Original subtitles

CHERRY BLOSSOMS - HANAMI

I always wanted to go to Japan with him.

Just to see Mt. Fuji once. The cherry blossoms. With him.

I can't imagine seeing anything without my husband.

That would be like not really seeing it.

How can I go on living without him?

Your husband's scan...

We wanted to talk with you first.

Do you think your husband can handle the diagnosis.

People react differently.

How the disease progresses is hard to say. He may not

have any symptoms for a long time.

You might want to think about doing something together.

A trip...

Something a little adventurous.

My husband hates adventures.

He'd prefer it if nothing changed.

Ever. At all.

Every day he takes the 7:28 to Weilheim.

He used to work at the passport office.

Now he's the head of the waste management department.

He's only been sick once in 20 years. One week in 1991.

The flu and an ear infection.

Every noon he eats the sandwich I make for him.

And his apple.

He says that every morning.

Hello, Rudi.

How was your day?

Yours?

Fine.

Aren't you hungry? - No.

Down further.

And with a smile!

Everything goes easier with a smile. And more pep!

And down!

Back already?

Leave a message after the beep. Thanks.

Yes, Karl. This is Mama.

I wanted to...

It's...

Everything's okay. I...

Talk to you soon, Karli.

Want to visit the children? - In Berlin, Trudi?

I don't know. - What if we finally went to Japan?

You know, Fuji's just another mountain.

Yes, but we could visit Karl.

It'd be cheaper if he visited us.

Shall we go on?

No.

I'm hungry.

Nothing to eat?

We just left five minutes ago.

You want it? - I don't.

I'll eat it later.

Imagine, the train stops in Hanau for two minutes...

So if you don't get off fast...

He wanted to meet us here!

What time is it? Let me see...

I'll give him 5 minutes and then...

We'll take a taxi or something.

Hey!

Well...

Where were you? - Where were we?

Track 11... - Where were you, Klaus?

Klausi. - The train was on track 11. - We were there.

Hi, Mama. - Hi, Klaus.

We waited for 20 minutes! - I waited for 20 minutes.

What? - I'm fine.

Let me take the suitcase. - No.

Straight ahead, Mama.

Mama, the flower bed!

Mommy, can't you watch out?

Hello, we're... oh!

Hi.

Hello, Emma. - Hello.

Come on in.

Hi there.

Robert, Celine!

How about a kiss?

And you? - Come on, Robert.

Have a seat. We baked a cake. - Bought one.

- Let them play. - Here we are.

Thanks.

Game Boy or cake?

Let them play, Emma.

Who'd like coffee? - Not me, got a beer?

No problem.

Okay. - Forgive the intrusion.

Mama had the sudden urge to visit all of you.

One after the other. - Karl, too? That's great!

Not Karl, unfortunately. - Why not?

That would be so nice. - Maybe next year. When I retire.

You'll have plenty of time.

You okay? - Went down the wrong way.

Need some water? - It just went down the wrong way.

I'm fine.

Where have you been? - Sorry.

Why did they come so suddenly?

No idea. - How long are they staying? - They didn't say.

I have no time. - You think we do?

Rudi, not now. - They have to go in the fridge.

Thanks, Pop. I've only been a vegetarian for six years!

We'll take them, we love them.

But aren't they for breakfast? - No, they have to be eaten soon.

Alright. We'll have them tonight.

You poor thing. We're taking your room away from you.

It's okay.

You don't really like them, do you? - Not really.

Thanks.

So. More sausage. - Thanks.

Want to go sightseeing tomorrow?

I'll drive you around, okay?

Show you the city. - Oh, yes.

Then we'll visit you for coffee.

Yeah. Great. - Mama wanted to see

some dance performance. - God! Do we all have to go?

A famous Butoh dancer from Japan is in town.

Butoh? What's that? - A modern Japanese dance form.

Got more beer? - Bring me one, too.

But I don't have to go. We can all do something together.

We'd love to go with you.

Mama... your cue.

Please!

Go on, Mama.

Mama, please. "The Mayfly".

Come on, Mama. For us.

"Stop! What you're doing is murder,

"Such cruelty is not a must, - "The Mayfly has but one short day,

"One single day of pain, One single day of lust,

"Oh, let it hover there Until it meets its end,

"Its heaven lasts forever, Its life one day to make amends."

Right, Mama?

Stop it!

Okay, it's set! - Look at the birdy! - Come on.

It's blinking. - Come on! - I'll go back here.

Everybody smile.

Say 'ant shit!'

Papa, you smile, too. - I am smiling.

That doesn't matter. - There.

Celine, why not... - She's not family. - Exactly. - Sunglasses off!

It's blinking.

Everybody look in the camera...

Any second now... - Yeah!

You're doing a great job. - A little more.

You're a good masseuse.

Where'd you learn that?

I don't know. From me.

From you? - Yes.

But I can't anymore. - Thank you.

Thank you.

That was great!

What a massage! - See? Now he feels great.

I forgot to offer your parents some.

Karl sends us them. - To me, too.

From Tokyo. - But I never touch mine.

I'd rather eat yours. - Nice of you.

They are good!

Oh, it just occurred to me

I have a meeting all day tomorrow.

You're a pain! - I don't believe it.

What now? - All you politicians do is sit on your butts!

You said you'd show them the city. - Sorry, I forgot.

I don't have time.

No way. I'm having them for coffee and cake. That's plenty.

They're staying with us.

They're driving me nuts already. - They just got here!

Yeah, I hate myself for it, but they drive me crazy.

I go whacko in seconds.

Oh God. And I killed a fly. - That was bad.

I know.

Thanks for your support. It was bad.

Yeah, "The Mayfly." And the only one they're interested in is Karl.

I said they're only interested in Karl.

It was always that way. - They never cared about what I do.

Or what I do?

"Look at Karl!

Isn't he cute?

Look what he made.

Isn't it nice the way he plays? Klaus, leave Karl alone. Go!"

Remember? "Karo!

Let Karli play ..." - Hey, sweetie. - Hey.

What's the matter? - I can't sleep!

They're not staying long. - And I want my room back!

It won't be for long, okay? - How long?

Forever!

Are you tired? - No, not really. - Neither am I.

I'm glad they're all doing well. - Yes.

Funny.

I can remember them so well as children,

but now...

I don't know who they are. - Disappointed in them?

I just don't know them anymore.

Well, they're all healthy.

You can't expect too much.

Happy at the Park

Careful!

I can't hold it.

Keep going!

How long are they staying? - No idea.

You have to look after them! - How? I don't have the time.

I like your parents. They're nice. - Sure, you don't know them.

We could get them tickets for the show in the Friedrichstadtpalast.

My mother hates revues.

She's really gotten old.

Wow.

Strange how people change, huh?

I wonder what we'll be like.

No idea.

We just won't get old.

What are they doing today?

I'm too busy...

Beats me...

What do we do with them?

No, no, no! - C'mon, please!

So now you're going to meow or what? I'm busy, too.

The upholsterer... - Please...

I have to go to the garage. No...

Please. - No!

Does that tickle?

Come on. She's here.

Now I'll show you our old apartment...

We lived up there on the third floor.

Right over the bar. Very practical.

And a disaster.

It wasn't renovated then. We heated with coal.

Oh man, okay! Alright already!

Yeah! And fuck you, too, asshole!

To your left, the golden dome of the synagogue.

Straight ahead,

our beautiful TV tower.

Wow, that must have cost... What cake!

We never bought cake at home, did we, Mama?

Thanks for today, Franzi. - We saw a lot of the city. Thanks.

Thanks.

Did you have a nice time? - Very nice.

Good beer. I don't drink much beer anymore.

Thank goodness.

Does Karl still drink?

How should I know?

Karl never drank very much.

Oh yes, he did. He drank like a fish for a while.

That's absolutely not true. - Nonsense. - Ridiculous!

Does he have a girlfriend in Tokyo?

Mama you call all the time. Ask him. "Still boozing? What about chicks?"

So, what'll we do now?

What would you like to do?

You must be ready for bed.

It's not even six! - We could cook something.

No, Franzi. You've done enough.

Let's go, Rudi.

Want us to drive you home? - No.

Let's take the S-Bahn.

A bit of big-city flair for us country bumpkins...

Right? - Take care.

Come here.

See you tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

We're going out.

Papa! Don't...

So long! - Bye!

Bye, Mama.

Come on.

Let's have some wine. - Yeah, let's drink something.

I'm awful...

Where do we have to go anyway? - Where?

Where's Berlin Center? Has to be in the center somewhere!

Give me the money. - What are we doing?

The train's leaving! Wouldn't you know it!

It won't go in.

How do we buy a ticket? - Try this.

It won't take it! It doesn't work!

That's Berlin for you! - Paper money maybe.

They're out of their minds. A machine but no tickets.

Wait. "Berlin AB", just like I said.

What now?

We need one more. - So now we have a single ticket!

Read what it says... - The two of us can't use one ticket!

Sorry, but you can't even pay here.

Am I supposed to walk?

Or you? Or do we just not pay? - Don't get upset. - I'm not upset.

I'm furious.

I think I want to go home.

- The kids don't have any time for us.

The Baltic isn't far.

When were we at the beach last? - The beach?

I can't remember either.

1987? With the kids? Or was that Lake Garda?

Lake Garda?

You want to go to the beach?

Yes, do you?

If you want to. - But what do you want?

I always do whatever you say

Heaven's where happiness is.

The beach isn't what it used to be either.

You old grouch. Aren't you cold?

You know what? - Slip in here.

What? - It's warm. Come on.

Tomorrow we'll get up early and take a long walk on the beach.

What? You want to take a walk?

Wonderful!

I'd like my ashes to be scattered at sea.

What makes you say that? - Don't you ever think about it?

Really? Well I do now and then. How much time we have left...

I guess you're right. One ought not to...

We've been lucky so far.

Assuming we

didn't have much time left, what would you like to do?

That old line! "Live every day as if it were your last." Crap!

What else should you do?

I wouldn't do anything differently. I'd go to work and come home to you.

I guess so.

Can't you sleep? - The surf is so loud.

And now that! - Come on, Rudi.

It's nice.

You are loony.

No! - Come on. - Hey...

What on earth are you doing? - You can't sleep anyway.

This is silly.

Dancing in the middle of the night!

Normal people are asleep.

What are you doing?

What's with you? - Nothing. Nothing at all.

What's wrong? Had enough?

Didn't you sleep well? - I didn't.

But you did. - Me? Not one second.

You slept like a log.

Let's go home.

We've seen Berlin, the Baltic, the children... Let's go home.

I thought you'd be happy to see your children.

I don't know them. They don't know me.

They're better than most.

Yes, but we're fortunate.

We have each other. That's real happiness.

What is it?

Nothing.

I just didn't sleep very well. - Whenever I woke up, you were asleep.

The sea's smooth as glass now. Can't seem to make up its mind.

Time to rise and shine! Get up, you lazybones!

Papa, Karl's here.

The sea is so calm.

Come on.

I can't stand her lying in that box in there.

I haven't seen her for so long and now I'll never see her again.

I should have visited her. Or at least flown her to Tokyo.

I never did anything for her.

Now there's nothing I can do.

We have to look after Papa now.

How am I supposed to do that? - I know...

We never went to the beach as kids. - Always the mountains.

We went to Italy once.

But not to the beach. - Lake Garda.

We took the Grossglockner pass, right? - And we all got carsick,

but Mama had plastic bags for us. - She was so full of life back then.

How old was she then? A little older than we are now?

She gave up most of her life for you kids and me.

She wouldn't have put it that way.

Want me to go with you? - No, no.

It's not right. It's not fair of her to just leave him with us

She didn't plan it. - I know.

Mama could have gotten along. But him? What do we do with him?

When are you flying back? - Tomorrow. From Berlin.

We have to get back, too. - So do we. The kids are at neighbors.

Who has the bag?

What bag? - The bag with her things. I'd like her kimono.

She used to wear it in the kitchen. - Right.

It's all over. You never think it will come.

If I had known

it would end so suddenly, I would have been nicer to her.

Nobody can know that.

Thank you all for being here. She'd have been very happy you came, Karl.

What are you going to do?

I'll have to get used to it.

Don't worry about me.

A little water... - You're welcome. - Thanks.

Can I get you anything else?

I'm sorry. I'd like a cappuccino.

Sorry.

My condolences. - Thank you.

This must be Karolin.

No, Karolin is in Berlin and our youngest is in Japan.

Ah yes. And Klaus?

An important meeting. - I see.

My sympathy.

She enjoyed the dancing most of all in Berlin. She said she'd never met

a nicer girl than you. - I'm not so nice. That's embarrassing.

She told me about how she'd wanted to dance,

to become a really good Butoh dancer.

How she wanted to go to Japan to study it...

And how differently everything turned out and it was a good life, but...

Don't think she wasn't happy!

She was... It's just...

Maybe there was another woman inside her who nobody saw...

I saw that person. That's all.

That's her?

That's Trudi? - I didn't like it. It was so...

I don't know...

It embarrassed me. I didn't want her to keep it up.

We kept her locked up.

No! She was happy here.

For sure!

I don't know.

So long.

All the best. - Thanks.

Have a good trip. - Okay!

Trudi, where are you?

Where?

Hi! - I thought you forgot me. - No. Sorry.

Couldn't make it earlier. Flight okay? - Fine.

Papa, come on.

You have to take your shoes off.

Oh yes, right...

Wait..

So...

There.

But I brought my own. - Okay.

It's not exactly big.

No.

Want something to drink? - I had a drink on the plane.

Mama always sent you this.

You can't get bread like this in Japan. And sausages.

Here, butter flavor.

And this one. - I have to get back to the office.

What exactly do you do? I never quite understood.

After five years you ask! I crunch numbers. Like you do with garbage fees.

I do what you do.

Look: Radio, air conditioner, TV.

See you this evening, okay?

I'll be back around six.

Wha...?

"My dear Karl, here's the second stanza:

Oh, let it hover there

Until it meets its end,

Its heaven lasts forever."

Want something different? - No, this is fine.

We'll do something nice tomorrow. I have to go out later.

Okay. - I'm sorry I have so little time.

This was all very sudden.

I don't want to get on your nerves. - Don't even say that!

Why...

...didn't you two ever visit me?

We thought we had time.

I kept her from what she wanted most.

I wish I could make it up to her, but I can't...

You can't do things for the dead.

Here's some yen. I'll pick you up later.

Don't move from here. I don't want you to get lost. Look...

I work over there. - Which building?

The black one. See you later.

Hey! Where were you? Are you crazy?

I was so worried. I thought I'd lost you for good.

Unbelievable!

I couldn't read the doorbells. - Who told you to go anywhere?

You can't read anything here.

I told you to stay put. Do you know how big this city is,

and how easy it is to get lost?

Hi, Papa. - Hi.

How was your day? - Okay.

Didn't you go out? - No.

Know how my mobile works?

Look.

Here.

Just one button. - I saw it. Your picture. - Right.

Look. That's my phone number.

Did you eat anything? - Yes.

No, you didn't.

I don't understand where Trudi is.

Where her body is.

My memories of her are in my body, but when I'm gone, where will she be?

I'm grieving for Mama, too.

Really.

But... - Don't say "life goes on".

Please.

Cherry blossoms,

the most beautiful symbol of impermanence.

They appear overnight, stay for a few days,

and then they're gone.

You can't hold on to them.

Hanami.

This is my Papa!

Nice, huh Papa?

Cheers!

Don't...

Don't treat me like a child. - It's bedtime.

This will be the first time you've ever put me to bed!

You of all people! Hilarious! - How can anyone get so loaded?

We always have to look after you! You have to be the center of attention!

"Look after Papa." - Give me your arm. - "Your poor Papa."

"Leave your father alone! He's tired!"

"Works his ass off in the office!"

That's enough. - You hid in your office your whole life!

You never even really knew Mama! You have no idea who she was!

No idea, you old fool, you!

Go back to your garbage trucks. That's where you belong.

And don't forget to recycle!

So...

I have to go.

Wait... here.

Stop. Your apple.

Bye. - So long.

What is this?

Metal.

Plastic. Plastic. Metal.

So, Trudi, this is for you.

What are you doing in the dark?

Nothing.

What did you do today?

Nothing special.

You can't just do nothing all day.

I have a lot to do.

I remember. I think about your mother.

Show her Tokyo.

Ah, so...

What about a sightseeing tour?

How far is it to Mount Fuji?

About two hours.

Ah, so - I'd take you if I had time,

but people here work weekends, too.

Always.

Did you know that 'ah so' in Japanese is 'ah so'?

No. Listen to me.

No. Yes!

He's not here for a change. He's driving me crazy.

He sits around all day. I don't know what to do with him.

He's been on every sightseeing tour in town. I don't have the time for him.

I'm sorry, but he's really getting on my nerves.

And he's behaving so strangely.

Did you know he brought all his money?

And he brought Mama's clothes, too. Really.

I don't know, but I think he needs therapy.

He can't cope.

Yes, but I can't cope either. You'll have to take him.

Or Klaus.

No but now it's your turn.

How long have you been there?

Just let me just stay here with you a little longer, please.

Sure.

Of course.

I'm sorry.

Cabbage.

White cabbage.

So long!

Yes!

Easy!

How did she do it?

The leaves...

Mama's recipe. - I have to go out.

Just one.

Thanks.

That's two. - Yes.

Thanks.

Enjoy. - Thanks.

I miss Mama so much!

After running as far away as I could

so I wouldn't be so dependent on her!

And where did I go?

To the place she always wanted to go.

And now she never even saw it.

There are no flies here.

What? - Flies.

I haven't seen a single fly here.

You're right.

In a cage.

Papa, you don't understand.

I work all day in a tiny office. When I get home, I need my space.

She's practically a child!

No one her age has to live like that here.

It's her choice. - Nobody chooses that.

Believe me.

She wants to. - You're like a different person.

When did you become so callous? How did that happen?

...like raspberry ice cream...

We're here.

Take off. - Oh, yes.

I have to go to dinner like this?

Still nothing.

'Hendl' in German.

My condolences.

We're orphans, in less than 6 months. - It's like a dream.

I can't even believe I'm here. - What you told us is so off the wall.

It doesn't sound like Papa.

He couldn't take Mama's death. - In a hotel.

With an 18-year-old girl. - In women's clothes. - In Mama's clothes.

Terrible.

Maybe at the end he was happy.

Translation Chris Doherty