Original subtitles

My name is Paloma.

l'm eleven.

l live at 2, Rue E. Manuel, Paris

in a rich person's apartment.

My parents are rich, my family is rich

and my sister and l are basically rich.

But, in spite of that,

in spite of all this luck and wealth,

for a long time now

l've known l'm heading for the fishbowl.

A world where adults bang like flies on the glass.

Paloma! Where are you?

Paloma?

Paloma! Where are you?

But l know one thing.

The fishbowl

isn't for me.

l've made my mind up.

At the end of the year,

the day l turn melve,

on June 16th ne_,

in 165 days,

l'll kill myself.

Paloma! Where are you?

Planning to die doesn't mean

l let myself go like a rotten vegetable.

What matters isn't the fact of dying or when you die.

lt's what you're doing at that precise moment.

ln Taniguchi,

the heroes die while climbing Everest.

And my vey own Everest

is making a film.

A film that shows why life is absurd.

The life of others and my own.

Paloma! Why do you hide like that?

lf things have no meaning,

the mind must deal with that.

Paloma, your mother asked you a question.

Stop that camera.

Why do you hide, Paloma?

Right. l have to go.

Good morning, sir.

Jean-Pierre?

Jean-Pierre?

- Good morning, Mrs Michel. - Good morning, Jean-Pierre.

Go to the hostel, it's a cold day.

Go to the hostel yourself. l prefer it here.

Mother Michel has lost her cat

Shouting from her window to get it back...

You've grown!

Solange Josse.

l'll just get you a...

Upper-class mother

with close ties, for a decade now,

to psychoanalysis, anxiolytics,

anti-depressants and champagne.

You look lovely.

l'll give you a drop but that's all.

She is vaguely aware of her plants' decorative potential,

yet obstinately talks to them like people.

That's good. You'll look fabulous.

You'll be so prem. And even taller than me!

l'm going.

l'm going.

Have a good day, Paloma!

Good morning, Paloma.

lt's freezing outside.

- Good morning, miss. - Good morning

When l got there, l saw Pierre Arthens

lying with his hand on his chest.

Dead.

He'd been there mo hours.

How amul!

When the heart goes, it's radical.

We were having tea this week.

We planned dinner too...

lfwe'd all called today,

he'd have suspected something.

Paloma, don't stay here, please. Go home.

Mother Michel!

Jean-Pierre...

Lost your cat?

Please, not now.

Paloma, the cat!

Paloma.

ln Praise of Shadows

My God, here they come.

l can hear Anna.

Such a happy family...

Spend your life like a fish in a bowl...

and end up in a body bag.

The liR!

Mrs de Broglie, the liR's working again!

June 16th, June 15th...

May 14th, May 1 1th...

April 14th, April 13th...

June 16th.

ln 165 days.

- Paloma's room. - Hello, young lady!

What a room!

More like Ali Baba's cave...

Coming with us?

Paul's study. He'll be here soon.

- Hi. - Hi.

No! No!, no, no, no! No!

- Coming? - Just a second.

Can you prepare the tray?

Colombe Josse.

Archehpe of the fish in the bowl theoy.

Stop filming me!

Obsessed by the need to be less neurotic than her mother

and smarter than her father.

For her, life is a battle

in which you destroy others to win.

Paloma!

- Who's here? - Tib�re's parents.

Ah, yes.

lt's terrible.

Can you imagine? Poor Pierre.

How amul.

You're fine, then your heart goes

and it's all over. Can you imagine?

- It's terrible. - Terrible.

Your heart goes pop and it's over in a trice.

No, Mum, you're not cying during dinner!

lt's awkward for Tib�re's parents.

Did Manuela salt the tagine?

- l said not to. - You're sure?

His father has to be careful.

l salted the fruit salad.

What?

Saw you!

What did he die of?

Don't you ever listen to me?

lt's funny you should say that.

When l was little,

l thought we got a number ofwords to say at birth

and that we'd be struck dumb once we used them up.

For me, mutes didn't get their allocation ofwords.

As l didn't know how manywords l had,

l spoke as little as possible for ages to save them.

To get back to words,

l started therapy ten years ago

and it has changed my life.

Are you in therapy too?

l've never felt the need.

Evemhing's fine...

What about you? What led you to...

My father's death triggered it.

l'm convinced that taking the decision right then

was what saved me, in fact.

l remembered a dream

l had back then about losing my teeth.

They'd turn black and fall out one by one.

Do you know what my therapist said?

''Madam,

a Freudian would call it a dream of death.''

lncredible, isn't it?

lt's incredible.

Paul Josse.

Minister about to fall victim to a cabinet reshumle.

A man occupied,

preoccupied and brilliant.

More focused on his career than his family but well-meaning,

despite being easily resigned.

Don't wory. The main course was enough.

l don't usually eat red meat but it was delicious!

- Are you sure? - Yes.

Thank you.

l didn't even cook it myself.

Excuse me, l'll be right back.

Paloma, l didn't give you my old camera

to fool around. Turn it off.

Sory, an urgent call.

Lasker, the chess champion, once said,

''lf there's intelligent life on Mars,

the inhabitants have invented go.''

Discovered.

Discovered, invented... Lasker said it.

l see.

As l was saying, go is an e_raordinay game.

lt's a bit like the Japanese equivalent of chess.

Not true.

Another Japanese invention...

- Exactly. - That's not true.

The Chinese invented go, not the Japanese.

No, my dear girl, the Japanese invented go.

No, my dear sir, you're wrong.

- No... - It's not the equivalent of chess.

ln chess, you kill to win.

One of the finest aspects of go

is you live to win

but also let your opponent live.

Paloma!

Life and death result from good or poor construction.

Paloma!

And what counts is good construction.

Stop pitching in.

Pursue the stars.

Don't end up as a fish in a bowl.

Tuesday, June 5th.

l'm slowly approaching June 16th.

And l'm not afraid.

When you decide to die

you feel that it has to be.

Like a tricky moment,

a gentle glide to rest.

Paloma!

Adults have trouble coming to terms with death,

even though nothing is more commonplace.

Paloma!

Take no chances with a decision

that could be misunderstood.

Certain people can quickly foil

your most cherished projects.

There you are! Get dressed, you'll be late!

You're here.

Meet Mr Kakuro Ochou, our new neighbour.

- Hello. - Madam...

- Will you show him around? - Yes.

- And give him a mailbox key? - Yes.

He's moving in tomorrow,

make sure the street door is open.

Yes.

Thank you.

Did you know the Arthens family well?

Wondemul people!

They were like any other family here.

Yes, a happy family.

All happy families are alike.

But each unhappy family is unique.

l have mo cats.

- May l ask your cat's name? - Leo.

Goodbye.

Thank you, Mrs Michel.

4Anna Karenina_ .

''All happy families are alike.

''But each unhappy family is unique.''

What came over me?

Why did l...

You're in a hury!

ARer you.

Thank you.

This oRen happens.

Are you Paloma?

Yes.

l'm your new neighbour. My name's Kakuro Ozu.

Shouldn't you be at school by now?

Yes, but l forgot my bag.

Your mother says you study Japanese.

l know a little Japanese

but l'm not vey giRed.

Shall l correct you?

Yes, please.

l'm not vey giRed.

lt's not ''tiRed'' but ''giRed''.

l'm not vey giRed.

Excellent! You're vey giRed.

Vey good.

Thank you, sir.

Call me Kakuro.

Thank you, Mr Kakuro.

l just met our janitor, Mrs Michel.

Do you know her well?

Not really, no.

An odd encounter, l must say.

You also think she has a secret?

Goodbye.

Hello, my darlings!

How's it going? Evemhing's fine.

Ochou... Ozu...

There, you look lovely!

Why are you hiding, Paloma?

l thought we got a number

ofwords to say at birth...

For me, mutes didn't get

their allocation ofwords.

To get back to words...

4Solange_

To get back to words...

l remembered a dream l had back then

about losing my teeth.

They'd turn black and fall one by one.

Do you know what my therapist said?

''Madam,

''a Freudian would call it a dream of death.''

lncredible, isn't it?

lt's incredible...

lt's incredible...

lt's incredible...

- Hello. - Hello, Mrs Josse.

- Come in. - Thank you.

Since it's Wednesday, l supposed Paloma is here.

She is.

l'd like to see your daughter because we met yesterday

and had a vey interesting conversation.

You're vey lucky.

My daughter hardly ever speaks.

Paloma! Mr Ozu is here for you!

Come in!

l have some big news.

- He's hiring me. - Who?

Mr Ozu.

Twelve hours a week, paid a fortune.

Twelve hours? How will you manage?

l've dumped Mrs Josse.

l've dumped Mrs Josse.

l'll make white tea to celebrate.

He's paying 4 euros an hour more

and she leR her panties lying around!

Maybe he leaves his briefs.

No, he's not like that.

He's knocked down a wall. It's beautiful.

His cats are beautiful too.

They're slim and walk like this, undulating.

You should come up and see the place when it's done.

What are they called?

- Who? - The cats.

The female is Kim but l forget the male's name.

- Levin. - Yes, Levin!

How did you know?

Not that revolutionay, is it?

No, the revolutionay is Lenin.

Levin is the hero of a Russian novel.

Kim is the woman he loves.

You should have seen Mrs Josse.

l had to tell her mice.

All she could say was, ''What am l going to do?''

- She didn't ask why? - She didn't dare!

Fancy manners can be a handicap.

She never asked how she'd manage!

Ah, these rich people...

Damn them!

Welcome, Paloma!

l'm no more convinced than by mine,

but yours are more decorative.

Thank you.

What are yours called?

Constitution and Parliament.

You see what kind of family l come from?

Our cats are mo fat sacks

of luxuy pet food

that leave hair all over the couches.

l'm sure they have other qualities.

No.

l believe in the radiance and sensitivih of an oak.

So l necessarily believe in those of a cat.

- Concerning Mrs Michel's cat... - Leo?

Yes, Leo.

Something tells me he's named aRer Leo Tolstoy.

Why do you say that?

l also believe she's fond of 4Anna Karenina_ ?

Mrs Michel reminds me of a hedgehog.

She's prickly on the outside, a real fortress...

But l feel that inside,

she's as refined as that falsely lethargic,

staunchly private and terribly elegant creature.

''Madam, in tribute to your cat.

Best wishes, Kakuro Ozu.''

4Anna Karenina_

''l don't understand.

''The janitor.''

''l can't read.''

Nonsense!

Thank you. You shouldn't have.

The janitor.

l'm glad my parcel didn't upset you.

Well, it did... l mean... Thank you.

l'm not here so you can thank me.

You aren't?

Please come to dinner tomorrow.

Please come to dinner tomorrow. Nothing too fancy.

Neighbourly?

But l'm the janitor!

One can have both qualities at once.

- You're Paloma? - Why do you say that?

l'm your new neighbour.

She's prickly on the outside

But on the inside she's as refined

as those falsely lethargic,

staunchly private and terribly elegant creatures.

We're all hedgehogs in life.

But oRen without elegance.

My new neighbour is Japanese.

This had to happen just before l die.

Leo.

Why? Tell me why!

What do you mean, why? It's good!

Are you joking?

Think practical now.

You can't go like that.

Your hair's not right.

When did you last get it done?

l've never had it done.

- l'll get it done. - Whatwill you wear?

- My black dress. - The one you wore to the funeral?

- l only have one. - So buy another!

- It's only dinner. - l know.

But don't you dress up to go out?

l never go out.

There's no time to order a dress.

So? Don't you ever go to shops?

No, never.

l never go.

To ty on clothes that won't fit

as some anorexic girl looks on?

Never!

All right.

l'll be back soon.

See you later.

June 7th.

l take a pill a week from Mum's box.

An excess of anxiolytics can be fatal.

165 days divided by 7.

That's 23.571 pills.

But a sudden dose of toxic products...

And since l took mo when the box was full...

Other studies claim that there is no fatal dose.

l'll have at least 38 pills. Since l weigh 28 kilos,

that should be enough.

You'll look like a movie star.

l'm joking.

Where's it from?

l went to Maria's.

lt's someone else's dress?

The lady won't come for it. She died last week.

Before the family realizes it's missing,

you can eat ten times with Mr Ozu.

l can't do that.

What can the poor woman do with it?

Ty it on. You'll make me late.

You have a hair appointment at 1 1 :45.

The new girl is wondemul.

l'll come back to see you at 4.

Who cut your hair like this?

Do you prefer hot water or lukewarm?

Hot?

Finished.

lt's surprising.

( Paloma Josse, notes of math )

Damn this liR! It's always breaking down.

Oh, Paloma.

l'll be right back.

Thank you.

We have to get help.

Vey elegant, Mrs Michel.

Yoko Ozu.

Granddaughter of Mr Kakuro Ozu.

The rich and only heir of a powemul Japanese family.

She will give up her studies

to mary a wealthy banker's son.

ARer three detox cures,

she will raise her four children

in a spotless home.

Yoko Ozu will end up divorced,

alcoholic, a billionaire and depressive.

And me?

Can my destiny be read on my face?

l want to die

because l believe that.

But is there a possibilih

of becoming what you aren't yet?

Can l do something with my life

other than what l'm destined for?

No...

This is ridiculous...

Good evening.

- Come in. - Thank you.

Here.

Come along...

We'll eat in the kitchen.

ln fact, l'll be cooking.

- It's vey beautiful here. - Thank you.

Do you know Japanese cuisine?

No.

These are gyoza.

Could you tell me where the bathroom is, please?

Mrs Michel?

l can't open the door!

Maybe you're turning the lock the wrong way.

l was a bit surprised.

Mozart in the bathroom, that's...

l should have warned you.

lt's a Japanese thing.

When you sit down, the music starts up.

Forgive me.

Some people jump to their deaths.

l find that ridiculous. l would hate to sumer.

Paloma!

ARer all, you want to die to end the sumering.

Only with my lawyer present.

Your lawyer?

Your lawyer...

lt's not a courtroom. He's a psychoanalyst.

l can already see Dr Th�)'d

talking like a toothbrush salesman

to madam and her daughter.

''l'm vey happy to see you both.''

Paloma, you're a vey intelligent girl

but you can be intelligent and helpless.

Vey lucid and vey unhappy.

Only psychoanalysis rivals religion

for love of sumering.

That's a tash one.

That's Tib�re!

Let him in, Mum! l won't be long.

Why do you say that?

My mother wants to break out the champagne

to celebrate ten years in therapy!

Well, yes.

Yes. That's good, isn't it?

No.

She's been on anti-depressants for ten years too.

But she doesn't see the link...

bemeen ten years in therapy,

her love of her plants

and her mass consumption

of prescription drugs.

Do you want some?

No, l'm joking.

These are ramen noodles.

lt's a soup of Chinese origin.

You dip the gyoza in this sauce.

Tell me ifyou like it.

- Enjoy. - Thank you.

ln Japan, we make noise eating ramen.

Too bad about the collateral damage.

Sory about your dress.

lt's not my dress!

l borrowed it.

l live alone and l never go out.

l may be a bit unsociable.

Unsociable but vey civilized.

You shouldn't have offered me

those beautiful volumes.

Were you pleased?

Yes, l was pleased, but a little startled too.

l ty to be discreet. l don't want problems.

No one wants a pretentious janitor.

You're not pretentious.

You're just curious.

Even dining here with you is inconceivable.

Yet you're dining here.

And l'm vey honoured.

Hubert Josse.

Born nine and a half years ago in a pond on a goldfish farm.

Hubert will live and die in this bowl,

except for weekly excursions to the kitchen sink

while the cleaner changes his water

so he won't sumocate on his own waste.

- The mountains of Kyoto... - What?

The mountains of Kyoto are the colour of adzuki.

That's from a film.

4The Munakata Sisters_

l saw it long ago.

l have it on tape.

Would you like to watch it with me?

Do you have a video player?

Yes.

Would Saturday suit you?

All right.

We'll watch it at teatime and l'll bring cakes.

lt's a deal.

See you on Saturday then.

- Ren�e! - Yes?

By the way, l wanted to ask...

Are you related to him?

To Mr Ozu. The director, l mean.

No, not at all.

You're disappointed?

No, not at all.

Oh,yes. OK! OK!

Yes. Yes.

- You got stuck in tramic? - It's 7:30.

Yes, l know.

- The lodge opens at 8. - You have opening times?

Yes!

- Well, now l'm here... - Come back later.

Paloma!

l can't find her.

That bitch of a janitor has got a nerve!

What's wrong?

She slammed her door in my face, saying she starts at 8.

Old bat!

You can't disturb her when you want.

The fat cow can make an exception for once!

Colombe dear...

Enough!

The lodge isn't a sanctuay

from social progress or wage laws!

Period!

Precisely.

lt's true, just because...Paloma!

l don't want you filming me!

Paloma!

Paloma!

What are you... Don't move!

Tell me what happened to Hubert!

Turn it off! l don't want to be filmed!

Paloma!

Where's my goldfish?

l woke up hungy in the night.

l went to get a yoghurt.

Hubert was floating in his bowl.

Where is he?

- In the toilet. - That's sick.

He was dead.

You're an intolerant and depressive little person

who hates others, Paloma.

Given the situation, l think you owe me a favour.

Do a deal.

Hold on a second...

l'll see Mrs Michel.

- Ifyou let me film you. - No.

Just until my birthday, l promise.

- How long? - Nine days.

- Three. - l won't go then.

Ok, nine days.

Tell that old cow to bring up my package

as soon as it arrives.

- Good morning. - Hello, Mrs Michel.

My sister Colombe is expecting a vey important delivey.

Vey well.

- Could you bring it up? - All right.

Would...

Would you like cocoa?

Come in.

l was just having some tea.

l prefer tea. Do you mind?

No, not at all.

Sit down.

My sister is expecting corrections

for her thesis on Guillaume d'Ockham,

a 14th centuy Franciscan friar.

- Ah, yes. - Yes.

Well, it's given us the chance to get acquainted.

Can l come back?

lf you want but there's not a lot to do here.

l just want some peace.

Can't you get that in your room?

l used to hide.

But they always find me now.

- Well? - Well...

Come back later.

All right, as usual.

See you later. Goodbye, Paloma.

Goodbye.

l'm disturbed all the time too.

This is no place to come for peace.

People come for you, not for me.

All right,

but we'll have to ask your mother.

May l?

- It's dark chocolate. - l noticed. Thank you.

What's so nice about chocolate?

The substance itself

or the crunch of your teeth on it?

l prefer to let it melt slowly on my tongue.

You're right.

Changing the way you bite into it...

makes it something new.

You should be getting home.

Your parents will wory.

You're not an ordinay janitor.

You've found the ideal hiding place.

l'll go!

- Ah, good morning. - Good morning.

The delivey for your daughter.

Just a second...

Paloma is an eccentric little girl.

l mean, she's a little...

odd.

She's vey kind.

Yes, but she loves to hide, for instance.

- Yes, she told me. - She told you?

She told you...

Anmay, she'd like to come to your lodge now and then.

lf you don't mind.

No, l don't mind.

That way, at least, l...

Mind the cat!

l wanted to say...

Don't let the cat out.

Don't let the janitor in.

Mind if l film you?

Yes.

- You're going out? - Yes.

May l come with you?

Yes.

Careful!

l don't knowwhat l can do.

Staining a dress like this...

Didn't Manuela warn you?

She did.

l'll see if my husband can help.

You get told off for making stains too.

Yes.

Can l come this aRernoon?

Go on.

Go on.

What can l say?

Talk about yourself.

''Talk about yourself...''

l'm listening.

l know you are. You're filming me too!

My name's Ren�e, l'm 54.

l've been a janitor for 27 years here in Paris

in a building with five luxuy apartments,

all occupied, all huge...

''Talk about yourself...''

l'm a widow.

l'm short, ugly and overweight.

l have bunions and,

some mornings when l wake,

breath like a mammoth!

l've never studied,

l've always been poor,

discreet and insignificant.

l live alone with a fat, lazy tomcat...

who, rather unusually,

gets meah paws

when he's annoyed.

l'm rarely amiable but always polite.

People don't like me

but tolerate me

because l correspond

to the archehpe of a building's janitor:

ugly, old and surly,

always glued to her TV while her fat cat dozes

on cushions covered

with crocheted cases

in a stink of bean stew.

There, you know evemhing now.

No, not evemhing.

Yes, you do, evemhing.

What do you hide behind that door?

Are those cakes?

A surprise delivey.

Why did you remove the flowers?

Mrs de Broglie, this is the first floor.

You live on the third floor.

Hello, Ren�e.

You weren't joking. My mouth is watering.

You can thank Manuela.

The third door on the right.

No wonder you smiled

when l asked if you had a video player.

- Are you ready? - l'm ready.

Here we go then.

You've found the ideal hiding place.

Tell me, Marika...

Why are the Kyoto mountains violet?

That's true.

They're the colour of adzuki.

lt's a prem colour.

She was my wife.

She died of cancer ten years ago.

Her name was Sanae.

She was...

a vey beautiful woman.

Yes. Vey beautiful.

And you? l don't even know if...

l never managed to have children.

l've been a widow 15 years.

His name was Lucien. Cancer too.

l didn't know.

No, you didn't know. No one told you.

Lucien's illness didn't matter here.

Pierre Arthens' death is a tragedy

but the death of a janitor...

lt's just a dip in the daily routine.

Good night, Ren�e.

Good night, Kakuro.

lt was fantastic day.

You stupid fool!

What were you thinking?

You're just a hideous janitor,

that's all.

You mad old cow...

You're not filming me?

lt's Sunday. Taking the day off?

Watch this...

l'm going to varnish my big toenail.

When l grow up,

l want to be a janitor.

Wondemul idea, dear.

lfwe can do anything to assist you,

we're here to help, aren't we?

Exactly.

When l grow up, l want to be a janitor.

No, l don't think so. You'll be a princess.

l want to be a janitor.

- Hello, young lady. - Hello.

Maybe l'll come back later.

lf you want.

Are you well? - Yes.

Will you have dinner with me?

l'd like to take you to a restaurant l'm fond of.

A restaurant?

lt's my birthday

and l'd like to celebrate it with you.

l'm sory. l don't think it's a good idea.

- Why not? - It's vey kind and l'm grateful

but l'd rather not.

l don't understand.

lt's for the best.

Believe me. Goodbye.

What are you up to?

Nothing at all.

You're busy tonight?

No, that's not why...

Why then?

l don't think it's a good idea.

Why not?

Why not?

Do l knowwhy not? l don't know...

Oh, my God, Paloma...

l don't want you seeing me like this!

l'm so stupid!

Don't say that, Mrs Michel.

Don't say that.

Don't say that, Mrs Michel.

Don't say that.

Dear

Kakuro...

lf you haven't

changed your mind,

l would be happy

to have dinner

with you tonight.

All the best,

Ren�e.

''Dear Ren�e, Please accept these few simple giRs.

''All the best. Kakuro.''

- You look wondemul! - Thank you.

You too, you're vey elegant.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mr Ochou.

Good evening, madam.

Goodbye, madam.

She didn't recognize me.

She didn't recognize me.

Because she's never seen you before.

Happy birthday then.

Thank you vey much.

You know, l have to tell you...

l haven't bought you anything.

Nothing at all?

No.

l knew you'd be wise enough not to buy me anything.

- Enjoy your meal. - Thank you.

ls this octopus?

Yes, as sashimi.

And this too...

is octopus.

Ren�e...

l'm vey happy you decided

to come tonight aRer all.

- l'm sory about that... - Don't be.

Ren�e,

l wanted to tell you something important.

Ren�e,

we can be friends and whatever we want.

Ren�e,

we can be friends and whatever we want.

Thank you.

''All happy families are alike. ''

''But each unhappy family is unique.''

Jean-Pierre!

You're in the middle of the street!

Mother Michel! Lost your cat?

Don't stay there!

lf l could, l'd laugh.

But l'm thinking of Manuela.

She'll blame herself forever

that the dy cleaning van ran me down.

lt's punishment for taking the dress.

Neptune...

lt's silly, l still feel like laughing.

l suppose death makes us a little crazy.

Kakuro...

My heart is as tight as a kitten curled up in a ball.

l'd love one last glass of sak� with you.

How can you determine a life's value?

Paloma,

may yours fulfil the promise you show.

What's wrong?

Ren�e is dead.

Who's Ren�e?

Mrs Michel.

Paloma?

Paloma, what's wrong?

Telling Manuela was amul.

When she heard it was that van,

she fainted.

Heart-breaking.

Paloma.

All she said was,

''Forgive me, Ren�e...''

So that's it.

Evemhing stops all of a sudden.

ls that what dying is?

You no longer see those you love,

you no longer see those who love you.

lf that's what dying is,

it really is as tragic as people say.

What was this goldfish doing here?

lf this has any meaning,

it escapes me entirely.

What matters isn't the fact of dying

but what you're doing when you die.

Ren�e,

what were you doing at the moment you died?

You were ready to love.