Original subtitles

Hi, it's either the end of January or the beginning of February.

I can't be more precise because I'm out of town,

and I will be until the end of the month.

If you need to get a hold of me, you can call the studio at...

Hello, accept the charges from who?

...55, uh, and...

I can't hear you.

Can you speak louder?

Louder.

Thanks for calling.

Hello?

Yes, yes.

He says the location is really great,

but the story behind it is really sad.

Mm-hmm.

Apparently, 40 virgins came here in order to spread christianism.

Shorgha, Ribsinee and, uh, Kayanee...

Gayanee were really beautiful women.

And Durta the king fell in love with Ribsinee.

So he wanted to court her, and, you know,

have an affair with her.

Excuse me just one second. Is your camera going?

My camera?

- Yeah, the, the video. - No.

Want to check? I think it's still on.

Yeah.

You know, it's ridiculous.

We only brought so many batteries with us,

- and it's just going to do - - It's just a few seconds.

No, it's not a few seconds. It's the third time you've done that.

Do you want to hear the story -

I would prefer, first of all, if you let me

do the videotaping, you know. I mean...

Ok. I want to use it too. I told you.

I mean, you're taking the photographs.

Let me do the video, ok?

- Ok, ok, ok. - It'll be fine.

Wow, look at this corner. That's really interesting.

Apparently, um, they built it and then they realized

it was really very harsh as a corner, as a structure,

so they made a sculpture out of it.

Are you talking about this section here?

Yeah...

Hi, are you there?

Hello?

Well, I finally received the calendar.

It turned out really great.

But I'm very upset though.

You just sent it without a letter or anything.

I really want to know what's going on in your mind.

We've known each other too long to play these games.

We've loved each for too long.

It's very mean to send me something that, I don't know,

something that meant so much to both of us,

without letting me know how you feel about it.

I know, you must be so angry,

but I try not to be cruel to you.

Why are you being so cruel to me?

Just share with me whatever there is to share.

Please...

Please, write to me.

I do miss you.

May I use your phone?

Yeah, um, it's just on top of the water cooler.

He says, he says it's a wonderful idea

that you're making pictures of the churches.

Oh, because apparently, the churches are supposed to be

completely in relation with their, uh...

Oh, actually, the spot is- has something to do

with the actual, uh, importance of that,

of that place, so it had to be in a particular landscape,

but regardless of, uh, if it's beautiful or not,

it was more based on where the actual energy of that place is.

So is there a specific energy associated to this place

that we're seeing now, or that I'm looking at?

what's he saying?

Oh, apparently, uh, like, before actually building

the church or the complex, whatever,

they would bring in people who had specific-

like actual ability to sense the energy,

and they would sort of show or specify

where that particular spot of energy is.

So they would locate it and then-

So I guess he must place a lot of importance as to where I put

my camera right now to take this image or something.

I can ask him. Do you want me to ask him that?

Well, yeah.

Nothing is accidental...

He says if you have put your camera in this place,

it's really not accidental.

I hope not.

Because he says that the link between heaven, the skies

and the church is a very strong, specific kind of relation.

So it has nothing to do with chance.

Well, speaking of chance, you know what?

The light is really perfect for me right now.

Could you just move out of the frame,

that way, and, so I can just take the picture.

No, the light, the sun. so, yeah...

I got it, ok.

This way?

It's april 24th. I'm working in the darkroom all day.

Please leave a message at the sound of the tone. Thanks.

Do you have a phone I could use?

Yeah, sure. It's just on top of the water cooler.

Thanks.

It's a dwelling dating from the 13th century.

At the same time as the church.

Does this mean anything to you?

The things he said?

no, the history behind the things he's saying.

Well, they're, they're interesting stories.

Just interesting?

I guess.

What does it mean when you hear me tell you his stories?

What does it mean?

Yeah, it's practical, right?

What's practical?

My services as a translator.

I guess.

They started the construction in 1213.

He finds it very special as architecture.

Why?

- Should I ask him? - Yeah.

A very special solution.

A very special solution to what?

To the typical... The architecture, I guess.

You guess, I mean... I want specific answers.

He has told the story apparently,

But I wasn't listening obviously, so I wasn't translating.

- So is he upset? - I don't know.

Why don't you ask him?

13th century, probably built at the same time as the church.

The village was built at the same time as the church.

It was built on the image of Mamahatu,

but I don't think Mamahatu would have looked anything like this.

But I guess it's under her auspices that it was built.

I'm not sure - Do you want me to find out

What does he mean by the image of Mamahatu?

- I've no idea who Mamahatu was... - obviously it's a woman.

Mother of Chatum. the wife of Bache- Bache.

A prince from the times of the...

Who were?

- Hmm? - Who were?

It was kind of dynasty.

Have you received my letters?

Have you received my messages?

Are you receiving this message?

Why aren't you answering?

Don't you feel like letting me know what you're feeling?

Why aren't you writing?

Yes, I've received all your letters.

Yes, I've listened to all your messages.

And yes, I feel I can now begin to write to you.

It's May 23rd

and I've been in the darkroom all day.

So finally I get to his office,

and, uh, I go into his room.

and he looks at me, at all strange places,

makes me sit down and then goes,

"Well, I have an audition script for you."

I'm really excited at this point.

And then he gets up, comes next to my chair and says,

"How willing are you to go, you know, do different things?"

And I'm really in a fix what to say to this man.

And, uh, finally, I start doing the stuff,

and he's just telling me, he's narrating the script to me

and saying, "You're meeting your long-lost lover"

after seven years, and you're locking this..."

Um, excuse me, do you know where the phone is?

Yeah, um- just on top of the water cooler.

What can you tell me about these, the facades here?

It's mamyk who did also the decortion.

And what you're seeing is jesus, uh...

Uh, wait, where am I seeing that?

Right here.

Could you ask him to move for a second?

This is Jesus and that's- one of them is Peter and Paul.

So that's Jesus and Peter and Paul on the side.

I positioned myself by the entrance

and pointed my camera at the two of you,

waiting to see how long it would take you

to notice me standing there.

2 minutes and 54 seconds.

I tried to convince myself that it might take that long

for someone to notice their loved one

waiting a few yards away.

2 minutes and 54 seconds.

He says he was watching how hard you were trying to come up

on these rocks and try to settle your camera.

Well, I'm trying to find the right composition.

He understands.

He says you seem to be interested in what you're seeing.

You're asking a lot of questions.

Well, I guess that's part of why we're here.

Don't you feel the need

to come closer?

Feel, like actually touch and feel...

Touch and feel the churches?

...realize how it's made, constructed?

To touch and feel the churches?

Yeah.

Um, hasn't occurred to me.

- Hasn't occurred to you? - No.

You didn't feel yet-

Would he like to caress them or something?

No, you know what he means.

Well, no, I don't really.

He says, if you had seen someone else's photograph

of these places, you would have wondered, like,

what it must be inside, what it would look like inside-

No, I mean, I'd just

think that they were very, very beautiful places.

And I'd think that they were

very, very well composed

and beautifully lit

and very seductive.

Is that what he wants to hear?

Mm.

Hi, it's Julia.

I'm just calling to say that Eva cannot speak turkish.

Will Macedonian be all right? please let me know.

Would you excuse me for a moment so that I could use the phone?

Oh, sure. Just over there.

"She's the girl all dressed in blue

I'll let you know just what to do

shakin' those hips, she movin' a thigh

she got the motion and a look in her eye, yeah

she's a rocker

she's a roller

how shocking, baby

I want to rock and roll her"

Arsinee.

He's wondering why you're taking a picture of a place.

It was on a list of the things I had to photogrph-

- It's not a church. - What do you mean?

It's just not a church.

It's a pagan temple.

- A what? - A pagan temple, temple.

It looks like a bank.

What do you mean, "a pagan temple"?

Well, he says it's a temple.

Before he keeps talking,

is it possible that we make clear as to whether

or not he sees himself as the guide or just a driver?

Because I just sort of have this impression-

What do you mean?

He keeps telling stories, and they're great, but-

Yeah, so?

I just don't really know whether or not

he's expecting at the end of this

that he's going to get something extra.

What are you talking about? - I don't know if he'll expect

more money or something like that.

Uh...more money?

It's just that... I want to clarify things.

I just find that, uh, you know...

- I want to clarify the situation. - What? Clarify what situation?

The guy is explaining that the place has a history.

He knows that history. He's not asking for anything more.

Ok, that's fine. tell him I'm sorry.

I didn't mean it that way. Just tell him I'm sorry.

I mean it's...right?

It's not a question of money or something.

It's fine. I shouldn't have brought it up.

You don't want him to- It's ok, it's ok.

You moved towards him like

a beaten and punished animal begging for forgiveness.

Forgiveness of what? Who is he to forgive you?

"See the girl with the diamond ring

there wasn't a man...

...she can do it fast

she can do it slow

and they all play along, but you want to go

she's a rocker

she's a roller..."

Hi, it's Julia. It's July 13th.

I just have a couple of questions about your account.

Please give me a call.

So, what do you do exactly?

I'm an oriental dancer.

Oh.

- That's funny? - No, I just, uh-

The, um, the first woman I actually touched

was an oriental dancer.

Um, well, I mean it was this, it was this-

My father had taken me, for my birthday, to this restaurant.

He owns a greek restaurant, and there were some of his friends there.

And at a certain point, he gave me a $2 bill,

and he said, "Just put this ln her waistband."

So I went...Waited till the dancer came to the table,

and, um, took the bill, and I opened up her, you know,

kind of pulled back her waistband.

And she wasn't really wearing anything underneath, I remember.

It was actually kind of odd.

And kind of put the $2 bill in and kind of... lingered there.

I don't know, I mean it's...

It just left an impression on me, I guess.

I hate when people touch me when I dance.

I find it very intrusive.

And I think if they want to give me money,

they should come shower in on my head.

It's a compliment.

- Showering it on your head? - Sure.

That's what you do for a singer or a musician.

I don't necessarily shower money on a singer's head.

But, I mean...

I mean, I guess it was just something that happened.

Excuse me- can I make a phone call?

Yeah, it's just on top of the water cooler.

Thanks.

What can he tell us about this place?

He wants to know if you know

anything about this place at all.

Um, well, if I did, I wouldn't have just asked him

what he could tell me about it.

He says that he doesn't normally like giving out information

about this place when he comes here.

It's all a matter of watching it and letting

your eyes discover what's out there.

Uh, I guess that's what we're in the process of doing, right?

Yeah, yes.

You can thank him for his help, though.

- Huh? - You can thank him for his help.

He wants to know if it wasn't an important thing

to do some research about the place before coming here.

He's telling me I should have done research?

Well, he wants to know if there wasn't any need for it.

Oh, um, well, I mean, I am just doing this as a job, right?

I mean, it wasn't my idea.

The organization, I guess, must have done research

before they gave me the list of places they wanted photographed.

What's he asking?

He says if you didn't have the calendar project

proposed to you, you would have never come to Armenia.

Does that bother him or is that an issue?

I don't know.

Well, I don't...See- No, I wouldn't have, probably.

You wouldn't have come to Armenia?

Well, no, I mean, not if I didn't have

a specific reason to come here, no.

How can you be so passive?

How can you ask me to respond to these questions

when you know all the answers?

How can you pretend that my responses are a surprise to you?

Why can't you refer to our history of each other?

Why can't you tell him what you know I would think?

You make me feel like a stranger.

You make me believe that my answers are disappointing you,

that I'm disappointing you.

You leave me stranded, alone to defend myself...

alone to convince you of so many things

you must already know.

or have you forgotten?

has this place made you forget our history?

Has this place that you've dreamed of

made you forget all of our dreams?

We're both from here.

Yet being here has made me from somewhere else.

He says, probably the calendar project was just a-

catalyser of something. otherwise, you would've just-

A catalyser, what like a catalyst?

Yeah, that's what I mean, a catalyst.

Well, I guess. I mean...

Otherwise you would've just done

any other research about any other topic.

I guess, yes.

Hi, it's Julia.

I just realized that Sarah speaks three languages.

And it occurred to me that you might like her

to come with three different changes of clothing.

Please let me know.

She's beautiful.

Yeah, she is.

How old is she?

Uh... I guess she'd be 8.

- She looks older there. - Yeah, yeah.

How much does she cost you?

It just went up. It was $28 a month, and now it's about $30.

What do you get? You get a picture- what else?

They send a picture, I've got a videotape, yeah.

And, no it's...

It's nice. It makes you- I don't know...

I like it.

It's funny because I sort of- I wrote a letter.

- She answered? - Yeah.

Do you have children?

Oh, yeah. I've got two.

How much do they cost you a month?

I have no idea.

It's a ridiculous question.

You don't think about those things.

But if you had to ball-park it...

I have no idea.

Do you want children?

I don't know. It's...

Do you mind if I make a phone call?

Uh, the phone is just on the water cooler.

What are you talking about?

- Children. - Children?

What does he have to say about children?

He says if we had children, we would have better reason

to come and salvage ourselves in Armenia.

He thinks that if we had children, we would come to live in Armenia.

What's he saying now?

Probably it would've been the best thing for the child

to live in his ancestors' land.

- And, do you think that? - Me?

Well, you know what I think.

Which is what?

What are you saying?

I'm saying exactly what we've been always saying to each other

that it's a big problem for me to have a child, I don't know,

which culture could be best for him, or for her.

Dear Lucine,

How are you?

I miss you very much.

And I think about you all the time.

I showed your picture to a very nice lady today,

who told me how pretty she thought you were.

I hope your english lessons are going well.

It's my dream that one day, we'll be able to speak to each other.

You can come and visit me,

and stay as long as you like.

I like to have guests.

Now I have a question to ask you.

Do you ever see my wife?

I gave her your address.

And she promised she'd come and visit you.

Does she come alone?

Does she bring a man with her?

Does he have a mustache?

What does she call him?

A friend,

a boyfriend.

Please let me know what she calls him.

You must promise that you'll never tell my wife

that I'm asking you to do this.

It must remain our little secret.

A secret between Lucine and her loving foster daddy.

He says perhaps this spot is really nice

but he's not really sure about something.

He says every time he comes here, he has the feeling

that he knows so much about this place, but...

He realizes also every time that he actually doesn't know much.

He says perhaps you didn't really need him

to be around because you could've found the right spot

and make perfect images

for people to look and appreciate anyhow.

He says that he feels that he has actually,

really, uh, become very..

insignificant man to compare to the rocks and the stones

and their history and the people who made that history.

He says, don't pay attention. he's saying...dumb things.

He says, why would that interest you, anyhow?

The things that he is saying.

He doesn't know why he's really telling you those things.

He says everything is fine. don't worry.

What are they saying?

How much longer are you going to be?

It's hard to say. The light is really kind of flat right now.

And the sun should be- about an hour, I guess.

So, do you want to come along with us?

We're taking just a walk.

- A walk? To where? - Yeah. I don't know.

I guess, around.

Um...well, no, I better stay here.

I mean, the camera is here. It's all set up, and I think...

So?

Well, I'm not going to take it with me.

Well, nothing is going to happen. Come on.

- You want me to leave the camera here. - Yeah, so what?

Are you joking? I mean...

No, I'm not. It's beautiful.

Let's, let's just take a walk. There's no one around.

No, I know it's beautiful, but I'm not leaving the camera here.

- I'll have to carry it around. - Who's going to take it?

I don't know. Anyone could. Anyone could just show up.

Come on, there's no one. Just us three.

- No, no. - Come on, you'll enjoy it.

It's not a question of wanting to go or not.

It's much stranger than that.

What I really feel like doing is standing here and watching.

If you change your mind, come around.

Watching while the two of you leave me

and disappear into a landscape that I'm about to photograph.

Bye!

A strange thing happened today.

As I was letting this woman in, our neighbour across the street,

an old polish man, called your name.

I have no idea why he would think she was you.

The only thing you have in common is your hair,

your long, beautiful hair,

which I still dream of running my fingers through.

Do you know this song?

A church and a fortress.

A fortress in ruins.

All that's meant to protect us is bound to fall apart,

bound to become contrived, useless and absurd.

All that's meant to protect is bound to isolate.

And all that's meant to isolate is bound to hurt.

We're sorry, your call did not go through.

Will you please hang up and try your call again.

This is a recording.

We're sorry, your call did not go through.

Will you please hang up and try your call again.

This is a recording.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Do you know what he's talking about?

Do you know what he's talking about?

Do you want me to explain?

- I guess not. - Yeah, explain.

Explain.

Well, he's explaining

the structure of the fortress.

In 1930- when they were doing exploration...

He's talking non-stop.

I can't explain anything.

They've done explorations here.

They've found metals...

Everything they've found,

They've moved it to...the museum.

Um, he wants to know if you mean...

Uh, or you wish to exactly know how he feels about me.

If he has any desire towards me or not.

Is that what you want to know?

I want to know how-

Yes, I guess I want to know where this is all going to lead.

I mean, I've obviously lost something very close to me,

and I want to know how he feels about that.

He feels that you are two adventurous men.

That I'm too adventurous?

No, the two of you are very adventurous men.

Why? Why would he feel that way?

He says, because we know that we are talking about something

where we do not- can't find many other things

such as evil and the divine.

I don't understand.

He says...

He says that your mind is such that many thoughts may, uh...

come and, um, many delibertions might happen in one's thought,

and the truth of the matter is that he has to confess that,

yes indeed, he has had a feeling of desire towards me,

but he also has consciously, not unconsciously, tried to, um...

get rid of those thoughts.

No, it was really difficult in the beginning.

I actually didn't speak any english.

I can remember this one time,

I was on a beach, and there are all these kids

and they're all singing, yellow submarine.

I didn't know the words and all I could hear was like,

Yell-a submarine, yell-a submarine.

So, I started singing with them and I was going, like-

Yell-a submarine- yell-a submarine.

I mean, you're so vulnerable to that, right, when you're a kid.

You just sort of, like- You just sort of imitate, like,

what you think other people w...want to hear,

but it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with what you're

feeling or, you know, what's going through your mind.

Is there a phone that I could use?

Oh, yeah, um...

Just on top of the water cooler, there.

"I don't know

another way it could go

I'm living my life...

without you

I miss you, baby

I miss you so

how much I love you..."

What's so funny?

He knows how to do a KGB thing.

What do you mean?

Checking your passport.

You want him to do it? You want to see that?

Yes.

So, this is going to be him

checking my passport like he's a KGB agent.

- He's checking my passport as... - Ok.

- He was a KGB agent. - Ok, ok.

Let him do it to me. Let him do it to the camera.

- Let him do it to the camera? - Yeah.

Ok.

Try it.

He wants your passport.

My passport.

Ok.

Here we go.

"Surrounded by darkness

even in broad daylight

I keep on trying, but I

feel like I'm losing the fight

tell me what's right

tell me what's wrong

only got one life

it's only for so long

I'm living my life

without you

without you"

Are you still listening?

You can put down the phone now.

Yeah, it's ok. It's enough.

Is everything all right?

Yeah, everything's fine.

So when you said before that your father was Armenian,

I mean, he's not really Armenian, or, like...

Well, he considers himself to be...

Well, why would he- I mean, it's ridiculous

I mean, that's like saying, I consider myself Yugoslavian

or Inuit or something. I mean it's like-

I mean that, just because he has-

I mean... I mean, because his grandfather was Armenian...

Yeah, I suppose it is strnge.

Yeah, I mean, my-

I don't know, it's kind of weird, I mean...

I mean, I consider myself to be Egyptian

and I grew up in canada, born in canada.

And I still trace myself, you know-

Yeah, but you act Egyptian.

And like, the way you walked in here and stuff.

How does one act Egyptian?

Just sort of like the way you moved around.

It's kind of- like, I can tell...

Kind of the way you... I don't know, just the perfume.

...carry myself?

Well, the perfume and stuff. and just sort of-

You know there's a kind of, uh, a tendency you have towards,

kind of appearing in profile all the time.

You know like they do on- kind of like cryptic-

- Nefertiti, ha, ha. - Well, sort of, yeah. Sort of...

Oh, I see... I see.

But you wouldn't probably get that in me

- I wouldn't think, right? - Well, I can see it in you.

I wouldn't think you were Canadian.

- You "conceive" in me? - I can "see" it in you.

Oh, you can see it.

Hi, I'm not in at the present time.

Please leave a message at the sound of the tone. Thank you.

Today is the last day of the year.

I'm about to take our calendar off the wall.

I looked at all the pictures again.

I was surprised to remember what happened in each place.

It's strange, but the strongest memory I have has nothing

to do with any of the churches.

It was that time we drove into that huge flock of sheep.

The one that never seemed to end.

You took out your camera, and as you were taping,

he placed his hand on mine.

I remember because I gripped his hand...

watching you grip your camera so tightly,

like you knew what was happening behind you.

Did you know?

Were you there?

Are you there?

Captions performed by the national captioning centre