Constantin si Elena (2009) Movie Script
Winter
If we leave this here 'til morning...
What?
I think it cracked.
Do you see the grease on the rim?
Watch.
But it can't be!
- Then where is it from?
- I don't know.
Put that there!
Turn it a little.
And this...
Alright...
- Don't walk on those sheet irons!
- OK, I won't.
You might fall in the fire!
Not that I mind it, but
you'll ruin my smoke-house!
- Oh dear!
- What "Oh dear"?
- Oh, dear, I forgot the bucket!
- Go get it then...
Hold this a little.
Let me just put a stick over there...
Have a sausage, everybody!
Yes, yes...
Hi, Liviu! Stop and have a bit of sausage.
Let me just take it out.
Here, fresh and tasty!
God bless you for it!
- May it be for the peace of your son's soul!
- God bless you.
Kiss your hand, Ma'am.
Hello, Liviu!
- I gave him a bit of sausage...
- Good for you.
- What have you done? Where did you put them?
- To have a taste...
- Ah! Put them here!
- Be patient! I have more...
- Careful! They might break!
- Here.
Alright.
Oh!
"Careful! They might break"...
Yeah, yeah... they just did...
- Not even a dog would eat this.
- Right!...
And the cat, always with us...
- Come, let's take it all at once!
- But we can't...
- Can't we? Even if we use the rope??
- No, no, don't bother.
Hold this for a second. I'll go up!
- Oh, my dear!
- But the light is not on up there!
It is, since last time. Go up!
Is it?
- Yes, I see it!
- Oh yes, I see it now.
Let's go back to the mill,
Let's go spin that wheel!
Here!
Stop there, take this first!
Oh dear, oh dear!
- Careful, the bucket is broken!
- No, it's not...
... It's not allowed to break.
Hey old man, where did you go?!
Hey!
You climbed up, so stay there!
I stay here...
Why not? Did I put you up there?
Oh, dear! Will it work?!
I told you!
Hold it from that side!
I can't. I put the other one here!
Come, get it up!
Up we go...
Up with the crane!
Now, loosen it. Alright.
Let's see if I can untie it now...
This is a hell of a knot, mister!
- So the pig won't run away!
- Right...
- This sleigh we used, it was Ana's.
- Really?
Yes. I made it for her when she was little.
Now maybe Ioana will ride in it...
her daughter.
She could. But they rarely come over.
- They surely have another sleigh now.
- What?
- They surely bought another sleigh now.
- Yes, a modern one. A bob-sleigh, maybe.
Alright...
We praise You, Lord...
What are you doing?
Leave the singing for the church!
Let me help you dress up now!
We praise You, God...
Come on!
We give thanks unto You...
And we pray unto You...
Come on! I want to see you dressed!
And we pray...
We pray...
Leave that on!
We pray...
Take this...
Good!
Listen... how many years have passed
since we got married?
Well... do the math.
- 9th of Feb... January...
- 9th of January...
- 1953...
- Yes.
And now we're in 2008...
So, this month we complete only...
My God, they're so many!
- What a winter we had then...
- You see... Snow was up to your waist.
Yes...
What a winter, my dear!...
When I remember it...
As if it has never been...
Remember how they blocked our sleigh,
before the wedding?
- Oh, the "checkpoint" tradition.
- Yes.
- But you didn't give them anything...
- I did... I sure did.
- Ah, when they came at the wedding.
- Yes, yes, I gave them.
What a tradition that was!
I'll go take my watch.
So I'll know when to come back.
So many years have passed...
Good times, bad times... Sorrows and joys...
What?
So many years...
No use to weep...
The years have passed, we got old...
Tomorrow or the day after... we'll be gone.
The youngsters will take our place.
It has always been this way.
- Leave the sleeve, or else you can't look at the watch...
- Oh, you're right...
- So I can look at my watch...
- Yes, maybe you have a date...
Yes... with a granny.
Right.
A granny...
- Well, I've had my dates, didn't I?
- You sure did...
But that was long ago...
Go, go, you go...
Come back, you come...
Right, you want me back to feed the cows...
to clean the stable...
Otherwise, some other guy would come...
- What guy?
- A younger, a harder working one.
I think you do your work well enough.
OK... Now let's find
something that smells nice.
Wait, I have to clean this a little, first.
There.
- I didn't give you any money. Do you have some?
- Yes, about 4 coins. It's enough.
I think this doesn't work. What's wrong?
Not this, the other one!
Keep this for yourself.
What would I need it for?!
You use it when...
When what?!
Ah, that one works, too.
But this one's for the ladies...
- Oh, dear! You know what that means...
- I'll smell like a lady.
That's a good one!
- How did it occur to you?!
- Ah! It stings.
- Did you spray the fur cap?
- I did!
Good!
I'll give you candles.
I think I already have the...
What are they called?
- I had some... Where have I put them?
- Here, light this big one.
- What's this?
- Light this one on the grave. It'll last longer.
A candle!
- Mornin', Vasile!
- Mornin', Uncle Costica. I'm going to the valley, too.
Come, then!
Come, I'll give you a free ride.
I'll give you one, too.
We'll give free rides to each other.
- To the church...
- Me too, I guess.
Come, Gheorghe, up we go!
- It's hard climbing, isn't it?
- Yes, a bit.
It's hard.
God only knows how many times my father climbed
up these stairs. These very same stairs.
What can we do about it?!
At least it helps us stay in good shape.
Yes, right.
Light of Light, True God of True God Begotten,
not made, of one essence with the Father
Holy God... Holy Immortal...
Blessed are those with humble hearts...
For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn...
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed be those who follow God's words...
I'll put some wire here, soft wire...
I make little squares...
And you put this on the pot...
So you can wring out the water
when you make the green cheese.
- See?
- I see. Bravo!
Well, your graybeard, he knows stuff,
but he's too weak now.
- He's just a little too old.
- Do you need strength for this?!
- You need some talent...
- Yes, some caviar up here...
But my head is old and
rotten, of almost no use.
Right...
My head, my poor, poor head...
It's good the way it is.
- I'll take this piece out first.
- I don't think you can do it.
- You don't?
- I don't.
You don't, but I do!
- But where did you get this?
- From the old washing machine.
I detached it from there.
Look what I found here!
Oh, you found your notebook!
I found my notebook.
I've been looking for it...
Where was it?
There's a poem, not that old.
It's since we were retired...
- Do you want to hear it?
- Yes, absolutely.
"Life is Beautiful"
When you are young, you feel
That the world is oh, so clear.
The years slip by with no delay
And you get older every day.
When you're young you got it all:
Love, life, power: it's a ball!
You're not aware that every thing
Hangs from the thinnest string.
You are now young, handsome and strong,
You know how to get along.
Later you see that all this mess
Will leave you with nothingness:
Your hands won't listen,
your eyes won't see,
You'll have a bitter question:
"Am I living pointlessly?"
It's summertime, birds are singing
And the crickets play with dew,
One ear seems deaf to you.
Sometimes both, all two.
So true...
Children grow up around you
Each one grows clever, too.
They have homes and good jobs start,
Then their children steal your heart.
Your grandchildren are precious bloom
That inherit life and overcome doom.
Think the world of them, my friend,
From now till the ruthless end.
Even though you have no choice
And get weary of their tinkling voice,
Follow your thoughts, old and wise,
For they are your next lives.
And after all, my friend, if all of this
Doesn't bring a perfect bliss,
You can say out loud, it's true:
"Be it as it may, life is beautiful!"
Bravo!
You see?
- It's true...
- This is not that old...
It's true, it is!
- We live on through our children.
- We do, don't we?
You described me well in your poem,
hearing with one ear...
But it's not just you!
With one deaf ear, ah?
Do YOU hear with one ear?
- No, I hear with both ears.
- You do, but you hear less.
If nothing else, my hearing is OK.
I hear pretty well, too,
but I don't understand much.
It's just not clear...
When I listen to the news...
I only hear... and understand that lady...
...Gabriela. Vranceanu-Firea.
I can understand everything she's saying.
The others don't make sense to me.
- Look how beautiful it is!
- Didn't I tell you...
I'll clean it again, after
you put the wire...
I leave these glasses here
and go out with the black ones.
I go see if that wire fits.
If it doesn't, I'll think
of something else.
Check on the cows.
See if they're alright...
Make sure the calf doesn't
suck his mother dry.
Spring
Come on, get out, you ugly cat!
Here.
- Don't you sing to her?
- Sorry?
- You don't sing to her, like usual?
- What?
To the cow, when milking
her, don't you sing?
I didn't understand.
I asked if you don't sing anymore,
when you milk the cows.
- Sing to her?
- Yes, so that she'll give you her milk.
We praise You, God...
I sat many days at my window
Waiting for you to pass by.
But you went some other way, Gheorghita,
Our paths didn't cross... Good bye!
Had you come, I would've told you many,
Many things I had inside.
I gathered for you feelings plenty
That would have made you
change your mind...
Next time you come, believe me,
Grab my waist passionately,
Hold my head against your chest,
And then kiss me with no rest!
We were once young...
Nice to remember our youth's songs.
- We weren't young!
- Of course we were!
We were all worn out from working.
Yes, we were, but we had courage...
strength...
While now, I weave these for our funerals.
Our youth was only on Sundays,
when we went to the dances. To the balls.
- But we did have the dances, the balls...
- Yes, those were nice.
- The girls came with their mothers...
- So they did.
Our mothers were holding our jackets
while we were...
Nowadays, you see, girls sit in bars,
smoking cigarettes...
No one listens to "mummy" or "daddy" now.
In truth, it was better when we were young.
Home! Now!
Home, ugly duck! Or else...
All these TV shows are
just a bunch of lies!
They want us to believe
that all that is true!
They're trying to fool us.
- Why do you watch it if you don't like it?
- I do like it, but why do they lie?
I watch it because I like it.
This is an art, made by talented men, you know.
What's to like about it?
You don't have to believe
everything you see.
You told me not to start this set of carpets.
Didn't I finish them?
- What?
- These rugs.
You told me "No, no, don't start weaving a
new set, you won't finish, won't finish"...
- I didn't want you to work so hard.
- But it's spring time, we need to move the loom...
Yeah, but you've worked day and night.
Yes, I did.
You worked too hard!
- But what if one of us died?
- What?
If one of us dies, what will you do?
If I die, you'll keep them.
No, I'll give them out at the burial.
How can you give so much work away?!
You work so hard and then
you give them at a funeral?
Yes, but this way people will remember you.
They'll know you made something out of your life,
something beautiful with your own hands...
- It's a good thing.
- You still die.
Whether you made carpets or not,
you still end up in the ground.
True, but it's better to be remembered
for something you've done.
People will leave the funeral
with a good impression.
We don't all die on the
same day, you know...
That's life.
- Don't you take the one below?
- Take what?
- The one below.
- I don't. I'll move it all in one piece!
Right...
TV's plug...
Leave that... And carefully take this one.
- What if this one falls on my head?
- It won't.
How do you know?
- Don't you take that one, first?
- No.
This goes first, and then the other piece
will go straight in the right place.
Wait...
I hope that one won't fall.
When I left the convent,
mother-nun gave me a loom.
It was light, unlike this giant here.
Whoever saw us carrying it,
thought we're carrying our crosses.
They didn't know what we were doing...
Let it go.
That's it.
- Have you seen that, dear?
- I did.
I did see you are the bravest.
- Good, I'm gonna lay something...
- Oh, I got so tired!
You did?
You'll rest at Easter.
Take the table.
Let's put it in its place.
Constantin, Constantin...
The neighbors will yell at us:
"Your house is on fire!"...
Oh, nonsense!
Oh, dear!
See, and you said we shouldn't clean it...
I didn't say we shouldn't.
- Is it such a big deal?
- I said we shouldn't do it now.
Not now? When then? After Easter?
I thought we'd only tidy up a little...
Ah, doggy, what are you doing?
Get out of here!
Why only fresh grass?
I brought a little for the chickens. Here!
- It's enough! Don't waste it on chickens!
- I am done.
- You gave them a lot.
- I did.
Are you saving it?
See, I put that there, so
you don't go up the attic.
Remember when you left me in the attic,
waiting with the wine wicker,
while you were telling stories to Vasile?
But, hey! It's good that
you have someone at all!
For whom would you wait to bring you down?
If it wasn't your old man?
You weren't that old back then...
- Wasn't I?
- You weren't that old. You were a bit...
A bit more youthful?
Oh, dear!
I've been a greybeard since I got married.
Listen...
How can you not be a graybeard at 83?
But... were you already
And I still mow the grass,
and dig, and carry things on my back...
Ibreed our two cows with my back's work...
I do it and I'm 83!
Well, it's good that you can!
I can, I can't... I must!
We have grandchildren, great-grandchildren,
another one on the way...
Don't they need milk?
- Don't we also need milk?
- Yes. Definitely.
- Isn't it too sweet?
- Very good.
I put some chocolate in.
That's why it's so good.
- Aaah... coffee, plus chocolate... plus sugar...
- Well, a tiny treat...
Yes, but what if your
old man gets diabetes?
- Well, from now on...
- It doesn't matter anymore. I can die, right?
No, no, but you don't get
diabetes at this age...
You're not allowed to die,
don't you know how expensive funerals are?!
- Don't even think of dying!
- They're expensive, but...
You can just throw me in a pit.
Do you think I'd do that?
Then everyone would say
I have lived in vain.
God bless.
You too.
He's been here for two hours.
He's coming one more time.
- The weeds are slowing down his work.
- Well, let him do it twice.
He's already doing it, can't you see?
Up to that place.
You please ask him how much I have to pay.
You can hear better. I, myself...
Step away!
He's a real talent!
Of course he is.
He worked in Germany, can't you tell?
It's a different world, didn't you know?
- Well done, don't you think?
- Yes, very good.
You can feel the plowing
I made last autumn.
See you next autumn...
Step back to your place.
Here, eat.
Now step away and let me
clean your droppings.
Come...
Good girl!
It looks like I have to
make some more rugs...
... for the two of us.
- I hope this time, they'll be for us, not for...
- I hope they'll be...
- For whom?!
- For me!
Oh, look at you! I made them
and you want them only for yourself?
Yes. Because if I die first,
you'll know what to give away.
But if you die, God knows
how I'll manage with those.
You'll give what you see in my room.
Right...
We have 52 rugs. We need more.
- How many?
- 52.
That's all?
- We need more.
- Yes, we do.
Mrs. Nazaria finally told him.
This loom is the dowry my
father-in-law gave me.
A treasure. A real treasure!
Thanks to your hands, that work on it.
That's it.
And the brains...
This life passes by so fast!
You're happy for what you leave behind.
Right.
We... We have 8 grandchildren...
- And great-grandchildren.
- Two great-granddaughters...
A third one on the way...
I feel like... Like that story used to say:
"With one eye I cry,
with the other, I laugh"
One cries for those who're gone,
the other is happy for
those who're coming...
This is how it is.
That's life.
That's life.
That's it.
Aww...
Oh, dear God! What are you...?!
- I don't know what I'd do with a belly like that!
- What would you do?
It's an expensive belly!
- Yes, I bet.
- Of course it is!
Look at these pretty and manicured hands.
How could they not be
clean if you are a baker?
We're making sweet bread, right?
This apron barely fits you.
You're like a big cheese.
I have many, but they don't fit you.
I once had a nice apron,
when I used to breed bees.
You did?
Of course I did.
I don't remember that.
I had one.
My bees liked it.
They liked colors: white, blue, green...
When I was a kid,
I loved visiting my grandparents.
- Children don't feel like that anymore.
- Yes, they do...
Only if you send them.
Now they're busy learning
the new lifestyles.
At least in school, do you think
they teach them about the old times?
- At school?
- Yes.
At school they teach them...
How to have sex...
How to protect themselves...
this kind of things.
This is education nowadays.
Thank God they don't teach our cows the same
thing, otherwise they wouldn't reproduce...
I'm happy my children and
grandchildren love me.
How could we not?
Yes, they only have one grandpa...
one great-grandpa.
- One grandpa.
- And great-grandpa.
They always ask "How's grandpa doing?"
"How's grandma?"
Look, I forgot my watch...
I can't feed the cow without my watch.
I was young when I got married,
You were young and we were hurried.
In the night of our big wedding,
It was raining, it was raging,
It was dark, I couldn't see
The girl sitting next to me.
And she was an ugly maid,
I was young when I got married.
I was young when I got married...
And I took her dowry,
And hid the girl rapidly.
I was young when I got married...
The dowry was eaten by mice,
The plain girl stayed, I don't tell lies.
I was young when I got married...
The dowry was eaten by mice,
The plain girl stayed, I don't tell lies.
I was young when I got married...
When I say: "Let's go to a wedding!"
She goes to bed and starts her snoring.
I was young when I got married...
When I say "Let's go to a dance!"
She hides under what she finds
I was young when I got married...
When I look for the sour cream,
It has mildew to the brim.
I was young when I got married...
Here.
When I'm looking for the soup,
There are worms that twist and loop.
I was young when I got married...
Come and save me from her, mummy,
She might eat me in a hurry!
Less, less this time.
Come and save me from her, mummy,
She might eat me in a hurry
- "Last night she didn't eat me cause
I had my axe near me" - Right.
Last night she didn't eat me
'Cause I had my axe near me.
I was young when I got married...
If I would sing this, she'd get mad.
No, I just forgot part of it.
I was young when I got married...
You weren't that young when you married!
You had your age!
- Not that young, huh?
- Not too young.
- I wasn't that young, but I took a young girl!
- Yes, you married a young one.
I took a young girl...
With money and a loom.
I took a "loomy-girl".
Put this one there.
I took a young girl with a loom,
And she weaves from night till... noon?
I think they'll fit just well in the stove.
I'll sit down for a minute.
- Even the dog sings now?!
- Listen!...
OK... Let's hear it.
He likes it.
Oh my, what a stupid dog!
Mr. Costica!
It must be the mailman.
- Mr. Costica!
- Yes, yes, come in!
- Good day!
- Hello! We've been waiting for you.
- You have?
- For about a month!...
Always busy, huh?
Yes, we're getting ready for Easter.
- Here, take a seat.
- Take a seat.
- 6, 8... 9...
- I've never seen this new bills before.
Wait! Let's see what we got.
I hope it's not something bad.
If it was bad, it would have the
"BAD" stamp on it. An Easter card?
An invitation from Lucian and Roxana,
our dear children.
- You should put away some of that money now.
- I'll start making a carpet...
- What?! An invitation?!
- Look! From Lucian!
Lucian and Roxana.
- Who are they? Your grandchildren?
- Yes, my grandson... My dear grandson!
- Let me see the date.
- I think it's in July.
One more pension, and that's it!
- On the 5th of July, right?
- Yes, the 5th.
- Let's see if we can go.
- We'll go... Even if we have to walk on our knees.
I must hurry with that carpet.
You moved the loom... It's here in
summertime and inside during winter?
It's good here.
I see better in this light.
Here she can also see the cows,
the hens, the whole yard.
She can see the hawk
when it comes after our chicken.
- Bye-bye! Happy Easter!
- You too. Take care!
Did I give you your newspaper?
I don't know.
No, I didn't. Here it is.
Thanks a lot.
Good health!
Bye!
See if Vasile is at home...
- Oh, this is not good.
- Oh, poor thing! It's too large.
It won't stay.
You have to make just a small hole in it.
You spoiled it.
- Help me get this on, please.
- Yes, yes, right away.
- Those were really good...
- Which ones?
Those candles, in a sort of a glass...
Inside...
Understand, granny?
I don't know.
Take this one for the grave.
This one.
- Look! See?
- Oh, good job!
Take one egg. To say "Christ is Risen!".
They have plenty of eggs over there...
I won't carry an egg with me.
- For the grave?
- Yes. It's the kind that lasts longer.
- When I come back, should I wake you up?
- We'll see. I'll wake by myself.
- Then we'll say "Christ is Risen!", right?
- Yes, then.
- And what do you say now?
- Now you say "Good Night"
- Good night and forgive me.
- May God forgive you, old man...
A car is coming. Let's step aside.
We've made it through this year.
- Maybe we'll make it till next year...
- Only God up there knows.
We live with hope, right?
No one has a contract with God.
When Death comes, it finds you.
- You cannot hide from Death.
- No, it finds you anywhere.
My cow is sick, poor creature.
- Why?
- She can't put one foot on the ground at all.
- She might have something in her hoof.
- I checked. There's nothing there...
Come take the Holy Light!
Christ is risen from the dead...
Trampling down death by death...
Oh, Mother of God, pray for us...
- We messed it up.
- "Pray for us" is said twice. Only then this comes...
Yes, that's why.
You lead us, please, from
the "Pray for us"...
"Enlighten us, St. John and pray for us"...
Well, something like this...
- Won't you sleep a little?
- What?
Aren't you goin' to sleep?
- What?
- Aren't you goin' to sleep?
Oh, yes. Until sunrise...
Good.
- At least one hour or two.
- I forgot to look at the time.
Must be around four.
Four, ah?
Aha...
Was it nice?
It was, but after the
service, only a few stayed.
Did you sing?
Of course.
It was really nice.
- There must have been a lot of people.
- Yes, plenty.
People even came from
the city, do you know?
Summer
- Oh, you're handsome enough!
- Really?
- Do you really love me that much?
- No doubt about it.
Only you know how much you cried
when I married you.
I don't remember anything like that.
You must've been sorry. I'm sure.
You could have married a younger man,
not an old one like me.
- I think you weren't that old back then!
- No, I wasn't, but haven't I become?
- Haven't I also become a granny??!
- Should I take my hat?
I don't know...
I think I'm not going anywhere,
because I can't find my shoes.
Well, don't come...
I've seen them somewhere around here.
Oh my God, I've put them in the stove!
- Where were they?
- In the stove!
I must've really gone crazy.
I've looked for them so much...
Now, put the heel.
- That's it. Put the other one.
- I've done the other one.
- Do you have only one foot?
- Yes, only one. Come on!
Put the stick and lock the door,
We could leave and fear no more.
- God help us!
- Put the stick there, to let people know we are not home.
- "We're sorry, we've left for the church".
- Who do you ask forgiveness from?
May God forgive us all.
May you also be forgiven.
- Hello! Happy Name's Day, for both of you!
- Thank you.
The Social-Democrats...
"Vote Ion Munteanu, president
of the County Council"
"The best for the most!"...
So help us God!
This road looks much better now...
- They hauled the rocks all the way up from the river.
- Hello, Happy Name's Day!
Thank you, God bless you.
- We used to have a real swamp here.
- Fortunately they brought all these rocks.
Yes, they've done a great job.
You'll come to visit us, right?
- I don't know...
- And why don't you know?
A present without a visit?!...
- Is it a beer?
- You'll see at home.
May God give you good health
so you can be happy with the living ones.
May God give you strength so you can...
I forgot what I wanted to say. I always forget.
Every Constantin and every
Elena gets an apron!
It's very good at home.
You can put it around your neck...
Oh, right!
Long live the Mayor and
the Liberal-Democrats!
What do we have here? Look!
Oh, this is that kind that blows out.
- Wait, there is something else in here.
- There's nothing left.
Yes, there is!
Oh, dear!
It's a beer of some sort...
Pepsi.
It's a soda...
Let's change and get to work.
The cows are waiting.
Ioana.
Hello?
I have no idea what I've done here!
...Tomorrow I will be with
you again, don 't know how,
I didn't know what to do back
then, I will now know...
That's it.
- That's an old poem, from the time we were young.
- This one's not that old.
We can lick it from the outside.
Open it! You can do it,
if you have good hands.
- I can't. This is something I don't know.
- You can, look...
I knew it. And you said you couldn't...
Oh, look what you've done there.
Squeeze it!
Cheers! Long life!
I think that is Liviu coming.
I have work to do.
The cat sleeps here again,
because it's nice and tidy.
- Oh, my! I'll get so drunk!
- Right.
Oh my bro', I've been looking for you,
to tell you nothing but the truth:
I'd like to quit the cows
And join your Robin Hood band...
Forget it, go to the cows!
You can join my band,
If you swear you won't betray it!...
"Refreshing carbooo...
carbonated soft drink"
Contains caffeine. See?
What are you doing? What is there to read?
- I'm not allowed to talk.
- Who forbids you to talk?
You did.
That's just your impression.
Sometimes you imagine such things...
"Distributed in the Republic of Moldova"
Can you believe that?
- I read what this thing is made of...
- What?
What this is made of.
You said you'd feed the animals.
I have plenty of time.
"Bear's Valley"
We were once there, weren't we?
We were.
- What did we do there?
- At a wedding.
- Whose wedding?
- Of... Ion Pavel.
Precisely!
Yes, I remembered.
We all took the trouble to go there,
and in the end... they divorced.
Come on, babies, come to Mamma.
Come to Mamma. Where are you?
Bring your babies, come here!
Call all your kids. Very nice!
These are not all!
Keep calling them!
Can't you see these are not all?
Keep calling! That's it. Good job!
Duck, get away from there!
You dirty duck! Stupid animal!
Here comes another one!
Get away from there, you duck!
Oh, the hen will eat you!
You deserved that!
Alright.
You eat there, nicely.
"When your eyes behold the marvelous
lake-view, it takes your breath away"
Oh, dear! You don't breath anymore.
If you go to the lake, you stop breathing.
You can imagine how fresh the air is there!
That's true, but isn't it
fresh around here too?
When you have the forest
rising above your backyard,
what fresher air can you possibly want?
The pure evidence:
At 83 years old to mow, to carry on
your back, to breed so many animals!
Isn't this because of the air?
Also the food, and the...
Can you live only on air?
Ambition, too.
Oh dear, you're ill,
you don't have any ambition left.
You need ambition, passion
and love for every being.
Almost 80.000 people from the Neamt county
are under the risk of getting diabetes.
That's because of the good living.
A long time ago, when we were eating
polenta with cranberries,
there was no chance of getting diabetes.
- You ate something like that?
- Yes, I did, when they stole our supplies.
We were stuck with no food, in the woods,
during the famine.
We had no food so, to be able to work,
we had to eat polenta with cranberries.
- But didn't they steal your polenta, too?
- Only half they stole, and half they left behind.
They didn't take it all.
They were nice thieves.
They said to themselves:
"We should leave some for them to work, so
we have what to steal next week as well."
And, did they come back the week after?
Well, I don't know, I was lucky:
By then, they enlisted me in the army.
And in the army we had food,
even during the famine.
Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen.
Today the Orthodox
celebrate the Holy Emperors...
- Oh, they have celebrated it quite a while ago.
- Not today. Back then.
The Christian Holiday is represented
by the Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen
St. Constantine was
the 32nd emperor of the Roman Empire,
after August... August...
- Augustus...
- Yes, August.
His whole life was a struggle...
to free the Christian Church
from pagan oppression.
He and his mother. But she was a pagan.
Elena, just for you,
I drink all day & night.
It helps me drown my sorrow,
Ease the fire of my heart.
Morning comes, Elena,
And I'm daydreaming of you.
Girls are pointing at me,
All the village laughs at me.
Elena... my dear Elena,
If I could have you one more time,
I would show you what my love means...
Elena... my dear Elena,
If I could have you one more time,
I would show you what my love means...
The hell I can show, at my age...
what love means...
But love... Love is to love someone,
to respect her,
To get along well...
That's what love is.
Elena... my dear Elena,
If I could have you one more time...
Oh dear, my dear!
Autumn
May he forever rest in peace...
- We pray for his soul.
- May he rest in peace.
Didn't Mrs. Elena come? Your wife?
No, she can't walk this far.
She can't.
If it wasn't for our neighbor Gica,
she could've been dead in ten minutes.
Really? When?
This autumn.
May he be forgiven,
by God and by all of us.
It's a big pain... a hard moment...
To lose a parent...
But... The hardest thing of all is
to lose a son, like we did...
God forbid!...
This is how slow the cortege went...
- Why was that?
- That's how the hearse was going.
It was their car, they
organised everything.
And we walked like this,
so we got to church at around 12... thirty.
It was a long walk.
Then, the service started.
Have a seat and talk.
With all those priests.
Five priests!
They sang so beautifully...
Oh, nice.
Then they followed the custom
in detail, all of them.
This must be Ana.
Then...
Hello? Yes...
How long has it been since I've used you?
The great-granddaughter needs you now.
How lovely was it when I was
swinging her mother in it...
Here!
- Let it go!
- You great-grandfather!
Come on, be careful. Hold it!
...And he takes out two glasses of wine...
One for Sadoveanu... one for himself...
And they say "Cheers"...
He was thirsty as he came from a long road...
Hey, don't put it on the cat!
- He took the glass to his mouth...
- Leave her, leave her...
And he drank...
No, leave it, I'll wipe it a little.
It's dusty.
And they drank, my dear, they drank...
When he saw that, he said:
"He's a big drunk, like I am"...
Oh, my dear!
This is how I used to
swing my grandchildren...
My great-grandchildren...
And now this new great-granddaughter.
Well...
It's fine like this...
It's good like this.
It's good like this. Hard as it is.
This is Pandora's box!
One can't open it, one can't close it.
How come? Don't force it, you'll spoil it!
No, no... But what's here?
- What was in here?
- Who knows?
Bottles...
That's good for eggs.
- You can put eggs in each compartment...
- Yes.
And you send it to Bucharest for Andrei.
- And you think the eggs won't break?
- They won't...
You wrap them up.
I won't even open it.
I'll leave it like this.
- Leave it, leave it...
- Where did we get this?
- Must be from Nina.
- No, no...
No, I think it's one of Florin's.
With ice cream or something...
Let me clean it.
Put it on that bed outside.
The dog is barking
I think our dear children are coming!
The baby!!! Granny's baby came!!!
Good evening!
Welcome...
- Is she sleeping? Are you sleeping, baby?
- Yes, she's sleeping.
Let me hold her!
Look, the kitten...
- Look who came over for a visit!
- Hello, grandpa!
Welcome!
But where is Ioana?
She has a piano lesson...
Preparing a recital.
Hello!
Shut the door.
- It started to grow...
- Yes, I'm growing a beard.
- Oh, my baby doll!
- Hello, great-grandmother.
Put the traditional rock in her mouth...
She's for the first time at her granny's!
Oh... Touch wood!
Look, look, great-grandfather!
Look at this miracle!
She's looking at me, little angel!
When will you start calling me "granny"?
When?
Her sister will teach her.
Aww...
We bore her with these things...
Look, sweetie, the woodbed
that mom slept in.
Yes, yes.
This is all granny has left.
Let's put it here, for good luck!
Here we go...
Don't cry... don't cry... don't cry...
Lullaby, lullaby...
Go to sleep...
Granny's sweetie pie.
I gave her something for good luck.
God bless you!
I would have given more, but the mailman
didn't bring our pension this month.
No need for money. We need you to be
healthy and make the dowry for our girl.
Yes.
- We want a dowry... a carpet.
- God help me... live.
Actually, I do have a little rug for her.
Is mom getting you married?
Which one do you find prettier?
Look!
Look how nice they are!
When have you made them? Now?
- I made some more... If I had to give those then...
- I like this blue shade.
Yes.
Can I let her pick?
Which one do you want, princess?
- I really like this blue one.
- Whichever you want!
- Let her play with it.
- Let's stand up and play on it, baby!
When she'll grow up a little.
Did you know that Ioana
used to kneel on one of these and pray?
- Thank you so much!
- My pleasure!...
- And God help you be healthy and make a dowry.
- God help us.
- Is she sleeping?
- Eating and sleeping. What else can she do?
She's so beautiful...
- How are your hands?
- Better, now.
Really? They don't look better.
If I just loiter, I feel the pain.
But usually I have a lot to do,
I move my hands all the time
and don't feel any pain.
- Don't you miss the doctor?
- I don't miss anyone.
- But I must say he did me good.
- He did...
He gave me those pills that I still take.
One evening I said: "Well,
I'll take it tomorrow"
And the next day my hands
and legs hurt really bad.
I am addicted to them now.
- Yes.
- I must take them all the time.
Oh... I'll change the subject.
You know, above my bed, on the wall, I
have the carpet you gave me at my wedding.
And I was trying to remember
the names of the flowers on it.
I wanted to tell my girls about each
flower, but I couldn't remember.
I am not sure which are the poppies, the irises...
as you taught me.
- I just can't remember.
- Well, I can tell you now.
For a long time I have gathered
Colour by colour,
And with them I sew together
The proudest flower.
From the golden-yellow thread,
With a very skilful hand,
I made the shiny wheat ears,
From our beloved native land.
With pink and fiery red,
With a very careful hand,
I made the prettiest poppy of all,
Dressed up for a fancy Ball.
Blue is the proud thread I use
To sew the morning glory.
Flower near flower, my friends,
Forget-me-not's and violets.
For the Lily of the Valley,
I use the pure white thread,
Same for the gallant snowdrop,
Which from snow shows it's head.
And many, many singing birds,
I sew of my magic color,
If you look more carefully,
You'd say that they warble.
I worked a long time,
I love weaving a carpet,
From Oltenia or Moldavia,
I put my heart and soul in it,
Because it's from Romania.
But the most precious of all flowers,
Are my sweet grandchildren.
I hold the youngest in my arms
And sing a song almost forgotten.
And I hold her until she wakes,
While the others carefully listen.
The little girl plays with my hair,
With her soft hand, so tiny,
Then she whispers in my ear:
"Why is your hair white, dear granny?"
I answer her heavy-hearted:
"There are many winters in my life"
"My joys are now rare
And there're snowflakes in my hair"
The girl bows her head,
I ask her: "Are you sad?"
She doesn't say a word, my dear,
And I quietly wipe a lonely tear.
See? These are the flowers.
Grandma's flowers.
The most beautiful of all.
The most precious.
Did you really sadden, my dear?
An engineer, as puny as me,
but without my three bellies, said:
"Sir, are you Mr. Vinca?"
"I am"
"From this moment on you work for us"
He left me speechless.
Let's cut that cake.
- We two can go to the other room, to...
- No, let's all stay here.
Put the cat down.
... As I said, he left me speechless.
I'll finish. And he took me to a booth...
On a building site, you know?
- Were they building the Savinesti factory?
- Yes.
- Were they just starting to build it?
- Yes.
- How far are you with the story?
- We have quite a way to go...
- When he was just a young lad.
- They had just started to build Savinesti...
And so, I stayed there, I studied there,
Then I was hired as an electrician,
I got into the electricians' school.
- Where did you study?
- In Savinesti, afterwards in Piatra... for one year.
Then one more year at a
specialized school...
You should see my grade book: straight A's!
So you worked in Savinesti
until retirement?
- What?
- Did you retire there?
No, I was hired to build the hospital
in Piatra, and I worked there.
He retired from there...
- Now, you tell us a story, dear.
- Yes, tell us.
Take the woodbed.
But without this blanket.
As you wish.
- Can you carry it, darling?
- Of course.
- You better come back for it...
- No, I'll take it now.
What a mighty husband I got!
The door, please.
Let's give granny a kiss, shall we?
- Hurry, she'll start sweating.
- Yes, let's go.
Bye-bye.
God bless you, and keep you healthy.
Kisses. Bye-bye, great-grandmother.
Let me kiss her.
Stay healthy so you can make the dowry.
God help me.
And sing to my daughters.
Take very good care.
God help us go on.
Ah, what a wind!
A cold, ugly wind...
- Winter is coming.
- Yes...
If we leave this here 'til morning...
What?
I think it cracked.
Do you see the grease on the rim?
Watch.
But it can't be!
- Then where is it from?
- I don't know.
Put that there!
Turn it a little.
And this...
Alright...
- Don't walk on those sheet irons!
- OK, I won't.
You might fall in the fire!
Not that I mind it, but
you'll ruin my smoke-house!
- Oh dear!
- What "Oh dear"?
- Oh, dear, I forgot the bucket!
- Go get it then...
Hold this a little.
Let me just put a stick over there...
Have a sausage, everybody!
Yes, yes...
Hi, Liviu! Stop and have a bit of sausage.
Let me just take it out.
Here, fresh and tasty!
God bless you for it!
- May it be for the peace of your son's soul!
- God bless you.
Kiss your hand, Ma'am.
Hello, Liviu!
- I gave him a bit of sausage...
- Good for you.
- What have you done? Where did you put them?
- To have a taste...
- Ah! Put them here!
- Be patient! I have more...
- Careful! They might break!
- Here.
Alright.
Oh!
"Careful! They might break"...
Yeah, yeah... they just did...
- Not even a dog would eat this.
- Right!...
And the cat, always with us...
- Come, let's take it all at once!
- But we can't...
- Can't we? Even if we use the rope??
- No, no, don't bother.
Hold this for a second. I'll go up!
- Oh, my dear!
- But the light is not on up there!
It is, since last time. Go up!
Is it?
- Yes, I see it!
- Oh yes, I see it now.
Let's go back to the mill,
Let's go spin that wheel!
Here!
Stop there, take this first!
Oh dear, oh dear!
- Careful, the bucket is broken!
- No, it's not...
... It's not allowed to break.
Hey old man, where did you go?!
Hey!
You climbed up, so stay there!
I stay here...
Why not? Did I put you up there?
Oh, dear! Will it work?!
I told you!
Hold it from that side!
I can't. I put the other one here!
Come, get it up!
Up we go...
Up with the crane!
Now, loosen it. Alright.
Let's see if I can untie it now...
This is a hell of a knot, mister!
- So the pig won't run away!
- Right...
- This sleigh we used, it was Ana's.
- Really?
Yes. I made it for her when she was little.
Now maybe Ioana will ride in it...
her daughter.
She could. But they rarely come over.
- They surely have another sleigh now.
- What?
- They surely bought another sleigh now.
- Yes, a modern one. A bob-sleigh, maybe.
Alright...
We praise You, Lord...
What are you doing?
Leave the singing for the church!
Let me help you dress up now!
We praise You, God...
Come on!
We give thanks unto You...
And we pray unto You...
Come on! I want to see you dressed!
And we pray...
We pray...
Leave that on!
We pray...
Take this...
Good!
Listen... how many years have passed
since we got married?
Well... do the math.
- 9th of Feb... January...
- 9th of January...
- 1953...
- Yes.
And now we're in 2008...
So, this month we complete only...
My God, they're so many!
- What a winter we had then...
- You see... Snow was up to your waist.
Yes...
What a winter, my dear!...
When I remember it...
As if it has never been...
Remember how they blocked our sleigh,
before the wedding?
- Oh, the "checkpoint" tradition.
- Yes.
- But you didn't give them anything...
- I did... I sure did.
- Ah, when they came at the wedding.
- Yes, yes, I gave them.
What a tradition that was!
I'll go take my watch.
So I'll know when to come back.
So many years have passed...
Good times, bad times... Sorrows and joys...
What?
So many years...
No use to weep...
The years have passed, we got old...
Tomorrow or the day after... we'll be gone.
The youngsters will take our place.
It has always been this way.
- Leave the sleeve, or else you can't look at the watch...
- Oh, you're right...
- So I can look at my watch...
- Yes, maybe you have a date...
Yes... with a granny.
Right.
A granny...
- Well, I've had my dates, didn't I?
- You sure did...
But that was long ago...
Go, go, you go...
Come back, you come...
Right, you want me back to feed the cows...
to clean the stable...
Otherwise, some other guy would come...
- What guy?
- A younger, a harder working one.
I think you do your work well enough.
OK... Now let's find
something that smells nice.
Wait, I have to clean this a little, first.
There.
- I didn't give you any money. Do you have some?
- Yes, about 4 coins. It's enough.
I think this doesn't work. What's wrong?
Not this, the other one!
Keep this for yourself.
What would I need it for?!
You use it when...
When what?!
Ah, that one works, too.
But this one's for the ladies...
- Oh, dear! You know what that means...
- I'll smell like a lady.
That's a good one!
- How did it occur to you?!
- Ah! It stings.
- Did you spray the fur cap?
- I did!
Good!
I'll give you candles.
I think I already have the...
What are they called?
- I had some... Where have I put them?
- Here, light this big one.
- What's this?
- Light this one on the grave. It'll last longer.
A candle!
- Mornin', Vasile!
- Mornin', Uncle Costica. I'm going to the valley, too.
Come, then!
Come, I'll give you a free ride.
I'll give you one, too.
We'll give free rides to each other.
- To the church...
- Me too, I guess.
Come, Gheorghe, up we go!
- It's hard climbing, isn't it?
- Yes, a bit.
It's hard.
God only knows how many times my father climbed
up these stairs. These very same stairs.
What can we do about it?!
At least it helps us stay in good shape.
Yes, right.
Light of Light, True God of True God Begotten,
not made, of one essence with the Father
Holy God... Holy Immortal...
Blessed are those with humble hearts...
For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn...
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed be those who follow God's words...
I'll put some wire here, soft wire...
I make little squares...
And you put this on the pot...
So you can wring out the water
when you make the green cheese.
- See?
- I see. Bravo!
Well, your graybeard, he knows stuff,
but he's too weak now.
- He's just a little too old.
- Do you need strength for this?!
- You need some talent...
- Yes, some caviar up here...
But my head is old and
rotten, of almost no use.
Right...
My head, my poor, poor head...
It's good the way it is.
- I'll take this piece out first.
- I don't think you can do it.
- You don't?
- I don't.
You don't, but I do!
- But where did you get this?
- From the old washing machine.
I detached it from there.
Look what I found here!
Oh, you found your notebook!
I found my notebook.
I've been looking for it...
Where was it?
There's a poem, not that old.
It's since we were retired...
- Do you want to hear it?
- Yes, absolutely.
"Life is Beautiful"
When you are young, you feel
That the world is oh, so clear.
The years slip by with no delay
And you get older every day.
When you're young you got it all:
Love, life, power: it's a ball!
You're not aware that every thing
Hangs from the thinnest string.
You are now young, handsome and strong,
You know how to get along.
Later you see that all this mess
Will leave you with nothingness:
Your hands won't listen,
your eyes won't see,
You'll have a bitter question:
"Am I living pointlessly?"
It's summertime, birds are singing
And the crickets play with dew,
One ear seems deaf to you.
Sometimes both, all two.
So true...
Children grow up around you
Each one grows clever, too.
They have homes and good jobs start,
Then their children steal your heart.
Your grandchildren are precious bloom
That inherit life and overcome doom.
Think the world of them, my friend,
From now till the ruthless end.
Even though you have no choice
And get weary of their tinkling voice,
Follow your thoughts, old and wise,
For they are your next lives.
And after all, my friend, if all of this
Doesn't bring a perfect bliss,
You can say out loud, it's true:
"Be it as it may, life is beautiful!"
Bravo!
You see?
- It's true...
- This is not that old...
It's true, it is!
- We live on through our children.
- We do, don't we?
You described me well in your poem,
hearing with one ear...
But it's not just you!
With one deaf ear, ah?
Do YOU hear with one ear?
- No, I hear with both ears.
- You do, but you hear less.
If nothing else, my hearing is OK.
I hear pretty well, too,
but I don't understand much.
It's just not clear...
When I listen to the news...
I only hear... and understand that lady...
...Gabriela. Vranceanu-Firea.
I can understand everything she's saying.
The others don't make sense to me.
- Look how beautiful it is!
- Didn't I tell you...
I'll clean it again, after
you put the wire...
I leave these glasses here
and go out with the black ones.
I go see if that wire fits.
If it doesn't, I'll think
of something else.
Check on the cows.
See if they're alright...
Make sure the calf doesn't
suck his mother dry.
Spring
Come on, get out, you ugly cat!
Here.
- Don't you sing to her?
- Sorry?
- You don't sing to her, like usual?
- What?
To the cow, when milking
her, don't you sing?
I didn't understand.
I asked if you don't sing anymore,
when you milk the cows.
- Sing to her?
- Yes, so that she'll give you her milk.
We praise You, God...
I sat many days at my window
Waiting for you to pass by.
But you went some other way, Gheorghita,
Our paths didn't cross... Good bye!
Had you come, I would've told you many,
Many things I had inside.
I gathered for you feelings plenty
That would have made you
change your mind...
Next time you come, believe me,
Grab my waist passionately,
Hold my head against your chest,
And then kiss me with no rest!
We were once young...
Nice to remember our youth's songs.
- We weren't young!
- Of course we were!
We were all worn out from working.
Yes, we were, but we had courage...
strength...
While now, I weave these for our funerals.
Our youth was only on Sundays,
when we went to the dances. To the balls.
- But we did have the dances, the balls...
- Yes, those were nice.
- The girls came with their mothers...
- So they did.
Our mothers were holding our jackets
while we were...
Nowadays, you see, girls sit in bars,
smoking cigarettes...
No one listens to "mummy" or "daddy" now.
In truth, it was better when we were young.
Home! Now!
Home, ugly duck! Or else...
All these TV shows are
just a bunch of lies!
They want us to believe
that all that is true!
They're trying to fool us.
- Why do you watch it if you don't like it?
- I do like it, but why do they lie?
I watch it because I like it.
This is an art, made by talented men, you know.
What's to like about it?
You don't have to believe
everything you see.
You told me not to start this set of carpets.
Didn't I finish them?
- What?
- These rugs.
You told me "No, no, don't start weaving a
new set, you won't finish, won't finish"...
- I didn't want you to work so hard.
- But it's spring time, we need to move the loom...
Yeah, but you've worked day and night.
Yes, I did.
You worked too hard!
- But what if one of us died?
- What?
If one of us dies, what will you do?
If I die, you'll keep them.
No, I'll give them out at the burial.
How can you give so much work away?!
You work so hard and then
you give them at a funeral?
Yes, but this way people will remember you.
They'll know you made something out of your life,
something beautiful with your own hands...
- It's a good thing.
- You still die.
Whether you made carpets or not,
you still end up in the ground.
True, but it's better to be remembered
for something you've done.
People will leave the funeral
with a good impression.
We don't all die on the
same day, you know...
That's life.
- Don't you take the one below?
- Take what?
- The one below.
- I don't. I'll move it all in one piece!
Right...
TV's plug...
Leave that... And carefully take this one.
- What if this one falls on my head?
- It won't.
How do you know?
- Don't you take that one, first?
- No.
This goes first, and then the other piece
will go straight in the right place.
Wait...
I hope that one won't fall.
When I left the convent,
mother-nun gave me a loom.
It was light, unlike this giant here.
Whoever saw us carrying it,
thought we're carrying our crosses.
They didn't know what we were doing...
Let it go.
That's it.
- Have you seen that, dear?
- I did.
I did see you are the bravest.
- Good, I'm gonna lay something...
- Oh, I got so tired!
You did?
You'll rest at Easter.
Take the table.
Let's put it in its place.
Constantin, Constantin...
The neighbors will yell at us:
"Your house is on fire!"...
Oh, nonsense!
Oh, dear!
See, and you said we shouldn't clean it...
I didn't say we shouldn't.
- Is it such a big deal?
- I said we shouldn't do it now.
Not now? When then? After Easter?
I thought we'd only tidy up a little...
Ah, doggy, what are you doing?
Get out of here!
Why only fresh grass?
I brought a little for the chickens. Here!
- It's enough! Don't waste it on chickens!
- I am done.
- You gave them a lot.
- I did.
Are you saving it?
See, I put that there, so
you don't go up the attic.
Remember when you left me in the attic,
waiting with the wine wicker,
while you were telling stories to Vasile?
But, hey! It's good that
you have someone at all!
For whom would you wait to bring you down?
If it wasn't your old man?
You weren't that old back then...
- Wasn't I?
- You weren't that old. You were a bit...
A bit more youthful?
Oh, dear!
I've been a greybeard since I got married.
Listen...
How can you not be a graybeard at 83?
But... were you already
And I still mow the grass,
and dig, and carry things on my back...
Ibreed our two cows with my back's work...
I do it and I'm 83!
Well, it's good that you can!
I can, I can't... I must!
We have grandchildren, great-grandchildren,
another one on the way...
Don't they need milk?
- Don't we also need milk?
- Yes. Definitely.
- Isn't it too sweet?
- Very good.
I put some chocolate in.
That's why it's so good.
- Aaah... coffee, plus chocolate... plus sugar...
- Well, a tiny treat...
Yes, but what if your
old man gets diabetes?
- Well, from now on...
- It doesn't matter anymore. I can die, right?
No, no, but you don't get
diabetes at this age...
You're not allowed to die,
don't you know how expensive funerals are?!
- Don't even think of dying!
- They're expensive, but...
You can just throw me in a pit.
Do you think I'd do that?
Then everyone would say
I have lived in vain.
God bless.
You too.
He's been here for two hours.
He's coming one more time.
- The weeds are slowing down his work.
- Well, let him do it twice.
He's already doing it, can't you see?
Up to that place.
You please ask him how much I have to pay.
You can hear better. I, myself...
Step away!
He's a real talent!
Of course he is.
He worked in Germany, can't you tell?
It's a different world, didn't you know?
- Well done, don't you think?
- Yes, very good.
You can feel the plowing
I made last autumn.
See you next autumn...
Step back to your place.
Here, eat.
Now step away and let me
clean your droppings.
Come...
Good girl!
It looks like I have to
make some more rugs...
... for the two of us.
- I hope this time, they'll be for us, not for...
- I hope they'll be...
- For whom?!
- For me!
Oh, look at you! I made them
and you want them only for yourself?
Yes. Because if I die first,
you'll know what to give away.
But if you die, God knows
how I'll manage with those.
You'll give what you see in my room.
Right...
We have 52 rugs. We need more.
- How many?
- 52.
That's all?
- We need more.
- Yes, we do.
Mrs. Nazaria finally told him.
This loom is the dowry my
father-in-law gave me.
A treasure. A real treasure!
Thanks to your hands, that work on it.
That's it.
And the brains...
This life passes by so fast!
You're happy for what you leave behind.
Right.
We... We have 8 grandchildren...
- And great-grandchildren.
- Two great-granddaughters...
A third one on the way...
I feel like... Like that story used to say:
"With one eye I cry,
with the other, I laugh"
One cries for those who're gone,
the other is happy for
those who're coming...
This is how it is.
That's life.
That's life.
That's it.
Aww...
Oh, dear God! What are you...?!
- I don't know what I'd do with a belly like that!
- What would you do?
It's an expensive belly!
- Yes, I bet.
- Of course it is!
Look at these pretty and manicured hands.
How could they not be
clean if you are a baker?
We're making sweet bread, right?
This apron barely fits you.
You're like a big cheese.
I have many, but they don't fit you.
I once had a nice apron,
when I used to breed bees.
You did?
Of course I did.
I don't remember that.
I had one.
My bees liked it.
They liked colors: white, blue, green...
When I was a kid,
I loved visiting my grandparents.
- Children don't feel like that anymore.
- Yes, they do...
Only if you send them.
Now they're busy learning
the new lifestyles.
At least in school, do you think
they teach them about the old times?
- At school?
- Yes.
At school they teach them...
How to have sex...
How to protect themselves...
this kind of things.
This is education nowadays.
Thank God they don't teach our cows the same
thing, otherwise they wouldn't reproduce...
I'm happy my children and
grandchildren love me.
How could we not?
Yes, they only have one grandpa...
one great-grandpa.
- One grandpa.
- And great-grandpa.
They always ask "How's grandpa doing?"
"How's grandma?"
Look, I forgot my watch...
I can't feed the cow without my watch.
I was young when I got married,
You were young and we were hurried.
In the night of our big wedding,
It was raining, it was raging,
It was dark, I couldn't see
The girl sitting next to me.
And she was an ugly maid,
I was young when I got married.
I was young when I got married...
And I took her dowry,
And hid the girl rapidly.
I was young when I got married...
The dowry was eaten by mice,
The plain girl stayed, I don't tell lies.
I was young when I got married...
The dowry was eaten by mice,
The plain girl stayed, I don't tell lies.
I was young when I got married...
When I say: "Let's go to a wedding!"
She goes to bed and starts her snoring.
I was young when I got married...
When I say "Let's go to a dance!"
She hides under what she finds
I was young when I got married...
When I look for the sour cream,
It has mildew to the brim.
I was young when I got married...
Here.
When I'm looking for the soup,
There are worms that twist and loop.
I was young when I got married...
Come and save me from her, mummy,
She might eat me in a hurry!
Less, less this time.
Come and save me from her, mummy,
She might eat me in a hurry
- "Last night she didn't eat me cause
I had my axe near me" - Right.
Last night she didn't eat me
'Cause I had my axe near me.
I was young when I got married...
If I would sing this, she'd get mad.
No, I just forgot part of it.
I was young when I got married...
You weren't that young when you married!
You had your age!
- Not that young, huh?
- Not too young.
- I wasn't that young, but I took a young girl!
- Yes, you married a young one.
I took a young girl...
With money and a loom.
I took a "loomy-girl".
Put this one there.
I took a young girl with a loom,
And she weaves from night till... noon?
I think they'll fit just well in the stove.
I'll sit down for a minute.
- Even the dog sings now?!
- Listen!...
OK... Let's hear it.
He likes it.
Oh my, what a stupid dog!
Mr. Costica!
It must be the mailman.
- Mr. Costica!
- Yes, yes, come in!
- Good day!
- Hello! We've been waiting for you.
- You have?
- For about a month!...
Always busy, huh?
Yes, we're getting ready for Easter.
- Here, take a seat.
- Take a seat.
- 6, 8... 9...
- I've never seen this new bills before.
Wait! Let's see what we got.
I hope it's not something bad.
If it was bad, it would have the
"BAD" stamp on it. An Easter card?
An invitation from Lucian and Roxana,
our dear children.
- You should put away some of that money now.
- I'll start making a carpet...
- What?! An invitation?!
- Look! From Lucian!
Lucian and Roxana.
- Who are they? Your grandchildren?
- Yes, my grandson... My dear grandson!
- Let me see the date.
- I think it's in July.
One more pension, and that's it!
- On the 5th of July, right?
- Yes, the 5th.
- Let's see if we can go.
- We'll go... Even if we have to walk on our knees.
I must hurry with that carpet.
You moved the loom... It's here in
summertime and inside during winter?
It's good here.
I see better in this light.
Here she can also see the cows,
the hens, the whole yard.
She can see the hawk
when it comes after our chicken.
- Bye-bye! Happy Easter!
- You too. Take care!
Did I give you your newspaper?
I don't know.
No, I didn't. Here it is.
Thanks a lot.
Good health!
Bye!
See if Vasile is at home...
- Oh, this is not good.
- Oh, poor thing! It's too large.
It won't stay.
You have to make just a small hole in it.
You spoiled it.
- Help me get this on, please.
- Yes, yes, right away.
- Those were really good...
- Which ones?
Those candles, in a sort of a glass...
Inside...
Understand, granny?
I don't know.
Take this one for the grave.
This one.
- Look! See?
- Oh, good job!
Take one egg. To say "Christ is Risen!".
They have plenty of eggs over there...
I won't carry an egg with me.
- For the grave?
- Yes. It's the kind that lasts longer.
- When I come back, should I wake you up?
- We'll see. I'll wake by myself.
- Then we'll say "Christ is Risen!", right?
- Yes, then.
- And what do you say now?
- Now you say "Good Night"
- Good night and forgive me.
- May God forgive you, old man...
A car is coming. Let's step aside.
We've made it through this year.
- Maybe we'll make it till next year...
- Only God up there knows.
We live with hope, right?
No one has a contract with God.
When Death comes, it finds you.
- You cannot hide from Death.
- No, it finds you anywhere.
My cow is sick, poor creature.
- Why?
- She can't put one foot on the ground at all.
- She might have something in her hoof.
- I checked. There's nothing there...
Come take the Holy Light!
Christ is risen from the dead...
Trampling down death by death...
Oh, Mother of God, pray for us...
- We messed it up.
- "Pray for us" is said twice. Only then this comes...
Yes, that's why.
You lead us, please, from
the "Pray for us"...
"Enlighten us, St. John and pray for us"...
Well, something like this...
- Won't you sleep a little?
- What?
Aren't you goin' to sleep?
- What?
- Aren't you goin' to sleep?
Oh, yes. Until sunrise...
Good.
- At least one hour or two.
- I forgot to look at the time.
Must be around four.
Four, ah?
Aha...
Was it nice?
It was, but after the
service, only a few stayed.
Did you sing?
Of course.
It was really nice.
- There must have been a lot of people.
- Yes, plenty.
People even came from
the city, do you know?
Summer
- Oh, you're handsome enough!
- Really?
- Do you really love me that much?
- No doubt about it.
Only you know how much you cried
when I married you.
I don't remember anything like that.
You must've been sorry. I'm sure.
You could have married a younger man,
not an old one like me.
- I think you weren't that old back then!
- No, I wasn't, but haven't I become?
- Haven't I also become a granny??!
- Should I take my hat?
I don't know...
I think I'm not going anywhere,
because I can't find my shoes.
Well, don't come...
I've seen them somewhere around here.
Oh my God, I've put them in the stove!
- Where were they?
- In the stove!
I must've really gone crazy.
I've looked for them so much...
Now, put the heel.
- That's it. Put the other one.
- I've done the other one.
- Do you have only one foot?
- Yes, only one. Come on!
Put the stick and lock the door,
We could leave and fear no more.
- God help us!
- Put the stick there, to let people know we are not home.
- "We're sorry, we've left for the church".
- Who do you ask forgiveness from?
May God forgive us all.
May you also be forgiven.
- Hello! Happy Name's Day, for both of you!
- Thank you.
The Social-Democrats...
"Vote Ion Munteanu, president
of the County Council"
"The best for the most!"...
So help us God!
This road looks much better now...
- They hauled the rocks all the way up from the river.
- Hello, Happy Name's Day!
Thank you, God bless you.
- We used to have a real swamp here.
- Fortunately they brought all these rocks.
Yes, they've done a great job.
You'll come to visit us, right?
- I don't know...
- And why don't you know?
A present without a visit?!...
- Is it a beer?
- You'll see at home.
May God give you good health
so you can be happy with the living ones.
May God give you strength so you can...
I forgot what I wanted to say. I always forget.
Every Constantin and every
Elena gets an apron!
It's very good at home.
You can put it around your neck...
Oh, right!
Long live the Mayor and
the Liberal-Democrats!
What do we have here? Look!
Oh, this is that kind that blows out.
- Wait, there is something else in here.
- There's nothing left.
Yes, there is!
Oh, dear!
It's a beer of some sort...
Pepsi.
It's a soda...
Let's change and get to work.
The cows are waiting.
Ioana.
Hello?
I have no idea what I've done here!
...Tomorrow I will be with
you again, don 't know how,
I didn't know what to do back
then, I will now know...
That's it.
- That's an old poem, from the time we were young.
- This one's not that old.
We can lick it from the outside.
Open it! You can do it,
if you have good hands.
- I can't. This is something I don't know.
- You can, look...
I knew it. And you said you couldn't...
Oh, look what you've done there.
Squeeze it!
Cheers! Long life!
I think that is Liviu coming.
I have work to do.
The cat sleeps here again,
because it's nice and tidy.
- Oh, my! I'll get so drunk!
- Right.
Oh my bro', I've been looking for you,
to tell you nothing but the truth:
I'd like to quit the cows
And join your Robin Hood band...
Forget it, go to the cows!
You can join my band,
If you swear you won't betray it!...
"Refreshing carbooo...
carbonated soft drink"
Contains caffeine. See?
What are you doing? What is there to read?
- I'm not allowed to talk.
- Who forbids you to talk?
You did.
That's just your impression.
Sometimes you imagine such things...
"Distributed in the Republic of Moldova"
Can you believe that?
- I read what this thing is made of...
- What?
What this is made of.
You said you'd feed the animals.
I have plenty of time.
"Bear's Valley"
We were once there, weren't we?
We were.
- What did we do there?
- At a wedding.
- Whose wedding?
- Of... Ion Pavel.
Precisely!
Yes, I remembered.
We all took the trouble to go there,
and in the end... they divorced.
Come on, babies, come to Mamma.
Come to Mamma. Where are you?
Bring your babies, come here!
Call all your kids. Very nice!
These are not all!
Keep calling them!
Can't you see these are not all?
Keep calling! That's it. Good job!
Duck, get away from there!
You dirty duck! Stupid animal!
Here comes another one!
Get away from there, you duck!
Oh, the hen will eat you!
You deserved that!
Alright.
You eat there, nicely.
"When your eyes behold the marvelous
lake-view, it takes your breath away"
Oh, dear! You don't breath anymore.
If you go to the lake, you stop breathing.
You can imagine how fresh the air is there!
That's true, but isn't it
fresh around here too?
When you have the forest
rising above your backyard,
what fresher air can you possibly want?
The pure evidence:
At 83 years old to mow, to carry on
your back, to breed so many animals!
Isn't this because of the air?
Also the food, and the...
Can you live only on air?
Ambition, too.
Oh dear, you're ill,
you don't have any ambition left.
You need ambition, passion
and love for every being.
Almost 80.000 people from the Neamt county
are under the risk of getting diabetes.
That's because of the good living.
A long time ago, when we were eating
polenta with cranberries,
there was no chance of getting diabetes.
- You ate something like that?
- Yes, I did, when they stole our supplies.
We were stuck with no food, in the woods,
during the famine.
We had no food so, to be able to work,
we had to eat polenta with cranberries.
- But didn't they steal your polenta, too?
- Only half they stole, and half they left behind.
They didn't take it all.
They were nice thieves.
They said to themselves:
"We should leave some for them to work, so
we have what to steal next week as well."
And, did they come back the week after?
Well, I don't know, I was lucky:
By then, they enlisted me in the army.
And in the army we had food,
even during the famine.
Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen.
Today the Orthodox
celebrate the Holy Emperors...
- Oh, they have celebrated it quite a while ago.
- Not today. Back then.
The Christian Holiday is represented
by the Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen
St. Constantine was
the 32nd emperor of the Roman Empire,
after August... August...
- Augustus...
- Yes, August.
His whole life was a struggle...
to free the Christian Church
from pagan oppression.
He and his mother. But she was a pagan.
Elena, just for you,
I drink all day & night.
It helps me drown my sorrow,
Ease the fire of my heart.
Morning comes, Elena,
And I'm daydreaming of you.
Girls are pointing at me,
All the village laughs at me.
Elena... my dear Elena,
If I could have you one more time,
I would show you what my love means...
Elena... my dear Elena,
If I could have you one more time,
I would show you what my love means...
The hell I can show, at my age...
what love means...
But love... Love is to love someone,
to respect her,
To get along well...
That's what love is.
Elena... my dear Elena,
If I could have you one more time...
Oh dear, my dear!
Autumn
May he forever rest in peace...
- We pray for his soul.
- May he rest in peace.
Didn't Mrs. Elena come? Your wife?
No, she can't walk this far.
She can't.
If it wasn't for our neighbor Gica,
she could've been dead in ten minutes.
Really? When?
This autumn.
May he be forgiven,
by God and by all of us.
It's a big pain... a hard moment...
To lose a parent...
But... The hardest thing of all is
to lose a son, like we did...
God forbid!...
This is how slow the cortege went...
- Why was that?
- That's how the hearse was going.
It was their car, they
organised everything.
And we walked like this,
so we got to church at around 12... thirty.
It was a long walk.
Then, the service started.
Have a seat and talk.
With all those priests.
Five priests!
They sang so beautifully...
Oh, nice.
Then they followed the custom
in detail, all of them.
This must be Ana.
Then...
Hello? Yes...
How long has it been since I've used you?
The great-granddaughter needs you now.
How lovely was it when I was
swinging her mother in it...
Here!
- Let it go!
- You great-grandfather!
Come on, be careful. Hold it!
...And he takes out two glasses of wine...
One for Sadoveanu... one for himself...
And they say "Cheers"...
He was thirsty as he came from a long road...
Hey, don't put it on the cat!
- He took the glass to his mouth...
- Leave her, leave her...
And he drank...
No, leave it, I'll wipe it a little.
It's dusty.
And they drank, my dear, they drank...
When he saw that, he said:
"He's a big drunk, like I am"...
Oh, my dear!
This is how I used to
swing my grandchildren...
My great-grandchildren...
And now this new great-granddaughter.
Well...
It's fine like this...
It's good like this.
It's good like this. Hard as it is.
This is Pandora's box!
One can't open it, one can't close it.
How come? Don't force it, you'll spoil it!
No, no... But what's here?
- What was in here?
- Who knows?
Bottles...
That's good for eggs.
- You can put eggs in each compartment...
- Yes.
And you send it to Bucharest for Andrei.
- And you think the eggs won't break?
- They won't...
You wrap them up.
I won't even open it.
I'll leave it like this.
- Leave it, leave it...
- Where did we get this?
- Must be from Nina.
- No, no...
No, I think it's one of Florin's.
With ice cream or something...
Let me clean it.
Put it on that bed outside.
The dog is barking
I think our dear children are coming!
The baby!!! Granny's baby came!!!
Good evening!
Welcome...
- Is she sleeping? Are you sleeping, baby?
- Yes, she's sleeping.
Let me hold her!
Look, the kitten...
- Look who came over for a visit!
- Hello, grandpa!
Welcome!
But where is Ioana?
She has a piano lesson...
Preparing a recital.
Hello!
Shut the door.
- It started to grow...
- Yes, I'm growing a beard.
- Oh, my baby doll!
- Hello, great-grandmother.
Put the traditional rock in her mouth...
She's for the first time at her granny's!
Oh... Touch wood!
Look, look, great-grandfather!
Look at this miracle!
She's looking at me, little angel!
When will you start calling me "granny"?
When?
Her sister will teach her.
Aww...
We bore her with these things...
Look, sweetie, the woodbed
that mom slept in.
Yes, yes.
This is all granny has left.
Let's put it here, for good luck!
Here we go...
Don't cry... don't cry... don't cry...
Lullaby, lullaby...
Go to sleep...
Granny's sweetie pie.
I gave her something for good luck.
God bless you!
I would have given more, but the mailman
didn't bring our pension this month.
No need for money. We need you to be
healthy and make the dowry for our girl.
Yes.
- We want a dowry... a carpet.
- God help me... live.
Actually, I do have a little rug for her.
Is mom getting you married?
Which one do you find prettier?
Look!
Look how nice they are!
When have you made them? Now?
- I made some more... If I had to give those then...
- I like this blue shade.
Yes.
Can I let her pick?
Which one do you want, princess?
- I really like this blue one.
- Whichever you want!
- Let her play with it.
- Let's stand up and play on it, baby!
When she'll grow up a little.
Did you know that Ioana
used to kneel on one of these and pray?
- Thank you so much!
- My pleasure!...
- And God help you be healthy and make a dowry.
- God help us.
- Is she sleeping?
- Eating and sleeping. What else can she do?
She's so beautiful...
- How are your hands?
- Better, now.
Really? They don't look better.
If I just loiter, I feel the pain.
But usually I have a lot to do,
I move my hands all the time
and don't feel any pain.
- Don't you miss the doctor?
- I don't miss anyone.
- But I must say he did me good.
- He did...
He gave me those pills that I still take.
One evening I said: "Well,
I'll take it tomorrow"
And the next day my hands
and legs hurt really bad.
I am addicted to them now.
- Yes.
- I must take them all the time.
Oh... I'll change the subject.
You know, above my bed, on the wall, I
have the carpet you gave me at my wedding.
And I was trying to remember
the names of the flowers on it.
I wanted to tell my girls about each
flower, but I couldn't remember.
I am not sure which are the poppies, the irises...
as you taught me.
- I just can't remember.
- Well, I can tell you now.
For a long time I have gathered
Colour by colour,
And with them I sew together
The proudest flower.
From the golden-yellow thread,
With a very skilful hand,
I made the shiny wheat ears,
From our beloved native land.
With pink and fiery red,
With a very careful hand,
I made the prettiest poppy of all,
Dressed up for a fancy Ball.
Blue is the proud thread I use
To sew the morning glory.
Flower near flower, my friends,
Forget-me-not's and violets.
For the Lily of the Valley,
I use the pure white thread,
Same for the gallant snowdrop,
Which from snow shows it's head.
And many, many singing birds,
I sew of my magic color,
If you look more carefully,
You'd say that they warble.
I worked a long time,
I love weaving a carpet,
From Oltenia or Moldavia,
I put my heart and soul in it,
Because it's from Romania.
But the most precious of all flowers,
Are my sweet grandchildren.
I hold the youngest in my arms
And sing a song almost forgotten.
And I hold her until she wakes,
While the others carefully listen.
The little girl plays with my hair,
With her soft hand, so tiny,
Then she whispers in my ear:
"Why is your hair white, dear granny?"
I answer her heavy-hearted:
"There are many winters in my life"
"My joys are now rare
And there're snowflakes in my hair"
The girl bows her head,
I ask her: "Are you sad?"
She doesn't say a word, my dear,
And I quietly wipe a lonely tear.
See? These are the flowers.
Grandma's flowers.
The most beautiful of all.
The most precious.
Did you really sadden, my dear?
An engineer, as puny as me,
but without my three bellies, said:
"Sir, are you Mr. Vinca?"
"I am"
"From this moment on you work for us"
He left me speechless.
Let's cut that cake.
- We two can go to the other room, to...
- No, let's all stay here.
Put the cat down.
... As I said, he left me speechless.
I'll finish. And he took me to a booth...
On a building site, you know?
- Were they building the Savinesti factory?
- Yes.
- Were they just starting to build it?
- Yes.
- How far are you with the story?
- We have quite a way to go...
- When he was just a young lad.
- They had just started to build Savinesti...
And so, I stayed there, I studied there,
Then I was hired as an electrician,
I got into the electricians' school.
- Where did you study?
- In Savinesti, afterwards in Piatra... for one year.
Then one more year at a
specialized school...
You should see my grade book: straight A's!
So you worked in Savinesti
until retirement?
- What?
- Did you retire there?
No, I was hired to build the hospital
in Piatra, and I worked there.
He retired from there...
- Now, you tell us a story, dear.
- Yes, tell us.
Take the woodbed.
But without this blanket.
As you wish.
- Can you carry it, darling?
- Of course.
- You better come back for it...
- No, I'll take it now.
What a mighty husband I got!
The door, please.
Let's give granny a kiss, shall we?
- Hurry, she'll start sweating.
- Yes, let's go.
Bye-bye.
God bless you, and keep you healthy.
Kisses. Bye-bye, great-grandmother.
Let me kiss her.
Stay healthy so you can make the dowry.
God help me.
And sing to my daughters.
Take very good care.
God help us go on.
Ah, what a wind!
A cold, ugly wind...
- Winter is coming.
- Yes...