Original subtitles

BANDITS IN ORGOSOLO

This story takes place today in Sardinia,

in the town of Orgosolo.

These are shepherds from Orgosolo.

Their time is measured by seasonal migrations

in search for pasture or water.

The souls of these men remained primitive.

What is right according to their law is not always right in modern society.

The only things that matter to them are family and community bonds.

Everything else is meaningless,

hostile.

Even the State, represented by the police and the prisons.

Of modern civilization they know mostly about the rifle.

The rifle is used for hunting, to defend oneself,

but also to assault.

They can become bandits from one day to the next,

without even realizing it.

That way.

Didn't you see that one is missing? Were you sleeping?

How many times have I told you not to leave them unattended?

Let's go, quickly. Start walking!

How will we find her in this fog?

Come here.

See what you did?

She broke her leg.

Come on!

Come on!

Get the lamb.

Hold her still.

Let it go.

Pull hard.

- Is this sheepfold yours? - Yes.

Are you alone here?

My brother is here.

Where is he now?

There.

Good day.

I haven't seen you guys around here before. Where are you from?

We come from far away.

Those pigs you've hidden... are they yours?

I don't want trouble.

When are you leaving?

He can't walk.

If he's injured, you'd better take him away.

- Come and eat. - I don't want any.

Come on, sit down.

Still haven't left?

Now you are taking advantage of me.

You even killed the pig!

Go ahead, eat.

I don't want any. I don't eat stolen meat.

If anything happens, I'll get in trouble.

What do you want? We can't leave before the night comes.

Yes! You're in charge here anyway!

Can you give me some water?

Give me a light.

Listen. You better not fight with that guy.

Otherwise it's your loss.

You don't have to worry, I already feel better.

As soon as it gets dark we're leaving.

- How's the year going? - Bad. It's going very poorly.

Are the sheep yours?

Yes, they're mine!

I still have to finish paying for them.

Where I come from it's also been a bad year.

We lost many of them.

So you make do.

What else can I do?

The police! Come on, let's go.

- What are you doing here? - I'm with the sheep.

Give me your ID.

- What's your name? - Michele Jossu.

- From Orgosolo? - Yes, from Orgosolo.

Let me look in there. Here.

Well? Are you alone here?

- My brother is here. - And where is he now?

With the sheep.

You only have sheep here?

Yes.

Have you seen anyone walking around here?

No, nobody.

Are you sure?

Yes, sure.

- I found this. - Let me see.

Is this your stuff?

Yes, it's mine.

Didn't you say that you only kept sheep here?

I bought it to eat it.

You treat yourself well!

But it doesn't have the stamp of Orgosolo.

Where did you buy it?

At the market.

At the market? Hold this stuff.

Go take a look around.

I have to tend to my sheep.

No, you stay here.

But my brother is young, they could get lost.

No, they won't get lost.

Damn it!

Didn't you know there were pigs?

I bet you bought those at the market too.

Let's go check it out.

Well, what are you doing?

Come with us!

Walk!

By now everyone is coming.

Let's leave.

Come on! Quick, run!

Who is shooting?

Run!

Don't load the fire too much.

- Do you want some bread? - No, you eat it.

The bread is finished.

Listen. I'm going to the village. I'll be back early in the morning.

Aren't we going back to the sheepfold?

Why?

Now we can't.

Lay down here.

Don't move away from the sheep.

Stay with your eyes open.

If I'm not back in the morning, you let them graze around here.

Yes.

If someone asks you about me, you don't know where I am.

Is that okay?

I need to talk to you.

Wait.

Come.

Enter.

- There's been some trouble. - Yes, I know.

- What do you know? - They killed a policeman

near your sheepfold. Everyone in the village says so.

- Is he dead? - Yes.

You can tell me.

What happened?

- Can you tell my mother? - I'll send someone over. Hold on.

Mintonia!

- When did you arrive? - Now.

Go to Michele's house.

Tell the mother that Michele is fine. Not to worry.

Ask her if the police went there.

And then come right back here.

Be careful and don't let them see you.

Did anyone see you earlier?

No, I don't think so.

- Wait a minute. - Where are you going?

Wait.

Give me the wine.

What are you doing?

Do you know me?

Were you playing?

Who were you playing with?

Go to bed, come on!

Go on! Go on, it's late.

Aunt Mallena.

The problem is that they ran away.

If only they caught them! Wretches!

- Weren't you with the police? - Yes.

Then they saw that you didn't shoot.

They found the meat in the sheepfold.

They'll say that I worked with the thieves.

They'll get them, you'll see. It's just a matter of time.

Yes, but what do I do in the meantime?

I have to stay hidden.

It's me, Mintonia.

- Have you been there? - Yes, I've seen her.

- What are you saying? - She's crying. When I arrived

the police had just left. They searched everywhere.

They said he must turn himself in immediately, or it will be worse.

- Have you seen any policemen? - Yes, they're all over the country.

Now go back downstairs. If they knock on the front door,

come right away and let us know.

- Do not open to anyone. - All right.

Be careful.

What are you going to do?

- I'll go back to the sheep. - Where are they?

In Supramonte, with my brother.

You'd better leave them, or they'll catch you right away.

I won't leave them. Everyone who's done it ended up losing them.

You can sell them, even if you take a loss.

It's better.

I won't. They'll have to come find me in Supramonte, if they want me.

You don't want to be a fugitive forever!

It's hardly different from the life I've led so far.

Always in the countryside.

Are you in town?

Yes.

- Are you okay? - Yes.

I've stayed too much. It's getting late, I better go.

No, stay. We're making bread anyway.

We work all night.

Let's do this...

Listen.

I'm going to Nuoro to see a lawyer.

I'll tell him what happened.

Maybe he'll gives us advice.

If you want to go there, go.

But I don't want to turn myself in.

I know how these things turn out.

By the time it gets to trial and everything else...

who knows how long it will take!

And who supports the family? Them?

I'm always around!

All the efforts I've made...

Ever since I was a child.

To be able to have my own sheep.

And I haven't finished paying for them yet.

And now this had to happen!

Go and be a shepherd!

Last year was so bad, over half of them were gone.

And now that I was making up for it....

Those bandits had to come and ruin me.

You can tell we were born desperate.

- Did you bring everything? - Yes.

Also the dress and the coat.

Hold it steady.

- Nobody saw you? - No.

Leave.

Tell Gonario that I am at Punta Solitta.

If he wants me, he can find me there.

- Be sure to go to my mother's. - Yes, I will.

Here... This is your stuff.

Be careful with the food, there's not much.

Now you have to look after the sheep by yourself.

We watch the road from here.

If the police come, we see them and we can move away.

- I'm staying close by. - When are you coming back?

Every now and then, to help you.

You didn't see me, you don't know anything, not even where I went.

These are the papers. If they ask you about the sheep, it is all there.

- Do you understand? - Yes.

Now put it in the mould.

Come on, get the other one. Make it quick.

Squeeze... Turn it over.

- Did you see anyone? - No.

- Are you sure? - Yes.

Why are there no shepherds here?

These are nasty places.

In winter there is snow, in summer there is no water.

You have to know them well.

I like it here, though.

Have you ever been here before?

With our father.

What were you looking at? The goats?

Yes. There were many.

We had over 400 of them.

Were they all the master's?

Yes, all of them.

Did dad die here?

There.

Where?

There, below that peak.

Were you there with him?

I was far away.

How did it happen?

He was looking for some goats that were lost.

It was getting dark and he fell into a ravine.

When did you find him?

The next day.

He almost died from the cold and there was nothing I could do.

What was our father like?

He was a good man. He commanded respect.

But a flock of his did he ever have?

He was unfortunate.

You instead succeeded.

For now, at least!

Don't we go back to the sheepfold?

Not for now.

What did you do? Why are they looking for you?

Something happened with some strangers.

Did you start the shooting?

Go back to the sheep! Go, walk!

Walk!

Hurry up!

Who are you looking for?

- Where is Michele? - He is not here.

I must speak to him immediately about something very important.

- What do you want from Michele? - Gonario sent me.

I also brought the donkey to load the stuff.

Did you meet anyone on your way here?

Go and call him. Quick!

- What is this stuff? - Food.

Don't move. Wait.

Be careful.

- Why did you come? - Gonario can't, he's being watched.

- What did he say? - To be careful.

The police are looking for you.

They came by the hundreds, they keep looking for you everywhere.

They came from Cagliari, those with the black beret.

They have the trucks and the tents.

Those come here.

Gonario said to leave immediately.

If you still stay with the sheep, they'll catch you for sure.

- What about my mother? - She sent you the bread.

- How is she? - She's worried, poor thing.

- She is thinking about you. - Michele!

Come and see, there are cars.

Look at the dust!

They're coming! Run, they're looking for you!

Quick, get up the tree!

Pass me the stuff.

Quick!

Tell Gonario that I'll take the sheep with me.

Tell him to sell this stuff, pay the debt

and give half the money to my mom. - What will you do?

- I'm leaving. - Michele!

Let's go!

Let go.

Be careful, go that way.

In half an hour find another passage, so you won't meet them.

I'm leaving. I'll pass through the mountains, if I can.

Run!

They can't walk anymore.

I'm going to go nearby, you look after the sheep.

I'll be back when it gets dark.

We have to walk at night until we are in the territory of Orgosolo.

What if they find us?

I don't think so, we've come a long way.

Wait right here. Don't move.

- What is your name? - Jossu Giuseppe.

- What are you doing here? - I'm with the sheep.

Give me the papers.

Are you Michele's brother?

Yes, we are brothers.

Where is he?

I don't know.

But the sheep are his!

It's written here that they are his!

Yes, they are his.

Then he's here!

No, he's not here.

Get that saddlebag.

What do you need that stuff for?

- To make cheese. - Do you make it yourself?

- Yes. - Where do you sleep at night?

In the country.

Who are you trying to fool?

What are you saying? Your brother is here and you know it!

Speak up! Where did he go?

Speak up! We'll get him anyway.

Is he hiding? Is he nearby?

Answer.

Did you find anything?

Yes, there are tracks. He must be around here.

- Did the boy speak? - No way, they're all the same.

Nothing we can do, they learn to lie before they're born.

Tell him we'll take him to the barracks. So his memory comes back!

Maybe he doesn't know where his brother is.

He's certainly around.

We'd better hide.

Let's stay here until dark. He can't leave the kid alone!

- What if he runs away? - No! What about the sheep?

We'd hear the bells.

Hurry!

They found it! Soon!

This way!

We'd better continue.

- We go ahead. - Come with me.

Pay attention.

The police came. I hid the sheep in there.

- Were they shooting at you? - Yes, from a distance.

Tonight they came back. They passed right down here.

- Were there many of them? - Yes, many.

Which way did they go?

That way.

Let's hurry or they'll be back.

We have to go that way.

- But how do we do that? - There is a passage there.

- If we find it, we're safe. - What if the police see us?

The important thing is to get to the bottom.

They don't know the way.

- And then where do we go? - Behind the mountains, to a sheepfold.

- They won't look for us there. - Will we find water?

Yes, down there at the bottom, but you have to walk fast.

- The sheep are tired. - Walk!

Walk! We can't do anything else.

- They have seen us! - They can't catch us,

they are too far away and it will soon be dark.

Look, there's a shepherd over there!

Maybe we'll find some water too.

- Who told you to get water? - We're taking a little for the herd.

- They are dying of thirst. - And then what's left for mine?

- Water is not denied. - Where are you from?

- From Orgosolo? - Are these yours?

Yes.

The herd is ruined, can't you see that?

They are tired, we have walked a lot.

Their paws are sick. Where are you taking them?

To the plains, if I can.

And you're bringing her through here? They'll all die.

How far is it crossing these mountains?

You can do it in a day. Walk, come on!

- Let them drink. - They've had enough to drink!

They can't make it, they're tired.

- What are you up to? - They can't make it.

Come on!

- It's useless, they're thirsty. - Come on, walk!

Come on, come on!

Come on, try to walk. Give it to me.

Come on, that we've arrived. See the plain over there?

Come on, walk.

What's wrong with you? Are you feeling sick?

- I don't know. I'm thirsty. - Do you have a fever?

My head is spinning.

Can't you walk a little more?

Rest. I'll go find you some water.

It's late now, it's useless to walk. We won't make it to the plain.

There is a shelter over there.

Drink.

- How are you feeling? - Like my head is burning.

I'm cold.

We've arrived. Right?

Yes, we have arrived.

Will they come looking for you again? The police.

Let's hope not.

What do they want to do to you?

Put me in jail.

You didn't do anything, did you?

Then why are they looking for you?

They shot a policeman and killed him.

- Who did it? - Some foreigners.

Can they put you in jail even if you haven't done anything?

Sure.

How do they do that?

They'll open a case.

And where do they do it?

In court. In Nuoro, in Cagliari.

Also in the continent.

Why don't they take the others? You're innocent.

They don't know them.

But they know me.

How long will they keep you in prison?

Even ten years.

Twenty, thirty...

Then you were right to run.

Now go to sleep.

Is the pasture good where we are going?

We'll be fine there.

And will there be plenty of water?

Yes.

Then the sheep will heal right away. Right?

Now get some rest.

What happened?

They're dying.

Why are they all dying?

You can tell that this was their destiny.

And what do we do?

I'll take you to the village.

What about you?

- I don't have a choice anymore. - What about the sheep?

What can we do?

Why do you carry this stuff with you?

Haven't you realized you don't need it anymore?

Throw it away!

We don't have the sheep anymore.

It's over.

- What are you doing here? - Is Gonario here?

He's up.

- Can you call him for me? - Hold on a moment.

Why don't you come in? Come in and eat something.

I don't want any.

- Is Michele fine? - Fine.

- What happened? - Michele wants to talk to you.

- Where is he? - In Uncle Banneddu's cellar.

- Is he sick? - No.

I'm going there now. Make him eat something.

And tell them I'll be back soon.

Come in for a moment. Hold on.

Where are you going? Wait.

Here.

This came to your house.

The court sent it.

What does it say?

It says...

"Aggravated robbery".

"Criminal conspiracy".

They are also holding you responsible

for the policeman who was killed.

They have convinced themselves that you are guilty

for the fact that you ran away.

Where are the sheep?

- They all died. - What do you do about the debt?

So far I have made them wait but they said if you don't pay them...

They will sell your house.

My mother has already heard about it?

I didn't want to tell her so as not to scare her too much.

Since they are looking for you, she hasn't been the same.

The lawyer also wants a lot of money.

I get it. Say I'll pay them.

All.

Giuseppe will stay in the village. You need to find him a master.

- Do you need anything? - Yes.

A weapon.

- Drop the gun! - What do you want from me?

Drop it, I said.

Get down on the ground.

What harm have I done you that you want to ruin me?

I've been ruined too. You try to make do.

Don't try to follow me, they're sold tomorrow anyway.

Wait a moment. Stop, don't take them all!

I'm a guy like you. What have I done to you?

You don't have a conscience.

God will never forgive you.

If you take them away from me, how will I live?

You'll bring me to despair!

I'll find you, you know!

Wherever you go, I'll find you!

Here is the only thing you can do.

Take other people's stuff!

As long as I'm alive... I'll make you pay for it!

Miserable!

Thief!

Bandit!