I Stand Alone

MORAL:

Do you know what moral is?

Let me tell you.

Moral is for the people

that own it, for the rich.

And who's always right?

The rich, and the poor are screwed.

JUSTICE:

Shall I show you my moral?

Won't you be sorry?

- I'm not sure.

I think you'll be afraid.

This is my moral.

There's the moral.

Do you know why I have this?

Because Mr. Moral there in his uniform...

...always wins.

Him and his damn moral.

And I...

This is my justice.

Whether you're right...

...or wrong...

...it doesn't matter man.

Les Cinemas de la Zone present:

The drama of a butcher alone

in the guts of his land.

Everyone his own life, everyone his moral.

If I would summarize my life...

...my life is like that of a loser.

They should write that down.

The story of man

like so many others.

It all started in France,

land of cheese and traitors.

The man was born near Paris

in 1939.

In 1941 his mother abandoned him.

He has never seen her again.

On liberation day the boy

finds out who his father is.

A communist who died

in one of the concentration camps.

He's six years old now.

His mental struggle begins.

His innocence was stolen from him

in the name of Jesus as he was raised.

To be able to survive the boy

becomes a butcher at 14.

The next ten years he works

for various people...

...saving every cent

for his own business.

Which he gets when he's 30.

It's difficult at first...

...but after two years

the shop is running well.

Well he makes a living out of it.

He meets a young factory worker...

...and takes her virginity from her in

the l'Avenir Hotel across from the factory.

From there on it goes fast.

Nine months later he will be father of

Cynthia, a baby unwanted by the mother.

He is once again abandoned and is

left to bring up his daughter alone.

Years pass by.

The shop is fine.

The butcher buys an apartment

where the daughter grows up to be mute.

Her adolescence starts.

She's becoming a woman.

The father, still single,

has to fight his lust.

That's when fate strikes.

The girl has her first period.

In unknown pain

she runs off to the shop.

On the way there a worker tries

to seduce her.

A neighbour sees it happen

and takes her to her father.

The father sees the blood on her skirt

and thinks she's been raped.

He gets a knife

and goes to find the rapist.

The man sees a worker on a dock

The butcher slashes the man's

face with the knife.

The butcher goes to jail for that.

The girl is put in an institution.

The father occasionally writes

his daughter. Months pass.

The butcher has to sell the apartment

and the butcher shop.

Finally the butcher is free again

but without any possessions.

To survive, the man

becomes a bartender.

He soon becomes his boss's lover. She

gets pregnant and want to sell the bar...

...to start a new life

in an other town.

She even has enough money

to rent a butcher shop.

The man has no choice.

For the first time he visits

his daughter.

He tells her goodbye.

She sees him leave but says nothing.

The next day the man drives out of

Paris with his wife...

...hoping to escape the dark tunnel

that is his life.

In Lille they move in with

the woman's mother...

...until they find a house and a shop.

Compared to Paris the streets

up North seem abandoned and grey.

For the first time the man

feels like a stranger.

He sees projections of his

dead father.

But the butcher is like everyone else

A being that wants to survive.

He then decides to forget about his past

and betrayal of his daughter.

Just like his love for her. Well,

love is a bit too strong.

Not many people can say

they have truly known love.

So this man is me.

This has been my life so far.

But today starts my new life.

I'm starting all over again.

Yes ladies and gentlemen.

Today I'm erasing my past.

SUBURBAN LILLE, NORTHERN FRANCE

JANUARY 3RD 1980

Good night children.

- Good night mum.

Excuse me.

That's the side my father used

to sleep on.

Aren't you warm enough already?

She'd better keep calm.

Her and her kid.

If she keeps nagging like this

I'll blow her head off. Well not just her head.

Are we going to have a look

at the shop tomorrow?

Yeah.

Yeah I like it.

But it's a bit expensive.

The transaction has to be

ten percent cheaper.

And so does the rent.

On your account?

No, on mine

It was a bad place.

I'd rather keep my money

until after the pregnancy.

That wasn't what we agreed on.

What will we do until then?

You can take up a temporary job.

Come on.

Thanks.

''Wanted:
Pork butcher''

Look. They're looking for a butcher.

I'm not a pork butcher.

It'll be easier than having a shop.

Yes, you're right.

What are you doing?

I don't feel like it. It's my money.

I'm pregnant and you can shut up.

Exactly.

Damn sausage. Damn wine.

Damn family in a boring city.

It's all turned out to be very nice.

A new shop.

A nice new life.

But filthy as they are...

...I wouldn't be surprised

when the inspection would drop by.

It's what happens when one gets old.

Lose your sense of smell and sight,

and get dirty.

But that fat cow has

no excuse.

And are your parents still alive?

I told you he is an orphan.

Oh, sorry.

You should smile.

Do you understand?

To get the customers to buy a lot.

We're in a supermarket,

with music and everything.

Everyone should feel comfortable.

You see?

Just smile for me.

Put some effort in it. Smile.

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