Original subtitles

It happened in a country that no longer exists

except in books, films, and memories

of those born before 1995...

When the phone rang it was Friday,

10:36 in the morning, in 1992

the country of X was still a country.

Hello

Is that Vanja?

No, it’s Lana.

Good morning Lana,

is your mother home?

No.

And your dad?

Him neither, I’m alone.

Ok...

Please tell your mother that her father,

your grandfather...

died.

Heart attack, you understand?

Yes.

Suddenly she was the bearer of important news,

bad news.

That moment,

the immediacy of the phone call

lasted for days, weeks, months even,

as if suspended in time,

everything else revolved around that suspended moment.

The call caught her laying on the bed in her parents’ tiny bedroom.

She liked the TV in their room because it was small, her size.

It had a VHS deck attached to it, for the porn tapes her father hid under the bed.

At this morning hour, there was nothing interesting to watch

except Channel 3, a local production of Carmen...

just enough unbelievable drama to keep her entertained.

In her young mind, it was the call that started the war.

The call was the last memory of that life she could recall in detail.

Her father would always drive fast, but today’s velocity was especially necessary.

All the airports already shut down, although

Lana had no way of telling if she would prefer to fly.

...the program about the participants from war zones

that arrived to classrooms all over the country

and the important life discipline of learning.

The national Red Cross organisation

and the update from the frontlines...

Her sister was next to her but didn’t feel nauseous or vomit.

They sped into a grey city,

so grey she remembers nothing else except, that its name was Sofia.

She might have learnt his full name then, today she only remembers him as Popović.

When the phone rang it was a Friday,

10:36 in the morning, in 1992.

This country still existed.

There was a palpable tension in the everyday.

Although she was only eleven, Lana could assess the pressure in the air.

Something strange was brewing, approaching.

Vlada, who was in her sister’s class,

lived two floors down,

and was always sniffing glue.

Over time,

he developed a slight limp

which gave him a particular character.

Lana’s parents start carrying weapons.

Sun Inc., how can I help you?

Hold for a moment, please.

He says his name is The One Who Barks, he wants to speak to you.

Good afternoon Mr.

you have two daughters,

Lana and Vanja,

age eleven and thirteen.

Every day they walk to school “Ivo Lola Ribar”

They walk across the boulevard,

by the mechanic school and the cemetery,

they like to stop for burek at Bora’s too.

...empty stores are a sign that inflation

has spread across all commerce

on the inflation list are basic items

salt, flour, sugar

and also pasta

all items are 30 - 60% more expensive

bread is becoming a luxury item

and oil is nowhere to be found...

most households can’t afford meat

because the prices are astronomical

which is also true of dairy products

Hello,

he’s currently in a meeting, thank you

The One Who Barks is the head of the local extortion ring.

At this moment in time mafia started to sprout all over the country.

In exchange for the threatening information, the Barking One wants money.

He grants S a generous five days to make it happen.

Let’s go.

everything at the market has become a luxury item

from fruit to vegetables...

They sped off to the capital.

This 75km ride takes an hour, but today, with her father’s notorious velocity

they make it in 40 minutes.

Her grandfather was a high ranking colonel, recently retired.

His second wife, two heads shorter than him,

had a permanent stash of chocolate covered banana marshmallows.

The story Lana is later told mentions her father disappearing into the mafia’s lair,

it mentions rare weapons and deals made on mutual respect.

It mentions S spending a night in jail after police find weapons in his trunk.

Lana enjoyed that story. It contained just enough unbelievable drama,

that she attributed to her father’s exaggerated notion of his own bravery.

When the phone rang it was Friday,

10:36 in the morning, 1992.

Hey little darling,

kick out the pestering thoughts

from your pretty crazy little head

don't be a child

put on your slippers, pass me a cushion

hug me tenderly and act normal

make me a coffee, make me a sandwich

be a good host and please me

Hey little darling,

let go of those dolls

that chase after you and

and eternally bore you

don’t be a child

buy me dresses,

silver necklaces,

red raspberries and

a ticket to America

we know each other almost ten days

give me your car and apartment keys

Hey, the day smells of fresh milk

birds are singing extremely loud

wind sways the morning,

touch my knees, I’d really love that

Hey, blue sky rushes into the room

a yellow butterfly caresses my neck

wind sways the morning,

touch my knees, I’d really love that

Hey little darling,

kick out the pestering thoughts

from your pretty crazy blond little head

don't be a child

put on your slippers, pass me a cushion

hug me tenderly and act normal

make me a coffee, make me a sandwich

be a good host and please me

Hey, the day smells of fresh milk

birds are singing extremely loud

wind sways the morning,

touch my knees

I’d really love that

Hey, blue sky rushes into the room

a yellow butterfly caresses my neck

Hello.

It’s Siniša,

Panda video club, downstairs

the tapes are late,

if you don’t return them today, you’ll be fined.

Good afternoon...

Greetings...

Great!

Let’s see...

you need to rewind them!

and slide them in the right way...

right...

I didn’t think I’d see this one again!

Ok, all good.

When the phone rang that day, Lana mistakenly returned the porn tapes.

Even though Siniša noticed, she hoped no one else would.

The evenings were moist with an expectation that couldn’t escape the present.

The air was fortified with a disguised eeriness.

Something is here.

These young minds could only point to Nostradamus.

He predicted this moment, it was said.

Doom was written for right now.

Everything pulsed with that beat.

Lana is the only one who won’t get into trouble for attempting to buy cigarettes.

So before heading home, she buys a pack for the rest.

Good evening, two packs of Drina, please.

These family meetings started commencing when Vanja and Lana became “adults”

an event marked by the arrival of their menstruation.

In their father’s mind,

this milestone marked a sufficient maturity level required for serious conversations.

The topic of this evening’s conversation was imminent departure.

When the phone rang it was a Friday.

Olja, are you listening?

I’m listening...

Classical piano was all she was taught, and the repertoire included the usual:

Fur Elise, Funeral March, Moonlight Sonata.

In this way she could quiet the outside noise and with it the outside world too.

In that world, things were changing rapidly

with each day, more deterioration.

On this day, there is no more gas in the country.

It has to be smuggled through Hungary,

and the people who drive are those who can afford the wild prices.

On another day,

Vlada from the third floor, will die of a heroin overdose.

His parents will claim it was a heart attack.

There is talk of airports shutting down.

Lana had no way of knowing this would be the last time she plays for Olja.

Test, test,

one, two, three...

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the show...

our guest this evening

is world famous pianist Lana...

Hello.

I’m coming home,

stay in your room until I get there.

She knew what follows: he’ll come home, give her money

to go to her favorite store, buy whatever she wants.

It is of no concern whether it’s dark, raining or snowing,

when she returns, she is to go directly to her room.

Here you go.

Thank you, goodbye.

(come on, come down)

I’m coming!

You’re locked out again?

Who are we going to follow today?

Walk in front of me Leo!

In front of me.

What floor are you going to?

Fourth.

- Us too. - All together then.

Go ahead, Leo dear...

(Bojović)

Are you kids coming in?

Yes, yes, we are.

This one?

Sure...

I think it’s enough for today,

plus, I have to go home.

See you later...

See you.

When she put the phone down,

she felt betrayed.

When it’s time to pack,

no one asks what she wants to take with her.

When it is time to leave,

no one said there would be no return.

When it’s time to go, a small part of Lana is relieved that

at the very least she wouldn’t be reduced to these infantile games again.

When the phone rang, it was 10:36...

At this point, she hardly speaks any English

but soon she will mimic all the lyrics to the soundtrack of Hair.

Hair will remain her favorite film for years to come.

Hello.

Lana, come pick me up earlier

I have something to show you.

So we get to school on time.

Ok, got it.

This head of unruly curly hair

in which sat two big round eyes,

is the image that survived as the memory of Mirjana.

When the phone rang it was Friday,

and this country still existed.

...the start of war brought daily troubles and pressure

bomb explosions, attacks, shootings, murders

the darkest events have become part of social reality

people have become aggressive, acquired weapons

instead of agreements and understanding,

they started communicating with bullets

the police forms intervention patrols...

Once upon a time,

Duška’s tone was authoritative,

but these days it transformed into a song-like lament.

My little soul,

it’s grandma,

I’m calling to say goodbye…

my little sunshine...

Hi grandma,

We’ll see each other soon, my darling,

Yes, ok.

you’ll come visit your grandma.

Be in touch.

The only way to disentangle from the call's heaviness was to swiftly end it.

When she goes to sleep that night,

Lana dreams a dream that

would follow her for decades.

When the phone rang...

The phone lines to other parts of the country slowly cut off.

Family members in those parts are suddenly muted.

Getting through requires a determined effort of consistent redialing

and that could take days.

The embargo that envelops the country creates an environment of scarcity, want.

Outside, sneakers are taken off in minutes

under the threat of a knife or a gun.

Hooligans, it’s said.

Vlada walked the fine line between “hooligan” and “civilian” world.

With him in her life,

Lana feels a comfortable immunity from any misfortunes.

To Lana, Vlada seems utterly unafraid.

He frequently jumps the train to the capital without any purpose or destination.

He hangs out with the anarchists

and has no regard for death, even his own.

At times she wonders if he’s responsible for the dead cats draped over trees, bushes

Get in.

The lights come on

and the wish in you is bursting

there're some demons

still hiding in your sleeve,

every fingernail

hides the venom of love

you are all my pain

you are all my pain

you are all my pain

you are all my pain

you are all

my

pain

You interrogate oblivion

Tearing the alibi

You choose your role

like an evening gown...

in passing, the night’s scent touches me and says

Wake up, start up,

Wake up, start up!

You are all my pain!

You are all my pain!

Now we’re talking!

It’s for you.

Hello.

Come upstairs Lana, it’s time to go.

The phone rang...

Hello.

Hey...

are you ready?

come down in five minutes.

I’m coming.

Is he any good?

The best in town.

Mum said we can do whatever, she’ll pay later.

What are you going to do?

I’m going to shave my sides,

I might even make a crest.

I’ll just trim the ends, that’s all.

He destroyed us...

we have to fix this somehow.

I kind of like it!

He ruined us.

Let’s go.

Lana’s grandfather vanished,

and soon there was talk of leaving.

It’s not communicated what the final destination will be,

but it’s clear that all these places will need to be abandoned,

including Ivo Lola Ribar secondary school

on Kraljevica Marka Street number 2а.

Although everyone in this country, including children, is taught not to cry

she is sad.

Sad for Lana, sad for herself, sad for us all.

Andrijana seems the most upset to see Lana go.

When do you go?

Today.

Today?

Don’t open it until you get there.

Okay.

Andrijana utters a few deeply penetrating words which

here, now, years later,

arrive only as an unidentifiable murmur.

Perhaps this moment,

is the first time they both felt love.

And now, it’s time to leave.

When the phone rang,

Lana was already so far away,

outside of everything, using words she didn’t understand.

At that point,

Vlada, Olja, Mirjana, Uncle Ilija, Nemanja,

Snežana, Jova, Slavica, Andrijana, Grandad Milovan,

Grandma Duška, Danica...

Aunt Svetlana, all disappeared...

eventually her father disappeared,

her mother,

and sister too...

When she put the phone down,

she was alone.

She was told she cried a lot at this time,

but I,

I don’t remember any of it.