AN UNUSUAL GREEK FUNERAL IN THE CARPATHIANS

Transcription

1 1 AN UNUSUAL GREEK FUNERAL IN THE CARPATHIANS Screenplay by Zaza Buadze Grigoris Karandinakis All Rights Reserved

2 2 INT/EXT. BURKUT. ALYOSHA HOUSE. DAY. (FX) Young ALEXIS buttons the last button on his shirt. For a few seconds he observes his reflection on the windowpane. He is well groomed but pale. He steps out of the room and walks downstairs to the ground floor. There YURKO (the middle-aged close friend of ALYOSHA) waits for him. He wears an old but well-kept suit. He is shaven and well groomed. On his head as always he wears his favorite Chicago Bulls cap. Are you ready, Greek? Where is the other chap? He shows him the closed door of ALYOSHA s room. He comes close to the door and knocks. Lyosh, it s time, all the NEIGHBORS are here. The PRIEST is out there too! I m on my way you go ahead! YURKO shrugs his shoulders and puts his arm around the young man s shoulder. Let s go, my friend! They step outside the house and ALEXIS notices that the yard is full of people. They all wait. The PRIEST is at the front. Next to him there is a table covered with a black cloth. They look at the NEIGHBORS, and stand their backs turned at the house. The young man observes their silent faces. All of a sudden, he sees all faces freeze, their eyes wide open. They all look at the same direction behind the young man s back. They see a CLOWN in an orange tuxedo, a bright orange wig, a bowler hat and a deep red plastic nose. The CLOWN

3 3 holds in his hands the URN. The young man notices that the collar of the tuxedo is just freshly tailored. ALYOSHA/CLOWN steps off the doorstep and places the URN on the table. Surprised, all the NEIGHBORS step backwards including YURKO and the PRIEST. Father, start! The PRIEST overcomes his surprise, nods in agreement, comes close to the table and starts to strut ceremoniously around it with his incense burner, while chanting at a low voice the last rites. Every now and then he looks askance at the CLOWN, who stands adjacent to the young man. After getting used to the CLOWN s presence, the women start lamenting while some intone the PRIEST s words. When the chanting ends, ALYOSHA walks up to the URN and kisses it. Then he turns to the young man making a signal to come close likewise for the final farewell. The young man approaches, touches the URN with both hands. He clutches it tightly. ALYOSHA watches on, like everybody else there. Suddenly, the young man lifts the URN and walks at a brisk pace towards the bell tower. The grandfather follows behind him. YURKO runs after the CLOWN just as hurriedly. Everybody else follows YURKO. As soon as he gets to the foot of the bell tower, the young man looks up to the tower, which in his eyes looks immense. With one hand he clutches on his chest the URN and with the other hand he helps himself upstairs holding the handrail. There he stands motionless for a few moments. He hears his grandfather who now is right behind him. The young man s forehead is full of sweat. Let s move on, my boy! Mustering all his strength the young man desperately tries to stop his hands from shaking.

4 4 I ll be right with you Just go on! YURKO follows close behind the CLOWN. What are you doing, Lyosha? He can t Stay out of this! Keep off! This is our affair! A family affair! The young man starts his ascent. His hands tremble, while he sweats profusely. He clutches even harder the URN on his chest and step-by-step he climbs upwards. His grandfather is close behind to make sure he is safe. After a slow and tortured ascent, they are finally at the top. They stand on the platform and the young man s head spins so much he has a hard time to stand still. He feels safer with his grandfather close by. He dares to look downwards. He sees the people. They are all silent with the heads turned upwards looking at them. Come, let me help you unscrew the lid! The young man holds the URN with both hands and his grandfather slowly unscrews the lid until they see the grey ashes within the URN. Farewell, my NINA, please forgive me Welcome to your clouds! The young man tips the URN upside down and the ashes flow downwards, forming a small air stream. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind twirls the ashes and throws them onto ALEXIS and ALYOSHA. This sudden event stops their breathing. From below, all the people gasp in awe. The wind does not let up, the ashes cover their hair, their faces, their necks, shoulders After this, the wind subsides just as

5 5 unexpectedly as it started. There is silence. Grandfather and grandson still stand motionless, covered in grey ashes from top to bottom. Once again unexpectedly a strong hurricane starts. The NEIGHBORS cross themselves and run to get protection from the pouring rain. The young man with his grandfather stands on the bell tower platform. Rain falls on them, rinsing away the ashes. ALYOSHA s makeup is smeared away too. The young man is at his wit s end. He shudders. He sits slowly on the platform as if melting into the floor. He sits his head drooping. He shivers all over. Not able to take this any longer, he suddenly lets out a cry at the top of his lungs. It seems that the pain overwhelms him. He raises his head towards the sky. Rain lashes on him filling his mouth and his eyes. His grandfather looks at him and it is hard to distinguish his tears from the falling rain on the CLOWN s face as the makeup runs. Underneath in the yard everybody is gone except for YURKO. His head is turned upwards looking at the grandfather and the grandson. There is lightning and thunder in the sky above.