Maternity Blues

Mrs Micheli! Mrs Micheli!

Clara, say something!

Just one question!

This way.

Yes.

Is she already here?

Okay.

I'll be right there.

Put that cigarette out, Eloisa.

You can't smoke here.

Stop nagging, Vincenza!

Enzo said I could.

I don't care. Enzo lets you do

whatever you want, we all know why.

Smoke outside

or I'll call Mrs Stregari.

You'll be in a room

with other patients.

They'll tell you how the centre works.

You'll have activities to do

and have visits once a week.

Twice a week, we'll have sessions,

sometimes in groups.

This is Lucia,

she'll look after you.

Do you feel okay?

You're seriously anaemic...

I...

just want to die.

You're in abstinence, you're menopausal.

Right...

Trudy?

Stop winding her up.

One of these days, she'll react...

And do what?

Let her try.

You know something, Eloisa?

- You're the only one here who's not...

- Desperate?

Because I'm not a hypocrite,

I don't want to be branded like you.

Which brand?

You've all got a G

stamped on your foreheads.

- I don't.

- Rina leave her alone.

You've got it too

and so will the new girl.

G for what?

- Guilt?

- Shut up.

- What kind of family did you have?

- Family!

Rina, my family sucks

like all families.

But it's not their fault that I shoved

my kid's head in a plastic bag.

Right, Vincey?

Clara, we will help you.

You'll follow rehabilitation

and recreational programmes.

I'll explain the regulations here,

your room-mates will help you too.

You'll all receive 5 euros a week.

Rooms are vacated at 7:00, you return

there between 13:00 and 15:00 to rest

and then at 20:
00.

Lunch is at 12:
00...

It's always hard to sleep

the first few nights.

Beats a prison cell though.

I think I never slept there.

I was in prison for 6 months

before coming here too.

You're Clara, right?

I'm Vincenza.

How long have you been here?

Nearly six years.

Do you feel better?

You get used to it...

you get used to everything.

Do you believe in God?

No.

Shame.

You'll find it harder.

This is not good.

Get up.

Do you want to be alone?

I'll bring you something to read

if you like.

Where are you from?

Near Udine.

Really?

Everyone said you were foreign.

I've been in Udine for ten years.

I don't know that part of Italy.

My cousin did military service there.

This is for emergencies.

Do you like wine?

You have great wine.

Friulians are big drinkers, right?

- They're all drunkards.

- Really?

I was joking.

My name's Caterina,

but everyone calls me Rina.

Nice to meet you.

- What time is it?

- Midday.

Dr Scalia said you needed to rest.

- Has it been snowing long?

- Yes, five centimetres already.

There'll be loads of it soon.

I came to get a sweater,

it's really cold today.

You're sure you don't need anything?

If you need anything,

if you want to talk...

You can count on me.

Call someone, I don't feel well.

Mara!

For years my mother...

took me to the hairdresser's

to have the front of my hair...

cut really short.

If I complained...

I'd get slapped.

And kicked.

When I grew up

and could stand up for myself...

one day... I nearly...

strangled her...

I pinned her up against the wall...

and squeezed her neck with my hands.

Then...

my father...

arrived.

And he pushed me...

hard...

on to the floor.

Did you become an idiot

after that fall, Trudy?

Rina.

When I fell pregnant,

I was 16.

I didn't have a clue.

My mother said I was a whore,

an embarrassment...

My father instead said I should

have an abortion.

- What happened?

- Good morning, Clara.

How are you feeling?

Yesterday you fainted.

Hadn't you eaten?

You'll see...

you'll feel better in a few days.

When they moved her,

I wanted to visit her.

But I couldn't make it.

I don't know what I was feeling.

I know it's tough, Luigi.

But you have to get through this.

By reflecting on your mistakes maybe,

because we all make them.

I'm not saying this as your lawyer

but as your friend.

I know I'm to blame too.

We're not talking about blaming.

I see many dramatic family situations

in my work.

Many aren't aware...

they pretend everything's okay,

when it's not.

Are they to blame for that?

Yes.

Even the papers accuse me.

Where was her husband?

How many lies!

We're not how they described.

They even published

the note she'd left.

They interviewed the guy

who saved her.

Bullshit!

Forget about the papers.

They write about people's sorrows

because that's what sells.

- Will she do the whole eight years?

- That's what the judge decided.

But if her mental health improves

it could be less.

How are you?

How's work going?

I don't know!

I have to see.

I...

I like my work.

Once I've sorted things out,

maybe I'll feel better.

I've still got to move everything.

The judge signed the papers.

I can go ahead and sell the house.

Mom.

I'm on my way.

I'll be there in five minutes.

Monica.

I've got to start going to the gym,

I'm out of breath.

She's obsessed with that diary!

I don't think her kids give a damn

about what she does in here!

She didn't even write a shopping list

at home, now she wants to be a writer.

Lucia's nice though.

I get on better with her

than with Dr. Scalia.

She's pregnant, you know.

She's the only one who understands me.

I don't get on with the others.

People here have done all kinds

of things.

The bravest one is Elsa, over there.

She stabbed her husband

18 times while he slept.

He went straight from sleeping

to the afterlife.

Why don't you get on with the others?

They say I'm arrogant, selfish...

But I accept criticism too.

You won't believe what they said

about my son.

What was he like?

His eye's were like Max's...

his father. Yellow!

Yellow like a cat's eyes.

I love cats, I only trust them.

Maybe I'm an animal too.

There's a Charlie Brown cartoon strip

where he's camping with Linus

under a starry sky and Linus

is going on about how

each galaxy contains

billions of stars.

Then Charlie gets irritated

and says:
"l miss my dog".

I miss my son.

Even if the first sensation I had

when they told me he was dead

was...

a sense of relief.

I don't know about you, but "mother"

wasn't exactly my character.

The world thinks we're crazy.

But no one thinks it's crazy

to bring a child into the world.

- Good morning, Clara.

- Good morning.

Have a seat.

How are you feeling?

You seem better.

I'm glad to see that.

How are you getting on

with your room-mates?

Fine.

Okay. You've started

a hairdressing course.

How's it going?

It was my childhood dream.

You said you suffered

serious depression

after the birth of your second child

and that you remember

what happened well.

Yes.

I should've died with them.

Did your family

visit you in prison?

- My mother.

- Your mother.

What about your husband?

He wrote me letters, but...

I didn't read them.

Tell me about him.

He's a good person.

He was a salesman.

I didn't see him often.

He was always away for work.

His car was his real home.

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