Original subtitles

"As long as humanity exists, conflicts may remain

an inherent part of their existence.

Therefore, it is essential for humanity to learn how to

live harmoniously alongside these conflicts."

IntellectaCore AI, 2042

In 2073, the S26 space station crashed into the moon,

causing worldwide chaos.

At the same time, a girl named Mumbi was born

with a smile on her face.

Her life, however, would be marked with pain.

In 2076, the conservatives won the Great War

and banned all neo-technologies.

A new era of retro-futuristic kingdoms began.

In 2079, the king of Pesa

visited a small village called Umata.

His son, the prince, met Mumbi and promised to return

on her 21st birthday to marry her.

During this time, Mumbi's love for films grew,

and she dreamed of becoming a star.

Shortly after, she married the prince.

In 2099, she returned to acting

and began working on a new film,

but she passed away before it was completed.

However, my memories of her reach back to

September '93, when I met her in Umata

during a trip with my good friend Damien.

PROMPTFIELD Generate a video of Kuve and Damien

arriving in Umata.

AI Generated

Umata had been strongly impacted by

the Great War of the 70s.

We were actually thinking of shooting

a documentary about the war's aftermath.

And since I had family over there,

we of course first visited my auntie.

But it's nice to see you.

It's been a long time since I came here.

The pleasure is mine.

This is the most...

It's the most natural moment I've ever captured.

- This is the most natural moment. - Yeah.

She's a natural.

Since Damien was from Nordanien,

ancient Switzerland,

he had no clue about Umata's culture.

Wait, what are we doing now?

What are you doing?

We slaughter it.

- Today? - Yes.

So the chicken should go back?

Yeah, the chicken should go back.

What about us?

Imagine being killed.

Do you think it's nice to be killed?

No, no, no. It's not about being killed. It's being slaughtered.

Later, as a test,

we interviewed my cousins

to prepare ourselves for the actual interview.

So what if the country orders you to go to war?

- Will you go? - No.

I mean, if they force you. If you won't go,

they'll put you in prison.

Would you rather go to prison?

- You'd even go to prison? - Yes.

Me too.

We'll go to prison together.

That evening, we asked my auntie

if she knew any filmmakers from Umata,

as we needed a third person on the team

whom the people of Umata trusted.

She didn't know anyone,

but she said that Trenndy,

a family friend, could surely help out.

Let me tell you about myself.

My name is Trenndy, you already know.

When we met Trenndy, he mentioned this actress

who could join our team as a presenter.

But how do you cast someone for a documentary?

It's difficult to cast somebody in a...

Have you ever been to a casting?

A long time ago.

So your main thing is acting, or?

- Yes. - Okay.

I think the beauty of the world

lies in the imperfections.

So if it were just happiness throughout

for centuries on end,

it wouldn't be beautiful.

Is that even possible?

You're happy always?

The war will never stop, because war has been there...

But people can be kinder.

People can be kinder.

People can be more...

Less self-centered.

Yeah, and then...

Yeah, maybe it could be a bit better.

Okay, okay, okay, okay.

What's wrong with the face?

- Let's wrap it up. - With mine?

Is it a decoration or what is it?

Oh, it's a long story.

You can explain it to us,

because it's not normal here.

I had an accident.

Years ago.

Even my girlfriend left me.

Because of the accident?

She didn't even have a...

No, she had a reason.

She was complaining about my nose.

How does that relate to the accident?

Your nose is too long.

I can't even kiss you.

Your nose isn't too big.

- It isn't big? - No, it's fine.

- So she was lying? - She was lying to you.

See Damien, I told you.

Well, I don't know, you know,

you only saw him from the front.

Turn around once.

At one point, it didn't feel like a casting anymore.

Facially, yes.

But then I think my personality is more like my father's.

- Okay. - Yeah.

That's good.

- I like your story. - You do?

Yeah, and I like you too.

You can stop now.

Because this is professional?

This is professional.

Damien, I'm talking about her being part of our team.

Oh, oh, sorry.

What's wrong with you guys?

Even me. That's what I thought.

Damien has a...

What?

Yeah, no. Okay, okay.

What's wrong? Tell us.

And so we found our third crew member.

We explained our film idea to her.

The movie would focus on

the post-war depression

following the Great War.

Ironically, the war started

because of a major societal depression,

yet people remained

depressed even after it ended.

The next day, we walked around Umata

interviewing war veterans.

- Adam Juma. - Yes.

Were you part of the war?

Yeah, I was part of the war.

What role did you play in the war?

I was like a hero.

I was leading some guys.

As a helper.

Helping people who were being killed,

carrying them, taking them

to the ambulance, yeah.

How old were you during the war?

18 years.

You were 18? So young.

I was 19. I don't know.

18 years.

That's very young to

experience something like that.

Because I have a big brain, yeah.

Yes, you do.

How do you feel about...

I've lost my train of thought, guys.

No problem.

- Give me another question to ask. - Wait.

But somehow, the answers they gave us

were not what we anticipated.

Do you feel like you are happy now?

Now I'm very happy.

Do you feel like your mental health

- was impacted in any way after the war? - No.

You're fine? Completely fine?

Very fine.

- You're not sad? - No, I'm not sad.

- You're a hero. - Yeah.

In the afternoon,

we ran the footage through Sharpedit Pro,

which generated a first auto edit.

For humankind to live without war,

I know it's not possible,

because war emerges every time,

everywhere, anywhere, at any given time.

We thought that the war would cure the depression,

but honestly,

there's nothing we can do about it.

Depression is part of us.

After the war ended,

I could see some people living in peace. No war.

Everybody was doing things in a good way.

The war broke out due to a massive depression that

swept across the entire world.

In the 60s, many people became

addicted to media consumption,

which contributed to this depression.

In response, conservatives fought for a

healthier world, free from addictive

neo-technologies, and they won the war.

But when we interviewed those people,

we could still feel the effects of that depression.

It felt

like they had found ways

to focus on the beauty of life.

I wonder if things will change.

Why would he change his expression?

That was what he gave us.

Why would you change it?

Because it's about depression and

not about people being happy.

The smile doesn't make sense.

But you can...

The fact that he smiles doesn't take away

the fact that he's depressed.

But he doesn't look depressed.

When you look at it, there's no drama.

How do you know what it looks like when

someone is depressed?

Have you ever seen anyone who's been depressed?

Yeah, I've seen many people who've...

Are you guys making a documentary

about AI or about people?

Because right now you're just changing everything.

We're making a documentary about

people with the help of AI.

But it never captured real moments.

Those insignificant...

I have to disagree on that.

Look, maybe I'm getting a bit too involved.

But I just think that you guys need to...

You guys need to rethink

why you're making this movie and for whom.

That evening, Damien and I were so angry.

We even made a plan to catapult her to the moon.

But of course, the very next day we

remained silent and simply carried on.

It depends on the superior power

and the way they act as a nation.

During the interviews, she suddenly

started asking different questions.

Nelson, do you watch any movies?

I watch, but only a few.

What type of movies do you like, or

what kind of movies do you want to see?

Something that makes me happy.

Drama, action. That's all.

You just want to laugh?

Yeah.

Action.

Yeah?

Okay, that's really, really nice to know.

Thank you so much for your time.

Okay, thanks.

At the time, we didn't understand why she was

asking those random questions.

But then in the evening, she started to explain.

You know, people from abroad,

the audience, is more drawn

to pain and drama.

Okay Kuve, if you keep asking yourself

what you think people want to see,

you'll just end up with movies

that aren't original.

I'm telling you, you're sitting on a gold mine here.

The people here are basically

telling you what they want to see.

This could be the one thing

that makes this film unique.

Are you trying to change the whole movie right now?

No, I'm just saying,

those people told us what they want to see.

We need to listen.

You can't keep telling yourself like,

"Oh, the international world wants to see this."

It's their story.

It's their story.

We need to give them what they want to see.

She likes winning.

She really does.

She really does like winning.

You always win. Why?

Not always.

When have I lost?

We are making a movie.

And so, from one day to the next,

we changed everything.

Now we wouldn't make a documentary anymore.

But instead, a movie that would

excite the people of Umata.

A musical that includes funny scenes,

action, as well as drama.

But there was another problem.

Mumbi was so anti-AI that she wanted to make the

film entirely without it.

We ended up making a test by filming her reaction

as I attempted to make her laugh.

REAL VERSION - AI VERSION

The first AI version was very basic

and lacked nuance.

But after adjusting the prompt, we were much closer.

However, it didn't really matter in the end.

You can guess who won the discussion.

SHE DID

But Damien and I secretly used AI anyway.

Try to be more sad, like

you're losing the love of your life.

Try and break down.

Try and break down.

Yeah? If you can bring yourself to cry, cry.

I'll cry whenever I see people dying.

You need to cry. Try to cry.

Okay, you don't have to see this part.

Let's skip it.

No, honestly, I think it was really good.

Especially for his first time acting.

Acting something that dramatic.

People don't know that

it's his first time.

No, but we can work with him.

We can always...

That's why I told you I like her.

- Because she's always on your side? - Yeah.

You never know.

Maybe I could even be a professional actor.

- A professional actor. - Yes.

- You can be a star. - Be a star.

And you?

I will be a star.

2093 OCTOBER

Always look into the camera.

Look at the camera.

Not at me. Look at the camera.

CASTING CALL

And then came the day

we began the official casting.

Karisa.

Ah, Pache! Pache, what's wrong, my brother?

Ah, Pache, what's happening to you, my brother?

And next, we're doing a dancing scene.

Let me just see.

Is that? Is that?

I think I've seen it. It's a camera.

Oh my God, let me see.

Oh, let me see. Oh my God.

I never thought she'd love it this much.

Oh, thank you so much.

Oh my God.

Damien, this camera is so nice.

It's like those old-school ones

from way back in the day.

Thank you so much.

Yes.

Shooting was a lot of fun.

Every evening, Mumbi went back to her home

in the neighboring village.

She never really spoke

about her home or family.

But every morning, she would

return, and we continued working.

For the shoot, we bought a professional

camera setup with a wider lens.

And now I'd like to present two scenes

from our film "The Savior",

starting with the opening sequence.

Scene 1

And now showcasing

a mashup of the climax.

Keep hugging.

Just like before.

Now you've changed the heads.

Cut.

2093 NOVEMBER

Look at the bird.

It looks like it's struggling to fly.

Another one is coming.

Oh, the third one. The fourth one.

These are the magical moments

I was telling you about.

Yeah.

Oh my God.

I've always wanted to act. I remember...

I watched films from the 2020s, you know,

and they were amazing.

Yeah, but with this look,

I'm sure you'll be a star.

You look fine on camera.

Yeah, for sure.

You think so?

During the shoot, Mumbi and I grew much closer.

Somehow, I no longer felt

the pressure to make it big.

I lost myself in the moments with her

and enjoyed every single one.

This guy is really in love.

You know, it looks like I'm pulling her clothes.

My friend kissed a beautiful girl.

Damien is so lousy. He's telling everybody.

How was it? Explain more.

Yeah, you can explain a bit more,

because he wasn't even explaining it to us.

How special that is.

Yeah, the girl is so special.

You must tell us how special she is.

I've never experienced such a kiss.

We have to keep this whole thing professional.

You can't...

You want me to stay professional

and not express my feelings for her?

I feel like when you're directing somebody,

then you can't...

But there are things we can't control, Damien.

Did you kiss her or was it like...

Did it come from her side?

- The kiss? - Or did you force her?

The kiss came from me.

- It came from you? - What happened?

And how did she react?

You know what we were doing?

- Did she stay quiet, or...? - No, she...

Yeah, she was like, "Oh!"

And then she told me, "I liked the kiss."

- She told you she liked it? - Yeah.

And you know what we were doing?

We were arguing about

a natural kiss and a movie kiss.

A real-life kiss and a movie kiss.

Then she was like, "I think movie kisses are

more magical than real-life kisses."

I had to argue because I know,

real-life kisses are the best.

And she was like, "Oh no, no."

So I asked her.

And then you were like...

I'm going to prove it.

Yes, I'm going to prove it.

No!

Are you trying to be in

- a relationship with her? - Yeah.

And if possible,

- she could become the mother of my kids. - No.

Uh-uh, you!

You're lying!

- One kiss! - You're lying!

One kiss!

I don't know what will happen with her.

Maybe she'll break my heart too...

I'm even afraid.

It's true, Damien. I'm even afraid.

Because if she does what the other one did,

then I'm dead.

No more movies.

I'll be doing...

You can make movies about heartbreak.

The light looks really good.

Look at the reflection.

Where the sun is pointing.

So it's bouncing onto you.

Yeah, yeah, it's like you put a light on me.

Oh, that looks really nice.

Sometimes,

Mumbi and I

could just be.

But it was precisely

those moments of nothingness that scared me.

What if I eventually bore her?

I know how we humans operate. We crave adrenaline,

tension, we need conflict.

So I decided to ignore her.

And it worked.

Suddenly, she was chasing after me,

feeling the dependency.

But then she got angry and

pulled everything out of me.

I told her about my fear of

being boring and losing her.

She made me promise never to

do something so foolish again.

Be careful.

Okay.

Because they are based in like

1799 or something like that.

I thought those movies

were actually shot in those years.

But it's not true.

No, it's not.

When I was younger, I loved old romantic movies,

where couples would do anything to be together,

but cruel circumstances wouldn't allow it.

What I didn't know then was

that my own life would soon turn into

one of those classic film romances.

On New Year's Eve, like the rest of Umata,

we sailed to Hato Island.

Damien, I think we should take this guy home.

Yeah, I also think so.

That evening, she told me

she would soon turn 21.

I was happy for her, but she seemed sad.

I asked her what was wrong.

Then she told me the story of the young prince,

who had fallen in love with her and promised to return

on her 21st birthday to marry her.

This made me realize

how little I knew about her life.

Suddenly, the reason she

kept her family a secret became clear.

Her mother couldn't know

that she was filming with us.

Having grown up in poverty,

her mother saw this marriage as her way out

and would stop anything

that might threaten it.

So Mumbi told her mother she was attending a

school for royal manners every day.

Our time together was running out.

The rest of the shoot became unbearable.

2094 JANUARY

No, but like, think about it, yeah?

If he's the one who bought the weapon and she has it,

then maybe they know each other.

It's true. I think they must be connected.

It's very possible.

Yeah, I mean, just look at it.

How else would she end up with the

weapon, and the receipt is in his name...

I can't do this. I'm sorry.

I just need a bit of time.

- I don't know. - What's wrong?

Do you need a break?

Yeah, just like two minutes.

There was such tension between us.

The day before her birthday,

I planned to open my heart to her

and ask her not to go with the prince.

But when the day came, time flew by.

I waited for the right moment,

but everything was so awkward.

And suddenly, we had already said our goodbyes.

It's a cringey situation, cause when you're

about to lose the love of your life,

you cry.

You cried in front of her?

She didn't see me cry.

Because I was like...

But you cried in front of her?

But I didn't make noise crying,

but, you know, the tears were coming.

You can't admit it?

I mean, it's okay to cry.

I can't call it crying.

It's okay.

What should I do?

What can I do, Damien? I'm just a poor guy.

Then fight for her somehow.

I wish I could steal her from her mom's house.

Maybe you really can steal her.

How?

MUMBI'S 21ST BIRTHDAY

AI Generated

So,

I came here to fulfill my promise.

Where is my future wife?

Here, my prince.

Wow.

Such beauty.

May I ask a question?

Yes, of course, you can.

Why are all the servants children?

Because my dad, the king, uses

all the other servants at home.

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought your father was dead.

Oh no! Why would you even remind me of my father?

I'm sorry, my prince. Please forgive me.

Did he just call me a prince?

I'm sorry. I meant the king.

Okay,

fine.

Let's leave.

Excuse me.

We've arranged the food for the ceremony.

Would you join us?

Food?

Well, yes, of course. I'll join you.

We have to leave quickly, okay?

The real prince is coming soon.

So what do we do now?

Wait.

Excuse me. We need to leave.

There's an emergency in the kingdom.

Let's leave. Please.

Yeah, let's go. Bye, Mom. Bye.

Come on. Let's go, please.

And so, we set out in search of a place

where peace and tranquility reign.

Damien said we could stay

with his family in Nordanien,

and he showed us how to get there.

He promised he would edit and finish the movie.

And then came the time we said

our goodbyes to Trenndy and Damien.

We were like Bonnie and Clyde, on the run from the

kingdom, or rather the prince.

That's why we had to cut off all our contacts.

There was even a "Wanted" poster of us.

We had to keep hiding.

We went to places out of sight

from the rest of the world,

where no one knew us.

We even learned to sleep in all kinds of places.

We continued to make films anonymously.

AFRO QUEEN

However, we couldn't finish most of them because

it wasn't safe to stay in one place too long.

And then we finally arrived in Nordanian.

2094 MARCH

And found shelter at Damien's family home.

I had to find my sibling Damien.

He was really good at hiding.

I never really found him.

That's why he brought us here.

Right.

How many goals are there?

Two zero, two zero.

Why now?

They should score like four goals to nil.

We need like four or five goals.

They should be beaten, totally beaten like...

Tara, Tara, Tara, Tara, Tara!

Beaten!

You don't know anything about football, that's...

your...

That's my?

That's your... what?

That's like your problem.

The problem is you don't know football.

I'm trying to teach you.

Why would you say I have a problem?

Because you don't like football.

I don't, I... but then, see...

I don't like that you think I have a problem.

It's painful.

No, it's not a problem. But it's something that

sometimes bothers me, because I want us to

watch a football match together, and you just leave.

But then there are also things I like and you don't.

- Like what? - I like everything you like.

You don't know anything about hair,

and I like things about hair.

But you never told...

And I don't think that's a problem.

- But I once... - We can like different things.

- I once... - We can like different things.

- No, let me talk... - Say sorry. Just say sorry.

Sorry.

Okay, go hang your clothes.

You remember last time, the story where I wanted...

Go hang your clothes.

- You're upset? - I'm not upset.

Yes, you are.

Smile.

Look at the camera and smile.

Aw, look how cute you are.

You like playing with my...

You like playing with my nose.

Am I your toy?

Maybe.

Can you kiss me again?

I love you.

I love you too.

We continued film making

and searched for more film ideas.

There's a bomb inside the tuktuk!

What's the problem, my friend?

I'm gonna drive us into the ocean,

and when I say "jump", you jump.

Jump!

While we were editing our new movie,

we recognized a person in several shots.

A spy. We realized the prince was

closer to us than we thought,

but we wondered why they didn't

catch us when they had the chance.

So we made a plan,

and what happened next looked something like this.

THE ESCAPE

Huh?

Hey!

What is this?

How did you get me in this position?

Who are you?

Why are you following us?

I swear, I'm not one of those psycho fans.

I just wanted an autograph, please.

Fan?

What do you mean, "fan"?

Because of "Happy Silence" the musical film.

I've watched it seven times at least.

It's so funny. Action-packed.

Just fucking brilliant.

We couldn't believe it.

HAPPY SILENCE: THE SAVIOUR Damien finished the movie,

and it was screened all over the world.

AI-Generated

But Mumbi's face was nowhere to be seen.

Damien had completely replaced it.

Later, I called Damien to ask why he did it.

He explained that the prince and Mumbi's mother

wanted to ban the film, but he managed

to strike a deal by replacing her face.

Not now, Kuve.

- Why? - Not now.

Come on.

This is what I love most.

No. Please.

You don't want me to film you?

Our money was running out.

I took all kinds of jobs where I could stay undercover,

but they paid very poorly.

I think she realized then

that as long as we were on the run,

we could never truly be free.

Looking back, I can say

I didn't know what I was doing.

It's going to be fine.

Just let me try.

A little, please.

Oh no.

I'm sorry.

Everything will be fine. You have to trust me.

Please.

I need to go home, Kuve.

Even at home, you're broke.

So you're giving up now?

You're giving up?

You have to trust me. I'll fix everything.

It's not about trust, Kuve.

You're giving up. I can see it.

I'm in pain, okay?

Kuve, stop recording.

Please, stop recording.

And so I did.

She went back home,

and I tried to figure things out on my own.

As promised, I started writing my heartbreak movie.

And the nominees for Best Actor

are: Kuve Mukanga...

BEST ACTOR NOMINEES

What's wrong with my nose, Nuria?

Even when we're kissing, our noses are...

I can't even reach your lips.

We could kiss sideways or something...

No, it can't go on like that.

And the Oscar for Best Actor goes to Kuve Mukanga.

Over the next few years, I worked very hard.

I became an actor and won many awards.

I traveled the world,

but never heard from Mumbi again.

And her mother refused to tell me where she was.

I watched every single film that came out,

hoping to see her in one,

but her face never appeared.

And I get what you mean when you say that movies

exaggerate, and maybe that's...

I sometimes have a scared view of

love and romance,

because of how many romantic movies I watch.

But then again, they're movies.

They're supposed to be exaggerated...

They're supposed to be

out of this world.

But yeah, the real thing in life is being

bored with someone

and not like frustratingly bored,

but nothing extreme,

nothing,

no big expectations,

but just to live life.

It's a lot of still days and quiet moments,

which I personally like.

2099 AUGUST

And then,

yeah.

In August 2099, five years later,

I went to the Kingdom of Pesa to shoot my next film,

"Poor Love".

It was a risky move, as the.

Kingdom of Pesa was at war with Lua.

It was the first war since the Great War of the '70s.

People from all over the world came to join the

fight, wanting to be part of this war.

It almost seemed like people were missing the war.

As a result,

the Kingdom of Pesa was busier than ever before.

The film industry noticed this and decided to shoot

movies in the Kingdom of Pesa.

Our film, "Poor Love", was about lost love.

Alexandro Muthega was set to direct,

and Tom Bradley to do the camera.

We were still looking for an

actress and held a casting call,

but finding the right person was

more difficult than we thought.

We had already gone through

all the castings when it happened.

It's getting on my nerves now.

That was the first time in five years I saw her again.

Did you come for the casting?

Yeah.

Yes.

This is perfect.

We didn't really talk to each other

and simply continued with the casting

as if we didn't know each other.

Get closer.

And... action.

Don't you love me anymore?

I do, and I will always love you.

Then what's wrong? We can fix everything

that's wrong between us.

No, we can't fix it. We've tried.

We've tried, and it's impossible.

You know for a fact that we cannot.

Oh, cut.

Listen.

This time...

This time, try to make it more natural.

Seriously, I love you so much.

Please.

No, please.

I can't live without...

Please.

I'm sorry.

And... cut.

- Wow. - Yeah.

What do you think? I think it's good.

It's really crazy.

Yeah, sure.

I think it's been good.

I can go?

Yeah, sure.

Thank you very much for coming.

That one was great.

I liked her a lot.

- Yeah, so much. - Kuve?

Yes, I'm coming.

I ran after her,

but couldn't find her anymore.

The next day, I approached director Alexandro

insisting that she be cast in the role.

You know, the problem is that

she came unannounced yesterday,

and I don't have her contact info.

Maybe look under the name Mumbi.

He searched but found no Mumbi matching her face.

I was devastated.

I walked around the city hoping to see her,

but the kingdom was too big.

A few days later, when I was at the bar,

something hit me.

I've heard the princess is as beautiful as the

sunrise and sunset combined.

Suddenly, everything made sense.

She had married the Prince of Pesa

and was now trapped.

That's why I never saw her in films again.

When she came for the audition, she couldn't speak

to me, because she had to sneak out of

her palace and return soon.

I decided then and there to free her.

Look. I'm 100% sure she's the princess.

I'd like you to arrange a meeting with the prince.

Just one meeting.

What I can tell you is...

You don't want to mess with this family. These guys are messy.

They're terrible. They could even kill you.

Listen to me.

Just take me there.

Okay, I'll try.

That was the last time I saw Director Alexandro.

Just kidding.

- He returned the next day. - And?

He said it's okay, but under one condition.

Which is?

That I get to be in the movie as well.

This would be amazing for me.

I've always wanted to be in a movie.

You know?

The prince was an exceptional person.

His name was Prince because his mother didn't

realize you don't name a prince 'Prince'.

On the surface, he seemed simple and naive,

but in reality, he was a brutal sociopath.

The Kingdom of Pesa has come from way back.

Before we began filming,

we had to do a chemistry test.

CHEMISTRY TEST!

What has he done this time?

Can you believe he just got another woman pregnant?

Fuck.

Yeah.

So...

Not again.

This isn't even in the script.

Look, look, look. This is what you should say.

Do you believe it's about

the lines or the chemistry?

We can improvise, you know?

Okay. If you...

I'm your biggest fan. I've watched all your movies.

No, listen. Yes, I know that.

I know you're a fan. But listen.

It's not about improvisation.

At some point, Mumbi showed up as well...

Hi.

- Hey, Princess. - Hi.

Action.

I'm done.

I can't keep doing this anymore.

Hey Kuve, what's up?

You're losing focus, my friend.

- Now he's losing his lines. - Let's do it again.

He's the one losing his lines now.

September '99.

We started shooting the film.

Prince didn't want to take off his crown or change

his clothes, so they had to change the script.

I never really managed to share my plan with Mumbi,

because we were never alone and didn't really talk.

After this,

am I getting lunch from the princess?

Of course.

- Really? - I'll cook for you.

I'll bring you wine.

I'll even come and do a little bow.

Sometimes the true color of their relationship came through,

but Mumbi managed to diffuse the situation with irony.

It was hard to see her that way.

We should have done an action scene

between me and Kuve.

A serious one where

we stab each other.

You don't stand a chance of winning.

We stab each other.

You can't win.

Because I have this style, you know.

Which style is that?

It's... Snake. Snake eyes.

A snake can never defeat a tiger.

I've done several fight scenes,

so I know what I'm doing.

I know you've been to war, but when it comes to Kuve,

you don't even stand a chance of winning.

Everybody has a weak point, bro.

Like for him...

My weak point is your wife.

That's my weak point.

I'm joking.

I already killed you.

No, you can't.

I told you, you don't stand a chance to...

If I hit you here, you can't beat me.

Mumbi, fine?

One day, there was a scene where Mumbi and I had to kiss.

That was my chance to find out

if her feelings were still there.

Maybe she would communicate something through the kiss.

And...

Action!

Cut.

How was it for you?

It was just fine.

- For sure? - Yeah.

It was kind of awkward for me.

I thought it could be worse, though.

But it was fine, yeah?

The kiss wasn't like it used to be.

But maybe she couldn't go

all in because of the Prince.

Later that day, after shooting,

the Prince pulled me aside.

You know, Kuve,

you really impressed me today.

You handled everything professionally.

Thank you.

The way you conducted yourself,

even after what you had with Mumbi, you still...

So, you know

you know the history between me and Mumbi?

You can't run away with somebody's wife-to-be

and not expect them to know.

We had posters everywhere.

Five years ago, right?

A young man

with such big balls.

I admire that about you.

I knew Mumbi and I were in big trouble.

I realized I had to act that very night.

I had to escape with her.

Tomorrow might be too late.

I packed my things and sneaked into her castle.

Mumbi!

Can you hear me?

Kuve, what are you doing here?

Come on, Mumbi.

We have to leave this place right away.

Stop asking me questions. Let's go. Let's leave.

What are you talking about?

Mumbi, the Prince knows everything about our past.

I mean, of course he does.

He's my husband. I'm the one who told him.

Of course he knows everything about us.

You told him?

Yeah.

Then why did you sneak out of the casting?

Why?

I wasn't expecting to see you.

I didn't know how to react or what to say.

That's all, Kuve.

Okay, there's just one thing.

The Prince wants you to be a typical wife.

I know that. I've seen it.

No, that's just an inside joke we have.

He makes fun of me for not doing typical wife duties

or not being like a typical princess.

That's all. It's just a game.

Kuve, you have a tendency

to see conflict in everything

and to look for drama everywhere.

You've always been like this.

Look, I'm fine, okay?

And I'm really happy that I can

experience acting again after such a long time.

I mean, around here in the castle it's just been

politics, and it's been tiring.

So thank you for that. But I'm fine.

I don't believe you.

I'm fine, Kuve. I am.

I promise.

- Are you sure? - Yeah.

During the next few days of shooting,

Prince gave me some stupid looks.

Probably because he and Mumbi

talked about the night I saw her.

But my relationship with him got better.

It has to push you behind a little bit.

- No. - Yeah, it goes like...

For the first time,

I saw them for who they truly were

and spoke to Mumbi without any intention.

She told me about the last five years.

I learned that Mumbi hadn't acted since then

because it was a secret

that the Prince had taken Mumbi as his wife.

He didn't want the public to find out, fearing

it would put her in danger because of the war.

The beauty of being unknown was that she could

often walk around the city

without anyone knowing who she was.

She also started taking an interest in politics

and played an active role in war strategies.

It's only been two months

since the secret of the princess was revealed.

That's when she decided to go to a casting

and met me.

2099 OCTOBER However, I also realized

that Princess Mumbi wasn't the same as before.

She often tried to smile and find joy in things,

but I'm not sure if she really feels that way

or she's just trying.

The old Mumbi used to get excited

about even small moments,

but now she often felt distant,

like she not really present.

Can you check if his jacket fits well?

And... Action!

You know who it is.

You know how we do it.

I freaking won that competition.

- Congratulations! - Yeah...

How about you?

Are you happy for me?

Could I get a minute?

- One minute. - Yes, sure.

Hey, Mumbi.

Sometimes she just needs space.

She's not okay.

Don't worry. I know her.

Sometimes...

She just needs some space, okay?

Are you okay?

Don't worry, my friend.

She'll be right back.

Maybe take a break?

- It's fine. - You okay?

Sure you can do it again?

Yeah.

Okay, let's try it again.

And... Action!

I can't believe I won.

I thought it would be so difficult.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

No, cut.

I'm fine.

- Yeah, I'm fine. - You sure?

- Maybe you need some water? - She's not okay.

You sure? Yeah?

She's not okay.

Okay, let's take a break.

It definitely sounds like depression.

I'd suggest considering antidepressant medicine.

Okay, but may I ask what the cause could be?

You know, she's the princess.

I mean, she has everything.

Yes, but it doesn't have to be related.

It can affect anyone, even those who

appear to have everything in their lives.

And so, she started taking her medicine.

But the antidepressants also had side effects.

I slowly saw how the colors in

her life became duller and duller.

Until eventually, they were no longer visible.

I decided to unpack my old camera and start filming

her again like in the past.

That's the same way...

Hey, you.

I never get used to donkeys.

It was like, all the way there.

But the prince knew much better how to show her

the beautiful things in life.

He did that by simply going on

walks and playing games with us.

Today we play a game.

One of the best in our kingdom.

All you have to do is make my soldiers laugh.

I'm thinking of the color green. What am I seeing?

- The wall. - No, he already guessed the wall.

- See the leaves? - Not the leaves.

- Not the leaves? - No.

I can't play this game.

Guess.

- The leaves? - No, it's not the leaves.

No, it's this.

- The moss? - Nope.

- The pipe? - Yes, it's the pipe.

I got it right.

While the prince and I tried to bring back

the colors, we grew closer, and our colors became

more vibrant than ever before.

A specific color represents someone, like you.

- Yours is yellow. - Mine is yellow.

That's royal. That's for the royal family.

Yeah.

It represents,

you know, ripeness.

You know, when a mango is ripe, it turns yellow.

Are you comparing yourself to a mango and an orange?

You're not getting the point. We don't want things

that aren't yet ready for consumption.

So you're ready for consumption?

My friend, I don't like that kind of joke.

You know the cows' shit?

It's amazing and healthy for your...

You eat cow shit?

Not the cow shit, bro.

You take the cow shit and boil it.

The shit?

See, you listen.

When Mumbi wasn't around,

the prince was a completely different person.

It'll make you feel like a man.

You know what I mean?

It'll make you feel like a man.

So you think I'm not a man now?

No, you know what I mean.

When you go back to your village

and meet your wife...

I'm not married.

Too bad.

You stole.

You.

- Life goes on. - Yeah, life goes on.

But you'll enjoy pèpè soup

with dry chapati.

Whenever we took breaks during the shoot,

he would start dancing and rapping.

He was like an old person,

not listening to modern stuff,

but only very old songs from the early 2000s.

Can I tell you something?

Honestly, at the beginning,

I never trusted you.

- Why? - I didn't like you.

When I had your...

I also thought you were an asshole.

You ran away with my wife.

I took her first.

- Then you came and took her away. - Okay, whatever...

Why did you run away with her in the first place?

Because she was my woman.

- I was trying to protect her. - From what?

From you!

You were like just...

I wanted to marry her to torture her? Or what?

I was going to marry her to make her the prince.

- The princess. - But she's not even happy.

- You were trying to... - Why isn't she happy?

I've given her everything.

That's why we should try to make her happy.

It didn't take long before we began

to act this way in front of Mumbi as well.

We have to take a rest.

What do you say?

Do you want to take a nap?

Your relationship is

full of testosterone.

Full of?

Testosterone.

Like you're always at each other's...

Like, who's better than who?

You know we joke a lot.

This is my brother here.

Hey, my friend, are you being serious?

Did you hear that back?

My friend, are you being serious?

That was it.

The smile she was born with.

I guess it's the part of ourselves we tried to hide

that managed to bring her colors back.

2099 NOMVEMBER

Me and Damien were like,

what do we do with this woman?

That's the Mumbi I know now.

Stubborn.

So now you guys are agreeing on things?

You're no longer competing?

Right now,

Kuve is my brother.

And then?

You guys are always competing over

who's stronger. Who has the best clothes.

Who has, I don't know, what.

It's good to be...

It's good to always remember your...

The inner child should once in a while come out.

Don't take life too seriously. Like, always.

Okay, there are moments to be serious,

but also moments to have fun.

- Kuve likes drama. - He likes drama?

Kuve likes drama, and he likes conflict.

He doesn't know anything about the inner child.

He would say, "Don't... I'm a grown-up."

You don't rest.

I'm older than everybody here.

I can see it. Look at your hair.

Look at your hair. It's white.

I'm older than...

Why did you dye your hair white?

I've always wanted to ask you.

The first time I saw you, I was like...

Mumbi and I were even able to

have conversations like we used to.

You remember the little children

dancing behind the boats?

Yeah.

They're memories now.

But I still have them, because I usually watch the

movie we made.

Yeah?

I haven't watched it.

It's a bit too painful to watch.

- Ah, I understand. - Yeah.

Look at the kids.

Look at the house.

Look at the trees.

And also look at the sky.

We all live in the moment.

And her laughter brought back forgotten memories

of a time when we took it for granted,

unaware of how precious those moments truly were.

The final recording of her

was made just a day before she passed away.

It captured a moment during a break when we were

joking around with Director Alexandros Donkey.

You're being kidnapped by a donkey.

Kuve!

Just bring the donkey closer.

And then it comes running.

And then it comes running and

now I won't be able to...

And then it will...

No, no.

But then it'll bite me. You know they bite.

It's not going to do anything.

You're just being scared.

On your own.

Hey, stop doing that.

You see?

It's not going to bite.

You can even go up if you want.

Do you want to go up?

It's so friendly.

- You don't have to be scared. - No.

Why is it shaking?

It can't do anything.

Yeah, I'm too short. I'm too short.

Just try, just try.

Carry her.

Let her take it in first.

Oh God.

I'll be behind. You be in front.

Relax.

Mumbi is on a donkey.

Oh God!

And she's doing it on her own.

She's finally happy.

No!

Oh God!

Oh my God!

I did it.

I did it.

You did it.

Why were you so scared?

And she was so scared.

- Wanna get off? - Yeah.

Or do you want to continue?

No, I've done my adventure.

One day later,

Mumbi died.

We don't know if she fell or if she jumped.

We don't know if she died quickly or suffered first.

And I'll never know

if I failed to help her,

what was going through her mind,

and what she thought in her last moments.

I will never know.

2099 DECEMBER

Princess Mumbi

I kept watching our old recordings over and over.

You can be a star.

- Be a star. - Yeah.

And you?

I will be a star.

What should I say?

I'll do my best to make sure that she's

she's the world's most famous superstar.

Like, seriously.

- You promise? - Yeah, I promise.

- He promises. - I'll make sure, yeah.

Most famous superstar.

Yeah, I promise.

- He promises. - I'll make sure, yeah.

- Yeah, I promise. - He promises.

I'll make sure, yeah.

But what I did know for sure

is that I made her a promise.

It was still possible to make her dream come true.

I had so much video material of her,

that one could make a film out of her story

and make her a star.

But how do you summarize a life?

Is it even possible?

When we watch biographical films,

they too are condensed.

Well, packing an entire life into a movie

is impossible.

We need Maalum.

Zack Lively on writing Biopics.

Translated, it means "to specify".

One must focus on an aspect of life.

A theme.

A period, to find the narrative arc.

After all,

films aren't life.

They are an interpretation of life.

And a good interpretation requires clarity.

Or in this case, Maalum.

I began searching for Maalum in her story.

Through which lens could I make a film about

Princess Mumbi's life?

I delved into her past, her time as a princess and a

politician, and her death.

But there were too many topics,

too many different stories,

until I stumbled upon a recording.

Don't you think that having something

personal gives it more of an arc?

For me, no.

But it made it more objective

when we didn't hear your questions.

- Yeah. - No, I don't think so.

Like, we need to show that the

film is from our perspective. Understand?

This is not necessarily the truth.

This is just how we see it as filmmakers.

Not really.

I think...

Maybe we can try.

Why don't I maybe do a voice-over?

And then like, just to show that this is...

Yeah, like this is our thought process.

It felt like she was speaking directly to me,

saying, if you make a film about me,

please make it clear that

it's from your perspective.

Then I realized I had many recordings where she talks

about what she values in making films

and that I could let these guidelines direct me.

Actually, honestly, I even think that

auto-editing is lazy, because like...

Why would you make a documentary and then

give away your signature, which is the editing,

to a program?

And even the footage you guys

are generating via AI...

At least label it, to be authentic.

Like, I don't know...

A block on the left side of the screen

that says "generated by AI" or something.

Even if you look at AI-generated movies,

they're based on movies that already exist,

and all movies that exist

are structured around conflict.

AI will generate movies with conflict,

but it doesn't reflect life as it is.

Most of life is just a bunch of

random things and nothing... and stuff.

And what if you had a movie

that simply reflects that?

Even if you had scenes that don't make sense...

most of life doesn't make sense.

I think it would be the most boring movie...

I don't think so.

I don't think so. I think we can try.

2072, during the Great War,

a boy named Kuve was born.

He cried as he came into the world.

2073

Kuve's mother died in the S-26 disaster in a tsunami.

Since then, his father took care of him.

2084

Kuve directed his first film

and discovered his passion for film making.

2092

After his accident,

his girlfriend Nuria broke up with him,

but in the hospital he met a filmmaker named Damien.

Together, they decided to make a film.

That was when Kuve discovered that pain is the

driving force of humanity.

After his breakup with Nuria, he suddenly had so

much energy that he needed to channel,

leading him to make the film with Damien.

The Cook

2093

Kuve met Mumbi, who taught him acting.

The two started a relationship, but since her hand

had been promised to the Prince of Pesa,

they parted ways.

2099

When Mumbi died, Kuve decided to make a

film about her to fulfill her promise.

He gathered the prince and others

to reenact certain scenes.

And for the first time, he edited himself.

The film would be called.

Memory of Princess Mumbi.

Memory of Princess Mumbi

He reflected on her life and saw only tragedy.

But as he watched the footage,

he remembered all the beautiful moments.

Suddenly, he saw the joy Mumbi managed to maintain

even in the darkest times and recognized

the joy she brought into the world,

the beauty she found in the mundane,

and the laughter that echoed beyond her time.

2100 DECEMBER

Then a tear fell, and for the first time

he realized that there are not only tears of pain,

but also tears of joy.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY BROTHER