In the Footsteps of Young Werther (Nuoren Wertherin jäljillä)

The man with the beanie is my dad.

We don't know each other, which is a shame.

And we never will, since I'm dead. A shame as well.

Hi! - Hi.

A letter for you.

A woman's hand writing.

That's promising.

Aren't you gonna open it?

In front of you? No way.

Soon, soon. We'll take a long stroll.

Aren't you gonna ask me, what the client thought?

The client was over the moon.

Did someone die?

Eero Viitanen? Is he related to you?

Eero is my son. - What?

But you don't have a son.

We've been together for over nine years.

All that time you haven't had a son.

I did have.

When Terhi and I split up, I left for Prague.

When I came back, Eero already went to school, -

Terhi had remarried and moved, it was too difficult.

And a child would have disturbed your career.

There hasn't been a week that I haven't thought of him.

Why didn't you find out?

I was no longer a part of their life.

And when Xmas and birthday cards started coming back, -

I drew my own conclusions.

What should I have done? Ring their doorbell, introduce -

myself to a 10-year-old, hi I'm your father, he's not?

Perhaps.

What's your idea here?

I'm gonna make a city out of these.

Fill the whole space? You'll need a truck load.

I've been making these for two years,

I've got a warehouse full of them.

Some lights here-

a sort of city symphony.

The obituary was quite plain, don't you think?

Was it a suicide? Nothing but the place, Helsinki.

What was he doing here?

Should I visit Terhi?

Do that.

Can you find her address and phone number?

Last name? - Björklund.

She married a horse breeder named Björklund.

Look familiar?

Hi! - Hi.

I meant to call you but I didn't have the strength.

I'm sorry for your loss. - Yeah. Just a second.

Can you sweep the rest? Let's go!

When did you last see Eero? - The previous evening.

Before he vanished in August. - Vanished? How?

Left for Helsinki with a friend. - Okay.

What was Eero like? - Normal, I guess.

He did well in school. Or, it took 4 years to -

finish high school. He worked at his friend's -

father's firm, fixing pallets. I tried calling him in Helsinki,

but he didn't answer. I heard of him from his friend Ville,

so I didn't worry.

I think he had a woman there, don't know the name.

He had nobody here? - Nothing serious.

I have to go and see Ville.

I'm sure that Eero came to Helsinki to meet you.

Really? - He knew, I told him when he turned 18.

Xmas cards?

From your father, Markus Viitanen. He lives in Helsinki.

And you decided to tell me today?

Thanks a lot. I'll be 18 tomorrow, or a week from now.

I keep thinking what I should have done differently.

Something happened at work, he had a conflict with -

Ville's father. - Really?

It was my fault.

Bullshit. Nobody is to blame.

You called about the boxes? They're over there.

No, I'm here because of Eero. Markus Viitanen, Eero's father.

Sorry for your loss. I'm sure that what happened here -

had nothing to do with him leaving. No matter what-

the horse Nazi says. - I actually wanted to ask -

what Eero was like, I hardly knew him. He worked here?

Yes. Ville!

What was that mysterious conflict all about?

There was no mystery. The boys just took a piss at me.

What the fuck are you doing? Get down here, right now!

Take it easy, we're just testing a new system.

No testing, get back to work. If you're not interested -

in working, go back to shoveling shit at your mom's.

Get down, you monkey! - Are you crazy?

Help me, or he'll fall down.

- Don't shake it! This will fall!

What the fuck are you doing?

Fucking funny! - I agree!

Let me out or you'll both be sacked!

You won't get that satisfaction. I quit.

Me too. I'll ask mom to come and free you.

We're going. See you!

This is Eero's dad. Tell him all you know.

Hi, nice to see you again! - I'm Markus Viitanen.

I'm sorry for your loss. I'm still Ville.

Nice to meet you, Ville.

We've met before.

You don't remember?

The lines?

Hey, I'm sorry but... - Yes?

Hi, I'm Ville. This other artist is Eppu.

Markus Viitanen.

You're the one who decides whether we can take part -

in the scenery painting class? - Yes, but it's too late,

you should have signed up yesterday, it's already full.

Can we come and listen, or watch in this case?

Maybe participants won't... - Could you ask?

Or if we can't take the course, can we get some feedback?

How long have you been painting?

Ever since kindergarten. - Yes, me too.

Are they in any particular order? Early ones first?

Yes, the early ones are here, the latest haven't dried yet.

Next year, sign up in time. And practise your lines.

What do you think about my lines?

The lines are fine. The subject is a bit lost.

When was this? - July, a year ago.

I vaguely remember you and your lines, but not Eero.

We're going to the office. - Are the paintings still left?

We left them there, they were shit. Eero painted them -

in half an hour.

He sent me some weird messages. I'll show you.

Feeling great. Tomorrow I'll take the first step.

Alternative number 3 in progress. In other words,

I've made an acquaintance. An angel. That's what-

everyone says, don't they?

And yet, I can't express how -

perfect she is, and why she is perfect. She has taken over -

my mind completely. I'm not disappointed, I saw sympathy -

in her eyes, sympathy towards me and my destiny.

She is holy to me, all desires silence in front of her.

Do you understand this? I think it's some kind of code.

That's no code, it's just some teenage crap.

Guess why we came to Suomenlinna? -You've been there?

He wanted to meet you. When he got your cards and letters, -

he said to me "Ville, let's go meet my father". He said it -

was the best thing that had happened in a long time.

So cool! Come and see!

So cool. Next we'll check the island, there's so much to see.

I know, I took a guided tour here once.

Ville, I meant girls! - Girls?

Girls, chicks, skirts, whatever. We'll go hunting!

You have to change the gas, that won't last for long.

Me?

Yes. I'm leaving. The old man can't cope by himself.

But it's weekend. Let him suffer a few days, that'll teach him.

Give me the phone. I'll turn it off, so it won't disturb you.

Thank you. - It's a pity that he didn't come and see you.

He meant to. - Okay. Bye.

Did he tell you about the girl? - No. I'll send you his videos.

You probably know the places and people better than me.

He was so great.

Does us not having children and you being a father have -

something to do with each other? - No they don't.

I don't know why we haven't succeeded.

You can't blame me for not trying. - Stop it.

I'm ready to be a father. I can take diapers and colics.

I've held a baby, fed him gruel, talced his bottom.

I'd love to go through it again, with you. I love you.

Hey sheriff, throw the ball!

Thanks! - Hey, listen! Hi!

Is this a day care? - Doesn't it look like it?

Listen. I'm good with kids. - So am I.

I mean if you need someone? - Not this year, or next either.

How does this work? - What is it? - The videos.

There are two. Which one? - This one. - Now press play.

Katri! - Who?

From my yoga class.

Don't remember her last name. - She works at the day care.

Excuse me. How do the numbers run here?

Which one are you looking for? - 21. The Miettinen's.

You found one. I'm Katri Miettinen.

You're the one I'm looking for. - How can I help?

I'm Markus Viitanen.

Eero's dad.

I'm on my way to Yoga-

How did you find me? - It wasn't too difficult.

How did you know about me? - Eero made videos on his mobile.

I got them from his friend. - Videos? Am I on them?

A bit. That you're married, your nickname is Charlotte,

or Lotte, and you've got black eyes.

I got the name from that imbecile book.

My eyes are not black. And I'm not called Charlotte.

I'm sorry to say this, but Eero was a hopeless dreamer.

I guess so. I wanted to ask if you had any of his paintings?

Eero didn't know how to paint, at all.

Is it a horse with a mouse on its back? - Or a pile of twigs?

Might be. - That depends on the artist's inspiration,

it's impossible to know beforehand. What looks like -

a horse to one person, may look like a pile of twigs to another.

Let's go. - I'm not even wearing any shoes! - Here you go.

Was it a nice painting? - What? The one he was painting?

Did Eero know how to draw a living model?

Eero didn't know how to draw a living or a dead model.

I'm not sure if he knew what perspective is. He used to hang -

days on by the fence and draw lines, told the kids he was -

an unappreciated genius.