Sweet Vernal are white flowers.
They mean ''My wounded heart closes up''.
Azaleas are yellow flowers.
They mean ''Happy to love, happy to be loved''.
Cornflowers are timid.
They mean ''l dare not express my love''.
Anemones are blue, red or yellow.
They mean ''My trust will be rewarded''.
Wild Roses can be pink.
They mean ''Happy times are fleeting''.
Broom are yellow flowers.
They mean ''You can love only once''.
Snowdrops are always white.
They mean ''After the hard times, l'll love you more''.
Red Camellias mean ''l'm the most beautiful of all''.
Forget-me-nots help us remember.
They mean ''Don't forget me''.
Fritillaries come in all colors.
They mean ''l can refuse you nothing''.
Centaury is blue and means ''l'll love you always''.
Yellow Jasmine...
Besides l'm with my friend.
Hey, come back.
Listen...
For the night?
Not the friend, just you.
Get out of here.
Get lost!
What a pain in the ass.
You were supposed to see me.
Shit, is it the 1 1th already?
No, it's not the 1 1th.
ls that what you want? Will that do?
Don't stand there. l don't want to see you! Get it?
l'm not responsible for you.
What are you looking at? What's your problem?
She's my daughter!
Go on, get out of here!
GHOST RlVER
You got everything here. Quiet place to talk...
Give me a break, Charles. l just got off work an hour ago.
There's a problem.
What's the problem?
Tell him, Charles.
l don't like causing problems. l hate bullshit.
l just want to go to bed.
Know what the problem is?
Give me a break about the money.
l haven't touched it for 5 years.
Shit, chill out.
Can we make up? Let's have a drink.
What the fuck is this! Are you nuts?
l haven't got the money!
l bust my ass all day!
Don't touch me.
Stop!
Stupid bitch!
Watch it.
Where's the money?
Stop it!
Get up.
Who's she? What the hell are you doing here?
Get lost.
Get out, Laurence!
What have you done, Laurence? He's dead.
We've got to get out of here.
Why the hell are you here, little shit?
Why the hell are you here!
Stupid shit!
Let's go. Before he comes back.
Come on.
What's wrong, sweetheart?
My keys... l have to make a call.
- Use the kitchen phone. - l'll be quick.
What's the rush?
Sandra, Sandra, please...
You won't believe it... lt's me, Sylvia.
l'm sorry to call so late.
What's wrong?
l'm in deep shit, Sandra.
Hang on a minute.
- l'll change phones. - l can't wait too long.
Get on the sidewalk.
l'm late. l'm always running late.
You could say hello.
l think l told you about her... My little sister.
l have problems. l had to get out of Nice quick.
Well...
lt'll blow over. lt's nothing.
l won't go into detail. l just couldn't stay.
l have to wait a while.
Get me some cigarettes, please.
You must think ''Always the same shit''.
Sylvia...
Listen, l...
All that's over for me now.
My husband doesn't want to know about my past.
What's going on?
Nothing. lt just happened.
And with that kid in my hair...
l don't know what to do.
lt could be worse.
Are you sure?
l can't put you up at my place.
No, don't worry.
l thought l'd go North.
l have family up there.
Or maybe the mountains. l don't know. l'll find a place.
Could you put some music on?
Piotr sent me a letter.
A while back. 2 or 3 years ago.
He asked about you.
l can't Sandra.
l've put that behind me, too.
l don't know. Maybe l'm wrong.
You can't go back.
He wondered if you'd called,
where you'd disappeared to.
He was worried about you.
He's a good guy.
l don't know. l can't explain it.
He didn't try hard to find me.
Don't be silly.
You left.
Why did you go back to Nice?
You should go see him.
Find Piotr.
He lives in the same place, l'm sure.
You'll see your kid. He's grown up now. He must be...
8 or something?
lt was so long ago.
l've forgotten everything.
l just remember a sawmill by a river bank.
l don't have an address...
My memory's...
My in-laws won't be here till tomorrow.
You can stay the night.
You need rest.
You shouldn't do that.
lt suddenly bothers you?
Think l love it here?
l said it for you.
Why did you get mixed up in my life?
Just get lost. l don't need you, you don't need me.
- Go wherever... - You really want me to go?
ls that what you want?
l'm out of here.
Stay!
lt's a bit late for that.
Why not take the train?
We need to keep a low profile.
l have no choice.
Here are the letters.
Go see Piotr. Find him.
l'm not from around here. Where are we?
The timetables change a lot.
Can l clear this off?
You have a bus over there.
The stop is that way. Go right...
- You OK? You don't seem well. - lt's nothing.
Stop, Laurence.
Stop. Do you want everyone to notice us?
Shit. l'm not mother Theresa here.
Calm down.
lf the cops pick us up, it won't be my problem.
Calm down.
Calm yourself. Look at me.
lt's my birthday.
Three presents.
l can't do it.
Can you help me, Daddy?
Can you help me?
lt's hot today.
Car broke down. We're going North. We want to take a bus.
You should have your car repaired.
We're on vacation.
Where are you going?
Near Viale.
Her parents are expecting her tonight.
Near Viale?
Somewhere around there. l don't remember exactly.
lt'll be tough finding her parents.
We're supposed to meet.
l stupidly left the address in the car.
We have to find her father.
Why am l always justifying myself?
Where's the bus?
Why that story about my father?
l don't like questions.
Who is this guy?
How many lives have you had?
Did you care when l was sent to foster homes?
How many kids have you had?
Where are we going now?
l know as little as you.
You don't have his address.
He's in a village. l don't have to tell you my life story!
You should look at the stars.
They say at birth, you can tell
if you were born under a lucky star.
You want to know something?
Don't answer so quick.
When you were born, it was a starry night. lt was beautiful.
No.
l'm making it up. lt's bullshit.
Your father and l had a quick screw.
Then l never saw him again.
With Piotr it was different. He understood me.
He was patient.
Stop it.
You just want to make me cry.
You're the worst person l know.
What are you doing here?
Nothing. l'm out of here!
Sylvia,
l'm writing this letter tonight
wondering again if l made the right decision.
l wanted to respect your silence, but l miss you too much.
We miss you terribly, except for mother.
But you know how she is.
At the sawmill, l stop sometimes
and watch for you at the end of the road.
Everyday l hope the mailman will bring news of you... an explanation.
What happened? Things were good, at least l thought so.
l remember the day you picked up Yannis
and told me you'd be a good mother.
There was a twinkle in your eyes.
l thought your dark times were behind you.
You know me, l'm not judging you.
l'm waiting for a sign.
There's no CB radio in this car. lt's my own car.
l have a cell phone if you want.
The mechanic said an axle rod went,
something like that... nothing can be done.
Call him anyway.
- Who? - Your husband.
lt's his car, right?
Yes... My husband knows all about it.
What does he do?
Excuse me?
What does your husband do?
Actually, my husband's dead.
Really...
Sorry... l am...
lt's no big deal.
l'm so sorry... that's life. l'm just babbling.
Sorry.
- What do you do? - l'm a cop.
My wife says we never go on vacation so...
l don't work anymore.
l worked for a long time selling perfume.
- Are you OK, honey? - Yes.
You're so good. You're never like this.
She's showing off for the lady.
We should keep her with us.
What are you doing?
ls it yours?
l have the same car. l was confused. l forgot where l parked.
- Get out! - lt's raining.
That guy's a cop. l'm not bothered, but his brat kept bawling.
- Get out! - l lied. l don't have a car.
Please.
Where are you going?
As far as possible.
l'll drop you off when it stops raining.
Asshole!
My bag!
l can't believe this. Shit!
Please...
Hello. Can l come with you?
Then l got married.
l married a guy named Piotr.
And then... shit!
Piotr saved my life.
He saved my life, and then...
Laurence!
Eric? What are you doing?
What time is it?
Yeah... What time are you coming?
Excuse me.
What time did l ask you to leave today?
Room 1 1 2 hasn't been done. Let's not even talk about 1 1 3.
See you soon. Bye.
What do you want?
l'm looking for my daughter.
She's disappeared. She's 1 4. Her name's Laurence.
- Have you seen her? - l haven't seen her.
Sorry.
- Thanks. - No problem.
Where did that woman go?
What woman?
l want to be the most beautiful woman in the world.
What does it take?
Good posture, nice smile, loving your children...
Nobody showed me the ropes. l need to learn.
l'll learn how to be the most beautiful woman...
Sylvia,
Sandra has no idea where you are.
l'm writing a new letter because l know
you'll contact her sooner or later.
l just want you to come home to us.
l saw the doctors at the hospital. l needed an explanation.
Don't worry, Mommy.
Sylvia,
l know how fragile you are and l imagine the worst.
l must have done something wrong.
Maybe you needed more time.
l tried to heal you too quickly.
Alright, call you later. Bye.
Hey, excuse me.
Where are you going?
Hey, l'm talking to you.
You're one of those cool babes with your green birdshit jacket.
You look like a bum.
Get out of here!
You're jumpy. Don't run away like that.
- Look how she's dressed. - You're a wild one.
Look at this one.
- Who's the bum? - Stay with us, we don't bite.
- Your friend's jumpy. - She's tense.
Nice clothes. Are they Salvation Army?
- Come back here. - Where are you going?
You OK?
Why did you do that?
l just wanted to help you.
l can handle it.
l should leave.
Whatever you want.
Sorry about the handkerchief.
Where did you get this bag?
Someone forgot it.
lt's my mother's. We lost each other.
Flowers are marvelous things.
l've forgotten all the varieties,
forgotten all l knew about them.
My grandmother's garden seems so far.
One morning, it was covered in snow.
A few inches thick on the wall.
l thought the flowers would die
and l cried.
My mom and l were going to the mountains.
Did you have an argument?
To argue, you have to know one another.
We don't know each other.
She's got problems. She doesn't remember anything.
The town is called Viale.
Near a river, l think.
That's all l know.
My husband found you in his field. You passed out.
No need for a doctor. l was a nurse.
Do you want to eat something?
Rest now.
lf you'd like to change...
- How old are you? - Six.
Did you ever play airplane?
Quick! Open your mouth.
Need to phone? Maybe the girl told your family.
l have no family.
l was very little when my parents left.
My grandmother took me in. She died when l was eight.
''The Minister of Justice hereby confirms that Mr. Joshua Ferrer
...presently incarcerated under the number...''
We're leaving. Hurry up.
l got into it by accident.
l stole one car, then another.
What do you want to do for a living?
l don't know.
ls Joshua your real name?
Yes.
Where does it come from?
Far away.
Have you been in prison?
l found your papers.
l looked through your bag.
l did my time almost to the end.
You should go see your kid.
He's grown up. He must be around eight years old now.
Blue Centaury means ''l'll love you forever''.
Yellow Jasmine means ''l want to be everything for you''.
Mommy...
l'm over the rainbow, just like in the song.
Mommy, l'm thirsty.
l'm looking for the wizard.
Want me to sing you a lullaby?
''Thanks for everything. Sylvia''
Someone may have seen her in the gas station.
She makes a scene wherever she goes.
Shit!
Hello. Police. May l see your papers please?
That's your daughter?
Dad's taking me fishing.
We're picking up my wife.
Thank you. Have a good day.
Thanks for earlier.
Thanks for what?
For the cops.
A few days ago, l hurt someone.
He may be dead.
Sorry, there's no Piotr Chimsky in Viale.
There used to be a sawmill nearby.
Maybe he's not there anymore.
l have to meet up with him.
There's no other way?
l can look in towns in the area...
Or otherwise we can check the regions nearby.
No, l don't have the strength to go on.
Are you alright?
l can't go on.
- A ticket for Nice, please. - Round trip?
No, one way, please.
Have you seen her?
Excuse me, have you seen this woman?
Have you seen her?
Do you know this woman?
Does this face look familiar?
No one's seen her.
What's the matter?
Does it happen a lot? Don't you have pills? Anything?
Breathe deeply!
Listen, l'm not a doctor. l can't take care of you.
Don't leave me alone.
We need to find your mother fast.
l can't hang around here.
You have to sleep.
Georges Clemenceau Psychiatric Hospital.
Sylvia!
Sylvia?
You don't remember me.
You were at this hospital for a while.
You'd just had a little boy...
l remember you.
How's your little boy?
He must be a big boy now. Eight years old.
Normally l'm not allowed to do this.
lt's your entire file.
lt is your life.
lt's yours now. l hope it will help you.
- Let go. - Give me back the teddy bear!
l'm going to pay for it! Let me go!
- Give it back now! - Don't touch me!
- Thief! - Let go of me!
Let go of her!
- What are you doing? - You know this guy?
He threw me out of his car like a bum.
Don't start! He helped me.
Don't mess up my life. l found Piotr's address. lt's not far.
Let's go. lt's best for everyone.
l'm not coming.
l searched for you for three days.
l was afraid l wouldn't find you. l missed you.
We'll come to a small town: St. Louis.
l'll recognize it.
After 30 lessons, l still don't have a license.
First time, my tire burst on the curb parking.
lt was dramatic.
Second time, l jumped a stop sign.
What a pretty route.
l used you.
lt's dangerous to stay with me.
l'll drop you at the station. Give you money. You'll get by.
Watch out!
Let me do it.
That was funny with the flowers. When l was a kid,
l wanted to work with flowers.
l learned about cuttings from grandma.
l read about flowers.
l really had a knack for it.
l would've been a good florist.
You never told me about your grandmother.
You lived in the country?
Yes.
With your parents?
l don't know them.
They left when l was little.
l read Piotr's letters.
l found them in your bag.
l've got to disappear.
Go see Thomas.
Congratulate him for me.
Tell him l'm thinking of him.
Tell him to take care of his sister.
Thanks.
Where does this river flow?
l can't stop thinking about my grandma lately.
We had a garden full of flowers.
You'll catch cold.
Do you have children?
l did.
We don't have to talk.
We can just stay like this.
l'm a bad mother, right?
You do the best you can.
l'm ashamed.
l want to be normal.
- Time to go. - No.
Stay with me.
A little while...
Dance with me.
- l don't know how to dance. - Me neither.
Grandma used to say a person's treasure
was in the flow of the ghost river.
l asked her what this river was,
and she replied, ''What you are now, my girl.
''Everything you'll forget when you grow up.
''But it's something you'll never stop being. ''
What did you do with the other one?
Someone else is handling it.
You're not going to Hamburg?
A little change in the agenda.
- l'll go later. - When?
Get in.
Sylvia!
ls it you?
Marie-Josée.
My daughter and l were your neighbors.
Marie-Josée...
Sylvia taught my daughter how to make a lemon pie.
l ran into your mother-in-law just a week ago.
They still have plenty of work.
She was with your...
Well...
l'll get on with my shopping.
- Good-bye. - Bye.
l know these places.
l pushed them out of my mind.
l found my memory in a medical file.
Written on just a few pages,
some names, some addresses,
images that come back to me.
l thought l'd lost my memory, but l forgot nothing.
This is the house.
This is it.
First time l came here was after my marriage to Piotr.
The second time, l was 8 1/2 months pregnant.
Sylvia?
What are you doing here?
The house burned down?
More than three years ago.
My dear, things have changed since you left.
Why did you come back?
l wanted to say hello.
Piotr moved away.
Do you want to see him?
He'll be back tomorrow.
Thanks.
Why did you go to Nice?
l don't know.
l feel like l'm moving through someone else's life.
l'll drive you to your husband. Then l'll go.
l'm taking a boat tomorrow morning. l'll drive through the night.
ls that for the baby?
Are you looking for something?
- l can't. - Go on! Go on!
Go on.
Yannis! Where are you going?
Go inside and eat.
l was just passing through...
ls that Yannis?
l saw him before with your wife.
Yes.
He's a big boy now.
l don't want to cause problems. l was just in the area...
l'm a sales rep now. l sell large-size clothing.
Ugly stuff for old people.
What's her name?
Eve.
She's pretty.
Yannis will have a little sister soon.
They're waiting. Do you want to eat with us?
Wait here.
lf you're having problems...
No, everything's fine.
l have things to do.
l came to see the Wizard of Oz.
Let's get going, please.
l'm embarrassed to ask.
You offered me some money,
l'll pay it back when l can.
l don't know when, but l will.
Thanks for everything.
What are you going to do?
l'll stay here for a while.
l'll look for a job, dye my hair.
Good-bye, Laurence.
Don't go.
Take care of yourself.
Forgive me.
l love you.
Yannis, you'll be grown up when you read this and understand
why l left you and let your father raise you.
One day, we'll be together, with your big sister,
and perhaps we'll be like a real family.
l don't know where we're headed. l have no idea.
l just hope l'll be successful.
l want to hold my head high.
And l want you children to be proud of me,
and feel no anger, only serenity.
l'm trying...
One day, l'll write to you. We'll meet again.
l'll never forget you. l love you.
Adaptation: Pamela Grant
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