Original subtitles

You're not even dressed yet.

Come now, Maria.

I don't want to be late.

Try your luck. Try your luck.

You can't keep playing hooky. I'm serious.

I don't want to today.

If you keep this up, my parents will send you back to your mother.

Half the classes fall out anyway.

See you later.

Are you playing hooky again?

While she is there, she can also do something. She can help Alfred with the mucking out.

Go set the table.

Are the chickens inside?

I do after dinner.

Glad we can buy this now. -There is much more to come soon.

Hey, I haven't had anything yet.

Well, then you get a whole one.

Henner's rottweilers tore up a lamb from the innkeeper.

Those terrible beasts.

Those poor grandparents.

If they knew how he neglects that farm....

Don't exaggerate. It's not that bad.

His breeding stallions are in good condition.

You have to admit...

he knows how to handle horses.

And with women.

What is it?

Hartmut comes.

Read aloud, Dad.

'Dear mother...

I never thought to be able to visit you again.

But now the time has come.

Germany is one again.

Father would have been very happy.

I don't really know what to say.

It's been so long And I'm not a good letter writer.

I would much rather talk to you.

If you approve, I'll come the third week of July.

I will come with my family, Gisela and the children, Anna and Robert.

You should know how I look forward to it.

I almost didn't dare write to you....

Because I haven't heard from you for so long.

Your son, Hartmut.

So who is that?

Our uncle.

Alfred didn't like it much at all.

Ah, Alfred...

What about him? -Alfred is probably Volker's father.

Frieda's oldest son.

But when Hartmut went west, my father got the farm.

And now the favorite son returns.

Now you still owe me something. You go to school with me tomorrow.

Yep, yep.

Is Maria still with you?

You guys got a nice little chick brought in.

She's sweet, but nothing for the farm.

I can imagine, who won't stay.

Johannes is madly in love with her.

She reads all day and plays hooky from school. -Ach, send her into the stable....

Then she will leave reading.

Look who said that.

You yourself sit with your nose in the books And neglect the farm.

So be it, she hasn't had it not been easy.

I heard everything. -Now, well...

A cheeky one, too, she is.

Little lady...

What is it about?

Well...

it's about a father and his three totally different sons.

Dmitri, Ivan and Aleksei.

The father is murdered...

and his son Dmitri is suspected of it.

But it is also a love story.

Dmitri has a complicated relationship with Katerina Ivanovna.

But then he falls in love with Groeshenka...

And who is very different from Katerina, a little bit...

well, more passionate.

And meanwhile, it also turns about philosophical questions.

Are you actually listening? -Natural.

So what is my book about?

About murder and love.

What's that? -West German money from Frieda.

Got it this morning For my final exam.

You haven't even passed yet. -But soon you will.

Wow. How much is it? -2000.

Slower driving.

I still can't believe it. -I know.

Look at that one.

Insane.

I want one too.

Wait here. I'll be right back.

Where are you going? -Tell me later.

Don't worry, I'll be right back.

Please, the apple strudel. -Thank you.

What took you so long?

I have been waiting for a long time.

Sorry, it didn't go any faster.

See.

I was looking for mid-segment cameras....

and saw an advertisement in a photography magazine.

With this I will take really good pictures.

Is that why we drove to Munich?

Yes, exactly.

Henner, call them to you.

Lying down.

Lying down.

It's all right, Maria. They're not doing anything.

Sorry.

Here's to you, kid. To your graduation.

I'm so proud of you. -Yes, so am I.

All of us. -Toast.

Thanks for the cake, grandma.

Is everything all right, Maria?

Yes.

How is your mother doing?

Well...

she lost her job.

The factory closed immediately after the monetary union.

And she hates that she has to live with her in-laws.

All that money... You could have bought a car.

But a camera... -Oma...

That's not just any camera.

It is a professional camera.

That's my future.

Come, I'll show you something.

Be right back.

See.

Here I can develop everything myself.

I bought a handbook.

That stuff stinks.

I still need to practice.

The exposure doesn't quite work out yet.

But Maria...

I now know what I want.

I want to study art.

We're getting out of here.

Maria, what will you wear tomorrow when the Westerners come?

I don't know.

I put on my skirt, the one with the red flowers.

You have to dress up, too. We want to make a good impression.

You no longer have to whip the cream yourself. It is ready-made.

I liked the homemade ones better.

Here for you.

Recorded it yesterday.

Thank you, grandma.

From your mother you don't get that much.

Are you going to see her?

She must be upstairs reading.

Mom?

Mom?

Maria.

Come again.

Well, girl...

how is it at the Brendels?

Good.

They took me in like a daughter.

Are you still going to school?

Your math and physics books are here. -I didn't go to school much.

But I am not the only one.

Some teachers also stop coming.

Mom...

I might not take a final exam.

I don't know how to continue like this.

Your father does not pay alimony. Perhaps it would be better...

If you are not taking a final exam, but vocational training.

Have you heard from Dad?

Yes.

He is getting married again.

What?

Her name is Nastya and she is from Leningrad.

She is 22.

Your dear grandparents have apparently have no problems with it.

What should I do now?

I have to go, Mom.

I grab some more clothes.

Wait, I'll take you.

Getting back and forth to the Brendels does work.

Take care, mom.

Stay.

Lying down.

Lying down.

We take those out again.

Hey, come.

Now I caught you...

And dragged into my den.

Go.

Go.

At night he longed for her....

And he got her.

Are you there?

Yes.

Yes, Mom.

This is Gisela, my wife.

Hello, nice to meet you.

Hello. -This is Lukas.

Marianne. -Gisela.

This is Siegfried.

Marianne.

Look, Dad. -Come out.

Were you on the road for a long time? -Yes, four hours.

We took the highway... -Say hello to grandma.

It went well. -Hello.

These are mine, Anna and Robert's.

Hello. -This is Robert.

Hello. -Say hello.

Hello. -Hello.

This is where Dad grew up. -No, still...

From you? -That's John and Mary's.

Pleasant. -Yes, John.

Gisela. -Hello.

Alfred...

Hello. -Hello.

Well, I'll show you around first.

The food is so ready. -Yes.

Well then...

I'll be right there.

At night he longed for her....

And he got her.

He can possess her one more time.

So, so...

He can possess her one more time.

She thinks she is quite something.

She grants him one last visit.

What is she waiting for?

Does she undress?

Nobody knows, Henner.

And I won't tell anyone.

You have to promise, Maria.

Where were you?

By the river. I had completely forgotten the time.

Those still need to go on the table. The cutlery, too.

Sorry.

It was not easy in the beginning.

Working in construction during the day And going to school at night.

That's how I passed my final exams.

After that I studied for 5 more years to become an engineer.

My own design firm I have had for 7 years now.

Before that, I had a permanent position.

Did you and Gisela meet met at work?

No...

with skiing.

And what do you do?

I take care of the children. -Don't they go to kindergarten?

No, Anna is in school, but only in the mornings.

Is there no after-school program? -No, there isn't.

Okay...

And Maria, are you also from the village?

No, from a village down the road, but she lives here now...

and shares the attic with Johannes.

That's nice. -Me too.

Do you want some? -Tasty.

John, do you have to?

Thank you.

This is a historic moment. Later you will thank me for it.

Stop it. You only see me Through the camera.

One more.

Toe.

Tomorrow I will pick you up.

If I can help you, I'd be happy to.

If you want to buy the leasehold land, I can contribute.

Thank you, Hartmut. -What you have done in all these years....

Yes... -Hello.

It was tough if you weren't in a cooperative.

Only with the farm we wouldn't have made it.

They didn't even let us hold an acre.

Without the money from the sawmill and Marianne's salary we would not have made it.

It would be nice to buy that land, but...

we need more.

20 or 25 acres.

We then have to calculate that.

What you do here, we call biodynamic farming.

Those are verified farms, those get a stamp.

It does cost something, but it's worth it. -I don't know.

Come to Bavaria for a few days, and we'll visit some farms.

Yeah, right. -Volker...

My God... Come here.

Hello. -Volker.

Volker. -Siegfried.

Bye, honey. -Today, mom.

Sit down.

How nice that you came.

How are you doing? -It's going.

The company where he worked closed.

Thank you.

Yes...

Money rules now. The D-Mark.

He is right, though.

We needed more time. Our businesses are not competitive.

Making them suddenly compete internationally compete is madness.

Yes, but how should it have been supposed to go, Volker?

They ran away by the thousands and had it not been for the D-Mark, there would have been more.

'Does the D-Mark come we stay, if not, we come to you," everyone shouted.

I didn't shout about it, Neither did Siegfried, as far as I know.

We needed a longer transition.

That everything suddenly has no value, is bad for people.

What does Hartmut care? He has made it anyway, over there in the West.

No arguing. -You grab some drinks.

Hello, everyone.

That's Henner, from next door.

More and more beautiful women are coming here at Brendel's.

What can we do for you, Henner? -I have some ideas.

Is Maria here?

Are we too old for you? -No, you guys can come too....

but I only have two horses. She wanted to go for a ride.

Mary?

Hello. You wanted to join us today, didn't you?

With sandals and a dress?

Put on good shoes and pants.

She's right. Get changed, I'm waiting for.

Are you able to drive?

No. -Okay, get on.

This is how it goes. Slowly.

Take the reins. A little shorter.

So, you do that well.

Come with me.

I didn't know you could drive. -Yes, a little bit.

Are you afraid? -No.

Sitting up straight.

Do you know Trakl?

That book belonged to my mother.

'We are travelers without purpose.

The clouds that the wind blows away.

The flowers trembling in dead coldness.

Those are waiting for one to mow them down.'

That's nice.

But also sad.

My mother was not from here.

Farm life was not for her.

She came from Berlin.

When the Russians marched into Berlin.

her husband shot himself to death. He was in the SS.

And the Russians...

Yes...

The Russians took her to task.

One day she showed up here....

confused and scared.

My grandparents took her in.

Of their three sons, one had survived the war.

Franz, the youngest.

And she married him.

Although she had barely said anything.

Then she became pregnant.

No one had counted on that yet. She was already 35.

Especially not after what the Russians had done to her.

During her pregnancy...

she began to read.

Like a man possessed.

In fact, she did nothing else.

And later...

she began to drink.

She lost herself in books and booze....

and never recovered.

If there had not been so many Stasi offices had been occupied, everything would have been destroyed.

I think most of the files had long since been destroyed.

The rest will end up in the archives. -Wait and see.

People will demand access. Maybe my file still exists.

Don't you want to know what they have written about you and who?

I'm not getting anywhere with that either.

The only one here at the table with an immaculate record is Maria.

If she has one at all.

Maria was, in fact with the Pioneer Republic...

where the future elite of the GDR was educated.

Pioneer Republic?

Yes, six weeks of camp at the Werbellinsee.

Enjoy. -O, I had already started. Sorry.

What were you doing there?

School, sports, leisure activities....

Anything to strengthen the class position strengthen it.

Let her speak for herself. -Good, mom.

What should I tell them? -Everything.

Well...

In the morning, we had sports to music.

On pioneer songs and labor and battle songs.

And during the day...

school and work groups, flag ceremony three times a day.

And in the evening we all watched to the Aktuelle Kamera.

Everything always together.

How old were you then? -12.

In the beginning, I wanted to leave right away.

I wrote to my mother That she had to get me.

That the camp was like a prison.

But they had intercepted that letter and opened it...

And I had to go to the office of the pioneer leader.

Those dirty bastards.

Yes, and then we had...

the great torchlight procession.

Hundreds of children Who marched and sang.

That was though...

uplifting.

After that, I didn't want to go home.

Do you remember those songs? -Yes.

You never forget those.

My favorite song was The Moor Soldiers.

Sing it.

'Wherever our eyes look

We see nothing but moor and heather

Birdsong does not invigorate us

Oaks stand bare and crooked

We are the Moor soldiers

And draw the spade into the bog

Here on this desolate moor

Has the camp been built

Where we are far from any joy

Tucked away behind barbed wire

We are the Moor soldiers

And draw the spade into the bog'

How long will Hartmut and Gisela stay?

See you tomorrow.

The day after tomorrow I'm going to Leipzig to the University of the Arts.

Maybe take some pictures. I wanted to stay a few days.

Is it okay if I go alone?

Yes.

I don't feel like going to town anyway.

Come on...

Not now.

It's only for a week. You must like it.

Day. -Safe trip home.

Doesn't she want to? -She's never been gone for more than three days.

When I bring Mom back, you go with me. Promise? -Promise.

Thank you. Bye. -Today.

Cut it out, I won't be gone that long.

Well, what do you think? Beautiful, isn't it?

Stays green even in winter. -But in winter you don't sit outside.

Marianne told me to bring you meat.

It didn't work out there and now he gets to play the boss here.

And now he wants to tell me how I should work.

In the company where I have worked for 30 years.

But when it comes to business management, they know more than we do.

And about money. -What then?

Do you want that criminal state back? They ruined my life.

My wife ran away And that bitch was in the Stasi too.

No way.

Maria...

That doll.

For her, everything is still easy.

Who leaves here And never comes back.

Maria.

What does she really want with Johannes, that little boy?

Hold back, Henner. -Yes.

Come with me, Mary.

Do with me what you want.

You have a fever.

'Close with your cool, good hands all wounds...

So that they bleed to death inside.

Sweet mother of pain - you.

The darkness erases me in silence.

'The darkness erases me in silence.

I became a dead shadow in the day.

Then I stepped out of the house of joy....

into the night.

I have to go back to the Brendels.

Johannes is coming home today.

I'm here, Mary.

You know that.

Well...

there she is again.

Was it nice with mom?

Yes, it was nice.

Maria.

John.

Hey, everything okay?

How was it? Tell me everything.

It was awesome, Maria.

I am very sure now.

I want to study there.

They have workshops and their own laboratory

and giant studios.

The people there are very different.

The whole atmosphere.

It's...

When you walk in, you feel it right away.

It's like...

It's a totally different world.

Anyway...

I'm definitely going to sign up and I already know what with.

I'm going to take a series of pictures in the village.

Of the residents and their homes. There is something documentary about that....

because this world that is now rapidly will change, is artistic.

With that, they take me on, Mary.

John, stop, stop.

I have my period.

Doesn't matter to me. -But I do.

You never minded that otherwise. -Correct.

But I am suffering from cramps.

Okay.

Is everything okay?

Also with us?

Because I say "no" for once?

You've done that before.

I just want to know If things are going well.

Whether we are doing well.

Yes, yes.

It's just that for me not everything is as fixed as it is for you.

Yes, I know.

We still have plenty of time.

So, did you take pictures of the city?

Of course. -Yes?

Yes, these are all pictures of Leipzig.

I also photographed in the school.

What? -On to the darkroom then.

Sure? -Yes.

I am in good company after all.

Hey, Mom.

Isn't he coming? -He said he wasn't hungry.

Since Frieda left, he hasn't been himself.

What about you?

Did you get anything out of your trip to Leipzig? -Yes.

My mind is made up.

I want to study photography.

An artist, right? -Lukas, come.

We are going to eat.

Then you take over the farm. -Tractor driving I can already do.

Siggi, that boy is 12.

Exactly. Time for him to tackle.

Would you like? That one's tasty. -No.

That one belongs to Hartmut. Speaking of Hartmut:

for the biocertificate I have to convert the stables....

adjust the crop rotation and a few other things.

I could use Henner's meadows by the forest.

Maybe he's selling them. -I don't think so.

He wants to fix up his farm and buy more horses.

He needs his pastures. -Ach, die Henner.

He has had his best years.

He seems to be doing well and he's still a handsome fellow.

Do you like him?

I wouldn't turn him down, but I have you, so...

I still have an apple with you.

You spend our money on this crap.

The bathroom is full of cream and makeup and I don't know what else.

And for that I have to work my ass off. Just go to Henner.

You work your ass off? And I don't?

Everyone goes on vacation now that we can go anywhere.

Greece, Spain, France...

Only I stay here and have to apologize because of a magazine.

Customers.

Maria.

Yes? -Come to the store.

Yes, um...

I'll take some tomatoes.

And a cucumber.

Do you like raspberries?

Wrap those up, too.

But you can only eat those at my house.

Are you out of your mind?

When will you come again? -Don't know.

I can't say again That I'm going to my mother.

Suppose the Brendels were to run into her in town. What then?

I don't know, Maria.

Hey...

just come.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday, dear Maria.

Happy birthday to you.

Please.

Thank you.

I love your longing gaze.

I don't see that look very often.

You have to eat breakfast alone, unfortunately.

Too much work. -Yes, I know.

Yes? -Thank you, mom.

New couch?

Grandpa and I were in one of those furniture stores. Unbelievable what they have there.

We can also eat in the garden. It should be warm enough.

Don't bother, grandma. I can't stay long anyway.

Johannes still wants to do something. I don't want to keep him waiting too long.

But you just got there.

We hardly see you anymore. -I thought you were going to stay for a while, too.

I'll come another time and stay longer then. Promise.

What will you do with John then?

We don't know that yet. -Why didn't you bring him?

He has to work.

Siegfried is in Bavaria visiting with his brother.

Really, how did he actually fare?

I can't tell you all that now. Next time, okay?

Have you read all of those?

Shall we take a trip?

Where to?

Over there...

to the west.

Will you order me a coffee with milk?

I still need to buy something. Be right back.

Two coffees. -Customary coffee, with milk....

cappuccino, espresso?

Coffee with milk And a beer for me.

A blonde, dark or Weizen?

A small beer.

A small one, from the barrel or a bottle?

Yes.

Henner?

Damn, Maria. Where were you? -Sorry.

I did have to go down three stores. -Come.

What about my coffee? -I drank it.

Henner...

No.

Hello.

Hey.

I thought you weren't going to come anymore.

They wouldn't let me go.

They see me so little.

Hearty congratulations, Maria.

Just open it.

Those were meant for my daughter.

But I didn't get it Until Johannes came home with you.

Ah, come now.

Don't cry.

We recorded you a long time ago.

You are part of the family now.

Are we going to do anything else?

Shall we stay home?

Very wise.

I sit down in the garden.

Luke?

What?

Very wise.

I worked hard all day.

Come, let's have a drink upstairs and tell you what you did today.

When Daddy gets back, I'm going to photograph the people here.

I want to start with Henner.

His house still seems pre-war. He doesn't even have a proper bathroom.

At Henner's... -I've only been there once.

A while back. It looked like 100 years ago.

It doesn't bother the women.

Hey... -Now...

I recently saw...

Yes...

What then?

We go upstairs.

I'll be right there.

In 10 minutes at the river.

Henner?

We have to stop it.

Don't come to my house anymore.

What?

Why not?

You're 19, Maria.

I'm 40.

What are you babbling about?

Don't destroy everything.

Henner...

I love you.

I love you.

I want you.

You can't.

No.

Please.

Henner.

Leave me alone.

Leave me alone. -Henner...

Henner.

What does she have now?

It's her parents, I think.

Why? Did something happen? -You know.

Her mother is unemployed and her father marries a 20-year-old.

That's all I know. -Okay.

Maria.

See you later. -Yes, bye.

Enter.

The tangerines are from Traudel.

She says you like those so much.

Previously.

As a child.

You still kind of are.

No...

I'm not.

Mary?

Mary?

John is there.

Tell them I'm asleep.

Sorry, Johannes. She's asleep.

Then I'll wait a moment.

Give her a little more time. Don't worry.

Day.

Heartbreak, in other words.

Johannes seems really in love.

Whatever happened between you....

I'm sure it will be fine.

This is not the end, Mary.

Life can be very painful, but it doesn't stay that way.

I promise you that.

Oh well, you're here.

I was just about to go upstairs.

I brought roast chicken.

Do you want to?

Grab two plates for a moment.

I have to tell you something.

I just had a job interview at your old school.

The secretary has left for the west.

I can start next week.

And.

I've been thinking.

I can look for housing in the city.

That's easy now with this vacancy rate.

And who knows, you might want to join us.

To the city? -Yes, to town.

Yes...

I think about it.

Really?

Hello. -Henner.

The Brendels asked if I could check on Mary while I was in the neighborhood.

Johannes asked if she didn't wanted to come along right away.

He does miss her.

I grab my stuff.

Johannes was here the day before yesterday.

Ah, he worried.

And does the car still work?

Nice.

Well, see you again soon, Hannah.

Bye, Mom. -Today.

I couldn't.

I had to get you.

I almost died, Henner.

You don't die that fast.

Henner?

It's John. -Stay up here.

Stay.

Does it matter if I take pictures now?

It doesn't take long. You don't have to do anything.

I'll start with the farmhouse, then the kitchen.... -Not inside.

O? -Yes.

Okay...

But in and around the stables do, right?

What is it? -He photographed me.

What?

What do you mean? -He pointed the camera at the window.

I think I'm in that picture.

Damn, Maria, that was stupid.

Henner.

Yes?

I'm done.

I can no longer do it.

I don't want to lie to them anymore. I want to stay here.

Are you sure?

Maria, don't think I don't want you.

I want you more than you think.

But you don't know me. -No, no...

It doesn't.

Henner, I know you better than you think.

Do you think anyone in the village will still will talk to you?

Marianne, perhaps?

Have you ever been really lonely?

Do you know what that feels like?

You have no one left. No one. Only me.

Do you love me?

Yes.

Yes, I love you.

That doesn't mean we can live together. -Why not?

That's what I just said. We will only have each other.

You will have to work hard and have no friends.

I have been alone for so long and have my idiosyncrasies. I don't change those.

I'm older than your mother. -I know that.

But I am different from others.

You will leave anyway.

You'll get tired of me and the village, pack your things and leave.

I'm not like that. -You're 19, Mary.

You will change your mind many times. -No.

Do me a favor and think about it.

If you still want to come, come.

I will be back.

I am coming.

I will come.

This is me too, Mary. Don't forget that.

So am I.

Look at me.

Look very carefully.

I stay.

I stay.

Mary.

Are you feeling better?

Why didn't you say anything? I would have gotten you.

Ah, yes...

You worked hard.

Here...

see.

Here is Ella with her daughter in the barn.

See how beautifully the light falls on their faces.

I was at Henner's this morning.

Here...

the fence...

and the farm from the outside.

The horses...

I like the lighting here.

A woman stands at the window.

Therefore, I was not allowed to go in.

He didn't want me to see her.

The day after tomorrow we will go to the village festival. -The baked potatoes.

Thank you, Grandma. -Careful, it's hot.

Here. -Somewhat.

No, a large portion for Maria.

Pass the pickles. -Good.

Much, please. -Eat that first.

Thanks.

Hey, I need to talk to you. -Okay.

Not now, after dinner. -Yes, well, later then.

Do you guys remember how Volker fell fell down the stairs ladder drunk?

And do you remember how you climbed climbed on the table...

undressed and did pirouettes?

Yes, you made quite a fool of yourself. -That was longer ago.

Take a sip...

Not now, I'm developing.

John... -Maria, please.

It will take some time.

What happened after, I can hardly remember.

It was as if everything was covered with a kind of fog was covered.

Isolated images.

And now...

Now I often think of the book I read then.

The Brothers Karamazov.

And what Aleksei, the youngest of the brothers, said:

Someday, we will all rise again....

seeing each other again And tell each other everything.

Absolutely everything.

Yes...