Triage (2009) Movie Script
- Hey, lad.
- Hey.
- Is that me?
- Yeah.
You'd turn up late
for your own funeral, wouldn't ya?
Couldn't find my passport.
Better late tonight than tomorrow.
- Good to see you, man.
- Where's the girls?
In the toilet.
You packed? You all set?
Yeah. You nervous?
- No.
- Good.
- To Kurdistan.
- To Kurdistan. Slainte.
Hey, love.
How are you?
- You packed? Yeah?
- Ready to go.
How's it going?
- Any action?
- God, I hope not.
Running out of time.
- Seat's in the corner. Let's get it.
- Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
How are you?
It's not my fault.
I'm not pointing a finger.
So, quiet tonight?
Yeah. Think so.
- Think it's sad.
- Sad?
- Yeah, you're going.
- Geez, the guilt.
Ladle it on.
Anyway,
we've decided some names.
- Yeah?
- Mm-hmm.
If it's a girl, she'll be Morna.
- Morna.
- It means "beloved."
- It's nice.
- Yeah.
And if it's a boy?
Well, it was a tough one,
but we finally agreed on Mark.
- You're joking.
- Nope.
- Really?
- Yeah, really.
Curse the child!
[Laughing]
- Yeah.
- Wow, thank you.
Thank you.
[Speaking Kurdish]
[Speaking Kurdish]
[Indistinct shouting]
You all right?
Yeah.
All right, come on.
- Dr. Talzani.
- Mr. Walsh.
- How are you?
- Busy. Go.
David!
Jesus.
- The smell?
- Yeah.
I thought you guys
are used to this kind of thing.
How can anyone get used to this?
Well, considering we have
no ventilation, no running water,
and no medicine,
I'd say we are doing pretty good.
Dr. Talzani, this is my friend David.
Nice to meet you.
- All right, you know the rules.
- No flash.
Keep out of your way.
[Speaking Kurdish]
- What happened to you?
- Just needed some fresh air.
- Feeling better now?
- Yeah.
All right. You do look like shit.
I think you're getting too old
for this gig.
Now, that's funny.
I'm going home, Mark.
Yeah, me too. Soon.
I want to go now.
Tomorrow.
I've had enough.
And Diane's due in two weeks.
If I'm not back in time...
I know.
What about the offensive?
What about it?
Well, it looks like
they're finally gonna go.
They've been saying that
ever since we got here.
These people have been launching
offensives for, what, two centuries?
Two centuries from now,
they'll still be launching them.
We miss this one,
we catch the next.
That simple, huh?
Ah, shite, here we go.
Blue tags.
- You all right for this?
- Mm, yep.
All right.
Let's go get some shots.
Come on.
Do you have an extra cigarette?
Beautiful, isn't it?
This place is beautiful.
You know...
In my lifetime alone,
we had eight wars.
Two with the Turks,
three with Iranians,
and three with Iraqis.
And if I go back
to when my father was alive,
or my father's father,
each time we've been beaten.
That's what we Kurds do best,
get beaten.
So why do you stay?
Where am I to go, Mr. Walsh?
They talk of free will,
but we are all just homing pigeons
in the end.
You should leave soon,
you and your friend.
The offensive starts in two days,
and when it happens,
it will be very hard to leave.
Well, we don't want to leave.
That's why we're here, Doctor.
Can you get us a place on board?
Do you ever stop?
I must go.
I'll see if I can do something.
Thank you.
There's an Iraqi outpost there,
and the only way to re-supply it
is by convoy through this valley.
So they'll be sitting ducks
for an ambush.
Talzani found us two places
on the truck.
- Has he?
- Yeah.
So we go along for that,
and then come back here,
jump in a Jeep to the border,
we'll be in Turkey by that night.
- What do you think?
- That's cutting it too close.
How? We'll be home by Tuesday,
Wednesday night at the latest.
That's a week and a half
before the baby's due.
Oh, come on, Mark,
what the hell does that mean?
Babies are born early all the time.
- So what if the Iraqis hit back hard?
- That's not gonna happen.
It'll be days, it'll be weeks
probably before the Iraqis
come back into the mountains.
How do you know that?
Because Saddam doesn't give
a fuck about the Kurds.
They'll come back into the mountains
just to prove a point.
Massacre them.
He doesn't fucking care about them,
though he cares about the flats.
Oil fields.
First order of business,
reclaim the oil fields...
Reclaim the oil fields? The Kurd's
haven't even taken them yet.
What if they don't? What then?
Jesus Christ, man,
you're making it hard.
Look, we've been here
what, nearly a month at this stage?
Yeah.
And what have we got? Some shots
of Dr. Talzani and the triage.
We've got some schoolchildren
saluting the rebel flag.
Got some fucking
Pesh Merga running drills?
It's all good stuff.
It's all good stuff, man,
but it's not why I came here.
We haven't got the story.
Look, if this offensive goes off,
Kurdistan will be
hitting the headlines
just about the time we get home.
And we're the only
two photographers here.
There's no reason
why we don't get those shots.
Fucking hell.
I can see it now.
Boys, welcome back.
How was it?
It was grand!
So what shots have you got?
Shots of what, the offensive?
Fuck the offensive.
Look, we've got schoolchildren.
They're very cute.
Okay, Mark, I get the picture.
Two more days, man.
- You know what the worst of this is?
- What?
The food. The fucking food.
I mean, take a look at these beans.
Why do war zones
always have such miserable food?
And you being a Scotsman,
you'd know about cuisine, would you?
Oh, here we go.
Your entire menu looks like
it was made in a fucking war zone.
And by the way,
that's what your kid's
going to be eating
for the rest of his life
if we don't bring back
some decent pictures.
You're worse than a pit bull.
Do you know that?
Has anyone ever managed
to say no to you?
Let's say we hope
for a war in France.
Nice food, close to home.
The only thing is, knowing the French
it'd be over in less than a week.
After this, I switch
to fashion photography.
Two more days, then.
But no more.
And if they come back tomorrow
and say "Just another..."
Then we go. No questions asked.
Absolutely.
Okay.
Good man, fair play.
I cannot believe
I've been talked into it again.
Mark!
Where the fuck are you going?
[In Kurdish]
Cease fire!
What's happened?
- We go!
- Go base?
No base.
No, we're going Iraq.
- Iraqi fort?
- Yes. We go.
You all right?
What was all that about?!
I can't do this anymore, man.
There's been a change in plans.
They're not going back to base,
they're going to hit the Iraqi fort.
What?
They're gonna go up there
in the truck.
- The Iraqis'll think it's a convoy...
- What, we going? No, no, no.
Look, David! We've no choice, man!
We're along for the ride, remember?
Along for the fucking ride?!
What are you saying?
Listen to yourself!
It's another day, then another day,
then another day,
and I can't do it!
I'm going home, man!
David.
What the fuck are you gonna do,
walk home?!
It's 20 fucking miles back to base!
Just don't get it, do you?
I don't care.
- David!
- I'm going home.
Fuck! David!
Mr. Walsh, are you coming?
Mr. Walsh?
They found you down by the river.
Do you remember that?
He says you can't walk.
Is that so?
Not sure. I, um, just woke up.
Does it hurt?
- So you can feel it?
- Yeah.
No pain?
Can you move your arms?
Your legs?
Very good.
A head wound as well?
Flesh wound.
Maybe concussion,
but no skull fracture.
Kurdistan is not a good place
for skull fracture.
Well...
You took quite a jolt,
but you're not paralyzed.
And it seems
there are no broken bones.
Legs will be the biggest problem.
That's always the case.
Legs, legs, legs...
For every arm
I've amputated up here,
I've probably taken 10 legs.
Strange, isn't it?
Human legs are just not designed
for modern war.
Take it easy. Get some rest.
You have some neural disruption
but, Inshallah, it's only temporary.
You're going to be right.
How do you feel?
Geez.
Scared me.
Better.
Only a little bit of pain.
Excellent. Pain is always
preferable to numbness.
You were lucky, Mr. Walsh.
Really lucky.
If there'd been any complications...
What?
You would have shot me?
Yeah. For your own good.
To stop you from suffering.
And what about your friend?
He never came to visit you.
He wouldn't even know I'm here.
He left the day before it happened.
First day of the offensive.
Smart man.
You war people,
you all think you're immortal.
Probably not good for morale
to see a colleague
end up in Harir cave.
That's all I can find.
I hope they fit.
Oh, Mr. Walsh.
You're making progress.
What do you think?
How many doctors in the world
have to clean their gun?
You should sterilize it, too.
Oh, sarcasm is back.
Great.
You must have a lot of regret.
Regret what, Mr. Walsh?
That I spared them
a few days of terrible suffering
'cause I have no way of saving them
or easing the unbearable pain?
Do you think I kill those poor men
because I enjoy it?
Geez, no.
In quiet times,
when there is not a lot of fighting
and I have more time,
I give out very few blues.
But when there is a lot of fighting,
a lot of wounded coming in...
No.
I have to think of those
I can still save.
That's the one.
Some live, some die,
that's the only way to look at it.
[In Kurdish]
Thank you.
Anything else is just arrogance,
the arrogance of imagining
you can do something to change it.
I'm sure they lecture against this
in medical school,
smoking in operating room.
I think you'll get away
with it tonight.
Do you know
what Pesh Merga means?
It means, "those who face death."
Romantic.
Poetic, even.
Personally, I've never seen
one face death.
They all turn away at the end.
A Jeep is leaving tomorrow morning
for the frontier.
- Why?
- The offensive has been discussed.
You better leave while you can.
Set to go?
Yep.
Ah, it's much better.
I guess it's yours.
You're joking me.
I hope you had an enjoyable visit.
A lovely trip.
Don't know why you don't get
more tourists over in these parts.
I'm sorry. It's very Kurdish.
It's a point of honor
to make sure strangers are content.
Well, in that case, just think of me
as another happy customer.
Dr. Talzani.
Thank you so much.
Pleasure is mine.
Mr. Walsh, good luck.
Oh!
Oh!
No, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Easy, easy, easy.
Oh! Dios mio!
What happened to you?
Oh, it was dark.
I fell into a river and got dragged
over some rocks a bit, banged up.
Just another day at the office.
Why didn't you call me
to say you're coming?
'Cause I had a quick connection
from Istanbul.
Well, what's this?
What do we got here?
You like it?
Yeah, I love it
when you go shopping
and then, all of a sudden, presto!
There's something there
that makes the place less... simple.
You mean monastic?
No, simple.
We had nowhere to sit.
- I'll take it back if you want.
- No, no.
Jesus, baby. I'm joking, I'm joking.
I love it.
Well, I don't love it,
but I'll get used to it.
I'm just tired.
Come on, I'll throw you a bath.
Okay.
By the way,
I love your new style.
Hey.
Oh, my God.
Mark, stand up.
Let me dry you off.
Come on, baby.
Missed you.
Morning, sunshine. I don't think
I've ever been that tired.
I can't even remember
getting out of the bath.
Mi amor. What happened to you?
You're all black and blue.
I told you. I'm an idiot.
Fell into a river
and got dragged over some rocks.
You got all that from some rocks?
It's a strong river, love.
Diane called.
David didn't come back with you?
No. We split up the first day
of the offensive.
He wanted to get back.
What, do you mean
he's not back yet?
No.
That doesn't make sense.
He should've been back
four or five days ago.
Should we be worried?
No.
No. He probably just got cut off
by the Iraqis.
- They came back in fairly hard.
- Well, that's pretty worrisome.
David knows what to do.
He'll just lay low for a while,
find another way out.
You know Diane is due
in a week or so.
- What if David isn't back by then?
- He'll be back by then.
He wouldn't miss it for the world.
It's all he talked about over there.
- Yeah, but imagine what if he isn't?
- I don't know.
What, do you want me
to go back over and find him?
Is that what you want?
No.
No, carino. Of course not.
I just...
I just wonder sometimes
if you guys even think about us
when you're out there?
That's all.
I think about you on the way out,
and I think about you
on the way back.
I try not to think about you
out there.
Just makes it too hard.
Easy.
You're killing me with these hugs.
I have to go to work.
- You have to?
- Yeah.
You know I do, honey.
But I'll try to come back early.
- Hey, hey.
- Mark!
How are you, lvan?
Good, good.
I was growing worried with all
this news of the fighting out there.
Oh, yeah?
What happened to you?
Nothing. Got into a bind
and fell into a river is all.
You go to Kurdistan
to fall into a river?
Yeah, well, no one ever said
I was smart.
Listen, can you do
a rush job on these?
I wanna take advantage
of it being in the news, you know?
How much of a rush?
This afternoon?
All right.
I'll make you copies
to show on the wall, okay?
Good man.
You know it?
Yeah, it's a great shot.
How long have you been doing
this now, the war stuff?
- Eight, nine years?
- Twelve.
You should get out.
I can tell by looking at you
that it's time to get out.
You know by looking at me?
Well, I've been there, you know?
And I know that, for all of us,
there comes the time to, well,
to leave it, you know?
Yeah, well, that happens
out there, man.
I deal with it out there.
And then, I'm here.
Separate worlds.
You know, separate.
Why, you don't believe me?
No.
It doesn't affect me, lvan.
Look me in the eye and tell me that.
It doesn't affect me.
Well, that's the saddest thing
I've ever heard, son.
Ivan, I just came in
to get the fucking films done.
I didn't come in for a lecture, man.
All right, all right.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
It's none of my business, I know.
I just think of you as a friend,
that's all.
Fair enough.
Okay, so, 5:00?
Yeah. Bill me. Thanks.
Okay.
Give us a pint, Kevin, will ya?
Please.
Cheers, Kevin.
Hey. Stretching.
You've already started
going through them.
- Yeah.
- How are they?
- Good. Got some good ones.
- Show me.
No, not now.
I'll show you later...
Missy.
Hey, I missed you today.
I missed you, too.
There you are.
David!
Elena?
I'm sorry I'm late.
I had a starter.
I had to feed the beast.
If I don't eat on time,
it gets really angry.
It moved! Did you feel it?
Of course you did.
How are you?
Yeah, all right.
Except I have to pee
every five minutes.
Any word from David, hmm?
I know it's his job,
and there's a war on,
and it's a primitive place,
but surely he could get
a message out to me somehow.
Or maybe not.
If the phone lines have been cut...
Well, forget a message.
I want him.
He does this to me
and then fucks off to Kurdistan.
Yeah.
Hey, what if I send a cable
to the Kurdish refugee camp?
I know some people working there.
I can have them
at least ask around, no?
Oh, I don't know.
The idea of some Red Cross guy
running up to him,
telling him he has to call his wife,
he'd get pissed off.
So what?
You know what, you're right.
Okay. Let's do it.
Mark!
- How are you?
- Good.
You look like shite!
Thanks.
- What happened?
- Oh, you know.
So, good trip?
I think so, yeah. You tell me.
Give!
It's a Pesh Merga ambush
of an Iraqi convoy.
They killed 19 troops
and took out a transportation truck.
Yeah.
Too bad Life magazine
only does pap these days,
but I'll run these past them anyway.
We should be able to find
something on the continent.
Hear there's a lot of Kurds
in Germany, right?
Or do I mean Turks?
You mean both, Amy.
Kurds and Turks.
Yeah, okay. I'll try Stern.
What else?
"Triage."
Working title.
- For what?
- Um...
Makeshift hospital in the field.
Soldiers that came in
that were too gravely wounded,
they took them outside
and killed them.
Killed?
By?
Their own doctor.
Fellow Kurd.
You can see him in the shots.
Jesus Christ!
Mercy killings.
Well, that is an incredible
piece of work, Mark.
Could put these up for auction.
I'll send it to all the news weeklies,
and I'll tell them I need an answer
by tomorrow afternoon.
Nice.
Listen, Time magazine
is sending a reporter to Burma,
and they need a photographer.
When they see these...
Interested?
Time? Yeah, sure.
Well, don't jump for joy, will you?
God.
- You all right?
- Yeah, I'm just tired.
It's a long trip.
- Okay, anything else?
- No, that's it.
Okay, I'll call you. Bye!
- See ya, Amy.
- See ya.
That's a terrible limp you got there,
Mark. You sure you're okay?
Yeah, fine. Just got banged up
a bit, you know.
Don't start being all concerned, now.
It doesn't suit ya.
Well, listen,
you may have got banged up,
but I'd say it was worth it.
- Great work.
- Thanks.
Hey. I probably should have
stayed home.
I'm not much in the mood
for socializing.
You should go and talk to Diane.
I will. I will.
I'm gonna say no
to the Burma job.
Gonna have Amy
pull my name from...
Are you serious?
But you've always talked
about working for Time.
I know. Just not right now.
God knows there'll always be
another war.
Mark, did something happen
in Kurdistan, hmm?
Yes.
I decided I want to spend
more time with you,
and I want to have a baby with you.
I'm sorry, but I'm...
I'm worried about you.
- Worried about me?
- Yeah.
Yeah, something's wrong.
You're not yourself.
I'm gonna see Diane.
That's better.
I don't know what I was thinking
with those heels.
- Here you go.
- Thanks.
It's just so weird.
You know, Mark didn't
even mention David.
It's so strange.
I don't know.
He just seems different,
preoccupied.
And his limp is definitely
getting worse.
He says it isn't, but...
And tonight he told me
he wants to have a baby.
- A baby?
- Yeah.
Mark wants to have a baby?
Wow, he really isn't well.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Diane.
My God.
You don't need to hear this.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
Strange, isn't it?
They've gone
to so many places together,
they're best friends,
but they're so different.
David seems to always focus
on the beauty, what's hopeful.
While Mark...
Well, you wouldn't want
many of his pictures on the wall.
Mark?
Mark?
Mark?!
Mrs. Walsh?
He's been sent on to neurology.
We cleaned the head wound
and removed a foreign object.
A foreign object?
What do you mean?
I really couldn't say.
That's pathology.
Hey, sorry.
What is wrong with his legs?
That's neurology, I'm afraid.
But I'm sure the neurologist will be
able to answer all your questions.
It should be only
a few more minutes.
[Sighs]
So, the good news is
there's nothing permanently wrong.
Nothing physically,
permanently wrong with him,
that is, you know.
No neural disruption,
no broken bones.
There is some swelling
and some hypersensitivity
along the spine.
That's a class symptom
of high-impact trauma,
but all indications are
that it's dissipating.
Then, why is he getting worse?
He told me he fell into a river,
that he was dragged
across some rocks.
- Is that what he told you?
- Yes.
That's when I started to wonder
about his story.
Because we extracted this
from the back of his head.
Um, "composition...
steel and cadmium alloy
with traces of TNT.
Characteristics...
an eighth of an inch thick,
jagged edges,
curled on two sides,
indicating a sudden
and extreme metal-stress."
Shrapnel.
It seems like Mark had
a very close call over there.
An artillery shell exploded
just meters
from where he was standing.
That's how he got this.
But, look, that's not the problem.
By all medical
and physical indicators,
he should be improving.
But he's not. I mean, if anything,
he's getting worse.
Which means?
Which means it's
a psychosomatic complication,
maybe PTSD.
Look, I'm not a psychiatrist,
but I think that might be
the kind of doctor he needs.
Why didn't you tell me
about the explosion?
I thought it would be easier not to.
Easier?
Yeah.
Love, you've already had enough
to worry about.
When I go away, you know?
It's over now.
You're home.
I love you.
Don't be upset at me, Elena.
I'll be fine.
- Everything is going to be okay.
- Yeah.
I'm sure.
[In Spanish]... Joaquin Morales.
Leave a message after the beep.
[Beep]
[In Spanish]
Grandfather, are you there?
[In Spanish]
It's me, Elena.
Mutilated baby corpse.
Am I right?
In this test, there is
no right or wrong.
Next one.
Oh, Jesus.
Mutilated woman's corpse.
Mutilated man's corpse.
Must be the father.
They got the whole family,
did they, doctor? Fucking hell.
All just a game to you, Mr. Walsh?
I don't know.
It just all seems a bit...
...stupid, you know?
Maybe it is.
But I am trying to help you,
and in 15 minutes,
I'll be leaving here and will get paid
whether you answer
my questions or not,
while you'll still be lying here
unable to walk.
The point being, I suppose,
that stupidity can take
a variety of forms.
Have you ever been
in a war zone, doctor?
No. But I've treated patients
who have.
All right. Well, no offense,
but I don't think it's the same thing.
No, it's not the same thing.
But does that mean
we can only understand
what we directly experience?
Can only someone who's been raped
counsel a rape victim?
Maybe.
I didn't know
Mark had been published.
Do you think you can help him?
Yes, of course I can help him.
I can help anyone.
Like I said last night, it doesn't
change anything between us.
I only asked you here to help him.
How did you become so hard, Elena?
So judgmental?
Is it always wrong
to be judgmental?
About the Nazis
or what Stalin did?
About what you did?
Oh? And just what is it
that you think that I did?
No, no. I'm... I'm sorry.
No, I do want to go into this.
This is something you have
always denied me.
You have learned about what I did,
and that was enough,
you made up your own mind.
But you never once
came to ask me.
You are the only thing
in the world for me, Elena.
So, tell me, what it is
that you think I did there?
Your patients were war criminals.
Monsters.
Men who destroyed villages
and tortured people to death,
all in the name of Spain, of Franco.
And when they came to you,
you absolved them of all guilt.
You purified them.
Yeah, you came up
with that phrase, didn't you?
You must have.
"The Morales Institute
for Psychological Purification."
Thousands of innocent people
murdered,
and whenever their killers
felt pangs of guilt,
they went to you,
and you told them,
"Don't worry about it,
you had no choice.
Get on with your life."
Those men,
when they were brought to me,
those "monsters" as you call them,
they were lost.
So as a last hope,
they brought them to me,
and yes, I purified them.
To you, it is simple.
They were evil men,
and because I treated them,
I am evil, too. Hmm?
But you forget something.
These were the men who had won.
They held the fate of Spain
in their hands,
and they had tasted power.
And what is the greatest power
that a man can have?
It is to kill.
And if you have killed a thousand,
what are a thousand more?
If you have tortured one person,
is it too hard to torture another?
No.
It's easy. It's the easiest thing
in the world.
This is what our country
was faced with.
So what was I to do?
Was I to leave these killers
as they were
so they could go on killing?
No, I could not agree to that.
So, I purified them.
I brought them back to life,
and to humanity.
How many people did I save?
I think I saved many.
So there you have it.
Do with it what you will.
But you are no longer a teenager.
The world is a very complex place.
There is very little of it
that is black and white.
Ah, so you're awake then.
How do you feel?
I'm fine.
Marvelous.
What time is it?
Time to get started.
Beyond that, who can say?
Elena yesterday telephoned me
and told me
about all your difficulties
and asked if I could help.
I said, "Well."
I was rather hesitant at first,
because I've been retired
from the field for many years, but...
Sorry, but you mentioned Elena?
I am Joaquin Morales,
Elena's grandfather.
Carmen, her mother,
is always telling me
about your adventures.
And now we finally meet,
and, uh, it's a pity
it's in these... circumstances.
I imagine you've heard
a great deal about me.
Well, she said she stopped
talking to you a number of years ago
because she heard
you were a fascist.
A fascist!
[Laughs]
She's a very inventive girl.
Por Dios, all this talk is just
torturing me from reason I came.
I would like to make
a brief patient history of you,
if that's all right with you.
Sure, I've no choice.
- Age?
- 34.
Parents still alive?
[Yawning]
Father passed away
and mother lives in London.
- Brothers and sisters?
- Nope.
Hmm.
Well, then, let's get started.
- That's it?
- I beg your pardon?
I thought psychiatrists
were supposed to ask you
all sorts of questions
about your childhood experiences
and relationships and all that stuff.
Unnecessary. Exotic.
You're not actually a psychiatrist,
are you?
Well, I like to think of myself
as a...
a scholar of the human spirit.
Ah, that's lovely.
Tell me a war story.
- What?
- A war story.
You must have many,
but the first one
that comes to your mind.
It's a bit early
in the fucking day for that.
You're serious.
I don't even know
if his family got the body back.
Why do you think
this incident affected you?
I dunno.
Maybe I felt responsible.
Well, perhaps if you hadn't
been there, he wouldn't have run.
The soldiers
would not have fired, hmm?
I suppose so.
Well, that makes perfect sense.
You feel that you're responsible
because to a great degree you are.
You think I'm too harsh?
How many people
have you told this story to, Mark?
Four? Three? Two? Twenty?
And what do they say?
"Oh, you mustn't blame yourself."
"Oh, no, it was not your fault."
"Oh, no, there was nothing
you could do." Am I correct?
You have looked to others
for forgiveness,
but, as you have discovered,
this is something
they cannot give you.
We cannot let go of the pain.
We have to carry it with us forever.
That is what it means to live.
Now, I can help you
to live with this pain.
Look at me.
I am 86 years old.
I lost my entire family.
I lost my parents,
I lost my brothers and sisters,
and I lost my wife.
And yet, I am still here.
I can still smile,
and the world is still...
a wonderful place.
Elena will probably be here
before long.
So you tell her I'm in the hotel.
Oh, by the way, you know
you sleep very peacefully.
There's not a movement,
not a wrinkle in your face.
Just like a baby.
That's a good thing, isn't it?
No.
If you were thrashing about
and muttering to yourself,
it would mean the problem
is close by.
But peacefulness?
In a grown man,
that is not a good sign.
Thank you.
- I'll see you at home.
- Sure.
Excellent.
You're almost back to normal.
I'm not. I'm moving
with less grace than you.
[Laughs]
Splendid.
A sense of humor is always
one of the last abilities to return.
That was the office.
A Red Cross team in Kurdistan
just found David's things
in a hotel room in Rawa...
Rawanduz.
Yeah.
It's a town in the north.
- It was our base.
- In the north?
But I thought you told me
he went south.
I don't know. He was...
He was heading south, and I was
supposed to go back to Rawanduz,
but I just headed straight for Turkey
when I had a chance, you know?
Everything's still there.
His clothes, everything.
Okay. What do we do?
Is there anyone there
we can contact?
I don't know.
Think, Mark!
There must be someone!
I don't know!
This is not very helpful.
Not right now.
What am I supposed
to tell Diane, huh?
My God, what do I tell her?
I have to get over there.
Call me if you think of anything.
I'm afraid I don't...
I don't understand.
My best friend, David.
We went to Kurdistan together,
but we split up.
He should have been back
a week ago.
And you're worried?
A little bit, yeah.
His wife is expecting a baby
any day.
You know. But he's careful.
It's not the first time one of us
has been late back.
Hmm. And it's a war zone, of course.
There are often many delays.
But I don't think you should worry
about him. He'll be fine.
And the most important thing is
to concentrate on your treatment.
Which reminds me.
I know very little
about the geography of Kurdistan.
It was partitioned
by the English, wasn't it?
Yeah. Any time you find a mess
in the world,
it's usually thanks to them
or the French.
Well, perhaps you could
draw a map for me?
What, on the wall?
Why not?
You think it will clash
with the decor?
Just a rough map.
Jesus.
And while you're doing it,
perhaps another one
of your war stories.
Sorry, I don't understand you.
You know, the odds alone
would say that
not even one of those skulls
belonged to a member of her family.
So, in effect, I'd...
...given her a bunch of strangers
to take home with her, you know?
You are wrong about one thing.
She knew well
that you were pretending.
That is why she was grateful.
That is why she thanked you.
For the charade.
For the performance you put on
for her benefit.
It's very complicated
being a survivor, you know?
Sometimes you have to place
your faith in magic,
or believe in things that you know
are not true if you want to continue.
It's a kind of an instinct.
If you wish to continue,
if you wish to survive,
then you must bury the dead.
Tell me, does the camera act
as a kind of filter for you,
to distance you
from your surroundings?
Sure. I suppose that's why a lot
of photographers have been killed
throughout the years.
Looking through the camera,
it's easy to forget
that the things that are happening
in front of you
are actually real, you know?
Or sometimes it fails, huh?
Sometimes the real world
takes over,
and then, when there's no one
to help you, you're very lonely.
Perhaps that is a reason
why you travel
with all the other photographers, no?
Suppose so.
And to protect each other?
Yeah, that, too.
One more observation.
I wouldn't call it an obsession,
but why are you so concerned
about what happens to the dead?
I noticed this when you were
talking about the boy from Beirut.
At the end, you said,
"I don't even know if his family
ever got his body back."
What is so important to you
about the fate of the dead?
Maybe superstition.
Superstition?
Yeah. You know, that the dead
should be returned to their families.
That they shouldn't be left alone.
More important to you
than those who survive?
No.
No, I don't know.
Actually, I don't know what
you're trying to get at, Joaquin.
I think you do.
I said, I don't.
What do you feel
when you see all these bodies
lying around everywhere?
Sorrow? Fear?
Relief that you
are not amongst them,
that you have survived?
Fuck you.
- Excuse me?
- I said, fuck you!
I'm not one of your fucking
war criminals, all right?
So just back off!
You said you wanted to talk to me.
I never fuckin' asked you
to come here!
I was asleep, my hospital room,
you walked in
and fucking woke me!
Well, we can stop if you prefer.
- Yeah, I need some sleep.
- Well, I'll take you home.
No, you're grand.
Stay where you are.
Ah, so you're awake.
- What time is it?
- Up you get. Up.
I need coffee first.
Oh, I'll get the coffee.
You just start the exercises.
Great, I'm cured.
You should take a look
at the front page of the newspaper.
I think it will be of interest to you.
Jesus Christ.
That fucking animal.
A little strong, perhaps,
for your Celtic taste,
but I think it will do you
a lot of good.
The French call our way
of making coffee
le jus des chaussettes,
which means...
"Socks juice," I know.
Jesus, you have a fucking answer
for everything, don't you?
Thank you.
The fellow that got this picture
probably stands to make a fortune.
We would have been there a month,
he might have come in yesterday.
But he was there
when this happened.
- We had no idea we'd be this right.
- We?
You mean you
and your friend, David?
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
I wonder if you would, perhaps,
do another little drawing for me.
Another map of the area
where the accident took place.
Not in minute detail, of course,
but just the location
of the hill and the river, hmm?
Come on, up! Up!
All right.
Let me see.
Well...
This is the hill.
This is the river.
This is where the explosion...
...happened.
And...
somewhere here is
where I fell into the river,
and somewhere down here
is where they found me.
The Harir Cave
is somewhere over there.
What of David?
Where was he standing
when the explosion occurred?
I've always known, Mark.
I've always known since
the first time I heard his name
and saw your face.
And now you have to...
tell your story.
It's not easy, I know.
What I'm trying to say to you
is that you are not as tough
as you think you are,
and you cannot
carry this on forever.
You must come back
to the people who love you.
- David!
- Mister Walsh, are you coming?!
Hey, we're not going
to make it this trip.
All right. Listen, good luck.
Godspeed to ya.
How much further do you think?
Fucked if I know.
This is your bright idea, man.
Tell me you're still
not angry at me?
Nah. Nah, you're right.
It's time to get home.
Jesus, it's beautiful, man.
You know what?
David!
David!
David!
Don't shoot!
David!
Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
David!
No! I'm gonna fucking die!
Mark!
Mark! I'm gonna die!
I'm gonna die!
Mark, I'm gonna die!
I'm gonna die!
Take me home!
Mark, the chair.
Get us the chair.
Take me to the hospital!
Don't worry.
Be calm.
Vamos.
Look at her.
Would you like to hold her?
I'm so sorry.
Diane, I loved him so much.
I know. He loved you, too.
I wanted to tell you.
I just didn't know how.
Where did you bury him?
Hey, where is Mark?
I don't know.
He left a few minutes ago.
Elena.
Be nice to him.
We don't know what it's like to go
to those places and come back.
And anyway, be nice to him,
because he is back.
I wanted to take him home.
I really did.
I kept saying...
"Don't worry, I'm taking you with me.
I'm taking you home."
I'm taking you home.
I'm taking you home.
I'd been walking for hours.
I came to a river.
There was no crossing.
I had no choice
but to jump in and just hope.
He was too heavy.
I was choking.
I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't breathe.
And so...
I let him go.
I'm sorry.
I love you.
I love you so much.
- Hey.
- Is that me?
- Yeah.
You'd turn up late
for your own funeral, wouldn't ya?
Couldn't find my passport.
Better late tonight than tomorrow.
- Good to see you, man.
- Where's the girls?
In the toilet.
You packed? You all set?
Yeah. You nervous?
- No.
- Good.
- To Kurdistan.
- To Kurdistan. Slainte.
Hey, love.
How are you?
- You packed? Yeah?
- Ready to go.
How's it going?
- Any action?
- God, I hope not.
Running out of time.
- Seat's in the corner. Let's get it.
- Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
How are you?
It's not my fault.
I'm not pointing a finger.
So, quiet tonight?
Yeah. Think so.
- Think it's sad.
- Sad?
- Yeah, you're going.
- Geez, the guilt.
Ladle it on.
Anyway,
we've decided some names.
- Yeah?
- Mm-hmm.
If it's a girl, she'll be Morna.
- Morna.
- It means "beloved."
- It's nice.
- Yeah.
And if it's a boy?
Well, it was a tough one,
but we finally agreed on Mark.
- You're joking.
- Nope.
- Really?
- Yeah, really.
Curse the child!
[Laughing]
- Yeah.
- Wow, thank you.
Thank you.
[Speaking Kurdish]
[Speaking Kurdish]
[Indistinct shouting]
You all right?
Yeah.
All right, come on.
- Dr. Talzani.
- Mr. Walsh.
- How are you?
- Busy. Go.
David!
Jesus.
- The smell?
- Yeah.
I thought you guys
are used to this kind of thing.
How can anyone get used to this?
Well, considering we have
no ventilation, no running water,
and no medicine,
I'd say we are doing pretty good.
Dr. Talzani, this is my friend David.
Nice to meet you.
- All right, you know the rules.
- No flash.
Keep out of your way.
[Speaking Kurdish]
- What happened to you?
- Just needed some fresh air.
- Feeling better now?
- Yeah.
All right. You do look like shit.
I think you're getting too old
for this gig.
Now, that's funny.
I'm going home, Mark.
Yeah, me too. Soon.
I want to go now.
Tomorrow.
I've had enough.
And Diane's due in two weeks.
If I'm not back in time...
I know.
What about the offensive?
What about it?
Well, it looks like
they're finally gonna go.
They've been saying that
ever since we got here.
These people have been launching
offensives for, what, two centuries?
Two centuries from now,
they'll still be launching them.
We miss this one,
we catch the next.
That simple, huh?
Ah, shite, here we go.
Blue tags.
- You all right for this?
- Mm, yep.
All right.
Let's go get some shots.
Come on.
Do you have an extra cigarette?
Beautiful, isn't it?
This place is beautiful.
You know...
In my lifetime alone,
we had eight wars.
Two with the Turks,
three with Iranians,
and three with Iraqis.
And if I go back
to when my father was alive,
or my father's father,
each time we've been beaten.
That's what we Kurds do best,
get beaten.
So why do you stay?
Where am I to go, Mr. Walsh?
They talk of free will,
but we are all just homing pigeons
in the end.
You should leave soon,
you and your friend.
The offensive starts in two days,
and when it happens,
it will be very hard to leave.
Well, we don't want to leave.
That's why we're here, Doctor.
Can you get us a place on board?
Do you ever stop?
I must go.
I'll see if I can do something.
Thank you.
There's an Iraqi outpost there,
and the only way to re-supply it
is by convoy through this valley.
So they'll be sitting ducks
for an ambush.
Talzani found us two places
on the truck.
- Has he?
- Yeah.
So we go along for that,
and then come back here,
jump in a Jeep to the border,
we'll be in Turkey by that night.
- What do you think?
- That's cutting it too close.
How? We'll be home by Tuesday,
Wednesday night at the latest.
That's a week and a half
before the baby's due.
Oh, come on, Mark,
what the hell does that mean?
Babies are born early all the time.
- So what if the Iraqis hit back hard?
- That's not gonna happen.
It'll be days, it'll be weeks
probably before the Iraqis
come back into the mountains.
How do you know that?
Because Saddam doesn't give
a fuck about the Kurds.
They'll come back into the mountains
just to prove a point.
Massacre them.
He doesn't fucking care about them,
though he cares about the flats.
Oil fields.
First order of business,
reclaim the oil fields...
Reclaim the oil fields? The Kurd's
haven't even taken them yet.
What if they don't? What then?
Jesus Christ, man,
you're making it hard.
Look, we've been here
what, nearly a month at this stage?
Yeah.
And what have we got? Some shots
of Dr. Talzani and the triage.
We've got some schoolchildren
saluting the rebel flag.
Got some fucking
Pesh Merga running drills?
It's all good stuff.
It's all good stuff, man,
but it's not why I came here.
We haven't got the story.
Look, if this offensive goes off,
Kurdistan will be
hitting the headlines
just about the time we get home.
And we're the only
two photographers here.
There's no reason
why we don't get those shots.
Fucking hell.
I can see it now.
Boys, welcome back.
How was it?
It was grand!
So what shots have you got?
Shots of what, the offensive?
Fuck the offensive.
Look, we've got schoolchildren.
They're very cute.
Okay, Mark, I get the picture.
Two more days, man.
- You know what the worst of this is?
- What?
The food. The fucking food.
I mean, take a look at these beans.
Why do war zones
always have such miserable food?
And you being a Scotsman,
you'd know about cuisine, would you?
Oh, here we go.
Your entire menu looks like
it was made in a fucking war zone.
And by the way,
that's what your kid's
going to be eating
for the rest of his life
if we don't bring back
some decent pictures.
You're worse than a pit bull.
Do you know that?
Has anyone ever managed
to say no to you?
Let's say we hope
for a war in France.
Nice food, close to home.
The only thing is, knowing the French
it'd be over in less than a week.
After this, I switch
to fashion photography.
Two more days, then.
But no more.
And if they come back tomorrow
and say "Just another..."
Then we go. No questions asked.
Absolutely.
Okay.
Good man, fair play.
I cannot believe
I've been talked into it again.
Mark!
Where the fuck are you going?
[In Kurdish]
Cease fire!
What's happened?
- We go!
- Go base?
No base.
No, we're going Iraq.
- Iraqi fort?
- Yes. We go.
You all right?
What was all that about?!
I can't do this anymore, man.
There's been a change in plans.
They're not going back to base,
they're going to hit the Iraqi fort.
What?
They're gonna go up there
in the truck.
- The Iraqis'll think it's a convoy...
- What, we going? No, no, no.
Look, David! We've no choice, man!
We're along for the ride, remember?
Along for the fucking ride?!
What are you saying?
Listen to yourself!
It's another day, then another day,
then another day,
and I can't do it!
I'm going home, man!
David.
What the fuck are you gonna do,
walk home?!
It's 20 fucking miles back to base!
Just don't get it, do you?
I don't care.
- David!
- I'm going home.
Fuck! David!
Mr. Walsh, are you coming?
Mr. Walsh?
They found you down by the river.
Do you remember that?
He says you can't walk.
Is that so?
Not sure. I, um, just woke up.
Does it hurt?
- So you can feel it?
- Yeah.
No pain?
Can you move your arms?
Your legs?
Very good.
A head wound as well?
Flesh wound.
Maybe concussion,
but no skull fracture.
Kurdistan is not a good place
for skull fracture.
Well...
You took quite a jolt,
but you're not paralyzed.
And it seems
there are no broken bones.
Legs will be the biggest problem.
That's always the case.
Legs, legs, legs...
For every arm
I've amputated up here,
I've probably taken 10 legs.
Strange, isn't it?
Human legs are just not designed
for modern war.
Take it easy. Get some rest.
You have some neural disruption
but, Inshallah, it's only temporary.
You're going to be right.
How do you feel?
Geez.
Scared me.
Better.
Only a little bit of pain.
Excellent. Pain is always
preferable to numbness.
You were lucky, Mr. Walsh.
Really lucky.
If there'd been any complications...
What?
You would have shot me?
Yeah. For your own good.
To stop you from suffering.
And what about your friend?
He never came to visit you.
He wouldn't even know I'm here.
He left the day before it happened.
First day of the offensive.
Smart man.
You war people,
you all think you're immortal.
Probably not good for morale
to see a colleague
end up in Harir cave.
That's all I can find.
I hope they fit.
Oh, Mr. Walsh.
You're making progress.
What do you think?
How many doctors in the world
have to clean their gun?
You should sterilize it, too.
Oh, sarcasm is back.
Great.
You must have a lot of regret.
Regret what, Mr. Walsh?
That I spared them
a few days of terrible suffering
'cause I have no way of saving them
or easing the unbearable pain?
Do you think I kill those poor men
because I enjoy it?
Geez, no.
In quiet times,
when there is not a lot of fighting
and I have more time,
I give out very few blues.
But when there is a lot of fighting,
a lot of wounded coming in...
No.
I have to think of those
I can still save.
That's the one.
Some live, some die,
that's the only way to look at it.
[In Kurdish]
Thank you.
Anything else is just arrogance,
the arrogance of imagining
you can do something to change it.
I'm sure they lecture against this
in medical school,
smoking in operating room.
I think you'll get away
with it tonight.
Do you know
what Pesh Merga means?
It means, "those who face death."
Romantic.
Poetic, even.
Personally, I've never seen
one face death.
They all turn away at the end.
A Jeep is leaving tomorrow morning
for the frontier.
- Why?
- The offensive has been discussed.
You better leave while you can.
Set to go?
Yep.
Ah, it's much better.
I guess it's yours.
You're joking me.
I hope you had an enjoyable visit.
A lovely trip.
Don't know why you don't get
more tourists over in these parts.
I'm sorry. It's very Kurdish.
It's a point of honor
to make sure strangers are content.
Well, in that case, just think of me
as another happy customer.
Dr. Talzani.
Thank you so much.
Pleasure is mine.
Mr. Walsh, good luck.
Oh!
Oh!
No, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Easy, easy, easy.
Oh! Dios mio!
What happened to you?
Oh, it was dark.
I fell into a river and got dragged
over some rocks a bit, banged up.
Just another day at the office.
Why didn't you call me
to say you're coming?
'Cause I had a quick connection
from Istanbul.
Well, what's this?
What do we got here?
You like it?
Yeah, I love it
when you go shopping
and then, all of a sudden, presto!
There's something there
that makes the place less... simple.
You mean monastic?
No, simple.
We had nowhere to sit.
- I'll take it back if you want.
- No, no.
Jesus, baby. I'm joking, I'm joking.
I love it.
Well, I don't love it,
but I'll get used to it.
I'm just tired.
Come on, I'll throw you a bath.
Okay.
By the way,
I love your new style.
Hey.
Oh, my God.
Mark, stand up.
Let me dry you off.
Come on, baby.
Missed you.
Morning, sunshine. I don't think
I've ever been that tired.
I can't even remember
getting out of the bath.
Mi amor. What happened to you?
You're all black and blue.
I told you. I'm an idiot.
Fell into a river
and got dragged over some rocks.
You got all that from some rocks?
It's a strong river, love.
Diane called.
David didn't come back with you?
No. We split up the first day
of the offensive.
He wanted to get back.
What, do you mean
he's not back yet?
No.
That doesn't make sense.
He should've been back
four or five days ago.
Should we be worried?
No.
No. He probably just got cut off
by the Iraqis.
- They came back in fairly hard.
- Well, that's pretty worrisome.
David knows what to do.
He'll just lay low for a while,
find another way out.
You know Diane is due
in a week or so.
- What if David isn't back by then?
- He'll be back by then.
He wouldn't miss it for the world.
It's all he talked about over there.
- Yeah, but imagine what if he isn't?
- I don't know.
What, do you want me
to go back over and find him?
Is that what you want?
No.
No, carino. Of course not.
I just...
I just wonder sometimes
if you guys even think about us
when you're out there?
That's all.
I think about you on the way out,
and I think about you
on the way back.
I try not to think about you
out there.
Just makes it too hard.
Easy.
You're killing me with these hugs.
I have to go to work.
- You have to?
- Yeah.
You know I do, honey.
But I'll try to come back early.
- Hey, hey.
- Mark!
How are you, lvan?
Good, good.
I was growing worried with all
this news of the fighting out there.
Oh, yeah?
What happened to you?
Nothing. Got into a bind
and fell into a river is all.
You go to Kurdistan
to fall into a river?
Yeah, well, no one ever said
I was smart.
Listen, can you do
a rush job on these?
I wanna take advantage
of it being in the news, you know?
How much of a rush?
This afternoon?
All right.
I'll make you copies
to show on the wall, okay?
Good man.
You know it?
Yeah, it's a great shot.
How long have you been doing
this now, the war stuff?
- Eight, nine years?
- Twelve.
You should get out.
I can tell by looking at you
that it's time to get out.
You know by looking at me?
Well, I've been there, you know?
And I know that, for all of us,
there comes the time to, well,
to leave it, you know?
Yeah, well, that happens
out there, man.
I deal with it out there.
And then, I'm here.
Separate worlds.
You know, separate.
Why, you don't believe me?
No.
It doesn't affect me, lvan.
Look me in the eye and tell me that.
It doesn't affect me.
Well, that's the saddest thing
I've ever heard, son.
Ivan, I just came in
to get the fucking films done.
I didn't come in for a lecture, man.
All right, all right.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
It's none of my business, I know.
I just think of you as a friend,
that's all.
Fair enough.
Okay, so, 5:00?
Yeah. Bill me. Thanks.
Okay.
Give us a pint, Kevin, will ya?
Please.
Cheers, Kevin.
Hey. Stretching.
You've already started
going through them.
- Yeah.
- How are they?
- Good. Got some good ones.
- Show me.
No, not now.
I'll show you later...
Missy.
Hey, I missed you today.
I missed you, too.
There you are.
David!
Elena?
I'm sorry I'm late.
I had a starter.
I had to feed the beast.
If I don't eat on time,
it gets really angry.
It moved! Did you feel it?
Of course you did.
How are you?
Yeah, all right.
Except I have to pee
every five minutes.
Any word from David, hmm?
I know it's his job,
and there's a war on,
and it's a primitive place,
but surely he could get
a message out to me somehow.
Or maybe not.
If the phone lines have been cut...
Well, forget a message.
I want him.
He does this to me
and then fucks off to Kurdistan.
Yeah.
Hey, what if I send a cable
to the Kurdish refugee camp?
I know some people working there.
I can have them
at least ask around, no?
Oh, I don't know.
The idea of some Red Cross guy
running up to him,
telling him he has to call his wife,
he'd get pissed off.
So what?
You know what, you're right.
Okay. Let's do it.
Mark!
- How are you?
- Good.
You look like shite!
Thanks.
- What happened?
- Oh, you know.
So, good trip?
I think so, yeah. You tell me.
Give!
It's a Pesh Merga ambush
of an Iraqi convoy.
They killed 19 troops
and took out a transportation truck.
Yeah.
Too bad Life magazine
only does pap these days,
but I'll run these past them anyway.
We should be able to find
something on the continent.
Hear there's a lot of Kurds
in Germany, right?
Or do I mean Turks?
You mean both, Amy.
Kurds and Turks.
Yeah, okay. I'll try Stern.
What else?
"Triage."
Working title.
- For what?
- Um...
Makeshift hospital in the field.
Soldiers that came in
that were too gravely wounded,
they took them outside
and killed them.
Killed?
By?
Their own doctor.
Fellow Kurd.
You can see him in the shots.
Jesus Christ!
Mercy killings.
Well, that is an incredible
piece of work, Mark.
Could put these up for auction.
I'll send it to all the news weeklies,
and I'll tell them I need an answer
by tomorrow afternoon.
Nice.
Listen, Time magazine
is sending a reporter to Burma,
and they need a photographer.
When they see these...
Interested?
Time? Yeah, sure.
Well, don't jump for joy, will you?
God.
- You all right?
- Yeah, I'm just tired.
It's a long trip.
- Okay, anything else?
- No, that's it.
Okay, I'll call you. Bye!
- See ya, Amy.
- See ya.
That's a terrible limp you got there,
Mark. You sure you're okay?
Yeah, fine. Just got banged up
a bit, you know.
Don't start being all concerned, now.
It doesn't suit ya.
Well, listen,
you may have got banged up,
but I'd say it was worth it.
- Great work.
- Thanks.
Hey. I probably should have
stayed home.
I'm not much in the mood
for socializing.
You should go and talk to Diane.
I will. I will.
I'm gonna say no
to the Burma job.
Gonna have Amy
pull my name from...
Are you serious?
But you've always talked
about working for Time.
I know. Just not right now.
God knows there'll always be
another war.
Mark, did something happen
in Kurdistan, hmm?
Yes.
I decided I want to spend
more time with you,
and I want to have a baby with you.
I'm sorry, but I'm...
I'm worried about you.
- Worried about me?
- Yeah.
Yeah, something's wrong.
You're not yourself.
I'm gonna see Diane.
That's better.
I don't know what I was thinking
with those heels.
- Here you go.
- Thanks.
It's just so weird.
You know, Mark didn't
even mention David.
It's so strange.
I don't know.
He just seems different,
preoccupied.
And his limp is definitely
getting worse.
He says it isn't, but...
And tonight he told me
he wants to have a baby.
- A baby?
- Yeah.
Mark wants to have a baby?
Wow, he really isn't well.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Diane.
My God.
You don't need to hear this.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
Strange, isn't it?
They've gone
to so many places together,
they're best friends,
but they're so different.
David seems to always focus
on the beauty, what's hopeful.
While Mark...
Well, you wouldn't want
many of his pictures on the wall.
Mark?
Mark?
Mark?!
Mrs. Walsh?
He's been sent on to neurology.
We cleaned the head wound
and removed a foreign object.
A foreign object?
What do you mean?
I really couldn't say.
That's pathology.
Hey, sorry.
What is wrong with his legs?
That's neurology, I'm afraid.
But I'm sure the neurologist will be
able to answer all your questions.
It should be only
a few more minutes.
[Sighs]
So, the good news is
there's nothing permanently wrong.
Nothing physically,
permanently wrong with him,
that is, you know.
No neural disruption,
no broken bones.
There is some swelling
and some hypersensitivity
along the spine.
That's a class symptom
of high-impact trauma,
but all indications are
that it's dissipating.
Then, why is he getting worse?
He told me he fell into a river,
that he was dragged
across some rocks.
- Is that what he told you?
- Yes.
That's when I started to wonder
about his story.
Because we extracted this
from the back of his head.
Um, "composition...
steel and cadmium alloy
with traces of TNT.
Characteristics...
an eighth of an inch thick,
jagged edges,
curled on two sides,
indicating a sudden
and extreme metal-stress."
Shrapnel.
It seems like Mark had
a very close call over there.
An artillery shell exploded
just meters
from where he was standing.
That's how he got this.
But, look, that's not the problem.
By all medical
and physical indicators,
he should be improving.
But he's not. I mean, if anything,
he's getting worse.
Which means?
Which means it's
a psychosomatic complication,
maybe PTSD.
Look, I'm not a psychiatrist,
but I think that might be
the kind of doctor he needs.
Why didn't you tell me
about the explosion?
I thought it would be easier not to.
Easier?
Yeah.
Love, you've already had enough
to worry about.
When I go away, you know?
It's over now.
You're home.
I love you.
Don't be upset at me, Elena.
I'll be fine.
- Everything is going to be okay.
- Yeah.
I'm sure.
[In Spanish]... Joaquin Morales.
Leave a message after the beep.
[Beep]
[In Spanish]
Grandfather, are you there?
[In Spanish]
It's me, Elena.
Mutilated baby corpse.
Am I right?
In this test, there is
no right or wrong.
Next one.
Oh, Jesus.
Mutilated woman's corpse.
Mutilated man's corpse.
Must be the father.
They got the whole family,
did they, doctor? Fucking hell.
All just a game to you, Mr. Walsh?
I don't know.
It just all seems a bit...
...stupid, you know?
Maybe it is.
But I am trying to help you,
and in 15 minutes,
I'll be leaving here and will get paid
whether you answer
my questions or not,
while you'll still be lying here
unable to walk.
The point being, I suppose,
that stupidity can take
a variety of forms.
Have you ever been
in a war zone, doctor?
No. But I've treated patients
who have.
All right. Well, no offense,
but I don't think it's the same thing.
No, it's not the same thing.
But does that mean
we can only understand
what we directly experience?
Can only someone who's been raped
counsel a rape victim?
Maybe.
I didn't know
Mark had been published.
Do you think you can help him?
Yes, of course I can help him.
I can help anyone.
Like I said last night, it doesn't
change anything between us.
I only asked you here to help him.
How did you become so hard, Elena?
So judgmental?
Is it always wrong
to be judgmental?
About the Nazis
or what Stalin did?
About what you did?
Oh? And just what is it
that you think that I did?
No, no. I'm... I'm sorry.
No, I do want to go into this.
This is something you have
always denied me.
You have learned about what I did,
and that was enough,
you made up your own mind.
But you never once
came to ask me.
You are the only thing
in the world for me, Elena.
So, tell me, what it is
that you think I did there?
Your patients were war criminals.
Monsters.
Men who destroyed villages
and tortured people to death,
all in the name of Spain, of Franco.
And when they came to you,
you absolved them of all guilt.
You purified them.
Yeah, you came up
with that phrase, didn't you?
You must have.
"The Morales Institute
for Psychological Purification."
Thousands of innocent people
murdered,
and whenever their killers
felt pangs of guilt,
they went to you,
and you told them,
"Don't worry about it,
you had no choice.
Get on with your life."
Those men,
when they were brought to me,
those "monsters" as you call them,
they were lost.
So as a last hope,
they brought them to me,
and yes, I purified them.
To you, it is simple.
They were evil men,
and because I treated them,
I am evil, too. Hmm?
But you forget something.
These were the men who had won.
They held the fate of Spain
in their hands,
and they had tasted power.
And what is the greatest power
that a man can have?
It is to kill.
And if you have killed a thousand,
what are a thousand more?
If you have tortured one person,
is it too hard to torture another?
No.
It's easy. It's the easiest thing
in the world.
This is what our country
was faced with.
So what was I to do?
Was I to leave these killers
as they were
so they could go on killing?
No, I could not agree to that.
So, I purified them.
I brought them back to life,
and to humanity.
How many people did I save?
I think I saved many.
So there you have it.
Do with it what you will.
But you are no longer a teenager.
The world is a very complex place.
There is very little of it
that is black and white.
Ah, so you're awake then.
How do you feel?
I'm fine.
Marvelous.
What time is it?
Time to get started.
Beyond that, who can say?
Elena yesterday telephoned me
and told me
about all your difficulties
and asked if I could help.
I said, "Well."
I was rather hesitant at first,
because I've been retired
from the field for many years, but...
Sorry, but you mentioned Elena?
I am Joaquin Morales,
Elena's grandfather.
Carmen, her mother,
is always telling me
about your adventures.
And now we finally meet,
and, uh, it's a pity
it's in these... circumstances.
I imagine you've heard
a great deal about me.
Well, she said she stopped
talking to you a number of years ago
because she heard
you were a fascist.
A fascist!
[Laughs]
She's a very inventive girl.
Por Dios, all this talk is just
torturing me from reason I came.
I would like to make
a brief patient history of you,
if that's all right with you.
Sure, I've no choice.
- Age?
- 34.
Parents still alive?
[Yawning]
Father passed away
and mother lives in London.
- Brothers and sisters?
- Nope.
Hmm.
Well, then, let's get started.
- That's it?
- I beg your pardon?
I thought psychiatrists
were supposed to ask you
all sorts of questions
about your childhood experiences
and relationships and all that stuff.
Unnecessary. Exotic.
You're not actually a psychiatrist,
are you?
Well, I like to think of myself
as a...
a scholar of the human spirit.
Ah, that's lovely.
Tell me a war story.
- What?
- A war story.
You must have many,
but the first one
that comes to your mind.
It's a bit early
in the fucking day for that.
You're serious.
I don't even know
if his family got the body back.
Why do you think
this incident affected you?
I dunno.
Maybe I felt responsible.
Well, perhaps if you hadn't
been there, he wouldn't have run.
The soldiers
would not have fired, hmm?
I suppose so.
Well, that makes perfect sense.
You feel that you're responsible
because to a great degree you are.
You think I'm too harsh?
How many people
have you told this story to, Mark?
Four? Three? Two? Twenty?
And what do they say?
"Oh, you mustn't blame yourself."
"Oh, no, it was not your fault."
"Oh, no, there was nothing
you could do." Am I correct?
You have looked to others
for forgiveness,
but, as you have discovered,
this is something
they cannot give you.
We cannot let go of the pain.
We have to carry it with us forever.
That is what it means to live.
Now, I can help you
to live with this pain.
Look at me.
I am 86 years old.
I lost my entire family.
I lost my parents,
I lost my brothers and sisters,
and I lost my wife.
And yet, I am still here.
I can still smile,
and the world is still...
a wonderful place.
Elena will probably be here
before long.
So you tell her I'm in the hotel.
Oh, by the way, you know
you sleep very peacefully.
There's not a movement,
not a wrinkle in your face.
Just like a baby.
That's a good thing, isn't it?
No.
If you were thrashing about
and muttering to yourself,
it would mean the problem
is close by.
But peacefulness?
In a grown man,
that is not a good sign.
Thank you.
- I'll see you at home.
- Sure.
Excellent.
You're almost back to normal.
I'm not. I'm moving
with less grace than you.
[Laughs]
Splendid.
A sense of humor is always
one of the last abilities to return.
That was the office.
A Red Cross team in Kurdistan
just found David's things
in a hotel room in Rawa...
Rawanduz.
Yeah.
It's a town in the north.
- It was our base.
- In the north?
But I thought you told me
he went south.
I don't know. He was...
He was heading south, and I was
supposed to go back to Rawanduz,
but I just headed straight for Turkey
when I had a chance, you know?
Everything's still there.
His clothes, everything.
Okay. What do we do?
Is there anyone there
we can contact?
I don't know.
Think, Mark!
There must be someone!
I don't know!
This is not very helpful.
Not right now.
What am I supposed
to tell Diane, huh?
My God, what do I tell her?
I have to get over there.
Call me if you think of anything.
I'm afraid I don't...
I don't understand.
My best friend, David.
We went to Kurdistan together,
but we split up.
He should have been back
a week ago.
And you're worried?
A little bit, yeah.
His wife is expecting a baby
any day.
You know. But he's careful.
It's not the first time one of us
has been late back.
Hmm. And it's a war zone, of course.
There are often many delays.
But I don't think you should worry
about him. He'll be fine.
And the most important thing is
to concentrate on your treatment.
Which reminds me.
I know very little
about the geography of Kurdistan.
It was partitioned
by the English, wasn't it?
Yeah. Any time you find a mess
in the world,
it's usually thanks to them
or the French.
Well, perhaps you could
draw a map for me?
What, on the wall?
Why not?
You think it will clash
with the decor?
Just a rough map.
Jesus.
And while you're doing it,
perhaps another one
of your war stories.
Sorry, I don't understand you.
You know, the odds alone
would say that
not even one of those skulls
belonged to a member of her family.
So, in effect, I'd...
...given her a bunch of strangers
to take home with her, you know?
You are wrong about one thing.
She knew well
that you were pretending.
That is why she was grateful.
That is why she thanked you.
For the charade.
For the performance you put on
for her benefit.
It's very complicated
being a survivor, you know?
Sometimes you have to place
your faith in magic,
or believe in things that you know
are not true if you want to continue.
It's a kind of an instinct.
If you wish to continue,
if you wish to survive,
then you must bury the dead.
Tell me, does the camera act
as a kind of filter for you,
to distance you
from your surroundings?
Sure. I suppose that's why a lot
of photographers have been killed
throughout the years.
Looking through the camera,
it's easy to forget
that the things that are happening
in front of you
are actually real, you know?
Or sometimes it fails, huh?
Sometimes the real world
takes over,
and then, when there's no one
to help you, you're very lonely.
Perhaps that is a reason
why you travel
with all the other photographers, no?
Suppose so.
And to protect each other?
Yeah, that, too.
One more observation.
I wouldn't call it an obsession,
but why are you so concerned
about what happens to the dead?
I noticed this when you were
talking about the boy from Beirut.
At the end, you said,
"I don't even know if his family
ever got his body back."
What is so important to you
about the fate of the dead?
Maybe superstition.
Superstition?
Yeah. You know, that the dead
should be returned to their families.
That they shouldn't be left alone.
More important to you
than those who survive?
No.
No, I don't know.
Actually, I don't know what
you're trying to get at, Joaquin.
I think you do.
I said, I don't.
What do you feel
when you see all these bodies
lying around everywhere?
Sorrow? Fear?
Relief that you
are not amongst them,
that you have survived?
Fuck you.
- Excuse me?
- I said, fuck you!
I'm not one of your fucking
war criminals, all right?
So just back off!
You said you wanted to talk to me.
I never fuckin' asked you
to come here!
I was asleep, my hospital room,
you walked in
and fucking woke me!
Well, we can stop if you prefer.
- Yeah, I need some sleep.
- Well, I'll take you home.
No, you're grand.
Stay where you are.
Ah, so you're awake.
- What time is it?
- Up you get. Up.
I need coffee first.
Oh, I'll get the coffee.
You just start the exercises.
Great, I'm cured.
You should take a look
at the front page of the newspaper.
I think it will be of interest to you.
Jesus Christ.
That fucking animal.
A little strong, perhaps,
for your Celtic taste,
but I think it will do you
a lot of good.
The French call our way
of making coffee
le jus des chaussettes,
which means...
"Socks juice," I know.
Jesus, you have a fucking answer
for everything, don't you?
Thank you.
The fellow that got this picture
probably stands to make a fortune.
We would have been there a month,
he might have come in yesterday.
But he was there
when this happened.
- We had no idea we'd be this right.
- We?
You mean you
and your friend, David?
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
I wonder if you would, perhaps,
do another little drawing for me.
Another map of the area
where the accident took place.
Not in minute detail, of course,
but just the location
of the hill and the river, hmm?
Come on, up! Up!
All right.
Let me see.
Well...
This is the hill.
This is the river.
This is where the explosion...
...happened.
And...
somewhere here is
where I fell into the river,
and somewhere down here
is where they found me.
The Harir Cave
is somewhere over there.
What of David?
Where was he standing
when the explosion occurred?
I've always known, Mark.
I've always known since
the first time I heard his name
and saw your face.
And now you have to...
tell your story.
It's not easy, I know.
What I'm trying to say to you
is that you are not as tough
as you think you are,
and you cannot
carry this on forever.
You must come back
to the people who love you.
- David!
- Mister Walsh, are you coming?!
Hey, we're not going
to make it this trip.
All right. Listen, good luck.
Godspeed to ya.
How much further do you think?
Fucked if I know.
This is your bright idea, man.
Tell me you're still
not angry at me?
Nah. Nah, you're right.
It's time to get home.
Jesus, it's beautiful, man.
You know what?
David!
David!
David!
Don't shoot!
David!
Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
David!
No! I'm gonna fucking die!
Mark!
Mark! I'm gonna die!
I'm gonna die!
Mark, I'm gonna die!
I'm gonna die!
Take me home!
Mark, the chair.
Get us the chair.
Take me to the hospital!
Don't worry.
Be calm.
Vamos.
Look at her.
Would you like to hold her?
I'm so sorry.
Diane, I loved him so much.
I know. He loved you, too.
I wanted to tell you.
I just didn't know how.
Where did you bury him?
Hey, where is Mark?
I don't know.
He left a few minutes ago.
Elena.
Be nice to him.
We don't know what it's like to go
to those places and come back.
And anyway, be nice to him,
because he is back.
I wanted to take him home.
I really did.
I kept saying...
"Don't worry, I'm taking you with me.
I'm taking you home."
I'm taking you home.
I'm taking you home.
I'd been walking for hours.
I came to a river.
There was no crossing.
I had no choice
but to jump in and just hope.
He was too heavy.
I was choking.
I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't breathe.
And so...
I let him go.
I'm sorry.
I love you.
I love you so much.