Banat: The Journey (Banat - Il viaggio)

I came to this city in 1999.

Everyone was excited because it seemed it would snow that winter,

and it hadn't snowed since 1963, an incredible snowfall, apparently,

one that people spoke about for ages.

People were divided between those who had seen snow,

and those who had never seen it.

But on December 18, while everyone was waiting for the snow,

something happened that really drove the city wild.

Antonio Cassano was 17,

Bari were back in Serie A after years,

and were playing Inter that night.

Cassano stopped the ball with his heel

and found himself alone facing the whole defense.

Instead of waiting for his team-mates,

he put his head down and raced to the goal.

People stopped caring about whether it was going to snow or not...

In the city, everyone was only talking about Cassano's goal.

THE JOURNEY

That was how Bari welcomed me.

18 December was the most important day in Cassano's life.

The most important day of my life is tomorrow.

Who are you?

The hangers? You leaving them here?

How much longer will you be?

A couple of hours.

Realistically?

I haven't a clue.

What day's the market?

Tuesday.

Dry cleaners?

I don't know, but if you ask Mrs Nitti

the landlady, she knows everything.

Where are you moving to?

Romania.

Yeah, I found a job there.

I'm an agronomist, but I've never been able to find work here.

Actually, I was meant to leave last week, but I got scared.

Every time I find an excuse.

One night I got spectacularly drunk,

the next morning I was a wreck, and so I put it off.

Then I spent a whole day with Mrs Nitti fixing her boiler.

And then I even decided to take her to the Shrine of Padre Pio...

I thought she wanted to visit the shrine,

but she only went in to light a candle for me...

She says I need it... I swear.

You reminded me of a story about these Russians

who wanted to escape from the Soviet Union,

and they saved a lot of money for a longtime

to buy a plane ticket...

When they could finally afford it...

...they went to get drunk with their friends...

partly to celebrate, partly out of melancholy,

maybe because they'd never see each other again...

But the next morning they didn't wake up in time,

missed their plane and had to start all over again.

But you're leaving...

I'm leaving.

- Who are you going with? - No-one.

What about Berarda?

Berarda isn't mine, she's Mrs Nitti's.

At one point I asked her if I could take her with me...

What did she say?

No, she said I could go and hibernate wherever I wanted, but...

her dog likes the southwest wind in its face.

What about you?

Where did you live?

On the other side of the city... and now it seems really far away.

A while back I was offered a job in a boatyard in Sweden,

a little village called Hallstavik...

I even went there, had an interview,

they showed me the little house where I'd live...

...and I said that I needed a week to think about it...

...but then in the end I stayed here.

With the southwest wind in my face as well.

No, I'm sick of flittings, really, I've done too many.

Enough now...

...this is the last one.

How do you know?

Because I say that every time.

Berarda!

Berarda!

Really, I'm very sorry...

OK.

OK, thank you.

Thank you, I mean it.

See you soon, then.

Goodbye, goodbye.

Well?

Well...

they say they'll find someone else if I don't arrive by tomorrow evening.

Listen, I'll go and look for her. Maybe she's come back to the park.

Sorry, I'm an idiot.

But you go.

Yeah, go!

- It's not like you have a choice! - And Berarda? I can't go.

I'll look for Berarda.

What do you mean?

No, I'm not leaving. It's a sign.

Listen, I lost Berarda and I'll find her!

So long as you speak with Mrs Nitti!

No, it's a sign, I'm not going.

Again, I'm sorry...

Why are you laughing?

We've only just met and we've already apologized a hundred times!

Should I leave?

Yeah.

The last one.

- Bye. - Bye.

Am I supposed to leave someone at home...?

I can't do it... Believe me... I can't take it any more.

Don't hate me...

Good morning.

Come in.

I'm sorry, it was me that lost your dog.

I'm used to idiot tenants.

Thank you.

See you tomorrow.

I imagine you've arrived by now.

I wanted to tell you I've looked for Berarda everywhere,

but still haven't found her.

I ate at the Chinese, and really it's not bad,

and in the same street I found an Indian that's open all night.

I like shops that never close, they make me feel protected.

Oh, and I got fired.

I've got one boat to finish and then I'll be officially unemployed.

Mrs Nitti says that you're the same as her husband.

As she talked about you,

I thought about all the distance you'd to travel.

I hope you're well, I hope it's not too cold.

I hope you don't regret leaving

and that you're not afraid any more.

The fear left me as I was putting my boots on this morning.

I'm here to do the only thing I know how to do and I like doing,

and I can finally feel useful.

- Christian. - Ivo.

I thought of you at home as well.

I wondered where you'd put your stuff,

if you put the glass for your toothbrush to the right or left of the sink,

and if you lower the shutters at night all the way down like I do.

Nothing...

...nothing...

I thought they might know since their dog was fucking Berarda,

but nothing...

Now she's only missing a Great Dane,

and then she'll have had every dog in the park.

No point looking at me like that, my girl!

If you hadn't lost my dog,

we wouldn't be standing here like two dicks with a plastic chicken!

Why did you come here?

Everyone asks me that.

You didn't have a job...

...but you're good and you like this work...

I'm really worried, Ivo.

I haven't been able to pay the guys for a while now.

How long?

Two months...

It's never happened before.

If I don't find some money to get to the harvest...

...I'll have to close.

You could've told me sooner.

I didn't think it would happen.

Every year it's difficult...

...but then everything works out.

But do you not have a cooperative here?

The regime put people together by force.

After the revolution, everyone wants to be alone.

There's a village near here...

The farmers grow cabbage and make money.

After a month... there are at least 50 tractors...

...but nowhere to store the cabbage... and the cabbages froze.

It's hard here, Ivo.

We had invited at least 60 people!

It's not every day you celebrate 50 years of marriage,

and so we decided to celebrate

the day he turned 70.

I still remember the menu off by heart...

...one treat after another...

and the wine... he'd had it sent specially from the Loire...

no... just because it was chic,

not that he fucking understood anything about wine!

Then, all of a sudden, before dessert...

he starts a speech, says it'll be short...

and that he has to thank the three most important people in his life...

...his mother for the gift of that life...

and for the strict upbringing that allowed him to become the man he was.

His father for his professional example

and for defending his country during the war.

My heart was going at a thousand beats per minute...

...he lifted his glass...

and said that there was one person, though,

whom he had to thank more than anyone else.

Everyone turned towards me...

I was on the point of crying...

...and he said that the third person was...

...Pergolizzi, the engineer...

And an unbelievable... perfect silence descended...

And everyone looked at each other as if to say,

'Who's this engineer, Pergolizzi?'

And he explains that he's a friend of his father,

who lent him the money to pay the rent on his first shop, etc, etc.