Mother of Mine (2005)

[bunniefuu]

At the beginning of WW II,
Sweden wanted to help -

its w*r- torn neighbor Finland
by offering Finnish children -

temporary homes
with Swedish families.

There were more
than 70,000 "w*r children".

Mother, do you still remember
how it all began?

Do you still remember
how the w*r began?

Eero!

Mother!

Eero! Eero!

MOTHER OF MINE

You want to talk about the w*r?
Sure, I remember the w*r.

Maybe I shouldn't have come?
- Tuomas will pick me up soon.

Who's Tuomas?

You missed my birthday,
but thanks anyway.

I was out of town...
- As always. Hi, Tuomas!

Hi, Kirsti. What's up?
- This is my son Eero.

So you're Eero. Tuomas,
from seniors' home help.

Let's go.
Lots of errands to run.

Were you leaving?
- I guess so.

When can we talk, Mother?

Lmagine, now he wants
to talk about the w*r.

You never wanted to
talk about it before!

I was invited
to a funeral in Sweden.

Signe J?nsson's.

Signe's niece Siv
wrote in the invitation -

that Signe had wanted
me to attend the funeral.

I thought I wouldn't
travel as far as Sweden, -

they were all
strangers to me noW.

But you went.
- Yes.

Do you remember, Mother,
what it was like?

How different everything was
before it all began?

Go to sleep, dear Eero.

What, are you
being a little girl now?

Nothing's going
to happen to me.

If I see a Russkie, I'll hide in
the bushes, quiet as a mouse.

Soon we'll be
together again.

What if their
bombers attack you?

Then the Finnish fighter planes
sh**t them to pieces!

Eero, you'll be the man of
the house. Take care of Mother.

Understand?

I'll be back soon,
and everything will be as it was.

Let me take that.
- Eero, it's too heavy for you.

Mother?

Mother, you have to eat.

Come on!

We have to seek shelter!

Mother...

Come here if you dare!

Eero...

Are you crying?

I'm not going!
- Listen, Eero...

I can fix the house,
Dad taught me!

Don't do this to me.

Why do those ladies
get to decide?

Eero Lahti.

Date of birth?
- August 20th, 1934.

Why can't you come, too?

There's no w*r there
and nothing to be afraid of.

I don't want to!

Eero, remember...

When you miss me there,
I'll miss you here.

I'll always be with you.

It's time.
- Think of it as a vacation.

But... - We'll be together soon,
and everything will be as it was.

Dad said that, too.

They'd promised the girls dolls,
and the boys bikes.

First, they picked the youngest
and then the prettiest girls, -

the ones with
the cutest smile.

Everybody was afraid of
a children's home -

and wanted a Swedish family
to take them in.

Except me.

Finally, they put me on a train,
and I was happy.

I thought they sent me
back to Finland.

I didn't realize the train took
me further away from home.

Hello, my name is Eero Lahti
and I'm from Finland.

Yes, hello.

This is my wife.

This is it.

That's where I work the most.
You can chop wood.

We have a horse.

These are the pigs.
What's "pig" in Finnish?

She's here, she's here!

I thought they sent a...
Auntie Signe, he's here!

Some other day, alright?
- No!

You don't know
any Swedish, do you?

"Hyv? p?iv?!" Right?

Come on. Take off...

Let's take off...

The shoes, the shoes, -

you must take off your shoes, -

or Mother Signe will be mad!

The kitchen...

This is it.
We have a radio, -

a clock and a Grandpa.

He's sick and can't talk,
but he hears everything you say.

Right, old man?

Don't you want any, Signe?

He has a letter, too.

From the Finnish Children's
Aid Committee.

Look, there's a... word list.

There are a few lines
from the mother.

She says you do know
a little bit of Swedish.

It says here... - My name is
Eero Lahti and I'm from Finland.

Maybe you understand?

He must learn Swedish
if he stays here.

No- one here
speaks Finnish.

He'll be a good and strong
farm hand, won't he, Grandpa?

A good farm hand.
You can tend to the geese.

Skane goose.
Can you say that? Geese...

Stupid, they don't have
those words in there.

We're done eating.

Father's going to bed now.
Thank you!

I'll put him in the children's
room. - No, on the kitchen sofa.

Aren't you going to read
the letter? - It's past ten o'clock.

There's always tomorrow.

Hi, Skane geese!
Can you say Skane goose?

You pour this in here.

Get a hold of the bottom.

Spread it evenly,
so they all get some.

This is Eero, so you'll have
to speak Finnish. Say hello.

Hi! Hyv?!

Take off your boots.

Quickly now,
and then you wash your hands.

Let me see your hands.

Turn!

Still dirty.
Wash them again.

You have to
wash your hands properly.

This is not good enough,
they're dirty.

Hold your hands up,
so I can reach them.

Rinse!

You can't go to school
with dirty hands.

School? - Yes,
you're going to school -

if you're staying in Sweden.

I made you lunch,
Hjalmar's taking you to school.

What?

You're going to school, Hjalmar's
taking you there. Go on now!

I don't understand a word.
You'll learn Swedish at school.

Go on now! Don't fight it!

I don't understand. Go on!

Get your shoes
and your jacket.

Will you find your way home?

Bye! - Bye! See you!

Stop! Hallo!

I guess you're the w*r child.

Come on! Welcome.

Your name...

GIRLS

Do you pee sitting down?

Come on, Siv!

Where did you go?
Where are you going?

Will you stay at Auntie Signe's?

My mother feels sorry for you.

She says children
are coming to Sweden -

because their parents died
in the w*r. Did yours die?

Is Signe going to
be your mother?

Want to come over
to my house?

I have a foal!

Forget it!

Then there was a rumor that
there was peace in Finland -

and those who wanted to and
could were allowed to return.

Then the children wanted to go
home from the strange country.

Is Dad afraid of the Russkies?

There's a w*r on,
everybody's afraid.

"The strangers and their
guardians laughed and said:

'Home? You dear,
innocent children, -

do you know how far it is?
More than 100 leagues.'

'We don't care', the children
said, 'as long as we get home.'

'But you have a new home
here with us..."' -Mother.

Is Dad afraid of dying?

I guess, because then
he wouldn't see you anymore.

Are you afraid?

Eero!

You don't want
to stay here, right?

What? Say something!

You don't want to stay here!

Do you want to go home
to your mother?

I don't like you!
You are mean.

I don't want to be
on vacation anymore.

You should tell that
to you mother.

You don't like...

Mean... you can't
even pronounce it right.

Write that to your mother.
Go on!

You won't have to go to school
or feed the geese, either!

But you must
stay away from the beach!

The pig sty wall is rotten.
I need to buy some timber.

What are you doing?
- I don't understand any of this.

He's obnoxious, he's ungrateful.

He thinks this is a vacation.

Isn't it stupid?

The wall may not stand
another autumn storm.

I'll buy timber in Ystad.
- Sure, go ahead.

Do you have the
Aid Committee's adress?

I'm going to write a letter, too.

Are you alright, love?

What?
Of course I'm alright.

Why?

Hjalmar J?nsson.
- Mrs. Gr?vn?s.

Welcome. Signe.

So, you want to get rid
of the child.

Well, I...

To tell you the truth... yes.

You've stated that there's
plenty of room for a child -

and that you
have an urge to help...

An urge...

Things don't always
turn out the way you had hoped.

I don't know,
maybe we haven't...

At least he doesn't
want to stay here.

It's not unusual that children
are troublesome first.

They don't always know
what's best for them.

What do you say,
Mr. J?nsson?

Everything's new to the boy,
he's a refugee from the w*r -

in a strange land,
among strange people.

That's exactly what I mean!

That's no reason to be running
out nights, stealing money...

How are we going
to keep an eye on him?

God knows what he'll do next!
- Signe...

But I can't take it anymore!

What I mean,
Mrs. Gr?vn?s, is that...

There's enough work with
the farm and my sick father...

We can give him
food and accommodation, -

but not against his will!

It is important to
the Committee -

that the parents like the child
and vice versa.

Thank God!

Then you'll take him?

Go home! - Dear child,
how could you do that?

Where would you go?
- Home. Mother's waiting.

Don't you know that your Mother
doesn't live there anymore?

Oh yes, I brought
a letter from Eero's mother.

Sending you to Finland
is out of the question.

Where would he go then?

I'm sure the Committee
will find a good solution.

There's room in the children's
homes. - Children's homes?

A children's home can't take
better care of him than we can.

So, shall I take him with me?

There you go.

Skane goose.
- Skane goose.

Can you say "scarecrow"?
- Scare crow.

No, scarecrow.

So, he talks to you,
does he? - Yes.

Good.

He doesn't say a word to me.
Except "Thank you" at the table.

Well, as long as he works
and eats... He's not complaining.

That's good.

You're the one who knows...

It is obvious you two
are getting along.

It'll be fine. The Committee
lady said so, too.

He's doing his best. Give him
time, don't be so hard on...

Hard?

It's not about giving time.

It's not about him!

I can't take this any more!

I'm just falling apart,
and you can't see a thing!

For heaven's sake, Signe...

You think
everything's alright.

Give Signe another kid,
and everything's fine.

But it isn't.

I don't know that kid.
I don't know who he is!

Just a stranger!

How could I be a good mother
to a child I don't want?

I couldn't even take care
of the one I had!

We've been through this before...
- No!

No, we haven't.
We have not talked about it.

Don't just sit there
like a fool!

What are you staring at?
Talk to me!

What do you expect me to do?

Should I kneel and beg
for forgiveness? Is that it?

Should I vanish, too?

Should I pretend everything's
fine just like you? - Shut up!

Signe, you're the one
making him a stranger. It's you!

Got you some timber.
You're building like a real man!

I guess your father
was a carpenter.

You can sail a raft in the breeze,
but if there's a storm, -

it'll bob up and down like
a piece of cork.

I know the feeling.
Once you've been there...

I've sailed to
France and England.

Let me show you...

That there is from Bordeaux.

The Bay of Biscay is rough
in a storm, wow!

You get seasick.

I was on my way to America
once, but I met Mother Signe -

and my boots
got stuck in this dirt.

Did you and your dad
build things together?

I helped him fix the house.
- I can imagine.

The Russkies bombed it.

They bombed Dad, too.

I wanted to stay home,
I'm not afraid of the Russkies!

When the w*r's over,
you'll go home again.

I'll pack you
a sack full of food to go.

Let me know when
you're launching the raft.

Don't tell Signe.

Don't tell Signe.

"Dear Signe, -

I hope that you can manage
to take care of my son.

Someone's safe arms
is what he needs.

Since my husband died, I've
cried a lot and couldn't cope -

if I didn't know
that Eero is alright..."

How dare she write this
to someone she doesn't know?

Pleading to my conscience?

Isn't it enough that I have to
feel sorry for the kid?

Should I mourn for her, too?

She means well...
- Thanks. There's two of you...

That's good.

God, I'm so tired.

What does the woman write?

She's left the house.

She's working at
the German HQ in Helsinki.

She's rented a room.

She doesn't want Eero
to hear about that.

There! Shouldn't a mother
be honest with her own child?

There's a letter for you, too!

"My dear little son, -

I'm so sad to hear
that you don't like it there.

Don't you think about me.
Think of how lucky you are -

to be able to play and
eat your fill every day.

It'll take longer than I thought
until you get home, -

so try to be a good boy.

Remember, Mother
always loves you."

Try to be a good boy.

Behave and stay
near the farm.

It'll be a while
until you get home.

Think of what's
best for you.

I'm only thinking
of what's best for you.

Stay near the farm...

"These poor children who came
in such a poor state are now, -

thanks to the hospitality
of our Swedish families..."

Listen, it's about you.
- Shut up.

"...regain the life and health
w*r-torn Finland couldn't give."

"These children are grateful
to their Swedish benefactors -

for their sacrifices
in these times of hardship."

Grateful, it says!

We're good to you,
but you're angry and boring!

They could've sent us
someone nice.

Wait!

I know something
I mustn't tell you!

Look at this nice dress.
It was for you.

What's this?

What are you
doing in here?

At home you can do
as you please, but not here.

You've no business being here.
This isn't your home!

Supper time.

The letter that came
was from your mother.

She sent you her love.

To Mother.

How nice.

What did you write?

I can help Daddy Hjalmar
with the geese, -

Aunt Signe cooks good food,
and I like it here.

You can go to Siv later, after...

You're making
the Finn boy work?

You get off
the shitty work.

Want to help
all the Finnish w*r children?

Lt'll be Christmas soon.
Will you let the boy rest then?

I'll check the electricity.
- With the geese

Not now! Sit down!

That's the phone now.

Hello?

Yes, it's me.

Yes, he is.

Merry Christmas to you, too.

Eero, it's for you.

Come on, hurry up.

Hurry up now.

Eero, darling.
It's Mother. - Mother!

I miss you so much.
Is everything alright?

Merry Christmas!
Get any nice presents?

Mother! Are you coming here?

I can't talk any longer, I'm at
HQ, but everything's fine.

They say peace will soon come,
and then you can come home.

I'll see you soon!

Mother! Mother?

Roll up your sleeves, like this.
- What?

Whatwhat?

And now...
Whatwhat?

The Russians
have bombed Helsinki!

The Russians
have bombed Helsinki!

The city was badly damaged...
- What are they saying?

...explosions and fires.
Windows were shattered...

What are they saying? - The
Russkies bombed everything.

All of Helsinki?

Have the Russkies
invaded Finland?

The main reason
to the loss of human lives -

was that people didn't seek
shelter. The wounded and dead...

Mother...

It's alright.

Mother...

What is this?

What would your mother
have said if you'd drowned?

How could she survive that?

God almighty!
Sailing to Finland!

Have you gone
completely insane?

I don't want Mother to die.

You did survive,
but I wasn't important to you.

Do you want me to have
a guilty conscience again?

No, Mother!
That's exactly what I don't want!

Why didn't you
ever talk about it?

Often I tried,
but you didn't listen. - Not true.

I would've listened,
I'm your Mother...

You just wanted
everything to be alright.

That's what you wrote me, -

and I never knew
how you were doing.

You were only a child,
you must understand that.

I couldn't burden you
with my worries.

Why didn't you talk
when you came home?

To you?
- Who else?

Don't you understand? You
weren't my Mother anymore.

Give me back my bike!
It's not fun!

Give it to me!

It's not fun, stop!

Thank you.

Is this your mother?

She's so pretty.
- Signe!

Stop running after me!
Go somewhere and play.

Show me the letter.
I want to know.

g*dd*mn!

Eero, stop.
It's not fun!

Stop! Leave them alone!

Stop! Get out!

What is this? Get out!

Stand still,
so I can talk to you!

What are you doing?

Don't yell at me!

We know now Russia will win,
and that fills us with fear.

Hans-J?rgen, a peaceful man
and no warrior, -

is returning to Germany
and asked me to join him, -

and if it wasn't for Eero,
I'd immediately say yes.

Taking Eero there would be
selfish and wrong, -

as Germany is the least
safe place now.

If I deny my love
and stay here, -

I'm afraid I'll lose all hope. Does
it make me a better mother?

Maybe it was meant to be
that my dear son came to you -

who can give him
all the love he needs.

That's why I'm asking you,
with grief in my heart, -

if Eero could stay with you.

Please, think about it,
but don't tell Eero yet, -

just give him my love
and say everything is alright.

Eero! Come!

We have been talking, -

and there's something
we want to tell you.

Let's take a walk,
you and me.

We had a little girl,
Hjalmar and me.

Her name was Elin.

Elin was so...

...full of life.
"Like Signe", they used to say, -

"they're two of a kind,
always happy."

Elin, she... drowned.

She was only six.

Some said it was God's will, -

but it was my fault.

You see,
Elin loved to swim.

She ran so fast, so fast -

that she could hardly strip
before she jumped in.

She wasn't allowed to go
if the wind was too strong.

I used to say to her: "Elin, don't
go if the wind's too strong."

Then there was a storm.

Two years ago.

Elin wanted to go see.

I said I was busy.

She kept asking and asking, -

and finally I let her go alone.

How could I have been
so stupid?

My Dad's dead, too.

Why do people die? Why do
people change all the time?

If you're here, you're here,
I think.

The Lord gives
and the Lord takes away.

You see, life doesn't always
turn out the way you wanted.

We don't always understand
why we do the things we do.

Like your mother.

Remember the day when you
first came here on the bus?

I was hoping to get
a little girl, -

as if that were easier.

Then you came.

I didn't want you.

The Lord takes away, -

but He also gives.

We'll hang
your clothes here then.

Come here.

Sir, a little closer
to your wife, please.

Great.

Take your hand
off her shoulder, please.

Smile, please.
It's not a funeral.

Here he comes!

Look at me.

Close your eyes.

Don't look.

Now!

We thought
you needed one, -

so you'll be home faster
when you've been gone.

"Dear Kirsti, -

we have thought about your
proposition about Eero's life.

If your love to the German
is that strong, -

I wish you all the best.

I guarantee you that the boy
is like our own now.

Surely, I'm not a better mother
than you would be, -

but I'll do my best to be
the best of mothers."

To agree to this
Finnish proposition -

seems to be in the interests
of Germany, as well.

If the Germans were to comply, -

we'd always remember them
as our brothers in arms...

Those damn Germans
will stay put... - Quiet!

The Russkies will take
the whole country. - Quiet!

Citizens! We have taken
the first steps in order -

to regain peaceful relations with
our great eastern neighbor.

It's a step towards...

We'll have to pack you lots
of food, anyway. - Pack?

Your halcyon days are over.

Stop! Don't say that.

No- one's said
anything like that.

Isn't Eero going back
like all the w*r children?

I guess it's true what they say...

Children should be
where their home is.

I thought Hjalmar liked me.

Oh, he does, a lot.

He wants to do
everything by the book.

Does the book say I have to
go home? - Only those who can.

And I can't?

Go to sleep.

School in the morning.

Hjalmar said he would've
gone to America, -

but his boots got stuck
in your dirt.

He said that?

Nonsense.

I want to do that, too.

You'll stay here
with me and Hjalmar.

No- one's going
to take you away from us.

Never? - Never.

I promise.

But don't tell Hjalmar.

Have you explained?

Explained?

What's there to explain?

That the German left her, -

and now it's alright -

for her to have her kid back.
Is that what I must explain?

Good Lord, -

we don't even know
if she is in Helsinki!

You're being unfair.
- Unfair?

Am I being unfair?

What's fair, then?

That she'll be forgiven
and be called a mother, -

a woman who voluntarily
gives away her child?

And I'll just gratefully take it?

First, I lose a child,
then I lose another child.

Is that fair?

We can't help it.
- I'm not going to do it.

I am not going to...

give back our child.

He's not our child.
Don't make him believe that.

I'm very good for him,
he needs me!

What if Elin were away
and couldn't come back?

Elin...

Hjalmar, please,
Elin doesn't exist.

She's not coming back to us.

Elin's never ever coming back...

You have to go now, Eero.

Mother! Mother Signe!

Mother Signe!

Let go of me! No!

Eero!

My dear little Eero,
how you've grown!

How was your trip?

Let's go home.

They called me again
to come to the office.

I'm sure I'll get the job.

Don't you think?

Does a Kirsti Lahti live here?

Sender: Signe J?nsson
Sweden

No.

Are you sure?

Who was it?

Eero...

All the bad things are over.

Mother's here with you.

I could never believe
what you said.

I thought you'd disappear
at any moment.

I felt -

I could lose everything -

at any moment.

This, or these -

Signe wanted to give me.

She'd always hoped
I'd get them.

Or we.

They came with
the funeral invitation.

I couldn't open them...

Until I got there.

"Dear Kirsti. Life on the farm
is empty without Eero.

Sending him away was hard, and
I damned you for you decision.

To tell you the truth,
I didn't believe you loved him.

Eero never knew
that you wanted him back.

I realize now that
this was wrong of me.

Please, Kirsti, let him read
this letter, so he will know.

He must know. Signe."

"Dear Signe.

There's peace now in Finland,
which is a huge relief to us all.

Hans- J?rgen returned
to Germany. Without me.

He loves me more than anything
and I love him, -

but I have to ask myself
whom I love the most.

I must've been
blind and insane.

How could I even consider
leaving my own child?

I may have to carry this
guilt for the rest of my life.

But I ask of you, thankful
for all you've done for Eero, -

to send me my beloved son
as soon as possible. Kirsti."

Sixty years, a lifetime.

It sounds ridiculous, but -

somehow it feels -

as if part of us
had been left there, in Sweden.

That's where I decided
never to miss you.

But you did.

I did, Mother,
now I understand it.