Original subtitles

Now is this the eclipse?

DARK FORTUNE

Hello.

BACK BY 10 PM PROMISE! ALICE!!!

- Hello, Helen. - Hello.

- Did you notice the eclipse today? - No.

It's silly, all that hype.

THE ISENHEIM ALTAR: A PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY

MASTERS THESIS BY ELIANE HESS

Hess.

What?

Oh no!

Helen! I've got to leave again.

An emergency.

Tell Alice to go straight to bed.

What are you doing?

What do you think? Studying.

WAID CITY HOSPITAL ZURICH

Do you know what the Saros cycle is?

A Saros cycle lasts 1,270 years.

Maurice told me in the car today.

There's a solar eclipse every 18 years

and it shifts about a hundred miles each time.

Did you see the eclipse today?

First we saw a crescent, then only a black disc in a circle of light.

It's called the corona.

It was really spooky.

Like a black eye, Daddy said.

Where were you?

In Alsace.

Daddy was driving. We have an old Peugeot.

It's a clunker, Mommy says.

She was wearing a silk scarf,

and I kept massaging her shoulders.

You massaged her shoulders?

Mrs. Schneider says I'm good at it.

But Daddy doesn't come. He thinks family therapy is crap

and costs way too much.

You have to feed my guinea pigs! I forgot all about it!

Don't worry, they can wait a while.

You have to. I already forgot this morning.

Altwiesen Street 19.

Our neighbor has the key.

It's late, I don't know if I...

Please! Speedy is really old.

Well, okay.

I promise.

Stay with him as much as you can.

If anything happens, call me.

Poor kid. I feel so sorry for him.

It doesn't help the boy if you break down in tears.

Blame...

Beauty...

- Ridiculous... - Can you be quiet?

Furious...

In a rage...

Alice!

You're on probation! Don't be late for school.

Chill. Not everyone's as perfect as you.

Oh no.

That's messed up.

CAR CRASH CLAIMS THREE LIVES

Yves Zanini.

The idiots wrote his whole name.

Shit!

Madeleine.

She was rather particular.

Always had migraines, never satisfied.

Actually, he wasn't that bad.

Mrs. Hess?

The guinea pigs are upstairs.

The cage needs cleaning.

Could you, for a few days...

Sorry. My husband hates the smell.

For Yves' sake?

What will they do with the boy?

Good.

Did you see? There's chocolate yogurt.

Good thing they called you.

We'll see.

How is he?

Barely slept and hasn't eaten a thing.

Hi.

Do you remember me?

You're Eliane.

It hurts in here.

Those are your ribs.

You had an accident yesterday.

Do you remember?

Will it hurt less tomorrow?

Your guinea pigs are doing fine.

- Did they miss me? - You bet!

They're cute.

Yves, you have visitors.

Your grandmother and your aunt.

They might cry when they see you.

I might also.

That's okay.

Grandma can come in.

And your aunt?

Damn this place.

I'm going in there right now.

- Mrs. Zanini. - It's an outrage!

I can't see my grandson! He needs someone!

I understand how you feel.

But we have to see what Yves needs most,

and what might upset him.

Would his grandma upset him? Stop it, please!

Of course not.

We just have to be careful in this situation.

If he doesn't talk about the death of his relatives,

please don't mention it either.

Look.

You'll feel better soon.

Hi, Yves.

- We saw the eclipse. - You did?

Our skies were cloudy.

You'll soon come visit me.

Or us, if you'd like.

You know I'm always here for you.

Shall I cook spaghetti?

Stop being stupid!

I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to the boy!

- What's happening? - Please leave for a minute.

Is it serious?

Take them with you.

Please come with me.

He never did that before.

Come on!

Try to breathe out all the way.

That's right.

Look at me. Breathe out.

Breathe out all the way.

That's it.

Breathe out.

In and out.

Good.

- Is he feeling better? - Yes.

Who decides where my nephew will go?

I have more time than a working mom.

Only one and a half days. Come on.

I have a family: a husband and a daughter as old as Yves.

That's the court's decision, not mine.

Yves may need days or even weeks to grasp...

Geez! I have to go.

My daughter's coming home from school. Sorry.

Goodbye, Mrs. Brunner.

My condolences.

You should never outlive your child.

Maurice?

Maurice?

Hess.

Yes?

Can't it wait till tomorrow?

Just a minute.

It's about Yves' father.

He was so violent. He beat up Madeleine, very brutally.

He'd been doing I! For years.

When she said she wanted to leave him,

he bee! Her to an absolute pulp!

The kids saw everything!

She'd go out wearing a scarf and sunglasses.

Did Madeleine ever report him?

No, never!

She didn't want the children involved.

And you, as her sister?

Didn't you ever think of going to the police?

Listen. A week ago, after a party,

something so bad must've happened that Madeleine couldn't talk about it.

We never got a chance to discuss it. But I'm positive

that Rico planned to kill the whole family on that trip.

Under no circumstances do K want Yves

to rive with the mother of a murderer! You can't let that happen!

Why did you release the boy's name?

The police published it.

You didn't make sure it was discussed with me first.

Actually, that's not why I'm here.

Maurice is brain-dead.

Could you... tell the boy?

Of course.

When the time is right.

Soon.

Do you want to play?

I want to look out the window.

- What are you doing here? - Hi.

Waiting for Alice. We wanted to go out to eat.

She didn't tell me a thing.

- Did you call her? - She doesn't answer.

Are you all right?

Yes.

Okay.

She can call me when she gets home. Okay.

Wait.

Just tell her I'll be at the school tomorrow at 3:55.

Why? What for?

- The meeting with the vice principal... - That's the first I've heard of it.

That little devil.

Mom, please.

I was really studying for a change and just forgot.

Did you apologize to Dad?

And what about the weed?

Why didn't you tell me?

Okay, say what you want, but you're staying home tonight.

- I'm going out! - No, you're not!

- Where would you go so late? - To Raoul.

- And I'm sleeping there. - Forget it.

Didn't you say all men sucked?

What's wrong with you?

Next you'll be sending me to a gynecologist.

You're just scared.

I'm careful. The rest is destiny.

No, it isn't.

Be home by 12:00.

Screw you!

You have to figure out what it is.

A garden fence?

No.

Morning.

- How is our young man doing? - Good.

I'm glad to hear it.

Do you have a minute?

I'll be right back.

The detective is on his way.

It's too soon for questioning.

- They suspect murder-suicide. - That's what his aunt claims.

A thorough investigation is imperative, also for the custody issue.

No, not now.

But it won't matter if it's today or a week from now.

Apparently it does.

But the detective wants you present, and you'll write the evaluation.

What evaluation?

We haven't had a chance to tell you:

Child Services want you to handle Yves' evaluation.

I'm not here to evaluate the child, but to help him.

What about the Giannini's family therapist?

Dr. Schneider has called at least ten times

on behalf of Yves' aunt.

Mrs. Hess, you are clearly more impartial.

Good, we're ready.

So, please proceed.

Okay, Yves.

Look.

The car.

And here...

Where are they going?

Are they taking a trip?

What are they doing in the car?

I can't hear them.

They're fighting.

Screaming at each other.

Because he doesn't earn enough money.

Who says that?

The mom.

And then he says there might be an accident on the freeway.

What kind of accident?

Yves?

Then the woman runs away, just runs away.

But how could she?

She's in the car.

Yes, yes, she can.

And then aliens come.

And the father?

No!

And is the man scaring the children?

Go away! Please.

You're far too close.

Breathe out, Yves.

In and out.

Breathe in.

From his classmates.

- I think I'll stay with him tonight. - But the night shift's here.

It's all right.

Okay then, my shift's over. I have to go.

Yeah.

Yeah, I'll tell Helen.

Yes?

No.

They didn't kick her out.

At least not yet.

No, leave that, it's cool.

Yes, we'll have to sit down and talk about it.

Yes.

Should I put her to bed?

No, I was just kidding.

Yes.

Okay. Bye.

I'm thirsty.

Mommy always did that, too.

Where should we put her?

She's dead.

I know it.

They're all dead.

Mommy, Daddy, Lisa...

And Maurice, too, right?

- Yes, they're dead. - Maurice, too?

Yes.

Where will I go?

We don't know. It depends on you.

But not to Aunt Julia.

She said it would be better if Daddy was dead.

She said that?

Will they put me in a home if I don't want to go to my aunt or my grandma?

No.

Then I want to go with you.

Oh, Yves.

I don't think that will work.

That won't work.

Are you going shopping today?

Does she live at the hospital now, or what?

We're not babies anymore.

- Why don't you help out? - I'm sleeping at Raoul's.

You know you're not allowed to.

It's not my fault you don't have a boyfriend.

And it's not my fault if you get expelled.

Screw you.

You are so sick.

Hello.

I have to go or I'll be late for school.

How's the boy?

And how are you doing?

If I only knew.

FOR NORBERT IN DEEP MOURNING

Why should I go there?

Because it's a chance to say goodbye.

I don't want to go.

Madeleine,

Rico,

Maurice, and Lisa:

We miss you.

We pray for you.

We mourn you.

Amen.

Go away.

No, I won't.

Go away.

I have the right to mourn, too.

Go away.

Go!

What's wrong?

- My condolences, Mrs. Zanini. - Thank you.

You know that we have filed in protest?

No.

Your endless investigations are illegal.

We should have gotten custody long ago.

We won't force him against his will.

The desires of a child can be easily manipulated.

Goodbye.

Why didn't he come today?

Why does she want the boy so much?

- Maybe she has a guilty conscience. - What do you mean?

Maybe she had an affair with Yves' father.

Or maybe she feels guilty for not calling the police.

Now she thinks it's her fault that Yves' family died.

Or some other secret we'll never know.

What are you doing?

Nothing.

I keep thinking about Daddy.

Was I at his funeral?

You were still so small.

You just wanted a stuffed animal.

The lynx.

I used to imagine that Daddy wasn't really dead.

That you were just lying to me.

Yes.

Children have the wildest ideas.

His aunt's making a horrible fuss.

And that's the last place he wants to go.

Where else can he go?

He has to be discharged as soon as possible.

And his grandmother?

Well, actually he wants to come with me.

It's natural for him to depend on you.

Yes, of course.

Even so, assuming you did...

You could observe him at home almost better than you could here.

There it is.

Did you change your mind?

Then can we go?

Do we have to take a car?

Wait a minute.

Could you bring these to Allenmoos Street 91?

Let's go.

You can get off.

Good.

See? They missed me.

Look.

I'll go get the bags.

Hello!

We're upstairs.

Hello.

You must be Yves.

I'm Helen.

Hello.

They're cute.

This is Speedy, and that's Nougat.

Did you name them?

That's the Little Dipper,

and that's the Big Dipper.

And that's Cassiopeia.

You know all that?

Maurice taught me.

And that's Hercules.

Do you like risotto?

But not the way Grandma makes it.

I like it with peas.

The way Mommy makes...

used to make it.

Hi, Alice.

Look.

Alice!

Did anybody ask me? I live here, too, you know.

You can see on your phone how often I called today.

It's only for two weeks.

They had to release him from the hospital.

You can't. You're never home.

I've canceled all my appointments.

- You won't have to do a thing. - Oh, suddenly you've got time!

Anything else?

Yves?

Yves?

Are you in there?

Hmm, he's not in there either.

Yves, you rascal.

Where are you?

Mom.

What is it?

Can you come here for a minute?

I ate spinach pie, and even salad.

What did you have?

What, pizza? But Lisa doesn't like pizza.

How are you? You don't always fight, do you?

That's totally sick.

Come, Yves.

Time to go to bed.

Hey.

How about going to the cemetery?

We could bring some flowers

and spend time remembering your family.

What do you think?

They're lying there, aren't they?

All four of them.

Their ashes.

It's called cremation.

Luckily it didn't hurt anymore.

So what do you think?

Shall we go?

I didn't get the name. I think it's urgent.

Hess.

Yes?

- Okay? - Yes.

I can't take Yves.

Please, sit down.

Take some time to think it over.

I have one condition:

you can't give the boy to Julia.

It's not my decision.

That snake

always plotted against Rico.

Once she even called the police.

Oh?

Claimed he beat his wife.

The police fell for it and arrested him. In front of his own children!

Madeleine just fell down the stairs. Rico wasn't even there.

She told the police herself. And she signed it.

What was going on between them?

Madeleine was always hassling Rico.

Saying she would move out with the kids.

She was plotting with Julia. I'm positive.

Then my son said he wouldn't stand for that.

But that doesn't mean anything, does it?

Have they found anything out?

No.

I'm sorry.

When are the two weeks up?

It'll take a few more days.

Do you want to play soccer later?

I've got a date.

When will you be home?

Get off my back, Mom.

You're with your dad this weekend.

- I don't know yet. - I'm warning you.

You're annoying! Leave me alone! It's my life!

I liked the Alsace.

Look.

Is that a lynx?

First it was mine.

I got it when my daddy died.

Later I gave it to Alice.

And now it's yours.

So long.

Alice?

What's his name?

Lynx.

Just Lynx.

Lynx.

I'm going to show him to the guinea pigs.

First he belonged to Helen.

Her daddy died, too.

When she was very little.

Mommy, the lynx is my friend.

He protects me.

Do you hear?

I'll come and show him to you.

What do you say, Lynx?

Yves!

Yves.

They're dead.

Believe me.

They're dead.

They can live on in your memory, but...

you can't bring them back.

Ever again.

Sorry.

That's okay.

Go ahead.

I can't say I know what's right for Yves.

But I do know...

that in such a situation,

stability and absolutely reliable caretakers...

are essential.

And what recommendation should the hospital give?

Under no circumstances should he be put in the custody of feuding relatives.

He could be placed in a home or with a foster family.

A foster family would be better, of course.

Yves himself should be allowed to decide...

where he wants to go.

In case Yves...

Well...

In case he opts for my family,

I would no longer function as consultant and therapist,

and would assume full responsibility.

You don't think you'd be taking on too much?

Mrs. Hess is surely capable of judging that for herself.

Why don't we suggest that to the court?

He looks like a Buddha.

Exactly.

And look here.

That's a devil

playing with angels.

But look how he's holding the bow. You cant play like that.

It's all here.

The whole cycle of life:

birth, death, resurrection.

You see how incredible the light is?

They say the painter wanted it to look like an eclipse.

How do you know?

I always wanted to know everything about this altar

and maybe even write a book about it.

Now it's finally finished.

And you know what?

You are the very first person to really look at it.

Hess.

Yes.

What?

Just a minute.

I don't understand.

He's not a piece of furniture that you...

Just a minute.

Eliane.

Eliane.

Eliane, open up.

Please.

Yves.

They've decided.

You're going to your aunt.

Yves?

Where are you?

Mommy?

Where's Yves?

Oh, Yves.

They're coming this afternoon.

At two.

So soon?

I'm scared.

- Hello. - Hello.

Hi, Yves. We're so happy to have you.

- You know Dr. Schneider. - Hi.

Come on, let's go.

I don't want to.

Go with them, Yves.

I'm sorry, but you can't stay here.

Come, Yves. Come.

Yves.

No!

I don't want to! Come on. Get in, Yves.

- Please. - I don't want to!

- I don't want to! - Come now.

No!

He's afraid of riding in cars! He's afraid of...

Mom! Why didn't you do anything?

Hey, what could I have done?

What? Fight back, you coward!

Excuse me?

You didn't even want him here.

You have no idea how these things work.

Taking Yves here did him more harm than good.

That's not true! He was doing great here!

- You think I don't know that? - Hey.

Stop shouting. That won't help anyone.

Are you smoking again?

Hi.

Want something to drink?

- Or eat? - Daddy, listen.

You and Mommy...

How come you separated?

Tell me. Please.

I had an affair.

Something serious?

No, not really.

- On an architectural trip. - And how old was I?

Four. Five.

That's no reason to separate.

- Mommy hates men, doesn't she? - No.

It's not that simple.

And I was just irrelevant?

Oh Alice, no!

But you know the story about Mommy and Norbert.

I promised her that wouldn't happen with me.

What story?

Sandra.

Any news about Yves?

- Eliane, just forget him! - I can't.

What's wrong with you?

Don't you want to talk?

You know what I think?

You just need a man.

That's nonsense.

- Don't you start, too. - Right.

At your age you don't need one.

Watch it. You're heading for deep water.

Look at that guy over there.

I bet he could use some therapy.

You're impossible.

I could think of a few ideas...

Thanks.

Do you believe in anything?

Why do you ask?

Just because.

I believe in touching and tenderness,

and in fate, now and then.

Why now and then?

I've got a boyfriend.

And you know what he has?

A wife and kids.

But I'm not stealing from anyone.

He says it's better at home after spending the weekend with me.

In bed, too. Pretty crazy, huh?

He's got the cutest kids.

A boy and a girl.

The cutest kids.

Hi, Mommy.

Hello.

This is Raoul. Raoul, my mom.

- Hi, Raoul. - Mom...

- Pleased to meet you. - Listen to me.

I was looking out of the window, waiting for Raoul.

I saw a shadow at the fence that looked like Yves.

I swear!

I called him and he disappeared.

Yes, and when I came we looked everywhere.

We found tracks in the leaves.

Really!

Good.

Of course.

Pardon me. I won't call again.

Dammit all!

Yves is at home in bed!

Don't stress me out with nonsense like that!

You're home?

Please leave me alone.

Mommy?

Did Dad secretly have a girlfriend?

What are you talking about?

Adrian told Alice why you separated.

Tell me.

It's important to me.

That's my business. Get out.

Did you hear what I said? Get out!

Out! Get out!

Eliane.

I write to you in great pain and shock.

There are no right words.

But in our case, no words would not be right either.

I met Norbert and fell hopelessly in love with him,

without knowing about you and the child you shared.

A! Nigh! I hear his voice.

It is as if I could speak to him.

Maybe he is asking me to address these words to you.

Because he didn't get a chance to do it himself.

So that we can all be a! Peace.

Mommy, what are you doing?

I can't sleep.

Me neither.

Alice.

- We have to talk, I... - It's okay.

Turn the light off, please.

Yves?

Yves, are you in there?

Yves, open up!

Yves?

Yves!

Yves, can you hear me?

Yves, Yves, open up!

Open the door!

Yves!

Yves!

So...

Your father died of a heart attack.

I thought he fell off a cliff.

It was a cardiac arrest.

He wasn't alone on that hike.

He had a mistress, a young art history student.

I had no idea.

No idea at all.

She told me everything in a letter.

They'd been together three years. How old was I?

Since your birth.

For a long time, I just wanted to forget.

You were all I had left.

Until I met Adrian.

Why didn't you ever tell me?

- Helen... - Why didn't you ever tell me?

- How could I find the right moment? - You should've told me.

I was so ashamed.

You should've told me.

I have to get the door.

Thank you.

He won't go to school,

eats like a bird, vomits or has diarrhea.

He keeps running away. We had to lock him in.

And he's stopped talking.

Lucienne cries and cries. She can't understand.

We had to admit him to the hospital

to be tube-fed. But he's coherent.

Why are you telling me all this?

I think he...

When he was still speaking...

Please think about it.

If we convince Child Services...

You can have him! That's what I want to say.

Hello.

Two or three days. Then he can be discharged.

What would you do?

Could you manage maybe one or two evenings a week?

Or just once in a while?

I know, it's asking a lot.

So I would sort of be his male caregiver?

It's important for him.

And I could just stop by spontaneously if it works out between the boy and me?

And you'd give me back the house key?

He'd never be home alone anyway.

You're kind of crazy, aren't you?

No comment.

Everything okay?

Could you pass the pesto?

- Alice, hello. - Hello.

Hi, everybody.

I'm Adrian.

Hi.

Maurice knew the names of all the stars.

You will now experience a lunar eclipse.

That's when the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon.

Did you know that?

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into Earth's shadow,

when Moon, Earth, and Sun are in alignment.

We will now see the Moon move slowly into Earth's shadow and turn red.

In a total lunar eclipse, the Moon looks like a blood-red eye in the sky,

and then moves slowly out of Earth's shadow as a crescent.

Yves.

Yves!

Yves?

Yves!

Stop!

Yves.

Yves!

Stop right now!

Please.

What's wrong? Stop it.

Stop it.

Hey.

Everything okay?

Everything okay?

Please don't tell Eliane.

Don't tell him.

We don't need any secrets.

Please. I promised. You know he's fragile.

You always know better, right?

Eliane!

It's about Yves.

Sorry.

I'm being stupid, I know.

But I just don't see any progress.

That's not true.

Adrian.

Somethings bothering him, and I don't know what.

Should I spend the night?

I don't think so. Besides, I don't think...

All right.

Good night.

What about taking a trip to Alsace next weekend?

All together?

You want to?

You really think that's a good idea?

There! That's where we saw the eclipse!

We have to turn around!

- Are you sure? - Yes!

We have to turn around!

Right there.

Next to the bench.

You think it's true?

Why would he invent it?

Come here.

There were big clouds and just a tiny hole,

right there.

And the hole kept getting bigger.

I had special gasses.

That's where Maurice set up his tripod.

There.

To take a picture of the corona.

And when the sun was completely black, everybody clapped.

Maurice, too, and he forgot to take a picture.

By the time he remembered, it was too late.

He was so mad,

we couldn't calm him down.

Come, let's eat.

Stop. We have to eat in the car.

That's what we did.

Because after the eclipse, it started to rain.

Daddy wanted to drive on, but Mommy needed a break.

And they let me order a cola.

Sure.

- Really! - We believe you.

What's wrong?

Those idiots!

What?

Pay the check.

Yves!

What's wrong?

They grinned just like that.

- The assholes next to us. - Hey, hey.

Yes, because of Mommy. When her scarf slid off.

Because after the party, Daddy cut her hair off.

What?

To punish her for dancing with another man.

Were you there?

But he cut too deep with the scissors.

Then she started bleeding and she kept crying.

Then Maurice hit Daddy over the head with a heavy board.

And he fell down.

Lisa said we needed a doctor or Daddy would die.

But then Maurice poured water over his head and he wasn't dead at all.

We flushed Mommy's hair down the toilet.

Then I had to swear to Maurice that I'd never tell anyone.

Never.

But I'm allowed to tell now, right?

Of course.

Yes, of course.

Let's go now.

What is it?

I...

What?

I...

It was me.

- What do you mean? - It's my fault.

It was me.

They were fighting again.

Mommy shouted that Daddy should slow down,

but then he just drove even faster, laughing.

Mommy shouted: This is the last straw.

I'm leaving you.

Then...

We were in the tunnel. Daddy was waving his hands.

And then...

Then...

What happened then, Yves?

Then I...

pushed Daddy from the back.

Because I thought he was going to hit her again.

And then...

Then there was an awful bang.

Mommy.

Tell him to stop.

Please tell him to stop.

Mommy!

- It wasn't your fault. - Make him stop.

Tell him to stop!

You stay with him.

I can't take it!

It would be better if I was dead, too.

- What? - Hey!

You were just scared and wanted to help.

You wanted to protect your mommy.

Why am I the only one alive?

Yves,

I want you to stay with us.

Did I wake you?

Listen...

I want...

I think I...

Could you please come?

Do they have weapons and armor, too?

Wait a minute. Upstairs maybe.

If it was a real solar eclipse, you'd see the corona.

But not if there are clouds.

Thank you.

Hi.

Hi.

Look at him.

I want to see the armor now.

Kind of surreal, isn't it?

I'd like to believe in miracles.

Not me.

Maybe you just don't see them.

TRANSLATION - Catherine Schelbert.

SUBTITLES - BABELFISCH TRANSLATIONS Annie Grossjohann