The Shortest Week (2002) - full transcript
In a small provincial town, Franck learns one day that his mother is gone, framed by gendarmes. Magré his brother, despite the friend of his mother, the boy of thirteen then rocking in a world without landmarks where the emptiness left by his absent mother leads him, for a week, to commit the irreparable.
Hurry up, Mum, we'll be late!
Where were you?
You took your time.
- We went shopping.
- We went as fast as we could!
Right, Franck?
- Of course, that's right!
Mum!
Mum?
- I'm listening.
- Can I take the moped?
- Your brother doesn't like you using it,
you know that.
- But you borrow it too.
- Come on, that's not the same, is it.
There's nothing to watch on TV?
You hardly watch the TV
your father got for us.
- I'm going out!
- Where are you going?
- Out!
- Yes, but tell me where you're going.
Emilien!
Emilien!
Emilien, where are you going?
- I'm going out! Pretty obvious, isn't it?
Laurence?
Laurence!
Why are you always shouting at Emilien?
- I'm worried about Emilien.
- Why?
- He's always going out without telling us.
Never says where he's going.
- That's normal.
- You think so?
- When I was young I was the same.
You don't need to get up so early for that.
- But I have to work, you know that!
Hurry up, you'll be late again.
For your construction site.
Bye!
Why didn't you tell us
you were going out yesterday?
Mario doesn't like that.
He worries about you..
- Why do you always call him Mario?
His name isn't Mario.
- But if he likes to be called Mario,
why should you care?
- I couldn't tell you anything,
there was nobody here.
- Oh Franck, listen,
you always exaggerate!.
You think it's easy
to be alone all the time?
- I didn't say anything
- You never say anything!
You think it isn't obvious?
Nothing I can do about it,
that's just how it is.
And Mario's nice, isn't he?
And he loves me.
And he likes both of you too.
- I'm off!
- Well?
Going already?
- If I don't go now I'll be late.
- It's the last day, so it doesn't matter.
- I don't like that.
- Look at you!
Couldn't you even comb your hair?
- It's fine! Stop it!
What are you doing here, this late?
- What about you?
- Is that any of your business?
Want to get on?
- School's that way, yeah?
- Be careful, yeah?
- I won't say anything, you know that.
- I'm sure you won't.
I'm home!
- Home already? You startled me!
- I found this in the hall.
- Yes, I get one of those every day.
For work, you know.
- There's a piece of paper with it.
- There should be a date written on it
- How do you know?
- Because they always do that.
- It's for tomorrow.
- See, I was right.
Put it over there.
Good morning, Madame,
sorry to disturb you.
Do you know Roland Maugret ?
- Yes, my ex-husband,
father of my younger son.
Why? Something happened?
- Do you have a TV set in your flat?
- Yes.
- I'm sorry, but the TV is stolen.
- Stolen?
On your own? Mum not here?
- No.
- Has she gone out?
- Police came.
- The cops?
- She went with them. They took her away.
- But why?
- Something about the TV.
- The TV?
- Nothing new!
Something to do with your—
- But why?
- I don't know!
She told me you should—
- So she'll be coming back?
- Listen to me! Enough questions!
I'm trying to explain, Franck!
Franck!
Come on, go back upstairs.
- I don't want to stay on my own.
- Mario's there.
You're not on your own.
- Come with me then.
- Don't fuck around!
Upstairs!
What are you waiting for? Move!
- Get off my back!
I'll go when I'm ready.
What's up?
- Why did the cops take Mum away?
- Mario didn't tell you?
- He didn't want to tell me anything.
- Because it's really not that important.
- Did Mum steal the TV?
- Of course not.
It's something to do with your father.
- But why did they take her with them?
- Because ...
It's not that simple.
- And Mum? Did she know about it?
- Definitely not.
- Is that the truth?
- You don't trust me?
- Of course I do.
- Well then, go back upstairs.
It's for the best.
- Are you having dinner with us tonight?
- Take care of yourself, OK?
Now, back upstairs!
- So will you come and say goodnight?
- You're not still a baby, are you?
- No.
- So move!
Mum?
Mum? Mum?
Leave me alone! Fuck off!
- Son of a bitch!
So, tell me what happened?
- They called me a son of a bitch.
And said I'd end up in jail.
Just like Mum.
- Come here.
One thing. Listen to me.
You come across a lot of bastards in life.
And you'll meet a lot more.
So never listen to what they say.
Know what we're gona do now?
We're gona have a good shower.
We'll feel much better for it.
OK?
Everything will be all right.
OK! Go and get dressed.
What a fuck-up!
All this because of a TV.
A social worker came to see me at work.
- She's got a cheek! What did she want?
- I told her I can take care of you.
- Did you see Mum?
- No.
But they let me talk to her.
On the phone.
- How long's this gona last?
- I don't know.
You shouldn't smoke so much.
- I can decide that for myself.
- Sure, you can do whatever you want
with anything I tell you.
- You're not my father and not his either.
- I don't see what
that's got to do with it.
You're right.
You're right, I'm sorry.
That's your third bottle.
- That's all right, I can hold it.
You're right. I'm going for a walk
Is that OK, boss? Do I have permission?
- You do.
- Don't be too late
going to bed, little guy.
Clear the table and go to bed, OK?
- You going out again?
I get scared when mum's not here.
I do everything I can to get to sleep.
But it doesn't work.
What do you think she does all day?
She must be worried about her job.
She has so much to do.
Although she works fast.
You should see her.
I don't like being at home without her.
It's nothing!
It's Mario. He's been drinking.
It's nothing.
Nothing.
Go to sleep.
Don't be scared, I'm here.
Everything will be fine.
You just need to sleep.
Little bastard!
You're starting to piss me off!
Where have you been all day?
It's my moped! You understand?
When you want it, you ask, OK?
But where did you go?
- To look at the prison.
- The prison? What did you go there for!
- You're crazy!
- You took my moped on to the main road?
Were you trying to get hit by a car?
Little fucker!
- You're nothing but a jerk!
What're you doing here?
Go to bed.
It won't do any good to stay awake.
The lawyer told me
they shouldn't have kept me so long.
- Shouldn't you try to get some sleep?
- You shouldn't smoke so much, Milou.
That's why you cough.
I don't smoke. I'm always scared that ...
- Don't worry
I tell him that all the time.
The lawyer told me
they shouldn't have kept me so long.
- You want something to drink?
- If you like.
The facts of this story are real. Fictional
feelings filled the void in the news item
Where were you?
You took your time.
- We went shopping.
- We went as fast as we could!
Right, Franck?
- Of course, that's right!
Mum!
Mum?
- I'm listening.
- Can I take the moped?
- Your brother doesn't like you using it,
you know that.
- But you borrow it too.
- Come on, that's not the same, is it.
There's nothing to watch on TV?
You hardly watch the TV
your father got for us.
- I'm going out!
- Where are you going?
- Out!
- Yes, but tell me where you're going.
Emilien!
Emilien!
Emilien, where are you going?
- I'm going out! Pretty obvious, isn't it?
Laurence?
Laurence!
Why are you always shouting at Emilien?
- I'm worried about Emilien.
- Why?
- He's always going out without telling us.
Never says where he's going.
- That's normal.
- You think so?
- When I was young I was the same.
You don't need to get up so early for that.
- But I have to work, you know that!
Hurry up, you'll be late again.
For your construction site.
Bye!
Why didn't you tell us
you were going out yesterday?
Mario doesn't like that.
He worries about you..
- Why do you always call him Mario?
His name isn't Mario.
- But if he likes to be called Mario,
why should you care?
- I couldn't tell you anything,
there was nobody here.
- Oh Franck, listen,
you always exaggerate!.
You think it's easy
to be alone all the time?
- I didn't say anything
- You never say anything!
You think it isn't obvious?
Nothing I can do about it,
that's just how it is.
And Mario's nice, isn't he?
And he loves me.
And he likes both of you too.
- I'm off!
- Well?
Going already?
- If I don't go now I'll be late.
- It's the last day, so it doesn't matter.
- I don't like that.
- Look at you!
Couldn't you even comb your hair?
- It's fine! Stop it!
What are you doing here, this late?
- What about you?
- Is that any of your business?
Want to get on?
- School's that way, yeah?
- Be careful, yeah?
- I won't say anything, you know that.
- I'm sure you won't.
I'm home!
- Home already? You startled me!
- I found this in the hall.
- Yes, I get one of those every day.
For work, you know.
- There's a piece of paper with it.
- There should be a date written on it
- How do you know?
- Because they always do that.
- It's for tomorrow.
- See, I was right.
Put it over there.
Good morning, Madame,
sorry to disturb you.
Do you know Roland Maugret ?
- Yes, my ex-husband,
father of my younger son.
Why? Something happened?
- Do you have a TV set in your flat?
- Yes.
- I'm sorry, but the TV is stolen.
- Stolen?
On your own? Mum not here?
- No.
- Has she gone out?
- Police came.
- The cops?
- She went with them. They took her away.
- But why?
- Something about the TV.
- The TV?
- Nothing new!
Something to do with your—
- But why?
- I don't know!
She told me you should—
- So she'll be coming back?
- Listen to me! Enough questions!
I'm trying to explain, Franck!
Franck!
Come on, go back upstairs.
- I don't want to stay on my own.
- Mario's there.
You're not on your own.
- Come with me then.
- Don't fuck around!
Upstairs!
What are you waiting for? Move!
- Get off my back!
I'll go when I'm ready.
What's up?
- Why did the cops take Mum away?
- Mario didn't tell you?
- He didn't want to tell me anything.
- Because it's really not that important.
- Did Mum steal the TV?
- Of course not.
It's something to do with your father.
- But why did they take her with them?
- Because ...
It's not that simple.
- And Mum? Did she know about it?
- Definitely not.
- Is that the truth?
- You don't trust me?
- Of course I do.
- Well then, go back upstairs.
It's for the best.
- Are you having dinner with us tonight?
- Take care of yourself, OK?
Now, back upstairs!
- So will you come and say goodnight?
- You're not still a baby, are you?
- No.
- So move!
Mum?
Mum? Mum?
Leave me alone! Fuck off!
- Son of a bitch!
So, tell me what happened?
- They called me a son of a bitch.
And said I'd end up in jail.
Just like Mum.
- Come here.
One thing. Listen to me.
You come across a lot of bastards in life.
And you'll meet a lot more.
So never listen to what they say.
Know what we're gona do now?
We're gona have a good shower.
We'll feel much better for it.
OK?
Everything will be all right.
OK! Go and get dressed.
What a fuck-up!
All this because of a TV.
A social worker came to see me at work.
- She's got a cheek! What did she want?
- I told her I can take care of you.
- Did you see Mum?
- No.
But they let me talk to her.
On the phone.
- How long's this gona last?
- I don't know.
You shouldn't smoke so much.
- I can decide that for myself.
- Sure, you can do whatever you want
with anything I tell you.
- You're not my father and not his either.
- I don't see what
that's got to do with it.
You're right.
You're right, I'm sorry.
That's your third bottle.
- That's all right, I can hold it.
You're right. I'm going for a walk
Is that OK, boss? Do I have permission?
- You do.
- Don't be too late
going to bed, little guy.
Clear the table and go to bed, OK?
- You going out again?
I get scared when mum's not here.
I do everything I can to get to sleep.
But it doesn't work.
What do you think she does all day?
She must be worried about her job.
She has so much to do.
Although she works fast.
You should see her.
I don't like being at home without her.
It's nothing!
It's Mario. He's been drinking.
It's nothing.
Nothing.
Go to sleep.
Don't be scared, I'm here.
Everything will be fine.
You just need to sleep.
Little bastard!
You're starting to piss me off!
Where have you been all day?
It's my moped! You understand?
When you want it, you ask, OK?
But where did you go?
- To look at the prison.
- The prison? What did you go there for!
- You're crazy!
- You took my moped on to the main road?
Were you trying to get hit by a car?
Little fucker!
- You're nothing but a jerk!
What're you doing here?
Go to bed.
It won't do any good to stay awake.
The lawyer told me
they shouldn't have kept me so long.
- Shouldn't you try to get some sleep?
- You shouldn't smoke so much, Milou.
That's why you cough.
I don't smoke. I'm always scared that ...
- Don't worry
I tell him that all the time.
The lawyer told me
they shouldn't have kept me so long.
- You want something to drink?
- If you like.
The facts of this story are real. Fictional
feelings filled the void in the news item