Religiosa Portuguesa, A Page #2

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What's happening this morning?

We're filming without actors.

What about me?

Meet us here at 2 pm.

Here?

The dressing room is at the hotel.

I'll go for a stroll then.

Enjoy yourself.

Vasco!

No school today, Vasco?

I never go to school.

How old are you?

Six.

At six you don't go to school?

My cousins go, but not me.

What do your parents say?

I have no parents.

Who raises you?

Madalena.

Who's she?

My aunt.

But not really.

Where do you live?

In that house, on the second floor.

But I can't invite you over.

Madalena would mind?

No.

But today she's working,

I can't get in.

You can't get into your own home?

Not when Madalena works.

When will she be back?

This afternoon. Around the time

my cousins finish school.

Where do you eat?

At home.

But you can't get in?

When Madalena works,

I eat morning and night.

Come, let's go for a snack.

I'm happy to be with you.

You're the most beautiful woman

I've ever seen.

And Madam Julie is a pretty name.

Vasco is nice too.

My mother's name was Isabel.

So you knew your mother?

No.

My grandmother told me.

Where's your grandmother?

She's dead.

Could I meet Madalena?

Tomorrow she's not working.

I'll come tomorrow morning.

Has Martin Dautand arrived?

Who?

The other actor.

Yes. I did his make-up.

He's handsome.

I've never met him,

but I've seen him in films.

I don't see how you can make a film

with only two actors.

And we only have

two scenes together.

We're shooting them today.

What happens the rest of the time?

The film is...

unconventional.

Boring, you mean.

I hope not.

The story moves me.

What's it about?

I'm playing a nun, Mariana.

She's in love

with a French naval officer,

who leaves her.

A nun mustn't love a man.

She's given herself to God.

Perhaps through loving a man,

this nun discovers that God

has given himself to her.

There, you're beautiful.

You can go to wardrobe now.

No one's told me where the set is.

Right next door,

in the Nossa Senhora do Monte

chapel.

I'm Julie.

I'm Martin.

I don't speak Portuguese.

But I'm pleased to meet you.

Likewise.

I almost worked with you

several times.

But it didn't happen.

Everything happens at the right time.

Perhaps so.

I think they're waiting for us.

Let's go.

This will be a master shot.

Julie, you'll kneel down here,

before the camera.

Martin, when Renata

gives you the signal,

you enter from outside,

notice the nun and watch her

from the back of the chapel.

Then slowly move up the aisle

and stand to her left.

After a short while, Julie,

you feel his presence

and turn to look at him.

Your eyes meet.

Quiet, please. We're about to roll.

Whenever you're ready, Denis.

Camera.

Roll sound.

Scene five, shot one, take one.

Action.

Cut.

Excuse me!

When are you leaving?

As soon as we clear up, Madam.

Don't dally. I must prepare

the chapel for tonight.

What's happening tonight?

Every night a saint comes here

to spend the night with God.

I'd do something else with my nights.

But it's her choice.

Quiet on the set.

We're about to roll.

Quiet outside.

When you're ready, Denis.

Camera.

Roll sound.

Scene seven, shot one, take one.

Action.

Cut.

All evening the crew

is shooting without us.

This is a strange shoot.

It lets the actors get acquainted.

Do you live in Paris?

Yes.

And yet, we never met.

Not even at a party.

I don't go out much.

I met the love of my life years ago.

We live a quiet life together.

I'd love to be in the same situation.

What's her name?

Marlene.

You share a common syllable.

It's no longer passionate.

Actually, it never was.

Maybe that's why it works so well.

We hope to have a child soon.

You don't have children?

No.

I've had only passions.

Unhappy ones.

Everything seems clear and obvious.

Like on a map.

There's our hotel.

Yes, I see.

And yet, nothing is clear at all.

Would you like one last drink?

The hotel bar has a wonderful view.

What do you see?

Among other things, this garden.

It'll be like passing through

the looking glass.

Yes.

Let's go.

I'm sorry.

Why?

You surely misunderstood

my gesture.

I think I understood it very well.

It was very selfish of me.

Why?

It's true that Marlene and I

are happy together.

That's good.

But maybe for it to continue,

I need an occasional moment

of passion outside.

A brief passion?

Yes.

If something were to happen

between us,

it would be brief.

That's why I feel selfish.

My passions have all been brief.

If sleeping with me would help you,

I'd feel like

I'd be doing a good deed.

So it would be selfish of me, too.

Let's accept our common selfishness.

Shall we go to your room or mine?

Let's go to mine.

It'll be like playing

The Portuguese Nun again.

Come in.

Today I shoot my solo scenes.

Then I'll catch the plane to Paris.

I finish shooting tomorrow,

and go home the day after.

Here's my card.

If you ever want to meet for a drink,

it would be a pleasure.

I hope you're not sad.

I told you last night...

I'm happy.

When you said it,

we were together.

Now we're parting.

I'm in the habit of separating.

Is there no way

to change one's habits?

I already have.

Usually when I leave someone,

I'm sad.

This morning I'm happy.

SISTER JOANA:

Madam, I didn't know if you'd come.

I always keep my word.

Madalena is at home.

I told her about you.

Come.

This is the French lady.

This is Madalena.

Please come in, Madam.

Do you understand Portuguese?

Madam speaks Portuguese very well.

May I offer you a coffee?

You're very kind.

Madam is an actress.

Really?

Yes. I'm in Lisbon for a few days.

Where do you live?

In Paris.

How did you meet Vasco?

We met outside, in the square.

I was surprised he wasn't in school.

Vasco, go play outside.

See you later.

When Vasco was born, just nearby,

his mother was sixteen.

She left home immediately afterwards.

Who is his father?

Nobody knows.

Are you a relative?

No.

My mother was a childhood friend

of his grandmother,

who cared for him after he was born.

His mother never returned?

No.

When Vasco was two, we learned

she'd killed herself, in Porto.

His grandmother died a year ago.

The boy had no one.

My mother considered

his grandmother as her sister,

so I took him in.

But it's impossible.

We already have three children.

My husband works in Paris,

in construction.

Four days a week I clean houses.

I don't want to shut Vasco inside,

so I let him play outdoors.

That shocks you.

Why don't you put him school?

We can't officialise

our relationship.

At first I thought I'd adopt him,

but we can barely feed

our own family.

What will you do?

This summer I'll have to put him

in the orphanage.

Does he know?

No.

What if I found a family

to adopt him?

Where?

In France.

That would be a good deed.

I know one couple in particular.

Give me your phone number.

Maybe I'll have some news

before I leave.

I often pray for this child.

What do you ask for?

The grace of God.

Have you obtained it for him?

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