Look at those bees.
They have been making honey for thousands years
to keep their species alive.
One bee dies, another takes its place.
They die because of frost, diseases and people.
But the hive lives on forever.
The Slovak Film Institute presents
THE MILLENNIAL BEE
Based on the novel by Peter Jaros
Story:
Starring:
I do not remember we have ever gathered honey in June.
We may have two crops as in the Nile valley.
A birthday present for you. The map of Europe.
Wow, Debrecen. And here, Venice.
I still long for journeys abroad.
Leave then as soon as possible.
The Paris Commune started a new era, with new countries,
old maps will not be valid.
On behalf of the firemen's guild let me wish you all the best.
The golden helmet will protect you from storms and fire.
From women's anger too?
There is no protection against that!
It is worse than fire and water together.
They are witches.
- No, Valent. - Do not be scared.
You do not love me.
Once you are a student you will forget about me!
I will not, if you are mine!
Oh my God, bees!
I love you all the same!
Look what you have done!
Dear friends, let me propose a toast to Martin, our master bricklayer,
who has travelled all over the world.
Bees!
We wish you all the best.
What is that?
Calm down, do not move!
They are but bees, they will not hurt you.
They will eat us alive!
I shall smoke the bees to death!
Who is the asshole who startled them?
Good afternoon, Father. Run away!
You will see what a son I shall give to Hungary!
Have a drink with me, Gersch!
I shall father three Hungarians! I can make you a Hungarian!
I doubt you can, I am a Jew.
I shall arrange it!
What kind of a Hungarian are you? Your father was a Slovak.
But I am a Hungarian! Give me the bottle!
You have one in Budapest.
One pen, one shepherd.
And an asshole with a sabre.
I shall get the bill through the Parliament
that those who refuse to be Hungarians
will be castrated!
What kind of a nonsense is that? You were not a bad pupil.
But you are a bad teacher.
Hungarian is the official language.
Fools make speeches, wise men love girls.
- You do look pretty. - It is still aching.
Why do you not speak our language?
Get out of the way!
Trying to sting a Hungarian nobleman,
you, the bee of Pichanda?
Let her be or I will kill you!
I shall have you all arrested!
Come on!
Watch out!
No!
Bees sting, Belan!
- I was stung by a bee yesterday. - Come on, Maria.
Kristina, where are you? Come to dance to the ballroom!
That is Matej. Speak to him at least.
He must not see me now!
Bloody bees!
The old wizard will stay in the pub till the morning.
He thinks he is still young!
I am closing.
Mr. Gersch!
I want to convert to your faith,
I will learn Hebrew and study the Talmud.
Jozef, one must not betray the faith of one's fathers.
One should keep it.
To hell with your fathers' faith.
You worship Yahve, you Virgin Mary.
And I, as people say, the whale.
Call Marta, please.
A farewell dance for Jozef. A sad song.
He is joining us.
I would like to be a Jew.
And I a Christian.
Golden rain.
Yellow rain.
Pink.
And now green. Why not frogs?
Frogs, a French delicacy.
On June 20, 1896
I celebrated my sixty.
But I feel strong.
I still have the same thoughts
as forty years ago.
I even see similar signs.
When I went to work abroad for the first time
and saw mushrooms sticking out of snow.
I started to pick them up
and then I met Zelka.
Have you forgotten me, Martin?
No, I have not, Zelka.
Let us play cards.
I cannot. I must go to Debrecen.
We used to see each other more often.
You are still pretty.
What is that? What is going on?
The fish has closed its mouth.
- What fish? - A whale.
- Stop lying! - You lied to me.
You married a richer girl.
Randomize them.
- What is going on? - Do not worry.
When the fish opens its mouth we shall run out.
Meanwhile, we can drink, eat
and play cards.
In good humour and Christian understanding, Zelka and I spent
four days inside the whale.
I will not let you go!
I will come back, do not worry.
I will bring you such a scarf that will attract bees.
No, no bees. Birds and butterflies instead.
I know what is pulling you.
You'd better think of the grave
and eternal salvation.
And what else?
Mother, what is the matter?
Scissors!
Open your mouth!
Hold her head!
Here is the bastard.
God warned us.
He sometimes punishes even the just ones.
Fish... What does that mean?
Women, perhaps? That could be.
Welcome, Martin.
I was dreaming about you.
About the time when we were very young.
Do you remember?
- What? - Oh, nothing.
You are still attractive.
and I am...
You wanton old devil!
Are you looking for a lover?
I have been atoning for our sin all my life,
but now you, old goat, want to tempt me again?
Just let us have a talk.
Do not be angry.
How about a game of cards?
Do you have a pack?
On St. Peter and Paul's Day grass needs mowing
so we, the bricklayers, become farmers for a while again.
The men go to meadows to mow all the days.
Forgive me.
Women at home go to beds late and get up early.
They bring meal to the mowers.
The men are sweaty, tired, in need of a shave.
The women are affectionate then.
Kristina, does your mother keeps an eye on you?
I do it myself!
- Stop! Give me a kiss. - After the wedding.
- Give me your hand. - On the wedding day.
- Then beat me. - After the wedding.
Now. I cannot stand it anymore.
My dumplings!
Look what you have done!
We can clean them.
What turmoil was it in the pub?
As if you wanted a war against the emperor.
Against monkeys, perhaps.
I read that the English claim two African islands.
Pemba and Zanzibar.
They are very small.
Perhaps there will be war.
Because of the two islands?
Africa might be the reason.
Africa means wealth.
Did you cook this, Kristina?
She will learn when she marries.
Our wine has always been fine. Young women, old wine.
I hear you are going to study in Prague, Valent.
He would like to be a lawyer.
During holidays you could teach my daughter German.
- Do you agree, Martin? - He can decide himself.
I do not teach young ladies.
I will pay you.
The young Pichanda is here.
Welcome, Valent.
Leave us alone, Mother.
- Are you in love? - No, I am not.
- And you? - Me either.
But I would like to be.
- The textbooks? - Will these do?
We'd better start.
Do you like me?
I am paid for German lessons.
Sure. But I choose the topic.
Love.
Where have you been?
I teach German.
You teach Hermina?
She wants you, you know?
I need every penny.
You know I am leaving next month.
Is she prettier than I? Do you not want me anymore?
I do, I love you.
Oh my God, you are so beautiful...
Forgive me, oh Lord.
- Good morning. - Good morning, Samo.
Are you going to help us?
We can manage.
Are you joining your father?
There is plenty to do at home.
Go and earn a lot of money.
That is all my wife understands.
Gagos, is there going to be the war?
Three things are needed for it: money, dough, and loot.
Suppose there is?
I would know about that.
Twenty-nine, thirty...
Leaving?
This will protect you. Always and anywhere.
Gold?
To my teacher from his grateful student.
Valent, this is her hair!
She wants to bewitch you!
You are the only one I love!
I shall not give you it!
Oh Lord, forgive me.
I shall not give you to anybody!
A ball lightning!
- Do not pull so fast. - I do not.
Look.
Who did that?
That must be investigated!
A week before St. Bartholomew's Day
a large glowing ball rolled through our village.
All of us sighed with relief when it was beyond the village at last.
But at the crossroads it hit the mill.
Fire!
My poor children! Where shall we go?
Form a chain!
The mill burnt down for the third time.
Come to the taproom, Marta.
We can make much money now.
The miller ended up badly.
The government should help him.
Everybody needs the mill.
Why are you moaning?
You have fixed wages, and a pension on top of it.
If I am not dismissed!
It is all nonsense.
He is satisfied, can you see? He has set fire himself.
Nonsense!
There is one poor man more.
I built him a chimney the other day.
He has not paid yet, and will never do so.
Now that we have the railway we should build houses here
and send them by rail all over the empire.
What for?
We could build Vienna and Budapest here, by the river,
and then transport there.
We would transport nothing away if Vienna were here.
I would open a bank and employ all of you.
A bank? You?
He will ruin Rothschild.
Oskara, a banker!
Oh, Yahve!
We all are God's children.
The miller...
- Who knows where they are going. - Somewhere to Hungary.
On St. Michael's Day, 1896,
I put together a team of bricklayers,
maybe my last one.
There was Dropa, the barber who cuts our hair,
then the Left-hander Svanda whose left arm is stronger
and is used instead of common sense,
Gunar, nicknamed the Sage,
Greben, nicknamed the Fish, as he never speaks,
and my son Samo, nicknamed the Bee.
Finished. Next, please!
Come on, Jozef! Get him, boys!
I shall kill myself!
Do not worry!
The young Nader joined us too. Still in love with the Jewess.
The barber's red-headed sister Stazka joined us as a cook.
Good you are going with us.
Nobody will touch my sister!
Not another word or I shall give you the trim like Jozef got.
Look, the sun is rising!
Go home, Zanzibar!
We did not have to come here then.
How much do you want then?
Thirteen guldens each, eighteen to the foreman.
The truth is somewhere in between.
I propose ten to each worker, fifteen to the master.
And I give you some advance.
Good. Give us forty and we shall pay to our cook.
Damn! What an asshole?
- Who are they? - The police will defend you.
We can manage ourselves.
Do not be scared of them.
What do you want?
You will not build here
until bricklayers' wages are increased.
We are on strike.
It is none of our business. I need money, I will work!
Wait, listen to him!
I have not a land as you have.
I only have what I earn with my hands by the wall.
I have got four children
but I have not been working for two weeks, as I believe...
You are workshy!
...the people like him will yield at last.
You are right.
We can go to Tisovec, there is work too.
Of course not! You got advance!
Here it is!
And this is for the beer we drank yesterday.
You are silent but you help.
Men, we shall pay you some beer!
If I had Rothschild's millions,
I would assemble a bricklayer driven by steam!
Sage!
Why are you laughing? It would toil instead of us.
We all would become bankers.
We would eat, drink and dance till daybreak.
The Left-hander is already dancing.
I was stung by the bloody bee!
Why did you flail?
Lunch break!
I would like to be a bee.
I would fly and drink beer.
Without the passport as far as Budapest!
I would not like that.
There would be no man or a woman.
You know how the bees do it.
I do not. How do they do it?
Once in the whole life.
Mind your soup!
Have you ever kissed a girl?
My sweet fish.
I will give you anything.
What is going on here?
We are drinking milk.
Stop smiling or I slap you!
I can love whoever I want to!
If you only heard him sing!
I like him!
You are stupid!
He is mute as a fish.
Come on, sing us a song.
- Go ahead, sing. - Sing, Juro.
God /oves the young ones
When they k/ss //ke doves.
O/d fo/ks have a bad score
/f they do not /ove anymore.
Water!
You are handsome now.
The pretty Jewess will like you again.
I would not discourage you even if he worshipped a whale.
What is that about the whale?
People say that about bricklayers who go astray.
My and your grandfathers once roamed as far as Madagascar.
By land and by sea. There were no trains then.
What a country! Everybody naked, and burnt black by the sun.
And the women there! Incredible!
Your grandfather married three of them.
How did they speak?
They taught the natives the Slovak language.
Stop turning his head!
But it is true! Our grandfather said it too.
What happened next?
There is no place like home.
Despite having many kids there they returned home,
to our native place.
If all those black children arrive here
there will be more of us
than the Austrians and Hungarians together.
Who says the Slovaks have no colonies?
Get up, men!
The Hungarian land is ahead! Get up, lazybones!
Somebody has left his tools here.
Where is Jozef Nader?
He has longed for his Jewess.
He seems to have taken off.
What a bugger!
Who will do his work?
Let us move off, we may catch up with him.
Let him be, we have much to do.
We had good luck at Miskolc.
We were hired by Baron Csernak who had spent all his life
collecting pictures and statues.
In the hall there stood a statue of Diana
which took the men's breath away.
Like Virgin Mary.
But with no clothes on.
You lecherous scoundrels!
Oh, what melons!
We made a good deal, except there was no advance.
We got some female helpers instead,
swarthy girls from the south,
voluptuous, buxom beauties.
Would you like to have me, Julca?
- What do you say? - Do you want him?
You are a good man but Duri is better.
Better.
And what about me?
If you want to earn, go on building! Work cannot be postponed!
What a crew of bricklayers you are!
After chasing women all night,
you cannot hold a brick on the following morning!
Hear that, Fish? Sing now!
It was strange that the Baron had vanished
and no one knew when he would return.
Remember when we erected the wall near Budapest
and the police chased after us?
Hopefully that will not happen again.
Do not worry, Sage, we are no greenhorns.
Foreman, I have brought you money!
Roll out a barrel of wine!
I was not sure I could get the money.
I had to gamble a day and night at Mayhofer's and won!
Did you worry I would not come?
I both did and did not.
Some statues are very valuable.
Is my Diana away?
She is back in her place.
I underestimated you, foreman.
Julca, sing for these fellows! Let them remember us well!
Nobody will believe us.
Not a word about that at home.
On the contrary, exaggerate!
Nobody will be able to distinguish between the truth and lies.
I did it!
Let us go, bricklayers!
Let us go.
If I were not here, you would be led astray too.
We are at home, jump down!
One day you will break your necks!
I go as the first, Father.
Where is the boy pelting along?
To try his luck. To see his beloved.
What can you tell me about Jozko Nader?
He has been sitting at Gersch's and drinking like a fish.
Your dog is waiting for you!
Zanzibar, you are here?!
Stop embracing, our job has ended.
You can keep your money, my daughter is not for sale.
I do not want to buy Maria.
- But she will be unhappy. - Do not worry about that!
Where have you been so long?
Good-bye then.
If you prefer Belanyi...
Have a drink with us. I pay it.
Is everything all right, Jozef?
I arrived too late.
But she will have my child.
- Mine! - We all are God's children.
Then why did you not let me have her?
What is going on here?
He married her to a merchant.
- I shall kill myself. - I too.
Stop drinking and get some sleep!
You all but complain.
I am the Millennial Bee.
I know everything about your forefathers,
about you and will know about your children,
about your grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Why do you not marry me?
No, I want Maria!
I shall take an axe and kill them all.
Use your head instead.
Remember, you are a builder.
A builder...
He has walled her in.
You brought her up badly!
She is innocent!
Kiss me, let them see it.
Shall I punch you out?
Go tell it to the marines.
You have led me on!
It is the heathen Pichanda who is responsible!
Come out, or I'll drown you like mice.
My mother will never forgive us.
Die there!
Stop crying, Maria.
This is how my son, the Bee, got his bride.
A month later there were two weddings in the family.
Kristina married Matej, and Samo married Maria.
Keep an eye on him.
I am an easy-going guy.
- And what about you? - He gave me a fan.
My mother's grandmother and your grandmother's mother
were cousins.
Well, will you join us on the railway?
No. I prefer to be a bricklayer.
On the railway you get regular pay.
Other people would be glad. Children will come...
When bricking, I earn as much as on the railway in a year!
You do look pretty! Drunk into a stupor!
You will not leave anymore. The stories with the whales...
What do you want?
You should not have married him.
After all, one day you will be mine.
If you do not catch me, I will not want you.
Why did you not write me?
Have you got another girl?
Kiss me. Do you not love me anymore?
Leave me alone.
All right then, but hurry up, I am cold.
Oh my God, you are so beautiful!
The crazy Hungarian.
You did not give me Maria.
But I will find a woman for me.
Do you think you have won?
What do you want, Belan?
Mr. Belanyi for you!
Take it easy! Have a drink!
I shall castrate all who fail to give Hungary sons.
- Me too? - You too.
- And yourself? - Myself too.
Go ahead. Show you are a man!
I will. Where is my sabre?
You had none.
The Belanyis will die out.
You have stolen my wife and my sabre!
My thumb!
Pity he missed.
He might have made an ox out of a bull.
For Heaven's sake, I am bleeding!
You scoundrels!
Are you tired of life? Go home!
- Who are you? - Jan Pichanda.
Matej, your nephew is here!
Janko, stop crying!
Let me see how many you have.
I am to pick more for you than you can eat.
And where is Samo, your father?
On the railway.
- Some for Aunt Kristina too. - Yes, for Kristina too.
If we got the eight-hour working day,
you would be at home with your young wife now.
At least this is what could open your eyes.
Why should I criticize the people who feed me?
Do they?
That is only the beginning.
Then the rise in your wages and pension will come.
And when you are ill, you will get money.
- Do you employ anybody? - Anybody who is one of us!
What is it on your head?
Our cows allows only my wife to be milked,
so when she is out,
I must deceive the cow in this way.
Are you trying to deceive me too?
Here, read it and think of it.
We must have a child.
It is so sad without children here.
You know it does not work. We can adopt one.
No. I want my own child!
Our child!
Wait...
Have you seen my Julo?
Strawberries in the winter. Who was?
The last day of December 1899 arrived.
On the last day of the 19th century.
I parted with my pipe.
No fire or time has touched it so far.
It is midnight. The New Year is here.
Father, a new pipe.
You may smoke in the new century.
It will certainly survive me.
- A happy New Year, Father. - A happy New Year, son.
A happy New Year, Mother.
To you too.
I wish you good luck, Maria.
And you, my dear, change your ways!
Oh, young men...
They will wake the children up.
A new era! New times!
They are in a sound sleep.
- This will be their century. - What will it bring?
It must be better than ours.
The best that has ever been.
To the century of fraternity, equality and liberty!
Valent wants to make us all equal!
Why do you think I study law?
Long live freedom! Long live socialism!
Gentlemen, I drink to love.
Liduska...
I have been looking for you.
A parcel for you.
The parcel belongs to all!
- Who is it? - A fool.
Help yourselves, genuine Slovak cheese!
Why have you brought it here?
I could not stay at home alone.
All right. Shall we dance?
Leave some to us too!
Here is a letter. Let us read it aloud!
In this way, damage bypassed us.
But it did not bypass the old Ondrej Nader.
"Nader's son, Jozef, who loved the pretty Jewess,
suddenly disappeared and was found
hanged in the smokehouse between sausages.
He was black like a native Malagasy.
Let us take down a statement.
Will you help me?
Jozko, what have you?
No one else has died
and no young girl has been raped.
Have a good time and come home soon.
Sincerely yours Father and the whole family.
Best regards from Hanka.
Who is Hanka?
My six-year old niece.
But you wrote her. Do not lie.
- He who lies... - He... what?
Oh my God, you are so beautiful...
Gently... gently...
Oh my Slovak man.
Come here, my little one.
He is hungry.
We are getting old,
it is time to think of our eternal salvation.
We go to confession on Saturday.
Shall we buy him?
Jano has taken the scythe away from me!
Do not worry, you will not be sold.
Did you hear me, you old cunning fox?
I do not wish such a pain even to my worst enemy.
I have terrible rheumatics in my knee.
Hurry up, Martin!
Do you not see I cannot bend my knee?
You are not going then, are you?
I would not be able to kneel and do not want to embarrass you.
You are so proud that you will come to a bad end.
Come closer.
The comrade Karoly is to speak
about the resolutions passed by the Socialist Congress in Paris.
We do not understand Hungarian!
The representatives of nine socialist parties in Paris.
Stop it! This is our common cause!
Biro, go up there and translate.
Quiet! He is going to translate!
I speak Slovak. Silence!
The proletariats' demands formulated by Jaurais
are based on the following points:
an eight-hour working day,
a ban on the child labour,
a fixed minimum wage for workers,
because we all depend on their labour.
Welcome, Fathers.
You seem to avoid the church, so I have come to see you.
We must have a serious talk.
Then let us go to the bee-house. It is a quiet place.
Some pests have been damaging the crops.
- What is this? - Nothing for you, Reverends.
Oh, Pichanda, Pichanda...
I have never seen you in the confessional.
You care for the crops but not for your soul.
Have a swig, Fathers.
But let me ask you something
as both of you are here.
Christians live here,
and Muslims here.
There are Buddhists, and there Hindus.
All believe in their own god.
Which of them is the right one?
There is the only God.
I think the truth is in the middle
like the sting of the bee.
The truth is in each human.
You and your philosophising!
But your wine is excellent. And the colour!
With this wine here we can settle my confession.
A game of cards?
Preferans?
For a penny?
The old wizard made them drunk.
What have you for me?
They are carrying him in.
Matej!
- It is me, Julo Mitron. - What do you want?
- I cannot live without you. - You have a wife.
I do not want her.
She has given me no children.
I have none either. Yet I live on.
I have been thinking of you for ten years.
Waiting for something to happen.
When you got married I almost died.
God forgive me.
When he was killed in the woods,
my inner voice said:
You deserved that.
You should not have married her.
Go away.
I shall leave Matilda.
Or I shall kill her or you shall be mine.
Do not cry.
Here, for you. Do not forget me.
I will not.
Mother, your son is home!
Welcome, Valent.
Do you like lollipops?
There are so many children here!
Valent is here!
Samo, you have got a moustache.
And you a bow-tie.
Valent, it is nice of you.
Australia... and it is new.
How are the things in Prague?
Pretty lively, Father.
Is there going to be a revolution?
The world has to be built before it can be torn down.
We do not want to tear it down, we are builders.
Sir,
my gracious master invites you.
What a handsome gentleman you are.
Go to the kitchen.
I have capital and experience,
you are educated and have a keen mind.
The factory is extending production
and the old Wikelhofer has offered me partnership.
I would like you to join me in business.
But I have not got a penny.
I can lend you, I trust you.
When shall I pay you back?
You invest five thousand and get ten thousand back.
Then you invest ten thousand, and will get fifty thousand.
Then you will pay me back.
Or the things can develop in such a way
that you will never have to pay me back.
So late?
This is the third time I have been here today.
Sorry, I was busy.
I know, you were at Haderpan's place.
You will stay at home now, won't you?
I do not know.
Everything is getting more complicated.
I must serve people, you know, justice.
I am a lawyer.
Are lawyers not allowed to love?
- Now? Here? - Kiss me.
I love you. You are still beautiful.
Give me a hug.
God forgive me.
Poor children...
- Your mother saw us. - Never mind.
You are divine, better than others.
So you do love me after all.
You will be a businessman, after all.
I have not decided yet.
I must discuss with you first.
You do not need our advice.
You have already made a decision.
- They will want you to get married. - I shall not marry Hermina.
Do you want to make me drunk? I can stand much.
We shall see.
Do you want to seduce me with this?
Show me what it hides!
Let go of me!
Sorry.
I know you do not love me.
I have been loving you for a long time.
I am still a virgin.
Oh God, you are so beautiful.
I feel embarrassed when you are looking at me.
Friends, our efforts, our skills,
and our money are changing the world.
If we defend our capital well, we shall become a great nation.
Toast to my wife, Hermina.
I hope she will defend me.
May I have this dance?
That is nothing for us.
Good-bye, freedom!
My dear children, you go together well.
I never dreamt of this.
They will get along well, Martin.
I have rented a house for them where they can bill and coo.
Let us hope so.
May a dove fly over your nest,
May you make love full of zest.
Here is a golden crown for bride,
The groom is full of pride.
May a bonnie child arrive one day, This is what I wish to say.
Sacrilege!
You have pinched the crown from the church!
From the statue of Virgin Mary!
You will burn in hell!
Valent is right, times are rough.
The young blood is needed to cope with this world.
If I had your money I would discover another America.
I can lend you. Go and discover a rich island.
I will buy it then. How much do you need?
What did you say?
I cannot hear a thing. It is that buzzing.
When it does not suit him, he is deaf.
I really cannot hear anything.
The sea.
The men keep chasing you, Kristina.
I can see it.
I live an honest life.
You need a man, a husband.
I am fine alone.
I know a good, pious man.
- Who? - Dropa, the Barber.
The old Barber?
He lives alone as you do.
A young widow invites sin.
I shall find a way for you!
And you, stop pretending to be deaf. She must get married!
The eve of St. Vincent's Day, 1905, was very cold.
Even while writing my fingers are numb.
I was listening to the bees in the hive.
They are still alive.
Incredible!
Zanzibar, have you ever seen anything like this?
Frozen!
Why is Slovakia not on the equator?
Black beasts.
The wine is frozen.
Do not catch a chill, Samo.
Work keeps me warm.
I am frozen to the bones.
What is wrong with the dog?
It has frozen too.
This is hard too.
They never shut the windows.
Wine...
It is warming me up.
What is the old wizard doing?
Go upstairs, children.
Grandpa has fallen down!
- Father! - Oh my God, what happened?
- Blood! - That is wine.
He has swallowed a piece of glass.
What happened? He is not breathing! For Christ's sake!
Come, Mom.
My poor old man!
Zanzibar!
His track ends here.
He could not have disappeared.
Maybe he followed grandpa up there.
Up there?
Where is he laid out?
You were a good chap.
Too bad you have gone so early.
You led us all over Hungary,
as far as to Vienna.
Do you remember when he set out for Debrecen
and ended up with his girlfriend?
In the bowels of a whale.
Our Martin seems to have grown now that he is dead.
The coffin is too small.
He has grown in it, has become larger.
He was as tall as I.
In the army we were the same size.
If I had something to measure...
Without the shoes!
Watch if someone is coming.
- What happened? - It jumped out.
As I said, he has grown taller.
Somebody may grow after he dies.
Life kept pressing him down,
now that he is dead, he is relaxing and stretching.
Stop chattering!
Go to the door!
Someone is coming! Hurry up!
For Heaven's sake, let us run away!
Through the window!
Hold!
Have a drink in father's memory.
To his health.
- We worried you would not come. - I am a busy man.
Did he mention me before he died?
He died alone.
Alone? How could you?
Slow down, we are going downhill!
The coffin is sliding down!
I cannot hold it any longer!
Stop!
Father does not want to go to the grave.
If the stream was not frozen it could take him to the sea.
Maybe as far as Madagascar.
Mother should keep the house and a part of the land.
We can share the rest.
As you think.
You have four children. You can rent my part.
You will pay me back when you have money.
Thanks.
- And you, Kristina? - I need nothing.
Matej left me enough.
Wait, I will see you home.
I hear Hanka is expect...
Could you give her money from me?
You have to do it yourself. Or have you lost courage?
What do you want?
Had I known you were expecting...
No! No!
I will support you both.
The child will not have a father.
I will bring it up myself.
Go away!
I hate you!
I only wanted to help.
I had better be dead and not to have met you.
God almighty! What is this?
A fallen star, I guess.
Damn it!
It is hot!
It is iron.
Nothing!
It is hard.
Go to bed.
I know where you have been. With Kristina!
I prefer to poison you not to suffer!
What nonsense is it?
I did not mean it!
Do not be cross.
Julo... I love you.
Where have you been?
They want to marry me off.
You must not get married.
If Matilda and I had children, I might leave you in peace.
Look, what I brought you.
A heart.
I have forged it from a star.
Salty.
Dear Kristina,
we are meant for each other.
Julo, my Julo...
This is the last one.
Drink, men, Belanyi pays today.
What do you need so many horseshoes for?
You will never be able to wear them out
even if you put them on your own hands and feet.
I shall shoe a regiment.
Yet there will be one left for your mouth.
Better save two for Austria-Hungary.
The empire has been hobbling.
Will you, the Hungarian yeoman, put up with that?
The bell tolls for you, socialists.
We shall not spare any.
I am shaking with fear.
Six hundred sixty horseshoes make forty-six guldens.
All right. Put one gulden more.
Wait!
Do not worry, blacksmith,
the army will pay for everything.
That was not the deal!
Is the word of a Hungarian gentleman not good enough for you?
We cannot eat words.
If you have no money, get off!
Have you gone mad, blacksmith?
Who do you think you are opposing? Load the goods!
Look out, Palo!
Here is your helmet!
I shall show you who is the master in this land!
Greedy lot!
You will pay for this! I shall denounce you!
What will happen if he does so?
He would not live to see another day.
The police are coming!
Let us run to the brook!
Come back!
Run away, they beat everybody!
Here we are.
Police!
They are approaching the mill!
Hurry up and tell your father!
Let us hurry up home!
The Hungarian bastard!
I am back at night!
Do not look back!
This is my death-bed.
I have not done anything bad!
I am innocent!
Policemen!
With sabres!
He has done nothing bad.
What is going on here?
You have done nothing bad, they must set you free.
Let him be!
Daddy!
Now you stopped laughing on the other side of your face.
I will pray for you!
Your buzzing has stopped, you bee of Pichanda!
You think you can act as if you were on familiar terms with the emperor!
I do not understand.
Speak Hungarian!
Are you a Social Democrat?
Yes, I am. Is it illegal?
It is not,
but you have insulted His Majesty,
the Austro-Hungarian emperor.
It counts as conspiring to incite a riot.
What riot?
You bully working people.
Sit down!
Shut up! You are impudent!
My eye...
Who could have thought?
Bloody Hungarian shorty!
He would let us hanged for a couple of horseshoes.
You must keep to this theory.
Deny all the rest.
It was a row over horseshoes, no political statements.
Belanyi has no witness.
Samo, have you gone mad?
Why do you meddle in politics?
You should have kept your mouth shut about the socialists.
- That is my business. - Your business?
You forgot I am a lawyer?
That I have a high position and reputation?
What reputation? Hanka died during miscarriage.
I did not know that.
Why are you staring at me?
I offered her help.
I will do my best.
Somebody helped him.
Do you hold well?
He is heavy.
Is that Belanyi?
Yes, that is him.
Whose well is it?
Mitron's.
He is in prison.
Who could have done it?
He asks who it did.
He must have fallen there himself. He was always drunk.
Look, a naked woman!
I have seen such.
When we were bricking.
Silence! She is coming.
My husband is not in and I have no time for you.
Is he chasing girls?
Good morning.
Welcome, Samo.
How dirty they are. Are they robbers?
No, it is your uncle.
We came to thank Valent.
He did not take any actions.
Belanyi drowned himself.
Well, we will not keep you long.
Give our regards to him.
Samo, you can stay.
Why do you not sit down?
Thanks, we had been sitting long enough.
Let us dandle it.
Anosta and Pichanda!
Give your tools back and leave!
- What is wrong this time? - You do know very well.
You foment a rebellion, and Pichanda was in prison.
You still owe me the last pay.
Ask your socialists to pay you.
They will grant you a pension too.
And here is your pension, bastard!
Help! Put me down!
You are assaulting a public official!
The yoke is loose.
- Why do we plough? - To have grain for bread.
Plough me in, I shall turn into cakes.
Bread is one of man's best inventions.
Father, look!
What is it flying over there?
- Bats! - In daylight...
Catch me one, I shall draw it.
Do not be frightened. How pretty you are!
Karol, draw us, not birds.
Birds are prettier.
Have you ever seen something like this?
The moths have eaten the bees.
Strange things have been happening in the world.
If it does not rain, we shall have no bread.
You are right.
Have a nice day, Mr. Pichanda.
Do you know about some work for bricklayers?
The situation is very bad. Try in the Hungarian land.
And is there going to be a war?
Three things are needed for it:
money, dough, and loot.
Suppose there already is?
On St. Joseph day, our houses and fields were flooded.
I took a washtub
and went for a row with the children around our house,
when our Lord let us have the sea for a while.
Oh, the sea... Where is the water now?
The men want me to join them to America.
Greben and the Fish go to Pittsburgh.
I could earn lots of money.
I shall not let you go. I would die here without you.
Your God does not give us rain.
In America, gold falls from heaven.
Not now.
The baby is on the way.
- It will be a girl. - A girl.
We shall name her Maria.
The sun set the grain on fire!
Pichanda's grain is on fire!
It is raining!
I am all wet.
Close your eyes.
You stung me with your nose.
When I grow up I will buy you a ring.
- A genuine gold ring? - Genuine.
Lovers, lovers!
Matilda is going to take a bath.
Water, water!
Julo, come!
Come inside, Matilda!
Stop making a fool of yourself.
Something white is falling!
Ice.
Hail...
We complained about the drought
but then heavy hail destroyed the little crop we had.
Many men decided to go to America.
I made another decision.
I put together a team of bricklayers like my father used to
and we set off to the south.
This is not our train!
Americans, get off!
Which is ours?
Hurry up! It is moving!
Daddy, come back!
My feather has blown away.
Catch it, Eva!
Here you are!
Besides the old ones,
the Left-hander, the Genius and the Barber,
we took our sons along,
the young Svanda, and my eldest boy Jano.
Anosta joined us too, as he was fired.
Do you not perforate the tickets?
For such a wage?
I do not give a damn about the railway!
We should have known that!
You would not have gained anything. Perhaps, you will go on foot.
- Why? - We are on strike.
We will not be paid the fares back, I suppose.
I am going to complain.
In vain.
We were fired, but they strike.
Our time will come.
Let us ask those men.
Is there any job for bricklayers?
Job?
Look, so many people, all jobless!
They are as poor as we are.
The land belongs to those who work and cultivate it!
If the farmers back the proletariat,
landless peasants will not be exploited any more.
The land will be parcelled out and given to the poorest!
Let us join them!
I came here to make money, not politics.
The Left-hander is right.
We do not belong here!
You are wrong, this is our place.
Palo, stick to me!
Daddy!
It is going to be hot here...
Where is Janko?
Come! Fast!
Janko, get down!
Hide yourself!
Give me a hand.
What are you doing?
Have you all gone mad?
Dad is back!
- What is that? - Try it. Potato sugar.
Mommy, look, sweets.
Where is Janko?
No! No!
Where did you leave our Janko?
He will not be lying here anymore.
How can one disappear so easily?
Grandpa's dog vanished too.
I saw Eva crying.
- I will marry her. - No, I will.
Stop it!
Where was your God when Janko was shot?
It is a decisive meeting.
A common meeting with nationalists.
We shall show them what socialists can do.
Leave me alone.
It is a great day for us. Hurry up.
We are going to be late.
I quit with politics.
We fight those who killed your son.
If we win, nobody will ever shoot at people!
Your Janko did not die in vain.
- He was my son. - We all are sons.
- Karol has drawn Eva! - That is not her!
Her hair looks like Eva's.
Come and have a look.
He has also drawn this.
Are you going with us?
Get out!
You too!
As you wish.
Naughty boy!
Just like his grandfather.
God forgive him.
If you draw ugly things,
you shall not get to heaven.
Is Eva ugly?
- Fetch me some water. - Painter, shame on you.
Put my boots off, Samko.
Where are the grandpa's pictures?
Grandma, are you all right?
She is in heaven.
They are together now.
I have financial problems.
My father-in-law's money was not enough.
I invested too boldly.
I need my money from you.
Now when mother is dead...
if you want to keep the house, you will have to pay me back.
You are mad.
When our father died, you said...
I could give away, because I was not rich.
If I fail to put together all my assets now,
I am lost. Try to understand me.
Shall I understand you?
We have nothing to eat!
Why did you get mix up with the socialists?
You could still work for the railway.
- You...! - Daddy...
- Are you Karol? - No, Peter.
Do you like the watch?
Keep it, a present from Uncle Valent.
Thank you.
Look, Father.
No! My watch!
Stop crying, I will buy you another one.
But I want this one!
I shall repair it.
- Do not worry. - I am scared.
We have grown poor, and the world is getting worse.
Father, what would you do now?
Would you make jokes, or dream of exotic islands?
We have nothing left, no house where to live...
Zanzibar is back!
- Grandpa's dog! - That is not him.
Where are you?
No, Samo, no!
The dog has led me to the mill!
But the mill burnt down twice and the millers committed suicides.
I am not scared.
We shall be fine here, you will see.
Kristina, my little darling, come here.
Matilda... welcome.
Come in.
We have a potato soup.
- Why is she crying? - She is hungry.
You did not chop wood for me.
He will.
He is hungry too.
Only God us do part.
Or death.
Have you ever thought of that?
- Are you moving? - To the mill.
Father, my watch works.
They have brought in our bees.
It is really ticking.
You are very handy.
- I have repaired it. - Let me see.
It is the one from Uncle Valent.
You will become a master.
I know a watchmaker,
a good chap and a Social Democrat.
Propaganda again?
This is where the bees will be buzzing!
I want to go to America too! Take us with you!
Do you not worry you could burn down as your predecessor?
It has happened to me several times.
I tell you something.
I worry about the future of the Slovaks.
Some say they are Hungarians, some Germans...
Those over there leave for America.
What will be with us ten years later?
We shall fit under a wagon canvas.
Do you think there will be nobody to whom to mill?
There still will be enough people.
You have children at least.
You are their teacher. What are they like?
Peter is clever with his hands.
And Samko will take over your mill.
Peter will become a watchmaker.
And Karol will be a great painter.
I almost forgot.
I have paints and canvas for him. He must study at the Academy.
- Thank you. - Not at all.
He has a great talent.
I had dreamt of becoming a painter
...but what am I now?
A bad teacher.
I am far from having made my dream come true.
Work!
It is starting!
It is running!
What a machine, isn't it?
Put a trough underneath!
- Wow, it is falling! - Raise it!
Eat, good ghosts!
It is so soft!
And watch over us well.
She was so scared, and now...
I am going to bake bread right now.
This is for cakes.
Children, it is a God's gift.
You have become a businessman.
Prepare some chests for all the money.
Oh, forget it.
I, a businessman?
What is a businessman?
Uncle Valent is one.
Shall we be rich too?
Would you like to be rich?
You all will be trained in useful trades.
Back to school again? I would rather be rich.
To better times in the new mill!
Cheers!
Kristina, cheers!
Cheers!
Hurry up, Marta, serve the drinks!
Why are you closing your eyes?
Why are you pricking me?
- I? I am shaven. - You do it with your nose.
Father wrote me to join him in America.
Would you like to go with me?
What will you give me?
Let us go right now by a steamer across the ocean.
- Are you afraid of it? - No!
Catch me then!
But I am supposed to take over the mill.
Then I shall go with another boy.
I would follow you to the ends of the earth.
Let us get married. Do you want me?
Yes, I do.
Turn around.
Do not look!
I am not looking.
I will be yours
till the day I die.
Kiss me.
I am dizzy.
The whole world is spinning around.
Instead of coming back, your father takes you from me.
- Why do you not go? - Who would stay here?
Will we ever see you again, Samko?
Eva, give my regards to you father in America.
Let him not forget that we are relatives.
Remind him of his promise to send me a ticket.
Then I shall take a ship for America.
To become a banker.
If Grandfather were alive, he would join us.
The life seems somehow sadder now.
My father used to build even in his sixty.
The world was different then.
We only can be saved fighting against capital.
- The proletarians must... - You and your politics!
And you had better go to balls instead of meetings.
Obey your father, watchmaker.
Look, what a machine!
I have already seen such.
- It is called automobile. - What does he want here?
That is your uncle.
When I win the lottery, I will buy one too.
Sister-in-law...
Why did you not let us know?
What a nice mill you have!
Having made you sell the house I helped you.
- Kristina... yours? - As you see.
You know Hermina.
But you have not seen this one yet.
This is my daughter, Hilda.
Why don't you come and see us?
I am too busy.
Your son is getting married,
- but I have no present. - No need.
Is that Karol's work?
- How is he doing at the Academy? - We seldom hear from him.
You have moved our father's bee-house.
Our old bee-house.
Maps, engravings...
How small everything seems.
You are big now.
I needed the money badly, but then I invested well.
Now I can help you.
I have a special order from the army,
my business has been flourishing.
My mill too!
It is nice here.
Watch out for the bees!
Like back then when Father turned sixty.
Come here to take pictures! Let us go.
Do not touch it, you will dirty it!
We all will be in the picture.
Steady!
Say cheese!
Let us hide!
My hat! Catch it!
Hold the horse!
Pray, everybody. The Day of Judgement!
Miller, are you in?
What is going on?
Shut the door!
It has finally happened.
Did dogs tear you, Gagos?
The successor to the throne has been assassinated in Sarajevo.
Where did you hear that?
Believe the old Gagos.
There is to be a war.
Do not believe that! They will only shoot a little.
They will teach the Serbian rabble a lesson!
I hope you will not be laughing on the other side of your face.
The war is good business for them.
I think that they will involve the whole world in it.
The Socialist International will not allow that.
You cannot imagine what our party can do.
Your party will not give a damn about us.
Poor people will be killed, as always.
Our boys, then we.
We, the bricklayers, can benefit from the war.
We will be busy with ruined houses twenty years.
What if a bullet finds you?
The death even avoids me.
Teach the Serbian mob a lesson!
Long live the war!
At them, boys!
Why do you not join the army?
If I were your age, I would do so right away.
It is an honour to fight for our fatherland.
I cannot. I am a Russian spy.
What did you say? Follow me!
Let him be!
They are my apprentices.
What do you want from him?
Release me!
Let him be!
The other one too!
Soldiers!
Open the mill!
From now on you will grind for the army!
Open the mill, we bring corn.
You will grind for the Austrian-Hungarian Army.
I have more work than I can manage.
I leave several men here, you have three days to do it.
What shall I get for that?
It is your patriotic duty.
We confirm that you work for us, and you will stay at home.
Give orders to your soldiers, not to me!
I shall not do that!
Csolle!
What do you want? Blame it!
Let him be!
Samo, they will kill you!
They will harm you, do not go against them!
We can seize your mill.
At your service!
Ten men to assist the miller!
Lieutenant is a tough man, be amicable.
Hold on, boys!
Use your heads.
Even a horse would die here.
Here, have one.
Vavro, I am deserting.
It is now or never!
No!
Captivity is worse than death.
- I hope you will not regret! - The Russians will kill you.
Better than to be dying here. I am going too.
You will be shot dead!
The whole Vienna can kiss my ass. Have a nice time here, Vavro.
Goodbye, Austria.
Deserters! Shoot! Stop them!
We are Slovaks! The Slavs!
We are alive!
This is the second night I dreamt of my dead father.
He was sitting at table with our children
and I was shooting at them.
It was breaking my heart, but I was doing it anyway.
Pray.
The dead call the alive,
but we are helpless.
If I had not the mill, I would now be killing people.
Who knows why.
What a wonderful horse!
Would you make an equestrian statue for me?
- Who will pay? - The army.
Here you see our students working on a classical composition.
Nice.
An armchair!
Painting is a nice job.
Une chose interessante!
You are doing a fine job, boys!
But now, your motherland does not need
your gift and hands,
it needs your brave hearts.
Inter arma silent musae!
Remember that well.
Translate that, student.
In a time of war...
the Muses fall silent.
A Slovak! I like the Slovaks.
Fight bravely!
We shall meet in the battlefield, boys!
Go on drawing!
Goodbye!
Take care of yourself!
Remember us!
The worst thing is gas. It killed my son in the trench.
Drive!
The belt pulley!
Dear Father and Mother,
I wanted to become an artist,
but it is not sure since I must wear a uniform.
The Left-hander's son is here. He takes it easy.
The world has thousands faces, I draw them whenever I can.
I would prefer not to sleep at all.
At night, memories haunt me.
Your faces, our village as I saw it when I was small.
Look into the shed and under the floor!
That is all.
- What do you keep in the shed? - Your grandmother!
Look there!
Even the bees have more sense than we, they sting at least.
Dear Samko,
I tried to find in the map where the wind had carried you.
You probably have not heard in America about the war, that kills people here.
When you were born,
we used to cut grass up in the hills
and carried you in a sheet,
since you could not walk yet.
Oh my God, the postman! Go away!
- Our Julo is still alive. - Thanks heaven.
That is all right.
Oh my God!
They got him!
You killed her!
Take it easy.
We must survive.
We just have to break the war's neck the way the Russians did.
But we are stupid and let the emperor die in bed.
If I had dynamite, I would blow up all military transports.
- Other trains would come. - But not through this tunnel!
Why do you not shoot generals instead of the poor?
- Halt! - What do you want?
No trespassing!
- We cannot even walk here. - He would surely fire.
What a rat!
Welcome, Your Excellency.
I am glad to see you, sir.
Your leather is the basis for our war success.
I am glad you are pleased.
Where is he?
Faster!
Hold this!
- What is that? - A few grenades.
Easy, or it will blow up.
You are an anarchist. What do you need them for?
We shall see.
Enough to blow up the railway station.
I know what to do with them.
Whoever is hungry he is invited to join us.
There is going to be a dinner party.
You all will eat.
I am going to treat you.
Samo is raving like his father.
Join us, Father.
We are going to feed the hungry just like Jesus Christ.
That is blasphemy!
I am going too!
Father, surrender!
- Which one has arrived? - Karol.
Welcome home, son. Unharmed?
Thanks God, he is all right!
The Italians attacked us with gas.
We nearly went blind, so I am on leave now.
- What have you got there? - Grenades.
Come, you know how to handle them.
Mother, there is going to be an explosion!
Matilda, come along!
Fish!
Look at all the fish!
Watch the bones!
This table has been set for you.
Eat and enjoy yourselves!
Come everybody, join us.
Nobody will cry or starve anymore.
We shall all meet in the land where the sun never sets.
Welcome!
Slovaks!
This table is set for you.
You have been hungry too long.
Wine and dine,
and be happy for a thousand oncoming years...
- Where do you come from? - Madagascar.
So you are at home at last.
What about a game of mariage?
Look at our country.
- Beautiful, isn't it? - Like a paradise, Dad.
The party is not over yet.
Our leave is over, we must go.
Take care of yourself.
The time has passed like a dream.
When shall we see you again?
A few shots more, then we are back at home.
Biro died, the railwayman.
You too...
Are you in?
A wire.
Sign here.
Read.
You put too much salt into the soup.
Now we are both alone.
Let us stick together!
- Are you alive, Palo? - My leg hurts like hell.
The main thing is we survived.
Doctor, I cannot feel anything.
Change the bandage, nurse.
Advanced gangrene.
- Will you cut my leg off? - Have a rest now.
Have a sleep.
I prefer death
to the life with one leg!
No!
I do not want!
Go to hell!
I shall not have it cut!
Leave me alone!
No, no...
My leg...
Scream, you will feel at ease.
I do not want it to be done!
Lift him!
Karol, I do not want!
They have cut off my leg.
Do you hear?
Karol!
We have honey, fine and sweet, For Saturday and all the week.
- Are you not glad? - I am.
Not now, Marek.
I do not remember we have ever had so much honey.
There used to be even more!
Do not write all the time, Dad!
- Now look what you have done. - You threw it in there.
Wait!
You will be sticky.
Let it be!
Honey is all over your body.
I could eat you, you are so sweet.
What is in it?
Do not tell my wife.
He must have died in hospital...
I have my grandfather's chronicle!
...since they are sending his things.
Some leave even less stuff.
I have been bringing bad news almost to every house.
They brought us delicious watermelons.
Suddenly a strange thing happened.
The farmer's wife popped her eyes out and stuck out her tongue.
Can you hear, Father? It is funny.
The men were staring,
thinking she had gone mad.
But I took a knife and made a hole in her throat.
Only then could she take a breath.
She would have died,
as a bee had stung her in her tongue.
Such a small creature, but it can kill a human.
Think then what man can do.
Anything.
If he wants to.
Father...
Where are your boys, Samo?
None has left.
These are bad times when fathers outlive their children.
Take the hive, do not worry.
The bee is born to build
and when its life is threatened it defends itself using its sting.
- Even at the cost of its own life? - Even then, my son.
Do not go away, my son.
The war is not over yet.
A bricklayer works in bad times too.
We are going with you, Father.
We all shall go.
All of us.
Get up, we are going to work!
Bricklayers, we have a job!
Samo Pichanda is our leader!
I have brought you your coat.
We are going to block the tunnels!
We shall wall them up.
To our victory!
Vivat Austria!
Emperor, look! Focus your field glass.
What is he doing there?
Halt! Come back!
Come here! Halt, or I shall shoot!
Whistle.
Just whistle.
I am waiting for you.
Come on, gentlemen, the table is set for you.
Cast:
Executive Producer:
Director of Photography:
Directed by:
Edited by: Patrik Pass, Judita Fatulova
Music: Petr Hapka
Sound: Pavol Sasik
Made by Slovak Film Bratislava - Koliba