If you're
your father's son, you will.

He drank away his house and land.

Maybe some other time.
I have work on the field.

That's right. Kick, kick the turf.
You shitkicking hillbilly. Get going!

Our land, our Finland, our home
the land of fortune and fame

All the places, wherever we roam
I'd like to...

We're going to paint the town
red tomorrow. Want to come along?

We'll see.

Are you crying, damn it?
My eye's sore.

He's crying all right. Leave it.
And don't you weep, Immonen.

It'll be alright again.
How about going to town?

Maybe we should do it right now?
Veikko. Come here.

Listen to an older man.
Be sensible.

Think about the cockroaches of
the lumber huts. The freezing cold.

And your new, clean house and pretty
wife. Which one will you choose?

Get away from us. Have a different
life than your father and me.

This I'll say and speak no more.

What? No.
Veikko, do you have any money?

Always the price of a cow.

Well, let's get the show on the road.

Veikko, I can't watch that. I'm going
to Juuli's place for tonight.

Please don't follow me.

Listen, jack!

Let me sing to you!

Take that.

Show me the light.

The wife's gone.
She's mad at me.

Can't find any money.
And we're right out of booze.

No use in crying.

Immonen. Let's go. Come on.

Anni?

Anni, listen.
It wasn't hard to guess

this was going to happen.

I'm not holding any grudges.
Bygones are bygones.

Let's move on.

Let's play fair
and follow the rules.

Girl!

If you're going to do something
to yourself tonight,

come to our place first.
We have tricks to everything.

If you start killing yourself,
it might hurt a bit.

Vertti, I'm not going to kill myself.

That's what I thought.
Put those thoughts away.

It has been paid.

I see.

Only the fuel?
How about the transportation?

We'll pay it.

What's this?
You don't often come here.

I haven't had anything to do here.
But now I do.

We're going to take Anni back,
without any conditions.

And you're going to let her to run
this bakery, together with Hilkka.

That is not going to happen.

Dear Anni. My letters are
Just like wasting paper.

Nothing special has happened
since the last one.

I found some nails
and got the new floor done.

Won't step in with dirty shoes.

So it'll be nice and clean when you
come over. I'm counting on that.

I've worked very hard
to get everything done.

And in better shape
than it was before you left.

That's the only thing I can do.

That is my excuse to get you back.

I miss you so much.

Anni.

Yes, yes. I can ask
your evident question myself.

Should I tell him I'm not going back?
You have to think about that.

Now that we know
what kind of man he really is.

Do we?
Well, look what has happened.

Quite a few things.

I remember the excitement of
enchantment in the beginning.

You and daddy and excitement?
Now you're being mean.

But the way Veikko speaks...
To you?

No, to Liinu.

To the horse?

Is it enough for you that your man
speaks kindly to a horse?

He's not always kind to her.

Sometimes he rebukes her
and curses.

Sometimes he says obscenities.

The tenderness in his voice tells me
he has a good heart.

He's an orphan. Lonely.
Badly wounded.

But not evil.
Not an evil man?

Although
he burned your house down, drunk.

You can't trust a man like that.

Very strongly made. I have enough
dry timber for one house.

We'll make a deal; you cut the same
amount of wood from your land.

Naskali can hardly run this farm
by his lonesome.

It'll take two people.

Have to say, the place is
very well planned and run.

An example.

But still...
Veikko, we have the wife issue here.

The word is that you are divorcing.

That is not our business
but the farm is still state property.

On paper, things don't look too good.

So, why don't you just leave this
to others.

We'll find another solution for you.

What sort of solution?

The settlement laws
have clauses for this.

It's better to be sensible
and think about the big picture.

There are still buyers
to these farms.

In factories,
there are easier jobs for invalids.

Soon in towns nearby.

These people come to your land,
like a firing squad.

Don't you have any scruples?

We're standing at the ruins
of a war invalid's house.

And you are preaching eviction.
With a calm fucking voice.

Why don't you hit the road?
The saviors of our fatherland.

That makes the big picture here
prettier. Calm down.

The officials have done
their share in this show.

Desk war is war also.
Tough times, tough rules.

I know nothing about that.

But I do know that none of you were
there in the frontlines with him,

defending this country,
this piece of land.

This is the price he paid.

Those long ditches are made by this
man. With the strength of this back.

Do you understand
the pain he's been through?

Shame on you, bastards!

I haven't done this alone.
Anni has done half, at least.

Poor her. Doing a man's work,
torturing herself to a halfcripple.

Eating lousy food.

And now,
when she wants to rest a bit,

you come around
with your divorce gossip.

Fuck you, I say.

I have seen this life.

You were still in your shitty diapers
when I was fornicating with women.

Slaving away in work details.
I know these things.

I'm not yapping my piehole
for a nobody.

Whatever Veikko does or needs,
I'll vouch for with a smile.

I’ll see to it
that the house gets built.

The wife gets back. And Iivo comes to
work as a fulltime farmhand here.

Right, Iivo?

The farm is, bar the house,
in an excellent shape.

It's out of my jurisdiction.

But a test period sounds fair.
A special permission is required.

Apply for one, old man.
That's what they pay you for.

The promises of the neighbor must be
included. Give me a pen and paper!

Half a year sounds about right?
Is that enough, Veikko?

It's up to Anni. A healthy woman
will need a bedmate in six months!

Thank you...
Don't you thank us, boy.

They and me,
we're the grateful ones.

You have done your share, manifold!

This is the way!

Knock, knock.
Hi.

Hi. I just thought there's something
I should've told you.

Hilkka, can you call Mr. Hallberg,
immediately?

I already did. Aren't you supposed to
help mommy with her knitting?

Don't you, Hilkka!

She's a tough cookie.

Replaced half of the suppliers.

The old ones have been swindling me
for decades.

Didn't I tell you
she'll make a good boss?

And the workers like her.
She's so fair.

Listen, Anni.
Yes?

Ella and I
have started talking again. Yes?

I had forgotten what a great lady
has shared my bed,

for decades.

Life is not too bad, you know.

I see. Was there something
you wanted to talk about?

Let's make up.

Why not?

Listen, Veikko.

The villagers will gossip mother to
her grave if I go to court over this.

That's up to Veikko.

He said he doesn't want to be
the judge or the jury.

And it's also up to you because
you've built everything together.

How could you do
such a terrible deed?

I only remember thinking
how tiny it is.

A tiny move of the tip of my shoe.
And with such horrible results.

What's done is done.

Go home now.

Tell your mother
things will be all right.

All things?

Hello. May I come in?

Yep.

I thought I'd only find burned ruins
but I found a nice little house.

Did you build that?
The neighbors gave me a hand.

I came to see you, Veikko.

Because I don't know you at all.

To me, what happens to Anni
is the most important thing.

And I have to tell you that
after everything that has happened,

you still seem to be
the most important person to her.

Really?

Anni told me she was surprised.

When you were dancing and carousing
at the dance pavilion, not smiling.

I can't remember
what happened that night.

A lot of war buddies,
a lot of moonshine.

You don't normally drink, do you?

I had my share, watching
the old man drink when I grew up.

I could tell liqueur is a devil
for a weak mind.

I was looking around out there.

How neat and pretty everything is.

How hard you have worked.

I had no idea how serious you both
were, with this dream of yours.

We've done everything together.

We built the house once, and then
it burned down. Anni had enough.

She hasn't answered
any of my letters.

She's not coming back.

Maybe you should try one more time.
See her and apologize.

As nicely as you can.

I left with Liinu already. Follow us.
Keep up the fighting spirit. Veikko.

This is not okay! Did you even ask
Liinu if she wants to return?

Give that to me! There you are.
Take her. The cart belongs to Vertti.

Get away from me! How are you taking
the horse? In the back seat?

None of your business!

Get away from me!
You've done quite enough here.

What did you think, you fool?
That I'd follow my horse?

And stay here as if nothing
has happened? Is that your plan?

I've slaved away for months. Alone,
like a wet fart in pain and sorrow.

And you want me here
to pamper you?

Take that nag of yours
and haul your ass off my land!

Your land? It's my land
the second you walk out of that gate!

But don't worry.
I'm not going to rot here myself.

After the rain, I'm out of here.

Just like that?
I'm not staying without you.

Everything here we've done together.
We're on a trial period!

I have the paperwork inside.

I'm not mentioned here at all.

You could drag any female here.

You still have a month left.

NEW TIMES, NEW HORSES

Hello, Nieminen.
Hello.

You're still using a horse?
Oh, yes.

You haven't bought a tractor?

I'm not sure if it's worth it
in a small house.

Many farmers must've asked
themselves the same question.

And it's true that small farms

should only acquire a tractor...

Immonen, hi.
Hello, Veikko.

Are you here to buy a tractor?
Yes. I got some land, as dowry.

Big fields but an old horse.
How are you?

Came with the wife and the kids,
to look at the tractor.

Agriculture
is the trade of the future.

Dear Hilkka.
The war is still close.

But we bury the nightmares deeper
as we keep ourselves busy,

dreaming about the future.

At first. the own land
had a different meaning for us.

But now it's mutual. And not only
the farm, but the whole life.

The neighbors and the villagers. We
wouldn't have made it without them.

Keep a straight face!
No, a happy face!

One, two, three.

Go!

My journey has taken me here,
to this moment and place.

I've stumbled to my own feet,
but I've also learned something.

To be merciful.
To others and to myself.

You know me so well, Hilkka,
so you know

I wouldn't say this
if I wasn't happy. And I am.

Subtitles by: Mika Karttunen