The measure of a man is his own self, you know, Ratko?
I know.
In love, and on trial,
he's alone.
If a man loses himself in a desert, he's alone. Once there, there's no coming back.
What the hell is this?!
Maybe kids. There are all kinds of folk in a village you know.
Enough of your bullshit Ratko, enough!
But I'm always bullshitting. Should I move this up?
Move it, record it, whatever.
- How many metres? - 62.
Youth today, you know nothing, nothing!
Imagine how long it took the monkey to make himself into a man.
The way you kids have started, you won't even become monkeys!
Hey, you little bastards!
Kid, do you know whose bar this is?
Yeah.
If you see the owner, tell him, Matic from the insurance company
wants to talk to him about a policy for the bar.
Better safe than sorry!
I'm going down.
- Ratko! - Yes?
- Open this beer for me. - Sure.
Here you go, boss.
- Ratko! - Yeah?
Take this.
How about here, boss? Here?
Come on, let's go!
- Boss? - What?
What about me getting married?
Fool! You're trying to get married, look at your job!
- I have to get married! - Fool!
Hey boss, can I sing along?
"Inn Jelena"
Get down here!
Are you deaf?!
That barren bitch. Martin, are there any guests?
- It's still early. - What do you mean early!
We're no longer well-thought-of, our reputation is ruined.
What are you waiting for? Scrub that floor until it shines.
There's no water.
Get some; there's water in the well.
Lively now, don't drag yourself around like a beaten dog.
- We've never been empty! - It's not the season yet.
There's never been any season here. We had guests in summer and winter, on Wednesday, Friday, or on Sunday!
The house seems damned. Like someone put a curse on it.
Don't you worry about it! That's for me to worry about.
You have to draw the guests in. You can't cut corners.
Buy some new furniture, spruce the place up.
You talk like you don't know how expensive that is.
- That'd be a lot of money. - Jakov would help, he's your brother.
What we were, we were. I don't even want to hear his name.
- Don't say that Martin, you're the same blood. - We may be, but that means nothing to me.
- I sent her to get water, she's still not back. - You know what I think of her.
In this house my opinion counts the least.
There are a lot of opinions in this house, but not much wisdom. My life may be wrong but it's mine, I don't need diapers.
Kata!
Get some clear water.
Run.
You really want me to kill you.
Children don't, for your mother's sake.
Well, I won't. Kill your own self.
(mumbling over crossword)
Good day to you.
Ah, tasteful. Very fine.
Matic from the insurance agency.
A man can never be sure. They could come break everything in here, without any reason to.
- Fuck off. - Insurance doesn't cost much.
Get the fuck out.
Better safe than sorry!
What?
Get lost!
- Boss? - What?
- 200 so you don't fall! - Get outta here!
Hi. Has the guy with moustache been by?
No one's been by today. You're the first.
If he drops in, let him know we're looking for him.
Sure.
The day's passed, like it never even dawned.
Sticking your nose in others' business again?
Cover up. Cover up when I tell you to.
Don't eavesdrop.
- I will. - No you won't.
I will!
- You won't. - I will!
You won't.
- I have to! - No you don't.
- I have to! - You don't!
I have to!
You don't have to.
My feet are so cold.
Tell him to stop that.
He knows what he's doing.
He's beating her like livestock!
She's not any of your business.
In 5 years she hasn't borne even a puppy.
And with a man like that.
You hate her.
Martin has to have kids.
If he doesn't I will.
I'll decide about you.
Dozing off, while this place goes to ruin.
Look at you.
You're just trying to piss me off.
Not here, Martin. People might see.
God damn her.
Can I get you something?
I'll have a shot. And some salt if you can.
There's your shot. I don't sell salt.
The most expensive salt is the one that's not salty.
Thousand.
You're trying to cheat me? This is ripped, give me a different one.
I never cheated anyone, better or worse than you. There's nothing wrong with that one.
Come on, come on...
or there's another way I can make you pay.
What's he philosophizing about?
I'm paying you, so I don't owe you.
Who are you? What's your name?
Maybe you no longer know me. I'm Nikola.
Who was that?
Dad.
- Whose dad? - Yours.
What do you mean mine?
Nikola was the strongest and cutest of the lumberjacks. He cut twice as fast as the others.
I gave myself to him. I thought the forest would always be here, that he'd always be here...
but they cleared all the trees quickly, all I had left was a naked hill.
Nikola left to go clear other forests.
Then the miners came and started drilling that same hill.
Then I gave birth to Jakov.
I loved the miner but he died.
The miners were faster than the lumberjacks. They got a bit of iron, then they left.
I had you and Jakov; I was happy that you were boys.
I will, I won't, I will...
Get out!
What are you doing in there?
Get them out of here.
Come on.
I can't.
Don't worry.
Another time.
Alright.
Cheers, Martin.
- Come on. - I'm not going with him.
Don't say that, you're drunk.
I know what I'm saying. What do you want?
- What do you want? - What do you want?
- What do you want, I said. - Nothing.
- Nothing? - Nothing.
Well, here then, if you want nothing.
Going somewhere?
What are you doing?
Where are you going at this hour?
Martin, where are you going? Martin, are you awake?
- She's dead. - Who?
- Her. - When?
- Last night. - How?
I don't know, I was asleep.
Jakov left last night.
Where did he go?
I don't know. He left last night, I was alone at dawn.
In the end, whether the sun rises or not, every day's the same.
Martin, where are you going?
Wait...
come back!
Martin!
- The truck is bringing the tables. - You want a beer?
- No thanks, take care. - Thanks, take care!
- Did you ask for a photographer? - Yeah.
"Inn Zora"
Someone dug up Kata's grave.
- Kata's grave? - They dug deep.
- Do you have any wire? - No.
- You have something cold to drink? - No, nothing.
Why did they mess with her grave?
Maybe they were looking for gold.
We deserve that for not burying her gold with her.
- Who the fuck dug it up? - Thieves, who else!
All kinds of folk pass this way.
We should have buried all her jewels.
So her bones get no rest because of them? I should clean up the grave right away.
See, that one there, people like that spread disease.
I can't keep this with me.
- What? - The gold.
That gold is yours now, by law.
You should have taken her rings off, too.
I don't believe that it was thieves.
It wouldn't be the first time that they dug up the dead for gold.
I can't keep this, we should have buried it all.
- Let's go. - Where?
- The cemetery. - Who'll stay here?
No one, it won't matter.
- And her? What about her? - She'll leave, the drivers will take her.
She's just some unfortunate, looks like she's a deaf-mute.
We have to find Jakov.
Why are you digging? Just smooth it out.
I won't rest until I bury this, it belongs to her.
Think about other things.
I'll put the gold by her head, I don't want to think about it again.
- She's not there. - Don't ask me.
- And this, what about the gold? - I told you it was yours.
Are you going to fill in that grave?
Who are you?
Who's asking?
Where are you headed?
I don't know.
Take this.
I thought you were uglier, there are all kinds of people in the forest.
In the city, are they all like you?
There are all kinds of folk in the city.
I think a man is like a fish.
So who's your poetry about?
Would people understand it?
I... think... how can I say this...
With a man what's down, is up, too; and what's up is down, too.
And that, is when it all ties together into one,
it all ties into one, and a man realizes he's like a fish,
that's the poem.
Understand?
It's when a man realizes, that what's down, is up,
and that, what's up, is down. That which is down, is up.
Understand?
How about we cash in that brain of yours, poet?
We, too, can live it up a little in the city.
I can see you're full of poetry.
Hey, I know some artists.
You know artists?
- You know artists? - What's with you?
- You're not gone? - No.
- Where are you heading? - Nowhere. The city.
- Which city? - I don't know.
What are you doing here, this ain't the city!
- Waiting, for someone to stop. - No one stops here.
Lord knows where our Jakov is sleeping.
Night is falling, we can't leave her alone outside.
Come on in with us.
I didn't say she should come in.
She can sleep here.
I'll get a blanket and pillow.
Lie down.
What's that creaking?
- Do you hear something? - No, nothing.
Are you sure?
No.
I can't sleep, either.
Maybe we could sleep if she was here.
Who?
That girl. She doesn't know anything.
I'll get her if she's not asleep.
- Quiet. - Quiet? Are you scared?
Quiet!
Quiet, quiet.
This here is a house of horrors.
Quiet!
Every good poem is born out of horror...
said a smart man.
Poet, let's get out of here.
Hey, poet? Let's get out of here; they'll strangle us if they catch us.
- This is the best man in this house. - If the owner comes, forget about poetry or a career.
- Excuse me. - Come on, get serious man.
- Let it go.
Let it go.
- You're trying to make a fool out of me? - You're trying to make a fool out of me?
- Don't, it's not nice. - Don't, it's not nice.
- Alright, enough. - Alright, enough.
- You villagers deserve different. - You villagers deserve different.
- You'll wise up in the city. - You'll wise up in the city.
- Come on, let's go. - Come on, let's go.
What's so funny?
It's gonna be a nice day.
We don't know who or what she is. We need to kick her out. The sooner, the better.
Look at her, legs wide open.
What are you waiting for, wake her up!
I can't listen to any more of her snoring.
- Let her sleep. - What?
- Let her stay, she can help out. - Over me dead body! I'll throw her out myself.
I said, she's staying.
Enough misfortune has passed through this house.
She'll sing for us.
- This place is falling apart and you want song? - She'll draw in the customers.
- Can you sing? - I've never tried.
She's got a nice voice; she'll sing for us, you'll see.
What are you talking about?
Put on this dress, let's see how it looks.
- Whose is it? - Some girl who left.
Put it on!
I'm shy.
OK.
Lift it up above your knees.
Lift it up. Why so stiff?
- Take it off and get out! - Take it off but stay.
Over my dead body.
Forget her, just listen to what I tell you.
Let go.
What do you think?
I'm here to die.
You could have found some place else.
Why don't you shave?
Don't worry about me.
- What was that for? - You damn well know. Don't do it again.
- Don't touch the staff. - I'll pay for everything.
- Only drinks are for sale. - Alright, bring us another round.
- You have any plum brandy? - Yeah.
Great.
- Chief, what's with this guy? - You shouldn't have messed with him.
Hey boss, what about some music? Let's hear that chick's voice.
- Have a good time, do what you like. - Here she comes, tell her to sing, and we'll help.
We're all friends here, we'll get along.
I can't remember a time we were this busy.
We can't waste this opportunity.
You told me to stay because you love me. And now they're all feeling me up.
I'm looking out for you, don't worry about that. You have to help me out now.
- Kid, where's your mom? - She's upstairs.
Sing, please.
- I don't have the voice for it. - They're all deaf anyway.
Just sing anything. Please.
Oh, Jelena. We had some good times didn't we?
I wasn't your only one, so you must've forgotten me,
It's all over for me.
It's not. Not just yet.
Fuck that.
What's this, chief?
Sounds like something's up down there.
Just folks having a good time, it's fine.
I don't like that girl hanging around. She's turned Martin's head upside down.
Let the girl be, Jelena. And you're still holding up quite well.
- I told you, it's all over for me. - No, you're still a burning flame.
It's all burnt up, there's nothing left.
Let me turn off the light. Remember that thick forest, the sound of falling pines.
Open your shirt, show me your breasts.
Let's embrace once more, just like we did twenty years ago.
Written by: Ivica Matic Directed by: Emir Kusturica