Ombre (1980) - full transcript

I'm a scoundrel.

I'm not even capable of dying.

I don't want to leave any trace
on this tired world.

I need to disappear.

Disappear with my body.

Destroy these memories
I carry inside.

My mind...

...my thoughts that poison
every waking hour...

These people...

I wonder what they think
about being alive?

Everything starts to
resemble those caryatids,



frozen in time,
eternally useless

- Excuse me.
- Of course.

Excuse me. Does this bus
go to the town centre?

No. This one goes the opposite way,
towards Porta Ticinese.

- Oh, I made a mistake.
- I'm sorry. - Thank you

Taxi, stop! Taxi!

You're it!

Come on, hurry up!

I can't go quicker.

Whoever finishes last
is an idiot!

You're the stupid one, Monica!

You know, my name is Monica too.

Oh, yes? Really?
Do you like it?

Sure, I love it!



I do too.

You know, Monica is the most
beautiful name in the world.

- Did you get everything?
- Yes

Are you going away?

No, actually
I just got here.

But you're not from around here.
I've never seen you before.

No, no, I come from far away.
But I'm already lost.

Monica, hurry up.
It's noon already.

I know, grandma,
but the shops were crowded.

Yes, yes.
Come on, get inside.

Truth is, you always lie
when you get distracted.

Hey, miss.

So you're here
for the attic?

I even told you on the
telephone to come earlier!

Now I'm busy,
I can't take you there.

Look, I don't -

Okay, okay...
my niece will take you.

Monica. Monica.
Wake up.

Come here.
Show her the attic.

The keys. Close when you leave.
Don't forget, all right?

Anyway, you should know -

No, no, first take a look inside.
We can talk later!

Go. Please go.

It's very pretty.
I play there all the time.

Don't tell my grandmother.

We're here.

Finally.

I'm very curious.

I can't remember which key it is.

They all look the same.

I think it's this one. I hope!

No, it doesn't fit.

Here, let me try.

Try this one.

- How did you know?
- Just luck, I guess.

Be quiet. Don't scare Rasputin.

We shouldn't bother him.

There he is. That's Rasputin.

Shame about this mess.

Good boy, Rasputin.
Good boy.

Be good. Don't move.

I brought you a friend of mine.

Her name is also Monica.

You're so sweet.

Do you paint?

Sometimes I do.

I like to paint.

Really? Have you
done any paintings?

All on my own,
no, I haven't.

Then whom do you paint with?

My grandfather used to help.
He taught me how to paint.

Oh, and he paints too.

Who is "he"?

My friend - the one who lives here.

Now he's away.

He's gone on a long trip.

But he will come back.
See? He left his cat.

You can live here
while my friend is away.

Down. Good boy.

Be careful, Rasputin can hurt you!

Rasputin, come here!

Monica, don't hold him!
He'll hurt you!

He'll hurt you!

Don't worry.
We're already friends, see?

But until now
Rasputin only wanted me.

Grandma, here, take them.

So, what do you think?

I like it...

But... in that condition...

- Oh, you can tidy it up yourself.
- Oh, right.

The painter who lived there didn't
do anything. He was very old, poor man.

And since he died
there hasn't been anyone up there.

So, you understand
the circumstances.

How did he die?

Very suddenly.
It was unexpected.

It happened last year,
almost Christmas Eve.

We only realised after three days.

He was just sitting there,
in his rocking chair.

It looked like he was
asleep, poor man.

And nobody realised?

Well no, nobody did.

But the little girl thinks
he is away on a trip.

Yes, the girl doesn't
know the truth.

What would you do?
Monica cared for him very much.

And just imagine, every time he
came by, he always gave her a gift.

And it was actually he who convinced my
daughter-in-law to name her Monica, really!

He was sure that she was
going to be a girl.

He was so sure,
almost as if he already knew.

Hey, come here!

I'll be right there!
Excuse me miss, I need to go upstairs.

Monica, look what my
friend left up there.

Beautiful.

These are Tarot cards.

They help us read our future.

I'll teach you how to
use them one of these days.

Faded colours.

Shredded signs.

Torn apart like my insides.

That day, I wanted to paint you.

Just so I could find you
in our mural the very next day.

But every day and night after that,
whenever I came looking for you,

you refused.

Yes, that's alright.

Patrizia!

Patri-

Monica! I bet you took the wrong bus.

No, but just as
I arrived I got lost.

Oh, and I found a house.

It's a dump really,
but at least I found a place.

Already? Good for you!

But I told you, we could stay at
my place. I even had your bed ready.

I'm sorry, but
what's the rush, Monica?

No rush, I just didn't
want to lose the opportunity.

Wait for me. I'm coming down.
Here, take this.

- That's ok.
- I'm coming.

Bye!

Bye!

Monica, you were very lucky.
These days you can't find anything.

I mean, how did you manage
to find it on the first try?

You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

We are working together.
We need to fill the entire wall.

And later we are going to have a
big party, with lots of people.

Pretty isn't it? Do you like it?

It's very hot up there.
Let's get a drink.

Look, we took over the whole square.
We did well, eh?

And, what did you
tell your father, Monica?

Simple. I wrote him
a letter and went my way.

He won't manage to dig me out.

Now I'm sure that
no one will ever find me.

Enough! I want to live as I
please, without restrictions.

You're not winning me over here.

Is it true you
will live alone?

Yes.

Whom did you meet?
Tell me, do I know him?

His name is Rasputin.

Rasputin? So he's Russian.

That's fantastic.
Tell me about him.

Well, he has big green eyes.
Deep like the ocean.

I instantly fell in love.

And what's he like?
Tall? Blond? Thin? Rich? Friendly?

What does he do?

- He eats rats.
- Eh??

He's a cat, silly!

A cat?
Sure, I believe you.

You know, Monica,
I'm glad you're here.

But you arrived
in the ugliest season.

There are no jobs,
so hope for the best.

It seems that designers
are worthless now.

Anyway, I'll let you know
if I hear of anything.

Thank you.
I don't have money.

I definitely need
to find something.

And I won't turn back.

Of course not!
I'm here for you.

We need to help our ...
former country girls!

Sooner or later, we will
find something, don't worry.

Let's hope so!

Hey, Cesar, dear.
Another one!

Be kind - a little ice,
and a lot of whiskey!

Ok.

Let's hope for the best,
that my father won't find me.

I wonder what
he's planning to do?

In any case,
I will help you.

Listen, who is this guy
who keeps eating toast?

Oh, do you remember that guy, Renato?
I told you about him in a letter.

Well, now you finally meet.
He takes whatever he pleases.

Don't listen to her.
Whenever the tide turns I always help.

And then, it's party time for everyone.

Yes, but the fact is,
the tide never turns.

It will. It will.
You'll see

In the useless fight against time.
This mural remains the sole survivor.

It stood against rain,
heat and wind.

While we all fell,
right at the beginning.

We only had a glimpse
of the playing ground.

And we got scared.

For you it only took an instant,

a gust of wind to
carry you far away.

You rolled on the ground
like a piece of paper.

It only took a gust of wind
to weaken the roots of your young body.

And so you ran.

You were hiding,

because you felt something
evil lurking above you,

something that made you
think of ... old memories.

Listen here, Monica.

If you keep avoiding our help,
you will only get worse, understand?

You are ill. Very ill.

I'm not ill.

Do you think I don't understand

that you and my father are keeping
me locked inside this damned house?

No, that's not true, Monica!

We're here because...

...because you need us.

You need me.

Where would you go instead?

I hate you.

But one day, I will
go away from this place,

and no one will ever find me.

Renato! Renato!

Renato! Hey!

Monica!

What a joy, that day

when I found you again.

I felt you,
I felt your warm shyness.

I saw you,
and your light blinded me.

You were laughing.

Words were useless.

We found each other,
and we went away hand in hand.

Away from the city, from the people,
from the maddening soulless noise.

We had found...

...a timeless moment.

Between the green of the trees
and the smell of the moss...

...I was afraid.

A fragile coldness
divided us for a moment

and it travelled throughout
my body as a long shiver.

Incessant.

I saw you, and
I noticed your paleness.

You silently looked at me, mute.

And your eyes
were asking ...

"why?"

I understood later that
behind your silence ...

lay a stubborn refusal to live.

Oh, Rasputin,

stop messing around.

What's going on with you today?

Be careful, you will ruin my canvases.

They're not even mine.
I found them here.

Look at this mess.

Do you feel the smell of your owner?
These canvases belonged to him, right?

Poor man, he wasn't able to paint.

Come on, don't think about it.
Go and play on the roof.

Rasputin, you're still here?

What's so special
about that canvas?

Let's see.

There are markings.

They look like the features of a face.

My father...

...but, why ...
why does he follow me?

Why can't I forget his existence?

Monica!

How many times do I have to tell you,
you can't play with my birds!

They are rare specimens,
they'll cost you an eye!

You shouldn't be playing with them.
It doesn't take much to kill them.

Look, these ones -
these ones, for example,

They can't stand the sunlight.
They need to be in the shade.

Otherwise they'll lose
their beautiful colours!

They get depressed.

I get depressed as well,
locked inside this house.

I already told you,
you need to rest, you know that.

I can't rest if I don't get tired.

I'd rather die before having to spend my
entire life caged like these stupid birds.

I've already heard all this talk from
your grandfather. Thank God he left.

It's you who made him go away.

That's not true!
He left because he was mad.

He wasn't! He was the
happiest one in the family.

No, you're wrong.
He was mad, really mad.

He was capable only of
doing evil, only bad things.

Enough!

Now I'm the one who
will destroy everything.

To hell with it all!

You understand?
I will destroy everything!

Everything, I tell you!
Destroy everything!

Do you understand?
Everything!

Every one of us tries...

...passing through this useless world...

...to leave a mark.

Buildings, monuments, columns,
paintings, statues...

Poor fools!

We should end this jealous
and greedy all-consuming time.

Monica appeared...

...and left me love.

[song]
Do you feel all right?

[song]
I'm going to love you all the night.

[song]
But your love is strange,

[song]
and I wish you'd never change.

[song]
Do you feel all right?

[song]
I'm going to love you all the night.

[song]
And it feels so good,

[song]
'cos your love is good.

[song]
Do you feel all right?

[song]
I'm going to love you all the night.

[song]
'cos your love is strange.

[song]
and I wish you'd never -

Now, every fiction has ended

and I remain alone
on top of this empty stage.

Everything else...

I play along with the things
that surround me...

... but they don't belong to me.

I am inside these leaves.

Inside these beams of light
that no one manages to capture.

And Monica is gone.

And if Monica is gone,

there is no place for
anybody else inside my thoughts.

I don't want to
remember anyone else.

Even if a child, the image of a mother,
should remind me the face of Susanna.

Renato.

Renato, do you still remember me?

- Well?
- Well?

For example, you could be
kinder, don't you think?

Why should I?

Ah, forget it.

Can you at least tell me why you're hiding?

I can't keep asking.

I am always here if you want to see me.
But if you don't like this place -

Forget about it.
You want to fight.

Basically, our
relationship is finished.

We'll get over it.

But anyway, listen to me.

I'm here to tell you that my father
doesn't want you in any gallery.

And with which paintings, anyway?

None of the ones you showed him
have a shred of personality.

That's what he says.

Who cares what he thinks?

I only told him about my paintings to ...
to get people talking, shake things up.

Maybe even sell something.

But that's not really
possible with my style.

It's too far from
current tastes.

The people wouldn't understand, and the
markets would turn their backs on me -

your father included.

That's just not true!

Why don't you try to have a
serious conversation with him?

My father is smart.
He can help you.

He discovered so many people,
some very successful now.

Do it for me.

For you, Susanna?
And why would I do that?

Tell me the truth, Renato.
What's going on with you?

Am I not good enough for you anymore?

Why can't you answer me?

Is there another girl?
You can tell me.

Don't you think I deserve
some sincerity at least?

Renato! Renato!

Hey, Elena.

Hello!

Listen, are you free on
Saturday night?

Why?

I got a job selling beer at a nightclub.
I start this Saturday.

Lights, music, girls ...
You will come, won't you?

Of course, you know
I like to see you dance.

Oh, you'll see, we will have a great time!

Renato, come quickly.
Monica has fainted.

- Fainted?!
- Renato! Quick, come.

There are certain moments in life

where you can anticipate time.

You observe from a distance.

You are able to read completely
the reality that surrounds you.

Your illness, Monica,
has made me run ahead of time.

I understood in that very moment
that I had lost you forever.

And how does a man
avoid his own destiny?

Are you a relation?

No, I'm just a friend.

Well, then it's best if
we talk to someone else.

Is it that serious?

I would say so, yes

What is it?

We need to wait for the results.

Do you even have an
idea of what it is?

Well ... it could be...

...leukaemia.

Leukaemia?

If you wish you can visit her, but
don't take too long, she is very weak.

- Sure.
- I ...

We really should tell her father ...
but I don't want to do it.

You know what? I'll give the address
to the nuns. They'll do it.

What? Don't you want to see her?

No, you can go. I don't want to.

It's too much for me.

Renato...

Don't be afraid,
you will recover in no time.

You neglected yourself.

You want to live on your own,
without anyone by your side.

You're stubborn.

What a shame...

Shame?

It's a shame
we didn't meet earlier.

It's fate Monica, but now
we will never be apart.

Of course, never.

What will remain of our dreams?

Our happy days?

I would've liked to
have seen Paris instead.

And we'll visit Paris
together next summer.

Listen... while I'm here, I'm going
to need laundry, money... Could you...?

Of course, tell me what I need to do.

I'll tell you where I live.

These are the keys.

Oh for God's sake,
that damned cat.

I'll get the broom.

Be careful because that cat
has already hurt a guest.

Where is it?

Oh, he escaped.
That damn cat has gone.

Ever since its owner died,
it hasn't been the same.

It became savage.

It comes and goes.
I don't know how it survives.

Only my niece can control him.

Oh, Jesus, Mary and Joseph! This -

This is him!

I recognise him.

It really is him.
That is definitely him!

But who is "he"?

The painter!
The painter who died right here!

What's happening? It's all right.
Calm down. Calm down.

We'll call the doctor now.

I beg you, please be calm.
It's all right. Help is here.

Don't agitate yourself.
Stay calm.

Everything's all right.
Everything's all right.

Let's do it.

I'll get the I.V. drip.

- What's going on? Stay calm.
- It was just a bad dream.

I beg you, stay calm.
Don't be like this.

You don't believe me, Renato.

You don't.

But I -

You need to -

That portrait,
the one with my grandfather...

It was not I who painted it.

It was he.

He used me...

But, Monica, how...

Yes...

He wanted to be present.

Present?

Present, yes...

Like my mother...

We always want to be present.

When I - was in the attic,
he was there, staring at me.

And if I made a mistake,
he forced me to start again...

...until he was satisfied.

That's how his portrait was born.

You don't understand...

But believe me...

Please, believe me...

You see...

When I was still in that house,
with my father,

and my grandfather was gone,

I... I felt his presence.

He was there.
I could talk to him...

And those were the
only good times I had.

All of a sudden,
I couldn't find him anymore.

And that's when
I understood he was dead.

From that moment on, my life
in that house became unbearable.

I escaped.

And that's how I got here...

to the attic...

his attic...

And he came back to me.

I felt his presence again.
I found him.

We resumed our conversations...

our quiet moments...

But this time, with suffering,

with pain,

for him...

...and for me.

We need to send him away.

If the professor finds him here,
we're in trouble.

I know, but she is very ill.

Yes, but even so ...

Excuse me...

You can only stay 5 more minutes.
Then you have to leave. I'm sorry.

Do you love me, Renato?

Then, I bequeath
that portrait to you.

When I'm gone...

...that will be my memory for you.

My presence.

We...

We...

...are different

...we're -

Monica.

Monica...

Monica...

Nurse, nurse!

We came here as soon as
we found out, professor...

It seems that the process was
faster than we anticipated.

Sadly, in these cases, it all depends
on the strength of the patient.

I see.

Monica...

you are still with me.

I had to search for you,

to find out who you were.

I wasn't young anymore, and I
was all alone in this big house.

Clara tells me that she has a child,
Monica, born from an unfortunate love.

It's an old father, a painter
who never had much success.

I gladly took the
three of them in here,

but I didn't even know
where they had come from.

They said they came from Alleghe.

The girl was very kind,
and I quickly grew fond of her.

It seemed to me as if
she were my daughter.

The old man, he was strange...

sometimes silent for days,

sometimes talking very oddly.

Half mad, I thought...

Even as a painter,
I didn't understand him.

He only painted himself...

...almost as if he wanted to
fill the world with his image.

Years passed...

I was already trying
to start a family.

But Clara... without notice,
without reason...

without the time even to
develop a hunch, she left.

Disappeared.

Look, look!
You must believe me...

There was no other man, I am sure...

Clara just disappeared...

...in the same way
that she had shown up.

And she dragged me with
her crazy explanations.

I thought Monica was suffering
from the loss of her mother,

but - no.
She seemed rather relaxed,

...serene...

And, after a while, I realised
that the little girl was ill.

Anaemia, said the doctors,

pernicious anaemia,
possibly leukaemia.

And so, with a doctor,
a friend of mine,

we tried to heal her
here, in this house.

The cures were obsessive

... poor girl...

... poor girl...

And the old man grew
increasingly strange

with his grim Tarot cards.

He taught her to
perform bizarre rituals.

It was his way of
curing her, he said.

But I knew he did everything
to keep me away from her,

to turn her
more and more into himself,

into Clara, her mother.

"Death!"

And Monica did indeed start to
transform more and more into Clara.

"Death..."

Then, the old man
went away as well...

... we couldn't find him
after that.

But I wasn't surprised.

I even thought the
depression ... was over.

"Grandpa, grandpa - wait for me!"

"I beg you. Wait for me! Grandpa!"

But I was wrong.

Monica started to behave in
an incomprehensible manner.

She refused the help
that she really needed.

She refused my affection.

She always looked for her mother,

and her grandfather,

and then she went away as well.

I found her nearly dead.

I wasn't able to do
anything for her.

Nothing at all.

Now ...

I'm all alone again
in this big house,

...but their shadows...

...won't ever go away...

Now, forever, I am here.

Inside your house,
amongst your possessions,

looking for a memory
in your bed.

Monica...

You have taken me,
and you won't let go.

I'm in your shoes...

... repeating your gestures
in a sweet and slow harmony.

I don't exist.

I am just your reflection.

Show yourself to me, Monica.

What do you want?

Go away, you ugly creature.
Go away!

What did your eyes
look like, Monica?

I can't... remember...

I didn't see them enough...

Maybe they were deep,
just like these ones.

"Renato ... Renato! Hello!"

Renato...

- Hello, Susanna.
- Hello.

I finally found you...

That stupid girl told me
there wasn't anyone up here.

Please, come in.

I was working.

Whom do you live with?

Eh? Nobody.
Sometimes with a cat.

But he's very annoying.

I'm alone, and I want to remain
alone, you understand Susanna?

I need to work.

Now, or never.

You found me. Good for you.

When I want someone,
I always find them.

We need to see whether
you really found me,

because I'm not the
same person I was before.

There used to be a Renato.
Now it's somebody else.

Uh, who's this?

Pretty.

This is why you disappeared.

You found a new inspiration.

Don't say stupid things.
She is Monica, a friend of mine.

I understand. I wanted to
see it with my own eyes.

Monica is dead.
She died two months ago.

She was an incredible girl.

She lived here all alone,
waiting to die.

Have you ever
witnessed someone die?

You've never seen someone die?

People die all the time.

But we never see it.

You have become sensitive.

What happened?
Have you changed?

Are you a better person?

I don't recognise you anymore.

Is that your cat?

It looks like he's spying on us.

Send him away.
I'm uncomfortable.

What is this?

What is this painting?

It's a portrait.
Do you like it?

It's amazing. You've never
done something this beautiful.

Now you're a real painter.
You're really good.

Twelve one. Twelve and a half!
Twelve and a half! Thirteen!

Thirteen! Thirteen!
Thirteen one, Thirteen two...

Fourteen!

Fourteen one.
Fourteen two.

Fourteen ... three!

Sold!

Now, our next lot is this singular
portrait, painted by a young woman,

discovered by the collector Schumman.

It's in a
neo-impressionist style,

which, as you might know, is returning
into the American and European markets.

The face pictured here evokes a character
of a strong expressionist force.

To sum up, to buy this painting
is to make an investment ...

3 million. Ladies and gentlemen,
I'll now take your offers.

Renato.

What do you think you're
doing, Renato?

The offer starts at 3 million.

3 and a half.

3 and a half, no one offers more...

What, are you crazy?
What's this all about?

Instead of the portrait, I find a note:
"I'm taking your painting to my father."

And your father auctions it like some
hard-up old woman. Who do you think I am?

Susanna, this wasn't our agreement.

I want my portrait back, now.

Otherwise, I'll go there
and take it myself.

Come on, don't be stupid.

What's wrong?

This is an important auction.

My father is helping your
career, and our future.

We have no future.

Thirteen. Thirteen million.
I have thirteen million.

That portrait is not for sale.

I need it, and on top
of that, it's not mine.

You can't understand
what it means to me.

I am sure you will create many more
Don't get stuck on this one.

I promised Monica I wouldn't sell it.
Do you understand, yes or no?

Again, with this Monica!
I'm tired of it.

That's enough.

It's already too late.

20 million!

20 million, gentlemen!
We are at 20 million!

Let's keep going!

Who is going
to offer more?

20 million and a half!

The race is exciting. We are
at 20 and a half, gentlemen.

Let's keep going.

21 million!

21 million, once...

21 million, twice ...

21 mi-
21 and a half!

21 and a half.
On one...

21 and a half, on two...

Gentlemen, who'll keep
the bidding going?

22 million!

We have 22 million.

Who'll offer more?

22 million and a half
for the gentleman here.

22 and a half, on one...

22 and a half on two...

"Do you love me, Renato?"

"Then, I bequeath
that portrait to you."

25 million!

25 million, on one...

25 million. going on two...

Sold! Congratulations, sir. This
name will soon become famous.

Have you already finished
celebrating the sale?

I don't feel so good.
My head is spinning.

On a night like this!

25 million is worth a good
headache, don't you think?

We could have chosen
a quieter place.

Why here?
All of my friends are here.

Those? The ones
that are dancing away?

These are Elena and Patrizia.
I find them exciting.

Can't you see their
will to live?

Well, what are you waiting for?

They're inviting you, can't you see?

They're calling us over!

Let's go.
Tonight I want to have fun.

I am a painter
with millions of dollars!

Come on, let's go!

And to think you almost ruined everything.
If it weren't for the painting.

It sold itself.

That's true. All by itself.

Monica!

Monica!

Monica!

Monica!

Monica.

Renato, wake up

What are you thinking?

Monica didn't even look like me.

No...
Monica!

Hey, Monica!

What's wrong with you?
Are you drunk?

I'm not Monica!

Of course, you're Patrizia.
I want Patrizia tonight!

[song]
Because I love you, hey...

[song]
Do it!

[song]
If you love me, love me, love me... do it!

Monica.

Someone else has taken
your place for one night.

My caresses,
my kisses, my tears...

...they were for you, my dear friend,
who sleeps far away.

Your body rests.
It doesn't produce children,

but instead flowers with murky
colours that remind me of you.

What do you want from me?

Signs, colours, paintings?

Creativity is life...

...and I'm dead

No, no, no, no...

Look, we don't agree here.

No, no - these ones don't evoke anything.
They don't have the power of the first one -

the only painting of yours
that we have sold.

You had found the right street.
Why did you change it?

These things, nobody likes them!

What's going on with you?

Just remake your last painting.
Don't be afraid

I wish I could,
but I'm not capable.

Hey now, you know that we ...
do as the market tells us.

A bit of cynicism won't hurt.

I have plenty of cynicism,
don't worry.

Maybe I have a painting like
the last one ... in my mind.

Mm...

But I need time.
I need to be left in peace.

Renato! Renato.

Excuse me for a moment.

Listen, it's the first time
I use my father to see you.

What do you mean?

That you are only
here for business.

So?

We have some unfinished
business to attend to.

Or did you forget?

Perhaps.

Then you are clearly crazy.

But with you, I should
have seen it coming.

Renato, why don't you paint
in our summer house?

It would be good for
Susanna as well, and...

... it could even improve your work.

You look angry Renato,
you know that?

No, I can't.

But why not?

At this point you need to
start living together, no?

Father, I beg you...

Don't you realise we will never be able
to push him away from that damned attic.

He wants to stay there and only there.

Susanna, let's give it some time.

But there is no time!

This child is not only mine,

and he should stop thinking about -

... that stupid model of his.

You're delusional, Susanna.

Goodbye.

Monica,

our story ends here.

Now, I'm not even capable
of faking it.

I would keep repeating
the moments of our existence.

I'd wear a fake smile into town.

I'd meet people and say,
"It's a pleasure."

What pleasure?

Of existing?

- Monica.
– I'm coming.

What is it, grandma?

My good Monica, stay here.
I need to go upstairs.

But don't move until I get back,
and make sure no one touches these.

- Why?
- Because these are dangerous.

These are small pellets of rat poison.

When I get back,
I'll store them in the cellar.

But first, I want
all the children to know.

That way they will recognise it,
and they won't touch it.

Later, remember to bring
Mr. Renato some food.

Oh no - grandma, I don't want
to go up there anymore!

- Why is that?
- He's mean. He even mistreats Rasputin.

Fine. But that cat is a beast.

That's not true!
It's just that he doesn't like anyone.

Take me!

Come upstairs and take me far away!

Tell them, Monica. I'm not a liar...

Is it a lie to defend our caresses
from irony, from thieves?

I don't want to talk about you and me.
About the things that didn't happen.

Come and take me!

Why won't she show herself again?

One day, you told me...

...that we would dance
in a field of red poppies.

And we would make love.

"Do you love me, Renato?"

...that flat pool of blood...

"Then, I bequeath that portrait to you."

"When I'm gone ..."

"...that will be my memory for you"

You are here, and you smile.

"...my presence"

We ...

"...we are..."

No!

It's not true that all of this
is just a useless illusion!

Tell them, Monica,
that I'm not a liar!

You need to tell that to the
old man with the white hair,

that I'm not an impostor,
that I didn't betray you!

I didn't invent my success.

I am here, but I am
also with you, far away...

Far away, far away, far away ...

Someone is climbing the stairs...

Your eyes cut through the darkness.

The dark stairs go up
in flames behind you.

Because love, Monica,
burns as it passes.

Nothing ever grows again
where love has passed.

What remains?

The void.

Absolute void, without sounds,
smells, colours...

What is that? Who could
it be this late at night?

Quick, open the door, signora.

Yes, I'll open, but who
are you? Are you a doctor?

Oh God, maybe someone is ill.

No, I am Schumman.
Don't you recognise me?

I need to speak to the painter
in the attic. It's urgent.

Oh, Mr. Renato. Don't bother with him.
He won't welcome you in the daytime.

And neither at night,
with that personality of his.

You'll see that this time
we will convince him to open.

My daughter gave birth
to a boy three hours ago.

I came directly from the clinic.

Praise Bacchus,
Mr. Renato became a father.

I beg you, come upstairs with me,
we need to convince him to open.

Oh certainly, if he doesn't,
this will be my turn to open.

On Bacchus, a son is a son.

Just think that, for 15 days,

he has locked himself in,
as if he were a prisoner.

He didn't even open for the cleaning.

My niece leaves him
food outside his door

because he won't open for anyone.

These artists are a strange kind, ma'am.
I know the type quite well.

Renato, it's me, Schumman.
Renato, open up!

Renato, what are you doing? Are you asleep?
Susanna had your child. Don't you care?

Renato, open!

It's useless, he must've taken
a sedative. Use your keys.

Yes, let me just -
What? My key is gone!

I don't understand.
I've always had it with me -

Alright, we need to kick down this door.
We'll buy a new one later. I'll pay.

But right now, we need to get in.

Wait, wait, I'll turn on the lights.
There should be a switch right here.