Incendies

Good to see you.

Please...

THE TWlNS

"Will of Mrs. Nawal Marwan.

"Opening of the will before her two children,

"Simon Marwan

"and Jeanne Marwan.

"ln conformance with the instructions and rights of Mrs. Nawal Marwan,

"Notary Jean Lebel

"is named executor of the will."

That was your mother's decision.

l was against it, but she insisted.

You know,

your mother was more than an employee.

My late wife and l considered you our family.

So...

l couldn't refuse.

"All my assets are divided between the twins Jeanne and Simon.

"My money will be halved

"and my belongings divided as they see fit.

"Burial.

"To Notary Jean Lebel,

"bury me with no casket, no prayers, naked,

"face down, away from the world.

"Stone and epitaph.

"l want no gravestone, nor my name engraved anywhere.

"No epitaph for those who don't keep their promises.

"To Jeanne and Simon,

"childhood is a knife stuck in your throat.

"lt can't be easily removed.

"Jeanne,

"Mr. Lebel will give you an envelope.

"The envelope is for your father.

"Find him

"and give it to him.

"Simon, the notary will give you an envelope..."

l've heard enough.

l haven't finished.

Go on.

"Simon, the notary will give you an envelope.

"The envelope is for your brother.

"Find him

"and give him the envelope.

To the son

"When the envelopes have been delivered,

"you will be given a letter,

"the silence will be broken,

"a promise kept,

"and you can place a stone on my grave,

"and on it engrave my name in the sun."

l admit, it's unusual.

Anything to sign?

No, not today.

Okay.

Thanks, Jean.

- Let's go. - Wait.

You know about our father.

That we have no brother.

Why'd you let her write that?

l understand your reaction.

lt's very surprising.

Don't pretend you buy this. You knew her. lt can't be.

One doesn't invent such things,

not in a will.

There's this, too.

Look, your mother has left us something rather...

We'll sleep on it and...

We'll be in touch.

l'll wait outside. Thank you, Jean.

Sit down, Simon.

Look, Jean...

Your secretary liked working for you.

At least she did that right. Bravo.

But your secretary was my mother.

And that job, a whole other matter...

Simon...

Bury your secretary how you want.

But l'll bury my mom normally.

For once in her life she'll have acted normally.

End of discussion.

Take your time.

Come back when Simon's calmer.

l know it's very unusual,

but your mother wasn't crazy, Jeanne.

We're a big family suddenly.

She ever mention a dog?

Big families always have a dog.

Do we have to find it now, too?

She's fucking crazy.

l'll talk to Jean.

About what?

Having a normal funeral.

We'll take care of her, then you.

Where you going?

Bury her any way you want.

Cut it out.

You weren't there when she died...

You were there when she had her accident...

You feel guilty about everything!

l don't feel guilty.

Do you realize what we just heard?

She's gone, Christ! lt's over. Peace at last!

l feel so fucking peaceful!

l'm at peace.

l can see that.

The mathematics you've studied until now

have sought to provide clear and definitive answers

to clear and definitive problems.

Now you are embarking on a new adventure.

You will face insoluble problems

that will lead to other, equally insoluble problems.

Friends will insist that the object of your toil

is futile.

You'll have no way of defending yourself

for the problems will be of mind-boggling complexity.

Welcome to pure mathematics

and the realm of solitude.

Let me introduce my assistant,

Miss Jeanne Marwan.

Hello.

We'll start with the Collatz conjecture.

What does your intuition tell you?

Your intuition is always right.

That's why you have the makings of a true mathematician.

But for this you're going to need help.

Do you have family there?

Any contacts?

lt's ridiculous, Niv.

You just learned that a, your father is alive,

and b, you have another brother.

What's ridiculous is to challenge the inevitable.

You have to know,

or your mind will never be at peace.

And without peace of mind, no pure mathematics.

You need a starting point.

My father died during the war, in Daresh.

That's the unknown variable.

You never start with the unknown variable.

My mom's from Der Om, a village in the Fouad.

She studied French at Daresh University.

lf she studied, there's hope.

Saïd Haidar.

You'll pay a visit to Saïd Haidar.

An old friend who teaches in Daresh.

You can trust him.

Mom?

Are you all right?

What are you doing?

Mom?

Are you okay?

Madame, you're on my towel.

Mom?

What happened?

Where's Jeanne?

Mom?

Does she get migraines?

No.

Memory lapses?

No.

lncidences of falling?

No.

Moments of confusion?

She's usually confused.

No, she's never confused.

Wahab, come.

Let go of my sister.

Where are you going, son of a refugee?

Nicolas, stop!

Go back home!

Wahab!

We'll seek you in your camps and slaughter you!

Give it!

- l want to. - lt's my duty.

You stained our family's honor.

That's enough!

Come home now!

Come home!

Get away!

What have you done?

You've humiliated us, ruined the family name!

Why, my God, have you cast us into darkness?

My God, what have you done? Why did you do this to me?

What am l to do with you? Should l kill you?

l'm pregnant, Grandma.

My God, blackness everywhere! Why?

Why did you do this to us?

Am l supposed to kill you?

What am l going to do with you?

Eat.

Eat if you want your child to be strong.

Listen to me carefully.

There's nothing here for you now.

l'll help you after the birth.

l want you to leave here.

You'll stay with your Uncle Charbel in town.

You'll go to school there.

You'll learn to read, to think.

To escape this misery.

Promise me and l'll help you.

Promise me that you'll go to school.