Dignity (Με Αξιοπρέπεια)

From one dark abyss we come and in another we end, the illuminated space in between Life we call. N. Kazantzakis, Ascetic (excerpt)

A film by Dimitri Katsimiris

- WITH DIGNITY --

Eleni, come on, he's done it!

- I can't now. - No, dad, not now, they're coming!

...kitchen, bathroom, and living room. 95m2, 3rd floor, yes.

Yes, of course, tomorrow. Just a moment.

Tomorrow at 10:00, can you?

- Yes, of course. - Yes, how about tomorrow at 10:00?

Ok, 11 Kapadokia str, Brahame.

Can I have your name and cell phone number?

Well, thank you very much. See you tomorrow at 10:00.

- Tomorrow at 10:00, a family. - Yes, that's fine.

Dad, bend down a little now.

Come on, bend down, don't move. DON'T MOVE!

Let me see. Oh, how handsome!

Eleni, look.

What's that, dear? Don't tell me you bought it!

- It's mine, I found it in a box. - Leave it, it's funny.

Call them on the phone.

- What? - Call them and see where they are.

Calm down!

No, Manoli. What if they don't come?

- Calm down, they're here. - Open up!

- Hello? - Third?

Yes, Sofia.

Remember, cake first, the rest later. Ok?

Yes, Eleni, I'm not stupid, come on.

- Common logic. - Wait, wait

Put one on, you too.

- Ok? - Yes, go ahead.

- Little brother, congratulations! - Oh, welcome!

Welcome, Sofia.

- Where's my daddy? - Inside.

He's waiting.

- Father, Sofia arrived! - Daddy?

Are you Ok, Eleni?

Daddy, daddy! Congratulations!

Always strong and happy!

What a nice bow tie! Did you put it on him?

Stop it, Sofia! Here, everyone, ee?

I bought them with the candles, aren't they cute, huh?

To take some good pictures, right?

But Manoli, really? What nonsense!

Ok, Sofia. Do it for Dad.

For my dad!

- Father, should I give you one? - Bravo Manoli, perfect!

- And Alexis? - I wish I knew!

- Oh! You warned him, didn't you? - He was the first!

He'll be a big fool if he doesn't come!

But what do you want? Who can trust him?

Come on, sit down.

What would you like to drink?

- We brought a very good wine from Venice. - Yes, guys, it's very expensive!

- Eleni, serve me a glass of that, please. - And you, Sofia, what are you going to have?

Drink?

To drink, huh?

I'm on a diet and I shouldn't drink alcohol.

But damn Sofia, with your exaggerations all your life, what a diet!

- Cheers to the good! - To dad, to dad!

For dad, but a little!

- Me too. - Good!

So, tell me. Is Venice good?

Ah, a masterpiece! Those gondolas, those canals, my daddy!

We came back the day before yesterday, Manoli.

5 magical days, I can't even describe it for you! We really rested!

Yes, but hadn't been there before?

Yes, Manoli. But if we like it, we'll go again.

Even if you go 100 times... Have you been there?

- To Italy? - No, to Venice.

- Not to Italy, not to Venice! - Leave him, Yorgo!

Anyway.

The girls, how are they?

My girls are fine. One is in her 2nd year of high school, the other is undergraduate!

Do they like England, eh?

At first no, but then they got used to it.

Anyway, better in England than in the USA!

Do you remember that they wanted to go to the USA?

It is certainly easier and more comfortable to go to England.

- Of course. - That's why I insisted.

But they come to Greece, right?

No, only in the summer. In the winter we go see them.

When Sofia has an obligation there, we combine it and go and see them a bit.

Sure, sure.

The business. How's the business going, Manoli?

How do you expect it to go, Yorgo? It's going from bad to worse, no one's coming anymore!

We're almost bankrupt!

- Difficult, very difficult! - Make some changes.

Change what, Yorgo? It just doesn't sell anymore!

I have to think about what to do with the damn coffee, finally!

80, Mr. Dimitri! I wish you 100!

Looks good, man.

- You can't say he's very good. - But why, Manoli?

He looks great at 80! My dad!

Congratulations, it was a great idea to celebrate his birthday.

With Eleni, we thought about it together.

So, congratulations to Eleni, too.

If only mommy were here too, wouldn't daddy? How happy she would be about all this!

You loved mommy, didn't you daddy?

My love, we are here today to celebrate your father's birthday.

Not to make us sad! Isn't that right, Mr. Dimitri?

- Yes, Sofia, he's right! - Exactly! Help me a little.

Mr. Dimitris was very happy when we proposed it to him.

It's good to remember days like this, isn't it?

Manoli, call your brother to see where he is, it's already 9:00

Grandpa is tired, and he can't take it anymore!

- Yes, Manoli, call him. - Correct!

- How good! - Do you smell anything?

It's the...

Hello? Where are you, dude? It's already...

He hung it up!

- What happened? - He hung up on me!

Hello, Alexis, where the hell are you, why...

- The idiot, he hung it on me too! - I don't believe it!

- Hey, he's playing a joke on you. - What joke, Yorgo?

If he doesn't come...!

- He must be. - I wish!

- Hello! - Floor? - Third!

What did I tell you?

Daddy, Alexis is coming!

Do you hear?

Bochinche!

A whole team is rising!

Quiet!

# My daddy, congratulations! # May you reach 100, # I can't stop singing!

Daddy, happy birthday!

But dad, how do you stand it!

Daddy, this is for you with lots of love!

What the fuck are you saying?

Congratulations, everyone! What are we going to drink, drink, drink?

He just arrived and drinking is what he wants!

- What would you like, Alexis? - We've brought a beautiful wine from Venice. - It's very good! - Try it!

What, those from Burgundías, Guadalupes? No, thanks!

Eleni, give me a whiskey with a little ice. No, give me two instead.

Daddy, shall we have a whiskey to cheer ourselves up?

Hey, the man had a stroke, relax!

Alcohol is good for you! Especially your mental health!

Dude, stop that shit! Put on your birthday hat, damn it!

How cool are these little hats, I like them a lot!

- Stop, asshole! - Calm down a bit!

Oh, my pants are falling down!

We thought you weren't coming!

On dad's birthday, are you crazy?

No, ...

- But what happened to your hair? - What's wrong with it?

What month is it? Has Carnival started?

But don't be an idiot, kid! Daddy, isn't my hair beautiful?

- Elisa didn't come, where is she? - How did you remember her? That's over now!

- Oh, Alexis, when are you getting married? - Some "lady from the capital"?

Something's brewing, something... Hey, how long has it been since we last saw each other?

- It's been a while! That's it! Deja vu, friends, deja vu!

I bet we were here a week ago. Here like we are now, Yorgo!

Speaking of bets, how is the championship going?

- Do you earn anything? - No, nothing!

- And baseball, finished? - Are you still busy with that nonsense?

Am I to blame for continuing to win? Also, after the first losses

I'm going to throw the bat! THE BAT!

- And how much do you earn, may I ask? - Per month or per year? - Per month, of course...

- Here's your glass. - Happy birthday, daddy, I love you!

He's smiling, smiling!

Well, cheers, congratulations... Congratulations, Mr. Dimitri!

- So, tell us how much you earn. - Almost minimum wage.

- A minimum wage!! - Yes, laugh, laugh, of course!

Brothers, the risk is not for everyone.

Some have anxiety and others can't live without it!

So, Yorgo and Eleni, a personal and special question for you.

The million-dollar question: Do you know why I'm not like my brothers?

- Do you know why? - Why?

- Because they never took any risks in their lives! - Correct!

And because there is no way to bell the cat and pprrr!

What, am I mistaken? No, tell me, what did I say?

Ok, Alexis, we didn't come for you. A little respect, please!

But, Sofia, I'm talking to Dad. I'm saying this to him. Didn't he teach me all that?

Daddy, didn't you always tell me that ---He's smiling! See?--- if you don't take risks in life you won't achieve ANYTHING, eh!

- Did I say it right, Daddy? - We've already seen the risk he took! - But stop that blah blah blah, damn it!

Am I wrong? Have you already forgotten the risks this man took?

- Do you forget? - Stop it, damn it!

Yorgo, just so you know, this man always chose the hardest path.

Do you know why?

Because he just liked that! You didn't like that, daddy, huh?

It was his nature, he knew he would win in the end!

Daddy, it's not true, huh?

- Yes, but he didn't win anything. - Stop it, finally!

Ah! Now I remember what he did once! Did I tell you that story?

- Which one? - Yes, I didn't tell you that one. I'll tell you now to see if you remember!

It drives me crazy! Um, the time he wrote a poem on a piece of paper?

Oh? Who can forget that, Manoli!

Yorgo, he wrote a poem on a piece of paper,

This excites me so, so much, oh daddy!

So, Yorgo, he goes and walks 20km to propose to our mother, oh daddy!

- I have the little piece of paper. - Really? - Yes, Mom gave it to me.

- I don't believe it! - Show me, ok? - Of course!

brb brgd .. What did you do, Dad? You played and won!

Look, he's laughing, he's laughing!

- That's the risk! - Come on, Yorgo, that's it!

Yorgo, even though I look like my mother, I took the risk from this man!

Bravo, Alexis, bravo! But enough with the risk, enough!

- What's wrong with him now? - I don't know!

- I'm going to go crazy! - Now?

- Tell me something. - What?