The Sign Painter (Piļsāta pī upis)

Latvia entered World War II with it's own dictator

whose signiature color was green.

They were then occupied by The Soviet Union.

Later, by Nazi Germany.

Green was replaced by red. Then by black.

Ansis!

You're back, then?

May I steer?

Your father has been waiting for you.

THE SIGN PAINTER

I'm happy to be back home, Dad.

Who'll sweep that rut?

Alexandra Kollontai - Free Love

Don't drop the brush.

It's scorching.

I'll go to the river and take a dip.

Let's finish the work.

That work will never be finished.

Don't you meddle with Jews. They killed Jesus.

Did Father let you come?

While he's alive he won't let us be wed.

- Did he say so? - Yes.

He also said Jews bake the blood of Christian children in matzah.

He's so much in the dark!

Seems that you're too immature for things like that.

Tomorrow? By the river?

Will Father let you go?

I'm not some milksop.

He cannot hold me in a leash.

A milksop.

If Zisele wants to convert to our faith,

the Church cannot object.

Her father won't allow it.

Yeah. That's who they are, the Jews.

Would your father allow you to abandon your faith?

Christ was also a Jew.

Zisele is the daughter of a rich shopkeeper.

You'd better forget about her.

Little ones from the orphanage!

- Bonbons for you. - Thank you, Father.

Joske, Roza, come here!

- Let's go. - You're hurting me!

Well?

Do you want to turn to our faith?

Yes.

Do you want me to baptize you?

Yes.

You're good kids.

- Here's some bonbons, go on. - Thank you!

What should we do now?

Nothing for now. Let them learn our faith

and we'll see about it later, when they are older.

Long ago

you promised to repaint Christ for me.

I have a lot of work.

It's all right.

Go to work and remember what Leader of the Nation says:

green colour rules now!

Mayor

Come on, come on.

Easy, don't smash it! Who'll pay then?

Maybe God has sent him to us.

Put it here.

And all the signs should be in Latvian, like in Riga.

The White Swan

Where's the Master?

A stitch in his chest again.

Mayor appointed me the new Captain

since I'm a member of the Defenders Organization.

The old one was too 'Red'.

Should we paint it green now?

Have you ever seen a green swan?

An ugly duckling instead of a swan?

You must spoil before you spin.

No spin, just spoil.

Making fun of the new order?

Go back to Bernstein's shop and sweep the street!

The White Swan

Look! His willy is snipped!

She's still a child.

She doesn't understand.

Doesn't it hurt?

It doesn't when you're a baby.

A Rabbi does it in the synagogue.

My Dad can do it too. With a special knife.

I wouldn't like that.

Hello.

Hello.

Well? Dad sent you to buy paint?

Yes. He needs green.

Green?

Much more.

Tsilya! Shut the door to Zisele's room.

Me and Ansis, we have... business.

Will this be enough?

Also, some oils for painting, please. At my expense.

For painting? Painting...

It's a fine craft.

One must learn a lot.

Well, you know how to draw.

I don't want to be a sign-painter all my life.

I want to get ahead.

That's good, son.

I won't take any money from you for these oils.

Just promise me...

you won't pin your hopes on my Zisele.

She has a fiancé in Prague.

Shame on you!

Selling Zisele just like a can of paint?

Get out of my shop!

Don't let me see you again! And forget about Zisele!

The Unity House

Naiga, hold on!

Pass me a brush.

Dad!

Ansis?

You have a fiancé in Prague!

My Dad has, not me.

Let Dad marry him!

He cannot force me.

- You talk like a communist. - They have good ideas.

About free love?

Here, read it!

But see that you return it to me.

If anyone sees it, tell them you've found it on the roadside.

What's this leaflet?

A skirt?

I dropped my paintbrush on it.

Your paintbrush?

Tell it to someone else!

Zisele!

Your place is in the Young Communist League

A viper! It almost bit me.

There are no snakes here.

See?

What now?

What do you mean?

Kill it.

God has given every creature the right to live.

The viper means more to you than me?

Afraid?

Penny buns!

My father likes them very much.

You can take them.

Oh my!

All of them for me?

Do I have beautiful legs?

You do.

Your paintings?

You should study at the Art Academy.

- My father has no money. - It's a pity.

Can I have this?

It's my best work.

Hans!

What are you doing on our bank?

I'm teaching German.

Will you be an Enlightener?

Like Herder, yeah.

In Germany they wouldn't let you be seen with a Jew.

Are you leaving as well?

If Hitler wants it, we have to follow the call.

He is just a Maler, like myself. A sign-painter.

He is our Hitler, Führer.

And we are Volksgenosse - one nation.

Before Hitler, you were one nation with us.

Well, happy journey!

- Naiga. - Hello!

Zisele.

Hans.

The milksop speaks German as well?

The water is wonderful. Come!

Take off your clothes.

Let's take a dip.

Zisele!

Zisele!

Zisele!

- What do you need here? - Hello.

Is Zisele here?

She's not home.

Get lost!

- Ah, here you are! - Andreas... Dad!

- Don't you... - But Dad! Go to bed!

She cannot come out. She's ill.

It's a lie! All the Jews are liars.

Just leave for your historical fatherland.

My fatherland is here!

Go to your bloody Führer!

And forget about my Zisele for good!

You won't see her ever again!

We'll see about that!

We'll see...

Are you painting for her?

I gave her one of my works.

- You haven't given any to me. - I can give you one as well.

Too late.

Is it true that Jewish girls have invented free love?

How did you know?

From the papers.

We're also advocating atheism and demanding abortion rights.

Come here.