Mum?
Everyone's waiting in the cafeteria.
Come in, please. Close the door.
Scanbrazil have retracted their offer.
-But that deal was watertight. -They're bankrupt.
But that's ludicrous. They sat here smiling a week ago.
I'll find a solution to this.
Go down there. It's fine.
-Hello? -Hi. Aksel? Aksel Nilsen?
-Who is this? -William Hansteen.
-Are you there? -Yes.
How are you?
Do you know of Solar Tech?
-Why do you ask? -The old Lifjord Mechanical.
We switched to solar cell production a few years ago.
-We've lost an important contract. -Scanbrazil?
You have an interest in the market for sustainable energy.
We're close to a breakthrough with 4G, so if I send you...
-I'm not interested. -How can you say that?
I see Eva's running the company.
Yes, I sort of hit rock bottom with what happened with Karine.
Eva never got over it.
She has worked day and night. I hardly see her.
-Don't you ever get homesick? -No.
It's been 20 years. Things have changed.
And Eva?
It's been 20 years for her, too.
I can't help you. I'm sorry.
Hello, dear.
I spoke to the ministry. I thought there might be a political solution.
It's an entire community. Hundreds of people.
Not a single company will touch us with a ten-foot pole!
I don't think we'll recover from this.
Don't say that.
I've let them down. I've let everybody down. Me, you ...
-No, you haven't. -Yes. This was yours.
Solar Tech was your life's work, and I've thrown it all away.
I love this place. The people here are...
I've lived here half my life. Everybody here would be affected.
So what you're saying is that you're bankrupt?
No. What I'm saying is that I believe in miracles.
If that's what it takes to fix the situation, I'll believe in anything.
Thank you.
-Hey! -Yes?
-How stupid can you be. -It wasn't me.
We were in a big group and... It's complicated.
Complicated? How so? Either you did it, or you didn't.
You're a moron.
BOYFRIEND ACQUITTED IN APPEAL
Aksel Nilsen released after one year in prison.
-The press is waiting downstairs. -Good.
Let me first coordinate with you. I was thinking-
-that we tell them we have other options, and that we're optimistic.
"Options"? What the hell are you talking about?
You don't get to dictate what I say on behalf of the staff.
-I will not lie to them. -Of course not.
They are scared. 300 people need to know what's going on.
I know. But I want to be the one to tell them.
They shouldn't read about it in the papers.
I'm pleading with you. Back me up against the media.
Please.
We need to lay off 200 people to start with.
Yes?
-I have a Chinese man on the phone. -Take a message, Marianne.
He said he was sure that you'd rather talk financing with him-
-than bankruptcy with the Board.
-William! -I'm out here.
We're saved! It's a miracle.
We had an inquiry from Asia. A Chinese company in Kuala Lumpur.
It sounds like a joke, but they seem genuinely interested.
-They're coming to see the factory. -Wait. One thing at a time. Who?
Pacific World Group. They are huge.
-Don't you have anything to say? -Fantastic.
Yes! They're super serious!
-Hey! Champagne. -And fish.
-I'm not sure I like this. -This is the new reality, Rasmus.
The Chinese aren't any worse than anybody else.
-Hey. -Hey. So ...
Here they come.
Eva.
What are you doing here?
William isn't here?
No ...
Let go of me.
You have no right to be here in Lifjord.
And you know that.
So I suppose we should get going.
Yes.
William, where are you? Didn't she know I was coming?
-I couldn't risk it. -Jesus.
You're here now. She'll have to deal with it.
I have to do the damn company review, but it ends here.
-Are you okay? -I think I scratched-
- the side of the car. -It'll be fine. What about you?
-It's him. -Who?
The Chinese investor is him.
-Aksel Nilsen. -I see.
I shook his hand.
There, there. Come on.
It'll be fine.
Tonje, the Chinese are here soon.
What a mess.
Tonje.
-Put away the report now. -They need the latest version.
That's not important now.
Just go in there smiling with your lab coat properly buttoned.
Let me. You can't go like this.
We just need to button your coat. You and me.
And don't forget to smile.
-Per Olav? -You're a big man now, huh?
It's you?
Aksel? Oh my God!
-Don't you remember me? -Yes. Of course.
-The report ... -That's not necessary.
-It's the latest version. -We have everything we need.
-Shall we go? -Yes. Okay.
It's so ...
-It's so disrespectful. -Yes. It must've been a shock.
-Where's Lars? I should call him. -No, wait.
Eva, listen.
PWG is our only shot.
In a few days, it'll all be done, and you'll never have to see him again.
-What do you mean? -Listen to what they have to say.
-I won't let him buy a single share. -You'd rather go bankrupt?
Yes!
-He's trying to buy his freedom. -Why would he do that?
He has a good life in Malaysia with a wife and a child.
How do you know that?
William, have you been in touch with him?
-I had to do something. -Oh my God.
No.
You did this. You asked him to come.
So 10.2M Euro is what Karine's life was worth.
He killed her! He knocked her head against a rock till it cracked open.
Stop it. It wasn't him. It couldn't have been.
-Tonje saw him somewhere else. -That alibi was a joke!
Everybody knows that!
Please try to think ahead. About our responsibility.
You cannot ask me to do this.
Never. Ever.
Hi, honey. God, it's good to see you.
-Is it going well? -Aksel Nilsen. It's him. The saviour.
-That Aksel Nilsen? -Yes.
-Oh my God. -Mum wants us to back out.
We can't do that. There's a crisis. Lars, you must talk to her.
I tried, but even the tour of the factory made her furious.
But you need that agreement. Lars.
I haven't seen him in 20 years. Since the trial. And now, here he is.
It's insane.
Just don't let her override you.
Not this time.
-No. She'll come to her senses. -Talk to her.
Aksel.
The company review, how does it look?
-I'm still not going in. -You were always stubborn.
Do you remember your first time skiing at the cabin with Karine?
You went backwards more than forwards. But you didn't give up.
You and Eva ... You're really not that different.
-Why did you come back, Aksel? -Because you asked.
To show them what you've achieved? How successful you are?
So that those who judged you would feel remorse. Isn't that right?
-You don't know anything about me. -It was a miscarriage of justice,-
-what happened to you. But we need you now. Eva needs you.
You only have this one shot, Aksel. If you leave, you'll never come back.
You're absolutely right. I'm never coming back.
Hi. We've worked around the clock. We're this close to a breakthrough.
-Is it a breakthrough? -No, but...
-Well, then we're not interested. -Not interested?
In a technology that will revolutionise the energy market?
-This is Solar Tech's greatest asset. -We won't go in. Regardless.
It was a bad idea. There's no money in it.
No money.
-Aksel, it's me. -Yes. And?
Have you even seen your family? Have you seen your mother?
Damn. No wonder everybody still thinks you did it.
Mum. They made an offer.
Look at it, at least.
Hey, me again. Did you get my e-mail?
Get away from here!
Mum?
-It's me. -Go away.
Mum, it's me.
Aksel.
Aksel?
Aksel...
Is that you?
Mum?
-Have you come home? -Yes.
I'm here on business. Just a short stopover.
Aksel.
You're so elegant. Did you hurt yourself?
Oh, no. It's nothing.
-Shall we go in? -No. We cannot go in.
-Your brother's at work. -No problem.
Yes, it is. He has to be home.
I have certain rules. So many strange things happen.
But it's just me.
Sure, but...
You never know. You've been gone a long time.
Yes. Yes, I know.
Mum.
I know I should have...
...called and stuff, but...
It... I don't know.
You know how it was. So...
-It just turned out that way. -Yes.
It turned out that way. It just did.
Can't you come back tomorrow when Erik's home?
Sure.
I'll see you then.
You must go now.
Aksel?
Drive safely.
I thought I might find you here.
-Look at all the candles. -Yes.
They all know what we're going through.
It's been a long time.
I should have talked to you first.
But we cannot let our grief determine the fate of all these people.
Accept their offer, Eva.
I don't have much choice.
So it's 25% from the municipality, and 26% from the Hansteen family.
-So you demand controlling interest. -Yes, that is PWG policy.
We must be able to steer the company in the right direction.
Out of Norway?
We guarantee production in Norway for two years.
With your resources, our financial muscle and our access-
-to Latin American and Asian markets, I don't see a problem.
I have a demand.
You will not sit on our board. I want another PWG representative.
Hindering a company's right to choose...
I know the paragraphs!
Fine.
Thank you.
-No. I can't. -Eva. Please.
-No. I can't. -Eva.
You're not doing this.
-What? -Not again.
Do not touch me.
This is not about me. It's about Lifjord.
Subtitles: Tina Goldberg