Hot Milk (2025) Movie Script
1
Sofia.
You didn't answer your phone.
Sofia?
Isn't she lovely?
Do you think
you'll ever marry, 'Fia?
There is a reason
why the man is called the groom.
It's an ominous title.
Is that yours?
Yes, you. Does that handbag
belong to you?
Rose.
He is unbearable,
even at a distance.
The jellyfish
or the medusa, it has no bones,
no brain, and no heart.
What it does have
is an ability...
They are so young,
Maggie and Tom.
And the water is so loud.
The mill.
And the town
condemns her.
Fuckers.
Oh, again?
I quite like
how primitive it is here.
It reminds me of
my mother's house.
Will you fix it, 'Fia?
And would you get me
a spoon?
Of course.
That man should be shot,
keeping his dog
chained on the roof.
Blech.
Thanks.
You're welcome.
-Sleep well.
-You, too.
Don't smoke near my dress.
The grammar in this letter
is startling.
We have to be there
at 2:45 their time.
Shall we order a taxi for half
past 1:00?
- It'll be very early.
- Mm.
This cranial testing
he's talked about,
I mean, nobody's
mentioned that before.
It's going to be wonderful,
Sofia.
I'm optimistic.
I can't. I can't do it.
I just can't. I can't.
I just can't tell my story
all over again, I just can't.
It's...
Perhaps we should just go home.
Come on, Rose.
You mortgaged
our house for this.
My house.
What if it doesn't work?
This dress is wrong.
Can we change it, 'Fia?
Hola.
W-We're from London.
No problem.
So, sometimes
you do feel your legs.
Yeah, I-I can walk.
Um, perhaps once a year.
I have no idea why I can
when I do, it just happens.
You were a librarian.
What were your duties?
I do the cataloging.
I indexed and classified books.
- Hmm. And you were born?
- I'm 64.
- In Ireland?
- Yes, in a small town.
- The population was...
- No one. No one.
And you moved to London when?
I left home,
and I went to university there.
I was the first person
in my family to do that.
And your parents
were proud?
My father was, yeah.
Sofia.
You live with your mother?
Yes.
And what do you think
about your mother's condition?
Rose hasn't been able to walk
since I was four.
Julieta, estars a cargo
de las terapias fsicas,
por favor.
And is anyone else
in the family?
No. There's no one else.
Just me and Sofia.
I waited a long time
for my only.
Hmm. And you work?
In a coffee bar.
I deferred my studies.
Sofia is a permanent student
of anthropology.
Wonderful.
You study patterns.
Doctor Gomez.
Just Gomez, please.
Where do you feel pain now?
Um, in my leg.
Uh, in my right elbow.
And I have chronic
knuckle pain here.
And you feel nothing
below your knees?
That's right.
I'm a rare case.
Sofia, you may go
and come back in two hours.
Um, you feel nothing here?
Nothing?
-Sofia...
-Yeah? Thanks.
Gomez has taken me
off three of my pills.
-Really?
-You know, other doctors,
they talked about
iron deficiency and diabetes.
Well, it's far more
complex than that,
but we have begun.
-Oh, good.
-Nurse Sunshine is my daughter,
and today it's her birthday.
-Et j'ai rempli les papiers.
-Et c'est sign?
-Oui, Papa.
-Trs bien.
-Do you need some help?
-No, we're fine.
-We're fine, thanks. Thanks.
-Thanks.
-I'll see you tomorrow?
-Yeah.
Happy birthday.
These are to be chucked.
Don't you want to wait?
For what?
Someone is making money
out of my prescription.
I mean, you've watched me.
All those pills.
You are my witness.
They fed me like an ardent child
in a sweetshop.
He cares. I can tell.
You paid him 25 grand.
Hmm. Euros.
Which is less.
Have faith, 'Fia, would you?
Isn't it dangerous
to just stop?
Why don't you go out
and just do some work?
I will.
And just...
I need a different water.
Would you get me another type?
Hola, guapa.
I'd rather be dead,
wouldn't you?
Than shackled.
You should rent
a different place.
I like it here.
I went walking once...
...when I was your age.
By the sea.
And then up this cliff.
And the people on the beach,
they stared
as I started up this incline.
The grass is so lush
and the rain was so soft
on my hair.
And I kept looking over
the edge.
And wondering how I would look
if I fell onto the rocks.
How my death would look.
I was happy.
I had no bag.
Just a cheese roll
and some tobacco.
I stood at the top there
and I...
just had a cigarette.
You should go back there.
Find it.
Hmm?
I can't walk.
What would you do
if I could walk?
I'd be happy.
Gomez is the last one.
Er, laces.
A subject that we
kept returning to
was the Balinese trance dance,
where young women fight
against a witch.
What's your full name?
Sofia Papastergiadis.
You have to stay
here five minutes in case
you have a reaction.
Age and occupation here.
Do many people
ride horses here?
Try not to touch the wound.
Oh, sorry.
I'm done.
Hi.
The water's still wrong, 'Fia.
This book, I realized,
is not about love.
It is about shame.
What's happened to your arm?
Jellyfish.
Well, you'll have
to get that seen to.
I already did.
Well, come here,
let me have a look.
God. Put water on that
and blow on it.
Well, you know,
at least you can swim.
Pain won't last long.
Can we go out now?
Yeah.
Watches.
I want one.
Why?
My father always wore one.
Did Christos have one?
Sort of digital horror he had.
With lights.
And then he had
such nice hair.
I sort of fell in love
with the way his hair fell.
You have different hair.
What are these watches then?
Wh-What have you got there?
Oh, yeah, that's...
No, no, no.
They are very simple.
They're three --
They're three personnages.
Uh, the father, the mother,
and the child. Right.
Which is the father?
I don't care.
But I am the child.
Okay. You are the child?
I am the child.
Gracias.
Do you smoke?
Yeah.
Do you have cigarettes?
Yeah.
Okay. Let's go.
Ingrid.
What do you do
in London?
I'm writing about
Margaret Mead at the moment.
Who's that? She sounds dead.
S-She was an anthropologist.
She went to
the South Sea Islands
and wrote about teenagers
to try and figure out
if adolescence is always
a terrible time,
or if it's just
a Western thing.
It's about nature
versus nurture.
It's shoes!
Tell me about your woman.
Okay.
She writes
that life is flexible,
as in, we can change it,
but that it's also elastic.
Because we always go back
to what we grew up with.
Essentially.
Fuck that shit.
Look at all this blue, Sofie.
-Cyan.
-It's blue.
It's blue.
And?
Matty?
Matty, can you hear the sea?
I'm always late.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah. Mm.
You're not using
our rental car?
Sofia doesn't drive.
She failed her test four times.
Well, perhaps
your imagination is too active.
Did you imagine that you would
finally kill people?
She failed her theory, too,
where no one was
in any palpable danger.
Rose,
we have the scan of your feet.
Uh...Sofia.
Could you tell me
about your father?
He left when I was four,
and I've seen him a few times
since then.
The last time?
When I was 15.
Two years ago, he inherited
his father's shipping business.
He gave Sofia nothing.
And you, Rose.
You have sisters? Brothers?
Three brothers, older.
I had a sister, but she died.
It was a -- a tragedy?
No, they never
talked about her.
Well, it's imperative
to talk about the dead.
What was your sister's name?
Mary. Oh, I didn't know her.
She died before I was born.
I would like you to think about
your enemies, Rose.
Make a list.
We don't have access
to a printer.
Handwritten is best,
Mrs. Papastergiadis.
I was waiting for
a long time.
- Sorry.
- You didn't hear me.
I had my music on.
Should be listening
out for me instead.
Do you want
to go inside?
I want to go, but we can't.
How long does it take to ladle
out a bowl of bean soup?
Sofia's only having salad.
People think that all
those little white cottages
out in the middle of nowhere
are romantic.
-They're not.
-Why not?
Well, everyone's watching you.
I think I'll have a glass
of white wine.
No. No alcohol. We're working.
Ah, beautiful. There you go.
Nice.
That -- That will make
me come out in hives.
-Hmm?
-I'm allergic to fish.
I-I told you that.
Well, if you have a reaction,
I'll move.
Hey.
Gomez.
Rose?
My eye hurts now.
Did you write your list?
Could we sit away
from this table?
Tell me who's on the list,
Rose.
Well, he's on it, obviously.
And, um, my parents,
they weren't helpful.
And, so, I married a Greek,
and I escaped.
When did you last see
your mother and father?
Uh, they both died, actually,
in hospital. Separately.
But I-I wasn't there.
Did you want to be there?
No. Mnh-mnh.
And who is "he"?
Christos.
Sofia's father?
When Sofia was four,
Christos found God,
and he left for Athens.
How's your eye?
Hola.
Do you have the keys
to the hire car?
Thank you, Julieta.
- Sofie.
- Hi.
This is Matty.
He's going to drive
your car for you.
-Hi.
-Hi.
Cigarette?
-Il tu promenade.
-Thank you.
That's great.
Thank you.
Do you know we're near
the desert here?
Really?
Yes.
They made films here.
I could take you.
Do you drive full-time?
No, I'm a musician.
-You okay?
-Oh. I'm grand. Thanks, Matty.
But you can't live
by your music.
I do this, I do that.
Good for you, Matty.
How do you sleep?
Not well.
You move in your sleep?
Your legs move?
Yes, they do. How --
-You can tell that?
-Mm-hmm. The muscle.
Do you dream at night?
Always. Vivid dreams.
It's always night.
I've lost my bag
or I can't find the bus stop.
Do you dream?
I dream of the desert often.
- Hmm.
- And being underwater.
You need weight-bearing
exercises
for strengthening and endurance.
My whole life has been
endurance.
Oh, my first enemy
and adversary is endurance.
Everything hurts.
Lo se. Lo se.
But you are strong.
'Fia?
I'm ready for bed.
Will you lock us in?
Julieta gave me these
yoga poses.
I remember this book was
in the library.
It was from the '70s.
Look, it's the lion's pose.
Oh.
-Very good one.
-Jesus.
Hmm.
Do you think you'll
ever finish your studies?
Yeah, of course I will.
Yeah. It's just you find
it difficult to finish things.
It's my favorite fabric
'cause it's alive like a bird.
"Beloved."
I thought of my little
sister when I worked on it.
Hannah.
Hannah?
She's...
...in Dusseldorf.
She's younger than me.
Much younger.
I couldn't really wake up today.
I had a...
I had a bad day.
Hi.
Mm.
It's so weird.
The branches are screwed on.
Look, here and here.
Yeah.
-Maybe for a film?
-Yeah.
I'm just quite sad
it's not real.
It's real.
I love the desert.
When I was a child, I wanted
to live in the desert.
-You did?
-In the Sahara with a camel.
Really? Why? Why the Sahara?
The name -- Sahara.
Were you happy as a kid?
Are you happy now?
What did you
want when you were growing up?
A crazy bicycle,
red shoes,
a cat.
Any friends?
I like to stay to myself.
Why?
Why not?
Must have been a reason.
Stop doing that.
Stop what?
Pinning me down like one
of your butterflies.
-Needling to the wall.
-I don't do that.
Like your woman who studied
the teenagers on the islands.
She should have left
the teenagers alone
and studied herself instead.
It's questioning.
It's cultural memory.
Its important.
It can help people,
could stop wars.
Well, it hasn't stopped
anything so far, has it?
Do you want to know
what I was like as a kid?
No.
You're still a kid.
Okay.
I killed someone.
Sofie.
It was a long time ago.
Ingrid.
It's beautiful.
A child has more bones
than an adult.
As we get older, they fuse.
But my spine has certainly
changed a lot, hasn't it, Sofia,
since the last set of X-rays?
How much time do you think
we'll need?
We'll see.
How have you been?
I left you messages.
I know. I received them.
Look. I'm making this
for an old man I met.
He asked me to personalize it.
What color do you
think I should use
to border it with?
Yellow?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I want to take a picture
of you.
So I remember.
Sofie.
August in Almeria.
Memory's a bomb.
Mm.
I have to get back to work now.
Can I stay
and read for a bit maybe?
Matty just went to get
some food.
Okay.
Sofia?
Sofia, come and sit with me.
No troubles, no troubles
And I pressed...
What?
I like your work.
What happened
to your mother?
Nothing.
She was a librarian.
I like your mother very much.
But something happened to her.
You can feel it in her body.
Julieta Gomez is
an alcoholic.
I smelt it on her breath
the first time.
I was her birthday.
And since then.
I thought a change
would be good for you.
Can you stop, please?
As a child,
you hated change.
You were always fearful.
You were never brave.
Where are you in your cycle?
Shush! No!
Sofia?
I need water.
Sofia.
Why are you cooking?
Did you invite someone over?
- Untie the dog, Pablo.
- Excuse me?
-Please untie the dog.
-Does your mother --
Untie the fucking dog now!
Do it now! Go!
You fucking heard me!
Untie it now!
Puta!
Fuck you!
You're a monster.
Stay with me.
I'm going back to Berlin.
You should come spend
Christmas with me.
I'll get you a ticket.
And you walk
from the Brandenburger Tor
to Checkpoint Charlie.
And you have to bring
a heavy coat.
In the snow.
And I will hold up
a mistletoe over your head.
You will have to perform
the ritual.
Your brothers told you?
No.
But when they visited,
their behavior towards me.
You knew?
I felt it.
Like a confirmation.
From the people
you asked?
And did you tell them at home?
I couldn't.
It was a...
a very cold house.
They would have been appalled
that I had written to people.
They just --
They couldn't communicate.
But perhaps they tried.
No.
No, they didn't.
They couldn't.
You're doing really well.
You're doing so well.
-I'm so sorry. I'm sorry.
-No, no, no. It's good.
-I'm sorry.
-It's good.
Oh, God.
-It's very good.
-Oh. Oh.
Are you here?
Yes.
Are you really here?
Yes, I am.
I'm here.
I'm glad.
Ingrid.
Hmm?
Who did you kill?
Tell me.
Sofie.
My sister.
When I was six.
She was...
...on a swing.
And I was pushing her and, um...
And then, she fell and...
her skull cracked.
But she didn't die.
She just stopped.
I'm sorry.
No, don't say that. It's --
It doesn't matter.
Where is she now?
Somewhere in a home.
With strangers.
She's my age, but she's...
Her mind is five.
And I remember just wanting her
to go higher, you know?
I wanted her to fly.
You were just a kid.
-It's innocent.
-No.
No, Sofie,
you don't understand.
I was never innocent.
But you do love me?
Of course I love you.
You have to ask
yourself who you are, Rose.
I'm someone
with a bone condition.
- I know that.
- And I can't walk.
-What you told me...
-I'm losing bone density.
...who you truly are,
it's far more relevant
than a question of bone density.
You realize that?
You wanted events.
I gave you some.
Could I have some water, please?
Thank you.
Do you want me to stop
all my pills?
Is that what you
were saying the last time?
Rose, it's not only
about sharing facts.
We -- We have to explore them.
How they have impacted on you
and how they might affect
Sofia.
My daughter is
completely unaffected by this.
Now I need the bathroom.
I usually go with Sofia.
Is there someone who could...
I will page Julieta.
-Tell me, where is Sofia today?
-I don't know.
Your name as a child
was Rose Ivy Kennedy.
Yeah.
It was.
And I changed it as soon
as I could.
Where's Julieta?
Oh, God.
Thank you.
Ooh.
-Should I?
-No. No, it's fine. Don't.
Sofie, you're killing me.
Hey, hey, I have
some riding boots for you.
-Put them on.
-This is Leonardo.
We saw a snake, Leonardo.
Where's the snake?
Do I look like I need boots?
This is Sofie.
Going back into town.
I have my riding lessons
now, Sofie.
Uh-huh.
-You can't drive.
-I can, I fucking can!
I was worried.
Your father was often silent,
like you.
For hours.
I want to see him.
What would you gain by that?
I haven't seen him
in 11 years.
Hmm?
Is it that long?
-Mm-hmm.
-He'll be the same.
I've got a baby sister
I've never met.
The notion of you
seeing your father
is just a ridiculous idea.
What is wrong with you?
Nothing.
Nothing's wrong with me.
Okay.
Sorry you had to wait
so long, Christos.
You can call me Papa.
Where do you live, Sofia?
In London with my mother.
Why Spain?
She's seeing
a consultant there.
Sofia's
mother feels pain acutely.
She always did.
It's real.
Do you speak Spanish?
No.
Do you speak Greek?
How long will you stay?
Just a few days.
If that's okay.
-Your hair thing.
-Oh, thanks.
The window opens.
You want me to open it?
No. It's okay.
I'll do it.
Okay.
Good night.
Night.
-You look like Christos.
-Really?
I have asked him about you
a lot.
What did he say?
He speaks about your mother.
Opa. How she found it hard.
Being on her own
with a child.
Not just that.
Have you been to
Greece before?
Mm-hmm. When I was 15.
Is it good to see your papa?
Where did you two meet?
Would you like to hold her?
-Yeah, sure. Hi!
-This is your sister.
Oh, yes.
Hello.
Hi. Hi.
-Sofia.
-Hi.
Come.
-I'll go check on Evangeline.
-Okay.
People in their boxes.
I like that everybody
goes to sleep at night.
Rose finds sleep hard.
Two insomniacs
you have for parents,
who would make tea
in the middle of the night
and listen to the radio
or play chess.
You wanted to sleep on the roof
last time you were here.
I'll let you fall asleep here.
You were not happy on that trip.
I was a bit scared of you.
What is this word?
"Beloved."
What are you going to do?
You can't be nursemaid
to Rose all your life.
No. Um...
I would like to finish
my doctorate in America.
Do you need funding?
You want money?
- That's not why I came.
- I don't have any.
-I give it all away.
-Yeah, I know, I know.
It was not all my fault,
you know.
Your mother was difficult.
Impossible.
What has Rose told you
about her family?
Said they didn't get on,
that they weren't close.
Tell Rose
she needs to tell you --
People should
not ring so late.
"Beheaded."
It says "beheaded."
No, it says beloved.
- You're here!
- I just went to the hospital.
But I-I didn't stay there.
You know, the pain,
it wasn't chronic.
So you're okay?
You're discharged yourself?
I was never admitted, 'Fia.
I-I just rang from there.
You see, I went to see them
about the water
because it is so bad here,
and I did not expect that.
And then, they realized
that I was nearly passing out.
Did you actually faint?
Well, everyone was just
so wonderful.
Just lovely people
and conversation.
And the doctors.
And Matty drove me everywhere.
And I-I don't want to see
Gomez anymore.
You know, it's just not helpful.
And I want to go home.
I mean, he just depresses me.
And I have a different idea.
So, tell me about Christos
and the child bride.
It's dangerous
to become dehydrated.
Which is
why I went to the hospital.
You could have just drank
the water.
Because it tastes like bleach
to me. Would you --
It's from the mountains.
It has a picture of the
mountains on the bottle.
- Fuck that!
- What more do you want?
It's a lie. I mean,
the mountains are a lie.
Sofia.
No.
- Sofia, come out.
- What do you want now?
-I am in severe pain.
-Really?
It's very bad.
And your father has upset you.
Where's the pain?
Tell me.
Well, I seem to have strained
sort of a ligament
just in the chaos of it all.
But this Dr. Shah there,
she --
she gave me some new
medication,
but it's just making
me feel very nauseous.
Anyway, I've got to try
and finish up with,
uh, Gomez tomorrow.
I'm going to ask for some
of the money back.
I mean, you don't pay
thousands of euros for a chat.
And we're going to have to ask
for a taxi
because Matty needs the car.
Fuck Matty.
Fuck all of them.
Fucking Matty.
Give me your paw.
Go on, give it to me.
Tell me about your father.
He told me you two played chess
when you couldn't sleep
at night.
We didn't.
Christos always slept.
He snored.
The chess is some narrative
of his, some fiction.
He also said you
should tell me what happened.
In what sense?
He was talking about
your family.
He never met my family.
You see, that's what he does.
He lies.
You need to work more
on what we talked of.
If you don't,
you won't walk freely.
I don't want to do
any more work on it.
-I don't feel the need.
-Are you scared?
It's natural,
but you have to fight that fear.
I feel better
since I went to the hospital.
There's a normality about it
which I appreciate.
You're happy
to suppress the event,
I understand that,
but you need to know
who you are in real detail.
And you have to find
the answer and accept it.
Julieta will take me
to the taxi, thank you.
Rose. Rose. Rose, please.
Rose.
What you are contemplating,
it will not help.
We didn't talk about money.
I will refund what
you ask for.
Excuse me.
Sofia Irina,
please stay a moment.
Your mother was progressing,
but she has gone into
a fight or flight
and has chosen the latter.
Your mother has proposed
something quite...brutal.
When you were away,
she talked about amputation.
She's not serious about that.
She wants to get better.
I cannot stop her from
wanting to staunch the pain.
She has made an appointment
with a consultant in London.
No.
He had confirmed it with me
and has asked for her records.
Tell me...
...h-how did you go with
your father?
It was good to see him again.
Was he cruel to you?
Well, you don't have to see
him again.
Ever.
Sofia, hmm?
You never have
to see him again.
Okay.
What are you doing?
Get in.
Get in, Sofia, get in!
Having a tantrum is not helpful.
Dog?
Dog!
Come, sit down, Sofie.
- I don't want to.
- Please.
You'll regret it if you don't.
Sofie.
Mm, Sofie.
You're like a blue planet
with two dark, spooky eyes.
Like little animals.
No, I'm not.
I'm none of those things.
Are you hungry?
I bet you want to eat pizza.
Hmm?
You're a monster, Sofie.
Do you think...
she's happy without a mind?
Do you think
she remembers?
She has a mind like a leaf.
Sometimes I want to...
blow myself up, Sofie.
Do you still like me?
Say yes.
The world is dark
until you say yes.
The world is so dark.
So dark.
Wait.
Oh, Matty.
Matty, can you hear the ocean?
Listen.
Hey!
Hey! That's my --
My phone!
-You go get my phone.
-You get your fucking phone!
-Go get my phone! Go!
-Ingrid, it's not a phone!
You were children.
You were children.
You were children.
Hola. Hola, Hola.
Juntos.
Juntos. Juntos. Juntos.
Ahora, ahora.
-Ya est.
-Ya est.
What did you do
when you got home today?
Nothing.
So you didn't go out
or anything?
No, I just slept.
Why?
-Come on, let's go.
-Let's go where?
Can I have some water?
Tell me about
your sister, Mum.
Mary.
She died.
Would you help me fix
the lamp in my bedroom?
How did she die, exactly?
I-I don't know.
Will you just plug it in for me?
You must know how she died.
I don't.
I didn't know her.
I didn't know her.
Please tell me.
Just did.
All right, get in the car.
God, I don't know what is
the matter with you, 'Fia.
I'm hungry. We're going to
the restaurant. Come on.
- No, I-I --
- Let's go! Go, go!
What is this?
You walked today.
Why didn't you tell me?
I didn't want to raise
your hopes.
I watch you as closely
as you watch me.
It's what mothers do.
We watch our children.
You never ask me
if I'm happy.
Because you're
always so profoundly sad.
-You ask for so much of me!
-Is that not so?
-So much!
-Because you are so able.
You're so strong.
And why would you
talk about cutting off your leg?
That's too...
Too late. It's all gone.
Mary didn't die.
They sent her away.
She was 16.
She had me.
I was hers.
They didn't let her
near me.
Did you know her?
Did you meet later?
Yeah, once.
When I was your age.
She wasn't well.
She was broken.
Doesn't matter.
I'm an animal in the desert.
And there's no water.
There is water.
It's too late.
There's only pain.
Okay. Okay.
Come on.
Okay.
All right.
All right.
It's not too late.
It's here.
Okay? It's here.
You have to choose, Mama.
You have to choose.
You have
to choose to go outside.
You have to choose
to not sit in a room all day
and die slowly smelling
of that room.
Do you understand? Please.
You have to embrace life.
You can't just endure it.[
Do you hear me?
I -- I can't walk, 'Fia.
You have to choose, Mama.
I-I -- You've got to believe me,
I can't walk.
You don't believe me,
but I can't.
I do believe you.
I do.
Arise
From this land,
we made our home
The right way
It will be
Earth shattering
We will love again
My darling
It's earth-shattering
We will love again
My darling
We shall
You are still in me
In the wind
In the poplar trees
You are still in me
My darling
It's earth-shattering
Again, again, again, again
We will love again
Again, again, again
We will love again
Again, again, again, again
We will love again
Again, again, again
We will love again
And it will never
be the same
We will love again
Sofia.
You didn't answer your phone.
Sofia?
Isn't she lovely?
Do you think
you'll ever marry, 'Fia?
There is a reason
why the man is called the groom.
It's an ominous title.
Is that yours?
Yes, you. Does that handbag
belong to you?
Rose.
He is unbearable,
even at a distance.
The jellyfish
or the medusa, it has no bones,
no brain, and no heart.
What it does have
is an ability...
They are so young,
Maggie and Tom.
And the water is so loud.
The mill.
And the town
condemns her.
Fuckers.
Oh, again?
I quite like
how primitive it is here.
It reminds me of
my mother's house.
Will you fix it, 'Fia?
And would you get me
a spoon?
Of course.
That man should be shot,
keeping his dog
chained on the roof.
Blech.
Thanks.
You're welcome.
-Sleep well.
-You, too.
Don't smoke near my dress.
The grammar in this letter
is startling.
We have to be there
at 2:45 their time.
Shall we order a taxi for half
past 1:00?
- It'll be very early.
- Mm.
This cranial testing
he's talked about,
I mean, nobody's
mentioned that before.
It's going to be wonderful,
Sofia.
I'm optimistic.
I can't. I can't do it.
I just can't. I can't.
I just can't tell my story
all over again, I just can't.
It's...
Perhaps we should just go home.
Come on, Rose.
You mortgaged
our house for this.
My house.
What if it doesn't work?
This dress is wrong.
Can we change it, 'Fia?
Hola.
W-We're from London.
No problem.
So, sometimes
you do feel your legs.
Yeah, I-I can walk.
Um, perhaps once a year.
I have no idea why I can
when I do, it just happens.
You were a librarian.
What were your duties?
I do the cataloging.
I indexed and classified books.
- Hmm. And you were born?
- I'm 64.
- In Ireland?
- Yes, in a small town.
- The population was...
- No one. No one.
And you moved to London when?
I left home,
and I went to university there.
I was the first person
in my family to do that.
And your parents
were proud?
My father was, yeah.
Sofia.
You live with your mother?
Yes.
And what do you think
about your mother's condition?
Rose hasn't been able to walk
since I was four.
Julieta, estars a cargo
de las terapias fsicas,
por favor.
And is anyone else
in the family?
No. There's no one else.
Just me and Sofia.
I waited a long time
for my only.
Hmm. And you work?
In a coffee bar.
I deferred my studies.
Sofia is a permanent student
of anthropology.
Wonderful.
You study patterns.
Doctor Gomez.
Just Gomez, please.
Where do you feel pain now?
Um, in my leg.
Uh, in my right elbow.
And I have chronic
knuckle pain here.
And you feel nothing
below your knees?
That's right.
I'm a rare case.
Sofia, you may go
and come back in two hours.
Um, you feel nothing here?
Nothing?
-Sofia...
-Yeah? Thanks.
Gomez has taken me
off three of my pills.
-Really?
-You know, other doctors,
they talked about
iron deficiency and diabetes.
Well, it's far more
complex than that,
but we have begun.
-Oh, good.
-Nurse Sunshine is my daughter,
and today it's her birthday.
-Et j'ai rempli les papiers.
-Et c'est sign?
-Oui, Papa.
-Trs bien.
-Do you need some help?
-No, we're fine.
-We're fine, thanks. Thanks.
-Thanks.
-I'll see you tomorrow?
-Yeah.
Happy birthday.
These are to be chucked.
Don't you want to wait?
For what?
Someone is making money
out of my prescription.
I mean, you've watched me.
All those pills.
You are my witness.
They fed me like an ardent child
in a sweetshop.
He cares. I can tell.
You paid him 25 grand.
Hmm. Euros.
Which is less.
Have faith, 'Fia, would you?
Isn't it dangerous
to just stop?
Why don't you go out
and just do some work?
I will.
And just...
I need a different water.
Would you get me another type?
Hola, guapa.
I'd rather be dead,
wouldn't you?
Than shackled.
You should rent
a different place.
I like it here.
I went walking once...
...when I was your age.
By the sea.
And then up this cliff.
And the people on the beach,
they stared
as I started up this incline.
The grass is so lush
and the rain was so soft
on my hair.
And I kept looking over
the edge.
And wondering how I would look
if I fell onto the rocks.
How my death would look.
I was happy.
I had no bag.
Just a cheese roll
and some tobacco.
I stood at the top there
and I...
just had a cigarette.
You should go back there.
Find it.
Hmm?
I can't walk.
What would you do
if I could walk?
I'd be happy.
Gomez is the last one.
Er, laces.
A subject that we
kept returning to
was the Balinese trance dance,
where young women fight
against a witch.
What's your full name?
Sofia Papastergiadis.
You have to stay
here five minutes in case
you have a reaction.
Age and occupation here.
Do many people
ride horses here?
Try not to touch the wound.
Oh, sorry.
I'm done.
Hi.
The water's still wrong, 'Fia.
This book, I realized,
is not about love.
It is about shame.
What's happened to your arm?
Jellyfish.
Well, you'll have
to get that seen to.
I already did.
Well, come here,
let me have a look.
God. Put water on that
and blow on it.
Well, you know,
at least you can swim.
Pain won't last long.
Can we go out now?
Yeah.
Watches.
I want one.
Why?
My father always wore one.
Did Christos have one?
Sort of digital horror he had.
With lights.
And then he had
such nice hair.
I sort of fell in love
with the way his hair fell.
You have different hair.
What are these watches then?
Wh-What have you got there?
Oh, yeah, that's...
No, no, no.
They are very simple.
They're three --
They're three personnages.
Uh, the father, the mother,
and the child. Right.
Which is the father?
I don't care.
But I am the child.
Okay. You are the child?
I am the child.
Gracias.
Do you smoke?
Yeah.
Do you have cigarettes?
Yeah.
Okay. Let's go.
Ingrid.
What do you do
in London?
I'm writing about
Margaret Mead at the moment.
Who's that? She sounds dead.
S-She was an anthropologist.
She went to
the South Sea Islands
and wrote about teenagers
to try and figure out
if adolescence is always
a terrible time,
or if it's just
a Western thing.
It's about nature
versus nurture.
It's shoes!
Tell me about your woman.
Okay.
She writes
that life is flexible,
as in, we can change it,
but that it's also elastic.
Because we always go back
to what we grew up with.
Essentially.
Fuck that shit.
Look at all this blue, Sofie.
-Cyan.
-It's blue.
It's blue.
And?
Matty?
Matty, can you hear the sea?
I'm always late.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah. Mm.
You're not using
our rental car?
Sofia doesn't drive.
She failed her test four times.
Well, perhaps
your imagination is too active.
Did you imagine that you would
finally kill people?
She failed her theory, too,
where no one was
in any palpable danger.
Rose,
we have the scan of your feet.
Uh...Sofia.
Could you tell me
about your father?
He left when I was four,
and I've seen him a few times
since then.
The last time?
When I was 15.
Two years ago, he inherited
his father's shipping business.
He gave Sofia nothing.
And you, Rose.
You have sisters? Brothers?
Three brothers, older.
I had a sister, but she died.
It was a -- a tragedy?
No, they never
talked about her.
Well, it's imperative
to talk about the dead.
What was your sister's name?
Mary. Oh, I didn't know her.
She died before I was born.
I would like you to think about
your enemies, Rose.
Make a list.
We don't have access
to a printer.
Handwritten is best,
Mrs. Papastergiadis.
I was waiting for
a long time.
- Sorry.
- You didn't hear me.
I had my music on.
Should be listening
out for me instead.
Do you want
to go inside?
I want to go, but we can't.
How long does it take to ladle
out a bowl of bean soup?
Sofia's only having salad.
People think that all
those little white cottages
out in the middle of nowhere
are romantic.
-They're not.
-Why not?
Well, everyone's watching you.
I think I'll have a glass
of white wine.
No. No alcohol. We're working.
Ah, beautiful. There you go.
Nice.
That -- That will make
me come out in hives.
-Hmm?
-I'm allergic to fish.
I-I told you that.
Well, if you have a reaction,
I'll move.
Hey.
Gomez.
Rose?
My eye hurts now.
Did you write your list?
Could we sit away
from this table?
Tell me who's on the list,
Rose.
Well, he's on it, obviously.
And, um, my parents,
they weren't helpful.
And, so, I married a Greek,
and I escaped.
When did you last see
your mother and father?
Uh, they both died, actually,
in hospital. Separately.
But I-I wasn't there.
Did you want to be there?
No. Mnh-mnh.
And who is "he"?
Christos.
Sofia's father?
When Sofia was four,
Christos found God,
and he left for Athens.
How's your eye?
Hola.
Do you have the keys
to the hire car?
Thank you, Julieta.
- Sofie.
- Hi.
This is Matty.
He's going to drive
your car for you.
-Hi.
-Hi.
Cigarette?
-Il tu promenade.
-Thank you.
That's great.
Thank you.
Do you know we're near
the desert here?
Really?
Yes.
They made films here.
I could take you.
Do you drive full-time?
No, I'm a musician.
-You okay?
-Oh. I'm grand. Thanks, Matty.
But you can't live
by your music.
I do this, I do that.
Good for you, Matty.
How do you sleep?
Not well.
You move in your sleep?
Your legs move?
Yes, they do. How --
-You can tell that?
-Mm-hmm. The muscle.
Do you dream at night?
Always. Vivid dreams.
It's always night.
I've lost my bag
or I can't find the bus stop.
Do you dream?
I dream of the desert often.
- Hmm.
- And being underwater.
You need weight-bearing
exercises
for strengthening and endurance.
My whole life has been
endurance.
Oh, my first enemy
and adversary is endurance.
Everything hurts.
Lo se. Lo se.
But you are strong.
'Fia?
I'm ready for bed.
Will you lock us in?
Julieta gave me these
yoga poses.
I remember this book was
in the library.
It was from the '70s.
Look, it's the lion's pose.
Oh.
-Very good one.
-Jesus.
Hmm.
Do you think you'll
ever finish your studies?
Yeah, of course I will.
Yeah. It's just you find
it difficult to finish things.
It's my favorite fabric
'cause it's alive like a bird.
"Beloved."
I thought of my little
sister when I worked on it.
Hannah.
Hannah?
She's...
...in Dusseldorf.
She's younger than me.
Much younger.
I couldn't really wake up today.
I had a...
I had a bad day.
Hi.
Mm.
It's so weird.
The branches are screwed on.
Look, here and here.
Yeah.
-Maybe for a film?
-Yeah.
I'm just quite sad
it's not real.
It's real.
I love the desert.
When I was a child, I wanted
to live in the desert.
-You did?
-In the Sahara with a camel.
Really? Why? Why the Sahara?
The name -- Sahara.
Were you happy as a kid?
Are you happy now?
What did you
want when you were growing up?
A crazy bicycle,
red shoes,
a cat.
Any friends?
I like to stay to myself.
Why?
Why not?
Must have been a reason.
Stop doing that.
Stop what?
Pinning me down like one
of your butterflies.
-Needling to the wall.
-I don't do that.
Like your woman who studied
the teenagers on the islands.
She should have left
the teenagers alone
and studied herself instead.
It's questioning.
It's cultural memory.
Its important.
It can help people,
could stop wars.
Well, it hasn't stopped
anything so far, has it?
Do you want to know
what I was like as a kid?
No.
You're still a kid.
Okay.
I killed someone.
Sofie.
It was a long time ago.
Ingrid.
It's beautiful.
A child has more bones
than an adult.
As we get older, they fuse.
But my spine has certainly
changed a lot, hasn't it, Sofia,
since the last set of X-rays?
How much time do you think
we'll need?
We'll see.
How have you been?
I left you messages.
I know. I received them.
Look. I'm making this
for an old man I met.
He asked me to personalize it.
What color do you
think I should use
to border it with?
Yellow?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I want to take a picture
of you.
So I remember.
Sofie.
August in Almeria.
Memory's a bomb.
Mm.
I have to get back to work now.
Can I stay
and read for a bit maybe?
Matty just went to get
some food.
Okay.
Sofia?
Sofia, come and sit with me.
No troubles, no troubles
And I pressed...
What?
I like your work.
What happened
to your mother?
Nothing.
She was a librarian.
I like your mother very much.
But something happened to her.
You can feel it in her body.
Julieta Gomez is
an alcoholic.
I smelt it on her breath
the first time.
I was her birthday.
And since then.
I thought a change
would be good for you.
Can you stop, please?
As a child,
you hated change.
You were always fearful.
You were never brave.
Where are you in your cycle?
Shush! No!
Sofia?
I need water.
Sofia.
Why are you cooking?
Did you invite someone over?
- Untie the dog, Pablo.
- Excuse me?
-Please untie the dog.
-Does your mother --
Untie the fucking dog now!
Do it now! Go!
You fucking heard me!
Untie it now!
Puta!
Fuck you!
You're a monster.
Stay with me.
I'm going back to Berlin.
You should come spend
Christmas with me.
I'll get you a ticket.
And you walk
from the Brandenburger Tor
to Checkpoint Charlie.
And you have to bring
a heavy coat.
In the snow.
And I will hold up
a mistletoe over your head.
You will have to perform
the ritual.
Your brothers told you?
No.
But when they visited,
their behavior towards me.
You knew?
I felt it.
Like a confirmation.
From the people
you asked?
And did you tell them at home?
I couldn't.
It was a...
a very cold house.
They would have been appalled
that I had written to people.
They just --
They couldn't communicate.
But perhaps they tried.
No.
No, they didn't.
They couldn't.
You're doing really well.
You're doing so well.
-I'm so sorry. I'm sorry.
-No, no, no. It's good.
-I'm sorry.
-It's good.
Oh, God.
-It's very good.
-Oh. Oh.
Are you here?
Yes.
Are you really here?
Yes, I am.
I'm here.
I'm glad.
Ingrid.
Hmm?
Who did you kill?
Tell me.
Sofie.
My sister.
When I was six.
She was...
...on a swing.
And I was pushing her and, um...
And then, she fell and...
her skull cracked.
But she didn't die.
She just stopped.
I'm sorry.
No, don't say that. It's --
It doesn't matter.
Where is she now?
Somewhere in a home.
With strangers.
She's my age, but she's...
Her mind is five.
And I remember just wanting her
to go higher, you know?
I wanted her to fly.
You were just a kid.
-It's innocent.
-No.
No, Sofie,
you don't understand.
I was never innocent.
But you do love me?
Of course I love you.
You have to ask
yourself who you are, Rose.
I'm someone
with a bone condition.
- I know that.
- And I can't walk.
-What you told me...
-I'm losing bone density.
...who you truly are,
it's far more relevant
than a question of bone density.
You realize that?
You wanted events.
I gave you some.
Could I have some water, please?
Thank you.
Do you want me to stop
all my pills?
Is that what you
were saying the last time?
Rose, it's not only
about sharing facts.
We -- We have to explore them.
How they have impacted on you
and how they might affect
Sofia.
My daughter is
completely unaffected by this.
Now I need the bathroom.
I usually go with Sofia.
Is there someone who could...
I will page Julieta.
-Tell me, where is Sofia today?
-I don't know.
Your name as a child
was Rose Ivy Kennedy.
Yeah.
It was.
And I changed it as soon
as I could.
Where's Julieta?
Oh, God.
Thank you.
Ooh.
-Should I?
-No. No, it's fine. Don't.
Sofie, you're killing me.
Hey, hey, I have
some riding boots for you.
-Put them on.
-This is Leonardo.
We saw a snake, Leonardo.
Where's the snake?
Do I look like I need boots?
This is Sofie.
Going back into town.
I have my riding lessons
now, Sofie.
Uh-huh.
-You can't drive.
-I can, I fucking can!
I was worried.
Your father was often silent,
like you.
For hours.
I want to see him.
What would you gain by that?
I haven't seen him
in 11 years.
Hmm?
Is it that long?
-Mm-hmm.
-He'll be the same.
I've got a baby sister
I've never met.
The notion of you
seeing your father
is just a ridiculous idea.
What is wrong with you?
Nothing.
Nothing's wrong with me.
Okay.
Sorry you had to wait
so long, Christos.
You can call me Papa.
Where do you live, Sofia?
In London with my mother.
Why Spain?
She's seeing
a consultant there.
Sofia's
mother feels pain acutely.
She always did.
It's real.
Do you speak Spanish?
No.
Do you speak Greek?
How long will you stay?
Just a few days.
If that's okay.
-Your hair thing.
-Oh, thanks.
The window opens.
You want me to open it?
No. It's okay.
I'll do it.
Okay.
Good night.
Night.
-You look like Christos.
-Really?
I have asked him about you
a lot.
What did he say?
He speaks about your mother.
Opa. How she found it hard.
Being on her own
with a child.
Not just that.
Have you been to
Greece before?
Mm-hmm. When I was 15.
Is it good to see your papa?
Where did you two meet?
Would you like to hold her?
-Yeah, sure. Hi!
-This is your sister.
Oh, yes.
Hello.
Hi. Hi.
-Sofia.
-Hi.
Come.
-I'll go check on Evangeline.
-Okay.
People in their boxes.
I like that everybody
goes to sleep at night.
Rose finds sleep hard.
Two insomniacs
you have for parents,
who would make tea
in the middle of the night
and listen to the radio
or play chess.
You wanted to sleep on the roof
last time you were here.
I'll let you fall asleep here.
You were not happy on that trip.
I was a bit scared of you.
What is this word?
"Beloved."
What are you going to do?
You can't be nursemaid
to Rose all your life.
No. Um...
I would like to finish
my doctorate in America.
Do you need funding?
You want money?
- That's not why I came.
- I don't have any.
-I give it all away.
-Yeah, I know, I know.
It was not all my fault,
you know.
Your mother was difficult.
Impossible.
What has Rose told you
about her family?
Said they didn't get on,
that they weren't close.
Tell Rose
she needs to tell you --
People should
not ring so late.
"Beheaded."
It says "beheaded."
No, it says beloved.
- You're here!
- I just went to the hospital.
But I-I didn't stay there.
You know, the pain,
it wasn't chronic.
So you're okay?
You're discharged yourself?
I was never admitted, 'Fia.
I-I just rang from there.
You see, I went to see them
about the water
because it is so bad here,
and I did not expect that.
And then, they realized
that I was nearly passing out.
Did you actually faint?
Well, everyone was just
so wonderful.
Just lovely people
and conversation.
And the doctors.
And Matty drove me everywhere.
And I-I don't want to see
Gomez anymore.
You know, it's just not helpful.
And I want to go home.
I mean, he just depresses me.
And I have a different idea.
So, tell me about Christos
and the child bride.
It's dangerous
to become dehydrated.
Which is
why I went to the hospital.
You could have just drank
the water.
Because it tastes like bleach
to me. Would you --
It's from the mountains.
It has a picture of the
mountains on the bottle.
- Fuck that!
- What more do you want?
It's a lie. I mean,
the mountains are a lie.
Sofia.
No.
- Sofia, come out.
- What do you want now?
-I am in severe pain.
-Really?
It's very bad.
And your father has upset you.
Where's the pain?
Tell me.
Well, I seem to have strained
sort of a ligament
just in the chaos of it all.
But this Dr. Shah there,
she --
she gave me some new
medication,
but it's just making
me feel very nauseous.
Anyway, I've got to try
and finish up with,
uh, Gomez tomorrow.
I'm going to ask for some
of the money back.
I mean, you don't pay
thousands of euros for a chat.
And we're going to have to ask
for a taxi
because Matty needs the car.
Fuck Matty.
Fuck all of them.
Fucking Matty.
Give me your paw.
Go on, give it to me.
Tell me about your father.
He told me you two played chess
when you couldn't sleep
at night.
We didn't.
Christos always slept.
He snored.
The chess is some narrative
of his, some fiction.
He also said you
should tell me what happened.
In what sense?
He was talking about
your family.
He never met my family.
You see, that's what he does.
He lies.
You need to work more
on what we talked of.
If you don't,
you won't walk freely.
I don't want to do
any more work on it.
-I don't feel the need.
-Are you scared?
It's natural,
but you have to fight that fear.
I feel better
since I went to the hospital.
There's a normality about it
which I appreciate.
You're happy
to suppress the event,
I understand that,
but you need to know
who you are in real detail.
And you have to find
the answer and accept it.
Julieta will take me
to the taxi, thank you.
Rose. Rose. Rose, please.
Rose.
What you are contemplating,
it will not help.
We didn't talk about money.
I will refund what
you ask for.
Excuse me.
Sofia Irina,
please stay a moment.
Your mother was progressing,
but she has gone into
a fight or flight
and has chosen the latter.
Your mother has proposed
something quite...brutal.
When you were away,
she talked about amputation.
She's not serious about that.
She wants to get better.
I cannot stop her from
wanting to staunch the pain.
She has made an appointment
with a consultant in London.
No.
He had confirmed it with me
and has asked for her records.
Tell me...
...h-how did you go with
your father?
It was good to see him again.
Was he cruel to you?
Well, you don't have to see
him again.
Ever.
Sofia, hmm?
You never have
to see him again.
Okay.
What are you doing?
Get in.
Get in, Sofia, get in!
Having a tantrum is not helpful.
Dog?
Dog!
Come, sit down, Sofie.
- I don't want to.
- Please.
You'll regret it if you don't.
Sofie.
Mm, Sofie.
You're like a blue planet
with two dark, spooky eyes.
Like little animals.
No, I'm not.
I'm none of those things.
Are you hungry?
I bet you want to eat pizza.
Hmm?
You're a monster, Sofie.
Do you think...
she's happy without a mind?
Do you think
she remembers?
She has a mind like a leaf.
Sometimes I want to...
blow myself up, Sofie.
Do you still like me?
Say yes.
The world is dark
until you say yes.
The world is so dark.
So dark.
Wait.
Oh, Matty.
Matty, can you hear the ocean?
Listen.
Hey!
Hey! That's my --
My phone!
-You go get my phone.
-You get your fucking phone!
-Go get my phone! Go!
-Ingrid, it's not a phone!
You were children.
You were children.
You were children.
Hola. Hola, Hola.
Juntos.
Juntos. Juntos. Juntos.
Ahora, ahora.
-Ya est.
-Ya est.
What did you do
when you got home today?
Nothing.
So you didn't go out
or anything?
No, I just slept.
Why?
-Come on, let's go.
-Let's go where?
Can I have some water?
Tell me about
your sister, Mum.
Mary.
She died.
Would you help me fix
the lamp in my bedroom?
How did she die, exactly?
I-I don't know.
Will you just plug it in for me?
You must know how she died.
I don't.
I didn't know her.
I didn't know her.
Please tell me.
Just did.
All right, get in the car.
God, I don't know what is
the matter with you, 'Fia.
I'm hungry. We're going to
the restaurant. Come on.
- No, I-I --
- Let's go! Go, go!
What is this?
You walked today.
Why didn't you tell me?
I didn't want to raise
your hopes.
I watch you as closely
as you watch me.
It's what mothers do.
We watch our children.
You never ask me
if I'm happy.
Because you're
always so profoundly sad.
-You ask for so much of me!
-Is that not so?
-So much!
-Because you are so able.
You're so strong.
And why would you
talk about cutting off your leg?
That's too...
Too late. It's all gone.
Mary didn't die.
They sent her away.
She was 16.
She had me.
I was hers.
They didn't let her
near me.
Did you know her?
Did you meet later?
Yeah, once.
When I was your age.
She wasn't well.
She was broken.
Doesn't matter.
I'm an animal in the desert.
And there's no water.
There is water.
It's too late.
There's only pain.
Okay. Okay.
Come on.
Okay.
All right.
All right.
It's not too late.
It's here.
Okay? It's here.
You have to choose, Mama.
You have to choose.
You have
to choose to go outside.
You have to choose
to not sit in a room all day
and die slowly smelling
of that room.
Do you understand? Please.
You have to embrace life.
You can't just endure it.[
Do you hear me?
I -- I can't walk, 'Fia.
You have to choose, Mama.
I-I -- You've got to believe me,
I can't walk.
You don't believe me,
but I can't.
I do believe you.
I do.
Arise
From this land,
we made our home
The right way
It will be
Earth shattering
We will love again
My darling
It's earth-shattering
We will love again
My darling
We shall
You are still in me
In the wind
In the poplar trees
You are still in me
My darling
It's earth-shattering
Again, again, again, again
We will love again
Again, again, again
We will love again
Again, again, again, again
We will love again
Again, again, again
We will love again
And it will never
be the same
We will love again