Original subtitles

Nature is a temple in which living pillars

Sometimes let loose senseless words... -Beaudelaire

Early morning. Summer.

We've gone from sidewalk to pathway, and now arrive at the wood.

The city's presence subsides.

We are in a field, far away.

It's the countryside, the forest.

A return to childhood.

One believes in it, and they're here.

The illusion is real.

The untamed world within reach.

Paradise regained? Who knows?

It's only the third time I've played it.

For all my real fans!

From back when I was in a black girl group!

George!

THE WOOD FROM WHICH DREAMS ARE MADE

Sometimes the trailer is full of leaves and they'll say, "Nice day for a ride!"

As if trailer filled itself!

- Or they'll pity the horses, but not us. - Oh the poor horses!

Apparently, paradise is boring. Time has run out.

Here there are the seasons. Everything changes slowly, inexorably.

The leaves change color, the cold settles in.

The mood in paradise is changing.

I'm well here. It's where I feel at home.

My little universe, my little paradise.

This is where I commune with... everything healthy.

- San? - Healthy.

Nature.

In the end, I'm recharging.

Every day I come here, I recharge.

This broom is from Paris municipal works.

It's perfect for gardening.

Not stolen, I found it... In the street.

And I told myself it might be useful someday.

Because I did this with a stick before.

Imagine that! A stick from the ground.

Ah, that's it.

This is the place I usually warm up.

Always a little warmup.

For the joints, especially... When it's cold.

We should avoid straining without being ready.

I always clean out the notch down here,

so that it doesn't pivot awkwardly.

So it stays locked in.

I do it every time.

- In summer I'm bare-chested. - We'll come back for that.

The only thing that bothers me is the mosquitoes.

See how I set up so I don't hurt myself?

- Yes. - You see?

And hop! I catch it.

It's my second set of ten. It will be better.

My muscles are cooperating.

One...

Two...

Three...

It's great for mental well-being.

- I'll do another 20. - Alright.

That'll be it for today.

One...

Two...

Three...

The last time we were here, you told us your story.

- Yes, you want me to tell it? - Yes.

I'm the son of an American G.I.

and a French mother.

I'm the product of the last World War.

My mother...

one day...

explained...

There was a little box back home, in the family.

Where...it was a chocolate box from Chicago...

in which she kept her nicest scarves.

It's a memory, and also some little shoes...

uh, white and maroon, from those days.

I got them because my father sent them to me.

A child's shoes...

For a 3 or 4 year-old. I'm not sure, this is a long time ago.

And having a black father? What did that mean to you?

I've never had any problems.

At school. As a kid I had a few disagreements.

It was fairly innocent.

Kidstuff. Things that got fixed...

Easily fixed. Sometimes with my fists.

That's what led me... Towards boxing.

I didn't follow through, but I made a good start.

English boxing, a good start.

A guy who would watch us train, he'd say,

because it was a time of a famous American,

known as Ray Sugar Robinson, he was my...

I worshipped him.

I saw myself... In his model, let's say...

Any athlete looks for someone to look up to and imitate.

That was him, and this guy would say, "Come on, Robinson!"

while I trained, "C'mon Robinson!" That made me happy.

Because by calling me Robinson it was like calling me The American.

And it was like I was American.

I often come to the wood.

Recently, about 8 days ago,

I met a boy near the bird observatory.

In fact, he was watching me. So I turned around,

I looked at him, and he went on his way.

I went on, then around again. He also turned around.

So, I waited for him above the trail

before the natural meadow

where I usually sit on a log.

That's the trunk over there.

I liked this boy because he had brown hair, was tall and rather cute.

So we eyed each other, and...

So what happened was...

we took a small path,

that goes into the forest, so that we could have sex.

We ended up over there, at the foot of the tree.

We started to look at each other, to caress each other,

And suddenly, he kissed me. It was really very nice.

I began to stroke his chest.

And he started to undo, to unbutton my pants.

So then... The boy started sucking me.

It was great. I had a wonderful time.

It was over quickly.

Though it was very nice, it lasted only about 15 minutes.

Then the young man left, he had a business appointment afterwards.

To get you up to speed, there are two options: Either you

wait at a strategic intersection

like here, where many will pass, and just wait,

or you walk, but without walking too fast.

Playing this game, it can be over quickly.

Anyhow, it's 1 in 10,000 odds... Look at that...to find someone.

There was this little boy,

he had chosen the waiting immobile option.

Sitting on a log waiting.

You can't hesitate to go boldly

into the brambles.

In any case,

The enemy of open air cruising is the smartphone.

There are apps now, no need to go to Vincennes Wood.

You write a profile and you can find all the guys

50m, 100m, 200m, 1km from you.

So no need to wait for hours, even though that can be fun.

The pleasant introspection, there's a lot of time to...

- Yes? - to think when you're here.

About your love life.

- Truly? - And your sex life.

Without all the misery.

- Even though there's always... - You think it's miserable?

Let's say, the...

The quickie...

with...

we whip them out, and there you go. It isn't exactly...

It isn't so rich an experience.

Excuse me! You do sometimes meet nice guys,

but generally when you do, you start talking,

and nothing much happens.

Because it's not about talking.

If you meet here, you have to...

This spot too, it's a strategic angle.

People...cruise by.

There's always the guy who goes by super fast.

And you're not sure what they want.

They look at you, and take off at the same time.

Have you ever come and not found anyone?

Sure, of course.

There was nobody it worked with?

Of course, it's the exception when it happens.

- Really? - Yes, it's exceptional.

It's that it's such...

Such an...

Statistically, one chance in...

It's a numbers game.

returning again and again,

or it's your first time,

and bingo! You score.

- It's like gambling? - Yes, then you come back and no luck.

It's very... In that sense it can be cruel.

Then you have to match...

The guy has to be cute and all.

But when you would come here, you wanted to meet someone...

with whom to do other things besides fucking? - No.

When I'd come it was because I was dying for a fuck.

All the time! No, no... It wasn't at all a...

There was no projection of sentiments.

The best you hoped for was scoring the bomb.

- A hottie? - Yeah.

That was the best, and I'd come home super happy.

Yeah!

- As it starts raining. - Yes, the rain. Careful with...

the camera. Now there will be fewer and fewer people.

When it rains it's no use.

Here you find a bit of everything. There are trashier things,

like some guy in the middle, sucking everyone off.

He's just there,

He doesn't care if you stick around, and he'd be over there.

And all the ones who... The naturist types, who...

Exhibitionists, they'd go there near where cyclists go by.

And these two guys, super exhibitionists, who...

They get off imagining parents with their children seeing them.

The kid will be shocked.

- See those 2 or 3 in those bushes? - No.

If you turn your camera there are some guys...

Despite the rain!

Each one comes often to the wood.

Sometimes every day, sometimes less.

They're all here, protected by it's immensity.

The faithful of a temple that reveals itself to me bit by bit.

He's here every day.

He never paints what he sees.

- I do it from memory. - And the pattern?

The pattern very little.

If you paraphrase what you see, it will be horrible.

You think they never did that, the great masters?

They made a periphrasis.

- Alright. - A periphrasis of they saw.

- Not a paraphrase? - Never. Always periphrasis.

Even hyperrealist work is a kind of periphrasis.

- What's a periphrasis? - Like in a text by Rabelais.

It's what's hidden within the text.

But that doesn't bring much to what I do.

I don't create anything, I just make paintings.

Why say that?

Because painting is to have a style, a personality.

I have no personality, I wander around in painting.

I'll finish up because it's getting dark.

Who can say they create something with art?

There are very few creators.

Mostly, nothing is created.

Dali creates. Picasso creates.

Titian creates. Veronese creates.

Giovanni Bellini creates.

Those are geniuses, giants.

Tiepolo is better than Michelangelo.

There are many possible approaches in painting.

I have one a bit like this.

More Picasso with a touch of Basquiat, there' like a cadaverous head.

Basquiat look at the cadaverous heads,

Like Emil Nolde skulls.

He didn't invent much.

It looks like Nicolas de Sta�l is walking around this one.

Here, do you see?

Look.

A little circle

I'll work on it, but not overly like de Sta�l would, on one volume

one square or one circle, that's how we...

We leave you because we can't see. If you can still see...

You know the Russian painters of the 19th century?

End of the 19th? There were some good ones.

They also painted in the 20s and 30s. Nice ones, came to Paris... Or Berlin.

There were Russian painters. They made beautiful paintings.

Winter is here.

The digression of the wood becomes more difficult to survive.

What makes some keep coming?

What can one hope for here more than anywhere else?

Hey, 160!

Twice.

The snow will not come.

Spring is being prepared.

Brown oak.

- They're like barrels! - Yes, barrels.

It's split there.

- Right next to... - Yes.

- It has to go. - At this point, yes.

A death sentence?

Yes, it's too close to the road, and sounds hollow, here.

We can keep hollow trees, but you can tell the wood is...

Compared to a healthy tree.

You hear the difference?

It's a bit soft inside.

The Chinese girl deserted us.

- How's that? - The Chinese girl left us.

Ah yes. Because I'm here filming.

Yeah, I think so.

When I asked her she said, "No, I do not want to do it."

I hesitated too. You were nice about it.

This is your Room #2?

Yes, Room #2. Room #1!

There?

Yes, but you know, we can go anywhere.

But you have... Down on the ground or...?

No, standing.

- Always standing up? - Yes, standing.

Doggy-style.

You can't really lie down, although some want to.

So johns like the forest?

They're nervous.

Some don't care, they're used to it.

The first time is stressful, then after a few times...

They're used to it. At first you need to calm them.

"Don't worry, dear..."

"I know this place, it's safe."

"Are you sure?" "Yes, relax..."

If they can't relax, it wastes a lot of my time.

So that's it. It's all about managing their stress.

It depends on their state of mind.

It depends on the guy. Some don't care.

Others panic Looking left and right.

Not even concentrating on it.

It depends.

- They don't even enjoy it. - A few don't!

They pay, they look out nervously,

You're busy thinking: "Fudge, what a stress-case!"

So I'll say "Baby, are you OK?"

Then they leave saying, "It was stressful, but nice."

OK then, later.

It's like anything else.

Any time you're in a new place,

There's the adrenaline of the woods, the thrill of being outdoors,

I don't know what drives it.

I think it's the convenience.

He goes that way, gets out of his car, comes over here, leaves,

his wife will never know.

It's anonymous. Only takes 5-10 minutes.

That's it, quick and convenient.

rather than find a mistress, and take her out to dinner...

and all that jazz, exchanging phone numbers,

In the end the wife finds out and they split up...

and the kids and all that...

I'd prefer a man who sees a girl rather than has a mistress.

You mean your man?

Yes, even mine, though I wouldn't know.

I'm not hoping for one.

I've said it, "Baby, if you want, I'll go walk the streets."

I'll get out of the car right here.

He said, "Are you crazy?" There you go.

Do you think there's an element of submission when money's involved?

No, well, like anything else, submission and domination work with money.

If the john asks if it's OK to say demeaning things,

depending on what he'll pay or I ask for a bonus...

It doesn't bother me.

I'm above it. It's fantasy anyway.

My goal is to get here, and get it done.

The Chinese are here from noon to 8p.m. I can't do that, it's impossible.

I used to, when I was 18-19 years old.

I didn't care, I did noon to 7p.m.

But I just can't anymore, It's too much time outdoors.

As soon as I'm flush, I do 3 hours and out.

I'm like, "Enough for today."

"When's my last customer arriving?" You see?

How many clients do you have in a day?

I try for a maximum of ten.

It depends, you can do three that pay well and call it a day.

If I can make 250 a day, it's plenty.

When I make more, I usually have bills to pay,

I take on the job, and it's go, go go, work a bit harder.

To give it all away in the end.

You mean like paying for lunch bills?

Last week, for example.

I needed 400 euros for rent.

I had to work a full day.

At 3p.m. I was already sick of it.

But you say, "Let's go, come on!"

But when it's over and you have a little left over, you're happy.

You tell yourself you did well.

But while you're working...

In prostitution you're alone.

It isn't easy.

When your family is nearby, my father thinks that...

He must suspect from time to time.

Now that I have a boyfriend, he tells himself, "She stopped working."

When I buy things, I don't tell him the money was from here.

I tell him Mehdi gave them to me.

I don't tell him. Well, yeah.

Because he told me: "Stef, what's your life going to be?"

"I didn�t want that for you." "Well, me neither."

That's how it is.

I know it's hard for parents.

To say your daughter's a prostitute.

I wouldn't let mine, anyway.

They say the children of prostitutes usually turn out well.

Sure, because we don't want them to turn out like we did.

We know the life, the misery of the streets.

My first day I had ten customers in a row.

Like from here out to there.

They were lining up, I was shocked.

- Queuing up? - Yes, I was amazed!

18 years old, saying, "What is this madness?"

I understood there was money in it.

I could sleep in a hotel, get an apartment,

- Did he take your money? - No, at first he wanted to, but I...

I got rid of him.

He wanted to at first.

He did.

They wanted, there were 3 of them.

But they were traffickers and all that.

They trafficked. In fact...

I gave them money for two weeks.

Until the day my take got stolen.

I called him and said: "Come and get me."

I had called before getting robbed.

When he got here they'd robbed me.

He just went crazy. He took me to the woods in Dreux.

He hit me with water hoses.

Yes, he really hurt my legs.

Yeah, and after he asked me where we should go to eat. I wasn't hungry.

- After hitting you? - Yeah, I told him I wasn't eating.

I pouted for two days, not speaking, then when I came back, it was over.

A week later I met my boyfriend.

I stayed with him 4, 5, 6 years.

He accepted me right away with the little girl and everything.

I didn't tell him about work at first.

Then I did, and he stayed, and in the end,

I didn't work. He couldn't accept it.

But he wasn't working, so how could I stop?

It's not possible.

So it's over, that was a year ago.

Now I've met someone and he doesn't want me working.

So, it's the end of this.

Then I imagine myself settled and tell my friend, "It'll be difficult."

What will I do for money?

Even if he leaves money for groceries...

What if I want to get my hair done? Or my nails?

I'll have to ask him. And I'm not used to asking.

- What if you find another job? - I need to find another job.

He's rather exclusive.

You need to talk to him all the time, if not, well...

- He leaves you. - Really?

So one must be careful.

Others stick close to you, like Dayson, Doudou.

- Which? The little one? - Yes, the little one.

Then the 2 girls, the Border Collie and the Labrador.

They run around together.

It's good now, because they're letting a male play with them.

That's nice and friendly.

And that's my sweetie... Fleur.

- This is your own dog? - Yes.

She's lucky, getting to go on walks every day.

Sees other dogs every day. Even at home.

Sometimes we board them.

Flamenco! Let's go!

Iggy! Ines! Come on!

Do you pick them up at their place?

Or the office. Depending.

Some are with owners at the office.

So it's a good distance to pick them all up?

Let's say we're split up in sectors.

Several working for the same company.

We can shorten the dogs' trips,

- and get to the woods more quickly. - I see.

So what is your route?

I do everything La Republique and Le Marais.

You were a truck driver before?

Yes, an independent carrier.

Under 3.5 tons, A small truck.

And before that?

I worked in publishing.

All sorts of jobs.

Many, many, many.

I even wanted to be a photographer.

Photographer?

Yes, I even got certified, back then.

But...

It was back when traditional laboratories were closing.

Everything was printed by machines, so suddenly...

What a beautiful dog.

Like all Weimaraners he needs to run.

Yes, that's why I'd like mine to take advantage.

There, very good.

Mine also needs to run.

It's true.

- It's no longer raining? - No.

Diego, sit.

You smoke, sir?

Yes, but I'll go to the river.

- Coming? - Take a cigarette

No, later.

- Coming to the river? - Sure.

Since she's made friends. One friend.

Come on! Fleur, release.

Come on, let go.

Come here!

Hey!

Flamenco!

This path...

It might be a good time to straighten it.

The river goes this way, The path goes the same way,

It's too repetitive.

Could we fork and pass on other side of the tree?

Aesthetically, I'm not sure...

It's well defined by the curve, the stones, the lines are...

Very parallel.

We could widen out here for about 10 meters.

A break from the parallels.

Tangent to the river at the level even with the tree.

And behind I found something...

It works as well.

Maybe add a few stones?

We can remove the last stones...

and do something a little more...

Like waterfalls in the forest.

The rocks are not in harmony.

You have to shape it like this ...

We could add 2 rocks downstream,

Yes, the thing is, to break the beeline.

It's too straight.

And the appearance of a crossing.

True, because it's a crossing. Look at those huge rocks.

I'd see 3 there.

One here, here and here.

- Not 4 corners, that'll look... - But look, not 4 corners, but

Not here, but here, here and here.

This breaks up the field.

3 there, OK.

The trees are blooming, soon the leaves.

The wood is full of promises.

We want to know them. We want to see how life begins.

We call it springtime.

It's extraordinary.

Three males on the female?

No, there are two males.

One over and one under, I think.

And a third that just gave up.

There is one on each side.

And maybe another below.

Ah, a fourth.

This water flow gets pumped by huge pumping stations.

They supply the waterways in Paris. It's an artificial network.

So if these pumps broke, there'd be no more water?

There's one in that hole.

Yes, if the pumps stop...

The water stops too.

It's a female.

Like any amphibian,

they spend winters on land,

then go in the water just to lay eggs.

There's a male and a female.

- Where? - My flashlight is on them.

He'll stand in front of the female,

and pull his tail forward.

In front, there he goes.

He shakes his tail, then he's irresistible!

Not at all, she's looking elsewhere!

Only the 2nd time I've seen this. It's amazing.

Goes in front, then...

Shaking... Nope.

Not impressed.

It gets complicated afterwards.

Oh right, the spermatophore?

Yes, the male deposits a spermatophore...

that must be eaten by the female.

Eaten?

Shaking the tail.

- No. - No, it failed!

Come on, guy, hang in there!

Then the fertilization is internal.

Like with scorpions, and some arachnids.

When does the pleasure happen?

I've also wondered that.

In toads it's external.

They must feel pleasure, it's been

working thousands of years.

It's instinct. Not sure we can call it pleasure. Pure instinct.

Pleasure is instinct too?

No, I mean instinct can exist without pleasure.

Are you sure?

Anyhow, that dance he does that's to seduce her.

To convince her to pick up the spermatophore.

It's a difficult one to fish.

- Why? - They're very combative.

- Ah, really? - That's what's challenging.

They're very wild.

Last night there were two of you?

Yes, a friend came to spend the night with me.

It's fun to be two. We can talk.

- And you ate in the tent? - Yes, we had McDonald's!

The advantage of fishing in Paris!

17 with the bag.

The bag will be 1 kilo. That makes 16.

Oh my!

That's what the bag is for!

Put him on his belly.

You're driving me crazy!

You have to free him, sir. Release it right away.

It's suffocating.

- There's water over there. - It's hot.

It can't go that long without breathing!

10-15 minutes.

- It isn't cruel, ma'am. - It is!

I've been fishing for 5 years, don't worry, I've never killed a fish.

Never. This isn't my first time doing this.

Ready? Hurry up.

- Put it in the water, oh my! - Don't worry.

- How big you think? - 18.

Here, in the Vincennes Wood, we bring in the Year of the Horse.

Most who came for the New Year are refugees from Cambodia,

survivors of war and genocide.

I worked before as a mechanic for a tailor.

- Ah, I see, you sewed. - Yes.

- In the sewing shops? - On Bonne Nouvelle.

- Bonne Nouvelle? - Yes, Strasbourg Saint-Denis.

You know Strasbourg Saint-Denis well?

Other than my workplace, not really.

I never spoke so much French with someone like this.

Don't speak much French with the French?

We never speak French because...

We don't have French friends.

No French friends?

I speak with my children,

my granddaughter in French.

But your children speak perfect French?

Yes, they went to school here.

When I came, the eldest was 9 months old.

- 9 months? - Yes, 9 months.

He's now 38 years old.

My second was born here in France.

In 1985.

Now he's 28 years old.

I talked a lot with you.

When you came here, was it because of the genocide?

Because of Pol Pot.

We came here.

I'm lucky today.

I've had good luck because ...

- Lucky? - Yes, to meet you and talk with you.

Pleasure, happy, all that.

No one ever asked how you got here, all that?

No, nobody asked me. No.

When I was in Cambodia it was the Khmer Rouge time.

They brought us to live in the forest.

All my childhood memories

were about life in the forest.

When I arrived in Paris, I got to go to school

The Paul Val�ry school nearby.

- Oh yes? - There.

So I discovered the Vincennes Wood

by going to that school

and I rediscovered my little Cambodia

thanks to the wood, the trees, plants, forest.

Every Sunday I came to the wood, I know all the pathways.

I went jogging, I came with friends,

with children, brought everyone here to discover it,

as if it were my own corner, except no...

My only place was in Cambodia.

But the forest is my refuge.

How did they justify it? The Khmer Rouge?

Sending you to the forest, why did they say?

No, for them...

It was their elimination program.

They put us in the forest to work,

To reduce us to animals.

Did you go with your mother?

During that period they separated us.

Men apart, women apart, children apart.

We were with other children.

We weren't allowed to have a family.

The family didn't exist, The family was the Organization.

The Supreme Organization.

Were girls and boys separated as well?

All the children were together.

It was the adults they separated.

Did the forest seem friendly? As a child?

I think, thanks to the forest, you find an ally, rather.

The humans...

Humans! The Khmer Rouge, I mean...

the dictators were more our enemies. And we found...

our resource, our ally in the forest.

Especially since we're Buddhist, a little Animist,

for us the forest has many protective spirits.

So sometimes to ask protection

from dictators, so they wouldn't kill us,

we asked the forest spirits to protect us.

It's via believing.

When I came to France my father was studying here.

For some time already.

Then he went back.

And since then, I never saw my father again.

When he returned to Cambodia, it was already wartime?

Yes, that was in...

1974.

As the war broke out in 1972, I believe.

He went back because Mom was still there and he didn't want to leave her.

Of course.

My sisters were also still there.

- And your mother? - And my mom.

My mom and my sisters,

My mom, my sisters and my niece too.

My niece was a month old.

They took the last plane.

They had to run under a hail of bullets.

And dad didn't want to.

At first I didn't understand why he didn't want to come.

But after a month I understood.

Because he loved...

- Because he loved his country. - Yes.

Of course.

Sorry.

I'm sorry to remind you such difficult things.

Well, now it's...

Now it's...?

A little forgotten...

Because before, for years, It was every day.

Now it's a little less.

Every day you thought maybe...?

Before, yes, maybe see Dad someday.

Now that's over.

But it helps to talk about it.

It's true.

Deep down, do you feel a bit exiled? A bit?

Or do you feel yourself becoming French, more and more?

A bit of both. It's true.

Some part of me is French.

Even if I still don't hold nationality.

We cheer the French team!

We eat cheese and drink wine, so...

It's fine here.

We have freedom of expression, free to say what we want.

Not there, unfortunately.

I would like to have a child, but...

Like I said before, it may be a little late for that.

Because it's a good thing,

for somebody to call you "Daddy".

It's a happiness.

But it's no big deal.

Not everyone has children.

Save some toilet paper.

It won't stay, you should've put it underneath.

Why do you put it on top, guys?

It's too much work to put it under.

Oh really? Do it then!

Much better.

Twigs go there.

Put them there.

It's attracting a crowd.

Pull big pieces to the truck.

Then small ones with the wheelbarrow.

It burned well.

It's fine now.

Does this stay?

Leave this, and this.

Only what was burned.

Last year we did 80-90 camps.

This year, we'll do 120.

That truck is 6 cubic meters.

A total of 8 cubic meters with what we'll pick up later.

A little more!

Good.

A little more!

That's good.

2 meters.

You're short 3 meters.

Parc Floral,

24 bags

Saint-Mand�, 50 bags.

3 bags of culled items, plus 3 batteries.

Where are your pigeons? May I see them?

They're sleeping now, over there.

They're resting.

My colleagues found everything here in the Vincennes Wood.

Everything from the Vincennes Wood.

All of this.

Even the computers.

- In the wood? - Yes!

Not the gas cylinders, no. They're ours.

But we also find some in the woods.

You can see the manure.

The leaves, the manure, and the grass cuttings...

And what they recuperate from the park.

Around October, we mix it all.

And you get this.

- There isn't... - And your pigeons are there?

My pigeons are there.

I'll go see them soon.

They're waiting for me.

On Saturday we released 2,000 pigeons

We released 2,000.

I sent 172.

- Those are the females? - Yes.

They're faster than males.

It's true. Even long distances.

Females almost always win.

I'd rather compete with females than with males.

They're less work.

It's true!

That pigeon there isn't feeling well.

It came out, but it's not well.

It's all alone.

Yes, because it's not well. I know which one it is.

I won't fly her tomorrow, she wouldn't make it.

They'll abandon her in nature.

- You recognize her? - Ah, yes.

She's a 2013 female...

the number of the band

is 342 877.

Yes, yes.

Normal I'd know this, with all the time I spend here.

Yes, yes.

There are 600 left inside.

I knew she wasn't well.

- May I bring them in? - Of course.

- You're good? - Yes.

I'll call them back. This is how I do it.

Let's go!

Let's go!

C'mon! Hurry up!

Easy now.

Hurry up!

I'll tell you a short story.

This female...

When she was young, I raced her.

The first race, she returned

With all this opened up, She ran into something.

She came back at night.

I sewed her up.

15 days later, I send her out...

no finish, and came back the next day with a broken leg.

15 days or three weeks later.

I told myself something was wrong.

What did I do? Stopped racing her,

and started to breed her.

All the pigeons here,

Have this female's blood.

I won several races with her kids...

her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren.

All great ones, and do you know why?

Look, it's special.

The others don't do this.

She's here, it's like fate.

The day she dies, she won't be discarded.

I'll have her stuffed and keep her.

Because I have nice memories.

There.

Stomach!

Back!

Stomach! Let's go, faster!

Go, go, go! Explosive!

OK go back, little chickens!

Go, go, go! Stretch your arms!

Go, Lucien! Full out! Protect the ball!

Bottom to top! Very good! To the ground.

Protect.

Bring him down, guys!

Take him down!

Push, push!

Stop! Stop!

Tender planetree leaves finally appear. It's time.

Everything can begin.

I snatched a painting, look.

Classy eh? I'll fix up my tent and hang it up.

So you sleep in this tent?

With Jacky? Yes.

With my love.

I need to find cushions because I have a nice table.

I want to surround it with cushions. Need to find some.

I found this.

For when it rains, and so on.

Or at night, with lots of candles.

It's nice.

It's pretty at night With the fire and candles.

- You've never seen it? - No.

We put candles all over, here and over there.

I didn't know if you'd be here today, you told me you were working.

I work one day a week because...

They want... Oh, I know quite well what they want.

They want... I can work up to 26 hours a week, that's no problem.

But to get 26 hours... I don't mind getting up, we're always up at 6.

Jacky first, he lights the fire.

The problem is...

If I want 26 hours...

I have to take lodgings. They'll find me something.

Lock myself inside four walls?

Before the forest, you lived in Paris?

No, in Brittany.

I had an apartment, and dropped everything.

I left with two bags of clothes with my son.

I asked, "Where will you stay, Tanguy?" because he could stay with his girlfriend.

He said, "No, mom, I'll go with you." And now he's happy.

Very happy.

At first we lived in the wood.

Not long, a month.

We had to hide him. He wasn't 18.

It was a problem. Then Emma�s found him a youth home.

He likes it there, things, video games, it's very nice.

A TV room.

It's hot.

On nice days, we'll get tanned.

When we're well hidden.

Do you suffer when it rains?

No, because we bought a big tent.

We go into the tent. For now, it hasn't rained much.

It did rain 2 or 3 nights ago.

That's great for nature, we like the rain.

So it flowers.

But it's people, you know, people.

Some are nice. Some before were tripping out. They were nice.

- But others... - Hikers? - Yeah.

Some hide to secretly watch us. We're not wild animals.

Those we can do without.

They watch how we live. They hide to see how we live.

We're not animals.

My daughter hasn't come yet.

Not to Paris, but, this summer, I think.

- Where does she live? - At my mother's.

Because I had a whole story...

In Dieppe, not far. We went on vacation.

My mother will come with her, some weekend when she can.

My daughter loves that I live in the wood.

- Really? - She thinks it's great.

Her mindset is like that, too.

- How old is she? - 12.

Bin Laden.

Go get my bag.

- Your bag? - It's in the tent.

Bin Laden, come.

How are you, my dear?

Right after the storm, many old trees were on the ground.

And a carpet of young maples that were...

3 or 4 years old, waiting under the old ones.

They took advantage of the light, and grew quickly, as you see here.

It�s interesting because it�s a unique biotope

with much dead wood on the ground.

Can you hold it?

In 15 days, we'll come to pick up the trap.

Depending on weather, we catch more or less insects.

This protocol is repeated all over French forests.

As Thierry said, there are some 200 traps throughout France.

So we can stagger them,

comparing with other French forests.

Were you here right after the storm?

The whole forest looked like... Trees were everywhere...

For adult trees, nearly 1 in 3 had fallen.

A tangle of trees everywhere.

It gave us a microscopic image of what it looked like...

In ancient times, the Gauls, for example!

I spotted this cabin a long time ago.

Today, I finally meet Philippe.

Lately I almost only eat bread.

- Yes? - It's true.

It can't be very healthy.

You live totally without money?

Yes, I don't need money.

People don't come by to see me very often.

Even when they pass there.

You see I...

I cleared this path.

That's why we can see it.

Funny, he comes with a child.

It's customary.

Sometimes I greet people and they freeze up.

What to say? It's how people are.

Maybe I'm the problem.

Once, some guy set up not far away, like...

About 20 meters from me. I didn't say anything to him.

He didn't come to talk to me.

He stayed maybe 10 days. 10 days, two weeks.

If he'd gone further, alright.

Further away. Down there, fine.

But he was too close.

He put his tent too close.

And I didn't say anything, but...

In fact, yes, I enjoy my loneliness.

Even if it's sometimes painful.

More recently, it's been painful.

You see everything darkly, and have nobody to talk to.

Lately, I sleep.

What I do is sleep.

I sleep 2 or 3 days in a row.

I've just slept for 2 days.

I don't sleep just to sleep, I sleep for an inner journey.

To try to...

Yes, it's like travel inside myself.

Perhaps the forest provides an essential substitute...

The animals...

The fox... The fox that comes almost every night.

It's funny when he comes, with his...

I know him right away.

Now not because it's wet but when it's dry...

it makes noise when he walks.

Fast and slow-paced at the same time.

So it's easy to know it's him and not a person.

A person doesn't walk like that.

It sure rained a lot.

Will you be able to sleep?

That too.

It's no big deal. I have plenty of blankets.

I also found this...

To shave.

It's new and works well.

A very nice item.

You haven't used it yet?

No, I cleaned it, but I never used it.

It's for all body hair.

I don't know what it's called, there's a special name. It's a...

It is not just for shaving.

- A trimmer. - A body hair trimmer.

This was in a pair of pants, with...

With a wallet.

With money.

Bank cards.

Identification cards.

I took everything to the station.

The police in Saint-Mand�.

They asked me, "Who are you?" Ah, I'm nobody.

What's the use of all this? All your madness.

You mean life, normal life?

Yes, what good is it?

What's the use?

Then you run out of strength,

and go into a kind of... Place.

Maybe we're also...

Letting ourselves go...

Having no strength left, no appetite for it,

I don't know.

At 20 were you in the street?

At 20? No.

At 20 I wasn't in the street.

At 30 I wasn't in the street.

When I was...

It's been...

Yes, it's been...

At 35 I was in the street.

I can no longer go in decades.

By 20, 30.

40 I can't.

I can go to 35 and that's all.

At 20...

I studied...

I did a lot of studies...

Until 25-26.

That I never finished.

That's a problem.

Several things.

Management, some other management,

economics, mathematics,

none of which I finished.

And then downhill.

Then you try to...

You're not very competent, others do it better than you.

So...

Then you try, you have relationships

that don't go anywhere.

It's a form of...

I feel it. Life carries you along.

Then I lived a small life.

My life of...

Normal.

With a nice apartment in a very pretty place.

My little life...

The circle I frequented...

Unfortunately...

I don't regret it, that's in the past.

Things are fine like this.

No, I don't regret it.

Why would I? Things are fine like this.

June beauty.

Spring is accomplished.

Time should stop like in paradise, so that we could stay here forever.

But there are Sundays.

What if we fall in?

- Well, you can swim. - It's not deep.

Photo!

- Mom, don't move so much. - Well now!

What should I do then?

- Do I stop rowing? - Yes.

Ducks!

Get closer to that side.

- Bambi! - We're here!

There's Bambi.

Nana.

Suzy, coucou Suzy!

Alright. Can you explain further?

How to interpret?

The ducks are pretty? The lake? I am happy?

Sometimes I go 24-48 hours without speaking to another adult.

Talking to your 9 month-old son all day is fine,

But sometimes it gets heavy.

But it's a gift?

Yes.

It's a gift...

- You give yourself. - Yes, I understood it that way.

But it's not a sacrifice.

I do it voluntarily.

Even if some days are long.

If at the end of the day, no husband comes home.

So you're alone on the sofa, it isn't always very cheerful.

But it's my routine, and I chose this way of life.

- With my eyes wide open. - Of course.

If I had to do choose again, I'd do the same.

You have to bite it.

Bite it, sweetheart.

Lucas is attracted to playing with other children,

Sometimes I worry he'll be lonely,

spending his whole days with me.

Do you plan to return to work?

Yes, at some point...

I'll have to cut the cord, that's what they say.

What's your name?

What?

Marie-Edith.

Marie-Edith.

I'm Bernard.

Are you're Bernard?

It's nice, it's a good name.

You like it?

Yes, all Bernards are brave.

Bernards work more than people think.

And they are braver than people think.

Work more... And braver.

That's what they say, Bernards are very brave.

Bernards are very brave.

It is a very nice name.

- It's German. - Is it?

In German, Bernard means "bear".

- Does it? - Yes.

Bern, the city has a bear on its the shield.

I see.

- Not many know that. - No.

Did you work before?

- Who? - You, Bernard.

Long time ago.

So long I don't remember.

Don't you remember?

I'm so old.

Marie-Edith, did you work...?

I worked in a town hall 15 years.

The town hall of Vincennes.

- How about you? - A quick courier driver.

A light vehicle.

Letters, small packages, delivery.

- In Paris? - Paris and the suburbs.

Sometimes far away.

You were a messenger?

Yes, that's right.

But you're in a place...

That could be considered a day hospital?

Yes, a day hospital.

A hospital, An agency within the hospital.

It is not the hospital, it's like a clinic.

It's all people with mental problems.

If we stop for some sun, that doesn't bother you?

You can sit, if you like.

This wood is beautiful.

Very nice, do you like it?

Yes

It's lovely because we pass under branches.

I've never seen you touch a tree.

I can touch one, if you like.

Go ahead!

If you feel like it.

Yes, I don't mind.

But a fat old one.

Choose your tree. That would be a first.

- That one over there. - Whichever you like.

- Together or you alone? - Whatever you like.

What is a battle?

What is an event?

An event like death, what is it?

It is an event...

What is the relationship between the event and the person?

A wound, is that an event?

Yes, if I am wounded.

A wound is an event.

It's the expression of something happening to me, or that happened to me.

How is a wound individuated?

Is it individuated because it happens to someone?

Or would I call "person" the one it happens to?

It's complicated.

What astounds me, it surprises me that 30 years later...

It gets totally...

Erased.

That's why I compared it with Roman ruins.

Roman ruins already move you emotionally but then you think that was long ago

My father didn't die that long ago.

Then it's like... Wow.

This was the entrance?

As far as you know?

The parking was behind me.

Damn.

We're with the crazies!

This was the philosophy class?

Not yet.

What madness!

If you find small mushrooms that's where the trees were along...

This tree here.

This one was here before the school.

- He saw. - He saw.

This one knows.

You see the foot of the oak?

You can see they added earth.

If not, we could see the tops of the roots.

So they added lots of earth,

over the ruins of the school,

to replant the trees.

That's crazy!

The exceptional thing is...

It was a school for people who didn't graduate high school.

People not expected to study.

That was the idea.

Anyone could come.

It was utopian.

A utopia with its place in the wood.

A utopia that worked, too.

We often use the word "utopia" to show how something can't exist by its nature.

Yet this by its nature, worked well.

- Here I'm entering the classroom? - Yes.

An amphitheater? I said I didn't want one.

Not for the reasons, I'll summarize,

nor for reasons you ascribe to me,

which would be reasons of physical insufficiency.

Even if I have have some, as well, but those aren't the reasons.

It's because I found, you mustn't laugh yet...

Doing what we do in an amphitheater

absolutely changed the nature of the work.

As uncomfortable as we are here,

anyone can intervene.

Anyone can intervene,

or cut me me off to change the subject.

You're a good example,

This isn't possible in an amphitheater.

In an amphitheater I'm tethered to a microphone.

Which is to say, in the condition of a teaching as a master.

One might ask "What are you doing teaching a master class?"

That's a different question. In my opinion... No.

If this isn't a master class, to me,

it's partly because of this classroom which I care about more than anything.

- So all these were buildings? - Yes.

I think you're in the philosophy building.

I'd love to find a little piece of something.

I'll show you one.

They dug and found a piece of copper and said, "What's this?"

It's what's left of Vincennes (CUEV), agreed?

It's funny at the same time.

Maybe if we dig we'll find something.

More copper pipes.

Maybe an entire assemblage... Rhizomatic!

Do you get it? Understand the wink?

We think we're persons but we're not.

We're tiny events in our own way.

I think it's Charlotte Bront� who...

Who never stops presenting her characters as...

Not persons, but in every way equivalent to a wind.

A passing wind.

Or, for Virginia Woolf, a school of fish.

It is a stroll.

I have only to stroll in order to stop being a game.

If my stroll is a stroll, I'm no longer a game, I'm an event.

You see their wings are spread to the sun.

- So, 3 more? You counted them? - Yes.

Half of one since it's half white, half black. Checkered.

Let's keep going, we'll be up to our 10 minutes.

- This one? - A bit far.

Is that 5 meters away?

It just flew away.

If it comes here we'll count it.

It went the other way.

I wanted to do this circuit just to compare to... Richer areas.

In fact, we're seeing quite a few. Especially moving around.

Between meadows from one side and the other.

July.

Harvest, parties, vacations.

Summer will be immense. Solitary and solar.

The eternal returns from dreams, and nightmares.

Anyhow, as soon as the airplanes fly over,

the Hercules or the Transalls, I will salute them.

Every year I salute them.

- Really? - Yes, it's a nostalgia.

I was in the 3rd Regiment Naval Infantry Paratrooper.

Ah, that's characteristic noise of heavy aircraft. It may be them.

That one too.

I get emotional every time.

- Really? - Yes, for years now.

More than 20 years.

And I always feel it.

What's been more than 20 years?

The army.

- You left the army? - 25-30 years ago?

Yes, 30 years ago.

Were you in wars?

No, I didn't participate in campaigns.

I was in times of peace. There you go.

It didn't bother me much.

Not going to war. That's it, that's all.

I think it's a man, I don't see very well.

If not, there are lovely recluses who pass by on horseback.

Like Amazons.

- You like women astride? - Yes, it's beautiful.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

With warmups it gets much easier.

Yes, it really emptied out.

I think...

Because I wasn't alone before,

sometimes I don't feel like I really exist.

- Really? - Yes, because,

I've always shared with someone.

Locations, places.

Then, when you're alone, There's this void, you know?

This void that makes it so...

I've no words to express it.

It's a void that's constant. A void...

Nothing takes its place.

In the present.

Something dear to you.

I miss someone with whom I'd share.

Someone you mourn?

Yes, of course.

- So... - A woman?

Yes, a woman. Maybe I need another woman.

Are you very choosy?

How can I explain?

I think, in any case, whether a man or a woman,

we have defined preferences for physical criteria at play,

and the rest of the person's personality.

But I think that...

For...when those things come together...

It needs emotion.

It is the biggest word in love: Emotion for someone.

If there's emotion, it works.

Now then...

I don't know what'll happen in my life. I'm not...

I'm not looking.

I let things come as they will.

Here many women walk their dogs.

But they're not free!

So you're not exactly a hunter, then?

I was.

- Oh really? - I think so.

- Truly? - Yes.

- I prefer a guy without a cent. - I'd rather be alone.

- Or alone, but for sure... - If I don't love him, forget it.

I can't be with a 60 year-old...

To fleece him, sleep with him, make him think I love him...

- I can't do that. - Me neither.

As for independence, it's disparaged when you're living as a couple.

Maybe men don't like you to be independent.

In my case no, since it's his job to bring in money.

- I don't know. - Especially our kind of independence.

We don't need them.

Your independence is costly. It comes at a price.

Hard on us and everyone around.

- The person living with you. - Your family.

If his lifestyle can't keep up,

he'll always say he's under you.

In my case, from the start he couldn't keep up.

Despite the help, the programs and such.

Nothing has changed.

In short, we're doomed to be alone.

Sometimes alone means unhappy.

You get home, you're there, alone...

"I have money, what should I do? Go to a restaurant alone?"

It's true, sometimes we have money!

- So you go shopping. - Exactly.

Buying clothes to compensate.

Compensate with clothes, food, your children...

In the end I did nothing.

You spent all day here to spend it all in one hour.

Because you're bored.

So you say, "I'll buy myself a little something."

To forget loneliness.

- Then you have 50 left. - Or less.

It isn't always like that.

Since Sab is alone, she'll call me and say,

I went shopping, I was bored.

And these 100 I got here needs to last,

because it wasn't easy money.

It's hard, someone else will take it.

It's work, and we don't have a spare minute.

But I'd rather give it to a store to please myself,

than some asshole who'll fuck with my head.

I'm telling you!

- And where are your children? - With my parents since childhood.

When my problems started with housing and family...

I preferred to leave my children, in a more stable situation.

Because I'm not stable.

- You see them often? - Yes, regularly.

I'm leaving for a week. You won't see me.

I'll get them, I mean, meet them for holidays.

And you can't leave, St�phanie?

No I can't.

- If she really wanted to, yes. - But with the kids?

From the 29th to the 12th I can't, I have the kids.

- After the 12th? - You're sad today, St�phanie.

Yes, I'm...

Do you think the forest, like this,

is more erotic than the city?

Yes, I like it.

Yes.

Sometimes you get yelled at.

Yes.

Sure.

People who don't want to be seen, so...

Better to leave right away.

The bike is useful.

Do you sometimes feel like a child getting caught?

No, not like a child.

No, I know the risks.

I understand the risks involved.

- For you the risk is worth it? - Yes.

When there's something to see, one is rarely alone.

Rarely.

Makes it easier to find, if 5 or 6 are standing around...

- Something's happening. - There's action about.

I'll go to see that couple over there.

What they're doing, if they're settling in or not.

They're doing more than kissing.

They've finished smoking.

It's heating up. They're still standing, but...

Hands are busy.

I don't think she'll let him go.

All is not lost.

He thinks this time it will happen.

He parked his bike.

He told me to set up here.

Guys, up here!

Don't push too hard.

It's the best weather for biking.

When it's gray skies...

No it isn't.

So there's not too many people.

It's also vacations.

- You see people are leaving. - They're going.

Winding down.

Attack on the left!

Yes!

Am�d�e, jump in the way!

The swimmers are out of the water!

Very good.

The yellow jersey attacking, be careful!

The yellow jersey is decided?

You see? You're good on your bike!

I know you can beat me.

I'm dead.

- Endurance. - That's right.

Endurance.

Come on, move over!

Sometimes I go on vacation. When I get there...

To Guinea?

Yes, I say, "No, I don't want chicken."

"I don't want meat."

"I want fish."

Fish that cost 20 here, there cost 2 euros, even 1.

And late in the day, it's free...

Because there's no fridges. Fish go bad.

So your village is by the sea?

Yes, seaside.

Is your son here today?

No, he isn't.

I took him there with me.

When we got there he said, "There are no lights."

There are mosques.

It's hot. It's like this.

There are no streetlights.

And I said, "Son, I was born and grew up here."

"I miss it, and we'll come back."

He said, "I'd rather stay there."

- I said, "Alright." - In France.

Yes, I said, "I prefer my home, even if there's nothing there."

- In Guinea? - Yes, because childhood is very strong.

- Yes, it's true. - Childhood is very strong.

Even if you were born in a forest with nothing.

But your childhood...

They could bring you anywhere with all the advantages,

You'll always remember. It's like I'm torn.

In the middle. I'm here.

But my thoughts are over there.

Here is our life, our culture!

Guineans are kind people!

We love to have fun. We are like that!

My lovely niece!

And my sister!

And my cousin!

We have the whole family here!

The Guineans stick together!

We are united, bye!

Kisses! Kisses!

I'm leaving before the end.

Subtitles by eunoia SC - DWC based on work by www.subtitulam.com