My Mother's Smile

MY MOTHER'S SMILE

Get out of here!

Leave me alone! Go away!

Leave me alone!

Give me some peace! Get out of my head!

Get out of here. I'm telling you to go!

You don't belong here!

Who was that?

God. I told him to leave me alone.

If he's everywhere, I'm not free even a second.

Free?

Free to be alone. To think alone. He always knows.

"Eight kids for all Hamelin?!"

"More figures! illustrate!"

"More rats!"

May I?

Mr. Ernesto Picciafuoco?

I'm Cardinal Piumini's secretary.

He presides over the sacred committee in charge of the canonization process.

My hands are dirty.

His Eminence would like to see you.

It's a mistake. Someone else with my name.

It's you I'm looking for.

It's to do with your mother's canonization,

which is in the second hearings.

Why are you surprised?

I'm surprised.

You don't think it's surprising?

My surprise is absolute.

And justified, I should think.

My mother, a saint.

I admit I never considered it.

The process was initiated three years ago,

by your brother, Monsignor Eugenio

Picciafuoco.

Isn't he in Togo?

He coordinates and directs from there.

And here in Home, there's a very active group.

I didn't know a thing.

The process has already reached the Vatican,

hence the congregation...

Three years.

It's reached hearings regarding the assumed martyrdom of your mother

and the heroic character of her virtues.

Make my mother a saint?

This is a fact...

This isn't a joke?

I assure you it's not.

Do you feel all right?

You've just informed me of something incredible,

that's completely foreign to my life.

His Eminence will see you tomorrow at the Vatican.

A car will be sent for you.

Why?

His Eminence will probably have some questions.

As it's a process, we listen to those who see otherwise.

Tell me...

do you know Filippo Argenti?

He's a character in Dante's "inferno."

A character, but a living one.

He's employed

in the Aquino Cooperative.

I knew him. "Argenti" is a pseudonym.

So?

He's disappeared. He should have arrived on the 2:52...

What does Filippo Argenti have to do

with my mother's canonization?

I can't say any more.

I'll see you tomorrow.

You 're pale.

The Pope to politicians:

"Be moral and competent."

State of emergency in Valtellina. An avalanche.

A drowning death in Friuli.

Cars banned in 150 cities on Sunday...

My dear aunts.

Aunt Mariuccia.

Why are you here?

We're here at your wife's invitation.

And the painting?

We've brought it at your wife's request.

First period.

Clearly.

Will you eat with us?

Thank you, we already have.

We'll talk after dinner.

Why are they here?

They're keeping me company.

Tomorrow Guido and Lucia arrive.

With Erminio?

Won't you see each other at the clinic?

He says it's very important. He'll phone.

Why are they bringing their kids?

I don't know.

They're at Aunt Maria's.

No one knows why?

They should know.

What's this?

The teacher does it before eating.

What's wrong?

How's that?

You're angry?

And why's that?

Not the left hand.

You do it with the right.

Right hand.

Ghost?

Eat.

That's Mamma.

And that's me.

I don't see much resemblance.

Your mother's smile was so gentle.

Do you prefer this painting

or the work I'm doing now?

In fact, I know very little about modern art

and I really don't know what to think.

Could you put him to bed?

What's going on?

It's true, but...

What's wrong?

One has to be patient.

You already kissed me.

There's something I can't figure out.

There are six billion people?

Even more.

How can God control six billion people all at once?

You don't know. Good night.

Yes, I do.

I don't believe in God.

So when you die you wind up alone

in the cemetery and we never see each other again.

Who tells you this nonsense?

The religion teacher. She says that heaven is our life insurance.

You tell your teacher that we're through with dying,

that we're not going to get any older.

Everybody's going to choose his age and stay there forever.

And that's scientific.

We'll really not die anymore?

What age did you choose?

My own. I'm even a little bit behind.

And me?

You've got time.

Until when?

You've got to grow up. Become a man.

What's the best age to become immortal?

The age of your first love.

If you don't forget it, you'll be immortal.

And those who're dead?

Those who're dead already...

Right now, sleep, Leonardo.

I surprised Leonardo this afternoon.

You're his father, you should know.

He was talking all alone.

I never saw him like that.

I asked him who he was talking to.

"To God."

"If He's everywhere, like the teacher says, then I'm not free."

So?

What "so"?

He told me, too.

Does he need to learn religion?

He wanted to.

Until now it's gone all right.

You forget the discussions, problems...

So he should believe in the beyond

because he can't accept death?

It's better to lie?

You knew, about my mother?

Everyone knew but me.

Leonardo knows?

Answer.

You've known since when?

September, I think.

After I left.

So? What's the connection?

When we signed Leonardo for religion class.

You're paranoid.

- I've got to go. - Where?

I'm sorry.

I'll take him to school tomorrow.

He's ready at eight. Be on time.

Bloody hell... bloody hell...

Bloody hell.

Egidio, don't blaspheme.

It hurts me, and besides,

what does it get you?

Bloody hell!

Blaspheming doesn't help.

Bloody hell!

Think about what the Capuchin said, with kindness.

"A Franciscan who blasphemes?"

Think about it, Egidio.

Bloody hell.

Eminence, we still owe much

to the African missions

and those in South America.

That's why I bow

to your authority.

What are you doing?

Running off?