Original subtitles

My life began on 15 September 1976.

Somewhere on the Balkans where Europe ends but never begins.

This is my mother - gentle and kind.

She lives mostly in her own world of books and music.

Hesitant and beautiful, like the tapestries that she embroiders.

My father always restless, always in a hurry not to miss something.

Planning, looking for new paths and he walks along them until the end.

In the expectation of my birth

my granny was feverishly looking for sugar, for the event.

Addicted to sweets, she was convinced

that the world was spinning around a sugar cube.

Got sugar today?

Grandma Zladka � 'Pastry' � was her nickname.

When sugar disappeared from the shops the bitter taste of despair.

- Sugar? - No, there isn't.

But the world is big and she knew that sugar-cane was growing somewhere.

- Sugar? - Suger, Cuban suger!

Hey comrade, where are you going?! We have a queue here!

Aren't you ashamed? You went before all of us!

The caf�, the secret capital of the backgammon.

That day my Grandpa fought a fierce battle.

The backgammon king was going to be proclaimed.

They call my grandpa Baj Dan.

Dan - from Yordan, and Baj is an honorable address

to a man who has a special attitude to dice.

Baj Dan - the dice master.

They had been playing from the morning - the outcome was near...

...and in this very moment I decided to show up.

- The Boys. Double six. - Great!

This is a candy sponge, this is baklava, this is butter roll...

Zladke, where did you find sugar?

Fidel Castro sent it from Cuba.

The world is big and salvation lurks around the corner.

For my grandson Alexander. Cheers! Cheers!

Thus my story begins.

The story of Alexander Georgiev, nick name - Sashko.

The world is big and everybody calls you whatever he wants.

Germany

The children... they had a car accident.

Sashko is alive in a hospital.

Yana and Vasko...

Hello!

How are you? Do you understand me?

What is your name? Do you understand me?

- I don't know. - What is your name?

I don't remember, I...

Good day! How can I help you?

Good day! I am looking for my grandson, Alexander Georgiev.

A moment...

Room 17, this way.

Here I am Sashe! I'm here. Come here, my boy!

How are you, my child? It's me, your grandpa Yordan from Bulgaria!

Didn't you recognize me? You are okay?

Tell me you're okay!

I don't know, I... I, please... I... don't know you... I...

Sashe!

Look at me! It's me, your grandpa.

I come from home. Remember?

Your sweet granny? She made baklava for you when you were child! Remember?

I taught you to play backgammon! The song... do you remember?

He who knows, plays backgammon. He who doesn't know... one, two, three...

What's going on?

Please, tell this man to go away, I... I don't know who he is...

Please, leave the room!

Please, leave the room!

Sashe!

He who knows, plays backgammon. He who doesn't know...

Play bravely and fearlessly.

In the worst case you'll get beaten!

One, two, three, four, five, six six, five, four, three, two, one.

One, two, three, four, five, six, six five, four, three, two, double six.

Be careful! Grandpa throws!

Sorry, they should have warned you beforehand

that your grandson wouldn't recognize you. I will talk to him and inform him.

How is he, doc? Will he be okay?

Fortunately, Mr. Georgiev hasn't been physically affected seriously.

- He has a retrograde amnesia. - Amnesia?

Yes. He doesn't remember anything before the accident.

Due to the trauma a slight biochemical disbalance has appeared in the cortex.

But with the help of the modern medicines we can successfully control the illness.

Even if he does not recover his memory, there are social programs

which will help him manage.

So that he'll live like a... cretin?

My grandson has lost his past. I will help him!

Calm down, Mr. Balabanov. He doesn't even know that his parents are dead.

This news could harm him seriously.

We will decide when is the best time to tell him.

- You want me to lie? - Everything is for his wellbeing.

Yes, I understand... yes, yes...

Says you!

- Grandpa may I throw? - Attention all!

Peyo, bring some raki! Today, it's my treat!

Yordan Balabanov's grandson asked for the dice!

Bravo! Come on, cheers!

Cheers for the young master! Ah, like father, like son!

Cheers for the master, may you become the best!

Ivan, make way for the youth!

Come on, master! Now... a man's word!

We don't play for money, only for honor.

I didn't hear a man's word. Do you promise?

I promise!

Take the dice!

You have to trust the dice, my boy.

Think of two numbers!

- Six and one. - Throw, let's see!

Bravo! Well done!

Bravo, my kid, see how have you grown up! Bravo, granny's sugar cube!

Can you see how you grow up when you listen?

Come near the table and fold these napkins! Where are the candles?

You're going to blow the candles now, aren't you? The matches?

Sashe, your grandpa!

Give it! Give it! Give it. Don't tease the boy!

Happy birthday, Sashko! And play so much you break the box.

Ehaaa, thank you grandpa!

This time you've outdone yourself.

Now a photograph! Ready! Come on, cheese!

Alexander Georgiev's home. Unfortunately, I am not home.

Please, leave a message after the signal. Thanks!

Good evening, Mr. Georgiev, it's Vitechek from the translators' bureau.

We expect your translation for the vacuum cleaner PX510.

You had promised that you would be ready a week ago. Please, call back!

I brought you some pictures.

- Who are these? - Your mother and your father.

Sweet Granny, this is you,

this is me, your mother, and your father.

I don't remember them.

Sashe, this was your birthday. You got 7.

- You really don't remember? - No! Really!

All of these are unknown to me. I don't remember any of them.

Mum, dad, I don't remember myself! Enough of this!

Sashe, you will remember everything!

You will remember everything...

This backgammon... I made it for you.

I found it at your place last night.

You came into my home? How?

Not very legally...

Illegally? You arrive,

you rush in...

good... good, super...

You're probably my grandfather...

You've come all the way from Bulgaria! A great gesture!

But, please, it's already time for you to go away now.

Please, leave me alone, I don't remember you!

Sashe... Sashe!

I don't remember you!

Grandpa and Grandma - Yordan, Zladka

If you don't feel like talking... let's play one game of backgammon.

I don't enjoy this kind of games.

Let's play just one game.

- I am not lucky. - Backgammon has nothing to do with luck.

I taught you once. Come on!

You see? You haven't forgotten.

- Snake eyes. - This isn't very good, is it?

It's good, it's good. There's no bad dice, there're only bad players.

It depends on how you play it.

You have to move your pieces so as to take them out first.

But at the same time you have to obstruct your opponent to do the same.

You put barriers on the points.

Two checkers.

See, snake eyes, the smallest dice but it works very well.

You close the Bosphorus from one side,

the Dardanelles from the other

and your enemy is captured

in the middle of the Black Sea not being able to move at all.

This is double six, you can't throw more than that.

But you could lose despite the double six.

Especially now that my "six" is blocked.

But... there is always the next throw.

Ah, the man can't hit the board, give him a trough to throw there.

Our home militia has come to keep watch over us...

and you're showing such a bad game.

Comrade militiaman,

why this warm Lenin look at me?

You've been here more than once, you must have learnt it already?

Let's play a game!

You don't want? Because those who don't play never lose.

But here we all play.

If you just watch you might get hit by a board on the head.

He's leaving.

Vasko, Vasko! You are summoned to the Staff section.

Ah, Georgiev!

The situation is not very good, Georgiev!

Why, what happened?

Interesting things. You served as a soldier in Samokov - rocket corps.

While you were on duty, you quarel with the superior

and you beat him up. That's what it reads here.

Six months in the garrison prison. They expel you from the Comsomol.

You were released from the army in 1971.

You apply to study in Sofia but you skip to inform

that you were expelled from the Comsomol.

You submit fake record from the army. Here's a copy.

The comrades didn't notice it then and they accepted you.

You graduated, but one day everything comes to light.

What should I do with you?

You're a gifted lad...

You have a wife and a child � may they be alive and well.

Everybody makes mistakes.

You're still young. Life is before you.

What do you want from me?

Your father-in-law - Yordan Balabanov, whom they call Baj Dan.

He was a cyclist, he won the Tour of Bulgaria in 1954.

He gets a scholarship and studies for two years in GDR.

During the events in Hungary he organizes students' protests.

He was sent back to Bulgaria and... what does he do?

He blows up Stalin's monument with dynamite.

Sentenced to death, pardoned.

15 years round the prisons and still he hasn't learned sense.

He doesn't stop flapping his mouth.

He speaks against the authority, he mocks with it.

- He's only interested in backgammon. - I don't think so.

We won't bother him for the time being

despite the private buisness with the backgammon boards.

In the workshop downstairs - in the basement.

What do you want from me?

You record his words against the authorities. Legibly and meticulously.

The other players' words too.

Your colleagues' too if they happen to drop something.

You bring the information to me.

Sign this declaration.

- Let me think for a while. - Think, but not for too long...

- And... if I don't sign? - Bad things follow. Very bad.

We'll take away your diploma, you will be fired, your wife too.

Prison for falsifying documents.

Is this enough? I could continue.

Bad thing... but what to do.

One never knows what will befall him.

I hope the boy gets better.

I noticed that I haven't seen him for a while.

But I didn't know about the accident. One more tea?

- Do you know his friends? - No, he was always alone.

- What about any girlfriend? - I haven't seen any.

He's confused, he has accepted the facts.

I've been observing him for three weeks now.

He lies in bed all day long.

as though he's waiting for the Last Judgement.

- I'll take this cane for 1 or 2 days. - Yes, please.

Thank you!

Dear comrades, we've lost the great friend of Bulgaria,

the general secretary of the CC of USSR,

comrade Leonid Brezhnev.

Our hearts are filled with sorrow.

I suggest that we send a telegram of condolence to the Soviet Embassy.

Because, despite his death our friendship is undestructable.

The friendship between Soviet Union and People's Republic of Bulgaria,

between CPSU and BCP. - CPSU, BCP, CPSU, BCP...

Ah, Georgiev!

That's the way!

You will succeed in this life, Georgiev, you will succeed!

Vasko, you're soaking! Do you want something to warm you?

Yes! Let's play one game.

You want to tell me something?

You are holding up my game. I cannot go further.

Look around, there is always a move.

Whatever I throw, it's senseless.

When the situation seems hopeless

you change the tactics.

How?

Risk! Play bravely!

No matter the outcome.

- Come on, turn this thing off. - There's news in a while.

- News? - Yes.

Now I will show you some news!

Get up!

- Are you out of you mind? - You have to move, boy!

Unglue from this TV! They brainwash you!

Get up or I will get you out along with the bed!

- Get up! - You're crazy! - Come on!

At last! The boy could jump, heh! You can even more!

Leave me alone!

- I will get you out of this room! - Please stop, it hurts! Enough!

- And don't mess with my life! - Great life you have!

Among vacuum cleaner boxes, you translate guide books!

Lying here, moaning, grumbling like an old woman!

You need a change, boy! There's nothing better than change!

- Coward! - Enough!

I promise, I will beat you until you go with me.

- Here's your news. - Okay, I'm going!

See what you've done!

Sweet Granny wants to see you, I am bringing you home!

- Where home? - Bulgaria.

No, I am not going anywhere, I am ill and...

So you're ill... I will cure you right away!

Mr. Balabanov you can't do this.

Hello! You can't just leave the room like that!

Dear nurse Baumgartner, we know each other well already.

I am the new physician and I prescribe movement, fresh air and conversing!

We stop the pills and we're going for coffee!

Come on!

But... that's...

Now, we're heading for Mars!

The next one is mine!

- You beat me again! - This depends only on you!

- On me? Dice is just chance! - Chance?

- Yes! - How come, Sashe?

You hold the dice in your hands, don't you?

With what force are you throwing them, with what angle...

You need a double, that's the only way to beat me.

Bravo, master, first victory. We'll celebrate, huh?

You start getting better!

If you say so!

I will show you something. Backgammon has six points.

Here they are! The most important are the Royal and the Heavenly one.

Points are taken in order. Today you took the first point.

You need 5 more, when you get them you'll be ready.

You will remember everything.

- I am a bit scared. - Of what?

I am scared that...

when my mother and father come...

I will not recognize them.

Just like I couldn't recognize you.

Tell me who they are, and... who I am.

You're Alexander.

Not everybody has the good fortune to be named Alexander.

- Did you renounce Satan? - I did.

- Did you combine with Christ? - Yes, I did.

- Do you believe in Him? - I do.

Come here.

- How do we name him? - Alexander.

- I decided that we leave. - What?

To the west - Germany.

I'm serious. We'll do it this summer.

As if we're going on a sea vacation.

- But... - We have to leave.

- What about Sashko? - Sashko is coming with us.

There he'll have a better future.

- You'll see. - Do you hear yourself?

We're not going anywhere.

How dare you? This is a hospital!

We're drinking.

You brought alcohol. You undermine the treatment.

This is irresponsible.

This is a fantastic therapy, Dr. Schneider.

Medicines and lies.

He's been here for more than a month now.

You are not competent.

Out! Go out or I'll call the guards.

Who are you threatening, huh?

Sashe... Sashe, those jerks won't help you.

They don't care about you.

- They lie to you. - About what?

See... dear, your mother and your father...

they won't come.

Never.

- How... never? - They are dead, Sashe.

They died in the accident. You were together.

- No, no, no, it's not true... - It is, my boy, it is true!

They won't come.

But you can catch them in your memory.

When you come back where I come from...

there... there... where you come from.

- I will help you. - Now out!

Please leave the room.

Don't touch me!

Sashe, pull yourself together and go away from here.

Come on.

Fuck you!

For the New Year I wish that me and Sashko begin a new life.

To the west. Free, rich and happy. Agree?

Agree.

Come on, quickly!

Happy New Year!

Leave these things, I will buy you real paintings from there.

There's no room for my things but there's enough for this woodwork.

This woodwork is a present for Sashko

from your father and you stuff the suitcase with trash.

Anything that doesn't concern your flight is trash.

My flight?

Can't you see I'm doing this for us?

If it depended on you we would have lived here all our lives here in this den.

Den? You lived in a den before you married me!

Is there anything of mine that matters to you?

I'm asking you!

- Quiet, your parents will hear. - Let them hear!

I can't stand this any more.

I can't hide from them any more, I can't lie to them.

God knows when am I going to see them again.

I won't come.

- You won't come? - I won't.

You come, or you do whatever you want.

Sashe, come dear. Everything's alright, Sashe!

A little child was picking blueberries. He sang songs and gathered two baskets.

But he got lost in the woods. It started to get dark.

The kid remembered his mother and started crying.

- Let me see him. - Here he is!

It was so dark in the forest.

No light, no woodman, no bird were there.

Will the child get scared? Will he stop?

No, his mum is waiting for him.

At once he looks at distance, in defiance to the wind,

a thin, glowing strip -

this was the white path.

"Follow me", said the path,

"you'll have to walk for a whole hour,

but I promise I will bring you home."

The child ran towards home. The path ran with him too.

And just in front of mummy's home the path stopped the child.

It took you so long! I think you took the second point.

Let's play one game.

Sashe, come to say goodbye to granny and grandpa.

Sashe, if one day you want to tell me something very important,

tell it to a cloud that is flowing in the sky.

- When it comes here it will tell me about it.

- Like through mail?

Exactly! How do we throw the dice?

I think of one number, throw and win.

Bravo, master!

Listen to your parents... granny's sugar cube!

May my mum and dad rest in peace. May they rest in peace.

What is this for? We'll travel by this.

Can't we take a bus or plane? Who travels by bicycle?

This is not a bicycle but a tandem.

There is an enormous difference between the vehicles you just mentioned and our.

What is it?

We can see the sky, feel the road, the motion, the air.

We travel, we are not transported.

Give me the luggage.

Have a pleasant journey and be healthy

I prepared some sweets for the trip.

Alex, you have a fantastic grandpa. Listen to him

Thank you, neighbour!

Thank you for everything! Thank you!

Alexander Georgiev, are you ready to go?

No, we don't have helmets.

- Is it allowed to... - Yes, I asked the Pope!

He said yes. Come on!

What are those tricks? I won't do the whole work.

I'm doing the steering. That's more important.

You don't have a clue where you want to go.

I am the brain, you are the muscle!

Hey, watch the road we'll kill ourselves!

- Where are we going? - Turkey...

India, China

Silk Road!

- Ah, yes, Tokyo! - Yes.

To Tokyo by boat and then by plane to America.

Then with the tandem through the prairies, to the Grand Canyon, New York.

Then people will cry: "Here are the champions!"

and they will offer us ice cream.

Why do we carry around this pot? For your granny.

She will plant this flower in the garden. You are crazy.

Everybody says this.

I have to pee. Not now. Quickly!

This is the border. This is Italy out there.

Now, come on.

No, no, come on, quickly!

The commandant asks you to sign.

What's this?

This is a declaration that you voluntarily accept the rules of the camp.

But here everything is in Italian... I'm sorry but you have to sign.

Why did you escape?

In Bulgaria I was made to spy my relatives.

They would have put me in prison if I refused.

I just want to add something...

It's futile, he's heard enough already. Come on.

Here, this part is Eastern Europe, over there are the Arabians.

These are the Czechs.

In those rooms are the Romanians. There are the Hungarians.

Don't worry, everything will be alright. Let me explain...

You applied for political asylum.

The bad thing is that Italy doesn't offer such.

You must choose another country and apply there, which will take time.

There aren't many options. Australia, South Africa, Argentina.

USA is possible but only if somebody sends a declaration

that he knows you and guarantees for you.

This is the situation.

Cheer up!

It's ready.

Thanks, Chicago, come to introduce you.

Pleased to meet you, I am Ivo Chicago.

Thanks, Yana.

Sasho. Sasho, ah, there's some spot here...

Ha, I got you, one for me!

Come on, you make yourselves comfortable here,

then I'll show you where the food is. Thank you, guys.

Here our diet consists of pasta.

Pasta in the morning, pasta in the evening, pasta at lunch...

Pasta in the workdays but in the holidays - surprise! - pasta again. That's it.

I like pasta, pasta Bolognese. Bolognese from Bologna.

In the begining I liked that a lot too, but...

then Bolognese, Molognese... all of them are shit! You'll hate them.

Yes, if I eat it a whole month, probably I would hate it too.

I've been eating it for three years already.

- What? - Yes, yes, three years.

Me, only nine months.

Me and my sister have been here for about two years already.

And we're here just for a while.

Huh, everybody say so.

You'll hang around here for three or four years as easy as anything.

I'm leaving.

- Yana, where're you going? - Home!

Leave me alone!

Take me home! Do you hear me?

I hate you!

Today we'll talk about imagination.

- What? Imagination? - Yes, Imagination.

The elixir of every game. Tell me, what is this car?

Some rattle-trap.

- Oh, this is a brand new limousine. - Oh, is it?

- Ah, yes, it's true. - But who's in?

- How should I know? - Imagine!

- A depressed man. - And why's he depressed?

He is heavily in debt.

And next to him an appalling, fat woman is sitting.

She's throwing his money out of the window instead of throwing herself out.

You start very well. What about the next car?

A pretty woman behind the wheel the radio blasting...

What do they say on the radio?

- How should I know? - Try to remember!

I can't. Imagine.

Some babbling, I don't know.

Coughing, sneezing... an interview with a pop singer. A crazy old bitch.

"I'm sorry, but shouldn't you be dead already?"

"Oh, yes, yes, thank you!"

- That was mean! It wasn't bad. Come on. - You're annoying me!

- Tell me about the radio. - Stop this stupidity!

Tell me about the radio.

Ok, radio, radio, radio...

Dear listeners, this is Radio Balkan.

- Yes, good day! - Information about the traffic.

Traffic jam on A22.

Oh, an emergency announcment from sweet granny:

"Don't forget to water my flower! And eat well!"

No, Grandma Zladka, we won't forget.

The weather: heavy snowfall and strong wind.

Caution! Caution!

To all the luminaries! It's coming... One...

One... one... sirtaki!

It will meet you and challenge you. Turbulent masses moving.

From north to south, from west to east, and then from south to north...

That was good, Sashe! Very good! You might be a good player.

- Like you? - Ah, not that good!

Oh, my God!

You didn't know that they would cross the border?

You live in the same house, you eat on the same table, but you didn't know?

- They didn't know, they didn't know... - But we...

Come on, show me the workshop now.

You don't want to? Let me lead you then.

Big manufacture happened here!

You do business here, huh?

When we add the things that your son-in-law wrote about you...

and the words that you speak against the authorities...

and assisting an escape over the border...

Here we are again in prison.

Many years await you.

Put the handcuffs on him!

Sitting there in the caf�, I learned some things about backgammon.

But I liked most what you said about the board on the head.

Write just your father's address.

They'll know it's from us and will know we're ok.

Two words at least!

If you write anything the card will never reach them.

They'll keep it in the millitia,

so you put only the address, with your handwriting.

Stoyane, how much is this?

That'll be enough to reach Trieste and buy an ice-cream for the boy.

- Daddy, buy me that car. - We don't have money, Sashe.

Please, buy it!

I told you, we don't have money, come on!

Where's the kid?

It's okay, dear! You dreamed! I'm with you, everything's fine, Sashe!

Sasho, where were you? Say something, Sasho!

I want to go home.

We'll go to grandma and grandpa with the car.

Do you want me to show you something?

Grandpa told me this, when I want to tell him something.

I whisper it to a cloud,

then the cloud goes to grandpa and tells him what I told it.

See!

Grandma, grandpa, do you hear me? I have a new friend. Her name's Marta.

Mum and dad are fine, we eat pasta all the time.

I miss you but I don't cry

because daddy told me to behave like a man.

They're alive! Thank you, God, they're alive! Do you hear, Dane, they're alive!

Cheers! Cheers!

What are you doing, Sashe?

- I take my pills. - What pills?

Anti-depressant, coenzyme...

this is for the immune system.

Let me see them.

This... what was its name?

For... brain breathing...

How could you do that?

Now how would I...

Now your brain will breathe with this. Guaranteed!

Come on!

You're crazy!

A breath-taking view! Yes, it is.

Bravo, Sashe, we climbed the top. You managed!

You took another point.

Slow down!

- I can't. - Stop! Slower!

- We don't have brakes! - Stop, we'll kill ourselves!

I can't, jump!

Grandpa!

Grandpa, where are you?

Why are you shouting so much!? Where am I? I'm here!

Switzerland - 3 000 000. Austria - 2, France - 3.

Damned rates just for crossing the border!

- How much is it for Germany? - 2 000 000.

Why Germany, Vasko? I'm for the USA.

Where the high houses, the skyscrapers are.

I have a brother there in Chicago. He has a house at the Lake Michigan.

People respect him much there. They value him.

I expect his invitation any moment now.

And then...

Come on, it's your turn.

You hurry too much for my victory.

It's true that a donkey and a backgammon player...

understand only thrashing, but still...

Come on, bang on the head... that's enough for you.

You're a great master, Vasko.

2 000 000 is too much, damned. Too much.

Money is not a problem for you.

How come? This is 2 000 000, where would I find it?

Listen, there is something like a bar here.

Just opposite the train station.

They play all kinds of games there. Even backgammon but... for money.

- I don't play for money. - Stay here then.

It has a garage too.

Avanti, avanti...

What "avanti", fuck you! I won't eat this shit!

Somebody get up and say clearly what's going on here.

- Mr. Commandant! - What do you want exactly?

Mr. Sfortza, I will explain.

We are refugees from a dictatorship.

We are not criminals. We have human rights!

You keep us here for years.

You turn us into prisoners.

We don't want our children to grow here. People forget their profession!

- Stop! - We won't take this any more!

We all know that you get 10 $ a day per each one of us.

For us! But you keep them for yourself. That's why we stay here for years.

I've been here for two years, too.

- Me - two years. - Give us back our documents.

Strike! Strike!

Quiet!

We want faster procedures, better food and language courses.

Today we go on a hunger strike.

- That's what we've decided. - Who's on the strike?

All of us. We are all on a strike.

Whoever is on strike to raise their hands.

- Very good! - Nobody should have the illusion that

a democratic country would tolerate anarchy and chaos.

I have every right to bring you back there, where you came from.

We don't need thrashers and vagabonds.

Leave the canteen immediately!

Wretches! You'll rot here!

- What? - We'll earn some money.

- Count me out. This is illeagal. - Ok, you stay here.

How much's the game?

Come on, 20.

100, 100... 100...

Let me see. Does it hurt?

You're okay! Bastards! Come on!

They've beaten you a little but... we won some money.

You are not mad, are you? We're going to the sea.

You are crazy! Crazy! We almost died, they've beaten me,

they've robbed me! The only thing left is to arrest me.

I'm not going further! Give my regards to Bulgaria!

But, Sashe, I'm sorry! Where are you going, Sashe?

- Sashe, get off! Get off! - Go, go, come on!

You owe me 8 times the first bet.

- One more game? - Enough for today.

Somebody else?

How much do you bet?

- 100 000. - This is nothing.

Good, come on!

We'll meet again, there's no way that we don't meet.

The world is small, you'll visit me in Chicago. Yane, cheer up!

Sashe, listen to your parents but... not too much.

Thank you so much.

God be with you!

- We'll spend the night here. - Ok.

Back, back! Go back to the girl!

Introduce yourself, ask her where is she from. Should I teach you?

That was just a dance.

Dance? Yap-yap, I saw how she looked at you. Go back immediately!

But... I...

Don't mumble... look at you,

young, healthy, goodlooking and what are you doing?

Go back immediately or I'll force you!

- Hi, I am Alex. - Hi, Maria.

Where are you from?

I am from Germany.

And you?

I am from Hungary.

But I live in Germany.

We're going to the beach, are you coming?

Yes.

I don't remember anything before the accident.

I can write and read.

I know how to use the telephone

but I don't know the people in my telephone directory.

Now I am gathering my memories again...

- What do you do? - I study ballet.

And I work in a salsa-club.

When I saw you yesterday there was something sad in you but beautiful.

I wanted you to hug me.

- Now where are you going? - Bulgaria. I was born there.

I travel with my grandfather on a tandem.

What?

Yes, you both look great.

As for me, I'm going back to Germany.

The fact that I don't remember my past has its good sides.

It's as though you are the first girl I've been with.

Probably I am...

The first... and the only one.

- So what's her name? - Maria.

- Did you fall in love? - Yes.

Bravo, you didn't discredit me. You took the Heavenly point - the best one.

There are only two left.

Hey, stop there!

I've been here years ago with my mother and father.

I want to look around.

What's your name?

Alexander Georgiev. My father - Vasil, my mother - Yana.

Sasho, is this you? I am Ivo Chicago.

Don't you recognize me?

See... I got you again. Two for me.

- How are your mother and father, Sashe? - They passed away.

Come on!?

Stoyan too, do you remember uncle Stoyan? The one who knew many languages.

Not long after your departure he got very ill

and in about half an year he passed away.

May he rest in peace. And your mother and father too.

- What about you? - What about me?

What happened with America?

I never got the invitation from my brother.

I tried to call many times but...

Probably he didn't need me. He might have died, who knows.

How come dead?

You probably think that people in America never die?

They die like flies. Don't you watch TV?

You are sitting somewhere, eating your burger, drinking your drink and suddenly

some guy, who's at odds with the world,

comes in with a gun that big and he starts shooting in order...

Eh, America is a hopeless case! I stayed here, Sashe, here. In the camp.

Good morning!

- Good morning, Sashe! - Where's grandpa?

Early in the morning he left for Bulgaria with the train.

He left the board for you.

"For new Bulgaria!"

Sashko! Sashe, granny's sugar cube!

Sashko, my grandson!

Come on, Sashe! Welcome!

What a man have you become!

He became bigger than us!

We'll now see if he took after his grandpa.

Eeeeh, of course! Be careful not to cry afterwards.

Oh, no, no...

If you're going to withdraw, now is the time to do it.

No, no, no, I'm not...

You're not?

- No! - No? Come on!

Now, the winner would become the one who first get two games in a row.

If it gets dark and we still haven't got a winner, you'll throw the dice.

The one who throws the bigger number

he'll become the King of Backgammon. Is it clear?

Now, let's see, who'll be the first.

Come on, this is for the kibitzers.

All the day none of the players could win two games more than the other.

It got dark.

Then it became clear that dice must decide who's the King of Backgammon.

Just one throw. The one who throws the bigger number wins.

I threw six and seven. Nowhere and never such a thing had happened.

I took the Royal point - the last one.

I was cured.

I could start from the begining.

To dream, to play, to lose and to win.

To be, now and forever. Because as my grandpa said:

"The world is big and salvation lurks around the corner."

Germany

Subtitles thoroughly recasted and corrected by Officina Verborum