Sarah Plays a Werewolf (2017) - full transcript

On the stage of her high school drama class 17-year-old Sarah gives it all. When she performs, there is an instant of suspense in which she appears to transform completely into her ...

SARAH PLAYS A WEREWOLF

Does our way of working
disturb or scare you?

- Not really, no.
- It's not about being scared.

I would like it

if we could work with texts
that already exist, you know.

- To have a goal.
- What about you?

I like working freely.
I have better ideas.

But we don't have your imagination.
It doesn't work for me.

We're still in the process, it's normal.

Imagination is nice,

but I don't feel
like I'm interpreting a character.



- What's the problem?
- The way we work here.

I like it! - What way?

She wants texts to act out.

That's because she's scared.

I think that's fine.

I'm also scared
that we won't make it.

But that's ok, we're brave!

- We want to be brave, right?
- Yes.

We want to create
something together! Right?

And we'll make it happen,
it'll be great!

- You draw well.
- Thanks.

What's that book?

It's by Georges Bataille.

- Who is he?
- A philosopher.



What are you drawing?

It's for a new scene.

Are you ok?

I don't feel very well lately.

Why?

Because my brother
committed suicide.

I didn't know.

- See you.
- See you.

You found some...

Hi my dear.

Is that a friend of yours?

Yes, she just wanted my opinion
on a scene we're doing.

We're writing our own play
with the theatre group.

If everybody gets involved...

It's gonna be a mess!

They should give the job

to the only one
who actually knows how to write!

- Can you see me now?
- Yes it works. You?

- Yes, all good.
- Great.

It works.

You were telling me about theatre.

Yes, well everyone else
started getting ironic,

and I ended up being
the only one really present.

Yes, it's a lack of maturity...

I tried calling you many times,
why do you never call?

I just prefer seeing you in person.

- Sarah?
- It's just not the same anymore.

Heidelberg, why didn't you
go to Zurich or Geneva?

Come on, it's not that bad...

You can just come visit!

Should I come tomorrow?

No. You have to go to school.

I'm not going to school anymore.

And what does mum say?

Well... Mum is sad that you left.

She told me she's happy for me.

Dad misses you too.

And I do too.

Hi Esther!

Hello!

How are you?

Don't you want to talk to him?

Rather some other time,
we're going to the cinema.

You really don't
want to talk to dad?

Well, we're going to the cinema...

Wait a second.

That's it. Yes?

- Benjamin says hello.
- He didn't want to talk?

He thought
you wouldn't enjoy skyping.

And what's going on, how is he?

He's fine.

Did he say what
seminars he's taking?

I don't remember.

But he talked about a seminar
on Wagner's Liebestod.

When Juliet wakes up,
she sees that Romeo is dead.

So she takes Romeo's dagger
and kills herself.

Right.

And how does this action show
the passionate character of this love?

But what's the point?
Isn't it useless and complicated?

Romeo kills himself
for Juliet who's playing dead...

who then kills herself for him.

That's just annoying!

That's another topic.

Think about this gesture,
the dagger thrust.

Why the dagger?

Juliet's gesture has something
profoundly carnal.

Sarah.

Well in fact, Juliet thrusts
Romeo's dagger into her body.

So it's a bit
like a physical love scene.

That's exactly what it is.

Romeo's dagger penetrates Juliet.

Which proves
that their love is physical.

And it's Juliet who initiates that act.

Anyhow it wouldn't work
as a play nowadays.

It's way too kitsch.

Really? You all think so?
Yet it's about love...

Yes, but it's not
the kind of love we feel.

Imagine we killed ourselves
every time we fell in love.

There might be much bigger
feelings than you can imagine.

Yeah, like what?

Like in every big love story.

A love which you'd sacrifice
your own life for.

Romeo and Juliet's love
is an innocent love at first,

and in fact it becomes tragic

once their family origins are revealed.

Romeo should have
informed himself first.

The debate is over.

Mrs Philipona...

Is it possible to take
a distance high school diploma?

A what?
A distance high school diploma?

I was thinking I could work
better this way, concentrate more...

and also write more as a result.

But it's not possible...

I don't even know
if it's done on a federal level.

Sarah,

you'd be better off taking distance
from other people's reactions.

Sarah?

Are you sick?

- Sarah is not going to school today.
- Why?

She was throwing up.

There's a bee in my room!

Monica?

- Monica! Let's go!
- Coming!

O comfortable friar!

Where is my lord?

I do remember well where I should be,
and there I am.

Where is my Romeo?

Poison, I see,
hath been his timeless end.

O churl! Drunk all,

and left no friendly drop
to help me after?

I will kiss thy lips.

Haply some poison
yet doth hang on them

to make me die with a restorative.

Thy lips are warm!

Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief.

O happy dagger!

Welcome.
This is thy sheath.

There rest...

And let me die.

Mummy! - What is it?
Sarah is going to die!

- She's in Benjamin's bedroom.
- Really?

Sarah, stop it.

You look frightful.

Look... She's breathing a little bit.

Now she's even smiling.

So it's fine.

Do you think it's funny, Sarah?

I thought you were sick.

That's enough now,
what is this drama about?

Someone died.

What now?

- Who died?
- My boyfriend.

Really? What boyfriend?

I had a boyfriend and he died.

- He's name was Luke.
- Not Romeo?

- What are you doing?
- He understood me.

- One more time...
- Stop that.

Leave!

Get out!

Esther, come. We're leaving.

Let's go, darling.

Mum... I'm sorry...

Listen, listen...

Listen!!!

Cocky.

Cowboy.

Without his horse...

Wild.

Dangerous.

Over-acted.

Testosterone.

- Dominant.
- Loser...

That's a Johannes who
didn't understand the exercise.

Oh yes, I did! But...

I don't want to be
myself on the stage.

Do you want to work
with me on that?

Fine.

How can I explain you that...

This exercise is about...

becoming conscious
of your behaviour

when you feel watched.

You can shut down
and pretend no one's there.

But you can also look yourself.

Instead of just being watched.

One rarely acts alone.

Well, let's go on.

Farmer.

Weeping willow.

A deer.

Despair.

Strange.

Inapproachable.

Foetus. - Insecure.

- Snob.
- Old maid.

She looks deep in thought.

And her?

Who's she?

That's Saint Barbara.

She was locked
in a tower by her father,

who wanted to kill her
because she believed in God.

But she managed to escape

and hid in the crack of a rock.

A shepherd reported her.

Her father pulled Barbara
by the hair all the way into the city

to give her to the Roman governor.

And he cut off her breasts
in front of everyone.

What do you think it feels like,

to be in front of all these people,

and being cut into pieces?

Barbara felt nothing.

She said torture was like
a stroke from a peacock feather.

- Did she die?
- Yes.

But before she died,

an angel appeared
and dressed her in a long white dress.

When you really believe in something,

you can endure anything,

even the most terrible pain.

It rains and the stairs are slippery.

The city is dark.

No light is on.

Panic can be felt.

The girl suddenly stops around a
street corner and listens feverishly.

Nothing.

Very, very softly,
we can hear music playing.

A music that calls her.

She has to go, in spite
of the danger she can feel around her.

Her steps are slow, but firm.

She's lost control of everything.

Her entire body
is under the spell of music.

Under HIS spell.

And suddenly she understands.

It's the torturer.

It's a ruse.
To make her come back.

To come even closer to him.

Sarah?

Did you know the torturer can
play music on guilty women's bodies?

He plays them like an instrument.

Alice wants to go to the torturer.

She thinks it's fun. But it's dangerous.

He's a collector.

He collects parts of your body...

as no one talks with him,
his loneliness made him half crazy.

He has a tuft of hair that stands up.

Sarah: When everyone is asleep
and all looks dead,

then HE wakes up.

Alice: He?

Sarah: Yes, the torturer.

Alice: What he prefers are breasts,

because it's intimate for a woman.

Sarah: Shush, don't speak so loud.

If he hears us, he'll kill us,
and he'll be after our breasts.

What are you doing
in your dad's study?

Wait...

I'm working!

What else could I be doing
in my office, but work?

But please, take a seat.
Take a seat.

Just feel at home!

- Although you're at my home.
- Yes, of course.

- It's my office.
- Yes.

- My den...
- Yes.

The room that I created,

into which I brought all my knowledge.

Book after book.
Yes, I read them all.

From the first with the letter A
to the last with the letter Z. All!

Devoured.

And sometimes I read them again!
Just for pleasure!

I will shape you, I will teach you,

I will show you, because I know!

This young insolent!
You should educate her.

- Right, I didn't...
- We should think of her education.

Can you read?

- Yes!
- If you can't even read,

- how could she?
- It's true... yes.

He's coming...

What are you doing in my study?

What's so funny?

But...

It's not a place to play!

Why do you need
to take these books out!

- Just leave please!
- Alright!

This is where I work!
This doesn't go here.

They took everything out.

- Come one.
- Yes, we're going.

Yes, thanks.

Your hair looks nice like that.

I like it, really.

The torturer likes to see pain.

He likes blood, and tears.

He likes nudity.

He likes young women.
He likes to break and destroy.

We all have a torturer inside of us.

1: The martyr enters the stage,
followed by the torturer.

Gaze of the martyr
toward the audience.

They will have to participate.

The audience comes on stage.

Come on!

Faster.

2: The torturer starts the torture.

- Rope, whip...
- Go on!

3: Encouraging calls from the audience.
- Again!

More brutal blows, more violent.

Obstinate silence of the martyr.

She is enduring.

Come on!

Stronger!

4: Screams of the martyr.

That's right!

All the violence in the world
in one scream.

Then, all stops.

I suggest we talk
about what we just saw.

And be sincere.

- Honestly, I didn't understand.
- Why?

I mean it wasn't...

It wasn't convincing.
You can't be real on stage...

It doesn't work.

And I think it's not for a group
of young people like us to show this...

Who should show this then?

Well, it's too much.

It went too far.

But there are much worst things
than this out there!

Is it criticism of violence?
Because if it is...

Why do you reproduce it?
There's nothing critical about it.

To criticise you have to show them!

People don't even know it exists.

They do too.

But they do nothing!

When you see such things...

It just blocks you as a viewer,

it doesn't make you want to...

It doesn't bring you
to a positive reaction anyway.

- But it makes you realise...
- You don't need a positive reaction!

Anyway the positive
thing I see in this work,

is that it generates a reaction,
it provokes something.

That's positive at its core. Then...

- What I criticise...
- No, I can't.

- I can't discuss this.
- We're talking Alice. It's interesting.

- This discussion is interesting.
- I don't want to!

It's a real shame,
because there's quality in this...

It's a process, Alice.

It's a real shame, Alice.

What?

How do you know if you're in love?

When you take inconsiderate risks,
even just to kiss that person.

When you constantly think of her.

When you notice
a multitude of details...

How she stands,
how she holds a glass...

Her hair.

Mum thinks that love
like in the operas doesn't exist.

That it's made up.

- I've experienced a love like that.
- Luke and me, we felt it too.

That's why I love this opera.
It's about passion.

- What are you doing here?
- I'm looking.

- What do you have on your mouth?
- Tape.

- Do you want to play with me?
- No I don't.

Leave it.

Don't touch.

No, you have to come play with me...

Play with me!

I need a key for my room.

Why?

Because you come in
when I'm working.

Alice and me are doing
something big at the theatre.

I'm happy you have a friend now.

We might not stay in the group.

I think when you start something,
you should go all the way.

We have to do free things,
we have to free ourselves.

But free yourselves from what, Sarah?

We're going to the opera
to see Tristan and Isolde.

I think she's going to like it.

Ok, but what do her parents say?

She has no parents!
She has no siblings!

She's all alone, she's independent!

At least they leave her in peace,
her solitude is respected.

Why am I not allowed to be alone?
Why don't you leave me alone?

Why can't I also be alone?!

Why?!

Hey!

Hey!

- You alright?
- Yes, you?

- Let's go?
- Where?

To the opera.

You know...

Did you make a reservation?

You didn't reserve...

I don't feel like going to Zurich
without knowing if we'll have a seat.

We could go another time.

What's the matter?

- What?
- Are you sick?

No, I'm not sick.

- Are you hurt?
- I'm not hurt.

What's that?

It's a Hickey.

A Hickey?

Yes.

I'll see you at theatre then?

You know...

It's not my thing at the moment.

I think I'm going to stop.

We started something,
we have to finish it.

We could see each other
just like this...

You show me your texts...

Well, then...

See you, then.

- Bye.
- Bye.

Have a good evening!

Sit down.

- Mum says dinner is ready.
- Yes, yes.

Imagine that your brother
here is Siegfried.

Your beautiful lover.

Imagine he is dead.

Because your closest confidant

stabbed him in the back with a spear.

And he could do it because you...

You revealed to him

Siegfried's only weakness,

by branding it on his armour.

You indicated it to him,
in order to save Siegfried.

But now, in spite of you,

you're an accomplice to that murder.

Betrayed by this disloyal confidant.

And you miss Siegfried.

You miss him cruelly,
and this immense love,

this extreme pain,

is going to turn into...?

In rage! It's not that complicated!

It's a bit your situation somehow, no?

Because she's very angry
that you left.

Because she loves you,
loves you, loves you, you see...

Just look at this.

Well this magnificent woman

adores you.

Someone...

whom you trust absolutely blindly

murdered your brother.

How would you seek revenge?

I don't think I would seek revenge.

Imagine your brother,
your real brother!

Murdered!

By your confidant.

How would you seek revenge?

Vengeance can be imagined,
you know...

Would you follow him into death?

No, because I wouldn't
find him again there.

Not to join him...

But to seek revenge
from this disloyal confidant.

Can you come and play with me?

Later...

Esther, I told you
I don't want you here!

- Why?
- This is not a place for little girls.

Dinner is served.

- It's stupid to stay here.
- What's stupid about it?

To interrupt a conversation like this,
just to be on time for dinner...

Now THAT is stupid!

Just go.

But it's a shame...

I thought Ramona
was doing you good.

I wasn't going to get married!

I'm young, you shouldn't
settle down too early either...

I thought she was nice.

You know, when we met
we were still very young.

For us, making a commitment
still meant something.

It feels good to be all together
at the same table, no?

Yes.

Don't you ever invite anyone?

You're the one we miss, not guests!

You never go out?

I would like to,

but your dad is always busy
preparing conferences.

And you terrorise me
with subscriptions to the theatre.

If we had a subscription

we would go out just the two of us.

I'm much better off
in the comfort of my home, really.

Oh, come on...

it's because
I want to be with you.

Stop it!

And your classes at the conservatory?

It's difficult at the moment.

I can't play because of my finger.

What happened?

Sarah caught my finger

in the door of your room in fact.

- Of my room?
- Yes, she misses you.

No wonder.

She has no friends,
she's always at home with you,

replaying and imagining
the script of god knows what story.

Excuse me?

I was never allowed
to invite friends home either.

That's nonsense!

You're not going to pretend
we forbade you to have friends?

I am allowed to invite friends over.

You're a lucky girl.

You never allowed me to invite
a single friend to this table.

Ben and me,
we once saw a spaceship.

I was 6 or 7 and
it was hovering above the garden.

- A spaceship?
- Yes.

That's what we thought at the time...

We'd just seen Star Wars
and were impressed.

But that's interesting indeed.

Could you describe it for me?

There's no need to describe it.

We both saw it,
we know it was there.

And what came out of it?

She's right, dad.
It really looked like a spaceship.

It must have been something else,
of course.

A weather balloon or so...

Good, Esther,

I leave you alone
with these two space heroes!

Did you really tell mum
that your boyfriend was dead?

I even told a friend
that you had committed suicide.

You can't say that...

It's not funny, you can't tell that
to people, it's scary Sarah.

It's how it feels for me...

I don't understand
why you make up such things.

We used to invent things together.

When we were children,
now it's different.

Bye, see you soon.

You're going to miss the train, hurry.

Soon, dad,
I won't be here anymore.

I'm going to kill myself.

If you think
you find yourself again in death,

and join your soul, you're wrong.

There's no return to the origin,
and nothing after death.

No human, no nature...

No moon, no sun,
no sea, no earth...

Not even bees.

Not even bees?

When you were stung
and we knew you were allergic,

I spent the entire night
with you at the hospital.

Really?

I thought mum had stayed with me.

No, it was me.

You almost died.

You couldn't breathe anymore.

If a bee had come near you,
you would have died.

I went through the entire room:

under the bed, every fold of the sheet,

I ran my arm against your back...

I even opened your mouth!

Sarah?

The martyrs were tortured
and killed because of their beliefs.

We often think it's over,

the times when people
got tortured for their beliefs.

Yet today still torture continues.

It is more discreet,
less spectacular, but present.

Torture is other people's gaze,
people who judge.

Who think they know everything,

as if one could know someone
with just one gaze.

Hello.

- You're not hungry?
- No.

I have to go as well.

Take her along, please.

I don't want to leave her alone.

But yes, of course.

Esther, I'm sitting in front.

Esther, move.

- No!
- Leave, I'm in the front.

I'm sitting in front!

Leave her, that's ridiculous,
I let her sit in front too.

No she's not allowed
to go in front yet!

Why are you so upset?
That's so childish!

Are you sad because of Johannes?

No, I don't give a damn about him,
I have other problems.

What problems do you have?

I don't know
if I can tell you about it...

I was with a guy not so long ago...

And we didn't use a condom.

This morning he sent me
a message saying that he has AIDS.

So I'm really freaked out.

I took the test this morning,
that's why I came late.

It's like when my boyfriend died.
I didn't tell anybody.

- What?
- Sarah?

I have the feeling

that my father

doesn't really listen to me...

I try to tell him my problems

but he just nods

and looks back down at his paper,

and he doesn't give a shit

about what's happening in my life.

But when he talks, you have to listen,

and it's super important.

My father really works a lot.

He's in his office all the time,

with his plans and drawings.

But one thing we always do together

is having breakfast together.

He tells me about his newest project,

we listen to the radio,

and it's nice that he takes that time.

My father has a restaurant
since I was a child.

Lots of guys
come to drink every night,

he calls them his friends

but with the years I understood
that they aren't really his friends,

but people who come
to drink for free, and...

It makes me sad now when
I see him with these guys who drink.

I love my father.

He's really great.

And we just get along so well.

He's almost like my best friend.

And when the hockey season starts,

we both root for our team,
and we go see every game.

Fantastic moments!

We spend our time shouting,
cheering like crazy...

I love it. I adore my father.

My dad...

He can be fantastic.

When he starts talking
about sciences,

it's as if the entire living room
were lit up.

But unfortunately...

he has a hard time understanding

that what he does,
doesn't really interest