Octave (Octav)

Your Honour, please request an expertise report,

under penalty of forfeit or replacement,

within a deadline of your choosing.

Your Honour, I insist:

an expertise report has already been drawn up.

It needs no amendment. That was its purpose, after all:

identifying the property adduced in the case.

This was already done a few years ago,

when the case was opened.

The expertise report is procedurally necessary and relevant,

with objectives already probated and admitted.

The court requests an expertise report

identifying and establishing

the legal status of the property.

I beg your pardon, Your Honour.

The Romanian state has been using the property for 50 years.

It is not just.

Now I'm the one who has to pay pointless taxes.

You can appeal my decision

if you are dissatisfied.

There are tens of thousands of cases like yours.

The procedure is the same for everyone.

Your Honour, please approve my request

for the defendants to return the property taken illegally by the state,

for which my client was not compensated.

-Including court expenses. -No.

Without court expenses, the motion would be ungrounded.

The motion is granted as formulated.

The defendants will return the property to the plaintiff.

Hello. Your ticket, please.

Your ticket?

Sir? Your ticket!

Thank you.

Spiri!

Is that really you, old boy?!

Yes.

You're here...

Finally, you're here.

-Yes. -After all these years.

Yes, after all these years.

-You've grown, old boy. -So have you.

I'm sorry we're late.

We took a detour around the hill. The poplar road was blocked.

Don't worry, I hardly waited at all.

This is my youngest boy, Marcel.

He's driving, I don't drive anymore.

-So you're the youngest? -Yes, that's me.

-He has his grandpa's eyes. -Everyone says so.

Glad you stood by his side.

Well, someone had to.

That's Marcel for you. Youth nowadays...

Another rough winter.

Yes.

Remember that old oak? It's gone.

Really?

How come? It was younger than you and I!

It died of loneliness.

Only humans die of loneliness, Spiri, trees don't.

Well, sometimes trees die of loneliness too.

Perhaps.

That's it then?

Yes.

Indeed.

So your mind is made up?

It's better this way.

Much better.

Thank you, Spiri.

Thanks.

Just as you left it.

You have food in the fridge.

See what you like.

You might be hungry after your long trip.

Someone will come see the house later.

I'm going back into town.

-Anything else, Father? -No.

-I'm leaving the suitcase here. -Alright.

How did you get in here?

Who are your parents?

Do you hear me?

Who are you?

Who are you? I have no clue!

One, two, three, Cats in the tree!

Three, four, five, Bees in the hive!

Hive? What hive?

Who are you?

-Octav, please, let me count. -Imagine that!

You know my name?

Who told you my name?

One, two, three, Cats in the tree!

Three, four, five, Bees in the hive!

I have no clue...

-Who are you... -Wait a minute.

Mum, I'm riding the banister!

Please, come in.

This is the next room.

It was the old painting room.

It overlooks the garden, like the music room.

-But this room is... -It's special.

Who painted these?

Mr. Octav's mother. She was a great painter.

A true lady.

One senses the richness of her universe!

Maybe she was better understood as an artist than as a woman and mother.

Such a big heart...

She treated me, the son of the caretaker, like her own child.

Would you like to see the garden?

Honey? Honey, the garden...

Yes, of course.

Let's go.

Mum, can we come again?

-Children, let's go see the garden. -Garden! Woohoo!

Filip?

Sofi?

Dribble it!

-Pass it! -Where is it?

Catch it!

-Pass it here! -Very good!

-Run! -Ștefan, pass the ball!

Stop laughing!

Come on, Matei!

Run!

Goal!

Well done, guys! Goal!

Kick it!

That wasn't a goal!

Well, well...

-You again? -Yes.

How did you get in here?

It's a secret.

Spiridon let you in, right?

Octav, I'm fed up with that game.

-Don't you know Spiridon? -Shush, come play on the swings.

You want me to ride the swing?

Come on!

Let's see...

Let's have a contest.

-A contest? -Yes.

Whoever swings the highest wins.

Wait a second...

I am a Prince, you can't challenge me.

I am Prince Octav.

If you're Prince Octav...

...then I'll be Princess Ana.

And I order you to swing.

-Ana? -Princess Ana.

Now swing!

There you go!

-Mine swings higher! -No, mine does!

Look!

See?

-I'm higher! -Hmm...

I have to go to lunch now. But I'll see you later.

Yes... I'll see you.

-Am I disturbing you? -No, no, of course not.

-May I? -Please! Of course!

-Thank you. -Marcel was just leaving.

Not on my account, I hope.

No. Why would I?

My wife is waiting, my son has a fever. I'm going home.

Sure, go home to that matchbox of yours!

Father, please!

-Need anything else? -No. Go take care of the little one.

Goodnight.

I don't know why they all move to town.

They have everything they need right here.

-You used to be taller than me. -As a child, yes.

Brandy?

-Brandy, at this hour? -Why ever not?

I have a little one every evening.

-Really? -Really.

My own homemade plum brandy. It's practically medicine!

Just one then.

-One, for now. -Cheers!

-To your health! -Bless you!

A lady called earlier. She wouldn't say her name.

I told her to call again tomorrow.

Very well.

It's going to be hard to say goodbye.

I was born in this house.

I grew up in this house. So did my children.

I know.

Imagine what it was like to watch those bastards sitting at your father’s desk.

Or eating in your dining room...

I know, Spiri.

That was what gave me strength - knowing that you were here.

Why sell it, then?

I have no family.

And the lawsuit left me broke.

All the expenses... I've had enough.

I've had it, Spiri, do you understand?

Yes, I see.

But...

Have you thought about what you're all going to do? And for yourself?

Well, I have my pension.

That so-called state pension of yours?

Little as it may be, I make do with it.

And my eldest grandson lives near Cluj.

I'll find work there, in the apple and plum orchards, don't worry.

I still miss her.

Spiri...