Hilma (2022) Movie Script
1
Zero...
two, seven, eight, three, eight,
nine, eight, six, five, eight, four.
Take in sail!
- Shout ahead!
- Right there.
- On four!
- One.
Two.
Three.
- Are we still here?
- Aye.
The truth is Hilma af Klint
tells us that her art
isn't abstract imaginations.
She painted what she saw
and what the spirits
guided her to paint.
There's a woman here to see you.
Hilma.
She says she's your sister.
Oh no.
What does she want?
She said something
about building a temple.
Her bloody temple.
She has a drawing to show you.
Who is it?
Hilma the witch.
Tell her I'm dead.
Mr. af Klint is asleep.
He's not feeling too well.
I'm sorry.
No. No.
I'll burn them.
That's what you wanted, wasn't it?
One,
two,
three...
four...
five,
six,
seven,
eight,
nine,
ten,
eleven...
98,
99,
Ready or not...
here I come.
Hilma?
- Where were you?
- Up there. Hiding.
You scared me.
- I saw you the whole time.
- Did you?
Hermina?
- You see anything?
- No.
Wait.
I want to go home.
Scientists can't just go home.
We need to be patient.
I'm hungry.
I don't think I want
to be a scientist anymore.
What did you find?
Hilma! Look at the shape.
Yes, it's a spiral.
- It's from the Stone Age.
- It's beautiful.
It must be.
Must be.
Hilma!
Hello.
It's a skeleton.
But why are they digging it up?
They want to study it.
They're scientists too.
Hermina, how do you know
it was a "she"?
- You could tell.
- How?
From the skeleton.
- Right there.
- That's impossible.
It was a Stone Age soldier
and it was a she.
- Have some lingonberries.
- Thank you.
- My drawings.
- Careful.
- The birds...
- Hermina.
- I want to study the birds.
- Yes, the birds and all the animals.
And the flowers, all that grows...
You can't determine the gender
based on the skeleton. Absurd!
- Absurd?
- Gustaf, don't be so sure.
It's just not science, is it?
If you think of it...
- Hilma?
- I'm here.
Where are we on the map?
NAUTICAL CHART BY GUSTAF AF KLINHere somewhere.
Look! The numbers.
Yes.
He measured everything.
Grandfather was a scientist too.
He sailed around the whole world.
To measure the depths. Everywhere.
So ships wouldn't
get holes in them and sink.
That's right.
One fathom...
two fathoms...
three fathoms...
13 fathoms...
14 fathoms,
15 fathoms.
How deep can it get?
Deep.
We'll make our own
map one day, Hermina.
Of everything.
Everything in the world.
And everything else too.
'Cause we're scientists.
98, 99, 100.
Ready or not, here I come!
You're too fast for me.
What's that cough?
- How is she?
- You can't be in there now.
- Why? Why? Let me go...
- She needs to rest.
Why?
Is her fever down?
Hilma!
Hilma! Hilma!
- Don't...
- Papa, please, I have to see her!
- No, no.
- Please. Please.
Hilma.
No.
Tell me where you are, Hermina.
And then, all of a sudden,
it just went dark...
and these really strong
winds came in,
so from...
out of absolutely nowhere,
we found ourselves
in the middle of a raging storm.
I want to study the world...
to see how things are connected.
Are you interested
in anything else than flowers?
Mathematics,
geometry, biology,
astronomy.
My father taught me everything.
What about arts?
Art...
is a tool
in my research.
A tool?
Yes.
We're making a map of everything.
We?
I need to learn how to paint.
Oh yes, I mean, these are very
decorative, I must say that, though.
- They're studies.
- Studies? Studies of what?
I didn't mean to decorate.
MESSAGES FROM THE UNSEEN WORLD
ROYAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS
Excuse me, where are you going?
The technical school for artists.
For painters.
The women's entrance is in the back.
A little mistake there, miss.
We've had a few very talented
female painters here
since we started
the ladies' section a few years ago.
Some really artistic things.
Look at this from last year.
You can't even tell
it was painted by a woman, can you?
No.
Can you?
Teacher's pet.
Did you see that?
- He's coming...
- She's mad.
Draw what you see.
We're less interested
in your fantasies.
My fantasies?
Aren't those things real?
Miss Klint, a word, please.
So what does Hilma
want to learn here?
I want to understand
the secrets of life.
And everything else too.
I'm Anna.
- Nice to meet you. I'm Hilma.
- I'm trying on a new dress.
Do you want to come along?
- They live on Kammakargatan.
- Which way?
I think it's this way.
Oh no. Women only.
Use the front door, young man.
All right.
Go on in. Enjoy.
You're ridiculous.
I have my ways.
Lots of these outfits.
One for this season.
Excuse me.
SPIRITIST SCRIPTURES
Hilma, what do you think?
Isn't it gorgeous?
- It's beautiful.
- Look how it moves.
- Thank you so much.
- It's perfect on you.
I love it.
Take one.
- Thank you.
- We publish them monthly.
Here. Would you like one?
It's my sister, Mathilda.
She's the editor.
- It's our magazine.
- Thank you.
It's on Spiritism.
Cornelia does the drawings.
I do the writing.
- I do.
- You never told me you're an artist.
- She's a good one too.
- I'm not an artist like you.
Hilma's an incredible artist as well.
- She goes to school with me.
- Do you?
I'm so envious.
THE TRUTH SEEKER
"The spirit survives
through time and place.
All matter is conscious.
All matter has life.
All life reincarnates."
Today, when our Christian religion
is being questioned and undermined...
we can still trust
in the presence of the spirits.
They surround us...
and are always willing
to communicate with us.
That's Sigrid.
She's a really powerful medium.
This higher consciousness
is the immortal part of ourselves.
The part that never dies.
Just as when we sleep
and our dreams
liberate our body from our mind...
it is death
that liberates the spirit,
so that we can reincarnate
and return to this earth.
We theosophists see no conflict
between science and religious belief.
But it is religion,
all religions...
that explain the truth
of our higher consciousness.
That which cannot be seen.
I was dead,
but I could see myself from above,
lying in the hospital bed.
- No!
- Saw it?
It was like I was floating,
looking down on myself.
And I saw the doctor slap my face,
trying to wake me up.
But I was dead.
But I could see and hear everything.
I was in another world.
- And there was this bright light...
- Light?
...spinning all around me.
It's so hard to explain, because
there isn't a light on earth like it.
She wasn't even dead.
She was hallucinating.
And she survived.
INSIGHTS INTO THE HIDDEN LIFE
OF THE HUMAN SOUL
Hilma, Miss Cassel is here.
Coming!
- Sigrid.
- Hello.
- I'm Hilma.
- Hilma. Lovely to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Your home is beautiful.
- Hello, I'm Anna. Cornelia's friend.
- I heard you were both coming.
- Thank you for having us.
- Of course.
Listening to the dream.
To all the dreams.
Without knowledge...
this realm is but an illusion.
'Tis a spiral.
That is the key.
Disappear.
Brush with the infinite is near.
An angel is present here.
Courage to focus on the dreams.
At the end of the breath
there is a key.
Seven thresholds.
Three is the first wave.
And, er...
- Well, hello.
- Oh please...
Come on now, love.
What's going on here?
I told you we were
having a gathering tonight.
A gathering?
So this is a gathering?
You should have told me before.
I would have brought more friends.
Darling. Darling, come here.
Have you met any boys
you like there in school?
I love them.
Love them all.
Victor, dessert!
Yeah. Coming.
You're not going to paint
for an eternity, are you?
No one wants to marry a girl
who keeps painting all day.
I don't go to school to get married.
Papa, come.
You know we can't afford
to take care of you.
I know.
Victor!
Yes. Is there a problem?
Ask Mother.
I don't have a problem.
You should go to war
instead of playing the fiddle.
I should find a husband instead
of wasting time in art school.
Right, Mother?
Could you just for once
do something that girls would do?
What's for dessert?
When you think about
how old this building is...
Our most distinguished student.
Hilma af Klint. Please.
I just heard!
You and I will share an atelier.
Oh my gosh.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do.
I thought I'd have to live
with my parents after school.
Belle, what are
you doing with the flowers?
- Hold them out to your brother?
- No.
No, this is... Belle!
Remember you love
your brother very much.
And you want to give him flowers.
Can we please have the flowers?
There.
And bring your chin down a touch.
A token of love.
Hands out of your pockets
and stand up straight.
- Sorry.
- Belle, please.
Don't worry. Leave that.
I've got it drawn in.
The flowers are behind her back.
I only paint what I see.
If you could imagine the flowers
being presented to her brother...
Flowers out front.
There we go. Beautiful flowers.
"To really get to know the world...
look deeply within your own soul.
And to really get to know yourself...
take an interest in the world."
That's good.
Makes sense.
"In the world..."
And here it is.
Who wrote it?
Rudolf Steiner,
an Austrian philosopher.
He says colour is the soul
of nature and the universe.
And through colours
we receive messages from the soul.
That's good too.
I must have met
this man in an earlier life.
He's like my soulmate.
I need to sell a painting soon.
Do you? Why?
I need the money.
Grandfather gave us the noble name...
but money didn't come
with it, unfortunately.
I'm the opposite.
Common name. Pots of money.
Money's never interested me.
Only rich people
don't care about money.
Look at this.
They're so beautiful.
Look at those birds. Can you see?
If I could die...
for just a second...
just to see what it would
look like on the other side...
I'm not so sure.
Where is that "other side"?
What does it look like?
Someone who's achieved
depth of soul...
will look at this
and they won't see just water...
they see God's creation.
Hear that, water?
You're God's creation.
It's so pleased. Listen to it.
Faster! Faster!
I'm back at sea, Hilma.
My heart.
But don't worry about me.
The seas are calm.
Yes, that's his daughter.
Hilma.
Very odd girl.
She paints.
Paints.
Thank you.
Hilma.
It's all right.
Whatever it is,
it'll be good practice
and it's meant to be good money too.
How do they pay you?
Don't know. I think per drawing.
- Surely. Surely?
- How much do they pay?
I don't know. Lots.
Don't care.
Take a good look at the muscles here
and draw how they're
connected to the vein
that runs all here.
- The smell is so bad.
- I did tell you.
I saw inside the vein.
Oh my.
It's like a whole new world.
- Take this.
- No, I can't.
- Take it. I don't need it.
- Alright, thank you.
- Want some lunch?
- Of course.
Ladies.
Sorry to interrupt.
Mr. Munch would want to invite you
to visit his exhibition at Blanch's.
It opens today.
Please, make me an honour.
Don't be sad.
She's safe now where she is.
My sister is always with me.
They all are...
with us.
It's good. It's good.
Always paint it your way.
Good evening, all of thee.
I am Amaliel.
Thank you for opening
your eyes to see...
your ears to hear...
your hearts to receive.
All worlds are one.
The divine lives in everything.
I come with a purpose.
The secret worlds shall be revealed.
You have been chosen
to document them in your art.
The unseen will be seen.
The unseen will be seen.
We'll unveil our truth.
Uncover our secrets
for you to document.
It's a world you do not know...
but it lives in all of us.
I saw it.
All of us
are one.
I saw it.
You really saw them?
- What do you mean?
- I don't understand.
They want us to paint
the invisible worlds.
Hilma, we could lose our souls.
- Cornelia...
- There are risks.
We must understand that.
There are risks. Ernst Josephson's
gone completely mad.
- That's not fair.
- He was already mad. He's a man.
He's been signing his artworks
with the names of dead artists.
- We're not doing that.
- It's dangerous.
But... I don't understand.
We've all been chosen
for this assignment?
They want it to be a painter.
We can all take part, right, Anna?
- We'll all help out.
- Right. Of course.
Hilma and Anna?
But... who told you that?
It came from the spirits.
- Well, I'm a painter too.
- Of course you are. It's just...
I guess you don't have
the education, Cornelia.
- I didn't have that opportunity.
- Look, we are all chosen.
We are all chosen.
It's important work.
For this to succeed,
we all need to contribute.
Are you all accepting
of the assignment?
All the hard work that comes with it?
Yes.
Yes.
We're ready.
Watch out!
There will be a period
of preparation for your task.
You will prepare through prayer...
refrain from eating meat...
heavy and unhealthy foods...
You will live
selflessly and frugally.
Pray for friend and foe.
O Lord, guide me
and give me strength.
Save me from temptation.
Give us your world in truth...
as you've created it.
Amen.
You have to eat something. Here.
Find the truth.
There is no religion
higher than truth.
THE SECRET DOCTRINE
- H.P. BLAVATSKY
Make a pact between the five of you.
You will know
when it is time to show the work.
What did I say?
So much.
I feel so tired.
I can't do this anymore.
No, I'm too tired now.
I just want to see my children.
Sigrid.
It's a divine assignment, Sigrid.
You have so much power.
I have nothing left.
Sigrid, we'll all help you.
We're doing this together.
Lunch? I'm starving. Aren't you?
Not really.
So gender means nothing.
God created only one soul,
then he divided it into two.
Rudolf Steiner describes it.
Two souls. Man and woman.
Now they are drawn to each other.
They want to unite again.
So man seeks woman.
And woman seeks man, I assume.
But what do I know?
Yes. It's the dual force
that brings them together.
And we are going to use that force.
The dual force?
It's a creative force.
The desire to unite.
We can use it in our paintings.
The way you're using it
to steal my potatoes?
Yes.
So I have the man's force
and you have the woman's.
I seek the man's power and wisdom.
- I'm sure you do.
- I do.
And you have
the woman's power and warmth, right?
- Do I?
- You do.
Warmth?
We're like... hook and eye.
I hope so.
The perfect hook and eye.
Come on.
Hang on a minute.
You're the man. We should
have it the other way around.
- You should hook me.
- It doesn't matter who's who.
As long as I get to be the man.
Is it...
Is it finished?
Yes.
It's finished.
So unusual.
I didn't paint it myself.
- What do you mean?
- You did, Hilma.
You painted it.
I was holding the brush.
But I didn't paint it myself.
But...
I don't know.
It's wonderful.
It was the spirits.
The spirits.
Hilma!
It's extraordinary.
Everyone needs to know.
Everyone!
We must build a temple for our art.
A temple for worship...
of the arts,
of the Lord.
A temple that
will inspire future generations.
Where did you get this idea?
I saw it.
The spirits came to me.
So you're ready to show your work?
Here's the entrance.
Our art will hang
on the wall here and then...
you rise up to the Divine.
Hilma.
Yes?
Can I help you?
I need my dual soul.
I need that to inspire me.
Do you?
You want to be the hook?
I'll be the eye.
It's big.
It's a big temple.
It's not too big.
All right.
Tell me it's not too big.
Hilma...
- Hilma!
- Say it. Say it. Say it.
- Hilma, get off of me.
- Say it.
- Get off... Hilma!
- Say it.
- What are you doing?
- Say it.
Get off.
Say it.
It's not...
The eggs you ordered?
Hilma, get off!
Hilma...
Thank you.
PURPLE
Hilma, what's the matter?
Yeah, I think so.
The one in black is my aunt.
She's the weird one.
Erik!
Stop it.
Come here.
- I just want to see her paintings.
- Well, they are nothing to see.
- Why can't I see them?
- It's just... What for?
'Cause she's a witch.
When do we get to have
a look at what you're up to?
You can't see it yet.
It's not finished.
I can't see it anyway.
Anna, you tell me.
What is it that you're doing?
Well, we received this assignment
or commission as Aunt knows.
I know.
And we're getting... instructions,
or Hilma gets instructions.
And going well it is,
but sometimes it's hard
to understand what comes out of it.
What...?
It's just...
It's hard to see
what it's supposed to represent.
You can't see what you paint?
I mean, what they mean,
the paintings.
I thought we could tell the truth.
- We don't know what we're doing?
- Do we?
I got an assignment
from the spirits...
You got an assignment?
Weren't we working together?
Like the hook and the eye!
We were.
You... You gave up on it, didn't you?
I just can't see
exactly what you see.
And why do we paint
if we can't show people?
I want to show my work.
Why do we keep hiding it?
What are we waiting for?
Anna!
Scientists...
...don't present their findings
until their research is finished.
I'm not finished.
They need to hang together. As one.
The paintings.
It's part of a map of a world.
So tell me
why you're so afraid of sharing them?
I'm not afraid.
So this is part
of our ten largest series.
Sorry, excuse me.
Hello. You can leave them
over there by the table.
Thank you.
So sorry.
So these are depicting our life
cycles from childhood to old age.
- Hilma?
- This one's Adulthood .
- Yes?
- Sorry, can I just check something?
- I just want to check this yellow.
- It looks like the sun.
What do you think?
We will have an exhibition
of them in a couple of weeks.
Now you can finally see them.
That's very exciting.
These are some
of the ten largest ones.
These are Adulthood
and then here is...
Wait.
What do you think?
It's beautiful.
It's wonderful, Hilma.
Hilma?
Hilma, Hilma.
Number six, please.
Can you see anything?
I can see a head.
I think it's the doctor.
That is correct.
Number five, please.
Light! I'm in heaven!
- I'll take care of it.
- I can... I can pay it this time.
And this is going
to be your new typewriter.
Can I ask if we can get her?
- She seems sweet.
- Yeah.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
"The Swede Oscar Swahn
won the gold medal
in men's single shot
running deer yesterday
during the
Olympic Games in London..."
She's really nice.
I can't afford her. You know that.
I'll take care of it. Don't worry.
"...the Swedish swimmer
Greta Johansson
also made her debut yesterday..."
The gallerists. They were idiots.
They just can't see it.
I can rent
our own space for the exhibition.
It's just across the street.
Thank you.
"The famous
Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner
pays another visit
to Stockholm next week.
He'll be speaking
at the Royal Library on 16th..."
Steiner.
My soulmate is coming to Stockholm.
He will understand.
- What's soulmate in German?
- Seelenverwandter .
- Seelenverwandter.
- Seelenverwandter.
- Perfect.
- Seelenverwandter .
Seelenverwandter.
I know we will find the truth
about our existence
and our unknown dimensions.
Everything is possible,
because there are no essential limits
to human knowledge.
Thank you.
- Excuse me, please, please...
- Dr. Steiner.
Dr. Steiner, autograph, please.
Hello.
Please sign my book.
Watch Mother. Thomasine.
My friend here speaks German.
Hilma sent Dr. Steiner a letter.
Yes, I will read it.
I'm an admirer of yours.
Dr. Steiner, we have to go.
I've seen what you've seen.
I know what you describe.
Art is eternal. Its form changes.
Dr. Steiner!
Could you please sign my...?
That's true.
You wrote that.
Hilma would be very pleased
if you would come
to her atelier to view her paintings.
You paint? I'd love to.
Come on.
Impressive.
Did you paint these yourself?
Yes.
Wonderful colours.
I'll have an exhibition
here in Stockholm of them
in a month from now.
And what do the paintings depict?
What is depicted, he's asking?
I don't know.
I was hoping Dr. Steiner
would explain it to me.
This is Adulthood .
What inspires you, Miss Klint?
What... inspires me?
I get inspired by the High Masters.
The spirits
that gave me this assignment.
And my sister, Hermina.
You see...
divine things happen
when we put aside our ego
and make room for something else.
Or someone else.
Divine things will happen
when we forget ourselves.
This way.
I have been the tool of the spirits.
I painted strictly
following their instructions.
So Miss Klint is
not herself creatively responsible?
So you're not creatively responsible,
he asks.
I... promised
the High Masters to obey their will.
They chose me for this assignment.
Yes, I understand, I understand.
But if art doesn't originate
in the artist's soul...
it doesn't touch me.
But when art doesn't have
its roots in the soul of the artist
it doesn't touch me, he says.
You see, the artist is the one
who is responsible creatively.
Yes, otherwise
you can hardly call it art.
If the artist is not
creatively responsible,
he doesn't think
it can be called art.
But your quest is admirable.
If we do not believe there is
something higher than ourselves,
we will never find the strength
to develop into something higher.
What did he say?
If we do not believe in something...
higher than ourselves...
then we shall never find the strength
to evolve into something higher.
I don't understand him
even if you translate.
What I'm saying is,
if I don't understand your art,
then no one will.
If I don't understand your work,
no one will.
Humble gentleman.
Hilma!
Are you all right?
Thank you.
You all right?
What an idiot!
Get up now, Hilma!
He's not worth this.
He doesn't understand art.
He's just a pompous besserwisser.
- He had no right to criticise you.
- What does he know about the spirits?
Hilma.
I've brought you some tea and toast.
Here.
Is that jam?
- Yes. Apricot jam.
- That's my favourite.
Stop fussing over her.
She's all right.
I can't do it.
We can't show the paintings.
- Cancel the exhibition.
- Are you serious?
- You're not thinking straight.
- We can't cancel anything now.
- Are you serious?
- They were painted for the temple.
- Doesn't matter...
- Nothing else.
- Hilma...
- Because of one man's opinion?
If he doesn't understand them,
no one will.
This is against everything
we stood for for years.
We need to show this work.
For all of us.
We've been working so long for this,
we can't just give up on it now.
Hilma, it's not just your work.
We all worked on them.
Cornelia did a lot of the drawings.
The spirits worked on them, Hilma.
I'm not showing them!
- How do you make it look so real?
- That's very kind. Thank you.
Wonderful choices.
I have to admit, I didn't know
what to think of your big ones.
The place has provided
a lot of the inspiration for me.
Oh, Hilma.
I miss the new ones too.
Do you like them?
Are you all right?
Hilma, drink this, all right?
You all right?
- Have you seen Kandinsky?
- Kandinsky! He's Russian.
Fabulous. It's wonderful.
It's non-figurative.
Take a moment with each painting.
Kandinsky, as you can see,
is entirely unique.
He's what we call non-figurative art.
It's something new
and quite breath-taking, I would say.
Take a moment with each painting.
When Kandinsky makes
this non-figurative art,
he wants to affect us emotionally,
the way music affects us.
He wants us to stop thinking
and only experience...
There you are.
- Kandinsky is the first...
- Listen... Hilma!
- ...to make non-figurative art.
- What's wrong?
Come on, come and sit down.
You're all right. You're all right.
Please concentrate here
on the hoof and the ligaments
as they move up into the muscle.
It's nice. Just the two of us again.
I miss this.
You know you can't expect me
to keep paying for everything you do.
I want to support your arts,
but nothing else.
I don't think there's
any art left to support.
I don't paint anymore.
Because of an old codger
from Germany!
He's Austrian.
And he's my soulmate.
I can't continue
to support your romantic interests.
Very nice, ladies. Very nice.
What do you mean?
Don't you think I have eyes?
Thomasine takes care of my mother.
Where does she find the time with
everything else that keeps her busy?
Do you care about me?
Am I invisible like everything else
you're portraying?
Why should I pay
for your obsession with the spirits?
I never asked you to pay
for anything for me.
What do I owe you?
How do I get you
to see what you're blind to?
You don't even
try to see beyond what's here.
- I tried! You just looked away.
- You and your mountains and sunsets!
Can't you see anything else?
Not a single penny more from me.
There's a step here.
Ready?
- Here?
- Yes.
You all right?
- Welcome home, Anna.
- Thank you. So good to see you again.
Soon as we can afford it,
we'll move to something bigger.
Thomasine!
Yes.
I'm here.
Who's going to pay for you?
You don't have to worry
about that. I'm right here.
We don't have the money.
You know we can't afford you,
don't you?
It's not for you to worry about.
I'm so sorry, Thomasine.
When do you need to go back
to your work at the doctor's office?
Do you want me to?
No, of course not.
I've been thinking.
I can take care of Mother myself.
I have the time.
Where do you want me to put these?
In the cupboard.
Thank you.
You've never seen
that one before, have you?
It's beautiful.
"Dear Anna...
I'm lost.
How do you draw a map
when you forgot how to draw?
And you can't see where you are?
I want to understand the universe.
I want to get to know God for real.
Is that too much to ask?"
"Dear Hilma,
I'm so happy to be back home.
Everything I love is here.
God's creation
right in front of my eyes.
Visible to everyone.
I don't need your depth
of soul to see it, thankfully.
The air here is good for me.
My asthma's almost gone now."
I miss you, Hilma.
"This is us, in the wave we were in.
I made it at your summer house.
Never dared to show you."
"Mr Tryggve Janson suggested
that married women
who paid their own taxes,
could get the right to vote.
Carl Persson
in Stallerhult disagreed.
'If women were allowed to walk away
from their wife duties to vote,
it would hurt the children
and create domestic chaos.'"
Sorry.
"Alfred Ander...
the robber, who killed
Victoria Hellsten with a steel yard,
was executed today with
the guillotine imported from France.
The head was separated
from the body at eight to five,
in front of
the Langholmen officials."
Why, that's awful.
Can you imagine?
Here you go.
"Dear Anna..."
- What is it?
- "I've begun painting again."
- Black swan...
- "It's a miracle."
No. A black swan?
"I still take
advice from the spirits.
But this time
I'm guiding the brush myself.
I think you'll be able to tell
what I'm portraying this time.
Thomasine has promised to stay with
us for as long as we need her help.
And we do need her right now.
I keep working on that map
of the world I told you about.
My sister is helping me.
I'm inspired by her, by the sea,
by all the things we remember
from the summers at Adels,
while waiting for the temple.
We get by
on a few commissions and portraits."
"For everyone that asketh, receiveth.
And he that seeketh, findeth.
And to him that knocketh,
it shall be opened."
"Dear Hilma,
I'm happy to hear that you've
found a way to support yourself.
There's nothing wrong
with showing your art
and even getting paid for it."
"What a Christmas present this year.
Guess who's coming to Stockholm?"
"No, not him again.
You're not going there, are you?
Why are you so obsessed with him?"
Dr. Steiner!
"He has seen God.
And he knows the truth.
And I...
have to find it."
Dr. Steiner!
Welcome back to Sweden.
Do you remember me?
Of course, Miss Klint.
Yes.
Can we talk somewhere in private?
Since we last met,
I paint differently.
I work with the spirits.
I don't allow the spirits...
to take over, to decide.
That's good news, Miss Klint.
Thank you.
Can I show you my work in the future?
I can mail you my miniatures.
Don't go chasing after him again.
You're desperate for his approval.
And he's never
going to give it to you.
- Anna, that's ridiculous.
- He almost killed your passion...
- He wants to see what I'll paint.
- You're obsessed!
- That's not what a soulmate does.
- I'm posting him all my miniatures.
- What do you think?
- So exciting.
- This will have a view of the water.
- So that's the front or the back?
This is... This is the front...
"I've designed an atelier
together with the girls.
We're building it at Muns,
next to Adels.
It's not the temple.
It's an atelier for me and the girls.
The girls are going to pay for it.
I assume you don't want
to be part of it financially."
"How lovely.
Good for you."
Mother, you look wonderful.
- Can I see?
- It's not ready.
- Hilma, show her.
- Please.
Go on, show me.
Ready?
Lunch!
Hello!
It's Anna.
You came!
You came.
I'm so sorry it's taken so long.
I don't know
why I went in the first place.
- It's all right. You're here.
- Hello!
- Anna! How are you?
- How are you? You look so well.
So good to see you.
Hello, how are you?
- It's so good to see you all.
- Did you know about this?
What do you think?
This is beautiful.
Okay.
Did you drop me?
- It's all right.
- Thomasine, what is it?
- Someone get help.
- She needs air.
- What happened?
- Take her scarf off.
- Let's bring her inside.
- Please stand back!
Why do you still need her here?
Her job was to take care
of your mother!
- You're being ridiculous.
- Is she taking care of you now?
What are you suffering from
that needs full-time care?
What am I suffering from?
I suffer from being belittled
by you right now, Anna.
I suffer from old friends who can't
deliver on their commitments.
I suffer, because...
I suffer and you don't.
I'm sorry, Anna.
I never wanted
to be your charity case.
I'm embarrassed.
I supported your life,
your career. I supported you...
With money you didn't even earn.
I only ever wanted
your understanding.
Do you even believe in spirits, Anna?
You never did, did you?
You may have just
played along to get to me.
Anna, I'm sorry.
- Anna, I'm sorry.
- Get up, Thomasine!
- Where are you going?
- You have to take care of Hilma.
Get up!
You have to take care of Hilma.
- What's going on?
- Get up!
Are you all right? What's going on?
She's sick because of you.
Get up! You have to take care of her.
- Don't touch her.
- Get off me. You're sick.
Let's eat.
Have some water, Hilma.
No.
No.
"Dear Miss Klint,
I think it would be interesting
to discuss your art a bit further.
We have looked at the miniatures
you sent us and we'd be delighted
if you could come and visit us
here in Switzerland."
"We have looked
at the miniatures you sent us
and we'd be delighted if you could
come visit us here in Switzerland."
- "Delighted." Are you sure?
- Yes.
Erfreut.
Happy. Glad.
Glad.
It doesn't matter.
He wants to see you.
"...where we have the world's
centre for anthroposophy."
Passports, please.
Go on. Keep reading.
Hilma af Klint?
Sorry, it's an old photo.
"We have just finished
building our temple."
So...
With the permission
of the High Masters,
we want to donate
our work to Goetheanum.
The temple we've been looking for
for so many years.
I'm honoured that you accepted
my invitation to come here.
So many new works here.
But you've changed your style, right?
He wonders if you have changed
the way that you paint.
No.
Listen.
I think that art
that connects us with the spirits...
should be suggestive, poetic.
It should aim for the heart
and not for the brain.
What you've got here...
It's too intellectual for us.
Well...
I don't think this kind of art
will ever be relevant.
I'm sorry.
What does he say?
He doesn't want them.
What else?
He says that art that manages
to connect us to the spirits...
is suggestive, poetic...
and aims for the heart,
not for the head.
He thinks your work
is too intellectual.
He doesn't have
the heart to understand it.
Not the head either.
Tell him.
Tell him that.
First...
First you tell me I shouldn't paint
with the help of my spirits.
Now you tell me
that I can't use my brain.
Too intellectual,
because you don't understand them.
You have to get over it.
He's dead.
There's nothing you can do about it.
Dr. Steiner, what do you think?
Do you think there will come a day
when people will like them?
You're quiet.
So you don't know.
Liar.
You understood everything,
didn't you?
Didn't you?
Why can't you admit it?
"My latest sunset.
You can't even tell
it's painted by a woman.
Can you?
It's been too long, Hilma.
I'm coming to Stockholm.
I need to see you.
My train arrives Thursday
next week at ten to five.
Will you meet me there?"
I missed the train, Hilma.
I know.
I know you did.
I'm here now.
Here. Where you are.
I miss you, Anna.
There are so many things
I recognise here.
That it would take all this
to become a believer!
So this way,
you can walk in a circle
and experience
all the big ones that hang together.
They must hang together.
But this way you never walk back.
You just keep going.
It's like a spiral-shaped temple,
reaching for the heavens.
Open for worship of...
all religions.
Art and science.
Aunt, I've tried, but...
No one is willing to give us
the money to build it, so...
I'm sorry.
Anna would have paid
for the temple had she been alive.
- And Thomasine...
- Aunt, Aunt.
I'm sorry.
But no one...
No one understands what you're doing.
Then...
burn them all.
Burn them!
There's a woman here to see you.
Hilma.
She says she's your sister.
Oh no.
What does she want?
She said something
about building a temple.
I'm sorry,
but Mr. af Klint is asleep.
No, I didn't tell him that, did I?
Did I tell him that?
No.
Stop. Stop!
Don't burn them!
Stop!
Stop!
Hermina.
Where have you been?
I've been here all the time.
I've been looking for you.
Well, you found me.
I found you.
Did you burn them yet?
My paintings?
Did you burn them yet?
No.
I couldn't. I wouldn't.
Good.
20 years.
Give it 20 years...
20 years, what?
Hide them. Hide them.
Until you find my temple.
-20 years.
-20 years.
One...
two...
three...
four...
five...
six...
seven...
eight,
nine...
19...
20!
I can see it.
The light.
There's no light on earth
to describe it.
The truth is
Hilma af Klint tells us that her art
isn't abstract imaginations.
She painted what she saw
and what the spirits
guided her to paint.
So these are actually
observations of spiritual life.
And nobody believed her, of course.
So she painted for us,
who would believe.
For the future
and for the temple she envisioned.
Ready or not...
here I come.
subtitling
Zero...
two, seven, eight, three, eight,
nine, eight, six, five, eight, four.
Take in sail!
- Shout ahead!
- Right there.
- On four!
- One.
Two.
Three.
- Are we still here?
- Aye.
The truth is Hilma af Klint
tells us that her art
isn't abstract imaginations.
She painted what she saw
and what the spirits
guided her to paint.
There's a woman here to see you.
Hilma.
She says she's your sister.
Oh no.
What does she want?
She said something
about building a temple.
Her bloody temple.
She has a drawing to show you.
Who is it?
Hilma the witch.
Tell her I'm dead.
Mr. af Klint is asleep.
He's not feeling too well.
I'm sorry.
No. No.
I'll burn them.
That's what you wanted, wasn't it?
One,
two,
three...
four...
five,
six,
seven,
eight,
nine,
ten,
eleven...
98,
99,
Ready or not...
here I come.
Hilma?
- Where were you?
- Up there. Hiding.
You scared me.
- I saw you the whole time.
- Did you?
Hermina?
- You see anything?
- No.
Wait.
I want to go home.
Scientists can't just go home.
We need to be patient.
I'm hungry.
I don't think I want
to be a scientist anymore.
What did you find?
Hilma! Look at the shape.
Yes, it's a spiral.
- It's from the Stone Age.
- It's beautiful.
It must be.
Must be.
Hilma!
Hello.
It's a skeleton.
But why are they digging it up?
They want to study it.
They're scientists too.
Hermina, how do you know
it was a "she"?
- You could tell.
- How?
From the skeleton.
- Right there.
- That's impossible.
It was a Stone Age soldier
and it was a she.
- Have some lingonberries.
- Thank you.
- My drawings.
- Careful.
- The birds...
- Hermina.
- I want to study the birds.
- Yes, the birds and all the animals.
And the flowers, all that grows...
You can't determine the gender
based on the skeleton. Absurd!
- Absurd?
- Gustaf, don't be so sure.
It's just not science, is it?
If you think of it...
- Hilma?
- I'm here.
Where are we on the map?
NAUTICAL CHART BY GUSTAF AF KLINHere somewhere.
Look! The numbers.
Yes.
He measured everything.
Grandfather was a scientist too.
He sailed around the whole world.
To measure the depths. Everywhere.
So ships wouldn't
get holes in them and sink.
That's right.
One fathom...
two fathoms...
three fathoms...
13 fathoms...
14 fathoms,
15 fathoms.
How deep can it get?
Deep.
We'll make our own
map one day, Hermina.
Of everything.
Everything in the world.
And everything else too.
'Cause we're scientists.
98, 99, 100.
Ready or not, here I come!
You're too fast for me.
What's that cough?
- How is she?
- You can't be in there now.
- Why? Why? Let me go...
- She needs to rest.
Why?
Is her fever down?
Hilma!
Hilma! Hilma!
- Don't...
- Papa, please, I have to see her!
- No, no.
- Please. Please.
Hilma.
No.
Tell me where you are, Hermina.
And then, all of a sudden,
it just went dark...
and these really strong
winds came in,
so from...
out of absolutely nowhere,
we found ourselves
in the middle of a raging storm.
I want to study the world...
to see how things are connected.
Are you interested
in anything else than flowers?
Mathematics,
geometry, biology,
astronomy.
My father taught me everything.
What about arts?
Art...
is a tool
in my research.
A tool?
Yes.
We're making a map of everything.
We?
I need to learn how to paint.
Oh yes, I mean, these are very
decorative, I must say that, though.
- They're studies.
- Studies? Studies of what?
I didn't mean to decorate.
MESSAGES FROM THE UNSEEN WORLD
ROYAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS
Excuse me, where are you going?
The technical school for artists.
For painters.
The women's entrance is in the back.
A little mistake there, miss.
We've had a few very talented
female painters here
since we started
the ladies' section a few years ago.
Some really artistic things.
Look at this from last year.
You can't even tell
it was painted by a woman, can you?
No.
Can you?
Teacher's pet.
Did you see that?
- He's coming...
- She's mad.
Draw what you see.
We're less interested
in your fantasies.
My fantasies?
Aren't those things real?
Miss Klint, a word, please.
So what does Hilma
want to learn here?
I want to understand
the secrets of life.
And everything else too.
I'm Anna.
- Nice to meet you. I'm Hilma.
- I'm trying on a new dress.
Do you want to come along?
- They live on Kammakargatan.
- Which way?
I think it's this way.
Oh no. Women only.
Use the front door, young man.
All right.
Go on in. Enjoy.
You're ridiculous.
I have my ways.
Lots of these outfits.
One for this season.
Excuse me.
SPIRITIST SCRIPTURES
Hilma, what do you think?
Isn't it gorgeous?
- It's beautiful.
- Look how it moves.
- Thank you so much.
- It's perfect on you.
I love it.
Take one.
- Thank you.
- We publish them monthly.
Here. Would you like one?
It's my sister, Mathilda.
She's the editor.
- It's our magazine.
- Thank you.
It's on Spiritism.
Cornelia does the drawings.
I do the writing.
- I do.
- You never told me you're an artist.
- She's a good one too.
- I'm not an artist like you.
Hilma's an incredible artist as well.
- She goes to school with me.
- Do you?
I'm so envious.
THE TRUTH SEEKER
"The spirit survives
through time and place.
All matter is conscious.
All matter has life.
All life reincarnates."
Today, when our Christian religion
is being questioned and undermined...
we can still trust
in the presence of the spirits.
They surround us...
and are always willing
to communicate with us.
That's Sigrid.
She's a really powerful medium.
This higher consciousness
is the immortal part of ourselves.
The part that never dies.
Just as when we sleep
and our dreams
liberate our body from our mind...
it is death
that liberates the spirit,
so that we can reincarnate
and return to this earth.
We theosophists see no conflict
between science and religious belief.
But it is religion,
all religions...
that explain the truth
of our higher consciousness.
That which cannot be seen.
I was dead,
but I could see myself from above,
lying in the hospital bed.
- No!
- Saw it?
It was like I was floating,
looking down on myself.
And I saw the doctor slap my face,
trying to wake me up.
But I was dead.
But I could see and hear everything.
I was in another world.
- And there was this bright light...
- Light?
...spinning all around me.
It's so hard to explain, because
there isn't a light on earth like it.
She wasn't even dead.
She was hallucinating.
And she survived.
INSIGHTS INTO THE HIDDEN LIFE
OF THE HUMAN SOUL
Hilma, Miss Cassel is here.
Coming!
- Sigrid.
- Hello.
- I'm Hilma.
- Hilma. Lovely to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Your home is beautiful.
- Hello, I'm Anna. Cornelia's friend.
- I heard you were both coming.
- Thank you for having us.
- Of course.
Listening to the dream.
To all the dreams.
Without knowledge...
this realm is but an illusion.
'Tis a spiral.
That is the key.
Disappear.
Brush with the infinite is near.
An angel is present here.
Courage to focus on the dreams.
At the end of the breath
there is a key.
Seven thresholds.
Three is the first wave.
And, er...
- Well, hello.
- Oh please...
Come on now, love.
What's going on here?
I told you we were
having a gathering tonight.
A gathering?
So this is a gathering?
You should have told me before.
I would have brought more friends.
Darling. Darling, come here.
Have you met any boys
you like there in school?
I love them.
Love them all.
Victor, dessert!
Yeah. Coming.
You're not going to paint
for an eternity, are you?
No one wants to marry a girl
who keeps painting all day.
I don't go to school to get married.
Papa, come.
You know we can't afford
to take care of you.
I know.
Victor!
Yes. Is there a problem?
Ask Mother.
I don't have a problem.
You should go to war
instead of playing the fiddle.
I should find a husband instead
of wasting time in art school.
Right, Mother?
Could you just for once
do something that girls would do?
What's for dessert?
When you think about
how old this building is...
Our most distinguished student.
Hilma af Klint. Please.
I just heard!
You and I will share an atelier.
Oh my gosh.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do.
I thought I'd have to live
with my parents after school.
Belle, what are
you doing with the flowers?
- Hold them out to your brother?
- No.
No, this is... Belle!
Remember you love
your brother very much.
And you want to give him flowers.
Can we please have the flowers?
There.
And bring your chin down a touch.
A token of love.
Hands out of your pockets
and stand up straight.
- Sorry.
- Belle, please.
Don't worry. Leave that.
I've got it drawn in.
The flowers are behind her back.
I only paint what I see.
If you could imagine the flowers
being presented to her brother...
Flowers out front.
There we go. Beautiful flowers.
"To really get to know the world...
look deeply within your own soul.
And to really get to know yourself...
take an interest in the world."
That's good.
Makes sense.
"In the world..."
And here it is.
Who wrote it?
Rudolf Steiner,
an Austrian philosopher.
He says colour is the soul
of nature and the universe.
And through colours
we receive messages from the soul.
That's good too.
I must have met
this man in an earlier life.
He's like my soulmate.
I need to sell a painting soon.
Do you? Why?
I need the money.
Grandfather gave us the noble name...
but money didn't come
with it, unfortunately.
I'm the opposite.
Common name. Pots of money.
Money's never interested me.
Only rich people
don't care about money.
Look at this.
They're so beautiful.
Look at those birds. Can you see?
If I could die...
for just a second...
just to see what it would
look like on the other side...
I'm not so sure.
Where is that "other side"?
What does it look like?
Someone who's achieved
depth of soul...
will look at this
and they won't see just water...
they see God's creation.
Hear that, water?
You're God's creation.
It's so pleased. Listen to it.
Faster! Faster!
I'm back at sea, Hilma.
My heart.
But don't worry about me.
The seas are calm.
Yes, that's his daughter.
Hilma.
Very odd girl.
She paints.
Paints.
Thank you.
Hilma.
It's all right.
Whatever it is,
it'll be good practice
and it's meant to be good money too.
How do they pay you?
Don't know. I think per drawing.
- Surely. Surely?
- How much do they pay?
I don't know. Lots.
Don't care.
Take a good look at the muscles here
and draw how they're
connected to the vein
that runs all here.
- The smell is so bad.
- I did tell you.
I saw inside the vein.
Oh my.
It's like a whole new world.
- Take this.
- No, I can't.
- Take it. I don't need it.
- Alright, thank you.
- Want some lunch?
- Of course.
Ladies.
Sorry to interrupt.
Mr. Munch would want to invite you
to visit his exhibition at Blanch's.
It opens today.
Please, make me an honour.
Don't be sad.
She's safe now where she is.
My sister is always with me.
They all are...
with us.
It's good. It's good.
Always paint it your way.
Good evening, all of thee.
I am Amaliel.
Thank you for opening
your eyes to see...
your ears to hear...
your hearts to receive.
All worlds are one.
The divine lives in everything.
I come with a purpose.
The secret worlds shall be revealed.
You have been chosen
to document them in your art.
The unseen will be seen.
The unseen will be seen.
We'll unveil our truth.
Uncover our secrets
for you to document.
It's a world you do not know...
but it lives in all of us.
I saw it.
All of us
are one.
I saw it.
You really saw them?
- What do you mean?
- I don't understand.
They want us to paint
the invisible worlds.
Hilma, we could lose our souls.
- Cornelia...
- There are risks.
We must understand that.
There are risks. Ernst Josephson's
gone completely mad.
- That's not fair.
- He was already mad. He's a man.
He's been signing his artworks
with the names of dead artists.
- We're not doing that.
- It's dangerous.
But... I don't understand.
We've all been chosen
for this assignment?
They want it to be a painter.
We can all take part, right, Anna?
- We'll all help out.
- Right. Of course.
Hilma and Anna?
But... who told you that?
It came from the spirits.
- Well, I'm a painter too.
- Of course you are. It's just...
I guess you don't have
the education, Cornelia.
- I didn't have that opportunity.
- Look, we are all chosen.
We are all chosen.
It's important work.
For this to succeed,
we all need to contribute.
Are you all accepting
of the assignment?
All the hard work that comes with it?
Yes.
Yes.
We're ready.
Watch out!
There will be a period
of preparation for your task.
You will prepare through prayer...
refrain from eating meat...
heavy and unhealthy foods...
You will live
selflessly and frugally.
Pray for friend and foe.
O Lord, guide me
and give me strength.
Save me from temptation.
Give us your world in truth...
as you've created it.
Amen.
You have to eat something. Here.
Find the truth.
There is no religion
higher than truth.
THE SECRET DOCTRINE
- H.P. BLAVATSKY
Make a pact between the five of you.
You will know
when it is time to show the work.
What did I say?
So much.
I feel so tired.
I can't do this anymore.
No, I'm too tired now.
I just want to see my children.
Sigrid.
It's a divine assignment, Sigrid.
You have so much power.
I have nothing left.
Sigrid, we'll all help you.
We're doing this together.
Lunch? I'm starving. Aren't you?
Not really.
So gender means nothing.
God created only one soul,
then he divided it into two.
Rudolf Steiner describes it.
Two souls. Man and woman.
Now they are drawn to each other.
They want to unite again.
So man seeks woman.
And woman seeks man, I assume.
But what do I know?
Yes. It's the dual force
that brings them together.
And we are going to use that force.
The dual force?
It's a creative force.
The desire to unite.
We can use it in our paintings.
The way you're using it
to steal my potatoes?
Yes.
So I have the man's force
and you have the woman's.
I seek the man's power and wisdom.
- I'm sure you do.
- I do.
And you have
the woman's power and warmth, right?
- Do I?
- You do.
Warmth?
We're like... hook and eye.
I hope so.
The perfect hook and eye.
Come on.
Hang on a minute.
You're the man. We should
have it the other way around.
- You should hook me.
- It doesn't matter who's who.
As long as I get to be the man.
Is it...
Is it finished?
Yes.
It's finished.
So unusual.
I didn't paint it myself.
- What do you mean?
- You did, Hilma.
You painted it.
I was holding the brush.
But I didn't paint it myself.
But...
I don't know.
It's wonderful.
It was the spirits.
The spirits.
Hilma!
It's extraordinary.
Everyone needs to know.
Everyone!
We must build a temple for our art.
A temple for worship...
of the arts,
of the Lord.
A temple that
will inspire future generations.
Where did you get this idea?
I saw it.
The spirits came to me.
So you're ready to show your work?
Here's the entrance.
Our art will hang
on the wall here and then...
you rise up to the Divine.
Hilma.
Yes?
Can I help you?
I need my dual soul.
I need that to inspire me.
Do you?
You want to be the hook?
I'll be the eye.
It's big.
It's a big temple.
It's not too big.
All right.
Tell me it's not too big.
Hilma...
- Hilma!
- Say it. Say it. Say it.
- Hilma, get off of me.
- Say it.
- Get off... Hilma!
- Say it.
- What are you doing?
- Say it.
Get off.
Say it.
It's not...
The eggs you ordered?
Hilma, get off!
Hilma...
Thank you.
PURPLE
Hilma, what's the matter?
Yeah, I think so.
The one in black is my aunt.
She's the weird one.
Erik!
Stop it.
Come here.
- I just want to see her paintings.
- Well, they are nothing to see.
- Why can't I see them?
- It's just... What for?
'Cause she's a witch.
When do we get to have
a look at what you're up to?
You can't see it yet.
It's not finished.
I can't see it anyway.
Anna, you tell me.
What is it that you're doing?
Well, we received this assignment
or commission as Aunt knows.
I know.
And we're getting... instructions,
or Hilma gets instructions.
And going well it is,
but sometimes it's hard
to understand what comes out of it.
What...?
It's just...
It's hard to see
what it's supposed to represent.
You can't see what you paint?
I mean, what they mean,
the paintings.
I thought we could tell the truth.
- We don't know what we're doing?
- Do we?
I got an assignment
from the spirits...
You got an assignment?
Weren't we working together?
Like the hook and the eye!
We were.
You... You gave up on it, didn't you?
I just can't see
exactly what you see.
And why do we paint
if we can't show people?
I want to show my work.
Why do we keep hiding it?
What are we waiting for?
Anna!
Scientists...
...don't present their findings
until their research is finished.
I'm not finished.
They need to hang together. As one.
The paintings.
It's part of a map of a world.
So tell me
why you're so afraid of sharing them?
I'm not afraid.
So this is part
of our ten largest series.
Sorry, excuse me.
Hello. You can leave them
over there by the table.
Thank you.
So sorry.
So these are depicting our life
cycles from childhood to old age.
- Hilma?
- This one's Adulthood .
- Yes?
- Sorry, can I just check something?
- I just want to check this yellow.
- It looks like the sun.
What do you think?
We will have an exhibition
of them in a couple of weeks.
Now you can finally see them.
That's very exciting.
These are some
of the ten largest ones.
These are Adulthood
and then here is...
Wait.
What do you think?
It's beautiful.
It's wonderful, Hilma.
Hilma?
Hilma, Hilma.
Number six, please.
Can you see anything?
I can see a head.
I think it's the doctor.
That is correct.
Number five, please.
Light! I'm in heaven!
- I'll take care of it.
- I can... I can pay it this time.
And this is going
to be your new typewriter.
Can I ask if we can get her?
- She seems sweet.
- Yeah.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
"The Swede Oscar Swahn
won the gold medal
in men's single shot
running deer yesterday
during the
Olympic Games in London..."
She's really nice.
I can't afford her. You know that.
I'll take care of it. Don't worry.
"...the Swedish swimmer
Greta Johansson
also made her debut yesterday..."
The gallerists. They were idiots.
They just can't see it.
I can rent
our own space for the exhibition.
It's just across the street.
Thank you.
"The famous
Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner
pays another visit
to Stockholm next week.
He'll be speaking
at the Royal Library on 16th..."
Steiner.
My soulmate is coming to Stockholm.
He will understand.
- What's soulmate in German?
- Seelenverwandter .
- Seelenverwandter.
- Seelenverwandter.
- Perfect.
- Seelenverwandter .
Seelenverwandter.
I know we will find the truth
about our existence
and our unknown dimensions.
Everything is possible,
because there are no essential limits
to human knowledge.
Thank you.
- Excuse me, please, please...
- Dr. Steiner.
Dr. Steiner, autograph, please.
Hello.
Please sign my book.
Watch Mother. Thomasine.
My friend here speaks German.
Hilma sent Dr. Steiner a letter.
Yes, I will read it.
I'm an admirer of yours.
Dr. Steiner, we have to go.
I've seen what you've seen.
I know what you describe.
Art is eternal. Its form changes.
Dr. Steiner!
Could you please sign my...?
That's true.
You wrote that.
Hilma would be very pleased
if you would come
to her atelier to view her paintings.
You paint? I'd love to.
Come on.
Impressive.
Did you paint these yourself?
Yes.
Wonderful colours.
I'll have an exhibition
here in Stockholm of them
in a month from now.
And what do the paintings depict?
What is depicted, he's asking?
I don't know.
I was hoping Dr. Steiner
would explain it to me.
This is Adulthood .
What inspires you, Miss Klint?
What... inspires me?
I get inspired by the High Masters.
The spirits
that gave me this assignment.
And my sister, Hermina.
You see...
divine things happen
when we put aside our ego
and make room for something else.
Or someone else.
Divine things will happen
when we forget ourselves.
This way.
I have been the tool of the spirits.
I painted strictly
following their instructions.
So Miss Klint is
not herself creatively responsible?
So you're not creatively responsible,
he asks.
I... promised
the High Masters to obey their will.
They chose me for this assignment.
Yes, I understand, I understand.
But if art doesn't originate
in the artist's soul...
it doesn't touch me.
But when art doesn't have
its roots in the soul of the artist
it doesn't touch me, he says.
You see, the artist is the one
who is responsible creatively.
Yes, otherwise
you can hardly call it art.
If the artist is not
creatively responsible,
he doesn't think
it can be called art.
But your quest is admirable.
If we do not believe there is
something higher than ourselves,
we will never find the strength
to develop into something higher.
What did he say?
If we do not believe in something...
higher than ourselves...
then we shall never find the strength
to evolve into something higher.
I don't understand him
even if you translate.
What I'm saying is,
if I don't understand your art,
then no one will.
If I don't understand your work,
no one will.
Humble gentleman.
Hilma!
Are you all right?
Thank you.
You all right?
What an idiot!
Get up now, Hilma!
He's not worth this.
He doesn't understand art.
He's just a pompous besserwisser.
- He had no right to criticise you.
- What does he know about the spirits?
Hilma.
I've brought you some tea and toast.
Here.
Is that jam?
- Yes. Apricot jam.
- That's my favourite.
Stop fussing over her.
She's all right.
I can't do it.
We can't show the paintings.
- Cancel the exhibition.
- Are you serious?
- You're not thinking straight.
- We can't cancel anything now.
- Are you serious?
- They were painted for the temple.
- Doesn't matter...
- Nothing else.
- Hilma...
- Because of one man's opinion?
If he doesn't understand them,
no one will.
This is against everything
we stood for for years.
We need to show this work.
For all of us.
We've been working so long for this,
we can't just give up on it now.
Hilma, it's not just your work.
We all worked on them.
Cornelia did a lot of the drawings.
The spirits worked on them, Hilma.
I'm not showing them!
- How do you make it look so real?
- That's very kind. Thank you.
Wonderful choices.
I have to admit, I didn't know
what to think of your big ones.
The place has provided
a lot of the inspiration for me.
Oh, Hilma.
I miss the new ones too.
Do you like them?
Are you all right?
Hilma, drink this, all right?
You all right?
- Have you seen Kandinsky?
- Kandinsky! He's Russian.
Fabulous. It's wonderful.
It's non-figurative.
Take a moment with each painting.
Kandinsky, as you can see,
is entirely unique.
He's what we call non-figurative art.
It's something new
and quite breath-taking, I would say.
Take a moment with each painting.
When Kandinsky makes
this non-figurative art,
he wants to affect us emotionally,
the way music affects us.
He wants us to stop thinking
and only experience...
There you are.
- Kandinsky is the first...
- Listen... Hilma!
- ...to make non-figurative art.
- What's wrong?
Come on, come and sit down.
You're all right. You're all right.
Please concentrate here
on the hoof and the ligaments
as they move up into the muscle.
It's nice. Just the two of us again.
I miss this.
You know you can't expect me
to keep paying for everything you do.
I want to support your arts,
but nothing else.
I don't think there's
any art left to support.
I don't paint anymore.
Because of an old codger
from Germany!
He's Austrian.
And he's my soulmate.
I can't continue
to support your romantic interests.
Very nice, ladies. Very nice.
What do you mean?
Don't you think I have eyes?
Thomasine takes care of my mother.
Where does she find the time with
everything else that keeps her busy?
Do you care about me?
Am I invisible like everything else
you're portraying?
Why should I pay
for your obsession with the spirits?
I never asked you to pay
for anything for me.
What do I owe you?
How do I get you
to see what you're blind to?
You don't even
try to see beyond what's here.
- I tried! You just looked away.
- You and your mountains and sunsets!
Can't you see anything else?
Not a single penny more from me.
There's a step here.
Ready?
- Here?
- Yes.
You all right?
- Welcome home, Anna.
- Thank you. So good to see you again.
Soon as we can afford it,
we'll move to something bigger.
Thomasine!
Yes.
I'm here.
Who's going to pay for you?
You don't have to worry
about that. I'm right here.
We don't have the money.
You know we can't afford you,
don't you?
It's not for you to worry about.
I'm so sorry, Thomasine.
When do you need to go back
to your work at the doctor's office?
Do you want me to?
No, of course not.
I've been thinking.
I can take care of Mother myself.
I have the time.
Where do you want me to put these?
In the cupboard.
Thank you.
You've never seen
that one before, have you?
It's beautiful.
"Dear Anna...
I'm lost.
How do you draw a map
when you forgot how to draw?
And you can't see where you are?
I want to understand the universe.
I want to get to know God for real.
Is that too much to ask?"
"Dear Hilma,
I'm so happy to be back home.
Everything I love is here.
God's creation
right in front of my eyes.
Visible to everyone.
I don't need your depth
of soul to see it, thankfully.
The air here is good for me.
My asthma's almost gone now."
I miss you, Hilma.
"This is us, in the wave we were in.
I made it at your summer house.
Never dared to show you."
"Mr Tryggve Janson suggested
that married women
who paid their own taxes,
could get the right to vote.
Carl Persson
in Stallerhult disagreed.
'If women were allowed to walk away
from their wife duties to vote,
it would hurt the children
and create domestic chaos.'"
Sorry.
"Alfred Ander...
the robber, who killed
Victoria Hellsten with a steel yard,
was executed today with
the guillotine imported from France.
The head was separated
from the body at eight to five,
in front of
the Langholmen officials."
Why, that's awful.
Can you imagine?
Here you go.
"Dear Anna..."
- What is it?
- "I've begun painting again."
- Black swan...
- "It's a miracle."
No. A black swan?
"I still take
advice from the spirits.
But this time
I'm guiding the brush myself.
I think you'll be able to tell
what I'm portraying this time.
Thomasine has promised to stay with
us for as long as we need her help.
And we do need her right now.
I keep working on that map
of the world I told you about.
My sister is helping me.
I'm inspired by her, by the sea,
by all the things we remember
from the summers at Adels,
while waiting for the temple.
We get by
on a few commissions and portraits."
"For everyone that asketh, receiveth.
And he that seeketh, findeth.
And to him that knocketh,
it shall be opened."
"Dear Hilma,
I'm happy to hear that you've
found a way to support yourself.
There's nothing wrong
with showing your art
and even getting paid for it."
"What a Christmas present this year.
Guess who's coming to Stockholm?"
"No, not him again.
You're not going there, are you?
Why are you so obsessed with him?"
Dr. Steiner!
"He has seen God.
And he knows the truth.
And I...
have to find it."
Dr. Steiner!
Welcome back to Sweden.
Do you remember me?
Of course, Miss Klint.
Yes.
Can we talk somewhere in private?
Since we last met,
I paint differently.
I work with the spirits.
I don't allow the spirits...
to take over, to decide.
That's good news, Miss Klint.
Thank you.
Can I show you my work in the future?
I can mail you my miniatures.
Don't go chasing after him again.
You're desperate for his approval.
And he's never
going to give it to you.
- Anna, that's ridiculous.
- He almost killed your passion...
- He wants to see what I'll paint.
- You're obsessed!
- That's not what a soulmate does.
- I'm posting him all my miniatures.
- What do you think?
- So exciting.
- This will have a view of the water.
- So that's the front or the back?
This is... This is the front...
"I've designed an atelier
together with the girls.
We're building it at Muns,
next to Adels.
It's not the temple.
It's an atelier for me and the girls.
The girls are going to pay for it.
I assume you don't want
to be part of it financially."
"How lovely.
Good for you."
Mother, you look wonderful.
- Can I see?
- It's not ready.
- Hilma, show her.
- Please.
Go on, show me.
Ready?
Lunch!
Hello!
It's Anna.
You came!
You came.
I'm so sorry it's taken so long.
I don't know
why I went in the first place.
- It's all right. You're here.
- Hello!
- Anna! How are you?
- How are you? You look so well.
So good to see you.
Hello, how are you?
- It's so good to see you all.
- Did you know about this?
What do you think?
This is beautiful.
Okay.
Did you drop me?
- It's all right.
- Thomasine, what is it?
- Someone get help.
- She needs air.
- What happened?
- Take her scarf off.
- Let's bring her inside.
- Please stand back!
Why do you still need her here?
Her job was to take care
of your mother!
- You're being ridiculous.
- Is she taking care of you now?
What are you suffering from
that needs full-time care?
What am I suffering from?
I suffer from being belittled
by you right now, Anna.
I suffer from old friends who can't
deliver on their commitments.
I suffer, because...
I suffer and you don't.
I'm sorry, Anna.
I never wanted
to be your charity case.
I'm embarrassed.
I supported your life,
your career. I supported you...
With money you didn't even earn.
I only ever wanted
your understanding.
Do you even believe in spirits, Anna?
You never did, did you?
You may have just
played along to get to me.
Anna, I'm sorry.
- Anna, I'm sorry.
- Get up, Thomasine!
- Where are you going?
- You have to take care of Hilma.
Get up!
You have to take care of Hilma.
- What's going on?
- Get up!
Are you all right? What's going on?
She's sick because of you.
Get up! You have to take care of her.
- Don't touch her.
- Get off me. You're sick.
Let's eat.
Have some water, Hilma.
No.
No.
"Dear Miss Klint,
I think it would be interesting
to discuss your art a bit further.
We have looked at the miniatures
you sent us and we'd be delighted
if you could come and visit us
here in Switzerland."
"We have looked
at the miniatures you sent us
and we'd be delighted if you could
come visit us here in Switzerland."
- "Delighted." Are you sure?
- Yes.
Erfreut.
Happy. Glad.
Glad.
It doesn't matter.
He wants to see you.
"...where we have the world's
centre for anthroposophy."
Passports, please.
Go on. Keep reading.
Hilma af Klint?
Sorry, it's an old photo.
"We have just finished
building our temple."
So...
With the permission
of the High Masters,
we want to donate
our work to Goetheanum.
The temple we've been looking for
for so many years.
I'm honoured that you accepted
my invitation to come here.
So many new works here.
But you've changed your style, right?
He wonders if you have changed
the way that you paint.
No.
Listen.
I think that art
that connects us with the spirits...
should be suggestive, poetic.
It should aim for the heart
and not for the brain.
What you've got here...
It's too intellectual for us.
Well...
I don't think this kind of art
will ever be relevant.
I'm sorry.
What does he say?
He doesn't want them.
What else?
He says that art that manages
to connect us to the spirits...
is suggestive, poetic...
and aims for the heart,
not for the head.
He thinks your work
is too intellectual.
He doesn't have
the heart to understand it.
Not the head either.
Tell him.
Tell him that.
First...
First you tell me I shouldn't paint
with the help of my spirits.
Now you tell me
that I can't use my brain.
Too intellectual,
because you don't understand them.
You have to get over it.
He's dead.
There's nothing you can do about it.
Dr. Steiner, what do you think?
Do you think there will come a day
when people will like them?
You're quiet.
So you don't know.
Liar.
You understood everything,
didn't you?
Didn't you?
Why can't you admit it?
"My latest sunset.
You can't even tell
it's painted by a woman.
Can you?
It's been too long, Hilma.
I'm coming to Stockholm.
I need to see you.
My train arrives Thursday
next week at ten to five.
Will you meet me there?"
I missed the train, Hilma.
I know.
I know you did.
I'm here now.
Here. Where you are.
I miss you, Anna.
There are so many things
I recognise here.
That it would take all this
to become a believer!
So this way,
you can walk in a circle
and experience
all the big ones that hang together.
They must hang together.
But this way you never walk back.
You just keep going.
It's like a spiral-shaped temple,
reaching for the heavens.
Open for worship of...
all religions.
Art and science.
Aunt, I've tried, but...
No one is willing to give us
the money to build it, so...
I'm sorry.
Anna would have paid
for the temple had she been alive.
- And Thomasine...
- Aunt, Aunt.
I'm sorry.
But no one...
No one understands what you're doing.
Then...
burn them all.
Burn them!
There's a woman here to see you.
Hilma.
She says she's your sister.
Oh no.
What does she want?
She said something
about building a temple.
I'm sorry,
but Mr. af Klint is asleep.
No, I didn't tell him that, did I?
Did I tell him that?
No.
Stop. Stop!
Don't burn them!
Stop!
Stop!
Hermina.
Where have you been?
I've been here all the time.
I've been looking for you.
Well, you found me.
I found you.
Did you burn them yet?
My paintings?
Did you burn them yet?
No.
I couldn't. I wouldn't.
Good.
20 years.
Give it 20 years...
20 years, what?
Hide them. Hide them.
Until you find my temple.
-20 years.
-20 years.
One...
two...
three...
four...
five...
six...
seven...
eight,
nine...
19...
20!
I can see it.
The light.
There's no light on earth
to describe it.
The truth is
Hilma af Klint tells us that her art
isn't abstract imaginations.
She painted what she saw
and what the spirits
guided her to paint.
So these are actually
observations of spiritual life.
And nobody believed her, of course.
So she painted for us,
who would believe.
For the future
and for the temple she envisioned.
Ready or not...
here I come.
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