A Little Bit of Soul

Stavnja!

Deliver these notices and here's a cable for lbrahim.

Hey, mailman!

How about a cup of coffee. Too busy, another time.

Why always the rush? It'll get done. Come on.

I got to deliver this mail and a wire

to my brother-in-low.

Sit. Let's have a drink. Come on!

Our life lasts a little over sixty, not a 1000 years.

Not just till sixty. Jusuf is over seventy.

Jusuf is not a man anymore. Isn't that right, Jusuf?

It really is. Since my step-children and my second wife

want me to make a will, I've felt as if I were dead.

Have you made one? Nah, I keep backing out.

It's like burying myself.

Don't let'em bury you alive. Makes no difference.

I know what's up ahead. Ain't no help at that age.

Eh, seventy three.

Seems like a lot, but those years went by so fast.

Before the war there was a Czech, a veterinarian,

who said, according to a new religion and some new books,

God was to give man a lifespan of a thousand years.

Athousand years! What a life!

And? -That was when God made the first man, Adam.

Adam, that's right, I remember well.

He gave him food and drink. Made him a woman too.

Only forbade them to touch some heavenly apples.

He could have everything but that. What happened?

The old girl talked Adam into picking them apples.

Naturally, God saw that, got mad and all was finished.

Since then, man has suffered, lived and died

like all other creatures, all that woman's fault.

Bitch!

Where to, mailman? Got work to do.

That story of yours, that's religion.

Watch out, that's dangerous for people!

A LITTLE BIT OF SOUL

Screenplay.

Cast:

Children:

Directed by.

- Watch now! - Hurry up and play!

Eh, pal, I'll manage with you somehow through this year

and then I'm buying a bicycle.

Why worry whether you are hungry or thirsty.

Go ahead and whine. But it's no use.

I'll buy a bicycle the first chance.

If no one wants you, off you go to the slaughter house.

Come on, pal, whee!

Soon you won't even get over flat ground. Whoopee!

Is your father home, Nihad? I dunno. He should be.

Yes, he's shaving in the yard.

Watch this plug. Let him graze a little.

Where've you been? -Here. What's going on? Nothing.

Hello, lbrahim. -Hello. Brother-in-low. How are you?

Awire came for you from Tuzla. What's that? Read?

Has your uncle ever let you ride it? Never asked.

Even if you have, he wouldn't let you. -Why?

Let a child ride a horse and he'll break his neck!

You think I can't ride him? You can't even mount a horse.

I'll bet you I can mount him! You? Yes!

If you mount him, I'll screw him. It's a bet!

Ibrahim! Nihad's teasing the horse!

What are you doing, you rascal? Get down!

Want to break your neck? One sick person's enough!

Want me to have to take you to the hospital?

Mother's coming from the hospital. How do you know?

Uncle said. Father's bringing her tomorrow.

Aunt's coming too, to make lunch. Thank God!

Nothing of father's promise to take us to visit our mother.

You'll never see Tuzla. You neither.

He wouldn't even take me. I got nothing to wear.

And me? It's all the same for you boys.

It's different for girls.

Will I see Tuzla when I grow up? When you go to the army.

I may never see it. I'll take you when I grow up.

I'll get married then, you won't even see me.

If you want me to take you to Tuzla, don't get married.

Say, Pujdo, what is bigger: The sun or earth?

See all the hills and woods?

Wherever you look, you see the dark earth.

And the sun is just a circle and a few clouds.

My uncle tells me the sun is bigger than the earth.

He was told so. I'm told a lot of things too,

but I don't trust everybody. Shall we ask Senada?

She had schooling. Maybe they studied that.

For Halilovic.

Over there, number four.

Afternoon. -Halilovic. It's you lbrahim. Come here.

Where've you been, lbrahim?

Away for three weeks. You left your wife with us.

Fieldwork. Couldn't leave it. I know. Your wife told us.

Her sister visited her once a week. I know.

But now, you are needed.

What's wrong?

Things look bad, lbrahim. Take her home.

Halilovic...

Here's the discharge paper.

And a prescription for the pills. Go to the chemist's.

We've done our best.

Be with her, help her.

And if she got any wishes... understand?

Hey, is it true that man came from a monkey?

The teacher says so.

Does he also say that he came from monkey? -No.

He tells us how it happened. Got pictures too.

It's no use when I don't believe him.

All people not the same. How could that happen then?

Why not! Not all monkeys the same either. -Right...

Afternoon! Coming from school I saw you uncle.

Hitched his plug to the cart and off he went.

To the station, to get my mother. She recovered? Yes.

Haven't you heard my sister singing all morning?

I was at school. I met Ado, but he said nothing.

He don't seem glad about his mother's return.

They promised to take him to Tuzla. He's sorry he won't go.

It's good that your mother is fine. He'll go to Tuzla.

I told him that, but he don't know nothing.

I don't know what there is to see in Tuzla.

Well, he'd travel by train and see the world.

I'd like to go to Tuzla to see those wells. My uncle says

they are three times higher than our house.

Those are salt wells. -Yes. He says the only difference is

that we pull out water, while they pull out salt.

O, they pull pot water, too, but it's salt water.

When they boil it down, they get salt.

How you know that? Learnt in school.

How come I never learnt any of that in school?

You'd know that if you went to junior high.

No thanks. I hardly finished the first four grades.

Anything new in school? Nothing.

What my buddies doing? Nothing.

Do they ever mention me? No, they just kick the ragball.

Do they study at all? Hardly. Piled up all F's.

I was thinking... if you'd stayed in school,

you'd have been no worse than the others.

No way, Senada. You'll tell me whatever I want to know.

I will. Hello, grandpa Jusuf. Stay well, children.

How's the health, grandpa? Soon I'll stop complaining.

Is your father at home? Yes, he's in the store.

And you two are flirting.

Screw your flirting. What's the matter with you?

Nothing. He turps up whenever I talk to you. Flirting!

Grandpa Jusuf is a good man.

Why does he tease us? I don't know.

I don't feel like talking to you when he has it in for us.

Don't get angry. He didn't mean it seriously.

He doesn't know I have no friends since I left school.

All I can do with Kemo is play tip-cat.

Once we start talking, we fight in second.

Come on, take one. I shouldn't.

We are lucky there's no rain.

I thought there'd be a rain storm.

Had it rained,

we'd have had a hard time crossing the river.

We'll cross the river slowly.

Nihad, drive the kids away. You, in the house!

Beat it, you heard him!

I'll go now.

Your aunt Hanifa's coming. Okay, thanks.

Bring the stuff!

Your mother's not well yet.

She'll be in your room. We'll be all right in here.

From now on, she's to be obeyed just as I am.

While she's ill, I want no screaming or laughing here.

If you wish to play, get away from the house.

Now go in quietly. She wants to see you.

Aunt, give me a crust of bread.

Your father's coming soon. We'll eat together. Go play.

Nihad, are you looking after the house and kids. -No.

I told you to. Why should I? Aunt's here.

How is she? No use asking. She's no better.

She couldn't sleep all night because of the dog barking.

By God, I'll kill that damn dog.

I should have killed it long ago.

We feed him for nothing. He is of no use.

What's he matter with him? He feels sorry for Pujdo.

Untie the dog and follow me. Dad, don't kill Pujdo.

Keep quiet. You hear me. Pujdo is ours. Dad, don't.

Kids, we'll get another dog later on. When later on?

When the mother gets well.

We want Pujdo. -Do as I say. Untie the dog and lets go.

Why not leave him in the village till this is over?

Wherever you leave him, he'll come back.

Nothing but the gun will do. Then put him on a train.

That's what I do with kittens. I only keep one.

If they survive, they might even make someone happy.

This looks okay.

- Can you manage? - Yes.

He'll be fine here. It's clean.

Hand me the water.

Hand me that too.

Have you written it? Yes, just: My name is Pujdo.

Add more...

I get along with children and honest people.

When I've had it, I bite. Don't write that.

Who'll take him if he sees that he bites.

Off you go, Pujdo.

Don't close it all the way. Leave some air.

Lets go. He shouldn't see us. Where does this train go?