Daddy.
l bet it'll be all black and blue by tomorrow.
Let me see.
Wow, it's even more swollen than before.
Damn, Jesse, why would you walk into a door?
I値l say my man beat me up.
A packet of Tigras, please.
Usually, it's the other way round.
Yeah, who on earth would walk into a door?
Thank you.
Where shall we go for breakfast? Farine's?
You can't smoke there.
How about Jimmy's? - lt burned down.
You don't say? When? - l dunno.
l felt like sitting at a terrace, but it was all cordoned off.
Anyway, the grub was lousy there. And it was filthy. l heard that...
Enough. lt's bound to be disgusting. - lt was disgusting...
l thought you were dead.
Here. We're out of oranges.
l had an awful dream... - Oh yes? l wonder why.
What're you dawdling around here for? And change those trousers.
They're jeans. - They're still blue.
The headmaster says they're not allowed.
The headmaster's queer. - Charlie!
No, no, no. No radio.
Yes, the radio. - No!
Fighting again, are you?
Yes.
How come?
He doesn't need me.
You don't need him either, do you?
Chouki... Drop it! OK?
Just do what l do. Stay single.
Hey, Firmin. Does this go under the desk?
Yes, but be careful, OK? - Yeah, yeah.
You don't know the half of what people say behind your back.
Just as well.
I壇 be even more bigheaded.
My father used to say: ''lt's better to have people say bad things about you
than nothing at all.''
Whenever l did something wrong,
my dad would say: ''Sandrine, I知 not cross, I知 disappointed.''
l hated that. - What made you bring that up?
lt just popped into my mind...
I壇 have preferred it if he'd been angry.
Soap.
On the washcloth.
What?
You know l can't stand that synthetic rubbish.
Just don't do it again, OK?
OK. OK.
OK, ciao...
Show off.
Let's go.
Come along, sweetheart.
Now we're going up.
Paul, why does Charlie always have this muck on his fingers
when you take him to the dentist's? - lt's to stop him biting his nails.
His fingers are going mouldy. - From biting them.
lt's good for my teeth.
The dentist doesn't give a damn about his teeth. They're fine.
Maybe you should take him to your manicurist...
Don't be so bad-tempered.
You get on my nerves.
You're not being very nice to me. - I知 not nice, period.
And stop switching languages. The kid'll end up speaking neither one.
You've got a nerve. You're the one mixing up the languages.
Same way you get everything mixed up.
Who do you think you are, Paul? You're 52 years old,
and since you finished that book, it's as if you wanted to finish with me, too.
l refuse to be a character in your epilogue! I知 your wife.
Oh, stop your whining. - Yes, mum. Stop your whining.
Why is he going to the cellar?
Charlie, for Christ's sake!
lt's the other door for up. - l know that.
Antwerp, a Friday in June
Here we are.
Mr Garcin, Mr Garcin...
l know who stole the money from the sale of the hot dogs!
What are you studying, Eyskens? - Classics, sir.
Then you know the meaning of the word ''sycophant''.
No, sir.
''Bootlicker'' is a somewhat free translation, but it gives the general idea.
Look it up and you can explain it to the class next week. Understood?
My regards to your grandfather.
''l too used to consider the future
to be the sole competent judge of our works and acts.
Only later did l understand
that flirting with the future is the worst sort of conformism,
cowardly flattery of the strong,
for the future is always stronger than the present.
lt is indeed that by which we shall be judged,
albeit without competence.
But if the future has no value for me, to what do l accord importance?
God?
The homeland? The people?
The individual?
My answer is as ridiculous as it is sincere:
l am attached to nothing,
except to Cervantes' decried heritage.''
Yes? - Sir, it's a nice text,
but isn't it a bit complicated?
Did you enjoy the text, Eveline? - Yes, sir.
And did you understand it all? - Not all of it.
Well, that's just perfect.
Where do you want to be dropped?
At the lnstitute for Tropical Medicine.
l thought you didn't go there anymore?
What are you going to do?
What? - What are you going to do there?
I知 going to pick something up.
What?
One of these days, you're going to get caught.
I知 going to die.
Goddammit, stop your bullshit.
l was only joking. - Well, it's not funny. OK?
Oh, come on.
Jesus, what's this? - Nice one, mate.
What's happening?
Look. There're some guys in there.
You're not serious? - There. Look.
Check this out. Brilliant!
Hey, what happened? - What a question...
Chouki, that...
How did it happen? - What?
l don't understand. - There's a bastard taking photographs.
Here, grab my hand.
I値l try to open the door, OK? - What's wrong with my foot?
Stay calm, man. - OK, I知 calm.
I知 being crushed!
Hurry up!
OK. Let's try again. - lt's not going to work.
ldiot!
l think she's angry.
I壇 say disappointed. Some list!
Cretin, Judas, and then idiot. Bit of an anti-climax, eh?
l only said: Basel, maybe. New York, it depends, and Chicago
is out of the question. Her latest work is just not good enough.
But you promised her.
No, l just said that the latest work isn't good enough
and that she shouldn't panic... What's-his-name always used to say that, too.
He'd say...
You say that to everybody. But you did promise...
Maybe years ago, at some party, when l still drank.
You still do.
Much less.
ls she another member of your harem?
Sandrine, ''harem'' comes from the Turkish ''harim'' which means ''sacred'', ''forbidden''.
Nothing sacred nor forbidden between me and her.
So? - So what?
l have a sort of Warholian thing with her.
Warhol was queer.
Warhol was above all very vague.
You couldn't say that about you. Anybody can see right through you.
ls there any merit in being vague?
I知 not the one who said you were vague. You're just trying to confuse the issue.
Sandrine...
ldiot.
Oh, no.
Jeez.
Good morning, sir. Police and art!
An initiative of our new chief of police.
From November on, several projects in and around Antwerp
will present our profession in an artistic light.
Bruce Nauman said: ''Art should raise questions''.
That is why the Antwerp police have asked Nauman to place
a video installation in the canteen in Begijnenstraat.
And Christo is going to wrap up our offices in Quinten Metsijslei...
l hate those cops.
Where have those chicks gone?
When did they leave?
Shit, man, that little blond was a real looker.
l couldn't remember her name.
l kept on asking, then l didn't dare to any more.
How sweet. - What?
Nothing. Forget it.
lris, lr鈩e... When did they leave?
Sigrid. - Sigrid! That's it.
lt's one of those names that just won't stick.
That sounds nothing like lris. - What was yours called?
Awful woman.
A beautiful woman always has an ugly sidekick.
How did they get here?
You begged them to come.
And when did they leave?
Jesus, Fr�, I知 not your goddam biographer. They just left, that's all.
The capital of Nigeria? - Lagos.
Abuja.
Come on, let's start pasting. - Just a second, l have to shit.
Shitting, pasting, shit, paste...
Any new Kiss records? - Come off it, Dario,
even if they did release a new record, l wouldn't stock it.
Luc sells dance music.
Well, well, Bolland's here too.
lt's the dance music snob convention.
l dance to Kiss.
Maybe so, but here they sell electronic music.
Ah, electronic music.
l thought Kiss didn't exist any more. - What?
He said... - l heard what he said!
I値l go to a place where they sell mechanical music then.
Gentlemen,
mum's the word!
This'll be the third time you move this year.
l know. I知 sick and tired of it.
What about your daughter? Are you taking Julie with you?
l can't, Jesse, not on my own...
lt's that guy who always smiles at me so nicely.
Subtle smile.
Such a good-looking guy.
Come on, Lara, let's go and eat.
We'll go to the ''Daily Bread''.
That singer'll be there.
No. I致e heard he's in ltaly.
lmagine living with that!
Pffft, l feel like I知 losing the plot.
Maybe l should just live alone...
Eat your eggs, Lara.
...and study photography.
Hey, Lara. How are you? - Bob. l didn't notice you.
Me neither. l mean, not at first. Then l did, of course.
And, er, how are you?
Fine. Off to work.
Well, work. Well, phew...
What?
Him. Him. Good singer, eh?
He's on about the singer. - Oh, yes!
We were just talking about him.
And apart from that, how are you?
Fine. And you?
Er, busy, busy, busy...
You know what it's like, eh? - That's good.
Right, then,
I壇 better be off. I致e got lots of things to do.
See you around? - Yes.
Or not? - Yes.
Ah. Bye, then.
lnstitute for Tropical Medicine
Hey, Chouki. Haven't seen you for a while.
Hello, Robert. Since the funeral, l suppose.
Yes. How's it going?
Have a seat. - No, no. I知 fine.
We miss your father.
We miss him.
ls there anything l can do for you?
Yes, I致e come for his lab coat. lt should be here.
Are you sure? l thought we'd given everything back...
Everything except his lab coat.
I値l go and see, but l don't hold out much hope...
Maybe in the cupboard.
I値l have a look.
l was looking for a Coke...
Well? - l didn't find it...
What? You didn't find it? - No, I知 sorry.
Right, I値l have to look at mum's. Sorry.
No trouble.
You're always welcome. We miss you, too. You used to be here all the time...
How's the work going? I致e read some impressive things about you.
Mr Schoesetters!
Natalie, I壇 almost given up hope.
Sorry I知 late, there was an accident.
l did call you, but there was no answer.
Tell me, what's the problem?
Problem?
With the computer.
Ah, yes...
The computer, of course.
Yes, I知 trying to...
That's to say, yesterday, l was in...
This new upgrade... l don't understand how...
But l explained it to you last week.
No, no. l mean, yes, you explained it, but...
Listen, Mr Schoesetters, I致e got a busy day ahead of me,
l have 3 other clients to see, and by this evening l have to...
lf l explain it now, l may have to come back
again next week... - What's happening this evening?
I知 throwing a little party.
Where?
Mr Schoesetters... - Yes, excuse me.
Sorry.
A Coke, please.
So l just fish it out again. There.
Get out now. - l beg your pardon?
That's what l pay you for, you stuck-up bitch.
Lie down on your back.
ls this your first treatment?
First time I致e had my bones popped? - First treatment, yes.
Yes.
Will you warn me when you make them pop?
Tina, please!
First of all, l relax the muscles.
That feels good...
Excuse me a moment.
Tina, please. You know I知 busy next door.
l know, my love, but it can't be helped.
What's this? - l think it's a blue tit.
lt's not a blue tit, it's a sparrow.
Goddammit!
Darling... I値l do it, you go back.
I知 sorry about that.
Where is it? lt's gone.
How long have you had this problem?
For a few weeks.
Do you do much exercise?
Not over the last few weeks.
Say, have we met before?
You've seen my upside-down face before?
They're shooting at Sadate, they're shooting at Reagan, they're shooting at the Pope.
The Pope, that's right. Didn't he pardon that guy?
Yeah, right. lt failed. Didn't you see it on TV?
You know, the Turk said: ''Sorry, sorry''.
And the Pope: ''Oh, forget it. lt doesn't matter.'' Ridiculous.
Hey, the Pope has been around since before l was born,
and he's still around now. Respect. l mean it.
Jacky lckx wins Le Mans, there's an antimissile demonstration in Brussels,
they blow up the Hoveniersstraat, here in Antwerp,
Borg plays against McEnroe in the Wimbledon final.
Yes, and he won. - No. McEnroe won.
After that, Borg retired. He was 25.
Jeez. Retired at 25.
Yes. And then he sank into depression.
At 25? - Yes.
Jeez.
And why?
Why? l don't know. What's got into you?
You're really weird, today. - I知 not weird.
Yes, you are. - What d'you mean, weird?
Yes, definitely weird. - You're the weird one.
Ah, Pierre, what are you doing here?
Your ash is going to fall.
You're not working today, are you?
There's a problem.
Oh?
There's a big scratch on the Cronenberg copy...
l haven't used it yet today. - On all 4 reels.
A line on the right of the image.
lt was perfect yesterday.
I知 serious, Walter. lt's no laughing matter.
l taught you everything.
Are you serious?
Walter, do you remember when they used to write how long a film had run
outside on a poster?
''The Guns of Navarone'': 26 weeks.
Then it would move into the small auditorium. ''The Guns of Navarone'': 52 weeks!
What's wrong?
The copies are insured, I致e got a small deductible...
There was a scratch on the film. - Pierre told me about it.
Pierre is an old man. He wants to end on a high note.
38 years as a projectionist...
He never could stand me.
You were the last one to use the film.
That's right. And there was nothing wrong with it yesterday.
Pierre will replace you today.
And tomorrow? - Tomorrow as well.
Are you going to fire me, Guido?
lt's not the first time this has happened.
During my training? That wasn't my fault... lt was Pierre...
Pierre what?
Come on, Guido, you can't fire a person for that.
How the hell did that scratch get there? - Bad winding?
That doesn't make a line, Guido! At worst,
it breaks the film. - What then? Pierre?
l want to see that copy.
l sent it back. Sorry, Walter.
Sorry, my ass.
Do you really think so? l think he looked more like a penguin...
Are you going to the party, this evening?
l wasn't invited. - Neither was l.
Are you going? - Walter is DJ.
What about your daughter, Lara? Do you still see her?
She's at Walter's parents. But tomorrow...
You don't see her very often, do you?
Sometimes she spends the whole weekend with me.
A whole weekend.
What business is it of yours, anyway?
Thanks.
Erwin, could you take off those shoes?
lt's mashed potato. lt doesn't melt under the spots.
I知 ready, thank you.
What a bitch.
Drop it, Jesse.
Oh, sorry.
Miss? - Yes?
Have you got ''Le Salaire de l'Ennui'' by Paul Garcin?
Paul Garcin...
Do you know when it was published?
June 11th, La Presse de Saint-Germain.
You're well-informed.
No. lt's been withdrawn. But l can order it for you...
Order it?
Paul Garcin, my God...
Ah, Van lmmerseel...
l thought you were dead. - And?
l heard...
You were very ill, weren't you?
But, here you are... - Yes.
Fancy that!
When l left the school, l called you. Your wife answered.
l couldn't remember her name. - Elsie?
Yes. So l hung up. Silly of me, wasn't it?
Then l heard that you had cancer.
Well...
Well, it's... lt's good to see you again.
You called? She didn't tell me.
Well... of course not.
Well.
Excuse me, l must be getting on.
lf l had died every time l thought l was going to die,
I壇 be seriously fucked by now, you know.
Watch out for the cops. - Alright, mate.
For Christ's sake. Lazy bastard!
Shit, the cops!
Who gets nicked if the cops show up?
Lazy bastard!
ls it too much to ask you to keep your eyes open?
What's going on in your head?
What the hell do you think you're doing? - Quit nagging.
Felix, you idiot!
What suspense...
He's used to it.
ldiot!
Hello, Princess.
Shouldn't you be at work?
Yes. l just felt like going to collect her.
But shouldn't you be at work?
Yes, mum, I知 going. l just wanted to see her.
lt doesn't bother me, you know, picking her up from school.
Yes, mum. l know.
I値l come and pick her up tomorrow. - OK.
Goodbye.
l had nothing to do with it. - What happened to that film?
Ask Guido. lt has nothing to do with me. He asked me to replace you. l came.
And I知 out of a job. Satisfied?
Watch what you say, Walter. You have no reason to accuse me.
l don't make mistakes like that!
What sort of scratch was it? Was it regular, or...
l didn't see it. He called me. l came.
What? You didn't see the damaged copy? - No.
Then how did Guido... - Draw your own conclusions, I知 off...
With a ''Q''. Fr馘駻ique, with a ''Q''...
That's a girl's name, that is. - You can talk, ''Nicole''.
lt's ''Nico''. Undo your laces.
lt's velcro, Nicole... All the rage in the eighties.
Worried l might hang myself?
How would l know? Empty your pockets.
For sticking up a poster! You've got to be joking.
l know. But this is the sixth time.
Call this a city. - You'll be going before the prosecutor.
Ah, the prosecutor, he's back from the Tyrol?
Yes, and apparently he had good weather. Patrick saw him...
Listen, Fr馘駻ique. I値l tell you something...
I知 not like that.
lsn't there another cell?
Nicole?
Friday...
4 p.m...
21...
Freezer temperature back to normal.
Mice calm.
The one on the left has a slight squint.
lt must be due to Kemp's infection. Nothing abnormal.
Oxidation, petrol pump sensitive.
Hamster still not decomposing.
lncredible!
The copper is not oxidizing,
so: new biotope, new laws.
Brussels exhibition cancelled, work seized.
Martin hasn't spoken to me for over a week...
Well...
Potentiometer attached to hamster, measured tension,
enough to light a lamp.
So death is another form of... - Chouki!
Natalie! I知 here, in the back.
Come out here. - Yes, just a minute.
lt stinks in here.
Are you alright? - Where's that rabbit?
You're looking at it.
Haven't you got work to do?
l cancelled a few clients.
Do you mind closing the door? - Oh, sorry.
You're still wearing that lab coat. - Yes.
lt's weird to see you here.
l...
This morning, when you went to dad's lab...
We never talk about it.
How come we never talk about it?
l don't mean what you went there to get.
That's your business, but...
Why do you never tell me how you feel?
You never ask me. - Yes l do,
but you just ignore me.
Or you make some cynical remark.
lt's just that l...
l don't know...
how I知 supposed to feel... or how l can...
l don't know...
l miss him so much.
lt doesn't seem to affect you.
Sorry.
Sorry for what?
Sometimes l get so scared.
With all these things here.
Forget it. I致e had a lousy day.
You could always throw a party.
Thanks for reminding me.
ls Firmin coming?
I値l introduce you, don't worry. - No, no. Forget it.
Why did you ask then?
If you could choose between physical tenderness
and an inteIIectuaI discovery, which would you prefer?.
I believe that everything is an inteIIectuaI discovery,
including the decision to be tender.
When are you going to paint this place?
Next week. ln blue.
Why not black? - Blue.
When is she arriving?
She's here... No, can't be.
God, l look awful.
Better than yesterday.
Great. When l turned 32, l shaved all my hair off.
You know what my mother said? ''lt's much better like that''.
What does she look like?
l dunno,
it's been a long time.
But she used to be beautiful.
Were you in love with her?
How do you express emotion?
l don't know. lt's difficult to explain.
At the cinema. When nobody's Iooking.
What do you prefer?. To admire, or be admired?
Admiring oneself
is a bit Iike
fleeing one's responsibilities.
What do you think about Iove, Mr DeIvoye?
It's hypnosis.
Being in Iove is a form of seIf-hypnosis.
It's a threat disguised as an invitation.
How do you feeI about promiscuity?.
I think you should be faithful as much as possible.
Do you prefer the Iove of one woman or the Iove of a Iarge audience?
The Iove of a Iarge audience,
because the mass is greater and it takes Ionger to cooI down.
But even that cooIs down in the end.
SuccessfuI creativity acts Iike a drug.
Are you hooked, Mr DeIvoye?
I think creativity is hooked on applause.
Do you know what makes a woman happy in a relationship?
Yes.
Happiness just has to be grabbed?
There's no need to grab it, or even stoop down to pIuck it.
You either have it, or you don't.
Are you often on the run?
What a day!
Come dancing with me later.
I致e got an appointment.
A date? - You could call it that.
With a guy? - lmagine that.
How long have you known him?
A few days.
Why didn't you tell me?
You're going to move. You never tell me anything, either.
What does he look like?
He's not exactly good-looking, his head's a bit large,
but he's full of charm.
And he lisps when he's drunk. lt's so sweet.
That's great.
Yeah, we'll see...
What about your black eye?
I値l buy some glasses.
You'd better hurry up, it's nearly closing time.
Really? - Yes.
So, these people live together 50 years in the mountains...
Everything's good, good air, good soil, everything nice and healthy.
They don't drink, they don't smoke,
so nothing can go wrong.
And after 50 years, these people die together,
the very same week, from lung cancer.
Well, it's possible.
Yes, it's possible, but...
it's still mind-boggling. - l don't understand.
l don't understand. - Alright. Just forget it.
You and your non-stories.
Are you buying food for everybody?
Just the basics. People will bring drinks.
They bring a bottle of wine and drink your vodka. l know how it goes.
Would you like a crisp? - Leave them alone.
But the people here look so unhappy. - Perhaps they are unhappy.
What, all of them? - Yes, all of them!
Excuse me, madam, are you unhappy?
Not at all. My son has just got his doctorate from Harvard.
He's a nuclear physicist.
What about you, sir? Are you unhappy?
Me? Far from it. But I致e got a hernia and the trolleys are too low.
And you? - We're just in a bad mood.
See?
Look, soap for Walter.
l can't even wear my watch any more.
l never wear a watch. l hate them.
Don't speak with your mouth full.
You could wear it on the other wrist.
Well spotted, Charlie.
Dad doesn't need a watch. He's already had his time.
Mum's a bit mean, isn't she, dad?
Don't get them bickering.
Who do you think you are? Kofi Annan?
He's right. Charlie can be very manipulative.
Who is Kofi Annan? - lmagine
Kofi Annan at school, when there was a fight.
''Be nice to one another.''
His English is good!
Yes, it's better than his French!
Who is Kofi Annan?
Do you have any troublemakers in your class?
No, only bootlickers.
You've connected that old thing again?
lt's better than ''toooooot''.
ls Kofi Annan a bootlicker? - Kofi Annan is a mediator.
And?
lt's OK. And he says hello.
Be careful next time.
What's OK?
Aids test.
Ah, Aids test.
He's sixteen. You can't stop him having sex at his age.
But he must be more careful next time and use a condom.
Don't speak like that in front of Charlie.
Next you'll be telling me that the kid masturbates.
What does ''masturbate'' mean?
Charlie, don't read at the table.
Thomas, will you keep an eye on your brother later? I知 going dancing.
What? You're coming with me? - No, you're coming with me.
How about going together?
I値l go and get ready.
Marina? lt's Walter. ls Guido there?
No, I致e been there. No, he's not at the cinema.
No, his mobile's off.