Original subtitles

[Ethereal melody; Soothing, bell-like percussion]

[Delicate violin plucking]

[Sustained, warm violin tone joins]

[Music fades]

Ad Vitam Films and Social Animals present

A tale written and directed by Alice Rohrwacher and JR

Based on "CHIROPTERA" by JR, Damien Jalet and Thomas Bangalter

AN URBAN ALLEGORY

[Rhythmic percussion]

[Electronic, dissonant melody joins]

[Music continues]

[GPS, female voice] Head east and prepare to turn from the right lane.

Keep left.

Continue keeping left.

[Music stops]

[Child] The story of the cave and the child

started like this one winter morning when he had a fever.

[GPS] Turn around and continue...

[Woman] Where's this thing sending me?

[GPS] Continue the itinerary.

Continue toward the northwest.

[Woman] Come, Jay.

No, the nanny's not available.

No, school called. He has a fever. I'm taking him with me.

You already left?

You could've told me.

Whatever. Drive safely, happy birthday, have fun.

- Mommy, can we slow down? - Sweetie, we're already super late.

The medicine will kick in soon. You'll see.

[Jay] Can't Daddy come get me?

[Mother, annoyed] Oh!

Has Daddy already left?

[Horn honks]

Mommy?

- When can I give him his present? - Not now, sweetie!

[Music resumes]

[Mother] Wait here, Jay. Just a sec.

Excuse me, sir? Where's the theater?

[Man] The theater?

[Mother] Isn't there a theater around here?

- [Man] Don't you have GPS? - [Mother] Ok, thanks.

[Mother] Come on.

- [Rattling] - [Mother] Hey, easy!

[Mother] Jeez!

[Mother gasps] Oh, no!

I'm so sorry, sweetie!

- You'll make a prettier one. - It was already very pretty.

Yes, I know. That's true.

Let's say goodbye and put it in the trash?

No, don't cry! Please, don't cry.

Give it a kiss goodbye.

[Train screeches by]

- Hey! There's a line! - Sorry, it's an emergency. I swear.

- So rude! - [Mother] Sorry, excuse us.

[Man speaks in distance] Who the hell asked them to wear tutus?

This is ridiculous!

Were you asked to wear one?

They’re all wearing one!

No, I can't. It's a contemporary piece. It's not Swan Lake !

- Excuse me. - Hold on. What?

Sorry, I'm late. Can I sign up here?

Sign-ups are over. Sorry.

[He continues] Yes. I need to know who...

Sir, please hear me out.

The school called, my son has a fever.

Nanny's booked, Daddy's on vacation.

- [Man] You should've come earlier. - [Mother] I couldn't.

[Man] Not my problem.

What do I tell the director? Fix it.

- Please! - I'll call you back.

[Mother] You can't leave us like this. Please.

[Jay sneezes]

[Mother] Cover your mouth, please.

Thank you.

See? Poor thing.

Please let me speak with him. I just need a second. I promise.

[Man] Ok.

Cover his face and make it quick.

At least you're not wearing a tutu.

There he is.

Stéphane, that tutu!

[Faint chatter]

[Tense music]

What are those handprints?

[Man] They're all symmetrical, like children's drawings.

[Whirring, in distance]

Excuse me.

[Woman] Keep your eyes closed, please.

- Yes? - [Man] He's listening.

I apologize, I'm very late.

I had a family situation.

[Mother] I need this audition.

- [Woman] Is that better? - [Man seating] Thank you.

- [Mother] It's very important. - [Man seating] Important?

- [Grey-haired man] What's important? - [Mother] Dancing.

[Music builds]

[Grey-haired man] Know what it talks about?

There is no talking. It's a ballet.

- [Music stops] - Plato.

The allegory of the cave.

Do you know it?

[Grey-haired man] You can't answer.

I see.

From birth we are chained, all of us, inside a cave.

And our heads...

can't move.

We can't look away.

We can only look straight ahead.

And straight ahead is the wall at the back of the cave.

On that wall, we see shadows.

And those shadows...

are more powerful than our eyes.

Do you know...

what happens to those who try to flee the cave?

[Mother] No, I'm sorry, but...

- [Metal bangs] - [Worker 1] Excuse me!

- [Worker 2] Are there enough handprints? - [Worker 3] More than enough...

[Chatter continues]

[Jay sneezes]

- [Grey-haired man] What's he doing here? - [Man] Careful, he's sick.

No, it's just a slight fever. Nothing serious.

[Man] And no one can babysit.

The dad's away, the grandparents live in the South...

Kiddo, do you know what happens to those who try to flee the cave?

[Grey-haired man] Come here.

Over here.

[Woman whispers] Careful, he may have a virus!

I'll tell you.

Listen.

- [He whispers, unintelligible] - [Soft, intriguing music]

- [Man] Does she get a number? - [Grey-haired man] Yes, thank you.

[Mother] Thank you.

[Jay, voice over] Thought is like a rolling stone:

Once pushed down the slope, it can no longer stop.

[Music continues]

The allegory of the cave says that images of reality are an illusion.

[Faint chatter; Music continues]

But the people in chains don't realize it.

Their eyes are devoured by images.

[High-pitched deep note]

[High-pitched deep note]

The allegory asks a question:

What would happen if one of the prisoners

were able to free himself from his chains

turn around...

and see the cave's exit?

[High-pitched deep note]

[Beeping note, music stops]

[Dissonant, eerie notes reverberate]

[Dissonant, intense music]

- [Music fades] - [Dancers chatter]

[Man claps twice] Ok, girls! You're on now.

Chop chop!

[All rustling]

[Distant church bells ring]

[Jay, voice over] The fugitive has left the cave.

At first, he sees nothing.

His eyes aren't used to the light.

Little by little, his eyes adjust.

He sees that all the images he saw before were only shadows.

[Rhythmic percussion starts]

POST NO BILLS

[Percussion rhythm accelerates]

[Percussion stops, soft instrumental music rises]

[Jay, voice over] Unbelievable!

He marvels at the discovery.

But, unfortunately, he is alone.

What can he do?

You can't free yourself alone.

[Paper tearing]

[Music swells]

[Tearing continues]

[Music continues]

He would like to go back inside the cave

to tell the other prisoners what he's discovered

free them all and organize a revolution

a party!

- But... - [Music stops]

But would they believe him?

[Horns honk]

- [Honking continues] - [Plucking, uptempo music]

[Dissonant, high-pitched notes join]

[Siren wails]

[Music continues]

[Horns honk insistently]

[Passer-by] You're not going! Wait!

[Woman] I'm filing a complaint at the police station!

Paws off my project!

[Jay, voice over] No, they wouldn't believe him.

[Music stops; Traffic hum]

They would call him crazy.

They would mock him for having eyes that see what's not there.

According to the allegory, it's an unavoidable future.

[Dissonant music]

[Rhythmic percussion joins]

[No audible dialogue]

Jay!

Jay!

[Music fades]

Jay.

Sweetheart, I was so scared!

- You ok? - Yes.

Look!

[Intense, emotional music]

[Jay] What if the others believed him?

What if they all broke their chains together

and turned toward the cave's exit?

[Music continues]

Maybe it's not enough to say that images are illusions

since the chains are real.

[Music takes a grave turn]

AN URBAN ALLEGORY

[Music continues]