The Dream (Visul)

You have one new voice message.

Hello!

I'm talking again to the answering machine. Alex!

I hope you're on your way to prison.

I got a call from the county with a budget correction

and we have to do theatre with inmates, I don't know...

they will take it into account afterwards,

so we have to do it, it's an order.

Be careful, when you schedule the rehearsals over there,

not to overlap with the ones at the theatre.

And remember, Tuesday, be careful,

on Tuesday you have a rehearsal at the theatre!

And answer the phone, God damn it!

And when I have electronic labels, the customers will come look.

Until the electronic labels are displayedat the market,

you'll find them at Altex. We often lower the prices...

- Hello! - Hello!

- Alex Gheorghe. - Yes, in a minute.

You were approved. You have a phone?

- Do you have it? - Yes.

In the box. In the box, with the keys.

- Do you have other forbidden objects? - Like what?

- Charger, hands-free? - No.

Go through the gate.

Come back.

- Belt? - Yes, I forgot, I am sorry.

Go again.

Come back.

Do you have any coins? Change?

Go.

You're okay.

Commissioner, sir!

Go!

Hello, I am Commissioner Marinescu. I was waiting for you.

- Yes, it is nice. - Let's go.

It took a while until I got through the gate.

It's normal, we respect the protocol.

Don't be afraid, you have enough time.

- Here is 020 to 023. - I'm 023, I'm listening.

Get the thieves out.

Roger that. I'll take them out now.

So, what's it like at the theatre?

I haven't been to the theatre since God knows when.

- You're an actor, right? - Yes.

It's alright.

I'm not rehearsing anything, but I'm doing what I like.

Yes, you're lucky. It's really important to do what you like.

If you're not doing what you like, you look at the watch,

you count the seconds...

until you can leave.

Do you have anything in mind?

I don't know. I have to see the people first.

Obviously.

Where are we selecting them? Do you have a stage or I don't know...

something with a stage?

We have a really nice club.

- Are there many? - About 1,200.

But we're not taking everyone.

We will do a preselection, we'll take the smart ones.

What exactly are you looking for?

Sir, we've never done this before.

We have other educational activities, but not theatre.

Open the gate.

This is the access gate to the imprisoned district.

Are we doing this again? We just did it.

It's the protocol.

The bag, everything in your pockets, belts, cigarettes, pills.

- I brought the receipt for the petrol. - What receipt?

The receipt, for reimbursement.

Didn't my coworker tell you that there's no reimbursement?

No, she told me that I am not being paid for what I'm doing here, but...

Because it's volunteering. But the receipt?

If it's volunteering, there's no reimbursement.

Let's go.

I am coming back.

Are you lost, baby girl?

Look for me later for the lapping.

Step away from the bars.

Yes, boss.

What I wanted to tell you...

You better keep your distance from the prisoners.

I mean, you should be polite, understanding, but not friendly.

It's for the best.

Here is 023 to 020.

Tell me!

I've taken them out. Where do I get them?

Get them in the club.

Come on.

I have a request for you.

I have a prisoner here who has some kind of depression.

He's not talking, he's not communicating.

I talked to the jail's psychologist

and he told me that this theatre thing might help him.

He's a good guy.

He was an assistant at Polytechnic, his parents are respectable people,

university professors.

But he killed his wife.

He caught her cheating with a student, he grabbed a knife,

and he butchered her... that's how they found them, in her red Beetle.

Maybe we can make him come out of this depression

so he doesn't do something stupid.

Diana! He's the actor.

Hello, Diana Moraru, education officer.

- We spoke on the phone the other day? - Yes, I am Alex.

- Run him through the details. - Of course.

I am going back.

You'll like it here.

It's one of the most quiet jails in the country.

Bye.

Come in, please.

Every year the festival takes place - "Multiart, emancipation through culture."

The National Penitentiary Administration

is allocating time, funds and human resources

to re-educate and rehabilitate the inmates.

In short,

the inmates get out of here and land in a world that simply despises them.

They don't know how to do anything, they have no knowledge,

nobody hires them, they have no money.

They are marginalized, so most of the time they swiftly land back in here again.

The reoffending rate in the first six months after release is 65%.

So why don't you teach them how to lay tiles?

How is theatre helping them?

The purpose of this festival was to encourage the inmates

to get more involved in the artistic field.

To help them get back to themselves more easily.

And you get back to yourself more easliy through theatre than by laying tiles?

- Something like that. - Yeah...

Alright. So what now?

We go see the inmates. There are five of them.

Just five?

Your coworker said there were 1,200.

They are 1,400 in the whole penitentiary.

But there are five who meet the participation conditions.

The conditions?

Yes, they have to have an open or semi-open regime,

no incident in the last two years, to not be released until the festival,

and on top of all of that, they need to want to act.

What do you mean? Why wouldn't they want to act?

- Hello! - Hello!

- Hello! - Hello, ma'am!

These are the names of the people that can be part of this.

This is Alex, he's an actor, and he's here to help us.

Sit down, please.

I will now ask him to say a few words.

I am... Hi! I am Alex, I am an actor,

a professional actor, which means I should know what should be done.

Well, you never really, really know what you have to do in theatre,

so we will try to figure it out together.

I don't care why you are here, how much time you have left,

I care about what you like, what you don't,

what music you listen to, what are you reading, if you are.

Let's start with the name...

your name, or your nickname, or what you're called here.

Flute.

When I was younger, I was in a play with a puppy whose name was Pouty.

That's what I've been called since then.

I was raised by my grandma

because my mother left for Italy when I was young.

And Grandma has a diploma above her bed, my high school diploma.

She's keeping it there.

She doesn't have a picture or anything else but the diploma.

For her, that's who I am.

That was good.

Quince.

That's what I am called.

Probably my face is a little yellow, that's why people call me Quince.

But anyway, I mind my own business, I am friends with anybody. Proper friends.

I like to dance when I am alone,

and I rarely am.

I like flowers,

I like when it's snowing at night,

it's quiet.

I like stories, especially those with princes saving the girl.

And I don't know why, but people call me Assy.

- Because you're from there. - I am from Arad.

Shut the fuck up, you have an aunt there.

- I don't have an aunt. - Quiet, let him speak.

You see? I let other people talk, I am more of a listener.

That's what I thought.

Okay.

I am really satisfied with how our first meeting went.

And...

Take a piece of paper and write down...

Take it...

Write down a question for me.

Until the next time, I will think about it and I'll answer you then.

Thanks.

O gods!

O gods!

Gods and goddesses!

Gods!

Thisbe!

Thisbe!

The fortress...

When I myself see that, what my eyes have seen...

I need to...

Is he staying here?

Out!

Out, I said!

- From the start? - No, go on.