The Matriarch (Lieksa!)

Man is born thrice.

The first time to live.

The second time to learn and the third time to understand.

Road. The life path.

His life was not as pricey as he thought. He tumbled.

He tumbled down.

Sometimes it seemed that way.

He didn't know that it would happen, eventually.

"It's unknown, where you can be'', he said.

Until that night his life was a continuous boozing.

Drunkenness, revelry, feast...

...pajama and toga-partying.

Hey... Are you okay?

Police!

This way ended his first life.

THE MATRIARCH

- Is he dead? - His eyes are open.

- It was just a light slap. - Light? Why did you slap him? Idiot.

- What now? - Let's leave him on the road.

No, wait until he wakes up and ask him whether he remembers anything.

- Mom will be angry. - She doesn't need to know, she has other worries.

Don't touch me!

Martta, the police can't do anything about it. The law is on the side of the new owners.

- The police can, but don't want to! - Martta, you know that it is not true.

- There is nothing I'd like to know. - Martta!

The new owner took over the loom.

Boys, pack the things. We're leaving.

What do we do now? We would never come back here.

We'll find something else suitable to live.

- Do you think he is faking? - Sprawdzimy.

He is not pretending.

We'll call him Kasper. Kasper?

Name is a name. Kasper - suits me.

Kasper saw, heard, and felt better than before.

Like a child.

Like a child, only in a toga made ​​of pure pain.

Now his name is Kasper. The boy from the box.

- We'll die here, like cockroaches. - Shut up, Vera. Stop complaining all the time.

- What father was thinking? - Otto clearly explained the reasons.

- I drop everything and leave. - Not for the first time.

But this time for sure!

We are Koppelo family, the tailors.

We were well known in St. Petersburg in the 19th century.

And we all can snore and fart simultaneously. Especially Hippo.

During the Bolshevik's revolution, the family fled to Finland, across the frozen bay.

They brought on the sleds their sewing machines. Under artillery fire.

They'e been in contact with the authorities, and didn't like the Bolsheviks.

During the Civil War family was accused of collaborating with the Russian.

And again we fled. Sweden, Germany, Hungary, Poland...

The family returned to Finland in the 70's.

I met Rosa three years ago. More precisely, Martta found me.

I've lost my way during a training exercise in the army.

I have a daughter, Anna. More precisely, she's Rosa's daughter.

Tsar Nicholas II ruled over 70 millions of Russian.

Then came the Revolution and the Bolsheviks. And death.

Tsar Nicholas.

Many talked about the twin brothers, Otto and Niccolo.

Otto was the head of the family, Niccolo was dissapearing all the time.

He possessed magical powers.

He could kill a cat with a glance.

It must be Lara.

She stole cigarettes from Repe and Hippo.

Otto would speak!

- Now we all know. - Silence! Everything!

Martta...

Where are you?

You know, my children, I'll not be around soon.

- How many of them? - Ten.

Ten? Where are all gone?

Some stayed in Joensuu. some in towns in the south.

- Where is Veera and Lara? - Lara!

This is family of the Romanovs. This is our family.

We sewn those women dresses.

Tsar Nicholas loved to wear military uniforms.

Here you can see why. Photo taken in England at a reception with Queen Victoria.

In an ordinary suit he looked shabby.

He was a short man.

This is the only picture of our Sofia, together with tsar Nicholas.

Looking at Sophia, it is clear that she didn't want to be in the frame.

But he insisted that she was with everyone.

Martta becomes the head of the family now. You go to Lieksa

Lieksa?

I sold our house.

We've gotten that house not the proper way, Now it belongs to the rightful owner.

I did this so the family could start a new life.

A new life, huh?

Veera is not the only one who suspects something.

You will not manage, Mama. We will ask Niccolo to come back.

Niccolo will not return. He doesn't need a power.

Why not go to the dark side? Laszlo is doing well.

Enough!

Otto wants us to be honest. So we're going to Lieksa.

The head of the family has never been a woman.

Without Sophia, we wouldn't even be the family. Do not forget it.

We are not the lost luggage. We are part of world's history.

But don't have any illusions. We are at an impasse.

We can stay honest. And we can't do that without our sewing machines.

I know what you are doing, but now it's over.

We find customers in Lieksa.

No one sews beautiful wedding dress like ours. Remember this and be proud.

Not even one orphaned child will be as helpless as Kasper.

18 cloudy fibers on the left, one looks like a sheep.

Directly under, one looks like a woman's hip...

...when light falls on its right side.

The light outside the window cames and goes. The days passed.

For Martta and other women Kasper was a gift from Heaven.

His past life was forgotten...-

... and he became a talisman of the Family, hope for a bright future.

Kasper was born to the family, where women were strong...

...and victories of men were coming through suffering.

Casper was happy.

The roadsides were leading them to Lieksa.

Lieksa was both fascinating and frightening.

Nobody seemed to care that cars won't make whole way at once.

Kasper had noticed that the family felt on the road like home.

They were dreamers, full of hopes.

In Casper's mind, the image of his past became increasingly blurry.

He was ashamed to remember who he was.

- And Kasper? - Kasper can't go with your. We don't really know him.

Go to Jenö, change the car for a new one.

Buy some canned goods and come back.

Understood.

Repe?

Go to Eno, change the car, buy canned food and come back.

Eno, car, cans, return.

All right. I'll be back.

Mom, the stitch is stretched too much.

Veera, help your sister.

Let her learn yourself. It's not that difficult.

Veera looks so funny when she is angry at the fabrics and threads.

- Yes, because I hate this shitty job. - Watch your language.

It doesn't work.

- Why Repe, Hippo and Ventti always go? - To send the women is a waste of time.

They would just buy shoes, jewelry and impractical clothes.

In addition, I gave them exactly amount of money what they'd need.

They're nice boys deep at heart.

We couldn't find replacement car, Mom...

...but we found an excellent used engine.

And, of course, we didn't have enough money to buy anything else...

Roosa.

Damn, Ventti. You're always going on a leash of Repe and Hippo?

Eh... In general...

You never see anything. Why should I cry?

Well, I...

Ventti, listen to me.

You should forget about Repe and Hippo...

...and spent more time with us.

Ventti, dear...

You'll be a father.

We need a master-tailor, to show the products in Lieksa.

- We have you. - Work done by male are more appreciated.

You know how to sew. I taught you from your childhood.

However, to be a master-tailor is not the same.

I'll take care of it. You'll be responsible to play your part.

So...

Who do you have in mind?

- Repe is older... - And Hippo has soul of artist.

I have the job for you.

You have three days to cut and sew a new design. And then we'll see.

You may go.

Leave the door open.

It was now the third week on canned food and diluted wine.

Kasper was not picky.

He realized that the family was better tailors than chefs.

But it was not his stomach problems, but the heart.

He'd rather let himself be bitten by a snake.

There are plenty of excellent antidotes from snakebites...

...but for his pain, there was no cure, no magic spell.

The rain had been like eternity.

How could he in his early life hate the rain?

Were you with Lara?

Forget about her. We already have one fool for a son-in-law in family. It's enough.

In addition, police is looking for you.

Do you understand? You got it.

Good. Damn it!

In Kopello's family there was one law, Martta's world.

Martta made sure everyone had clean clothes and clean nails.

Kasper felt dirty.

He wanted to hide who he was in the past, to become invisible.

- How did you find us? - We followed oil spill on the road.

Is everything OK?

- And car inspections? - Yes.

Last winter, you promised that the main problems would be fixed.

We have changed all the old tires.

It feels the heat wave has only become worse.

Iced tea?

Thank you.

I've heard that you are a widow now.

Does it concern the police?

I would marry a millionaire who would promised me to die a year after wedding.

A modest man, with established life, with friends can also bring happiness.

Woman like you knows about life and the love.

Beautiful women just think about their beauty and charm.

Select your next word wisely.

Beauty fades with age, but years have no control over the sense of humor...

...your kindness and fortitude.

Some chocolate?

Yes, thank you.

Hey, cop. What's your name?

Jali. Jali Nappi.