This is me...
Gimme a kiss.
Serena and Guido, my parents.
From behind, my brother Paolo.
The history of my family
in the summer of '74.
- Do you know Pirate Dog?
- Sure, the one in the ads.
Good kid!
Show us.
- Great!
- Like it?
Where did you buy it?
What? I draw him.
- Didn't you tell him?
- Go make some real art!
Like it?
He makes me laugh every time.
Good, I'm glad.
I make art: Paintings,
sculptures and drawings.
Because you lack the courage
to take a stand,
or you'd do just one thing,
but you don't want
to take a critical stand.
I minister to body and soul,
my dear.
- Can't we watch?
- No, outside!
- C'mon, can't we stay?
- Get moving!
Can we at least
smash the car outside?
Sure, here are some tools.
You go smash the car too.
- Out!
- Please, five minutes...
Please...
Hey kid, what are you doing?
- Our dad said we could.
- Who are you?
- Who are you?
- Who am I?
I'm your damn ticket to hell!
Shove off, you witch!
THOSE HAPPY YEARS
Five minutes.
Strange things happened
in my father's studio:
Liquid plaster became solid,
scaffolding became figurines and
things turned into other things.
It came easy to him,
so he thought it was wrong.
- Is this okay?
- There's a fly.
He wanted to be an avant-garde
artist at all costs.
Why did he have this ambition
and not the one within reach,
simply to be a happy person?
Don't move!
If all actors, sculptors,
painters and singers
disappeared
from the face of the Earth,
no one would ever know it.
Want the truth?
I'd like to be like he was.
What was he like?
Nasty.
- Now?
- Wait.
Can I?
Kids, let's not tell Mom
I worked with a nude model today.
Yeah, or she'll jump on it!
- Let's avoid...
- Useless arguing.
Painting, sculpting,
shaping a figure
makes no sense today.
Who says? This artist.
- Who is this artist?
- Piero Manzoni.
Piero Manzoni, good.
It's also written there,
that's his signature.
Does anyone know who this is?
Yves Klein.
Yves Klein, good.
Lf, in Manzoni,
the model was still, static,
here the bodies acquire time
and space, they become action.
With Vito Acconci it's the body
of the artist himself
which is the work of art.
In this case,
his signature is a kiss,
in other cases, as we'll see,
a bite
is his trademark.
Dad hasn't seen us.
Now I'd like to see
who still wants to paint,
shape and sculpt.
See you...
See you tomorrow.
Couldrt you introduce me
to your students?
Serena, I've said a thousand times
I don't like mixing work
and family, so what do you do?
You show up at the Academy
with the kids.
- And with that attitude...
- What attitude?
- With your attitude...
- What attitude?
You didn't want me to see
how that girl looked at you.
- What girl?
- That one there.
At the Academy?
They're just kids!
C'mon, don't nag me today,
today's a special day.
What's today?
Helke, the one
I make the lamps for,
recommended me to the director of
an important exhibition in Milan.
I've already sent the material,
he asked to meet me,
the appointment's in 30 minutes.
Okay? Good girl.
I have to go.
Okay, see you at home later.
Bye, kids.
So, do we come too?
Didn't you hear me?
No, you can't come!
There he is, that's the director.
Should we wait here?
Do we come or wait here?
- We'll wait for you...
- I don't know!
I guess we'll leave...
What is it?
Serena, does Guido
get paid for this exhibition?
Money's the last thing for Dad.
- What's the first?
- We are.
Then work.
So he can buy me a movie camera!
I wonder what pieces
he'll take to Milan!
I like the sculpture
of you as babies,
you look like angels.
But when he sees it,
he says: Conventional.
When Dad says "conventional"
he means it sucks.
I know... conventional!
- Honey!
- What are you doing here?
You told me...
We said we'd wait.
It's done, all the important
critics will be there:
Rossi Zoldan, Fava, Tarantelli.
I have to work,
I'll lock myself in the studio
and no distractions,
there's a month left.
- You've got tons of sculptures.
- It's not for sculptures.
They're inviting artists
to do a performance.
- Like what you showed
your students? - Right.
Don't you think
you should thank your friend?
Come on, I'll introduce you.
- Me too?
- Come on!
Now I see why the children
are so beautiful,
it's because of your wife.
Thank you,
also for the favor to Guido.
Opportunity, it's not always
a question of favors.
You're such a drag,
it's clear what she meant.
This shop is nice,
can I look around?
Sure.
Stop jumping!
Don't touch that, it costs!
I'm really pleased
about this Milan thing.
Guido did this.
And did Dad do this too?
Yes, that's Michelle
and that's Gabriella.
Michelle and Gabriella...
Which one is more beautiful?
The Madonna.
No, this is figurative,
what did I explain?
Let's try again.
Everything that's beautiful
has to be new.
So, where's the beauty?
Do you understand?
Who's this Michelle?
Answer me.
What's Michelle
got to do with anything?
Please, I'm explaining something.
Answer me!
Come on, the one you like best!
Forget what I said.
- That one! - This one?
You just don't get it!
Between these?
The gold one.
Forget about it!
Why's the all-blue one pretty?
I can do that too.
You can now, but you
hadrt thought of it before,
so you didn't know how.
Think I don't know
why that bed is in the studio?
For Gabriella and for Michelle!
You're making a scene over a model
who helps me make lamps?
She helps you naked?
Who told her about Michelle?
Who told her about Michelle?
- Did you?
- It was him!
Serena, look,
Picasso had three wives...
I've heard this so many times,
I've had it!
He had three wives, four kids
but no one told him what to do!
Lower your voice!
No one told Picasso what to do!
Why don't you ever model my body?
I model it when I embrace you,
you're my love,
you're not my work.
Anyway Michelle and Helke
were together.
Really?
See who you're jealous of?
A woman who gets a mold of her ass
so the other can look at it all
day in the shop.
You see, art and love
are the same thing?
Shut up!
Shut up...
Shut up!
Don't look at me like that,
I can't stay,
I have to work,
I'm behind on the performance.
I understand,
just don't get worked up.
- Who's worked up!
- You are.
Guido underestimated
Serena's superpowers.
Like in summer, when her family
moved to the beach near Rome,
he planned to drop us there
and go work alone in his studio,
at least for an afternoon.
My mother had her way
of getting him to stay.
She wasrt particularly
fond of art,
but she was crazy
about the artist.
We were always there,
too bad no one noticed.
Come on!
Okay, I'll have a bite and leave.
Don't come at all
with that long face.
No, but I don't want them
to notice my hard-on.
- Can you see it?
- Yes.
Because you're wearing tight
pants.
Serena, will you buy me
a movie camera?
I don't answer
anyone not calling me Mom.
Mom, can I have a dog?
No, you'll get attached and
be sad when it dies. Get in here!
No, thank you,
coffee's not good for me,
I'd rather have a drop of...
- A drop of what?
- Liquor.
Liquor... great, Mom!
- Do your paintings have holes?
- Holes!
Some people take the canvas,
make a hole on one side, a slash
on the other and call it art.
Anybody can do that!
These were my mother's relatives,
all merchants,
all they talked about
was money, money, money.
The Tax Police aren't fishmongers
so you can't bargain on price!
Trust me.
Guido, why don't you go
upstairs for a nap?
Mom's right, just 15 minutes.
Guido had the same attitude
with them as he did with Serena.
He said he couldn't bear them,
but he couldn't do without
their warmth.
Warmth that was missing
from his mother's house.
I can't do it.
Don't you know a partisan
gives his life for freedom?
Yeah, and how do I make
someone like that with clay?
Forget it.
I'm doing a performance in Milan
at a very important exhibition.
I wish you hadrt told me.
I don't see why...
Let me sit down, I'll show you.
If it doesn't go well,
you'll be sorry you told me.
Why shouldn't it go well?
I said "if".
Art takes more than good will,
it takes talent.
I mean people like
Tano Festa, Schifano, Angeli...
They're the real nonconformists.
Dario, I'll show you
the damage of conformity,
what your grandfather did.
Yes, it's nice to be an artist,
do paintings,
but when you die,
the heirs are stuck with dusting.
Nice, huh?
I hope you'll never want to do
anything like that. Let's go.
Passable.
A bit conventional in form, but...
In this family everyone tried
to hang on tight to one another,
using warmth or detachment.
I was the only one
not controlling a thing.
- So, we're not coming?
- No.
- I'm not going?
- No.
I can't even come to support you?
Honey, you're more supportive
by staying here with the kids,
because if you come...
I can't be with you.
I'd love to know who's coming.
I'd sure like to know!
I bet the lamp is coming.
She's coming
for the performance, to work.
Yeah, lots of work!
I'll see you later.
I have to finish up.
I'll leave the door open
to change the air in here.
I'm hurt because I wanted
to go with him, as support.
Let him have his fun!
You gave him two kids,
you'll always beat the others.
Beat the others?
It's not a contest!
Your father cheated on me
so many times
but, in the end, he loved only me.
You little doll!
Give me the money Grandma
gave you, or you'll lose it.
No, you'll spend it
and won't give it back.
It's a loan, I need it!
- You already owe us 220,000 lire.
- And so?
- Grandma gave it to us.
- Not to you.
She didn't want to humiliate me,
she knows we're broke.
What does humiliate mean?
It's a bad thing that happens
when you accept money from people.
Thank you, sweetie.
- I want to be humiliated.
- I'm keeping mine.
And that's that.
Dario, if you won't give it to me,
I won't love you anymore.
And so? I don't care!
Great, I don't love you anymore!
Give it to her.
Thank you, sweetie.
With this money we can go too.
Come here.
Look, Dad's name is here.
Come on!
Yes, they're all going this way.
We'll really surprise him!
Sit down.
Hi...
Thank you.
They're all naked?
Serena, it's artwork!
- I know them all.
- What?
It might be artwork,
but they're still all naked.
See how moved he is.
My love is so beautiful!
The artist asks
for seven nude bodies to sign.
But the bourgeois do not renounce
their vestments, their linens,
cottons, silks.
The bourgeois refuse art,
they don't want, cannot be art,
the bourgeois are not art.
This work is a multiple of seven,
so the artist asks
for seven nude bodies
to sign,
men and women.
Come into the circle,
be reborn in the circle.
Seven nude bodies.
The bourgeois are afraid.
Seven nude bodies to sign.
Cast off your clothes,
seven nude bodies to sign.
The artist asks for
six nude bodies.
I'm playing the most important
hand of my life,
you come and upset everything.
Don't you have anything better
to do than check up on me?
I wanted to be supportive.
I asked you to be supportive
in just one way: Don't be!
Remember?
I did what you asked,
I went into the circle.
I didn't want anyone to come in,
it was a provocation!
You said a thousand times: "Enter
the circle", I took you literally.
I wanted the audience
to face their inability,
to free themselves, understand?
You're overdoing it, Guido.
- What?
- You can't treat her like that.
I'm talking to my wife!
You even had to bring the kids!
Everything okay?
Behave, I'll see you later.
Let's go.
Goodbye.
I'll give you a lift back to Rome.
Thanks, if these kids get moving!
Can we go?
Sweetie,
you feel like throwing up?
You feel like throwing up?
- What's this?
- A tiger?
- Good! And this?
- An elephant.
Elephant! And this here?
A laughing hyena?
- What?
- A laughing hyena!
A laughing hyena...
Do laughing hyenas sleep
at night?
Hello, Rossi Zoldan.
- How are you?
- Fine.
What is it?
First of all, thank you
for coming to the performance.
If I could have your
impressions...
I saw the various references
in your act,
there would be lots to say,
but I don't like to express myself
before I write,
it weakens the article.
However, you're consistent.
- I have to go, my friends
are here. - Thank you.
Can we go?
He said there's consistency,
that it's consistent...
- Good, right?
- Yeah.
Let's get something at the cafe?
Not me, I'll take a walk.
Okay.
I saw how your kids look at you.
They love me because I make them,
who knows about Guido!
Who knows?
It's so clear he loves you.
Then why didn't he want me
to come to Milan?
Sometimes I think he's ashamed
of me.
I'm not the right woman for him.
Who would be right,
an intellectual?
That's what he deserves.
What should I do?
Disappear for a while.
Why not come with us? We're going
to France, to Camargue,
with a few feminist friends.
Oh, yeah, feminists!
They only think about themselves,
never their husbands or kids!
Come on, come with us.
At worst, you and the kids
will see a different place.
No, thank you.
Anyway it's never easy
to know what we really want.
You, for instance,
what do you want?
I'd really like Guido to get
what he wants from his work.
That's a desire of his.
No, it's mine too.
Sure, but what do you desire
just for you?
I don't know.
I guess I don't have one.
I guess I don't have one.
This is Christ-like, beautiful.
Well...
In "Corriere" and in "Giorno"
there are just a few lines.
A few lines?
What did Rossi Zoldan write?
Did he write something?
He did.
Let me see.
"Exhibitions...
At the Palace of Art, in the
exposition of performance art,
we've seen many interesting
experiences of expression,
but last night's,
by Roman artist Guido Marchetti,
deserves a comment of its own.
Outside the rules,
malicious, disturbing,
troubling for the heart and
reason, in a word, scandalous. "
Good!
"That's what Marchetti
would like to be, but isn't.
All the references
make up a consistent discourse
in which the common denominator
is banality. "
I'm sorry, Guido.
"To provoke doesn't mean
to exhibit naked bodies,
but floor people with them.
However, the only body that floors
is the artist's wife's... "
There's the asshole!
I'm going to talk to him.
Don't, just rise above it.
I am, that's why
I'm going to talk to him.
- May I?
- Sure.
Do you realize
the crap you wrote?
What would you like,
a retraction?
You can retort,
then I'll counter-retort.
What then?
I'll really lay into you.
How will you lay into me?
I don't write well about
undeserving people like you do!
I'm driven by passion.
You have no idea what passion is.
Your work is all fake,
a pretence of being.
And besides, listen...
having your wife strip in public
as if it were improvised,
is immoral.
I don't want to offend you,
your work is naive art.
Stand up,
now you can counter-retort!
- You're crazy.
- Asshole!
Let's get out of this shit-hole!
Grandma's sweethearts!
Darling!
- Did Mom give you breakfast?
- No.
No? Come with Grandma,
there's a surprise for you two.
You'll let me smoke a cigarette?
Honey, welcome.
Hi.
- Guido?
- Forget him.
Thanks, I even dreamed about it!
- Hi, Auntie.
- Honey, hi.
I already know how to use it.
This kid is so good!
- And me?
- You too, you're both good.
Where's the film,
I'll shoot something right away?
Oh my, I forgot it!
You can do without,
you're just playing, right?
See what Grandma gave me.
A movie camera!
Who knows why Grandma
gave you one!
- You told her.
- No, not me!
You'll never betray me, will you?
Stop it!
Mom, can we go swimming?
What time did we finish eating?
An hour ago,
so when can you go swimming?
In two and a half hours,
want to die of congestion?
- No.
- Then don't wear me out.
You're my whole life!
If you were forced to choose
between Guido and Serena,
who would you choose?
- Both.
- What answer's that?
Let's say they divorce,
who would you go with?
It's a stupid question.
- Not with your Dad, huh?
- I'd go with both.
Is your brother dumb
orjust acts it?
He's dumb.
- What is it?
- What are you doing here?
Nothing, it's too windy outside.
Where's Dad?
I'd like to know that too.
Now that it's legal,
you and Dad will divorce, right?
What are you saying?
I'm going swimming.
You can't, you just ate.
I don't care,
I want to die of congestion.
- If you die, I will too.
- I don't care.
You know, right?
You can't always get
out of everything with hugs,
let go of me.
- I won't let go.
- Serena, let go of me.
- Let go of me!
- I won't.
You've become strong.
Did you know
that UFOs built the pyramids?
A writer says so,
I believe in UFOs.
Writers say a lot of crap.
Nice evening, huh?
Why doesn't Dad come?
What did the papers say?
Great, great.
Did Rossi Zoldan
give you a good review too?
Like?
'Malicious'.
'Troubling, outside the rules'.
'Disturbing to the mind
and heart'.
Beautiful.
All positive things.
What is it?
- What is it?
- Nothing.
- You have such a face!
- A face? No.
- You're laid-back, strange.
- No, I'm not.
Daddy, you're back?
- Can I get in bed with you?
- Come to Daddy.
- I'm here too!
- You come too.
Here he is,
Daddy's little rascal!
Guido, see what Grandma gave me.
Nice, will you lend it to me?
I want to take the kids
to France this summer.
France?
I don't want to, why should
we go? We're fine right here.
In fact, you aren't coming,
it's just for women.
It's a place for feminists.
Helke invited me.
- And me?
- Stay in your studio in Rome.
Isn't that what you like?
You always say you need free time.
What do you have in common
with feminists?
See? For once I want
to do something for myself.
You're taking the kids
to the beach?
Okay, when do you leave?
- To bed, c'mon.
- Can't talk anymore?
No, you can't.
Just one hitch,
there's no film.
Dad, will you buy me some?
Not now, there's another problem
to resolve, go to bed.
This France thing is absurd.
You don't even know the language,
so why?
You always say we should be freer.
I'll start, okay?
No, don't go to France,
I don't like the idea.
Are you ordering me?
What? Have I ever
ordered you around?
In fact, it's not an order,
it's blackmail.
Okay, it's blackmail.
If I go, you'll be sad.
You and the kids go,
I'll stay here.
How damned self-pitying!
What did you say?
You heard me,
how damned self-pitying.
Say yes.
Say yes.
Say yes.
Say yes.
C'mon, you idiot!
See who the blackmailer is?
You're nothing but a blackmailer.
A born blackmailer!
I agree, women have to insist.
If you don't insist,
you'll never receive.
And I also agree
that women should talk.
When my daughters have a secret,
I look into their eyes
and they spit it all out.
Mommy's doll, she's an open book!
- How are things?
- Fine.
Sorry about Milan,
that evening I was a little...
I know, that's okay.
You haven't said anything
about the performance.
Goodbye.
I think you have great potential,
but...
There's always a "but".
It's my first time going off
alone.
Will you call?
Sure, but you call, if you want.
- Are you mad?
- No, I'm the way I am...
- You're mad!
- No, that's what you say.
Dad got you some film.
- How much?
- Seven reels.
Thanks, I love you.
- Dario!
- Coming!
Dario, look where you're going
or you'll fall.
No critics that I care about came,
just that shit Rossi Zoldan.
Unfortunately Kounellis
had his exhibition that evening.
They just go see the famous
artists?
Don't you know that?
Art dealer dictatorship
has to stop.
What are your plans now?
I want to do the
Milan performance in Rome,
but not in a gallery, on the
street,
in front of a museum
or a police station.
What do you think?
It's an idea, isn't it?
What can I say? I don't know...
- Hey, don't say a thing.
- C'mon, Guido!
Hey, c'mon!
Forget it,
you've said enough for tonight.
Did Dario like
the Pirate Dog drawing?
- Sure, he's a kid.
- What did he do with it?
He put it up, that's what
kids do with all their crap.
- I'm glad.
- Go draw your can'toons.
I make money with can'toons,
you know?
- You're a sell-out.
- I'm a sell-out?
I'm a buy-out, not a sell-out,
I gotta eat!
- You're a sell-out.
- Buy-out.
- Sell-out.
- Buy-out.
We don't need anyone
telling us who we are.
We fight today so that women
will be free from oppression
in 40 years,
can travel like men,
both day and night.
There is no revolution
without womers liberation.
Coming?
No, thanks.
Get the camera!
What does dgueulasse mean?
You're the opposite of me,
your nose turns up,
mine turns down,
you have a large mouth,
mine's small.
You have large breasts,
mine are small.
You know, I'm for freedom,
free things,
autonomy, independence,
all that stuff,
but you can'tjust up and leave,
I said no, but she wanted to go.
I don't see what you're afraid of.
It's not a question of fear,
it's about staying close
to your husband,
she's off on vacation alone...
Nice, isn't it?
Sire, Snow White is dead!
It's the first time we've gone
this long without a call.
You've really never called him?
Never.
- Good.
- And no jealousy, none!
It's nice letting others
do what they want.
He always asks me to be free.
Asking permission to be free
means you're not, not inside.
Freedom is something
you take on your own.
I think there's just one point
here:
Guido wants other women,
that's it.
Then why doesn't he just say so?
Because you attack him,
you make a scene,
if you told him that you'd welcome
his truth, he'd tell you.
Anyway, after Milan
he has a lot to think about.
Meaning?
He's probably
trying to regain his balance.
Regain his balance from what?
From what? It went well.
Rossi Zoldan wrote well about him,
the reviews were positive.
- You read them, didn't you?
- Yes, sure.
So, regain his balance from what?
Reactions were a bit lukewarm.
- Lukewarm?
- Yes, lukewarm.
I didn't get that impression.
I'll go!
Go to your auntie.
- Hello?
- Mom?
- Sweetheart, how are you?
- I can't find Guido.
- He's here, but how are you?
- Put him on.
Guido!
Serena?
Hi, how are things?
Why didn't you tell me
Milan was a flop?
I just heard it from Helke.
So that's why you called,
not because
we haven't talked in five days.
Anyway,
I don't care about this crap.
What Helke says,
the critics say...
So, end of story.
- Tell me about the kids.
- They've made friends.
Okay, bye...
We'll be in touch.
Are there
self-awareness groups of two?
Yes.
He's really down.
I think I'm about to have
a breakdown.
No...
it won't come.
Oh, my God...
Without knowing, that night,
I think I filmed
the famous 'erotic dust'
my mother talked about
for years after.
A mysterious, invisible cloud
which had circled me too.
She and I, together and separate,
we'd lost our innocence.
Or perhaps, maybe it's better
to say we'd found it.
They're so slow!
There are still two more minutes.
Are you sure
you're doing the right thing?
Yes.
Serena, turn around!
Turn around, Mom!
Mom?
It was the first time
that I called her Mom,
she didn't even notice.
So, you were the only males,
imagine the peace!
Lmagine the boredom!
There were other males too,
but no adults.
You could have phoned,
Robby and me would have come.
Wow, what fun!
How did it go with
all those women?
Fine, Dario fell in love.
Dario fell in love?
With who?
Lisette.
- They even kissed.
- Will you shut up?
He's a dimwit!
Do we put the dishes
to wash or rinse?
Leave them in the sink.
Do we soak the flatware?
Soak... hear that!
- Did you turn into girls?
- No, we're lesbians.
- What?
- We're lesbians.
Who taught him that?
- We're lesbians, Daddy's
little boy! - We hear you.
Are you tired?
Want to nap?
Lie down.
Take a nice nap now.
I missed you,
I missed you to death,
so I came here
and pretended you were here.
Look!
It's great, isn't it?
Hello?
It's for you.
Helke.
Hang up, I'll take it upstairs.
Hello?
Fine, you?
In France we were always talking,
the women would tell
their stories, we'd say so much.
That's when I realized I don't
let you say what you think.
I'm sure you don't talk
about the other women
because you think
I'll make a scene.
You can tell me.
Maybe that's how it was before,
but not now, you can tell me,
I'm ready.
What can I say?
Michelle...
I know she's bisexual.
Did you sleep with her or not?
True or false?
- True or false? - You won't
believe if I say false.
Because it's not the truth.
- If I say it's true...
- I know it's true.
I also know you're scared to say.
It's true.
That you're scared to say
or you slept with her?
That I slept with her.
When? The kids werert there,
were they?
No, I sent the kids out.
I always sent you out
when Michelle was there, right?
Yeah.
The others?
The others are true too.
But these things mean nothing,
like scratching an itchy nose.
Believe me?
Yes, I believe you,
even if you go with other women,
it's me you love.
Kids, want some ice cream?
- Where are you going?
- I'm going to see the boats.
- Let's have coffee.
- What do you want, honey?
I'd love an ice cream bar.
Gimme a kiss.
You're both assholes!
Huge assholes!
That's Lisette, Dario likes her!
Which one?
I think she's ugly.
- Make him shut up?
- Dario likes her!
Sweetie,
respect people's feelings.
Freedom of expression above all!
Here we're dancing,
there was one whole area...
There was a hall
where we always stayed.
- I don't like her.
- Will you shut him up?
Dario is very interested
in the effect of gravity on boobs,
as a concept.
Let's go to bed.
- It's early.
- To bed, school starts tomorrow.
- Please!
- I have another three ready.
What's wrong?
You can't be jealous of Helke?
Come on, I'll wait for you
in there.
I can't go on like this.
I just can't.
Remember when I asked you to be
frank with me and tell me
about the other women?
You were honest,
you told me everything,
I want to be honest with you too.
It's what you think.
Unreal...
Unreal...
Years, for years...
you said: "No, no cheating,
no cheating, that's that. "
For years you spouted that crap!
And then, what the fuck...
With a woman!
In the end, with a woman.
What's the difference,
man or woman?
We fall in love with people.
Shut up!
- Serena...
- Let go.
- What do you mean by love?
- Calm down.
What's this love business?
What's it mean?
You went there for revenge,
you found that damned bitch who
manipulated you, is that love?
Did I ever say 'love'
when talking about this bullshit?
They were just bed things,
did I ever use that word?
That's you,
it was different for me.
For me it was something important.
Go on,
go to your something important!
I'm not going anywhere.
Go to your something important,
bitch!
Tomorrow I'm taking the kids
to the first day of school.
- Are you awake?
- Yes.
- What happens at school?
- They ask you questions.
If I don't know the answers?
Usually they give you the answers,
then they ask the questions.
It's called a "vicious circle".
C'mon, let's go.
Okay, you're so cute!
Let's go, say goodbye to Daddy.
Bye.
- You're not coming?
- He'll pick you up.
I have to go to the beach
to help Grandma pack.
Okay, bye.
Bye, Guido!
- When will you be back?
- In a few days, I told you.
I'm helping Grandma.
If we draw an imaginary
vertical line
from this point
to the inside part
of the heel bone,
we realize
how a classical sculpture stood.
Get up, all of you,
put all your body weight
on one leg,
now try to move this point
from the imaginary line.
Try it and you'll see
how you lose your balance.
Just moving your foothold
a few millimeters
changes the history of art,
like in the late Classical Era.
It's like in life, in our lives...
generally our foot...
our foothold
is the person we love.
I'm lucky because I have two,
there they are.
They know the story very well,
about precarious balance.
Kids, show us
that position,
that extreme point
where we never lose our balance,
never fall,
because our solar plexus
and heel are joined
by this imaginary line.
Look, they look like winged
Mercury.
Why don't you stay
at my place in the meantime?
Why be here all alone,
now that your mother's left?
- Your place?
- No.
Why not?
I don't want to live
in another house.
But you called me.
I wanted to see you.
So, you've learned to be selfish.
I'm not falling for it!
Are you sad if I don't do
the things you want?
Do we set up a family
so I'll be jealous again?
Am I mean because
I don't want you, or even Guido?
I was just trying to say
I'd like to be with you,
not only tonight.
Sorry.
I want to be alone tonight,
I need to be alone.
Then I'll go.
Bye.
Okay...
I'll go.
Fuck it! It's full of ants
under there, the word got around.
- The word? - They're attacking me
on all sides.
The only word around
is that you live in trash.
You're a pal, thanks.
Come here.
Why don't you go to bed?
Kiss me.
Hey, are you nuts?
- I want my something important
too. - With me? Forget it!
Go get some rest.
Listen, go to bed.
Wait, let me finish it.
Another piece...
What a mess, you live in garbage!
Look what I found in the kitchen!
What are you doing? Who are you?
I'm the vampire
who'll suck your blood!
I'll be right back, wait here.
What are you doing, Dario?
Is it a movie?
Did you do it?
- Has your father seen this?
- Not yet, luckily.
Guido, come here!
Come see this!
I can take it to the advertising
firm where I work, I have an idea.
Did you see this movie?
Quiet, you!
Beautiful.
Because it's new?
No.
Why then?
I don't know,
it's just beautiful, that's all.
Vacation colors are always
different,
films aren't all the same.
Why settle for second-rate film?
With Kodak Super 8 film
you keep your memories forever.
And with Kodak Super 8 can'tridges,
I can film too.
Kodak, your memories forever.
You won't have to dust off
paintings
like you do with Dad's.
Did they give Dario
anything for his work?
You know how much?
1,800,000 lire.
No kidding!
Good for you,
little mister practical!
You've started
selling yourself young.
The first in the family
to sell something.
No, sorry...
In the first place, I'd say
I'm the practical one
because I accepted it all.
Second...
why criticize him?
Think that's right?
He did something nice?
Say he did well!
- Okay, but...
- Say he did well for once!
I say that to encourage him.
I did it with you too, so you
wouldn't rest on your laurels.
What laurels?
I'm a failure.
I think you're not pleased
with his success.
Think about it,
you'll see it's true.
Cut it out!
You busted my friggir balls!
You gotta stop sticking your
nose in our business!
Leave me and my kids alone,
hear me?
- Guido...
- That's enough!
You're raising your voice,
you may not realize,
in front of the kids,
nice example.
What example are you giving?
What example did a mother give
who's done nothing but
criticize her son all his life?
Come on, let's go!
- Fuck off!
- Guido!
Hi.
Maybe you'd better
come back home, I'll leave,
better for everyone,
the kids, everyone.
Okay?
Bye.
Let me know.
You can walk around it
by going that way.
- Really?
- Yes.
- May we?
- Sure.
How are you?
Come in.
Wow... hello!
All these people!
Who told you? Giuseppe?
Word gets around.
- How are you?
- Fine.
Careful, maybe a few...
a few at a time... thank you.
Go around that way,
you'll get through
if you go counterclockwise.
Anthropomorphic figures,
like the prehistoric ones,
the famous prehistoric Venus...
It's reminiscent of the Venus
figure, but yours is different...
Congratulations.
It's stupendous, enormous,
gigantic, explosive,
a conceptual work...
A conceptual that's a bit
overweight,
but still better than Kossuth.
A painting... looks at you.
Go to the movies,
it's the film looking at you.
You browse through a book,
it's reading you.
Like music
that listens to its listener.
If you think a work looks at you,
you must talk about it honestly,
you owe it that.
This work of yours looked at me,
itjudged me
and it was very severe too.
This time I liked you.
Suddenly I'm so hungry,
do you know a place
for something to eat?
Yes, there's a place
around the corner.
Come with me?
Who is it?
It's your absence.
I'm tired, I'm going to get her.
- No.
- Why not?
Because they're making up.
How long does it take?
Their whole lives, I guess.
They never got back together,
but they kept meeting
for months and then years,
making no dates or promises,
no more fights, no more threats.
Helke lasted just a few seasons,
and the loves changed many times
for him and for her.
In other words,
it's not easy to find freedom
and the right balance
of feelings and family,
because we each try
to hold them tightly.
I should have understood it
when I tried to control others'
feelings.
You're all assholes!
Huge assholes!
Move it!
C'mon!
Take that shirt off!
Get in!
In the end I did obtain something,
that day they realized
I was there.
You wanted to commit suicide?
You're an idiot!
Hear me? An idiot!
The next time you want to kill
yourself, tell me and I'll do it!
What an idiot...
an idiot!
Unquestionably,
those were happy years,
too bad none of us realized it.