An original tape record.
ANDON SOVlCANOV
October 25th, 1949 Skopje
Beatings were in the programme.
In what year? -1946.
A lieutenant came one morning and toId me
to get ready to go to a school.
They lied to us...
They wanteed to exterminate us.
We were all gathered and we got into trucks.
We were taken to an island in the Agean sea...
And thus we reached the camp.
Say, why are you here? I don't know.
You'II sing the statement denying the Communist Party.
Why? l'm no communist.
There's no need to sign a statement. l was enIisted.
They ask where we're from, Which vilIage, district
they beat us constantly.
Where are you from? Lerin. They beat you until
your Iegs are swoIlen with blood.
Where are you from? Karadzovo.
What viIIage? Novo Selo.
And they beat again.
Where are you from?
Which Village? That and that.
They got the poor man... That's the way it was...
THE BLACK SEED
starring
Directed by KiriI Cenevski
Take them away!
You!
What is your name? -Andon Sovicanov.
Where are you from? -Sarakinovo, Macedonia.
Macedonia?
Why are you here? -I don't know, Sir!
My Lieutenant told me to give him my weapons
and get ready for a trip... I'm a soIdier... I was sent...
... and here l am.
You don't know, eh?
Why haven't you got any hair?
Where are your eyebrows?
How wiII you wear His Majesty's cap?
I was born that way, Sir!
Read it so he can hear and sign!
Andon Sovicanov, from Sarakinovo,
without eyebrows and hair...etc.
Here, sing it.
Why should I? -For the record.
I've signed aIready.
Marko, wake up! It seems they're here.
What are they doing?! We're not prisoners.
The heIl we're not! We're wearing these uniforms.
They'll give us the works!
They won't dare!
We'll throw them out!
Who did that?
You!
The rest of you go!
Who betrayed him?
They'll shoot us all!
Watch the man who Iooks Iike a bare backside.
Off we go again, damn it!
Your friend's not around. He's Ieft you.
That's the way he wanted...
He's aII aIone.
You should pardon him.
Air!... Water!...
SiIence!
Let's open the lid!
Let's get out of here!
We'll suffocate from the stink and urine!
What are we?
SoIdiers or cattIe?
Why do you stare at me? Let's open the Iid!
Open the Iid!
Open it up!
Damn your mother!
The student's finished! They'II murder him!
Is he of our seed? -Yes.
Down!
They murdered him!
An isIand, eh?
One by one! Get out!
Attention!
WeIcome to my Iand.
I'm your new commander. l'II be taking care of you.
I hope you won't be here Iong.
How many peopIe were here before us?
We'll accomplish the formaIities.
And now...
In the name of the King, we'II sing a song.
Sing!
The order's to sing!
S i n g!
You, bald one!
You, I don't hear your voice?
I was taIking to you?
Hey, you!
Why don't you sing?
What's your name?
I'm singing, Sir!
What's your name?
Andon Sovicanov. From Sarakinovo, Macedonia.
Why sing this song, then?
Lieutenant! Take him to my office.
You, young man! TaII one! Come cIoser!
Yes, Sir!
Come cIoser! Want some water, eh?
You're aII parched by the sun!
Yes, Sir... It's the sun.
We had no water for 3 days.
Open your mouth, I'll pour you some.
Let's talk a little.
Unbelievable! Not a hair.
Neither on the head... nor on the face...
nor above the eyes!
You must be thirsty. You had nothing to drink...
There!
Thank you, Sir!
Some more?
Thank you, Sir!
Thank you... Sir!
What's this, lieutenant? This is seawater.
This must not happen again!
You liked it, eh? -No, but you ordered.
What if I gave you more? -I wouId've drunk.
Attention! Bandit bastard!
Why haven't you got any hair?
I was born that way. -Where were you born?
Andon Sovicanov, from Sarakinovo
under the Kaimakcalan!
From that bandit vilIage?
You're aII communists!
We used to live there even before the Turks came!
Do you love the King? -l'm serving him, Sir!
Sign that you're Ioyal to him and deny your organisation.
I'm a peasant, Sir, noting else.
You refuse to sing? You're refusing...
son of a bitch!
Down with the trousers!
Turn around!
Colossal! Fantastic!
Eat!
Eat the fish!
T h e f i s h!
It's saItier than the sea!
You'II get some more!
What about you?
You'II get some more, too!
There's the water!
Follow me!
Stop!
Form a coIumn! You'II aII get some!
Don't you want any? The best!
You want us to drink our bIood!
A sturdy Iittle man! Such an iron-wiIl!
The student's infIuence.
I can't hold on.
Think of something eIse!
I can't. I haven't slept for two months now.
You'Il have to when it gets worse.
Are you asIeep? -No.
Say something. -Lt. Maki talks enough for all.
The one Iying down...
Take him to the Major!
Don't Iinger around!
Wat's he done to them?
Major wants you.
We'll all end up Iike that!
Where's Niko? -At the Major's again.
Many have signed.
The troubIe is they are among us,
and you can't know whom to trust.
Niko's trough. -l don't belive it!
My poor Christ!
Who's the man over there? -The Miner!
He's not a soIdier. PoliticaI prisoner.
He's been in jaiIs for 30 years.
He worked in a quarry...
That old man? -Yes. He used to set mines.
Before explosion he used to shout
''Mine's coming!''
Give me that tool.
What are we building? -A church!
A church?! -Major wiII bring God to us.
What do you build? -A church. -For whom?
For us. To bring us back to God?
I felt dizzy when i was toId.
l feeI so strange. I've never buiIt a church.
A church, here?
It made me iIl!
The fear made you ilI, not the church!
Move!
HaIt!
Bring the seaman's cat. And a bag!
To the cell!
Don't stand! Work!
How shaII we survive another investigation?
Think of it when it happens.
Maki comes to the guard post every night
with a whip asking the same thing:
Your name? Where are you from?
He beats and asks.
You'II stand it if he comes.
I'll stand the major, but Maki?
AlI because of a damned signature!
Who's keeping you? You were at the major's.
You know damn weII!
You came back as straight as no one before!
You're accusing me.
I'd better sign.
I'm no communist. l want to live.
My village never accepted a teacher or a priest. We took
off the priest's robe and sent the teacher away.
What shaII l sign? To be a horse - when I'm not one.
That won't help, Done.
Leave me alone! I'll take care of myseIf!
HaIt!
There is a spring near, bring your flasks!
I'll go with him.
Where are they? -At the spring.
A man said he knows where to go.
They'd better be there!
You've fiIIed them, eh. -We had a drink, Sir!
Leave the fIasks!
Take off your shoes...
and run to the ridge and back.
The three of you
prepaire a soft stone carpet for them.
PuIl up your trousers - and kneeI on this carpet!
Pity! I'll sign!
You'II sign!
All right!
Stretch your arms! Give them a stone each!
We're going back!
I'm carrying stones for both of us.
Don't stop!
Put away the pIanks!
Get going!
The one that shouted!
He tried to escape.
And the other one? -They keep together.
You Iook alI right. -l like to eat, Sir.
The food is good, eh! -l eat aIl that grows here: Ieaves,
grass, roots. Lizards and snakes sometimes...
if l catch any. -And herrings and soup?
I bury them into the sand.
They're saIty and make me thirsty.
You didn't want to escape, eh?
You only wanted some water?
l took the stone and wanted to ask for a sip...
and they threw me into the sea.
Liar!
Let him be... he's a good man!
He wasn't running away, he wanted some water.
WilI you have some now? Your bones are aIl dry.
See those jugs. FuII of water.
Seawater...
Try the other one.
Find the right jug!
You're going to sign!
The Student was one who are the others?
Get him into the celI!
He may remember beter in there.
Sign!
Spit at me!
You won't pardon me, I know!
I want to Iive. I couId choose, you said.
You chose shit.
They know we're not communists.
There's a cigarette inside. Take it, please!
ReIease them!
Has anyone seen Christ?
Christ, it's me.
I'm busy. l must catch 1500 flies for Maki.
He'll give me my wife's Ietter then.
I want fIies!
Tell your guys to catch the fIies.
I need them... For my wife's letter.
Attention!
Our Iand is ceIebrating the greatest day.
Independence day, lts freedom!
We won't work. We'll ceIebrate! Sing!
Let's remember the revoIution!
Sing!
S i n g !
Lieutenant!
That one!
S i n g !
That one!
We'll sing, Sir.
We'll sing. But, whose song?
Yours... or ours?!
You don't catch fIies?
That's for you, beast!
You come from Kaimakcalan, eh?
Communist nest! This is for you!
You won't sign, eh?
Sign!
You want water, eh?
Sing! l want a song!
You're ordered to sing! Sing!
The stones! Quick!
Wait!
Stop!
No! Let's get hold of a machine-gun!
Wait, beasts!
Wait, beasts! No!
He hid in the church, he broke the icons.
This man here blasphemed your church!
We've buiIt it to bring you back to faith.
Faith in God and the Holy Virgin.
They wouIdn't catch the fIies! They won't sign!
Like communists - they shut their mouths!
Tie him up!
AlI of you! Come at the sinner and spit on him.
Spit!