Hey you mists, thick mists
where are you rushing to so harshly?
Fly back to the south
Bring my love to my darling.
To my darling, to your friend.
A film by Uros Stojanovic
During the World War I, Serbia had lost two thirds of the male population.
The women stayed, to start a new life, the best they can.
This is their story.
This is a sea star.
That little creature lives only in seas, and here in Boginja's pond.
[Boginja = Godess]
Probably because the sea is salty and bitter, just like tears.
There is also a graveyard at the pond.
The biggest and the most beautiful graveyard on the mountain.
This is where Ognjenka and Little Boginja spent the carefree
days of their childhood and youth.
While the dead enjoyed the beautiful carefree days
of their death.
[Ognjenka = Fiery]
What are you doing?!
Have you gone mad?
How many times must I tell you
this pond is cursed!
You're saying I shouldn't wash myself
because it's cursed? Right!
Little Boginja doesn't believe in witchcraft, but
no matter if you believe in them - they believe in you.
Her sister, Ognjenka, knows well that it's bad to bathe
in their great-grandmother's tears.
The Great-Grandmother cried out that pond when her husband
didn't come home from the war.
She was crying for eight days and eight nights.
Than the Great-Grandmother realised it was enough.
And she swore that from that day on her heart will be tough like stone.
Since crying was all she knew to do, she became a wailer.
The best on the mountain.
Wailers are women who cry at funerals, and do it
much better and more beautiful than the widows themselves.
And that is a gift which is always well-paid on this mountain.
And so, from war to war, from generation to generation, this became
a family business.
Here in the village, if a boy as tall as a rifle, he's ready for the front.
There were more and more wars,
and rifles were becoming shorter and shorter.
Then dark days came for the wailers, too.
Fewer men - fewer customers.
And without customers tears aren't worth a penny.
In 1918. the number went down to two.
Only Ozren and Jordan came back from the war.
But they too quickly joined the majority.
First who diead was Ozren.
Some say the drunk fool crushed himself.
Some say Jordan the caplar killed him,
because of his wife.
Some even say his wife killed him,
because of Jordan the caplar.
Then Jordan realised what he has got into.
He knew he couldn't defend the whole village full of women
by himself.
That's why he set up a minefield in the vineyard.
He never marked down the position of the mines.
He was afraid that such paper could come into hands of future enemies.
But he never needed it. He had a photographic memory.
While he was flying through the sky, Jordan was
proud of himself and his mine field.
But he forgot that you can't sell shrapnels or
make brandy out of bullets.
Vineyard, which supported the whole village, was now left
covered in mines.
That's how Vineyard became Mineyard.
Now, the vineyard had to be picked. There's
no escaping, you pick a straw... and may god help you.
Sometimes they survive.
Probably.
What are you looking at, I'd rather be cursed than
dirty, like you!
Hi Nada. -Hi.
[Nada = Hope]
Can I order a crying?
And who's the customer?... I mean the deceased.
I am.
I'm going to the Mineyard. So I thought I might
pay in advance. For God forbid!
Just to tell you there's no money-back if you survive.
Well, actually, it's not wasted,
I'll write you up, so you can die whenever you want.
Fair.
You know the prices: Average crying is 30 dinars. Hair pulling
and face scratching without blood is 15 dinars more...
-Too much! -Well, if you're gonna save on your own death
you can get wailers in Srbozje for 10 dinars.
But they scream like slaughtered pigs.
Ognjenka and I sing like angels.
I'm not giving a penny until you show me that 'singing like angels'.
Then I can die.
Fair.
What's wrong? -Ognjenka is slacking off.
-Not true... -Come on Nada, she's screaming like she's
being torn alive.
Screaming, screaming... And tears?
But she's looking at me! How can I cry when she's still alive and looking at me?
Lie down Nada, like you will tomorrow. Take this and rub your eyes!
Amateur...
And think of something sad like we practiced.
Let's try again: 3, 4, now!
Sad, sad, sad, think sad, something sad, sad, sad... A-ha, there's
the thing that happend to Sanja.
[Sanja = Dreamy]
Your n... Are you crying already, Ognjenka?
Try now.
I just can't.
Listen now, Ognjenka, to help you...
You're gonna be 22 this autumn, a real grandma-girl.
Because you were never loved.
And the way things are now, you probably never will.
In a few years you're completely gonna wither.
And everyone is gonna greet you with "Good day grandma Ognjenka!"
But you won't be anyone's grandma.
Because you were never loved. But old.
And you're gonna be 21... And that's also grandmagirl.
Almost.
That's right. I know that. That's why I can cry whenever I want.
Let's go: 3, 4, now!
...Your dark, never kissed eyes...
Enough!
It's great. Just without the 'dark, never kissed eyes'.
Well, they are pretty dark...
But they were kissed!
I've been kissed... by a man.
Mouth to mouth.
You're lying, Nadica!
Mouth to mouth..? -Let me show you.
Coward! -I'm not a coward!
Interesting....
Who taught you that? -Does it matter? A man is a man.
Don't you tell me 'a man is a man', who kissed you like that?
With grandpa Bisa. -Yuck! With grandpa Bisa?!
So what? Should I die as grandmagirl instead?
Grandpa Bisa...
The last man on the mountain.
Nobody really thought of him as a real man. Until all the others died.
But still, any man capable of loving is a man.
And? Can you do anything with him? -I'm not sure...
Just don't expect miracles, I'm just an ordinary witch.
Grandpa Bisa...
You're the greatest man who ever lay in bed.
You are the source of life, happiness and youth, for all us women
here in Pokrp!
Infertile sloth!
...One cries from morning till noon...
...The other cries from noon till evening...
Enough with this funeral shit!
Really, enough about crying. -There must be one...
I'm paying you to amuse the guests, Ratija, not to
remind them why they are drinking!
I don't give a damn about your guests! I don't know any other
songs anyway.
Enough. -Come on, I know so many cheerful songs, there's one...
Zagorka, I think it goes like: "Blossomed flowers..."
-"...On my Dika's grave."? That one's not very cheerful either.
I know the song! There is one cheerful, how it goes....
Yeah, yeah, there is one....
Ah well, let's go on with the funeral songs. Just a bit faster.
There, for Nadica's soul...
Give me a drink. It's my soul after all.
Don't you give me that crap. You don't die every day.
Give me spider brandy.
Spider brandy! -Spider brandy!
Spider brandy!
Pour the spider brandy! Give it!
Zagorka, please don't.
Come on, Ognjenka, don't say that. It's for Nada's soul,
you have to drink it.
Take it easy everyone.
Fuck this shitty life! When you're a grandmagirl
not even magic can help you! Even vampires won't dance with me!
This one is mine, bitch! -Fuck off!
Little Boinja, Ratija, what are you doing?!
You're fighting over air.
Hello.
M(V)ineyard of Pokrp.
Ognjenka, stop crying!
Ognjenka! I paid enough for your tears! Save them for the funeral!
These are on the house.
But it's so sad... -What is sad?
I'm going to hell today! There, it's hot, and there are plenty
of naked men!
I feel like I should cry for you. Grandmagirls.
Zagorka...
You wouldn't lie to a dead woman, right?
You know I wouldn't. -I put you under oath to take
these two, Ognjenka and Little Boginja, to grandpa Bisa
so he can cure them from virginity. I pay. -I'm not coming
near that old goat.
He's not an old goat, dear Ognjenka. He's the real, old-fashioned man.
That's all you got! You know that choosers are no fuckers.
How about we just wait for the naked men in hell?
It's not that easy. To go to hell you first need
to prostitute.
-To prostitute? -It's not 'prostituting'! Bad word!
'Loving' - nice word.
OK, who's first?
-Ognjenka! -Boginja!
Ognjenka is older! -Let go of me! Let me go!
Good day.
-Take off your clothes.
First you go out! -What's she said?
She's saying that... We.. We should get out?!
-Hah, what were they thinking!
They don't know... They're young. They were never loved.
Listen sweetheart, that's not the way things work here.
Someone has to take care of grandpa Bisa.
You see how soft and fragile he is!
We don't want something bad to happen to him.
Come on women, for the sake of your soul! We'll cry on his funeral
for half the price! Face scratching on the house!
Disgusting witches! You'll see what we do with witches like you here,
rot in hell!
Aren't you a witch too for fuck's sake?!
Yeah, really! How come we never set you on fire?
But I am OUR witch!
Ognjenka, say something!
Well, what you gonna do, if we're meant to go to the hell...
Selfish pig! You prostituted, you are gonna go to hell! And me?
You don't give a damn about me?
Well, I didn't quite manage to prostitute...
Murderers! -That's even worse, you killed a man
while trying to be a prostitute!
Women, wait!
I can get you a real man! Real! Much better than grandpa Bisa!
A whole man with teeth! -Where she got a man with teeth!
I swear by Ognjenka! By my grandma's grave!
I swear by the soul of my grandma the Great Boginja!
You have 3 days to come back! If not, you know what awaits you.
She's rising Great Boginja from the dead! Shut up!
Of course we are!
...Come to me with the night...
...Come to me quietly like a gentle breeze...
...Come to me when the sun sets...
If, on the third day, you don't come back and bring
a man, the soul of your grandma will rot forever
In a place worse than hell - here!
In this cursed village of ours!
And there are no naked men here, only wraiths of
dead children, and their crying which bites your heart!
Great Boginja will be very angry when she rises from her grave.
Se hasn't had much time to enjoy the death, and they
already brought her back to this awful world, in which all she
had known was crying and suffering.
Look, Ognjenka, a man! -Oh, and he's prettier than Grandpa Bisa!
-And he can stand! -And he can wave an ax this big!
Almost... Nah, he's just fine.
Excuse me sir!
Mister! You dropped your axe...
Don't worry, I'll... I'll.. pick it up....
Fuck off! Who are you to pick up his ax?!
I know them, they are the bitches from Pokrp!
-Infertile cows lost their own man and they came to steal our last one!
Get out of here! And drop that hatchet!
Fuck my life, it's a woman! What is a woman doing in army?!
Woman in army, of course! We don't want to lose any more
men, they should stay home and make children!
We can fight!
Better than magic! In blink of an eye a peasant becomes a miss!
A miss becomes a lady! A lady becomes....
A queen!
Then I saw him. He said his name is...
Dragoljub Aleksic, but everyone calls me The Man Of....
[Dragoljub = kind and loving]
The Man of Steel.
Do you wish to fly in the arms of the Man Of Steel?
A faithful flight, a flight that you will remember, a beautiful
night, or even something more.
And that's for only 11 dinars per person.
Dear ladies, I am not as near as strong as the Man of Steel.
I can only offer you a wild and yet so soft rhytm - Charleston.
Man Of Steel!
I will fly in your arms!
-Careful, miss.
Finally someone who appreciates the real values.
Relax, you're in safe arms.
Ognjenka!
-What?!
Ognjenka - that's my name!
Ah, right, I'm glad! Really glad! Um..
Don't be afraid miss Ognjenka!
It looks like we're a bit, um, too.. too... high, but...
I'm not afraid, I know that I am in safe arms!
Take it easy, my ladies! Just a moment, just a moment!
I'm fine, I'm fine!
Ognjenka, I, I'd like to... Um, you know as soon as I saw you
I saw that you're a brave young lady and, and I
really need a brave young lady.
So I'd like to ask you if you'd like to be my assistent?
To travel this country, and to laugh at the face
of danger as we experience it!
If you want.
Only one! Only one can ba a queen of Charleston!
Understand?
The one who catches this little flower and
brings it to me.
Get ready, get ready...
Now!
Dragoljub! Inside!
Oh, now you want to go away!
-I!!! I won! I won!
Please everyone step back from the car! You'll get yuorself killed
-I won! I won!
Drive, drive, drive!!
I won.
I won!! -Dragoljub... Dragoljub
Can you throw off this goat from the car?
That's not a goat, it's my sister. -I won
Watch your toungue in front of a lady,
you horse!
This is miss Ognjenka. -Good day.
I am Boginja! Boginja! I won!
She's lying, where is the rose?
Miss Ognjenka, you will catch a cold!
You should change your clothes.
I have some pants in the back... -I don't want pants!
I am cold. She's been sitting on me all the time.
My vital organs and prostate are gonna get fucked up.
Excuse me, mister Dragoljub, could you stop for a second?
Women stuff, you know.
Kids! Wo got two men. I need only one, the other one is yours.
We're not gonna give both of them to those wretched witches.
OK, take the strong guy! My gentleman would last no
longer than Bisa with Ognjenka.
I don't give Dragoljub! Especially not to those tramps!
We're going on a tour!
To laugh at death's face!
Will he take you to Belgrade too? -He will! You know!
There you go, everything's fine now.
Take me to Belgrade! -What?
If you're really the King of Charleston, you should sit
in your throne. Take me to Belgrade.
You know, my throne is waiting, and waiting, but... -You're not
for this fuckhole! Neither am I, I wasn't born smart and beautiful to stay here.
Belgrade can wait, but I really can't!
Let go of the tit!
We have to talk now. What are you doing with that peasant?
He is suited for the mud in the village, not the king!
Let's steal his truck and go to Belgrade!
You know, I was thinking... We shouldn't go to Pokrp at all.
Ah, no, that's the least I can do for you.
Charlston can go to Pokrp! They need that... festivity.
Cheap fun!
Now, don't talk like that miss Ognjenka,
a village which raised such a...
such a wonderful flower, deserves to see the
heroic show of the Man of Steel.
Drive this machine, Steel Man, come on!
What have you done you unbaptized bastard!
May you never paint eggs for easter again!
My sympathies, miss.
Get out.
How do you run this thing?
I'm not an expert for automobilism, but it's simple
It's like, let's say... Making love.
Automobilism.
Thieves!
Ognjenka, you must promise me something.
Take Dragoljub and go to Belgrade.
Don't look back.
Forget about me and your sister and all of us who were cursed to be
born in this cauldron of pain.
May you be happy for all of us.
Miss Ognjenka, how may I help you?
Drive, drive me to Belgrade.
What is it like in Belgrade?
What do I know... It has that... That shine, the glam... glamou...
Hey Boginja, how about we slow down a bit?
-No, no!
We dropped a dead man on the road!
So what! It's polite, they'll find him easier like this!
You know, there is some logic in that!
You know...
I think the only purpose of that tower is gonna be so that,
when they finish it, and cut the... How you call it the...
The red ribbon, and when the whole city comes to see it, I could
just jump of it!
God forbid, why would you do that!
Why not! -It's a shame! A healthy, strong man like you to
smash his head!
Nah, that's nothing. It won't leave a scratch,
I am after all the Man od Steel.
The sun is about to rise.
Third day.
The wraiths came to get what they want.
Ognjenka decided firmly that she is gonna
be a modern 20th century girl.
She tried not to believe in wraiths.
She tried to believe that she doesn't hear the screaming that was calling her.
Dragoljub was hers. Belgrade was just a car ride away.
She tried to forget her sister, the grandmother's soul and the curse
that followed them.
She couldn't.
Samna?! -Don't worry Zagorka, it's just a dream.
I dream this every night. -Me too.
But it looks so real now. -We learn't to dream better.
Good morning ladies from sunny Pokrp, the Man of Steel
arrived!
I won't believe it until I touch him.
No touching until my granny dies! -Let's make her die already!
So we can continue touching!
Miss, you don't want to touch my steel
muscles?
"Why don't you touch my steel muscles miss?" "No problem, Ognjenka and I
laugh at death's face all the time, what is one mine field for us..."
Well, Dragoljub Aleksic, maybe I laugh at death's face, but
now these bitches laugh at me!
Nice man this Dragoljub, strong too....
This fat Ognjenka is gonna ruin him,
she won't leave anything to us!
Why don't they come to touch you now!
Slowly, miss Ognjenka...
-Mumble, mumble!
I see that you and the mute one found your own
language (tongue), now you just need to intertwine them!
Ognjenka, why did you come here?
-What was I supposed to do? To leave you cursed and alone to rot in here,
you ungrateful writh!
-Of course you should! Now you are too gonna stay cursed and alone like me.
Samna, your wraith just arrived! Show's over!
Wait, granny!
Don't be mad at me! I could have been in Belgrade now
but I came here to save you from the curse!
You missed having a man, going to Belgrade, saving our lineage and
everything to chase your grandmothers wraith!
And you're proud with it?!
You must die! -I won't! -You must! I won't!
I won't! I would rather die than see you fail in life!
I won't fail, I want you to die! -You are hopeless without me!
You'll stay a grandmagirl with a broken heart! You stupid girl!
Granny...
Done! Great Boginja's soul will stay dead forever and ever!
I made it this far!
I made my granny die, I made the women happy, the man is not complaining either...
I sen't my sister to Belgrade...
I am one successfull
grandmagirl.
I knew you'd save us. Get out of that pond!
Boginja came for you. We're gonna get your guy back!
Don't get out of the car! You hear me?
Pokrp is a fucked up place, and this is women business. -Yes, yes.
Let's go.
How are we supposed to take him away, it's just two of us against
a herd of crazy women!
Don't worry Ognjenka, the night has just fallen
and we are experienced hunters.
Ognjenka, Little Boginja, you arrived!
Come here so I can kiss you, you are the two suns of
our village!
No thanks, mrs. Zagorka, I don't feel like kissing now.
Where hae you been so far Ognjenka? I've never
had this much fun in Belgrade!
Ooh! Sorry!
Wom... Women listen to me! I love Dragoljub!
And I love him! -Me too!
That's wonderful hunny, we all love him!
We came to take him to Belgrade.
Ognjenka, I knew that your village must be nice.
But I havent expected this paradise!
Dragoljube!
You simply wish to live here.
Listen to me carefully! We must go away immediately!
These wome are promiscuous, soulless!
They're gonna kidnap you unless we escape while
they are still drunk!
To kidnap me... Hmpfh!
You're beautiful.
Beautiful!
And I'm the Man of Steel and noone can kidnap me.
Especially not these wonderful, senistive ladies.
Why the sad face?
It's nothing.
What's the matter.
I love you Dragoljub.
Kiss me too.
Look at the mute one, she's not mute at all!
Just a kiss, nothing more.
Sorry, I can kiss only Ognjenka.
Nobody ever kissed me.
Just as we were about to kiss, on our wedding, they
took him away.
Please...
Boginja! Boginja!
Boginja!
And who is this pretty guy?
Nobody!! That's nobody, just another
spider brandy illusion!
What is spider brandy?
Welcome handsome! Every guest is welcome here!
Dead, alive, illusion, if it's a man he's welcome!
That's a man! -Better and better!
You know a man by his gulp.
Pff, a man! Anyone can drink!
Listen Boginja! -Good evening maam, could you...
I need a saxophone! You be the saxophone! -But I am Ratija.
I am Saxophone!
Now imagine Belgrade instead of this shithole!
And all this is the stage!
Enough!
The tango is hell and Arsenije is the Devl himself.
He's not a fucking king, he's a piano-tuner!
What is a tuner?
What is a piano?
In Belgrade he is nobody!
And what are you, even in here?
You're just a dick, wherever I appear.
Now, now... It's nice to hear such a modern
conversation between men.
But, in our village, there is only on place where you
can tell who is a real man... Bed.
Bed! Bed! Bed!
Then bed it will be!
I'll take one bed too.
But a big one.
Don't you cry now Ognjenka!
If they both died now the bitches would
need to look for wailers in Montenegro!
Ognjenka did hunting, and they
get to fuck!
I won't allow it!
Don't let her go through!
Come on!
-What?
What 'What'? All.
I don't want to stay a grandmagirl because of that pig!
Who's first?
You go, Zagorka. You know all about that.
Men
Well I knew it.... Before the war.
Be there to guard my fear.
It can hurt. -Don't be afraid Zaggy.
You know what the old women say:
Who does a lot of pushups.... Has a tiny dick.
Come on!
Go home.
Don't you tell me to go home! I told you what I want, go on!
Go home.
Your guy...
He is not a pig like mine.
He didn't even touch me.
Ognjenka if you decided to fuck around, you don't
need to tell me about it.
Come on, quickly! Wee need to outrace the bastard!
Don't pretend that you are a pig when you are not.
You are a man for one woman.
So that you can be only hers and so that she can be only yours.
I know I am not that woman, but I deserved a kiss.
I can only be your fucked up fairy godmother, that's
my destiny.
Now run! Run! Ognjenka won't wait much longer!
Hurry up, Ognjenka!
We're going to Belgrade.
Ognjenka stop, stop! I'm a pig, I know! Just stop!
You are!
Stop!
Stop, don't move! You're in Minograd!
Mine field! Mines! Move and they will blow you up to the sky.
And what am I supposed to do now?
What do you do if you step on a mine?
We fly to the sky...
Ognjenka...
Don't you cry!
Go to Belgrade.
I have some stuff to do.
Come on, get in the car. It's easy to use it.
It's like having love.
But I know nothing about having love.
Then learn it.
What, you scared?
I don't bite.
This is a dance. Ladies choose.
How many times must I tell you
this pond is cursed!
You're saying I shouldn't wash myself
because it's cursed? Right!
I know that there are no pretty girls like you in Belgrade.
Go to Belgrade. I have some stuff to do.
The Belgrade already entered the 20th century.
They say that the 20th century brings no wars, curses or graves.
It is a world of automobilism, phonography and tall houses
that rise high above the clouds.
Ognjenka alrady saw that house, Palace Albania, in her dream.
She only wants to forget one part of that dream - Dragoljub Aleksic.
They say you can forget anything up there.
The wars, the fake wailer crying, and even
the real crying for lost love.
Here, above the clouds, dancing never stops.
The dance of love.
The dance of oblivion.
The dance of a new age.
Tonight, the orchestra plays Carleston for Ognjenka.
"Tears for Sale"
[Serbian name: "Charleston for Ognjenka"]
aka Wlado The Alpha Chicken.
Directed by:
Uros Stojanovic
Script:
Uros Stojanovic
Aleksandar Radivojevic
Story by:
Uros Stojanovic
Script assistents:
Batric Nenezic
Srdjan Dragojevic
Stevan Koprivica
Produced by:
Batric Nenezic
Executive producers:
Marko Paljic
Mirjana Tomic
Coproducer:
Dejan Petrovic
Photography director:
Dusan Ivanovic
Scenography:
Veljko Despotovic
Montage:
Djordje Markovic
Dejan Urosevic
Costumes:
Ksenija Terzovic
Music:
Shigeru Umebayashi
Artistic Director of Visual Effects:
GETO
Visuel Effects Supervisor:
Gaston Marcotti
Visual Effects Supervisors:
Petar Jovovic
Kevin Berger
Sound Design and Monrage:
Aleksandar Protic
Sound Mixing:
Aleksandar Perisic-Spasic
Katarina Radivojevic
Sonja Kolarcic
Stefan Kapicic
Nenad Jezdic
Olivera Katarina
as Great Boginja
(She also sings all the songs, including the one playing during these credits)
Nada Sargin
Jovana Stipic
Danica Maksimovic
Radmila Tomovic
Danijela Vranjes
Elizabeta Djorevska
Zlatija Ocokoljic Ivanovic
Ana Bretsnajder
Ana Maljevic
Masa Dakic
Fedja Stojanovic
Erol Kadic
Milos Vlakulin
and Paolo Magelli
Coreography:
Olja Rakic
Montage assistent:
Yves Beloniak
Digital Color Correction:
Didier Le Fouest
Masking author:
Dragoljub Jeremic
Pyrotechnics Special Effects:
Petar Zivkovic
Movie Directors:
Mirjana Tomic
Dragoljub Vojnov
Postproduction Supervisor:
Filip Petricevic
Assistent producers:
Andrew Obolensky, Michael Perkovic, Tierry Potok, Ian Brooks
Marko Dragicevic, Francois De Silva