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The Zero Years (2005)
A film by Nikos Nikolaidis
- Who are you? - Who are you? I live here. Good. I'll be living here too for a bit. Get'em up. I have to frisk you. Is this necessary? - Aren't you the new one? - I am the new one. Then get them up! - What are you hiding here? - What am I hiding? One of your tits is bigger. One of my tits happens to be bigger. How is that possible? I don't think it's the right time to discuss it. I was born that way. Yes... and I've come all the way from hell, so I'm very tired. Can I come in? As soon as I'm done. - Did you see anyone outside? - Outside? No. There are two men downstairs watching the house. To be honest. I didn't notice... maybe, but I didn't notice... Aren't you cold? - What's that? - Bag, clothes. - And that? - Suitcase, clothes. All right. Come in... Hey, listen... Go to the living room but stay away from the window. Come on, wake up... The new one's here. Did you tell her to stay away from the window? They've been broken for a while... Why don't you take off your coat? Oh yeah, right... They've been that way since the mice ate the wires... Want one of mine? - Where did you come from? - Far away... Twelve hours at sea... I'm still swaying. - How many years? - What? - How many years? - Six... In other words, I'm almost done... They told me to come here to wait for my paper. Anybody want coffee? Good morning. Isn't that what we do every morning? I was... She's trying to impress the new one. One second... - Are we sure about the cameras? - They're broken. - She knows. - Mice ate the wires. - She knows that too. - Then why is she asking? Coffee... smell it. - It reminds me of real coffee. - It is... real. In fact it has some chicory root too. Where did you find it? I can't smell a thing. I feel sick. An ashtray. And... - What are those? - Open them. Don't put it near your nose. It could be poisoned. They may have injected poison. You know what they do? They jab the needle into the stem... - Move over. - Can't you see I'm talking? They jab the needle into the stem, infuse the poison... and you see nothing. What are you talking about? What do you think? We don't know her... She knocks on the door and says "I'm the new one"...Great! So? So! I've got all my papers with me. Big deal. I can make you as many as you want. We don't know you! And all this... Where did you get all this stuff? Well, I say we throw it all away... and you go wash your hands right now. All right... all right. Oh they've sagged... A bit. - What are you doing? - What did I do? This is the best piece. Watch... You take it and start to cut it into tiny pieces. Then you take the rest... This is boiling. Do I throw them in? Yes... Did you cut yourself? Add some salt. - Let me see. Is it deep? - I'm okay. But keep tasting them so they won't overcook. - Over what? - Nothing. Now, listen to this story, just for laughs. So, one day these cannibals caught four hunters. An Englishman! An American, a... - What were they hunting? - What? What were they hunting? For the record, it doesn't matter. The cannibals were hunting people to eat and the people... were hunting animals so they could eat too. Calm down... or you'll get an egg. Okay, why are you so touchy? Why won't you let her tell her story? If it's one of those... "dirty" stories... I don't want to hear it. - How do you know? - What do you mean? How do you know it's gonna be "dirty"? Besides you can't relate to any of this since you can't come. She's always going "oh oh" using tongues and... sounds... and... then... then... nothing. She's putting on a show. - You mean you... can't... - I once saw a 16 inch "thing". You see lots of things. Now, why did you say that? You know they're down there waiting for the right moment. You've seen them yourself. Who's down there? Nobody. For the record, I have to point out... there's no such thing... as a 16 inch thing. Right, why don't you try having an orgasm first... and then an opinion. Maybe I don't have orgasms, but I do my job better than you. Most of them want me. Maro the Whip. Throw the egg already. Not another egg. Throw the cunt an egg. Show her. Why do you enjoy doing this to me? Because you enjoy it too. Will you do me a favor? What are you doing? I'm shaking my boobs and swearing at them. At who? There's some people down there watching me. It's been ten months now since I came here. So every time they piss me off, I pull out my tits... and wiggle them, like this... - Excuse me. - Yeah... See for yourself. - With the binoculars. - Oh! With the binoculars. It's two this time, but sometimes it's three. It's two, right? You have pretty hair. Do you see them now? They're sort of moving. Changing positions, huh? They do that all the time, to confuse you. Do you see any little ones? Sometimes they have little ones along. Little... - Little... little! - Little... - Tiny. - Tiny... froggies? Children! They bring little children. Easy now! You don't believe me either. I've written everything down in my notebook. If it wasn't for me the others in here would be lost. I put myself on the line and those freaks make fun of me. Nobody's making fun of you, but there are no kiddies today. No kiddies? Nope. I know those. They're these blond little kids... with little white coats. - Little black coats. - Little black coats, yes. They wear little white coats in the summer, little black coats in the winter. And they have little blond heads. - What are you doing? - I'm pissing myself. - Don't leave me when I pee! - You're squirting me... You can't leave! Hold me, like this. What's the favor? It's that you go to the theater in my place. Only for tonight. Fine but that eye thing you do when you come. Can't do that. I don't come. I fake it. It's an act. Yeah, but sometimes... Sometimes, when I'm bored, I come. Okay, but I can't do the eye thing. Especially the part where you... What eye thing? The way you cross them a little, sort of like this. And then the lips. My fingers keep going up my nostrils. I'll screw it up. We'll practice till you get it right. And tomorrow we'll go out shopping. Really? I want to buy baby clothes. I saw some nice ones in a shop. Can I tell you a secret? Tell me a secret. I'm stealing some of the money they give us... and hide it under the sink. For my baby clothes. Something like this? That's ridiculous. Pay attention. Wait. Again... Fine but you cross only one eye. How does that work? I can't. Fill it up a bit. Yeah, fill it up a bit. What do you mean "fill it up?"? Pretend you're coming, fool, like this. Is it that hard? Fill it up. Fine, I'll fill it up. Good, now add the eyes. Right? We should try something else, huh? - It didn't work did it? - No. Cross only one eye... but both of mine go. - The lips? - What about the lips? You can't tell up from down and you want lips? Great, let's go. Oh, that's how it starts! Let's go. Now... step by step. One: Forehead. Two: Left hand goes to the mouth. Three: Fingers slowly enter the mouth, wet tongue. Gently, gently. Gently. Gently. The water is here! The water is here! - Go to the bathroom... - Bathroom... Yes and fill up the tub with water. Water... - The doorbell... - Who is it? What are you asking me for? She's right. Why don't you tell us... You're the one on the binoculars all day. I saw no one, except those two across the street. Doorbell... Come on! I'm gonna answer that. It could be the mailman... My paper. A mailman at this hour? Stall them... Binoculars... - Stop it! - No, I won't. They came to get me, didn't they? Why should I stop? Inspection, a woman in black asked for you. Listen, tell her I'm okay and with the customers too. I mean now. I have my own customers! Okay? Relax... everything's fine. Everything's fine and those people downstairs left. They were never there. Tell her that! They weren't! And, the kiddies with the white coats? Black coats. No! Yes! They're gone too. They weren't ever... they don't exist. All right. I see here that this was a bad week. What do you care? Either way you'll get your money. Things aren't that simple. This Christina, what's her problem? The records show she hasn't done a job alone in 5 months. She's teamed up with the blonde. They did it once... and clients want them together ever since. - The new one is here too. - She's not that new. Her papers say she's out in two weeks. This is yours. Is there something wrong? What could be wrong? I'll call the blonde now, right? She always does that. She either throws them in the food or the toilet bowl. They stink. She's waiting. Go without the costume; she doesn't have much time. At least the gloves. - Which slut did this? - What happened? The crazy bitch drew a mustache on my icon. What did you do to my icon, you freak? What are you talking about? You're gonna lick it clean before I back, you dirty bitch. Excuse me. What? No, please I won't do it again. Please, not an egg. She did it herself, to frame me. Say something! Please. - Your turn. - Why me? Because when I'm away, you'll do it. Yeah, I'm leaving in a few days. Fine, you're leaving but until your paper comes... She's right, let's see your paper come first... Give me the egg. I think she likes it. Right, it's disgusting. Do the nipples. The nipples! And the mouth! The mouth... This is fun. Customer, I'm going downstairs. It could be the mailman... for me... Might as well forget your God down here. God is me, and this. Got it, pig? I'm gonna put you in my infected juices. All that will be left will be your crust... and the ashes from your bones. You like it, worm? What's this? Empty cocoons are all you produce. You dress them in little white coats and little black coats. You won't make it out of here alive. Suck on this now. You'll become a cocoon of dust again. Come on, don't play dead. You're alive! Wake up you pig! Easy now! Easy. What have you done, you nut? You slaughtered the man. It's our job and we do it well. Let go! He shit on himself... He stinks. Drag him out. Leave him on the sidewalk. Take all his money... - How much? - All of it. All of it... What if he goes to the police? Not a chance. He'll be back next week begging us. - Throw him out. - Yeah... - It's just that I can't do it. - Why? Because it seems to me that this man is dead. - What did you just do? - I changed the color. Now me? Press the button. - Time's up. - Time's up... What? - Pick up four cards. - Why? - Because you're slow. - You lose your turn too. Don't forget the button. Another blackout. My turn. - I change it to red. Take four. - Why should I... take four? Because I threw a joker. You lose your turn too. One... two... three... four... I have a question. The one with the most cards wins, right? No, the one with the least. Whoever is left with no cards wins. And what does the winner win? A week off from doing house chores. My turn, right? I won't be pressing the button because... Six red, six yellow... eight yellow, seven yellow, four yellow... four blue... Blue six, Blue seven, seven green, eight green, five green, two green... Change it to red, red seven and the joker. I'm done, I win... Take four. - Nice! - Yes! - That wasn't fair. - Why not? Because she tricked us by pretending not to know the game - She's a hustler. - That's called a bluff. Wake up! What! - My water broke. - Where? Inside me! - The water inside you broke. - The water broke damn it. The water broke? What do you want me to do? What are we supposed to do? It's the third time this month her water broke. My water broke! Hurry, I'm gonna lose it! - Where to? - The couch. Stop jerking off and boil some water. This way! Stick something in her mouth or she'll bite her tongue. - Like what? - There's a spoon on the table! Keep her mouth open! Get a spoon! - I'm gonna lose it! - No, you won't. What's she gonna lose? What the fuck are you doing? Can't you see she's in labor? In labor... absolutely... Don't bite or I'm gonna... Boil some water and bring towels and sheets. - Put some music on. - Put some music on... - She needs music. - She needs music to deliver? Turn it on, damn it! It's coming, it's coming. - What kind of music is that? - The kind I found... Bring sheets and scissors. Where are the scissors? Forget it. Fill the basin first. Why did you take your clothes off? Because she's going to spew blood. She squirts blood too... Tear them into strips and come here. The Lord is punishing me for my sins. Get the sheet under her. I'm losing it again! Honey, calm down... Get some towels. Hurry. Wait. Take it! - Is it on its way? - Come on, focus. Come on! Tighten up! Come on, push! Push! Deep breath! In and out! Hey, let her do... her thing! Push, push hard! Hard, hard like this! Come hold her! Relax! Relax. Come on, settle down. It's over. I want to see it. I want to see it. I want to see it. What? What? It's gone. It's gone... How? We lost it again. What was it? What was it? It was a girl. A boy. Yes... a boy. It just looked a little strange down there... It was a boy. A boy... If you look closely you'll notice them... coming out of the gutter. See that pothole? That's their means of access. See for yourself. Do you see the pothole? I see the pothole but they're hiding somewhere. I can't see... They're not here yet. I'm sterile... All of us have been sterilized. Have you? What do you think? I'm in here too. Right. So, the kiddies come out of the gutter... Are they here? Not yet, I'm just asking, from where? Come help! - Where to? - The couch! - Easy! - Wait! Wait. Now. Stay with her. I'll be right back. Easy now! Easy! Easy... So, you didn't make it... Tight! Here! You promised to take me shopping later! Let me finish my smoke first, okay? Where are you going? To bring a sponge for the blood. Don't we always? Stop paying so much attention to them. The more you do, the more they influence your life. Our life. And in the end, you're wasting it on them. So instead of them stalking you they got you stalking them. That's the trap. I don't think they care about us. No one does. Look at the cameras... We told them they broke three years ago... and nobody came to fix them. They no longer care. Got us where they wanted. They tore out our wombs and implanted fear. Now we are of no interest to them. A loss of time, you see... Mice in the walls, slowly nibbling everything away. And black roaches under our pillows. Empty cocoons inflated with polluted air. That's all we are. Dirty water... Lashing, fucking... Injections. Nausea... The children are here again. Get her up! Help, help me. - Don't move. - But she's... The children are here again. See what you did? They're mad that you got in the way. - What happened? - They left. Wait. They're still here. How can you tell? Do you see them? Their smell is still here. They stink like that? But you don't see them... Huh? Now they left. They're gone. Yes, but they always come back. I can't take any more. We have to get rid of her... - She heard you... - Hear that? They want me out. Once upon a time, in a tiny town, in a mill near the river, lived a miller. He had a son, who worked in the town bakery and... baked warm and tiny bread bits. Bite size. Crunchy, smothered with sesame seeds... - And walnuts. - And anise! Very crunchy... - Where's the princess? - What are you talking about? Over the mill, on the top of the hill, was... the palace. Look what I got. That's not for a boy. It's pink. It's for a girl. You're just jealous. Not at all, but boys wear blue. Girls wear pink. - Right? - Right, like the kiddies. Wearing little black coats in winter, white in summer. Are you gonna help me or not? I have to practice changing his diapers. Look, you wore her out shopping. Okay now? - What's all this? - My baby clothes. No smoking now. What's this? I bought it to rehearse my diaper changing. - It's missing a foot. - That's why I paid half price. Nice. So, we have diapers and undershirts. But first we need the plastic panties! Right? Look! I got this for when I breastfeed. Great! Let's start. First we place it on its back. I want a cigarette. So, let's say we washed it now. "We washed it now"... Now we fold them on. Safety pins, right? We have to pin them on. - Now I want a cigarette. - Pins. - You don't smoke. - I'll start now. Look what the idiot is doing. Hold on. Forget the pins and find her shirt. His shirt!! His! It's a boy! - Yes, but this is a girl. - This is all I found!! It's gonna catch a cold. The baby boy. The shirt... I found it. Good. First we find the neck and open it using both hands. - The baby's? - The shirt's. Watch. The head goes through first. Then one little hand, through the sleeve. Then the other little hand. So my baby won't catch a cold. So he won't catch a cold. - Now find the thick diaper. - The what? Thick, thick... - This? - Good. - Not near the baby! - Sorry... Pin? Baby is... ready. You'll break his neck that way. Hold it here, so it won't go back. Like this? Later... when you're breast- feeding, hold him like that... and pat his back so he can burp. When I'm breastfeeding... Pat pat... on his back. Pat pat on his back so he can burp. You don't have to say it. Just do it. Without saying... pat pat. Where did you learn all this? They got us where they wanted. Mice in the walls slowly nibbling everything away. I hear them chewing at night. Black roaches under our pillows. She has a razor but she'll never do it. She's afraid, you see. I'm not afraid of them. I'm here as a shield... so they won't harm any of you. That's why they send the children after me. In our... In our minds, we pretend to be something we will never be. I wanted a baby, even a disabled one. But I take too much medication, so it won't be... It won't be, you know... normal. Customer... I think it's your turn to go. Take me with you, okay? Hold still, punk! What are you doing here? I told you to stay at the window. - They're not here yet. - But when they come... - You. - Me... - Yes you! - Yeah... I'm leaving in a few days. I don't need a shot. I'm out of here... My instructions say otherwise. Go. Told you to stay at the window. Move! Are you finished? Let's go to the sea. Now. - I found you. - We're going to the sea. Where? Take our hands. - Where? - You'll see. Close your eyes. Come on, close them. We're still here. We're almost there. Come along. Alright. I'll come along. Since we're almost there... Piti-piti-piti-piti. Mommy has food for you. Why don't you drink your water? A man is made of 75% water and you aren't drinking. Do you realize I don't drink my water so you can? Come close so I can feed you. This is a hygiene problem. You're my boyfriend now, so you must... wash your face a bit. You stink. Piti-piti-piti. Your girl brought you nice food. You must eat it all, become strong... and make me a baby. Come closer now. Don't dare yell. No one can hear you down here. Piti-piti-piti. It's got veggies and vitamins. Piti-piti-piti. Good boy. Your mouth is numb. It's falling out. Now you're gonna ask me who I am. And why I wear a mask. Well, if you escape and go to the police... You won't know who I am. - Why always me? - What have we said? No tits. No nudity. - And what "popped" out? - My tit. - Why did you let it? - I was turned on. I'm turned on now and disgusted too. And what does that mean for us? No work, but you'll see. It won't happen again. - The water's coming! - So what? The water's here. Oh no, egg! They make you do things you don't want to. Horrible things... like killing. Falling on moving cars, or banging your head on the wall. As a child I was always dizzy and had headaches. But I got away. And because... they can't control me, they stalk me. But I stand as an obstacle and won't let them hurt any of you. That's why they send the... - And... the kiddies? - The kiddies? Yeah, they smell... Why do they smell? Somebody in here pulled a fast one and I smell trouble. - Such as? - A customer is lost. - What do you mean lost? - He came here, then disappeared. Get the other one and come to the office. I don't understand. Nothing like this has ever happened before. We just throw them out, half dead from the beating. And the fucking. Alright, that too... - In the end everyone goes home. - And comes back. Which one of you had this client? I know him. We both did. When? You're hallucinating. You don't know him. Remember I saw him from the window and told you I know... That he's coming here and we both went. A young guy like this one. Not like him, this is him. Don't you remember? How am I supposed to remember? Most of them wear a mask before entering the basement. They all have a black face. Before the formal interrogation starts, I have to ask you a few questions. And it's best that you provide useful answers... otherwise I won't cover for you. I wouldn't want to be mixed up in this. Right? What are we talking about? We dump them outside like rags, but no one was ever lost. - Did you over-beat him? - The usual. - So you do know him. - What do I know? You just said the usual, so you know who I'm talking about. Look, don't play smart with me! - Relax! - Egg! Let's not confuse our personal interaction with our work okay? So now you'll all go out and come back in for a chat. First one by one, then in pairs till we get somewhere, alright? What do you mean one by one? What she's trying to say is, first I come in alone. Then, me and you "a pair". Then she and me. I'm done... Then you come in alone. Then you and me "a pair"... then you and her... then you and that one, you're done too! Enough, we got it. Yeah, I was trying to explain. In a way... As for you. I'm sorry but you can't leave... until we shed some light on this. Even if your paper comes, please don't use it... till I say so, okay? This has nothing to do with me! I'm only staying here till... Till I say. Don't let her go to the bath- room or she'll do it again. You can start with me. You asked how I know about changing diapers. Truth is... I was at, I was put in... the program. They gave me some shots, big ones. In two months, I started to swell, and I had a baby girl. They let me keep her. But I couldn't breastfeed her, because I might have been infected by the shot. A year later they injected another baby inside me. I gave birth... but didn't get to keep it. There had been an accident. Its nails were coming out of its knuckles. No fingers. And its foot... something was wrong there too. Its toes were like... stuck by membranes. Like a frog's... They took it away immediately. A girl... it was... So, when I leave, I'll go to that sea, the one you all go to. And I'll send you a photo. Hey, let's do something else too. In 3 years from today, we'll meet there. What was that? - What are you doing in here? - I hurt my foot. Yeah... I see that... but what are you doing in here? The stool tipped over. I took the laundry with me too. Fuck! I think I broke it. Piti-piti-iti. Your girl is here. There you are. How did you know? She told you? I knew it was you. Shut up! How did you find him? I didn't. He found me... with his stench. I was here with a client this morning. The place reeked. I followed the stench. - Get rid of him! - He'll go tell! - Then... kill him. - And how will I have a... You won't. None of us will. - What do we do with the body? - Bury it in here somewhere. Maybe you prefer to cook and eat him too? - Where will you go? - Out... Things are bad out there. Diseases... constant surveillance... At least you have food here, some food. Clean water and... us. You earn some money too. Yeah... it's nice. It's just been so long. There's nothing outside. And now that we've become friends, we can chat. He's the bad one you know. All I know is I'm here to give beatings. Not to get them. I really hate this one. And I'm very good at it, I must add. So, if "Mr. Bad" tries to hit me again... you'll be collecting his pieces. See what I mean? Not to mention I think he's been to our basement too. Through time, I've learned to see the faces behind masks. My dear, things are really serious. Clients can't just disappear like that. Fine, I understand, we beat them badly. And they come back. They come back because we beat them nice and proper. We are very pleased with you, but they can't just disappear. I don't know what you're talking about. Wonderful, let's take it from the top. Which girls served him? Two of them confessed. Maro the... the Whip. And the girl with the binoculars. They didn't confess. They've done nothing to confess about. Perhaps you've noticed a change in their behavior? Any secrets? - Nervousness, hot flashes? - Any secret eye-glancing? Something like that. We could also give them two days off. - Good idea! - Why don't you ask them? We're through. Oh and... Tell the other girl to come in. Which of the three? - That Maro the... - The Whip... That one. Tell her to bring the whip. Right? - They hit you. - It's nothing. - You told them. - What? No, you didn't. They're waiting. Come on, hit me for a warm up. Come on. Hit me! Don't stop. Two more. Don't stop. - What's going on? - What? Oh nothing. I was jogging down the hall, releasing tension. In the bath... Yeah! I turned on the faucet to gather... the water... - Good... - Yeah! That's all we needed. Hey... So what, I'll go... I'll go... I'll have to go alone at some point. Take care. In 3 years, at the beach every Friday, right? Till we all meet again. Be careful out there, okay? Don't look into their eyes. - What are you doing? - Rehearsing. I'm rehearsing. - For what? - For the day you... leave too. Try to keep cover... In the beginning. Who's going to the theater today? Don't look at me. I have to feed him. I can feed him too. Mind your own business. "I can feed him too". Is your shitty mind thinking you can take him from me? Right... Like I'd want a corpse. I'll go tonight, so what? I can't let her go. - But I have to feed him. - Feed him before you go. I can't. He's trained to eat on schedule, like babies. And to shit on schedule, like babies. I can't change the schedule. All right. I'll go and... no tits. Great! And I'll go downstairs. It's his time. Now? Now... What are you doing there? Going to the sea without me? Not fair. No... - Doorbell. - I know. - Who could it be at this hour? - How should I know? - Doorbell. - I heard. - What do we do now? - We sleep. It could be the police. It's ringing in code. It's in code! They're coming up. It's only one of them. The footsteps... Easy! I need help. They're everywhere. I'm back because... I looked around for old friends out there but there are none. They're scattered, lost or in hiding. So I didn't get very far. - The children? - With the little white coats. White? In winter? You haven't heard the worst yet. I'm out of cigarettes. - My water broke! - Again? Hot water, quick! Come on! What are you waiting for? Get towels, sheets, scissors. Her water broke. You spilled it! Listen... You can have him, soon as he gives me a baby. But till then, stay away. What? Nothing. I was just thinking how beautiful it is... that we're all back together again. |
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