SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT A VERY TALL GIRL
Better now ?
It's much better if I see you.
I only Skype with my parents.
I want to see you too.
OK. Hi.
You're beautiful.
Thanks.
- Now say: you too.
- You too.
So ?
Uhm. You haven't forgotten.
Now tell me why you...
added me on Facebook.
- Well, I wanted to ask you about...
- About ?
You have a photo with a girl, at a bar.
- A tall girl.
- How tall ?
Very tall.
Yeah, and you kind of hold each
other... Let me show you the photo.
There's no need, I know it.
Oh, OK.
Well, I wanted to ask you about her.
What about her ?
- I don't know, I was wondering.
- Ask me.
Are you friends ?
No, I don't think so.
Then what are you ?
- We aren't anything right now.
- Oh, OK.
Sorry if I'm being indiscreet or...
Oh, c'mon, I said you can ask, I didn't
say I'd tell you everything, right ?
Yes.
Besides, if I tell you everything,
you won't talk to me anymore.
I will.
Why ?
I will talk.
- No. Why are you interested in her ?
- Just because.
Move it, move it, move it.
And now the series...
And...
Go away.
Move, move, move...
Go away, keep your arms high.
One, two. One, two. One, two, come.
One, two, come. One, two come.
Leave to the right.
Breathe and... the series.
Leave. Head down.
And come... the series.
- What are you doing in there ?
- I just finished my training session.
You box ?
- You like it ?
- It's super fun. Look at this.
- You cast out all the demons.
- Who's that girl ?
Mona, from the gym.
Do you like her ?
I like you more.
But you know that, don't you ?
Yes.
One, two, three. Charge it.
One, two, three. One, two, three.
Well, I was at a party, in a club,
with an apartment mate from back then.
It was some...
ex-boyfriend's birthday.
- Yours or hers ?
- Hers.
And there was a guy who kept hitting
on me and I wanted to get rid of him.
And this girl,
I think, was making fun
of what I was telling him. Whatever.
Later on I went to the bar to get
a drink, and there she was, beside me.
I realized how tall she is. Or I simply
felt small next to her. I don't know.
Then I got drunk and I wanted to leave,
and I couldn't find my wallet.
I started to empty my bag on the table,
to search.
And she came over and helped me.
And she told me she'd take me
to the cab.
You didn't talk ?
Not really. You know: "how are you ?",
"where do you live ?", stuff like that.
She added me on Facebook.
She said something
about my profile picture.
She texted me the next day,
asking if I got home safely.
Then she left for work.
That's it.
And how did you see each other again ?
What about you ?
Where did you two meet ?
At the seaside.
And...
And... you haven't finished the story.
- What else is there to say ?
- Come on.
Well, we talked for two more weeks.
Just a few times a little longer.
We usually talked in the morning,
because she liked
to have her coffee with me.
And one day she said
that we could have coffee in person.
I don't know: "come to my place,
we can watch a movie."
I got tense, obviously.
And ? You went ?
Yes. The next day I asked her if
the invitation is still on,
she said yes.
I felt a bit weird
when I got to her place.
I don't know...
- I panicked.
- Why ?
I don't know why.
After we watched the movie,
she kissed me, she took my clothes off,
and then we had coffee together.
And how was it ?
She makes good coffee.
Of course she does.
At the seaside how ?
Well, she hit on me on the beach,
at a bar,
we went to her place, we fucked.
And...
And what ? I didn't panic.
So, did you make up your mind
about what you want from me ?
To find out more about the tall girl,
right ?
More of what ?
I don't know.
- Well, how long did you two...
- Two weeks or so.
A relationship almost.
And what makes you think I know more ?
- Weren't you two together ?
- Yes, we were.
You're not playing fair.
You tell me nothing.
Sure, I'm a bad person.
- Hi, how are you ?
- Fine. You ?
- I'm at the party. Wanna come ?
- No, I got work to do.
At this hour ?
Shall I show you around ?
OK, fine.
No idea who this guy is,
I don't know what he's doing in here.
Excuse me.
- Hey, you're making a film ?
- Yes.
- Will I be in it ?
- Who are you ?
- I'm her cousin.
- Whose ?
- Oana's.
- OK.
- And this is Sibel. Hello, Sibel.
- Hello.
The host of our party.
What are you making ?
Daiquiri.
Too much rum.
Let's make it lighter.
And she's Teo. Sorry.
And this is the bedroom.
Hey, what are you doing in there ?
What kind of name is that, Sibel ?
She's Turkish.
And she was flirting with you ?
Yes ?
- Yes.
- She flirts with everybody.
It seemed to be a little
more than that.
We fucked, if that's your question.
- Last night ?
- No.
She was with her girlfriend
last night. Didn't you see ?
But isn't this word a bit improper ?
What word ?
Fucked.
Sure. I use it to shock.
Why ? I mean, why me ?
Well, didn't it shock you ?
Yes, a bit.
Coming.
- Hey.
- Hi.
- How are you ?
- Fine.
Can I help ?
Thanks.
Oh, it's...
Taken by me.
It wasn't easy, she wouldn't sit still.
Thank you.
Come, come in, if you want.
What's up with the lighting ?
- Yeah, I know. It's not my house.
- Oh ?
It belongs to a friend
who lives in Belgium now,
but she let me stay here
until she sells it.
- What does she do in Belgium ?
- She got married.
- Really ?
- Yes.
You lost a friend.
Yeah, we came to Bucharest together.
You've known each other
for a long while ?
Yeah, since high school.
Actually, since middle school,
but we were in separate classes.
Shall I bring you anything ? Tea ?
Coffee ?
- Coffee.
- Yeah ? OK.
You don't smoke, right ?
No, but feel free to, if you want.
Oh, I also brought some wine.
But you still want the coffee,
right ?
- Yes.
- OK.
We'll have the coffee first.
- What are you looking for ?
- Coffee.
- I think it's...
- Oh, there it is.
- Ashtray ?
- There.
- The blue one.
- This one ?
Very cool.
- What ?
- The house. For parties.
Oh, yes.
There used to be a lot of them.
And you didn't join them ?
Not much, they weren't really my type.
Why ?
They used to listen to this weird
music, like techno, minimal,
and I'm not a fan.
Also, it was full of weirdos.
- They used drugs ?
- C'mon, I'm not that old-fashioned.
But it really wasn't my type.
Too much chaos.
- Are you ok ?
- Yes.
- There.
- Thanks.
There you go.
- Thanks.
- You're welcome.
Can you hand me that napkin, please ?
I'll give you another one. There.
What a beautiful dress.
Are you surprised ?
- What do you mean ?
- The lesbians only wear black jeans ?
I don't know what they wear.
Lesbians.
Yes, the lesbians.
Why are you so aggressive ?
Shall we go in the other room ?
- Do you want some chocolate ?
- Yes.
Two or three years ago,
on Christmas or after,
I picked up a girl in a bar
and we wanted to go to her place.
We took a cab
and I don't know, I was a bit tipsy,
so I jumped at her and we made out.
That's when the driver
started with the dirty jokes.
Like can't he come over and watch ?
The chick stiffened, but I got
pissed off and I got in his face.
Until he punched me twice
and kicked us out of the car.
- Seriously ?
- Yes.
We had to walk home,
with snow pressed to the eye, in tears.
Fun.
I'm sorry.
Don't be.
Nothing happened to me.
I don't understand.
It's not my story.
It happened to a girl.
It's not a lie, I mean,
that girl really walked around
with bruised eyes for two weeks or so.
I felt as if it had happened to me.
But you were never...
I got my share of curses,
but I've got a big mouth, I would have
probably got them even being straight.
Sorry.
What a bore.
Do you want me to look
for another movie ?
- Want some more wine ?
- No.
Shall I show you my work ?
- What ?
- Something really nice.
- What are we watching ?
- You will see.
- I can't hear anything.
- It has no sound.
Why ?
I'd rather edit it this way,
so I wouldn't fool myself.
What do you mean ?
I try to focus only
on what you can see.
- Is it for school ?
- Yeah, it's my annual exam.
And that's how it's all going to be ?
With them doing stuff ?
It's about their life together.
What else would you want ?
I don't know, I was just asking.
You wouldn't watch it, would you ?
Yes, I would.
I like documentaries.
And the documentary
is only about them ?
Yes, two friends.
And they're a couple ?
What does it look like ?
One is Denise,
and the other is Mdlina.
What does she do there ?
I don't know, something work related.
- And the other one ?
- Mdlina ?
What does she do for a living ?
She's at a foundation, I don't know,
projects and stuff. Bureaucracy.
- How long have they been together ?
- A year or so.
But they have been living together
for less.
I think Mdlina moved in in August.
And you filmed everything they do ?
No. I asked each of them to tell me
what she considers
to be defining for their life together.
They did that separately.
They made some lists and I picked what
they had in common.
- And what was on the list ?
- You'll see.
But is it fair for them to decide
what you will shoot ?
I have no idea. What does fair mean ?
What if you want to see
something else ?
I mean, to shoot something else.
Like what ?
Who can know better than them
what they're about ?
- I don't know. Something you notice.
- Yeah, I don't know.
I'd like to see how they fuck.
But it wasn't on the list, so...
I'll go brush my teeth.
Shall I give you something to wear ?
- There's no need. I sleep naked.
- Oh, OK.
I was kidding. Give me something.
There you go.
Men's.
Yes. It's my brother's.
Of course.
A socket ?
Yes, here by the lamp. There.
Here ? OK.
- What side do you prefer ?
- Any side.
You still haven't told me.
What do you want me to tell you ?
Everything.
I don't know.
What shall I start with ?
How did you break up ?
One day she told me she thinks
this isn't working anymore
and that this is it.
That's all ?
- And what did you say ?
- Nothing, what was there to say ?
We carried on partying, we went
to her place, we fucked, end of story.
You haven't asked her why ?
No, it wasn't that kind
of a relationship.
What kind ?
The one where you ask why,
where it matters.
Wouldn't you have wanted more of that ?
Yes, I liked it.
I'm sorry.
Relax.
She wasn't my soulmate.
What about you ? How did it happen ?
On Facebook.
I asked her what we would watch,
because we had decided
that I would come over for a movie,
and she said she doesn't think
we'll see each other anymore.
And you asked her why.
Of course, more than once,
but she didn't say much.
It's so important ?
Yes...
This is the first time
somebody breaks up with me.
With boys, you're the one
doing the break up.
Yes, of course.
Time to sleep.
- Morning.
- Morning.
No sugar, right ?
- There you go.
- Thanks.
Want some yoghurt ?
I don't eat in the morning.
How did you get into directing school ?
I'm not sure.
I tried applying for Arts school first,
because I've been into
photography since I was little.
How little ?
Very little. I forgot. I used
to play with my father's camera,
and he ended up buying me one.
Do you still have the photos
from back then ?
- But you can imagine they suck.
- What ?
Do you have a lighter ? Or something ?
Yes.
And do you like it in school ?
Kind of depressing.
The most modernistic thing about my
teachers is that they made color films.
And what will you do when you finish ?
I don't know.
Documentaries for a while,
as long as my father gives me
cash to burn, and later on, no idea.
- Wedding photographer.
- Seriously ?
Seriously. What's wrong with that ?
- You're better than that.
- Yeah. Thanks.
Want some more coffee ?
Do your parents know about you ?
Since I moved out.
Who did you move with ?
A girl, naturally.
And what did they say ?
With my mom, it went pretty well.
She freaked out at first,
and then she was like:
"you'll get over it, dear".
With my father,
it was a bit more complicated.
In four years,
he warned me that three times
that we need to talk,
but nothing happened.
Your parents are super cool.
I could never tell mine such a thing.
Why ?
What can they do to you ?
Nothing. It cannot be.
You're exaggerating.
No, because
there are no lesbians in our town.
You didn't even tell them you had sex,
right ?
- No way.
- No way.
I shot something especially for you.
Really ?
Let's see.
I slept at the girls' place the other
night and I shot this in the morning.
When do you plan on sleeping at home ?
You're right, love.
Do you know I thought about you today ?
More than once.
- Really ?
- Yes. I enjoyed visiting you.
You scared me.
- You're scaring the neighbors.
- What's up with that ?
Stay still. Far away
from the socket, please.
Look at me.
- Here you go.
- What ?
Oh, you want me to help you with...
I thought you wanted to... OK.
Here you go.
What is this ?
- Sorry.
- Sorry.
Let's see.
And all these girls are together or...
Yes. They form a group.
- Oh, OK.
- A compact one.
It's so cool you found some red heads.
I didn't find them, it's how they were.
What's that ?
She has some back problems,
and she massages her every night.
What problems ?
I can't remember. She told me,
but it's a complicated name.
If you feel embarrassed,
you can stay in the hallway.
Still making fun of me ?
- Can you bring me a glass of wine ?
- Yes.
Tell me three things about you and Ana.
Three situations that define you,
just like in the documentary
I don't know, really, because
we didn't get to define ourselves.
OK. Then tell me three things
that define her.
I like...
the way she made me feel
after I loosened up.
- Well, before as well.
- No, not like that.
Things that you can see.
Like in the documentary. Images.
I like the fact that she's very
sure of herself, very calm.
- You're cheating again.
- What ?
What is there to see ?
Uhm, the way she eats. The way she
holds the cutlery, the way she chews.
Very calmly.
- What ?
- Nothing.
Don't you notice the way
a person holds the cutlery ?
The way they cut the meat ? It says
something about them, doesn't it ?
I agree. OK. Something else.
I don't know.
C'mon, you almost had
a relationship, right ?
Ha-ha.
The corporate pencil skirts.
Straight lines.
- Yes. Yes.
- Your turn now.
- Why ?
- What, am I the only one playing ?
Mine are all with fucking.
Really.
Beyond the bed,
I had no interest in her.
She seemed unhappy to me.
You think ?
Yes.
Or I don't know, wimpy. Even when...
When she picked me up,
we were at the seaside, on the beach,
we were surrounded by drunk people,
and she didn't dare to kiss me
until we got to her room.
Because she was a wimp.
I liked her. She was cool.
But she was a wimp.
Otherwise, what can I say ?
She had such a way of cutting the meat.
What would you do if she tried
to get in touch with you ?
Why would she do that ?
I don't know, just like that:
"Hi, won't you come over ?"
I would go, of course.
What happens at her place,
I'm perfectly fine with.
Aren't you ?
I don't know.
I really don't know.
I mean, I need confidence in order
to be able to enjoy something.
What confidence ?
Confidence that I won't be fooled,
that we have something going on.
I don't know.
OK, I can do without confidence, but...
Do you want to get in the bathtub
with me ?
Never mind.
I'll fetch you a towel and a T-shirt.
- Morning.
- Morning.
- What is this ? You got a package ?
- Yes.
- From home ?
- Where else ?
How sweet.
Yes.
Whatever.
Uh, schnitzels.
Did you wake me up to say
you're leaving ?
- Sorry.
- No problem.
Do you want coffee ?
No.
- This food package thing is so nice.
- You think ?
Yeah, it's like a present, right ?
I guess, although
I feel it's a sign of poverty.
Why ?
You know, it's nice that mom packs food
for you, she sends you some zakuska.
But it's a sign of poverty.
I mean, my parents aren't that...
They aren't that penniless
and they also send me money,
but they still add some meatballs
to that.
- Meatballs that traveled by train.
- Wait a second. Photo. Meatballs.
Great.
Very nice.
I guess it's the feeding obsession,
you know ?
It is what it is.
I'm sleepy.
- I would love to get food packages.
- You would ?
Yes, like once a month.
I don't like cooking anyway.
When I go home, to my grandparents,
I always sit at the table
and eat borscht and second course,
and once I finish and I'm full,
I hear my grandpa yelling:
Vioric,
bring this girl some food.
- Vioric ?
- Yes.
And poor grandma brings me...
Yes.
I ate... meat jelly.
You know meat jelly ? No ?
What is that ?
Something with meat.
Do you want me to make the coffee ?
Yes, sure, excuse me.
Meat with some sort of stock.
Frozen. It's very good.
- I'm leaving.
- Already ?
Bye.
- Sorry for...
- For ?
It wouldn't have killed me to get
in the bathtub with you, but...
It wouldn't have.
Bye.
Where were you ?
In Lyon, at a friend's birthday.
How was it ?
Cool.
I missed you.
I got used to talk to you everyday.
Great.
You think ?
Yes.
Me too.
But I didn't know if I should tell you.
What are you doing today ?
No idea, I'll unpack,
I'll do some laundry.
Did you bring me anything ?
Like what ?
I don't know, something really small.
A fridge magnet.
I didn't bring you anything,
I was upset, remember ?
Or maybe I did...
What ?
You will see.
When ?
When we meet.
When's that ?
Tomorrow ? We'll talk ? We'll see ?
OK ? Good.
I have to go now.
Oh, OK.
- Bye.
- Bye.
What ?
Here ?
You must have done something.
Let's see.
Come on, it's pretty cold.
You're keeping this light on
all night ?
I like it so.
You want me to turn it off ?
It sucks.
Done.
Morning.
What's wrong ?
Nothing.
You're tense.
It's just early.
No, you're tense.
It has nothing to do with...
With ?
With you.
You always have that phone
in your hand.
I always have something to do with it.
- What ?
- Facebook, Instagram, Tinder.
Do you think it's easy to be
in so many places at once ?
- Do you like hooking up on Tinder ?
- If I like it ?
- I don't know, it's fun.
- Fun how ?
Fun. You make an avatar, you chat.
It's kind of like a game.
And everybody is like that ?
Go on it and see.
I don't want to.
Why ?
What if I come upon a neighbor ?
So what if you come upon a neighbor ?
Well, I have no cool neighbors.
I don't know, it's weird.
Oh, will they think you want to fuck ?
But have you...
- Yes, I have... A few times.
- And ?
- And ?
- How was it ?
One time was very cool,
but the other times
were as bad as you can imagine.
Do you talk to many people ?
Yes, quite a few.
With most of them I'm like:
Hey, do you wanna...
With the others I chat.
- Can I ask you something ?
- Yes.
Did you ever have a thing with a boy ?
- Yes, I did.
- And ?
And total fail.
Why ?
Why ?
I think I haven't found my better half.
OK. You're mocking me. I got it.
Of course I am.
What kind of question is that ? "Why ?"
Why do you think ?
What ?
- What's wrong with you ?
- Nothing.
- Wait, wait. Hey, hey.
- Hey, hey what ?
There, there.
- Hold this thread in your mouth.
- Why ?
I forgot how the superstition goes,
but if I sew something on you,
you must hold a thread in your mouth.
So I wouldn't sew your soul
or something.
- Oh my.
- Really.
- Who teaches you such things ?
- Mother.
No, don't make me spoil it.
- But I am allowed to talk, right ?
- Yes.
Look at this.
Wait.
What is this ?
- Does it hurt ?
- A little.
Sorry.
What else do you want me to do ?
I have a pretty long list.
What are you doing tomorrow night ?
I have a meeting at 6,
after that, nothing.
- Great, we can visit the girls.
- What girls ?
Md and Denise,
the girls in the documentary.
Oh. Why ?
I don't know why.
We can have wine, play something.
Didn't you want to meet them ?
Sure, but...
I thought it was going
to be just the two of us.
I thought you would like to go.
I don't think I'm ready for it.
Ready how ?
What do you think they'll do to you ?
Nothing, of course. But...
But what ?
They will ask questions, they will
want explanations. I'm not in the mood.
If you don't want to answer,
you don't answer.
I don't want anybody poking
into my life.
Dude, you're nuts.
I'm sorry.
Try to have a little patience.
Yeah.
OK.
No, wait.
You're making me feel really bad.
OK, you came over.
You could have told me on the internet.
Screw the internet.
OK.
What were you doing ?
I was working.
At ?
I have two articles to finish
for tomorrow.
What articles ?
"Ten foods that have vitamin C" and
"The perfect sandals for this summer".
And which are the perfect sandals
for this summer ?
Seriously ?
Come on, it's not a difficult question.
OK. I'm sorry I upset you.
It's OK. We fight, we make up.
That's the way it is.
- Please, have a little patience.
- But I have patience.
- OK, then let's leave it at that.
- At that how ?
- Like that, like it is, I don't know.
- How ? How is it ?
- You're hurrying into this.
- I'm not hurrying into anything.
It's not like I'm taking you
to the altar, for fuck's sake.
OK. So what do you want then ?
You want me to take you to the movies,
to make out in front of children,
to what ?
But what do you want ?
To fuck here, in this room ? Tell me.
This is what you want ?
To fuck ? Tell me.
- Tell me. Is this it ?
- Stop it.
You want to fuck in here ?
What's that for ?
Let's make a list of
what we are allowed to do
and what we aren't allowed to do.
So: we don't make out
in front of children.
- We don't hold hands in the street...
- Stop it.
- ... when we go to the movies.
- Stop it.
Write. Write it down. I want to know.
I want to know where we stand.
I don't know what to write.
- I'm sorry. I really don't know.
- Try.
Come on, make an effort. Please.
- Stop it.
- Please.
- Stop it.
- Please.
Stop it. Please. I beg of you.
This is shit.
Come here.
Sorry.
Wait.
OK. I want you to understand
that even if you were a guy,
- ... it would be exactly the same.
- No.
- Really.
- Anything but this.
Really.
I don't know, I'm a wimp.
I don't know what reasons to give you.
This is all I know myself.
Stop pushing. Let's see how it goes,
if it goes. But stop.
You put pointless pressure
and it's not OK.
What the fuck
am I asking of you, dude ?
I'm just asking you to tell me
where we stand. Crap.
Say it: I want to fuck. That's it.
- I don't know, I'm a wimp, I'm...
- Yes, you're a wimp.
OK then, so I asked you...
- I don't know.
- What ?
What ?
- Have a little patience.
- Oh I have patience.
And we'll settle this later.
You want it now, now, now.
Yes. So you want to fuck.
That's all.
It's OK. It's alright.
It's fine by me, really.
Come on.
Stop it.
- Stop it.
- C'mon.
Stop it.
Stop.
If I leave, I'm not coming back.
Wait.
OK, let's...