All language subtitles for Mondo - Tony Gatlif [1995]

No one knew
where Mondo came from.

One day he showed up
in our town

perfectly unnoticed.

We knew nothing
of his family or his home.

Maybe he had none.

He had surely come from far away...

the other side of the mountains,
the other side of the sea.

We could tell
he wasn't around here

and that he had seen many lands.

Non at school?

Wait, wait for me!

Do you want to adopt me?

I'd like to.

But you know,
adopting a child isn't easy.

How old are you?

I don't know.

Where do you live?

I don't know.

That way.

See anything?

I did this morning.

People complained.

It's a kid!

Hey kid!

How pleasant
to sleep like that,

at the foot
of a strong-smelling tree,

surrounded by warmth and peace.

When you sleep, Mondo,
you are not there.

You have gone elsewhere,
far from your body.

You have left your body
sleeping on the ground,

and you are roaming about
elsewhere.

Your body stays on the ground,

breathing calmly.

The wind pushes
the shadows of the clouds...

onto your face and closed eyes.

But you have gone...

into the hot light of the sun...

into the scent
of the laurel leaves...

into the moisture
that rises from the ground.

Everyone is watching you...

because your eyes are closed.

The insects are speaking to you,

calling you.

But you cannot hear them.

You have gone far away.

Watch out for the cars.

Hurry up, kids!

Daddy, come on!

Pastries!

What's that green stuff?

It's not good.

Daddy, I want cream cake!

Stop it, Benjamin.

I want this meringue!

Put it back.

Sonia,
stop touching those pies.

Here.

You want some popcorn?

- Papers.
- Get none.

- Nationality?
- Italian.

- How did you come?
- The mountains.

Turn around.

You're under arrest.

Come with us.

Good morning.

Here...

What's the name of that ship?

Erythrea.

Are your eyes bad?

I can't read.

Really?

What does the name
of that ship mean?

Erythrea? It's the name of a country
on the African coast,

on the Red Sea.

It must be a pretty nice place.

And the sea there
is called the Red Sea?

- You think it's really red?
- I don't know.

When the sun sets,
the sea turns red.

The people who lived there before
gave it that name.

I bet it's going to Africa.

It's far. It's very hot there.

Are there sharks in the Red Sea?

There are always a few
which follow the ships.

But everyone's used to them.
They pay no attention.

They're not mean?

You know, sharks are like foxes.

They're after garbage
that falls into the sea

or anything else they can steal.

But they're not mean.

The Red Sea must be big.

Oh sure, it's big.

There are lots of towns
along the coast.

Ports with strange names:
Ballul,

Barasali, Debba...

Massawa is a big city
that's all white.

The ships travel far down the coast.

Sometimes as far as
the Farasan Islands across the sea.

- Do you like islands?
- I love islands.

During the rainy season,
there are storms.

The wind blows so hard

that it uproots palm trees
and takes off rooftops.

Do the ships sink?

People stay at home.
They don't go to sea.

Back...

That's perfect.

Reel it in,
reel it in a little.

Thanks.

You want an apple?

When are you going there?

To Africa? The Red Sea?

I can't.
I have to stay here on the sea wall.

Why?

Because... I am a sailor
without a ship.

- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.

Come back
and I'll teach you how to read.

Ciao.

What's this boat's name?

Oxyton.

Do you have a letter for me?

No.

Oxyton, Oxyton, Oxyton.

We're going to go fishing...

For sardines and shrimp

and tuna...

So long, Mondo!

Here.

Thanks.

Keep it for yourself.

It’s for you.

What's written on it?

I don't know.

Thanks.

What you got there?

Oh, oranges!

There are lots on the beach.
Te sea brought them here.

It's Arabic script.
I don't understand.

What's in your suitcase?

They're beautiful!

What are their names?

Him, Pilou.

Her, Zoé.

She'll sing at 8 o'clock
on the dot.

Who's he?

My friend Mondo.

Here you go.

And today
do you have a letter for me?

Let's see...

What's your name?

Mondo.

Mondo... Mondo...
Mondo... Mondo...

No letters today.

Hi, Mondo.

Do you want to adopt me?

Don't you have a family?

- I don't know.
- You don't?

It's that kid we heard about.

What do you want?

Can I go in the
elevator with you?

Of course you can.

Come on.

Where to?

All the way up.

The sixth floor? Me too.

You don't live here, do you?

No, ma'am.

Visiting friends?

No, ma'am.
I'm going for a ride.

It's high
like a plane.

Ever been in a plane?

Not yet.

It must be fun.

They're faster than elevators.

Higher too?

Much higher.

Thanks.

To go down,
push the button...

at the bottom. Not the red one,
that's the alarm.

Good trip.

Who are you?

Who are you?

Drink a little.
It's good for you.

More.

It's hot.

You didn't tell me
who you were.

I'm Mondo.

I'm Thi-Chin.

- Are you Chinese?
- No, I'm not.

I am traveller.

Jewish, born in Vietnam.

Is your country far away?

Yes, it's very far.

And where do you come from?

You're not from here, are you?

No, I'm not from here.

Stay a little logger.
Don't go yet.

I shouldn't have come
into your garden.

The gate was open
and I was a little tired.

You were right to come in.
I'd left the door open.

For you.

So you knew I was coming?

- Are you hungry?
- Yes, ma'am.

It's beautiful.

What makes this gold?

It's the sun.

So you're rich?

This belongs to no one.

It's like that in my country.

When the sun sets,

the sky becomes like this,
all yellow

with small gray clouds
so light that they're like

bird feathers.

- Do you like my home?
- Yes ma'am.

It's your home too,
whenever you feel like it.

Look! A beetle!

Look how pretty this leaf is.
You can see all the veins.

There are sixty.

Sixty veins. You see?

Here.

Hi.

Ehi, Mondo!

This came for you today.

You don't know anything?

No. I never went to school.

"A" is like a big fly
with its wings folded back.

"B" is funny,
with its the bellies.

"C" and "D" are like a crescent moon
and a half moon.

"E" and "F" look like
a rake and a shovel.

"G" is a great, big man
sitting in an armchair.

"H" is a ladder for climbing trees.

"I" dances on the tip of its feet,

and its little head comes off.

"J" swings.

"K" is broken like an old man.

"L" is a tree
on the bank of a river.

"M" is a mountain.

"N" is for names,
and people wave their hands.

"O" is the moon,
full in the black sky.

"P" sleeps on one paw.

"Q" is asleep on its tail.

"R" takes big steps, like a soldier.

"S" is always a snake.

"T" is handsome
like the mast of a boat.

"U" is like a vase.

"V" and "W" are birds,
birds in flight.

"X" is a cross,
for remembering.

"Y" is standing with its arms
in the air, screaming "Help!"

"Z" as always a flash of lightning.

They're for you, Thi-Chin.

Hi, Mondo

Dadi, look what I have
for Pilou and Zoé.

Oh, thanks you, my boy.

Here.

My little Pilou,
my little Pilou...

Sit down, Pilou.

There you go, Pilou.

So Dove Man,
your birds are sick?

She caught a little cold.

I'll give you something for her.

Twice a day.

One leg.

Stop. Don't walk.
Look at the wire.

Very good.

That's your name there.

It's beautiful.

There's a mountain, a moon,

someone waving
to the crescent of the moon,

and another moon.

Why all those moons?

It's your name.

Reading is good.

I'd like to learn all the letters.

Here, you write.

What did I write?

Ovo, Owo...

Otto, Izti...

Dadi...

Lean, Mondo.

It's a foreign land,

far away
on the other side of the globe.

A very big country.

The people there
are handsome and gentle.

There are never any wars.

and no one

is afraid of dying.

There is a river

that is as large as the sea.

Can I come with you, Dadi?

Yes, I'll take you.

When can we go?

Soon.

A mountain.

A moon.

A man waving
to the crescent of the moon.

And another moon.

- At night everything smells good.
- Because we can't see.

We smell and hear better
when we can't see.

They're beautiful tonight.

Do they say things, Thi-Chin?

Yes, they say many things,

but we can't understand
what they say.

Even if we knew how to read
we couldn't understand?

No, we couldn't, Mondo.

Human beings cannot understand
what the stars say.

Maybe they talk about how things
will be a long time from now.

Yes, or maybe
they're telling each other stories.

Or maybe

what roads to take

and what places to go to.

They're shining bright.

Maybe they have souls.

What's wrong, Thi-Chin?

Don't leave! Don't leave, Mondo!

What is it, Thi-Chin?

I'm not leaving.
I'm not going to go away.

I’m sorry. I'm being silly.

Where is Dadi?

Who?

Dove Man?

They took him away last night.

Where to?

The hospital, I guess.

And Pilou?

What's wrong? Are you sick?

Where is your family?

So long, Mondo.

Come back.

Come back.

Stay with us

Call.

Who?

Call who?

- Can you hear me?
- Hold my hands.

Hold my hands tight.
Go on.

Speak to me.

- Open your eyes.
- He's breathing.

Are you a relative?

I am a friend.

Where is he?

In a State Ward.

In a State Ward?

That can't be!

What can't be?

Why? What did he do?

He said he had no family,
so we sent him there.

That can't be!
Don't you realize?

You're the one
who doesn't realize.

A child
with no home or family,

roaming the streets
with beggars and bums!

He was a wild boy,
eating anything, sleeping anywhere.

We'd received reports about him.

People had complained.
We were looking for him.

But he was clever. He hid.
This situation had to end.

Did you take care of him?

Listen, if you would like
to care for this child,

if you would like custody,
it is surely possible.

But he cannot
stay in that ward.

He has to stay there
until he gets better.

If you want to look after him,
you have to apply,

build up a case.
You can't do so overnight.

For the time being,
let the State tend to him.

The child, what's his name again?

Mondo.

He's under observation.

He needs care.
They'll take care of him there.

They'll set up his file.
Do you realize at his age...

he's never been to school?

May I see him?

No, that's impossible.

You can't see him
for 4 or 5 days.

Please!

It's very important for him.

In 4 or 5 days.

Give me your name and address
so we can contact you.

Your Mondo...

What happened?

He's gone.

Gone?

Gone. Disappeared.

Escaped. Vanished.

You haven't seen him?
Is he here?

He set fire to his mattress

and in the panic
he managed to run away.

That's why I thought
you might have seen him.

We have to find him
before he gets in trouble again.

Tell me if you see him.

You've got it all wrong!
You've ruined everything!

I told you before,
he's wild!

She knew
the child would never come back,

not the next day,
nor any other day.

Summer was about to begin,

yet it seemed as if it were cold.
Everyone here

in our town felt it.

People kept coming and going,
buying and selling.

Beggars kept begging against walls,
at City Hall and at church doors.

But it wasn't the dame,

as if an invisible cloud had covered the earth
and stopped the light from pouring through.

Years, months, days, went by now
without Mondo.

It was both a very long time
and too short a time,

and many people in our town

await someone without daring
to say so and without realizing it.

We've looked for him in crowds,
on street corners, at doors.

We've looked
at the white pebbles on the beach

and at the sea
which looks like a wall.

then we forgot little by little...

ALWAYS A LOT