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 1.
1 EXT. WOODS - HÄLSINGLAND - DAY 1
Hälsingland, North Sweden. We cycle through a series of
beautifully composed midday landscapes. None of them
feature people or human habitation.
A spare Swedish lullaby plays over this quiet montage. This
is the song of the Hårgas. When it concludes, we CUT HARD
TO:
2 EXT. HOUSE - MINNESOTA - NIGHT 2
A beautiful suburban home, bathed in vivid moonlight. The
neighborhood is very quiet.
3 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT 3
A MAN and WOMAN (early sixties) lay asleep in bed. They are
extremely still.
The PHONE rings. The Man and Woman do not stir. After a few
rings, the ANSWERING MACHINE takes it.
ANSWERING MACHINE (V.O.)
Hello. You’ve reached --
MAN & WOMAN (V.O.)
-- the Ardor residence.
ANSWERING MACHINE (V.O.)
Please leave your message at the
tone. When you’re finished with
your message, press pound.
BEEP. Enter the voice of a YOUNG WOMAN:
YOUNG WOMAN (V.O.)
Hey mom and dad, it’s Dani. Sorry
I’m calling so late. I’m just
checking in to make sure everyone’s
okay. I got kind of a scary email
from Terri and it sounded like you
guys were having some sort of
conflict? Anyway, I just got a
little worried, so call me when you
can, and if there’s anything I can
do, just please know that I’m here.
Okay. All right. I love you.
2.
4 INT. BEDROOM - BROOKLYN, NY - NIGHT 4
The young woman lowers the cell from her ear. This is DANI
(25), a beautiful but delicate brunette. She hangs up, and
turns to her laptop. An EMAIL from Terri Ardor, titled
“dear dani,” is displayed. It reads:
i cant anymore - everything’s black - mom and dad are
coming too. goodbye.
Dani stares at this, anxiety rising. She picks up her
phone, hesitates, and then calls Christian.
Four rings. CHRISTIAN (25) answers. The rest of this scene
will be shot in a VERY TIGHT CLOSE-UP of Dani.
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
Hi...!
Dani affects a care-free tone:
DANI
Hey baby. What you up to?
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
Oh, just smoked some resin at
Mark’s and now we’re getting pizza.
DANI
Oh nice.
In the b.g., we hear a young man repeating “hi Dani, hi
Dani, hi Dani...”
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
Yeah - he’s saying hi right now,
over and over.
DANI
Hi Mark!
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
(off-phone)
“Hi Mark.”
DANI
So I was just calling to see if you
were still wanting to get together.
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
Oh - did we talk about doing
something tonight?
3.
DANI
I mean, not concretely. I was just
seeing.
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
(ambivalent)
Uh, well - okay. Yeah. I should be
able to swing by.
DANI
All right...!
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
Yeah. Okay... How’s the sister
situation?
DANI
Well. I’ve now sent her three
emails and still no response... I’m
starting to get a little nervous.
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
I’m sure it’s fine.
DANI
Yeah. Probably. I hope so.
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
She does this every other day,
Dani. And only because you let her.
DANI
Well, I don’t LET her. She’s
bipolar.
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
I know, but you do, though, babe.
You go straight to crisis mode.
DANI
Well - but she’s my sister. And
even you admit this last email was
different...
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
Okay, but is it, though? It’s still
another clear ploy for attention -
just like every other panic attack
she’s given you.
Dani looks like she wants to argue with this. She stifles
it.
4.
DANI
Okay. Yeah. You’re right. You are
right.
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
The more you respond, the more
she’s encouraged to keep this crap
up.
DANI
No, I do know you’re right. I just
needed to be reminded. Thank you.
I’m really lucky to have you.
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
Me too.
DANI
I love you.
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
...So do I.
DANI
Okay. See you later?
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
Yup.
DANI
Okay. “Bye Mark!”
CHRISTIAN (V.O.)
“Bye Mark.”
DANI
All right. Love you. Bye.
Dani hangs up. Her eyes are wide with insecurity.
5 INT. KITCHEN - MINUTES LATER 5
Dani stands in the kitchen, mid-phone conversation.
FRAUGHT. She paces when she’s not speaking.
DANI
It’s just in his tone - you can
hear it. It’s like he’s trying to
work up the nerve to say something
and I just keep staving it off.
5.
GIRLFRIEND (V.O.)
So don’t stave him off. Be direct!
Confront him!
GIRLFRIEND (V.O.)
Well - what if I scared him? I’m
always roping him into my family
crap... I’m always leaning on him!
I tell him everything! I even
called him today in tears because
my sister sent me another scary
email. What if I’m scaring him off?
DANI
Oh - how do you rope him in? That’s
what he’s there for!
GIRLFRIEND (V.O.)
What did your sister write?
DANI
Oh - just some ominous bullshit!
She does it all the time! It’s
torture, and I’ve been completely
leaning on him for support! What if
I overwhelmed him and now he thinks
I have too much baggage?
Dani opens a prescription bottle of ATIVAN. She pops one.
GIRLFRIEND (V.O.)
Well, if that’s the case, then good
riddance! Right?
DANI
No! Not if I went too far! What if
I leaned too heavily?
Dani has returned to her laptop.
GIRLFRIEND (V.O.)
You didn’t! He should be there when
you need him.
Dani begins hastily composing an EMAIL to her sister Terri.
DANI
GIRLFRIEND (V.O.)
6.
But what if I need him too often?
If it becomes a chore? Then he's
not the right guy. Because it
shouldn't ever be a chore. Would it
be a chore if he leaned on you?
Dani breaks from writing to respond:
DANI
But he never asks for anything from
me! I've never even seen him cry!
So I'm the only one leaning!
GIRLFRIEND (V.O.)
Or the only one opening up! The
only one making yourself
vulnerable. That's intimacy.
As the friend says that, Dani finishes typing. Her email
reads: "PLEASE write me back, Terri. You can't just write
me something like that and then disappear. I'm worried sick
and I think my boyfriend is breaking up with me and I'm
freaking out. Please write back. Please."
Dani’s phone beeps with an INCOMING CALL. It’s an UNKNOWN
NUMBER.
6 INT. PIZZA PARLOR - NEW YORK - NIGHT 6
A grubby pizza parlor. Outside the window looms a purple
NYU sign.
CHRISTIAN, very handsome and fit, sits at a booth. Beside
him are his friends MARK (26, droll, shaggy hair), JOSH
(27, a skinny, sometimes snobbish academic), and PELLE
(26), a nice-looking Swedish exchange student. Pelle
doodles on his napkin (drawing the flowers on the table).
Mark is currently lecturing a despondent Christian.
MARK
Dude: you need to stop sitting on
the fence with this.
CHRISTIAN
But what if I end up regretting it
a week later, and then I can’t get
her back?
MARK
You don’t want her back!
7.
CHRISTIAN
I might!
MARK
So then you can bitch to us for
that week about how much you regret
it, and we'll be like “Dude: you’ve
been wanting out of this absurd
relationship for the last year,”
and you’ll be like “oh shit, that’s
right” and then you can find some
new chick who actually likes sex
and who doesn’t drag you through a
million hoops a day.
Christian is thinking about this. Extremely conflicted.
JOSH
Do you think a masochistic part of
you is playing this drama out to
distract you from the work you
actually need to be doing?
CHRISTIAN
(prepared to be offended)
And what work do I actually need to
do, Josh?
JOSH
Uhhh - your prospectus maybe? I
dunno. Your PhD...?
Christian clearly doesn’t want to be told his priorities by
Josh. Before he can snap back, an attractive WAITRESS
(early 20s) brings over the check.
WAITRESS
Whenever you guys are ready.
PELLE
(with Swedish accent)
Thank you.
She SMILES -- at Christian.
WAITRESS
Thank you.
She HOLDS the smile with Christian and walks bashfully off.
Mark definitely caught that.
MARK
8.
Dude. You could be getting that
girl pregnant right now.
PELLE
And don’t forget all the Swedish
women you can impregnate in June.
MARK
Yeah, dude - don’t forget all the
Swedish milkmaids.
Christian’s PHONE rings. He checks. It’s DANI. He deflates.
MARK
Who is that?
Christian doesn’t respond.
MARK
That’s not her again? Seriously?
Christian lets the call go.
MARK
That’s ridiculous, dude. She needs
a therapist.
CHRISTIAN
She has one.
MARK
So she should call him! That’s
insane, dude. She’s using you.
The phone starts ringing again. Christian checks it. “Dani
again.”
MARK
Oh my God.
Christian answers. He rises from the booth to get some
privacy.
CHRISTIAN
Hello?
On the other end: an extended, agonized MOAN.
CHRISTIAN
Dani?
DANI (V.O.)
9.
(distantly)
...no, no, no, no, no, no, no...
CHRISTIAN
Sweetheart? What’s going on?
But now there’s only heavy, frightening CRYING on the other
end. It’s a deep, horrible cry. One of pure animal grief.
CHRISTIAN
(now scared)
What’s happening, baby? Please talk
to me.
The crying has curdled into a sustained WAIL OF ANGUISH.
7 INT. GARAGE - MINNESOTA - NIGHT 7
The house from the beginning (scene 2).
Two CARS are parked. Their engines hum quietly. A
FIREFIGHTER opens one car’s door and turns OFF the
ignition.
We now reveal that the end of a GARDENING HOSE has been
taped to one car’s EXHAUST PIPE. A second hose has been
taped to the other car’s exhaust pipe. Both hoses TRAIL out
of the garage and INTO the house...
8 INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS 8
One gardening hose leads to a BEDROOM DOOR. The door is now
open, but the end of the hose has been TAPED to the
bottom...
9 INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS 9
The bedroom of the sleeping MAN and WOMAN (in their 60s,
from the beginning). It is very clear now that they are
DEAD.
Two police officers survey the room.
HARD CUTS to the man and woman being ZIPPED UP into body
bags.
10 INT. TERRI’S BEDROOM - SAME TIME 10
10.
TERRI (24), Dani’s sister, sits on the floor of her
bedroom, beside her desk. The end of the other gardening
hose has been DUCT-TAPED TO HER MOUTH. A mess of vomit has
dried around the edges of the hastily applied tape.
On Terri’s desk: her LAPTOP. It is open to the EMAIL THREAD
between her and Dani. In the bottom right corner of the
screen: “3 New Messages from Dani Ardor.”
11 EXT. STREET - BROOKLYN - NIGHT 11
Dreamy snowfall in Brooklyn.
Christian, bundled up in layers, RUNS down the street. He’s
approaching DANI’S BUILDING, but even as he rushes, he’s
not going as fast as he possibly could. There’s an
ambivalence in his stride.
He enters the front door of Dani’s building.
12 INT. DANI’S APARTMENT - NIGHT 12
Wide on the LIVING ROOM. We’re centered on the COUCH, where
Christian sits. Dani has crumbled there, her head shaking
violently against Christian’s lap as she WEEPS. Behind
them: a WINDOW showcases snowfall against the dark night.
Dani’s sobs are possessed of a profound despair. It’s so
intense that it looks painful - dangerous even.
We are pushing in on this, toward them. Christian’s eyes
are wide with worry. A worry that goes beyond Dani’s well-
being.
He stares into space, imagining a future that he’s being
chained to. He looks TRAPPED.
We continue pushing toward them until we have pushed PAST
them. The window behind them FILLS our frame.
Through the window - HEAVY SNOW raging in a black vacuum.
We hold on this as our OPENING CREDITS ROLL, accompanied by
intense, groaning score.
After the credits, we
SLAM CUT TO:
DAYLIGHT. We are still looking out the window, but it’s now
late afternoon. LATE SPRING.
11.
13 INT. DANI’S BEDROOM - LATE AFTERNOON - 6 MONTHS LATER 13
Dani lies on her bed, fully clothed. Her eyes are numb as
she stares at the wall.
A KNOCK at the door. A well-dressed Christian pops his head
in. He’s grown a beard since we last saw him.
CHRISTIAN
Hey babers. How we feeling?
DANI
(looking to him)
Hey.
(sitting up)
I’m up.
CHRISTIAN
I’m just going to that party
for like 45 minutes. You
should keep sleeping.
DANI
Oh - I’ll come with you...!
CHRISTIAN
(hesitates)
You sure you got enough rest?
DANI
I wasn’t sleeping anyway.
Christian pauses briefly, as if this clashes with his
plans.
CHRISTIAN
Okay, great! Well, I was gonna
leave in like three minutes, so
I’ll just be at the door.
DANI
Okay. I’ll just get dressed.
Christian nods for a little too long, then “smiles” and
leaves the room. Dani rises. Stands for a moment. Heavy.
14 INT. APARTMENT - EVENING 14
A PARTY in a brownstone full of circulating twenty-
somethings.
12.
Dani stands with Christian, who chats with Josh, Mark
(holding two beers), Pelle, and a stoned HIPSTER GUY (26).
HIPSTER GUY
I’m fucking dreading the summer.
Stuck in Boulder while my dad
watches Law & Order all day.
MARK
Yeah, man - I have to visit my
parents in shit-ass Tucson after we
all get back.
Dani squints with curiosity. Christian suddenly looks
nervous.
HIPSTER GUY
Oh - you guys are going somewhere?
JOSH
To Sweden!
PELLE
Hälsingland.
MARK
Mr. Pelle’s invited us for an
authentic hippie midsummer at his
yodeling farm.
Dani has PAUSED. She hadn’t heard this before.
DANI
...Oh yeah?
Dani turns to Christian, who now looks semi-panicked.
CHRISTIAN
I mean, yeah, we were thinking
about maybe - we were talking about
it.
DANI
For when?
Dani feigns casualness as she looks inquiringly to the
guys.
JOSH
...Mid June to late July?
MARK
In two weeks.
13.
CHRISTIAN
I mean, if we even go. I probably
won’t. We were just talking about
it.
Mark, Josh and Pelle stand awkwardly, confused. Christian
clearly hasn’t been honest with Dani.
15 INT. SUBWAY - MOVING - NIGHT 15
Christian and Dani ride the L train back home.
Christian stands, gripping the rail. Dani sits to his side.
Her eyes are BUSY with nagging, paranoid thoughts.
Christian, very tense, looks down at her from the corner of
his eye.
Dani looks up at Christian uncertainly. Christian forces a
casual “hey” smile. She “smiles” back.
16 INT. CHRISTIAN’S APARTMENT - NIGHT 16
Christian’s apartment is choked with cultural artifacts
(pieces acquired in China, South America, Africa, etc.).
The door opens. Christian and Dani enter. Christian goes to
his laptop and turns it on. Dani stays by the door, still
preoccupied. Christian looks to her.
CHRISTIAN
Are you okay?
Dani looks at him, hesitant to start a fight. Christian
gives her an impatient look: “Yes? No?”
DANI
I mean - yeah. I’m okay. That was
just...very weird.
CHRISTIAN
(playing dumb)
What was?
Dani looks at him: “Seriously?” Christian widens his eyes:
“What was weird?”
DANI
The...Sweden! I had no idea.
CHRISTIAN
14.
Well - what do you mean? I told you
I wanted to go.
DANI
Okay, fine, but I didn’t know you
were going.
CHRISTIAN
Well, I just decided today. I
wasn’t keeping it from you.
DANI
You already have a ticket!
Beat. Christian now looks cornered.
CHRISTIAN
(shrugs)
I’m sorry.
Christian looks extremely defensive. He has LOCKED DOWN.
Dani sees this, gathers herself, and tries to explain:
DANI
It’s just -- imagine if we were at
a party and someone asks "what are
you doing this summer," and my
friends say: "oh, we’re all going
to Alaska for three months, A month
and a half. we’re leaving in two
weeks,” and imagine that was the
first you’d ever heard of it!
CHRISTIAN
(correcting)
A month and a half.
CHRISTIAN
Okay: I told you I wanted to go to
Sweden.
DANI
You told me it would be “cool to
go.”
CHRISTIAN
Yeah! And then I got the
opportunity to go and I decided to
do it.
DANI
I have no problem with you going! I
just wish you'd involve me!
15.
CHRISTIAN
Well, I just apologized, Dani.
DANI
You didn't apologize, you said -
(shrugs)
- "sorry." Which sounds more like
"too bad."
Beat. Christian’s eyes are now very cold.
CHRISTIAN
Maybe I should just go home.
DANI
...I’m just trying to understand.
CHRISTIAN
And I tried apologizing.
DANI
I don't need an apology. I just
wanna talk about it.
Pause.
CHRISTIAN
I think I should just prob’ly go
home.
Dani looks helpless.
DANI
I'm not trying to attack you.
CHRISTIAN
Well, it feels like that.
DANI
Well -- I’m sorry! I am sorry. I
just got confused.
Christian’s eyes, looking down, haven’t begun to thaw.
Dani, now desperate to reverse the mood, sits on the couch.
She beckons him.
DANI
Come on: Sit with me. I'm sorry.
That just felt weird, that's all. I
think going to Sweden could be
really great for you. That sounds
amazing. Are you going for your
thesis?
16.
CHRISTIAN
(quietly)
I don’t know what my thesis is.
DANI
(brightly)
I know! It could be inspiring!
Right?
CHRISTIAN
(still looking down)
-- I think I’m just gonna leave.
Dani’s eyes start to well intensely with TEARS.
DANI
Please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to
overreact. Please.
Christian SOFTENS when he sees that she’s crying. Still
distant, he sits with her.
CHRISTIAN
Okay - shhh. It’s okay. I’m sorry,
too. All right?
DANI
I get paranoid. I'm sorry. I'm
going through all this stuff and
I've been dealing with all this
panic and I just - overreacted. I'm
not trying to put pressure or
accuse you of anything. I just got
crazy for a second. I didn't mean
to project.
Christian strokes her hair.
CHRISTIAN
It’s okay. I’m sorry, too. It’s
okay.
Beat.
CHRISTIAN
(uncertainly)
I was gonna ask you to come with
me.
Pause. Dani looks at him.
DANI
What do you mean?
17.
CHRISTIAN
-- What I just said.
DANI
To Sweden?
Christian nods a stiff “yes.”
DANI
You don’t want me to.
CHRISTIAN
I just asked you.
DANI
After I broke down crying!
CHRISTIAN
Well...you ruined the surprise.
Dani searches Christian’s eyes. They aren’t especially
warm.
CHRISTIAN
I wanted it to be romantic.
17 INT. MARK & JOSH’S APARTMENT - DAY 17
Mark & Josh’s apartment is essentially a stoner’s den
crossed with a serious anthropologist’s home. Ironic
posters (a portrait of Ronald Reagan, etc.) are countered
by a huge poster of James George Frazer. There are stacks
of books in every corner.
Christian, Mark, Pelle and Josh sit in the living room,
smoking from a bong. Josh holds a book by Johannes Bureus
(titled Adalruna) and Pelle is drawing in his notepad.
JOSH
Are the Swedes sensitive about
their history of Nazi
collaboration?
PELLE
Are you sensitive about Hiroshima?
Or slavery? Or the trail of tears?
JOSH
(deadpan)
Yes.
18.
Christian looks extremely preoccupied. His foot pumps
involuntarily. He receives a TEXT.
CHRISTIAN
(anxiously)
Hey guys, it’s Dani - she’s coming
up.
MARK
...Okay.
JOSH
(re: weed and bong)
Should we clear all this?
CHRISTIAN
No no, it doesn’t matter. But uh -
listen...
Christian goes to buzz her in.
CHRISTIAN
...just so you guys know: she’s not
gonna actually come, but I invited
her on the trip. Just to not make
it weird.
A moment of silence. Pelle sits especially frozen.
MARK
You invited her?
CHRISTIAN
Yeah, but she’s not coming.
JOSH
She doesn’t want to?
CHRISTIAN
(measuredly)
No: I "invited" her and she
"accepted," but she's not gonna
actually come.
Mark and Josh just stare at him.
CHRISTIAN
You guys know what she’s dealing
with!
MARK
No, we know. I just didn’t realize.
It’s totally fine if she joins.
19.
JOSH
Yeah, dude, nobody minds.
A KNOCK at the door. Christian goes to answer it, but
before he does, he reasserts:
CHRISTIAN
Okay, so just: you guys told me to
invite her and you know that she’s
coming. Agreed?
They don’t respond. Christian now OPENS the door to DANI.
She enters with an almost apologetic smile on her face.
DANI
Hey.
(to the room)
Hey guys!
CHRISTIAN
Hi baby.
JOSH/MARK/PELLE
Hey!
DANI
How’s it going?
MARK
Just chillin’.
DANI
Nice.
A brief, awkward pause.
JOSH
So, Sweden--!
DANI
Yeah!
PELLE
You’re coming, right?
DANI
I think so--! If it’s not
completely destroying your guys’
male bonding plans.
MARK/JOSH/PELLE
Nope. / Not at all.
20.
CHRISTIAN
Oh, shut the fuck up.
Dani smiles bashfully. Mark abruptly addresses Christian:
MARK
Hey man, can I get you to look at
that paragraph real quick?
CHRISTIAN
(confused pause)
Sure. Yeah. Okay.
(to Dani)
Right back.
Christian kisses Dani, and leaves the room with Mark. Dani
looks to the ROOM. Josh has returned to his book. Pelle,
alone on the couch, warmly gestures for Dani to join him.
She obliges.
DANI
Hey Pelle.
PELLE
Hi Dani.
She notices that Pelle has been composing a DRAWING in his
notepad. It’s a drawing of the room.
DANI
Ooh, that’s a nice drawing.
PELLE
Oh, thanks, yeah, I’m trying to be
a naturalist.
Pelle closes the drawing pad. Gives Dani his full
attention.
DANI
How’ve you been?
PELLE
Pretty good! Survived finals. You?
DANI
Uh, well - didn’t quite finish! But
they’re giving me a break this
year...
PELLE
(realizing)
Oh, right. God. Of course.
21.
Dani makes an embarrassed “bleh” face.
DANI
How did you like the anthropology
department?
PELLE
It’s good! I just can’t seem to
choose if I hate academia or not.
Unlike this one.
(”this one” being Josh)
You’re doing psychiatry?
DANI
Psychology. Yeah. That’s how you
know I’m nuts.
PELLE
Also that funny look in your eye.
Dani LAUGHS, a bit unnaturally. An awkward moment.
PELLE
So! You’re coming to Hälsingland!
DANI
Yeah! I can’t wait. Christian says
you’ve got a special thing in the
woods planned?
PELLE
Oh yeah - a sort of crazy, nine-day
festival we’re doing...
DANI
Do you do that every midsummer?
PELLE
Uh - well...not quite like this
one.
DANI
(mock-scandalized)
Ooh. What makes this guy different?
PELLE
Well, “this guy” happens only once
every ninety years. So it’ll be a
first and a last for everybody.
Pelle raises his eyebrows, mock-menacing.
DANI
22.
...Christian says you’re from a
really small community?
PELLE
Oh yes - tiny. Very sort of...
(”what’s the word?”)
Incestuous? Incestual?
DANI
Depends on which of those you mean.
PELLE
Oh - ha! No: we’re just very
secluded...
Pelle pulls up a PHOTO on his phone. Shows it to Dani. It
features a lush, impossibly green field. Young men and
women stand about - all dressed like hippies in white.
DANI
Oh wow! Flower children.
PELLE
Big time! We do our own
thing, love our astrology...
DANI
What’s your sign?
PELLE
Taurus! You?
DANI
Cancer!
PELLE
Ooh, yes, I do see that. Your
birthday?
DANI
July seven.
Pelle makes an “Ah” face. A thoughtful pause before he
asserts:
PELLE
You know, I think it’s actually
very good you’re coming.
DANI
Oh yeah? For who?
PELLE
23.
For you! And for my family. I think
you’ll be very...
Pelle weaves his fingers together, signifying a tight-knit
connection. Dani smiles. Pelle PAUSES again, and his tone
now CHANGES. He leans forward, sensitively:
PELLE
You know...I never had the chance
to tell you, but I was really so
very sorry to hear about - your
loss...
DANI
Oh...!
PELLE
...and what happened. I can’t even
fathom. I mean, I lost my parents,
too, so I have some idea, but...
Dani looks cornered. TEARS have welled up in her eyes.
PELLE
Oh, no. Sorry to bring it up!
DANI
No, I mean - thank you. I just...
I'm sorry.
(stands up suddenly)
I'll be right back. Bathroom. Thank
you.
Dani rushes off. Pelle watches her with blank eyes.
Dani, stifling tears, enters the BATHROOM.
18 INT. AIRPLANE LAVATORY - IN FLIGHT - DAY - 2 WEEKS LATER 18
Dani has entered an airplane’s lavatory, stifling an
oncoming deluge. After shutting the door behind her, she
BREAKS DOWN in a fit of violent SOBS.
19 INT. AIRPLANE - IN FLIGHT - MINUTES LATER 19
We are WIDE, looking down the length of the plane. We track
forward, drifting over the heads of passengers.
In the b.g., Dani exits the lavatory and returns to her
seat. Christian is seated beside her at the window. We have
arrived at a PROFILE CU of them (the window in the b.g.).
24.
Christian takes Dani’s hand and smiles at her. It’s clear
she’s been crying, but she hides it behind a determinedly
casual “all is well” expression.
Christian goes along with the pretending, and looks out the
WINDOW. We have begun a slow ZOOM past them, toward the
window. The window soon FILLS the frame. We are flying over
beautiful terrain. We have entered SWEDEN.
20 INT. STOCKHOLM AIRPORT - DAY 20
Dani, Christian, Josh, Mark and Pelle stand at a CUSTOMS
DESK.
A CUSTOMS OFFICER looks over their passports.
CUSTOMS OFFICER
Purpose of your trip?
PELLE
Visiting my home in Hälsingland.
CUSTOMS OFFICER
All of you?
They all say “yes.” Christian, meanwhile, is desperately
searching his backpack for his passport.
The Customs Officer scrutinizes Dani’s passport.
CUSTOMS OFFICER
Happy birthday tomorrow.
DANI
Oh - thank you.
Christian, distracted from that, FINDS his passport.
21 INT. RENTAL MINIVAN - MOVING - DAY 21
Our group, now in a rental minivan, drives through
Stockholm traffic. Pelle is at the wheel.
Mark sits passenger, holding a film theory book. In the
back: Dani, Christian and Josh. Josh is reading the Poetic
Edda.
They pass a group of BEAUTIFUL BLONDE WOMEN.
MARK
25.
(to Christian)
Oh my God, dude, the women here...!
Christian, aware of Dani, gives a self-conscious half-nod.
Dani happily pretends to ignore this.
MARK
What is it that makes them hotter?
CHRISTIAN
The Vikings grabbed all the best
ones and dragged them over.
JOSH
Makes a pretty good case for rape,
from a nationalist point of view.
Dani WINCES at that one. They have now pulled onto the
FREEWAY - leaving Stockholm.
DANI
How far are we driving?
PELLE
Four hours, about.
MARK
(exasperated)
Oh my God.
Dani notices a book on Josh’s lap: The Secret Nazi Language
of the Uthark. Its cover is a runic pattern.
DANI
Why are you reading that?
JOSH
Ha. Ask Pelle.
PELLE
(accepting the cue)
We’re taught the runic alphabet in
my village. Josh just carries that
around to annoy me.
DANI
(to Josh)
What are you doing your thesis on,
again?
JOSH
26.
Uhhhh - Well! My focus is actually
on European midsummer traditions.
Which was actually sorta the
impetus behind this whole trip.
DANI
(to Christian)
That’s similar to what you’re
thinking of doing - right, baby?
For your thesis?
CHRISTIAN
(tensely)
Well, I don’t know quite what I’m
doing.
CHRISTIAN
(As you know.)
But I’m thinking about rooting it
in something Scandinavian.
DANI
See that, Pelle? You’ve managed to
brainwash all your friends.
PELLE
Josh was already brainwashed when I
found him.
JOSH
(re: Pelle’s
acknowledgement)
Thank you.
DISSOLVE TO:
TWO HOURS LATER
Pelle is still driving. Everyone is silent and zoning out
as the radio plays an old Swedish folk tune.
Mark suddenly notices a DEAD BOAR on the side of the road.
MARK
That’s the second of those I’ve
seen.
PELLE
Yeah, they’re a huge problem out
here. Everybody hunts them.
MARK
You ever gone boar huntin’?
27.
PELLE
Yep!
MARK
Is it fun?
PELLE
...It’s cathartic and then it’s
sad.
Beat. They drive past another dead boar, also in a field.
JOSH
They’re allowed to just leave them?
Mark alights on something ahead.
MARK
...the fuck?
Everyone looks up. In the distance, about 300 feet off the
road, is an OAK TREE with SEVERAL BOAR CARCASSES HANGING
FROM ITS BRANCHES.
CHRISTIAN
What is that?
DANI
Oh my God.
JOSH
Wait: slow down. Can you pull over
to it?
DANI
Why??
JOSH
Please, Pelle.
Pelle reluctantly slows down. He veers off the road and
idles to a STOP beside the tree. Josh marvels at it.
22 EXT. ROAD - CONTINUOUS 22
The back door opens and Josh emerges from the car. Everyone
else filters out behind him.
Josh approaches the tree, stunned. A cacophony of buzzing
FLIES.
28.
JOSH
(to Pelle)
Do you know what this is?
PELLE
No idea.
Josh has pulled out his CELL PHONE. He starts to take
photographs of the tree from every possible angle.
DANI
This is horrible.
MARK
(to Pelle)
Is this how you people hunt out
here?
CHRISTIAN
It looks almost ritualistic.
JOSH
It looks absolutely ritualistic!
(takes more photos)
This is fucking amazing.
Dani looks extremely disturbed. She swipes away flies.
Christian pulls out his phone to take a single wide shot of
the tree.
PELLE
Okay, let’s go. We still have a lot
of driving.
DANI
Fantastic. Thank you.
Everyone returns to the car. Except for Josh, who continues
his ecstatic photo-taking.
23 INT. RENTAL MINIVAN - MOVING - DAY 23
Pelle is still driving. Christian sleeps in the back.
Everyone looks notably more tired. It’s been a long drive.
They pass a sign announcing (in Swedish) that they have
arrived in Hälsingland.
PELLE
Entering Hälsingland!
Everyone looks up.
29.
MARK
Are we getting high right when we
get there?
TEN MINUTES LATER
Pelle idles up to a LARGE GRASSY MEADOW. It’s lush,
impossibly green - magical. About fifty YOUNG PEOPLE (teens
to twenties) lounge about. Tents and camping equipment
abound. Many of the women are dressed in traditional white
dresses and don floral garland crowns. Some of the men look
like 19th century farmers.
PELLE
Look, guys! New friends.
Pelle parks the minivan in the field.
24 EXT. MEADOW - CONTINUOUS 24
They all emerge, yawning and stretching. Dani is
mesmerized. Pelle WAVES to a bunch of people on the grass.
They clearly know each other well. Pelle gestures for our
group to follow him as he approaches a crowd of GIRLS.
GIRLS
Pelle!!
We cut WIDE as Pelle happily introduces everyone.
Then, across the field, a Chubby Blonde Guy (25) calls out
to Pelle. This is INGEMAR.
INGEMAR
(in Swedish)
Holy shit! Pelle!!
Pelle turns to Ingemar. His face LIGHTS UP, and he runs
over to him. Dani, Christian, Mark and Josh follow.
INGEMAR
(in Swedish)
Happy St. John’s!
Pelle laughs. They hug.
INGEMAR
(in Swedish)
Christ - you’re so skinny! Where’d
the rest of you go?
PELLE
30.
(in Swedish)
Looks like you got it.
INGEMAR
(in Swedish)
What the fuck? I look fatter?
PELLE
Here: English. These are my great
friends - Josh, Christian, Mark,
Dani: meet my brother Ingemar. Best
friend since we were babies.
INGEMAR
(recounting)
Josh, Christian, Mark...Dani?
(confirmed)
Awesome! And say hello to my
friends, Simon and Connie from
London.
He gestures to an attractive British couple, CONNIE (24,
skinny) and SIMON (26, spectacled, tattooed).
INGEMAR
Simon and Connie, this is Pelle
and...all the names I just
remembered two seconds ago.
SIMON
Hey.
CONNIE
Hello.
INGEMAR
Perfect timing, by the way:
Ingemar pulls out a bag of MAGIC MUSHROOMS. Hands them to
Pelle.
INGEMAR
We just took these five minutes
ago. Haven’t even started coming up
yet.
MARK
(overjoyed)
Ohhh shit.
Mark grabs the bag from Pelle and studies the contents.
PELLE
31.
MARK
(to the group)
Do you guys wanna take it now? Or
should we settle in first?
Fuck it. Let’s just take ‘em.
DANI
(to Christian)
I think I might need to find my
footing first.
CHRISTIAN
Yeah. Of course.
(quietly)
And you know you don’t need to take
them. If you’re feeling unsure.
DANI
No, I just need to get settled.
CHRISTIAN
Okay. Well. I’ll wait for you.
DANI
No - go ahead!
CHRISTIAN
No, I’ll wait. We’ll come up
together.
Josh and Mark and Pelle have pulled their mushrooms from
the bag. They look to Christian, ready to go.
PELLE
Ready?
CHRISTIAN
I’m waiting for Dani. You guys go
on.
MARK
Dude. We can’t come up at different
times. They’ll be totally separate
trips.
CHRISTIAN
Then you can wait for us.
Mark looks frustrated - angry even.
DANI
32.
You know what? That’s okay. I’m
ready.
CHRISTIAN
Baby. Don’t feel rushed.
DANI
I don’t. I’m ready.
MARK
(false concern)
You sure?
DANI
(bluntly)
Yeah, Mark, thanks.
INGEMAR
They made mushroom tea if you
prefer against the taste.
DANI
(considers)
Okay. Yeah. I’ll have that. Thank
you - Ingmar?
Ingemar smiles confirmation and goes to fetch her a mug of
tea.
CHRISTIAN
Don’t let Mark pressure you. Of all
people.
DANI
He’s not. It’ll get too complicated
otherwise. It’s fine.
Ingemar hands Dani her TEA.
PELLE
(to Dani)
Ready?
Dani, now holding the tea, nods yes.
PELLE
Okay. Here we go. Think happy
thoughts!
They eat their shrooms. Dani hesitates before SIPPING the
tea.
CHRISTIAN
33.
You okay?
DANI
Yeah. It’s good. I’m excited.
CHRISTIAN
(still concerned)
Cool. Me too.
MINUTES LATER
Dani sits on the grass with Christian and Pelle. Mark is
off to the side, stabbing at an ANT COLONY with a stick.
Josh paces nearby. His stomach TURNS audibly.
JOSH
Uggghhh, I really don’t feel good.
Josh hunches over to RETCH.
MARK
Don’t puke, dude. Keep it down.
CHRISTIAN
(to Dani)
How are you feeling?
DANI
A little like I have food
poisoning.
PELLE
Technically you do. It’ll go away
soon.
CHRISTIAN
And you can throw it up if you need
to.
JUMP CUT to Dani VOMITING into a bush. Christian stands
near her.
CHRISTIAN
That’s good, baby. It’s okay. Throw
it up.
Dani rises to take a breath.
CHRISTIAN
Does that feel better?
PELLE
34.
Don’t worry - you had it down long
enough. You’re still gonna trip.
MINUTES LATER
The group sits on the grass together. The sun is still
shining.
CHRISTIAN
What time is it?
PELLE
Ten at night.
Mark sits up, alarmed.
MARK
What do you mean?!
PELLE
What do you mean?
MARK
That doesn’t feel right.
PELLE
Why? It’s the midnight sun.
MARK
It doesn’t feel like ten. I don’t
like that! It feels wrong.
A YOUNG MAN approaches.
CHRISTIAN
Oh fuck. It’s a new person.
MARK
What? I don’t want new people.
PELLE
No - new people are good!
The Young Man walks past.
YOUNG MAN
Hey hey!
The group mumbles hello.
MARK
I wanna lay down.
35.
Mark lies down.
MARK
Oh my God. Lay down. Guys. It’s so
nice.
Everyone lies down. Except for Josh. For the rest of the
scene, our focus is on DANI - even as everyone else speaks.
MARK
Lie down, Josh.
Josh doesn’t. Stubborn.
PELLE
Can you feel the energy come up
from the earth?
CHRISTIAN
Yeah, like a - pulsing. Oh my God,
they are. And the grass!
PELLE
And so are the trees. They’re
breathing.
The trees do seem to be breathing - visibly swelling and
deflating with psychedelic life. They LOOM IMPOSINGLY over
Dani. They GROAN in the wind, their branches leaning
(almost reaching) down.
Pelle, marveling at his surroundings, sits up:
PELLE
Nature just knows instinctually how
to stay in harmony! It’s
mechanical. Everything doing its
part.
MARK
(emotional)
You guys are my family.
The word “family” HITS Dani.
MARK
I really mean that. You’re like my
real actual Family.
Dani SITS UP, suddenly overwhelmed. Christian looks to her.
She looks to him. He SMILES, but there’s something false
about it.
36.
Dani looks SCARED now. This scares Christian.
CHRISTIAN
Dani? Don’t look like that.
Dani STANDS, panic mounting. Her eyes look crazed.
DANI
I’m sorry. I’m gonna walk.
CHRISTIAN
I can walk, too.
DANI
No no. Sorry. I’m gonna...
Dani starts to walk off, a terrible feeling rising in her.
JOSH
Is she mad at us?
MARK
I don’t like how she did that.
Dani continues to walk. She’s starting to think very bad
thoughts.
DANI
(to herself)
No, that’s not good. No. No.
She then stumbles onto a group of TEENAGERS - all wearing
flower garlands. They sit in a circle, passing around a
homemade POTION of some sort. They all look at Dani and
then BURST OUT LAUGHING.
Dani turns stiffly around, tears welling.
DANI
No, no, no, no --
Dani tensely speed-walks away. Her surroundings are
THROBBING visibly (and more intensely than before).
INGEMAR calls out to Dani.
INGEMAR
Hey! Dani!
Dani freezes. Terrified, she looks in his direction. He
waves her over. He’s sitting with a group of happy twenty-
somethings.
37.
Dani warily approaches.
INGEMAR
How are you feeling? Everyone: this
is Pelle’s friend, Dani.
Everyone says hi.
DANI
They were laughing at me over
there.
INGEMAR
What? No, I’m sure they weren’t.
They probably just wanted you to
laugh with them.
But Ingemar’s face was MUTATING as he said that.
DANI
(terrified, forcing a
smile)
Okay. Sorry. Never mind. Thank you.
Dani turns around and walks stiffly off.
DANI
(trying to turn it
around)
It’s okay. It’s not that. You’re
okay. It’s drugs.
She continues toward a sturdy wooden OUTHOUSE. She hastily
enters.
25 INT. OUTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS 25
The interior of the outhouse is illuminated by CANDLE-
LIGHT.
It’s very clean. Dani stands here for a moment.
DANI
This is a coffin.
(immediately reprimanding
herself)
Hey! No it’s not.
Dani sees a MIRROR on the wall. She looks at it. Hard.
DANI
Fuck you. Stop it.
38.
Suddenly her skin seems to take on a translucent quality.
Her veins become faintly visible. Beneath her cheeks, it
looks like organic gears are turning.
DANI SQUEEZES HER EYES SHUT. She takes a moment, trying to
will that vision away.
DANI
Don’t look in the mirror. It’s not
your face.
(saying that again, under
scrutiny)
“It’s not your face.”
After a long moment, Dani OPENS her eyes again. When they
open, TEN ADDITIONAL EYES open simultaneously - all over
her face. Like spider eyes.
Dani SCREAMS and FLEES the outhouse...
26 EXT. OUTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS 26
Dani runs frantically across the field, desperately wiping
off her face (as if to wipe off the extra eyes). We CHASE
AFTER HER before CUTTING TO:
27 EXT. FIELD - SAME TIME 27
Christian, Josh, Mark and Pelle are still lying in the same
spot. They’ve hit the peak of their trip. Twilight is
coming.
In the b.g., a group has finished setting up LARGE
SPEAKERS.
CHRISTIAN
Where did she go? MARK
MARK
It’s okay.
JOSH
(looking at his hands)
Why the fuck do we have
fingerprints?
Christian STANDS, panic starting to build.
CHRISTIAN
Dani’s gone. We need to find Dani.
39.
JOSH
I don’t feel like standing.
MARK
Yeah - I don’t wanna move.
CHRISTIAN
Hey! Dani’s our friend!
MARK
She isn’t all of our friend.
CHRISTIAN
What? Yes she is. That’s not nice!
Why aren’t you ever nice?! You’re
being mean!
MARK
(scared by this)
What? I am nice.
(tearing up)
I’m not being mean!
Droning techno begins to THROB from the speakers in the
b.g. With every bass punch, the surrounding environment
THUMPS visibly.
CHRISTIAN
Dani’s our friend. And she’s sad.
MARK
But that makes me sad!
(suddenly angry)
And she’s NOT our friend! She’s
barely YOUR friend! You only
invited her because you’re too
scared to be honest with her!
Christian pauses, FURIOUS, and then:
CHRISTIAN
Her family is dead, Mark! Do you
get that? They all died!
MARK
(suddenly terrified)
Why are you saying that?
CHRISTIAN
Because they are! They’re dead!
MARK
Why???
40.
JOSH
(insistent)
HEY! NO! We need to connect back to
the good things! This is getting
bad! Everything’s alive right now.
CHRISTIAN
But that’s just so it can die
later.
MARK
(getting sucked into
darkness)
Oh God...!
Silence. Everyone looks at Pelle, catching up to what he
just said. Christian STOMPS OFF.
MARK
Wait! Christian! We need to stay
together!
28 EXT. WOODS - SAME TIME 28
Dani paces in the woods. Muffled techno drones in the
distance.
DANI
Hello?!... HELLO??!!
(redirecting her
thoughts)
It’s almost your birthday. Fuck.
DANI
What time is it?
(then, PAUSES)
You were almost born... You’re a
baby.
This gets to Dani. She now looks around the woods,
fearfully. Like a lost child.
DANI
MOMMY?!... DADDY?!...
(silently to herself)
Mommy daddy mommy daddy...
(panicked now)
CHRISTIAN?!
No answer.
41.
DANI
No...no.... You’re alone.
Then it HITS Dani. Her eyes well intensely with tears. This
idea is now horribly significant.
DANI
(a revelation)
You’re alone.
Dani sees a DEAD RABBIT. Its innards are splayed.
Dani warily approaches. Magnetized but repulsed. As she
nears, the FEAR rises in her. She gets close enough to
finally see... The rabbit is being devoured by ANTS.
Dani looks mortified, but her eyes are glued. She LEANS IN
to look closer, but then -- she sees ANTS on her arm.
(Whether they’re there or not is unclear.)
Dani SCREAMS. She violently SLAPS at her arm. She then
swipes at her other arm, and starts slapping at her NECK
and FACE, as if she were engulfed in ants. (She’s not.)
Dani looks down. The earth seems to now be a PULSATING
CARPET OF ANTS.
Dani SCREAMS and RUNS for her life. As she sprints:
CHRISTIAN (O.S.)
Dani!
Dani FREEZES, eyes crazed.
DANI
...Christian?!
CHRISTIAN (O.S.)
Dani!!
Dani searches desperately for his voice. She FINDS him
standing at a CLEARING. She runs for him, crying.
CHRISTIAN
Where the hell did you go?!
They EMBRACE. She hugs him. SQUEEZES him.
DANI
I got lost.
CHRISTIAN
42.
Let’s go back to the group.
DANI
(still squeezing)
Christian. Nothing means anything.
CHRISTIAN
What?
DANI
(looking at him)
Nothing means anything! We’re just
alone.
(tearing up)
And I felt this presence - like God
but not God - and it was telling me
this and it was laughing at me.
CHRISTIAN
You heard laughing?
DANI
I felt it laughing! I figured it
out, that nothing means anything
and we’re born alone and we die
alone, and it was getting pleasure
from that.
Christian is getting SCARED. He takes Dani’s ARM -
CHRISTIAN
Okay: no. We’re going back to the
friends.
- and starts leading her away.
CHRISTIAN
You’re having a bad trip, and
you’re thinking you’re alone
because you went off and you made
yourself alone. You just got
scared.
He’s now PULLING Dani, aggressively.
CHRISTIAN
(not even looking at her)
You have me. Everything’s
connected. We’re all one. Those are
the good things you’re supposed to
think about when you trip. We’re
all unified. Fuck.
43.
Christian has been leading her out of the woods. They
emerge onto the FIELD, where the droning techno is now very
present (and making the visible surroundings THROB to its
beat).
We track alongside Dani and Christian as they walk uneasily
through the grass - past groups of happy, tripping
strangers.
Christian’s eyes are glued tensely to the ground, combating
dark thoughts. Dani looks less frightened now than
disconnected.
They arrive at Josh, Mark and Pelle, who are now
accompanied by CONNIE, SIMON, INGEMAR and a BLONDE SWEDISH
GUY (20s).
BLONDE SWEDISH GUY
Hey hey!
MARK
Where were you?
PELLE
How are you, Dani?
CHRISTIAN
(insistent)
We’re fine. She’s fine. Just took a
little walk.
CONNIE
(very high)
Are you feeling it?!
DANI
(to Pelle)
I wanna sleep. How can I sleep?
HOURS LATER
CLOSE-UP OF DANI’S SLEEPING FACE.
In the distance: a faint, barely discernible melody. It
sounds like a flute.
A HAND reaches into frame to nudge Dani. She stirs awake.
CHRISTIAN (O.C.)
It’s time to get up.
DANI
...how long was I asleep?
44.
Dani sits up. It’s still BRIGHT outside. The visual
surroundings are no longer morphing. Mark and Pelle and
Josh are standing. Christian is crouched beside her.
DANI
Did it get dark at all?
PELLE
For a couple hours. Not completely.
Then something occurs to Dani:
DANI
Is it tomorrow?
CHRISTIAN
...It’s today.
Dani looks at Christian, whose expression is blank. She
SINKS with quiet disappointment. (He forgot her birthday.)
Christian helps Dani up. She wobbles.
DANI
Where are we going?
PELLE
Where we came for.
29 EXT. WOODS - DAY 29
Everyone from the meadow CRUNCHES through the woods. Our
group is at the end of the queue (carrying their bags). As
they walk, the MELODY is growing clearer and louder. It’s a
happy tune.
The group’s footing is unsteady. Dani, especially, keeps
stumbling over her own feet. She grips Christian’s wrist.
MARK
The come-down on these mushrooms is
really intense.
Dani notices a few disparate FLOWERS sprouting up from the
ground. As she walks, the flowers continue to accumulate.
Soon she’s walking down a controlled, narrow TRAIL of wild
yellow flowers - all leading toward a CLEARING.
MARK
Okay: am I still tripping or is
there a lot that people aren’t
acknowledging right now?
45.
The group finally arrives at the clearing. It opens to
another FIELD, beyond which is a SMALL VILLAGE. The melody
is being played by a floutist, a fiddler and a key harpist.
The scene is UTOPIC.
JOSH
(mesmerized)
This is the place?
PELLE
(slightly tongue-in-
cheek)
The tranquil and majestic Hårga.
They continue toward it, approaching a Hälsingegård (a
farm).
About a HUNDRED PEOPLE stand on the grass, waiting. They
are dressed like Amish people, but less formal. They appear
to be a WELCOMING COMMITTEE.
CHRISTIAN
(to Pelle)
You know all these people?
PELLE
These are my family!
30 EXT. HÅRGA FARMSTEAD - CONTINUOUS 30
They arrive at the FARMSTEAD. At the center is one
particularly LARGE building in the shape of a barn; this is
the MAIN HOUSE.
Surrounding this are several houses, a horse stable, a
temple, and different gardens. The windows and doorways are
all adorned in ST. JOHN’S WORT (flowers with bright yellow
petals and golden stamens). Beyond the farmstead are vast
fields of CROPS.
Most of the arriving crowd is embraced ecstatically by the
welcoming committee. They hug and kiss and squeal with
excitement. It appears to be something of a REUNION. Pelle,
in particular, is bombarded with affection.
Josh, Mark, Christian and Dani stand awkwardly through
this.
46.
Josh and Christian notice a towering MAYPOLE. Immense in
height and width, it is entangled in lush green shrubbery
and marked by a wealth of symbols (some runic, some more
esoteric, all colorful). At the top of the pole is a
TRIANGLE, beneath which hang two RINGS.
Pelle brings a beautiful, blonde woman over to the group.
This is DAGNY (25). She wears a white dress with intricate
embroidery (featuring a pentagon and distinct Pagan runes).
PELLE
(in Swedish)
Dagny - this is Dani, Christian,
Josh, Mark.
(in English, to the guys)
This is my sister Dagny. Born on
the same exact week as me.
DAGNY
Välkommen till Hårga!
DANI
(attempting Swedish)
Tack!
JOSH/CHRISTIAN
Thank you!
Dagny smiles and walks off.
An older man, ODD (50s), approaches. He is wearing a dress.
Pelle lights up at the sight of him.
PELLE
Father Odd!
ODD
Little Pelle!
They embrace. There is a moment where they rest their
foreheads together. (Note: throughout the film, the Hårgas
will communicate little things through subtly modulated
expressions and gestures. These are their AFFECTS, a
language known only to them.)
ODD
(in Swedish)
How is the pilgrimage?
PELLE
(in Swedish)
Wonderful. Amazing.
47.
(in English)
These are my friends - Christian,
Mark, Josh, Dani...
Odd shakes their hands as Pelle introduces them.
ODD
Hello, hello...yes, hello, welcome.
(to Dani)
Welcome home!
He HUGS Dani.
DANI
(amused, but slightly
weirded out)
Thank you.
ODD
We are very happy to have you!
Pelle has an immaculate sense for
people.
Pelle smiles.
DANI
I love what you’re wearing.
ODD
Oh - my frock? Quite girly, no? Ha!
(explains)
ODD
We do this as a tribute: Because of
nature’s, em, hermaphrodite-ick -
sorry - her-ma-phro-DI-TIC
qualities -
(sighs relief at getting
the word out)
- the men do like women and visa
versa.
JOSH
Like the cult of Aphroditus!
(then, remembering)
I think the sakhis saints do the
same thing, too - in Brajbhoomi?
If Odd is annoyed by this, he hides it well. He shines a
tight-lipped SMILE at Josh.
ODD
48.
So! We’re your hosts! Yes? So
whatever you need, you tell us and
we’ll do everything to accommodate!
Today is all festivities, yet
tomorrow the official ceremonies
begin. So have yourselfs ready!
It’s a sincere pleasure to have
you, and you are Welcome-Welcome-
Welcome. So enjoy!
They all say thanks and Odd walks happily away.
MARK
Nice guy.
The music suddenly gets LOUDER. Percussion is introduced,
and the music swells to become a regal melody.
Everyone’s attention moves to TEN GIRLS (different ages -
from 7 to 13), all dressed in identical white dresses. They
hold FLORAL GARLAND CROWNS (made of mugwort and vervain)
and sprigs of LARKSPUR. They are walking single-file
towards a PLATFORM...
Sitting on the platform are TEN OLD MEN AND WOMEN (60s to
early 70s). These are the ELDERS. They wear severe or
neutral expressions, and are dressed in finely embroidered
linen.
The girls march onto the platform. They each stop before
one of the seated elders. Upon a cue, they simultaneously
lay the crowns onto the elders’ heads. They then hand the
elders the larkspur sprigs. After this, the girls return
bashfully to the crowd.
One of the elders - a sturdy old woman (70) - rises to
address the crowd. The music drops out. She is beautiful,
composed, elegant. This is SIV, the matriarch.
SIV
(in Swedish)
Happy midsummer, all!
As she speaks, several children - all wearing outfits to
distinguish them as waiters - pass out shot glasses of
AQUAVIT.
SIV
å
49.
Ni är så oerhört välkomna hit. Till
oss. Vi vill att ni är med och
firar Midsommar med oss. Ni får
boende, mat och vara en del av det
som är den största festen här hos
oss i Hårga. Faktiskt den största
på nästan hundra år.
She notices the non-Swedish speakers.
SIV
Forgive me - I’m excluding the ones
who aren’t of Swedish tongue.
Welcome to Hårga, and happy
midsummer! I believe it is the
hottest and brightest that we’ve
had in at least a decade, and this
is our biggest party in almost a
century! So - wow, yah?
JOSH/DANI/CHRISTIAN/CONNIE
(as if solicited)
Yeah. Wow.
Siv smiles, and proceeds to wrap it up.
SIV
All right, my fellow merrymakers.
Without any further blathering -
let’s raise our glasses -
Everyone raises their aquavit.
SIV
- and let our Nine-Day Feast begin!
(announcing)
Skål!
EVERYONE
Skål!!
The crowd drinks. Everyone CHEERS. Including our group. The
MUSIC begins again.
On one side of the platform: A young GIRL, also wearing an
embroidered white dress, walks up with a JUNIPER BOUGH in
each hand. She is accompanied by a TEENAGE BOY, who holds
two FLAMING TORCHES. Meanwhile, two of the ELDERLY MEN (72)
have risen from their seats.
Siv now speaks in English, presumably for our group’s
benefit. (As she does this, the young girl and teen boy
hand the elderly men a juniper bough and flaming stick.)
50.
SIV
And now, in keeping with tradition:
Hjalmar and Josef will make three
trips. If they make it back with
the flame intact, our vintage will
be abundant this year! On the other
hand, if it burns out - that will
be an omen of bad luck and we will
know to prepare.
Josh turns to Pelle.
JOSH
What does “bad luck” mean?
PELLE
Usually that the cattle will get
sick.
Siv yells something in Swedish to the air.
JOSH
(to Pelle)
What did she just say?
PELLE
Told any lingering spirits to go
back to the dead.
The two elderly men, now BLINDFOLDED, begin to run around
the Main House, holding up their flaming sticks. (Everyone
watches, rapt.) They pick up the pace to finish their first
cycle around the house. They then begins circling it again.
JOSH
(to Pelle)
Can I takes photos?
PELLE
Discretely.
The men finish their second cycle around the house, and
immediately begin a third. The community seems to be
holding its collective breath. The men FINISH the third
run-around, but...one man’s flame has been EXTINGUISHED.
A man in the audience, ISAK (50s), lets out a GASP when he
sees this. Everyone else sinks audibly with disappointment.
The men, having finished, remove their blindfold. The elder
with the extinguished torch DEFLATES. Siv gestures sadly to
the crowd: “There we have it.”
51.
Isak looks absolutely devastated. Christian notices.
CHRISTIAN
(to Pelle)
Is he okay?
PELLE
The cattle are his responsibility.
Isak’s eyes stare off, unblinking. Heartbroken. He looks to
the CATTLE HOUSE, eyes filling with tears.
MARK
(to Pelle and Christian)
How do you think he’d react if I
just put my finger in his butt
right now?
Continuing the ritual, Siv takes the torches from the men
and walks to a healthy FIRE in a pit. She deposits the
sticks into the fire.
SIV
(in Swedish)
This high my fire, but no higher,
no hotter!
PELLE
(translating)
Uh - this high is my fire, but not
higher or hotter.
(explaining)
It’s to keep the fire from growing
out of control.
Josh WRITES this down in his notebook. Christian WATCHES
Josh, slightly perturbed.
Siv now accepts a BOWL OF BEER from one of the children.
She drinks a healthy gulp, and then throws the rest into
the fire.
Everyone now APPLAUDS. This seems to be the end of the
ritual.
A group of TEENAGERS (all dressed in bright, formal garb)
emerge from a kitchen. They carry PLATES OF FOOD (lamb and
blood pudding) and BEER. They begin by serving the elders.
52.
Dani sees that one of the teens is carrying an ornate
platter featuring a LAMB’S SKULL (brain exposed) and a
LAMB’S HEART. The platter is bordered by a dense spiral of
INTESTINES. This is laid onto the center of a table that
has been painstakingly decorated with local flowers.
PELLE
That’s a tradition. They just
killed that lamb today.
The servers now move to our group, which has settled onto
the grass. They are handed plates and beers.
DANI
(to Pelle)
Can we help at all?
PELLE
No no. You’re the guests. Let
yourself be spoiled.
One boy, RUBEN (15), walks up to Dani. He is severely
mentally handicapped and his hands are palsied. He’s
dressed in gorgeous linen.
RUBEN
(with difficulty)
Hey hey!
DANI
(warmly)
Hello!
Ruben walks off. As he ambles aimlessly, people reach out
to lovingly TOUCH him - as if in reverence.
PELLE
You just met Ruben.
DANI
Ruben is lovely.
The teens finish serving. They now sit with plates of their
own.
Mark has already started eating. Josh NUDGES him. Nobody
else has begun. Mark bashfully sets down his fork.
Silence.
Siv, the matriarch, looks to a PLUMP ELDER (60s) sitting
beside her. He stands, takes a moment, and then speaks
loudly in Swedish, as if in PRAYER.
53.
PELLE
(whispering to Josh and
Christian)
He’s giving thanks.
JOSH
For the food?
PELLE
Yes. And the weather, and the
crops...
The Plump Man finishes his speech, and then announces:
PLUMP MAN
Låt oss äta!
Everyone digs in.
CHRISTIAN
Who was he praying to?
PELLE
Uh - well, that wasn’t really
“praying.” But he was just
addressing the...everything. The
harmony and the balance.
JOSH
Can you translate what was said?
PELLE
...I can get an exact translation
later.
CHRISTIAN
(jumping in)
Yeah, please, that would be
amazing.
JOSH
(eyes now burning on
Christian)
...Yes, Pelle, thank you.
Christian looks at Josh. A CHARGED moment. They start
eating.
31 INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT 31
54.
A beautiful, curly-haired BLONDE GIRL (16) stands before a
mirror, anxiously fussing with her hair. She clearly needs
it to look perfect. This is MAJA.
32 EXT. HÅRGA FARMSTEAD - MINUTES LATER 32
Maja emerges from the MAIN HOUSE. All the younger Hårgans
have joined hands to form a train of people. They run and
dance in a wide circle, singing a variation of Visa i
midsommartid. The MAYPOLE stands at the center of their
circle.
Maja timidly watches the dance, smiling. Her eyes trail off
to find our group. She alights on CHRISTIAN, instantly
smitten. It almost looks like she recognizes him.
One of the dancing boys suddenly GRABS Maja’s hand. He
PULLS her into the train. She LAUGHS as she joins.
MEANWHILE: Our group is still sitting in the same place
(along with Connie and Ingemar). They watch the passing
dancers with fascination.
PELLE
You guys should join!
DANI
I’m too scared.
SIMON approaches, carrying two beers. He momentarily gets
caught in the crossfire of a group of YOUNG BOYS CHASING
EACH OTHER. He finally reaches Connie, and hands her a
beer.
SIMON
Alright?
CONNIE
Ta.
Simon sits.
SIMON
(re: the boys)
What are they playing?
PELLE
“Skin the fool!”
SIMON
(sarcastic)
Ah. Precious.
55.
Dani notices Ingemar STARING at Simon and Connie. He looks
resentful. He finally averts his eyes and forces a smile.
MAJA, in the dancing train, is about to pass the group. She
summons the nerve to gently KICK Christian’s back.
Christian looks up to see Maja passing by. She SMILES
bashfully at him.
He confusedly smiles back.
Dani notices Christian smiling, but doesn’t see Maja (who
has already turned away).
Christian RISES, suddenly feeling bold.
CHRISTIAN
(to Pelle)
How can I join the...?
PELLE
You’re American. Just jam yourself
in there.
Christian uneasily JUMPS IN. He joins hands with two girls.
Josh rises to follow Christian. Dani’s eyes follow them.
Pelle takes this opportunity to turn covertly to Dani:
PELLE
Hey: very quick:
He hands her a folded up DRAWING.
PELLE
Happy birthday.
Dani, surprised, opens the paper. It’s a drawing of her
FACE (donned with an extremely lush floral crown). The
style is simple, but her likeness is captured beautifully.
DANI
Oh - my gosh. Pelle!
PELLE
PELLE
It’s just something I do for
birthdays. Maybe it’s not
appropriate?
DANI
Oh my God, not at all! It’s
wonderful. Thank you, Pelle. I’m so
touched.
56.
PELLE
Anyway. Just between us.
DANI
Yeah, well - don’t worry. Christian
forgot.
Pelle PAUSES, surprised. He doesn’t know what to say.
DANI
(immediately regretting)
Or - I forgot to remind him. It
doesn’t matter. Thank you so much
for this, Pelle. It’s beautiful.
She folds the drawing back up.
33 EXT. HÅRGA FIELD - MINUTES LATER 33
The dance is over, although separate groups are still
dancing and playing in the b.g.
Pelle is now leading our group on a TOUR. (Ingemar, Connie
and Simon have joined along.) We track alongside.
JOSH
How do you guys support this place?
PELLE
Lumbering, wheat, vegetables...
INGEMAR
Water power plant.
They pass a CIRCLE OF CHILDREN, accompanied by a TEACHER
(60s). They’re carving RUNIC SYMBOLS into smooth, well-
sanded STONES.
PELLE
Schooltime over here.
CHRISTIAN
Carving runes?
The Teacher looks up and smiles confirmation.
PELLE
(to Dani)
Then they put it under their pillow
and dream about its meaning.
Dani makes an “ooh” face. Josh makes a NOTE of this.
57.
Christian sees that they’re now passing an old RUNESTONE
(on their other side). It stands erect in an untended
field.
CHRISTIAN
Oh man - there’s a serious one.
JOSH
Oh shit!
CHRISTIAN
Which alphabet is that from?
JOSH
(quick to answer)
Looks like the Elder Futhark.
(to Pelle)
Right? Or is that medieval?
INGEMAR
That’s actually the younger
Futhark.
Josh nods “Ah, right” - visibly pained to be wrong.
CONNIE
(to Christian and Dani)
So, how long’ve you two been
together?
DANI
Oh, jeez...almost three years now!
CHRISTIAN
(gently correcting)
Uhhh, well...two and half.
DANI
...You’re joking. It’ll be three in
fifteen days.
Christian thinks about that, and grudgingly concedes.
CHRISTIAN
Okay, no, that is true.
(off Dani’s look)
It is! You’re absolutely right.
He makes a “sowwy” face, kisses her incredulous cheek, and
changes the subject by asking Simon, Connie and Ingemar:
CHRISTIAN
How did you guys all meet?
58.
They look at each other. “Who answers?”
INGEMAR
Well...we were all working on the
same farm, and funny enough: I was
dating Connie when Simon and me
first became pals.
Simon’s eyes narrow.
CONNIE
(correcting)
Well - we‘d been on a date. Which I
wasn’t even actually aware that it
was a date.
INGEMAR
(backtracking jovially)
Right, no, I meant that Connie and
me had just become friends - we
decided to be friends - and that
was just before Connie and Simon
started dating. And now they're
engaged!
DANI
Oh wow. Congratulations.
INGEMAR
Which is amazing. Yes.
Congratulations.
Simon and Connie look uncomfortable. They smile “thank
you.”
SIMON
(to Dani)
We’ve actually asked Ingemar to
officiate the wedding.
DANI
(excited)
You did?!
SIMON
Nope.
Everybody LAUGHS - including Ingemar.
PELLE
(announcing)
And now...behold!
59.
They have all arrived at a SMALL TREE.
PELLE
My tree.
CHRISTIAN
Why your tree?
PELLE
When someone’s born, we plant a
tree for that person and they grow
up together. This one’s mine.
DANI
That’s so beautiful.
JOSH
(pen and paper ready)
Is there a specific name for that
practice?
Christian points out a SMALL HOUSE which stands isolated in
a large field. It has been painted a vivid yellow.
CHRISTIAN
What about that house?
PELLE
Ah, that’s like a sacred temple. No
one’s allowed in there.
CHRISTIAN
Looks like it was just built.
Changing the subject, Pelle motions toward the MAIN HOUSE.
PELLE
This is where we sleep!
He leads them toward it. Meanwhile, Ingemar leads Simon and
Connie in another direction.
INGEMAR
Here: come see my tree!
On our group’s way to the Main House, they pass a CAGED
BEAR.
MARK
So we’re just gonna ignore the
bear, then.
PELLE
60.
(acknowledging, deadpan)
That’s a bear.
34 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - MINUTES LATER 34
Josh leads our group through the two-storied interior of
the huge, barn-shaped house. There is a large, square HOLE
in the floor of the second story (so both stories are
visible to each other). On both floors, the walls are lined
with BEDS. The center of the bottom story is bare, like a
dance floor. A MAP TO THE COSMOS has been painted on the
floor, featuring sacred lines connecting notable stars.
Pelle points out four small beds.
PELLE
These’ll be yours.
Mark throws his bag onto one of them.
The group marvels at the walls, which are covered in
INTRICATE MURALS. Runic letters abound. The CEILING is
especially impressive. It’s painted to tell an epic story
in hundreds of sequenced panels. At the center of the
ceiling is a painting of the SUN. All stories lead to this
(or do they come from this?).
CHRISTIAN
Who all sleeps in here?
PELLE
All the younger ones. Until we turn
thirty-two. Then we move to the
houses.
JOSH
Why thirty-two?
Josh has pulled out his MOLESKIN NOTEPAD, ready to write
down Pelle’s answer. Christian (almost in response) pulls
out his phone, ready to type. Pelle PAUSES at this. He then
explains, gesturing to a MURAL that dramatizes the
following:
PELLE
61.
We think of life like the seasons.
You are a child until you’re 16,
and that is the Spring. At some
point we all do our Pilgrimage, and
that’s between 17 and 32. That’s
Summer. Then, from 33 to 52, you’re
of working age: Fall. And finally
from 53 to 72, you become a mentor.
JOSH
Winter.
Josh and Christian have written all this down - their eyes
intermittently piercing each other.
DANI
What happens when you turn 72,
then?
Pelle makes a comical THROAT SLASH gesture. Dani laughs,
and begins to walk off.
MARK
Not a lot of privacy. What do you
do when you wanna jerk off?
Now that Dani is away, Pelle crosses quietly to Christian.
He covertly ushers him aside.
Dani has found a wall of twelve FRAMED PHOTOGRAPHS. They
all feature a different young woman dressed in ceremonial
garb.
In each photo, the woman is richly adorned in summer
flowers and wears an impressive FLORAL CROWN. These photos
have been taken annually for the last dozen years.
Dani looks over to notice Pelle WHISPERING to Christian,
who now looks extremely GUILTY. She interrupts by bluntly
asking:
DANI
Who are these of?
PELLE
Oh - those are our May Queens.
You’ll actually be here for that.
JOSH
Who are the “May Queens”?
PELLE
62.
Every midsummer we do the dance of
the Hårgas. All the younger women
compete and the winner gets
crowned.
Outside we hear:
ODD (O.S.)
(announcing, in Swedish)
Movie in twenty minutes! Field
five!
35 EXT. FARMSTEAD - SAME TIME 35
Several Hårgans set up chairs on the grass. A 16MM FILM
PROJECTOR is wheeled in to face a large PROJECTOR SCREEN.
Dani stands on the grass, under a now-overcast sky. An
ominous RUMBLING in the distance. She closes her eyes,
breathes deeply - practicing mindfulness.
She is suddenly distracted by a baby’s CRYING. Dani looks
off to see in the distance...
SEVERAL HÅRGANS are gathered around an OAK TREE. The
VILLAGE DOCTOR (50) is crouched, cradling a CRYING BABY. He
directs a doting WOMAN (50s) to pour some fresh dew (from a
vial) into the baby’s mouth.
Dani appeals to a nearby HÅRGAN MAN (30s):
DANI
Excuse me? Can I ask if you know
what’s happening over there?
HÅRGAN MAN
(looking over)
Ah. Poor little Einar has the, em -
where the bones are bad?
DANI
Oh no. Rickets?
The man shrugs “sorry, I don’t know.”
The Doctor is now passing the baby through a WIDE CLEFT in
the tree. The baby is received on the other side by the
doting woman.
DANI
Do you know what they’re doing?
Å
63.
HÅRGAN MAN
Old cure. Three times through the
Oak.
The woman hands the baby to the Doctor again, and he passes
the child back through the cleft. Again, the woman hands
the child to the Doctor, and the baby is passed through one
last time.
HÅRGAN MAN
Now the healths of the baby and the
tree are - together.
On “together,” he illustratively hooks two fingers.
DANI
Like a - sympathetic connection?
The man shrugs, confused. They SMILE at each other and the
man walks off. Dani continues watching the ceremony, until-
-CHRISTIAN appears behind her, holding a SOCKERKAKA (sponge
cake). A lit candle protrudes from it. He approaches
carefully...
CHRISTIAN
(singing)
Happy birthday to you -
Dani turns, mortified.
CHRISTIAN
(singing)
Happy birthday to you, Happy
birthday dear Dani
(I love you)
... Happy birthday to you.
She doesn’t blow out the candle.
CHRISTIAN
You thought I forgot, didn’t you?
Dani just glares at him.
CHRISTIAN
You’re not surprised?
Dani doesn’t soften. He finally RELENTS with a guilty
smile:
CHRISTIAN
64.
Okay - I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.
I thought it was tomorrow because
of the sun. It’s impossible to
tell.
He kisses her. She doesn’t kiss back. He keeps kissing.
CHRISTIAN
Happy birthday, happy birthday, I’m
sorry. - You should be.
DANI
Fine. It’s fine. I’m not upset. - I
know I should!
He kisses her again, tenderly. She grudgingly kisses back.
CHRISTIAN
Happy birthday, mouse.
She forces a tight smile and BLOWS OUT the candle.
MEANWHILE: WOMEN fill the baby’s tree’s cleft with MUD and
CLAY. They pack it tight. Then the MEN tie a ROPE around
the tree. They draw it as TIGHTLY as possible.
36 INT. FARMSTEAD - LATER 36
Everyone has gathered to either sit in chairs or on the
grass. They all face the PROJECTOR SCREEN.
Dani, Christian, Mark, Josh and Pelle sit crossed-legged in
the front. The PLUMP ELDER stands before the screen to
announce:
PLUMP ELDER
And now, for tradition and for fun:
a work of antique escapism -
(aside, to our group)
- and an annual mood-setter, made
by one of our own lost Hårgans!
The Plump Elder joins the audience, and the projector
starts to RATTLE. Before the film starts, Christian
WHISPERS to Dani:
CHRISTIAN
Happy birthday.
65.
ON THE PROJECTOR SCREEN: A SILENT COLOR FILM begins. It is
weathered and grainy. The film seems to have been made in
the late 1960s or early ‘70s (shot on a Bolex camera). The
TITLE appears (in Swedish): A Midsummer Romance
The film opens on a beautiful BLONDE GIRL (15) walking
through a field with her friends. They pause to admire a
GANG OF BOYS. The girl fixes on one BLONDE BOY (15). It’s
love at first sight.
The group of girls walks over to the boys. They talk.
INTERTITLE
(in Swedish)
Hello lads! Happy midsummer to
you.” -”Why thank you, girls! And a
happy midsummer to you.
One of the girls looks mischievously to her friends, and
then puts an idea to the boys.
INTERTITLE
(in Swedish)
Why don’t you lads come to our
house for lunch tomorrow? We will
prepare a feast and you can be our
special guests!
The boys look to each other and nod. They agree.
The NEXT SCENE depicts the girls gathering FLOWERS from a
lush MEADOW. They pick these flowers with their left hand
as they walk backwards. We cycle through NINE CLOSE-UPS OF
DIFFERENT FLOWERS BEING PICKED.
INTERTITLE
(in Swedish)
Nine Flowers Picked
(don’t forget the
Orpine!)
and Nine Fences Jumped.
The girls jump over a series of SMALL FENCES. This is done
nine times.
The NEXT SCENE reveals the blonde GIRL in her bedroom. She
puts the nine flowers under her PILLOW, and then lies down
in bed. She closes her eyes to SLEEP.
INTERTITLE
(in Swedish)
66.
With the nine flowers under her
pillow, she will now dream of the
boy she is to marry.
The blonde girl has fallen asleep, and a CLOUDY DREAM
BUBBLE appears beside her head. Inside the bubble, we are
given a scene in which the blonde girl is MARRYING the
blonde boy. He lifts her BRIDE’S VEIL to kiss her.
The NEXT MORNING the girl wakes up. She wears a wicked
smile.
LATER THAT DAY, the GIRLS are gathered in the KITCHEN. They
are cooking. The BOYS all arrive in the living room. Our
blonde girl says “hello” to the boy of her dreams.
INTERTITLE
(in Swedish)
Hello! Can I bring you some coffee
while you wait for your pancake?
The boy nods excitedly. The girl goes off to the kitchen.
In the KITCHEN, the girl takes a CUP OF COFFEE and sets it
on the floor. She then crouches over the coffee.
INTERTITLE
(in Swedish)
Three droplets of menstrual blood
for the spell to take effect.
Three drops of blood DRIP from between the girl’s legs.
They LAND in the coffee.
IN THE AUDIENCE, Dani and Mark WINCE at this. Christian and
Josh (along with the surrounding Hårgans) are delighted.
ON THE PROJECTOR SCREEN: The girl brings the coffee to the
boy. She smiles mischievously as he takes a SIP.
In the KITCHEN, the girl now props her leg up onto a chair.
She takes a pair of SCISSORS and snips between her legs.
She pulls a few STRANDS OF PUBIC HAIR from her groin.
The girl CHOPS UP the pubic hair into fine pieces. She then
sprinkles them into a BOWL OF PANCAKE BATTER. The batter is
then poured onto a burning skillet.
INTERTITLE
(in Swedish)
Hair from the vulva will complete
the spell.
67.
The girl hands the boy his PANCAKE. He eats the pancake,
and then looks up at the girl. SPIRALS appear in his eyes.
Spellbound, he moves toward her, like a love-stricken
zombie.
INTERTITLE
(in Swedish)
Voilà! The spell was a success.
The boy and girl KISS in Close-Up. We pull out from the CU
to reveal that the girl is now PREGNANT with a grossly
distended belly. They are surrounded by a huge and adoring
CROWD, all wearing identical clothing.
Fade to white. THE END.
The audience applauds politely. MAJA, however, looks
ENTRANCED.
Mark and Dani wear inscrutable grins. (Slightly charmed,
mostly disturbed.) Josh and Christian are BUZZING.
37 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - NIGHT 37
The windows have been boarded up for the night. Sunlight
peeks from the edges.
People are climbing into their beds. There are TWO BABY
CRIBS in the corner, stationed near the beds of women in
their twenties. Both bedframes are made of severe-looking
iron and metal.
Dani, noticing this, turns to Pelle.
DANI
Pretty serious-looking cribs.
PELLE
For the iron. Keeps away the
“invisibles.” So the babies don’t
get “changed.”
Pelle smiles sardonically, knowing how it sounds.
DANI
How real is that stuff for you
guys?
PELLE
(deflecting)
Ah, who knows?
68.
Dani smiles. She looks over to Christian, whose eyes are
GLUED TENSELY to Josh’s notepad as he scrawls “Iron. Babies
changed. ‘Invisibles.’” Christian looks threatened.
Pelle has already climbed into bed.
PELLE
All right - beauty rest! Tomorrow’s
a big day.
JOSH
And what’s tomorrow?
PELLE
(mysterious)
First of the big ceremonies.
JOSH
So you’re just gonna be weird and
cryptic?
Pelle PAUSES, then takes Josh’s notepad. He writes
“Ättestupan” and hands it back.
Josh happens to know that word. His eyes WIDEN. “Are you
serious?” Pelle smiles mischievously.
CHRISTIAN
What’s that? What’s Ättestupan?
Pelle gestures for Christian to keep his voice down.
Christian pulls out his phone and types “Atestupan” into a
search engine. But there’s no internet connection.
CHRISTIAN
Fuck.
(to Josh and Pelle)
What’s Ättestupan?
Josh smugly climbs into bed. This has made Dani nervous.
DANI
(to Josh)
Is it scary?
Josh teasingly raises his eyebrows: “You’ll see.”
38 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - NIGHT 38
Everyone is asleep. Silence, save for the baby’s CRYING.
69.
Dani lies AWAKE. Beside her: Christian sleeping soundly. To
her other side: Mark SNORING.
Dani shifts her weight. She looks over at the wall mural,
and notices an ILLUSTRATION of a HAPPY MAN OPENING HIS
WRIST WITH A SPECIAL KNIFE. He is surrounded by smiling
friends, and above him, a smiling SUN. Dani looks unnerved,
but her attention is suddenly DRAWN AWAY by the SOUND of...
A teenaged BOY and GIRL (clearly new lovers) sneak quietly
out of their beds. Giggling. They tip-toe out of the house,
careful to make no noise.
Dani stares at this. Heavy.
39 EXT. FIELD - MORNING 39
A GOAT-SHAPED STRAW FIGURE. It’s the size of an actual goat
and notably well-crafted.
An AXE comes down to swiftly LOP OFF ITS HEAD.
Then another AXE comes down to STRIKE its body in HALF.
We cut WIDE to reveal that it’s being chopped into clean
pieces by three MEN in ceremonial garb. Onlookers abound.
40 EXT. CROP FIELD - MORNING 40
Farmers BURY different pieces of the chopped-up straw goat
into FOUR CORNERS of a flourishing grain field.
AT THE FIELD’S CENTER: A man pours a bowl of LAMB’S BLOOD
into a carefully hollowed HOLE in the earth. After this,
the STRAW GOAT’S HEAD is dropped in. The hole is then
covered up with SOIL.
41 EXT. FIELD - MORNING 41
Near the Main House, several men are setting up DINING
TABLES on the grass. They are laying them out to form a
pattern.
In one FIELD, a group of WOMEN collect the morning DEW (in
small vials) from the leaves and grass. They throw a SHEET
over the wet grass. It absorbs the dew, and they WRING it
out into a pail.
70.
We PAN AWAY from this to yet another FIELD, where a large
GROUP has assembled for what appears to be some sort of
DANCE CLASS. They stand in rows of ten. DANI, JOSH, MARK,
PELLE and CHRISTIAN are among them.
At the head of the class is a THIN ELDER (60s) with an
impressive physique. In demonstration, he lifts his arm and
waves it fluidly, rhythmically, EMOTIONALLY, back and
forth.
The class IMITATES him. They strive to perfectly match his
movements and emotions.
THIN ELDER
Don’t just copy me. Feel me.
The class continues to mimic his movements. Mark, Josh and
Christian are looking quite graceless. DANI, however,
matches the Elder’s movements with surprising sensitivity.
Pelle notices this.
The Elder stops. So does everyone else. The Elder swiftly
affects a DIFFERENT POSTURE. (This time he goes to his tip-
toes, one hand curled at his abdomen and the other arm
draped mournfully around his head.)
The class now imitates this. The Hårgas are impressive in
their poise and precision, and Dani is fitting right in.
(Josh and Christian - not so much.) Once everybody finds
this position, the Elder fluidly contorts his body to
assume another.
A sleepy Mark has stopped trying altogether. He looks over
to a woman beside him. He smiles at her, but her gaze
remains FIXED SERIOUSLY AHEAD. For the Hårgas, this is a
spiritual practice.
A PRETTY BRUNETTE (25) to Mark’s side says:
PRETTY BRUNETTE
(in Swedish)
Try.
MARK
What?
PRETTY BRUNETTE
(in Swedish, smiling)
Try.
Mark smiles, not understanding. He’s SMITTEN. He half-
attempts to join in, only to immediately give up again.
71.
42 EXT. FARMSTEAD - ONE HOUR LATER 42
The dining tables have been set up to form a wide CIRCLE.
Inside the circle, at the center, is a ROUND YELLOW TABLE
(representing the sun). There are no seats for this table.
Half of the community is already standing at the
surrounding tables. The other half is arriving now. Plates
of food have already been placed. No one sits.
Our group (minus Dani) arrives at one of the tables. They
gaze around, trying to understand the etiquette. They
notice that a few lingering GIRLS walk backwards through a
neighboring field, picking FLOWERS.
DANI now appears with a bouquet of HANDPICKED FLOWERS. She
happily presents Christian with the bouquet.
CHRISTIAN
What?! For me?
DANI
Ja!
CHRISTIAN
(accepting them with
strained appreciation)
...Tack så mycket.
He kisses her cheek.
Now that everyone is stationed at the tables, a BOY runs
off to officially summon the guests of honor...
After a moment, TWO ELDERLY MEN (72), both wearing ornate
golden dresses, enter the scene. (We will recognize them as
the Elderly Men who ran around the Main House three times
with the flaming torches.) They stand with alert posture,
maintaining an awareness of their bodies as they walk. They
arrive at TWO LARGE WOODEN CHAIRS, situated at a
beautifully decorated table with fine silverware and golden
plates. (Every other table seats at least five people, but
this table has been reserved solely for these two.)
Josh mouths to Pelle: “Are those the ones?” Pelle smiles.
The two men SIT. This prompts everyone else to sit.
Mark picks up his fork, only to notice that no one else has
begun eating. Everyone waits patiently. Total SILENCE, save
for the baby who is still crying.
72.
Finally, the two men pick up their silverware and begin to
eat. Now everyone starts eating.
Josh is scrutinizing every detail. Christian scrutinizes
Josh.
MID-MEAL
MAJA feverishly carves a small RUNE STONE in her lap. She
is hunched over to conceal her progress from curious eyes.
The two elderly men are receiving lots of attention.
Near Dani, a BLONDE WOMAN (30s) cradles the CRYING BABY.
DANI
(inquiring)
Is your baby okay?
BLONDE WOMAN
Oh, she will be. She has a bone
problem. She is not “mine,” though.
DANI
Oh, I’m sorry...!
BLONDE WOMAN
No no - her birth mother is on
pilgrimage. It helps them to
detach. The babies are raised here
by everyone.
Dani smiles at this idea. Josh and Christian are also taken
by this. Josh SEES Christian’s excitement, and quietly
HARDENS.
BLONDE WOMAN
(to Dani)
How is your family like?
DANI
Mine? Oh no, mine are...not here
anymore.
Christian suddenly looks nervous about this exchange.
BLONDE WOMAN
“Not here”?
DANI
(now embarrassed)
Ha. Unfortunately not. It’s okay...
73.
BLONDE WOMAN
Not any?
The Blonde Woman has TEARS in her eyes. She looks sincerely
affected by this.
DANI
(reacting)
Oh God, no, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t
have said. We’re enjoying our food.
BLONDE WOMAN
(now worried for Dani)
Am I making you sad to ask?
DANI
No no. I just shouldn’t have
mentioned it.
BLONDE WOMAN
Please know we can talk if you
like. Please. I am happy to talk.
DANI
(uncomfortable)
Okay, thank you. Sorry. I feel
silly. Thank you.
(to Christian)
Sorry.
Christian shrugs: “Don’t apologize to me.”
SIV, a table over, has been avidly watching this exchange.
MINUTES LATER
Everyone has finished eating. Another HUSH falls awkwardly
over the procession. Silence, save for the wailing baby.
Mark, half-asleep, confusedly looks around. He sees the
Pretty Brunette SMILING at him. Caught off guard, he
BLUSHES and smiles back (a little too eagerly).
One of the two elderly men STANDS. Clears his throat.
Closes his eyes. After a moment, he begins to SING a
wordless, choral song.
Everyone watches, rapt and emotional.
74.
At the appropriate time, the OTHER MAN begins to sing
along, softly and awkwardly at first. Soon he rises,
singing with greater projection. When the song comes to a
finish, SIV stands to RAISE her glass. This prompts
everyone else to stand. They all raise their aquavit.
A long silence. Siv finally DRINKS. So does everyone else.
The MUSICIANS begin to play their handmade instruments, and
EIGHT MIDDLE-AGED MEN break into two groups. They walk to
either of the elderly men’s chairs, HOIST them up, and
start CARRYING THEM OFF.
The congregation follows behind as the elevated men are
carried up a hill. Our group JOINS them, confused. Mark
lags behind.
MARK
(to the group)
I think I’m gonna take a nap.
Jetlag and the shrooms...
Mark heads back toward the Main House. Dani, Christian,
Josh and Pelle proceed to follow the community.
43 EXT. HILL - MINUTES LATER 43
Everyone happily follows the elderly men of honor (still
carried on hoisted thrones). They follow a narrow TRAIL OF
FLOWERS up a hill.
There is a FORK in the trail, leading either to the left
and downward or continuing straight ahead and upward.
The elderly men are carried straight ahead, continuing to
ascend the rising hill. The following procession BRANCHES
OFF to veer left. They continue down a slope that leads to
a BEACH.
Our group, squinting with curiosity, begins following the
procession toward the beach. But Pelle slows down.
PELLE
Okay - actually: let’s stop a
moment.
He holds them back.
PELLE
I need to warn you before we go
down...
(to Dani now)
...because you might not want to.
75.
DANI
Is this gonna be something weird?
PELLE
Uhhh - it might seem very weird,
but it’s a great honor for them.
DANI
...Is this the thing you mentioned
last night?
JOSH
(smiling)
Ättestupan.
PELLE
We’re about to perform a centuries-
old rite that is very important to
us and very beautiful, but also -
very far from anything you have in
America.
DANI
(suddenly nervous)
...Do I not want to do this?
PELLE
Well - that’s what I’m saying.
You’re invited to. I just...
(pauses)
You remember I explained the winter
stage of a man’s life goes from 53
to 72? Well, this is what happens
when 72 is reached.
DANI
Okay. And what is “this”?
Pelle pauses, considering his words. Dani grows more
nervous.
DANI
What is Ättestupan?
Josh can’t suppress a smile - anticipating Pelle’s answer.
44 EXT. BEACH - MINUTES LATER 44
The community has gathered on the rocky beach. Tall CLIFFS
loom imposingly. The baby cries in the b.g.
76.
Our group stands to the side, along with Simon, Connie and
Ingemar. Christian turns to DANI, who looks extremely
uneasy.
CHRISTIAN
Are you sure you can handle this?
Dani doesn’t know the answer to this.
CHRISTIAN
Maybe you should go back to the
main house? It’s not too late.
Dani starts to wrestle with this, but then:
DANI
No. I need to try.
A HORN sounds. All eyes go to...
SIV, the Matriarch, holds a LEATHER-BOUND BOOK whose cover
is marked by runic letters. In Swedish, she formally
addresses the congregation - like a priest to a parish -
before opening the book. Its scripture is written in runes
and unknown hieroglyphs (the AFFECT language).
JOSH
(to Pelle, whispering)
What’s that book?
Christian leans in to hear the answer:
PELLE
Rubi Radr. Our scripture.
JOSH
Can I possibly read that?
PELLE
You would not be able.
Siv, eyes on the page, surprises our group by beginning to
SING a wordless hymn. It’s beautiful, yet feels improvised,
as if inspired (on the spot) by emotions provoked by the
text.
45 EXT. CLIFF - SAME TIME 45
The two elderly men have been carried to the top of a CLIFF
overlooking the beach. Their chairs are SET DOWN near the
precipice. They are placed beside freshly carved (and
impressively sized) RUNE STONES.
77.
The elders rise from their seats. They are each handed a
CEREMONIAL BLADE. They stoically drag the blade across
their palms, DRAWING BLOOD.
The men rub their palms together, making their hands nice
and bloody. They press their palms onto their rune stones,
both leaving TWO BLOODY HAND-PRINTS.
46 EXT. BEACH - SAME TIME 46
Everyone looks up at the cliff’s peak. Dani is SWEATING
BEADS now, her breathing erratic.
Finally, the TWO ELDERLY MEN appear at the edge.
Rapt silence.
One of the elderly men ANNOUNCES something loudly in
Swedish.
JOSH
(to Pelle)
What did he say?
But Pelle ignores Josh. His eyes are glued to the men. Josh
redirects his attention to the cliff-top.
Dani BRACES herself. Her TEETH begin to chatter. She GRABS
Christian’s arm, and then --
The elderly man LEAPS OFF THE PRECIPICE. Connie and Simon
SCREAM. The man plummets 200 feet to LAND FATALLY on the
jagged rocks below. Upon impact, a FLOCK OF BIRDS ALIGHTS
from a tree.
Our group is shocked into horrified silence. Dani looks
like she’s been knocked out of her body. The birds fly over
Dani’s head, and a sudden rush courses through her.
The OTHER ELDERLY MAN - the one whose torch burnt out
before circling the house three times - now steps up to the
precipice. He also announces something in Swedish.
SIMON
(panicking)
What’s happening? Is he gonna jump,
too? No--
78.
The man LAUNCHES HIMSELF OFF THE CLIFF. Connie GASPS. The
man plummets straight down, landing not only ON HIS FEET,
but also on the fresh corpse of his friend. This softens
the blow, preventing the fall from killing him. The man,
all broken bones now, WAILS in horrible pain.
The community grumbles with concern. Everyone turns to
THREE MEN, each the oldest of their respective generations
(the youths, the laborers, and the mentors). They
understand what they must do.
SIMON
Why did that just happen? We need
to call an ambulance.
INGEMAR
It’s okay.
SIMON
What’s okay?! CALL AN AMBULANCE!
Everybody’s just watching!
The PLUMP ELDER approaches the three men with a CUDGEL.
This is a long-handled club with a pointed block of wood at
the end. The cudgel is handed over to the MENTOR.
Dani watches, overwhelmed, as the three men (now armed with
the cudgel) stalk over to the dying man. The dying man
moans pathetically, in too much pain to scream.
From DANI’S POV: The men have arrived at the dying elder’s
feet. The mentor RAISES the cudgel, and brutally swings it
down onto the old man’s HEAD. This isn’t a fatal blow. The
man raises the cudgel again, and this time he STRIKES the
elder with enough force to silence him.
The mentor hands the cudgel to the LABORER. He raises the
cudgel and brings it down onto the old man’s crown. The
elder’s leg goes into pathetic SPASMS. Blood gurgling. The
laborer BLUDGEONS him once more. He goes limp, probably
dead.
The YOUTH is now handed the cudgel. He delivers two brutal
swings to the old man’s head. The mentor gently takes the
cudgel away from the youth, and they all return to the
community. The mentor hands the Plump Elder the cudgel, and
everyone stands in respectful, contemplative silence.
Dani is GRIPPING Christian’s arm. She is completely shell-
shocked. Christian turns to Josh; they exchange “holy shit”
looks. More EXCITED than troubled.
79.
Siv bounds over to Connie and Simon, who are in a panic.
Dani trembles, powder-white. Traumatized.
SIV
Ingemar! Did you not warn them?
INGEMAR
I’m sorry, grandmother Siv! I kind
of warned them.
SIMON
Nobody did anything! Everyone just
watched that!
SIV
Oh my, poor things--
SIMON
You’re all just standing calmly
around!!
Siv lays an empathic hand on Simon and Connie’s shoulder.
SIV
Oh, mercy - please: You should have
been warned better. What you just
saw is a long, long, long observed
custom. Those two men has just
reached end of the Hårga life-
cycle.
Siv now looks into DANI’S eyes, but Dani is in a daze. She
seems to have been knocked into a dissociative state.
SIV
It is a great joy for them, you
must realize. And when I do so, it
will be a great joy for me.
(back to Simon and
Connie)
We view life as a circle. Okay? A
re-cycle. One thing falls and
another rises. The first man who
jumped: his name was Olof. Yes?
Siv points to a PREGNANT WOMAN:
SIV
That baby, who is not yet born,
will inherit this name. He will be
Olof. And if it is a girl, she will
take the name of our last fallen
lady, which was Dagmar.
80.
Dani gazes at Siv, who has taken on a strange ETHEREAL GLOW
(like an angel).
SIV
But instead of growing old and
getting sick and dying in pain and
shame and fear, we’ll give our life
- as a gesture. Yes? A gift. And we
will leave this chapter with
dignity and gratitude. Before it
can spoil.
Siv releases Simon and Connie, who are no less fraught. Siv
now addresses the whole group.
SIV
It does no good to die kicking and
screaming and lashing back at the
inevitable. It corrupts the soul.
INGEMAR
(to Simon and Connie)
I’m sorry I did not warn you
better.
47 EXT. FIELD - DAY 47
Everyone is walking back from the beach. JOSH rushes
feverishly toward the Main House. Christian’s eyes are
trained on him as he moves to Dani, who looks destroyed.
CHRISTIAN
You okay, baby?
DANI
(branching off)
I need to not be here right now.
CHRISTIAN
Okay. Good idea. You walk. I’ll
find you in a second - okay?
Dani walks off, addled. Christian ACCELERATES to follow
Josh.
48 EXT. WOODS - MOMENTS LATER 48
Dani’s walk speeds into a SPRINT. Once out of sight, she
stops at a tree, now HYPERVENTILATING. She tries to steady
her breath, but it’s too erratic. She breaks down into
violent SOBS. These are interrupted by a shrill RETCH.
81.
49 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - SAME TIME 49
Josh anxiously goes through his backpack to find his
LAPTOP. He sits on the mattress as the computer boots up.
Christian enters awkwardly - eyes on Josh. He appears to be
summoning the courage to say something.
CHRISTIAN
Hey dude...
JOSH
Hey!
(excitedly)
Holy fuck, right?
CHRISTIAN
Holy fuck. Incredible.
JOSH
Incredible!
Christian works up the nerve:
CHRISTIAN
So listen: I’ve been wanting to ask
you, or tell you, or just - mention
to you something I’ve been thinking
about...
Josh looks up. He DARKENS with concern.
CHRISTIAN
I’ve just been thinking, and I’ve
decided...I really think I wanna do
my thesis here. On the Hårgas.
Josh doesn’t react. Christian nervously continues:
CHRISTIAN
And I wanted to tell you first, so
that it didn’t seem like I wasn’t
telling you.
JOSH
I feel like I can’t tell if you’re
joking.
Christian doesn’t respond. Josh becomes incredulous.
JOSH
Oh my God. I honestly can’t even...
82.
(barely containing his
rage)
You know I’m out here doing my
thesis, on midsummer. That’s why
I’m here.
CHRISTIAN
Yeah, but not on this community.
Josh’s eyes BURN on Christian.
CHRISTIAN
What?
JOSH
...You knew I was gonna want to do
this.
CHRISTIAN
How would I know that? Did you even
know that before I just told you?
JOSH
Oh my God, Christian, of course you
did!
JOSH
You think I don’t know what you’re
doing? It’s actually kind of
outrageously unsubtle. The fact
that you’re being this bald about
it. It’s impressive. It is. I’m
honestly impressed.
CHRISTIAN
What the fuck?
JOSH
Oh, yeah - “What the fuck.”
(seething)
This is what I’ve been working
towards and you know it. That’s why
you looked so guilty when you
brought it up. Because you know -
you know - that what you’re doing
is unethical and leechy and lazy
and frankly kind of sad--
CHRISTIAN
Okay, wow, fuck you--
JOSH
83.
No dude, not fuck me! Find your own
subject - or your own passion.
Because I’m actually invested in
this. It’s not some glorified hobby
that I’m casually dipping my feet
into.
CHRISTIAN
Oh my God! You are so arrogant! In
case you forgot, we’re both earning
the same degree--
JOSH
But we’re not doing it in the same
way, Christian. Okay? I have to
hold your hand through everything.
You didn’t even know how to use J-
Stor before I taught you, and
you’re a fucking grad student. I
mean, why are you even in academia?
You don’t care! Which is fine!
That’s your prerogative! Just don’t
appropriate my actual work for your
new shortcut!
This cuts Christian like a knife. His eyes are flaring with
RAGE. But he stifles it. Determined to remain collected, he
concludes:
CHRISTIAN
I wanna do my thesis here. If you
want to as well, I’d be happy to
discuss collaborating. If not, I
guess we’ll have two separate
theses on the Hårgas.
Christian leaves.
Josh sits motionless.
50 EXT. FARMSTEAD - CONTINUOUS 50
Christian emerges from the Main House, extremely tense. A
very pale SIMON smokes a joint near the door, looking very
ill. He notices Christian’s demeanor.
SIMON
You traumatized too, mate?
CHRISTIAN
(still fuming)
What? Oh. Yeah...
84.
SIMON
(offering joint)
You want some? It’s laced with
hydrocodone.
Christian notices in the FIELD: a group of WOMEN collecting
Linum usitatissimum (FLAX), which is in abundance. Among
thme he sees MAJA, working with her friend ULLA (28). They
laugh as they work.
Christian gestures “excuse me” to Simon, and approaches
Maja.
CHRISTIAN
Hey. Hi. Sorry to bother you...
Maja looks up - not understanding. She looks almost
panicked.
CHRISTIAN
I’m Christian.
Ulla insert herself:
YOUNG WOMAN
Hello. I am Ulla. She is Maja.
CHRISTIAN
Hi Ulla. Maja. I was wondering if I
could ask, uh -
(pulls out pen and paper)
- how many of those Attestupans you
guys have seen performed.
ULLA
Every time one reaches age.
CHRISTIAN
Okay...
ULLA
So lots.
CHRISTIAN
Right. Okay. And you don’t have
like, a typical mourning period?
For grieving?
ULLA
We grieve and celebrate.
Maja has been staring at Christian, love-stricken. He is
aware of it, but tries to ignore.
85.
ULLA
We must go now and keep working.
CHRISTIAN
Okay. No problem. Thank you. I
might find you to ask more later?
Ulla smiles “okay” and walks off with Maja. They wave
goodbye.
CHRISTIAN
Goodbye.
(to Maja)
‘Bye Maja.
Maja smiles timidly and waves again.
In the b.g., Josh stands at the Main House’s door, STARING.
51 EXT. MEADOW - EVENING 51
Dani sits cross-legged near the river. Her eyes are closed.
She’s trying to meditate, but her breathing is still
unstable.
Christian appears behind her.
CHRISTIAN
Hey.
Dani’s eyes open with a start. She turns to him.
CHRISTIAN
How we doing?
DANI
I can’t stop fucking shaking and my
teeth keep chattering.
CHRISTIAN
I can imagine. Today was a lot.
DANI
I feel like the neck on my skin is
getting tighter. Like I’m choking.
Dani pulls at her neck. Christian puts a hand on her
shoulder.
CHRISTIAN
86.
You okay, baby?
DANI
(looking up at him)
Are you just not at all disturbed
by what happened?
CHRISTIAN
I mean, of course, it was shocking.
But I’m also trying to keep an open
mind.
Dani just stares at him.
CHRISTIAN
It’s - cultural. We put our elderly
in nursing homes. I’m sure they
find that disturbing.
Dani EYES him, disturbed by his nonchalance. She then
sees... In the b.g., a congregation of WOMEN are migrating
off together.
DAGNY, whom we met earlier, splits from the group to RUN
over to Dani and Christian.
DAGNY
Dani! Do you like to join us?
DANI
Why? What’s happening?
DAGNY
A special ceremony - for the
womans.
(to Christian)
The mans are joining for a -
meditate. At the houses.
Dani looks to Christian, fraught. He gives her a “go ahead”
look.
Dani looks over to the flock of women and sees an equally
unnerved CONNIE.
MOMENTS LATER
Dani uneasily joins Connie in the migrating crowd of women.
They’re approaching a RIVER, which seems to GLOW in the
distance.
DANI
87.
Did they tell you what this is?
CONNIE
(shakes head)
Someone better not be jumping off
another fucking cliff.
Dani pulls again at her neck - still feeling claustrophobic
in her own skin.
52 EXT. FIELD - MOMENTS LATER 52
All the men are seated in a mass circle for a GROUP
MEDITATION (which hasn’t yet begun). Isolated in the center
of the circle is an Elder. He is the MEDITATION LEADER.
(Outside the circle, a GROUP OF MEN decorate a TREE that
has been pulled from the earth.
They adorn it in various FLOWERS and HANDMADE ORNAMENTS.)
Christian joins Mark in the circle.
CHRISTIAN
Nice nap?
Mark, eyes elsewhere, leans over to WHISPER:
MARK
That girl over there keeps chatting
me up, but she speaks like zero
English.
Mark is pointing to the PRETTY BRUNETTE from earlier.
CHRISTIAN
Oh yeah. She’s cute.
MARK
Right? She keeps eyeing me.
Christian pauses, and then:
CHRISTIAN
(can’t help himself)
Don’t you kinda hate Josh?
53 EXT. WATER WELL - SAME TIME 53
Pelle stands by the well, drawing up water. Josh appears.
JOSH
Hey. Can I talk to you? PELLE
88.
PELLE
Sure. But we’re being called for
the meditation--
JOSH
Has Christian come to you yet?
PELLE
...About what?
JOSH
(quickly)
Okay - so listen: And you can
obviously say “no,” but point-
blank: I wanna do my thesis here.
On this.
PELLE
Oh which? The nine-day feast?
JOSH
Or - yes, but no: On you guys. On
the Hårgas. And Itold Christian
this already, and now I think he’s
trying to pretend that it was his
idea, so if he comes to you--
PELLE
Okay, well...
Well, no, hey, wait a minute: I
seriously doubt the elders will
approve of anything being written.
They’re extremely protective.
JOSH
Yeah, of course, and I wouldn’t do
anything without their approval or
permission.
PELLE
Yeah, but - they won’t approve,
Josh. The only reason we’ve
survived at all is because we
operate in total isolation.
JOSH
Right: So I can just use aliases
for everything!
PELLE
Then what would be the point? You
couldn’t even get it peer reviewed!
(before Josh can argue)
89.
Christian did already ask me this,
by the way. I told him the exact
same thing I’m telling you.
JOSH
...I thought you just said he
hadn’t talked to you.
PELLE
(annoyed)
Fuck, look: I’ll ask the elders.
Okay? But if it’s approved, you
either both do it together or you
fight it out between yourselves.
Pelle puts his hands up to signify “That’s it.” He walks
off toward the MEDITATION CIRCLE.
54 EXT. FIELD - MOMENTS LATER 54
Pelle walks to an Elder near the back of the circle. He
WHISPERS in his ear. As this happens, Josh hovers in the
distance. He WATCHES Pelle’s interaction, in suspense.
Christian, still sitting in the circle, SEES Josh staring
at Pelle. Christian becomes instantly PARANOID. He RISES.
CHRISTIAN
(to Mark)
I’m gonna - take a leak.
Christian walks off towards a wall of BUSHES. Josh sees
this, hesitates, and then warily FOLLOWS. He keeps a
healthy distance. (Pelle’s EYES are now on both of them.)
Once Christian is hidden by foliage, he sneakily RUNS off.
He pursues the crowd of women, who are off in the distance.
MEANWHILE, Mark looks helpless in the meditation circle.
MEDITATION LEADER
(in Swedish)
We begin now. Close your eyes.
55 EXT. RIVER - SAME TIME 55
The women arrive at the river. Hundreds of LANTERNS have
been set up around the water to resemble a FIERY NECKLACE.
In the river’s center, NINE BURNING TORCHES protrude from a
BUOY atop the water.
90.
The women have stopped at a spot near the river. Everyone
stands seriously about. Siv walks up to a mystified Dani
and Connie.
SIV
Do you admire the Brísingamen?
CONNIE
The lanterns?
SIV
Glädje’s necklace made by the
fairies. We give it now to her
mother, Kärlek, as praise for
creating our sun.
Dani and Connie don’t understand, nor do they inquire
further.
Siv laughs, seeing their confusion.
SIV
Think of it like theatre. Strictly
presentational. Yes?
Dani placates her by nodding. Siv smiles and directs their
attention to the CENTER of the congregation.
One of the female elders - a LARGE WOMAN (60s) with sturdy
legs - holds the sacred book Rubi Radr. She takes a moment
as everyone quiets down. She then reads a passage (in
Swedish) out loud. She reads with clarity and authority.
After she has finished... A GROUP OF NINE WOMEN (three in
their 20s, three in their 30s/ 40s, and three in their
50s/60s) all DISROBE. They are now NUDE.
A woman begins playing the KEY-HARP. After the tune is
established, three women begin to SING. It is a WORDLESS
choral song - comprised only of expressive/abstract sounds
that evoke a range of feelings and tell a strictly
emotional story.
As this is sung, the nude women walk to the RIVER. They
descend into the water and swim towards the center. The
song continues.
91.
The nude women arrive at the burning buoy. They wait for
the song to reach a bridge, and then they each draw a
FLAMING TORCH from the buoy. Holding up their torches, the
nude women now step carefully onto what must be underwater
planks. They are still up to their necks in water. As the
song crescendos, they slowly walk up the planks (each of
which move in separate directions) to emerge from the
water.
SIV
(explaining to Dani)
The women represents the sun. The
sea gave birth to the sun, so
they’re like -
(gestures “rising up”)
- from the womb.
Dani and Connie watch. It is hypnotic.
Christian, having just caught up, WATCHES this ritual from
behind a tree. Josh, a good distance behind Christian, also
watches. Transfixed.
The women all arrive onto the shore at the same time. They
rest their torches, and the song comes to an end.
Siv looks to a young RED-HAIRED WOMAN (30s), who runs off
to now fetch the men.
56 EXT. FARMSTEAD - MOMENTS LATER 56
The Red-Haired Woman gives a signal to ODD. Odd then
gestures to the MEN handling the decorated tree. They all
LIFT the tree, and one man strikes a BELL. This ROUSES the
men from their meditation.
MEDITATION LEADER
(in Swedish)
Now we stop.
Odd addresses the meditators.
ODD
Okay everyone! Let us form a
procession. Following the tree.
Everybody rises, still coming out of their collective
trance.
They queue up to follow the decorated tree.
92.
57 EXT. RIVER - MOMENTS LATER 57
The men carrying the tree ARRIVE at the river, joining the
women. The nude women are now dressed.
Christian awkwardly joins the crowd. As does Josh.
After a moment, the Large Woman announces to the river:
LARGE WOMAN
(in Swedish)
In thanks and praise, Great
Goddess, we bestow upon you this
modest gift.
Music is played as the men HOIST up the lavish tree, run it
towards the river, and HURL it into the water. The river
gulps the tree down.
A horn bellows.
A THIN MAN (40s) steps out to announce, quite theatrically:
THIN MAN
(in Swedish)
Oh no! Did you hear that rumbling?
I think she is still hungry.
LARGE WOMAN
(in Swedish)
I heard no rumbling.
(to the crowd)
Did any of you?
Grumblings all around. The consensus is “no.”
THIN MAN
(in Swedish)
Ah, well - I suppose it could have
been my own belly.
Some polite laughter among the congregation.
THIN MAN
(in Swedish)
But I do not wish to risk offending
our generous Mother.
LARGE WOMAN
(in Swedish)
93.
Nor do I. Yet we have already given
our finest jewels and most fruitful
tree. What else could we possibly
offer?
Then a YOUNG BOY (10) is heard among the crowd.
YOUNG BOY (O.S.)
You can use me!
The crowd OPENS UP to reveal the young boy. He is adorned
in the same jewels and flowers as the tree. His costume is
an imitation of the tree’s. He is clearly reciting lines
(with less confidence than the Thin Man and Large Woman).
LARGE WOMAN
(in Swedish)
You, young Ame, wish to offer your
life to our beloved Goddess?
YOUNG BOY
(in Swedish)
If She will have it.
THIN MAN
(in Swedish)
How brave you are, little Ame!
YOUNG BOY
(in Swedish)
Brave? What is brave in going home?
Horns are played as the Young Boy steps forward to stand
before the men who tossed the tree. They reluctantly lift
the boy up and carry him to the river.
Dani starts to PANIC.
DANI
(to Siv)
No. What’s happening?
Siv SMILES.
The boy is taken to the edge of the river, and the men
begin to SWING him back and forth. They are preparing to
launch him into the water.
DANI
NO!!!
This mingles with other protestations from the crowd:
Å
94.
HÅRGAN #1
(in Swedish)
No! Don’t!
HÅRGAN #2
(in Swedish)
Leave him be! He has shown his
bravery!
The crowd erupts into a CACOPHONY OF STAGED PROTEST. The
men stop swinging the boy. After sufficient heckling, the
men RELEASE the boy. He then runs to SIV, bashfully burying
his face into her dress. She pats his head with pride.
Everyone APPLAUDS. The performance seems to be over. Dani
looks completely disoriented.
Connie, who has now been joined by Simon, turns to Siv.
CONNIE
So, is this like a Wiccan thing?
SIV
(confused at first)
Wicca? Oh my dear no! This is about
reciprocity.
CONNIE
Okay...
SIV
Strictly presentational.
Connie looks skeptical. Dani still looks crazed. She turns
to find CHRISTIAN, who (in contrast) looks very amused.
58 EXT. FIELD - MINUTES LATER 58
Dani has pulled Christian to a secluded spot. She is very
high-strung. In the b.g., the Hårgas’ WATER POWER PLANT is
visible.
DANI
Please Christian - we need to
leave. This is feeling really
wrong.
CHRISTIAN
Okay: look: I know it’s weird.
That’s because it’s alien. We
haven’t ever been exposed to
anything like this.
95.
DANI
No, Christian: this is pagan nature
worship. This is completely
backwards. We shouldn’t be here.
CHRISTIAN
We just need to acclimate--
DANI
I don’t want to acclimate! I want
to leave.
CHRISTIAN
Baby, I cannot leave right now.
Period. I’m doing my thesis on
these guys--
DANI
What? Since when?!
CHRISTIAN
Since I decided! Today. Which you
know has been a nightmare for me to
figure out. And I made the mistake
of telling Josh and now he’s
competing with me--
DANI
So let him have it if he wants it!
We shouldn’t be here, Christian.
But why have they invited us? And
why did Pelle?!
CHRISTIAN
No, hey - have you even seen what’s
happening here?! This level of
tradition? And nobody knows about
it, nobody’s written on it - and
they’ve invited us to be part of
it! Can’t you see what a privilege
that is?! Because Pelle did!
Because he trusts us!
DANI
And why would he trust you, of all
people? You’re opportunistic
anthropology students.
CHRISTIAN
(stubborn)
Not necessarily.
Dani HESITATES, seeing that she’s getting nowhere.
96.
DANI
I want to leave.
CHRISTIAN
Then you can leave. I invited you
to come, and I don’t regret that,
but I’m here for a reason.
Beat. Christian’s eyes are ice cold.
DANI
...Do you not love me anymore?
CHRISTIAN
(momentarily stunned)
What does that have to do with
this?
DANI
(almost to herself)
This is the devaluation phase.
We've been in it for a long time
now. Next comes the discard.
CHRISTIAN
Oh fuck - can you maybe spare our
relationship the psychology 101?
DANI
No - this has been happening for a
long time! You’ve been pulling
away... And I've been in denial.
CHRISTIAN
(finished)
Oh, please babe - give yourself
some credit. Looks to me like
you've got it all figured out.
Christian turns and STORMS away.
DANI
Oh my -- you’re gonna walk away
now??
As he leaves, she cries out:
DANI
You’re just gonna leave me like
this?!
59 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - NIGHT 59
97.
People are laying boards over the windows, bringing the
Main House into darkness.
Dani enters with sunken eyes. Christian’s already in bed.
Staring at him, Dani walks to JOSH. (She is pulling at her
neck again.)
DANI
Do you have a sleeping pill?
JOSH
Sure. Uh...
Josh fishes a PILL out of his bag.
JOSH
They’re intense, though. You might
wanna cut it in half.
DANI
I just need to sleep.
She swallows it whole.
60 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - NIGHT 60
Silence. Everyone is asleep, including Dani.
There is RUSTLING heard off-screen. Dani WAKES. She sits up
to see...
Christian’s bed is now EMPTY. So is Mark’s bed. And Josh’s.
Concerned, Dani looks to the DOOR. Mark, Josh, Pelle and
Christian are quietly tip-toeing out of the house. They
GIGGLE. Christian is the last to exit.
Confused, Dani climbs out of bed. She rushes to the door.
Dani looks OUTSIDE to see that the group is now inside the
RENTAL MINIVAN, which is IDLING off. Pelle drives,
LAUGHING. Christian, in the back seat, looks out the back
window. HE SMILES GIDDILY AT DANI as they drive away.
Dani watches this in utter horror.
The diminishing car’s TAILPIPE belches thick black smoke.
Dani opens her mouth in anguish. An impossible amount of
BLACK SMOKE (the same color as that from the tailpipe)
escapes her lungs, FILLING the frame, and then--
98.
We SLAM to a HARSH INSERT of the GORED FACE of the second
Elder who jumped off the cliff. He GASPS wretchedly.
We then PUNCH OUT, wider, to reveal that the dashed bodies
on the rocks are DANI’S PARENTS and her SISTER. We then CUT
TO:
61 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - NIGHT 61
Dani is ASLEEP in bed. The last scene was a DREAM. Her
eyelids twitch as she continues to suffer the nightmare.
We pan away from Dani to reveal that MAJA, several beds
over, is AWAKE. She anxiously fingers a freshly carved RUNE
STONE. Her eyes are GLUED to Christian, who is fast asleep.
Maja climbs out of bed and tip-toes to Christian’s bed. She
crouches to SLIDE the rune stone under his mattress. She
then runs nervously back to her bed.
JOSH, whom we now reveal to be awake, has been watching
this.
62 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - MORNING 62
All of the beds are now empty, and morning activity is
heard outside. Dani, however, is still asleep.
63 EXT. MEADOW - NEXT MORNING 63
Pelle plants vegetables in the garden.
Josh, accompanied by Mark, approaches Pelle. Watching this,
Christian lingers in the b.g.
JOSH
Hey man. Any word?
Pelle looks up to see Josh. He SIGHS and rises.
PELLE
They said you can do it as long as
you absolutely don’t use names and
the location is never even hinted
at. And they’re gonna have you sign
an agreement to that.
JOSH
(nodding, excited)
Okay. Wow. Okay.
99.
Josh can’t contain his glee.
PELLE
And you split it with Christian.
Because he came to me first.
JOSH
Well, that’s -- We’ll figure that
out.
Mark notices in the distance: One MAN has climbed to the
top of a TREE to fetch a strange, FLOWERING PINECONE from
the tip of a branch. At the base of the tree is a crowd of
observing men.
MARK
What are they doing?
JOSH
Gathering...charms.
The climbing man CUTS the cone with a golden blade. The men
CHEER.
JOSH
(to Pelle)
Here: can I ask you something?
Josh pulls Maja’s RUNE STONE out of his pocket.
JOSH
I found this under Christian’s bed.
Do you know what this is?
PELLE
(looking over it)
Love rune. It casts a love spell.
CHRISTIAN walks over. Josh CONCEALS the rune.
CHRISTIAN
What’s going on?
PELLE
The elders said you can do your
thesis as long as you don’t use
actual names or location.
CHRISTIAN
Holy shit. That’s incredible. Thank
you so much.
PELLE
100.
You’re splitting it with Josh.
CHRISTIAN
(as if Josh isn’t there)
I already told him that’s totally
fine with me.
Pelle notices Christian glancing over at Maja.
PELLE
I think my sister Maja has taken a
liking to you.
CHRISTIAN
Yeah. I think I noticed.
In the b.g., a COW and a LAMB are being led across the
field by different Hårgans.
PELLE
(raising eyebrows)
You know, she just got her
byxmyndig.
CHRISTIAN
Ha. What’s that?
PELLE
It means -
(smiling at the silly
expression)
- “pants license”? When you turn
fifteen, you’re allowed to have
sex.
MARK
(pointing)
How ‘bout that one? Is she
licensed?
Mark is pointing out the BRUNETTE that he has a crush on.
PELLE
(laughs)
Inga? Oh yes.
Pelle is SUMMONED by a few men struggling to carry
equipment.
He goes off to help them.
101.
At the same time, Mark catches the brunette, INGA, looking
at him again. He suddenly feels COMPELLED to do something.
He starts marching in the direction of the climbing men.
CHRISTIAN
Mark?
64 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - MORNING 64
Dani stirs awake. Extremely groggy.
DANI
(as if still dreaming)
Christian?
65 EXT. FARMSTEAD - SAME TIME 65
Mark has arrived at an OAK TREE with a particularly large
PINECONE (also bearing a flower) at the top. Its base has
been tied with rope. Mark begins to CLIMB it.
CHRISTIAN
Wait, dude. Maybe hold off.
MARK
I’m gonna “gather a charm.”
Josh and Christian look uneasy as Mark quickly scales the
Oak. As he climbs past a few branches, a BEARDED MAN (40s)
is heard off-screen:
BEARDED MAN (O.S.)
NEJ!!!
Mark FREEZES. The Bearded Man runs over. This is ULF.
ULF
(in Swedish)
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GET OFF! GET
DOWN!
Mark, now standing motionless on a branch, looks stupefied.
The branch suddenly SNAPS beneath his feet, and he comes
TUMBLING to the ground. He lands HARD on his ass.
Ulf desperately picks up the BROKEN BRANCH. He then notices
that the tree’s mud-plugged CLEFT (wrapped in rope) has
BROKEN OPEN.
ULF
(in Swedish)
102.
Oh no no no... What have you done?
People have started gathering around. He appeals to them:
ULF
(in Swedish)
Can we put it back on? Can we...?
MARK
What’s wrong? What did I do?
Pelle has run over.
PELLE
What happened?
ULF
(in Swedish, heartbroken)
Your American friend. He desecrated
my tree.
PELLE
(gasps, in Swedish)
I’m so sorry, Father Ulf! He didn’t
know.
MARK
What happened? What did I do?
PELLE
You climbed his tree.
MARK
His tree? So what? I’m sorry.
ULF
(suddenly enraged)
“So what?!”
MARK
What?! I didn’t know!
Ulf is clearly in a fury. He STIFLES it, but his eyes are
frighteningly wide.
PELLE
Here, Mark: let’s just...
Pelle leads Mark away.
MARK
What the fuck? How is it his tree?
What’s even happening?
103.
PELLE
That tree cured him of pneumonia
when he was a baby.
MARK
What? How?! No it didn’t.
PELLE
He believes it did. And now
his health and his life are tied to
that tree. If it gets hurt, he gets
hurt.
Mark looks over to Ulf, who has collapsed into TEARS. The
Thin Elder speaks soothingly to him.
THIN ELDER
(in Swedish)
We can reattach the branch. It’s a
minor wound. Barely anything.
ULF
(in Swedish)
What about the cleft?
Mark calms down.
MARK
Well - fuck. I am sorry. I still
don’t understand what I did... Do I
apologize?
PELLE
Apologize later.
The Pretty Brunette, INGA, has walked up.
MARK
Oh shit. Hi.
INGA
(to Pelle, in Swedish)
Tell him it’s okay. He didn’t know.
I will talk to father Ulf.
She SMILES at Mark and walks off.
PELLE
(explaining)
She said to tell you it’s okay and
that she’ll explain to him your
mistake.
104.
MARK
(overjoyed)
Seriously? What else did she say?
Christian sees DANI in the distance, woozily looking for
him. He walks over to her, affecting pleasantness.
CHRISTIAN
Hey!
DANI
(seeing him)
Oh!
CHRISTIAN
You get some good sleep?
They arrive at each other. He gives her a peck.
DANI
I’m sorry about last night.
CHRISTIAN
...How you feeling?
DANI
(pause, emotional)
I don’t want us to be fighting,
Christian.
CHRISTIAN
Well - me neither.
Christian looks like he wants to say more. Dani waits for
it. Finally, Christian thinks better of it.
CHRISTIAN
Are you feeling less nervous today?
Dani pauses uncertainly at this.
HORNS bellow in the b.g. A ceremony is beginning somewhere,
and all the Hårgans are presently migrating over a hill.
PELLE, standing at a distance, is waving Dani and Christian
over.
66 EXT. HILL - DAY 66
ECU of a BABY BULL’S HIND LEGS, tied together with rope.
The rope is PULLED SWIFTLY UP.
105.
ECU of a LAMB’S HIND LEGS, also tied together. The rope is
yanked up.
ECU of a BABY HORSE’S HIND LEGS, also tied. The rope pulls
UP.
We now cut to a WIDE SHOT of the top of a HILL. NINE
ANIMALS (lamb, goat, dog, baby horse, baby bull, baby cow,
pig, rabbit, and three tied-together chickens) have been
STRUNG UPSIDE-DOWN.
They are all alive. Each of them is separated by about five
feet.
The THIN ELDER stands to the side of the line-up. On the
other side is SIV.
The entire community has congregated at the bottom of the
hill. Dani looks very nervous. She turns to Pelle, who
already looks concerned for her.
DANI
Do I want to stay for this?
PELLE
...Maybe you should not.
Dani looks to Christian. He looks very excited. She turns
back to the top of the hill, anxious.
Siv speaks exultantly to the air (in Swedish). When she
finishes, STEADY PERCUSSION BEGINS. The Thin Elder strikes
a different POSE (physically and emotionally) with every
percussive hit.
The RED-HAIRED WOMAN, reading from the holy book Rubi Radr,
begins to SING. As we’ve heard before, it is a WORDLESS
choral song.
Nine YOUNG MEN, each holding a blade, walk up to the
animals.
Simultaneously, they all SLIT THE ANIMALS’ THROATS. The
animals THRASH wildly as BLOOD drains from their necks.
(The song has degraded into anguished snarls and cries.)
That does it. Dani STORMS OFF. Christian is too awe-
stricken to care. Josh, meanwhile, is taking covert PHOTOS
with his phone.
106.
Beneath each animal, a narrow CHANNEL has been pre-carved
into the earth. Each channel winds and loops to eventually
converge, thus forming a MASSIVE RUNIC SYMBOL (symbolizing
fertility). The blood pours from each animal to run down
the separate canals.
Soon, the blood has co-mingled to fill the carefully-
engineered runic sculpture. It’s horrible and beautiful.
Josh and Christian, briefly joined in their excitement,
trade looks of amazement. Mark looks mystified.
MARK
This is fuckin’ weird, no?
Pelle now goes after Dani, who is speed-walking away.
In the b.g., Simon can be heard saying:
SIMON (O.S.)
What the fuck did you bring us to?
Christian looks over at this. SIMON, who looks very scared,
is confronting a grinning Ingemar.
SIMON
(to Ingemar,
aggressively)
Why are you smiling, mate?
67 EXT. FIELD - SAME TIME 67
Dani speed-walks (with intermittent running) toward the
Main House in the distance. Pelle follows her, glancing
over his shoulder to view more of the ceremony.
68 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - MINUTES LATER 68
Dani enters the Main House, eyes crazed. She goes to her
bed and begins hastily packing her bag. Her breathing is
erratic and she’s pulling at her neck again (as if to
loosen the skin).
Pelle enters.
PELLE
Dani?
Dani looks up, teeth chattering with anxiety.
DANI
107.
I’m really sorry, Pelle. Thank you
for inviting me, but I really need
to go. Can someone maybe drive me?
PELLE
I did warn you this time. I know it
looks extreme, but we only do this
once every ninety years. It’s -
what’s the word...?
DANI
I understand that it’s momentous.
PELLE
(that was the word)
Right! Exactly!
DANI
(snapping)
I don’t know why we’re here, Pelle!
I don’t know why you invited us!
PELLE
Okay: Here: Sit down. Please.
He sits Dani down. He plants himself beside her, taking her
hands.
PELLE
I invited my friends because this
is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and I
wanted to share it. Especially with
my friends who I knew would
appreciate it, because I am proud
of this place.
DANI
But I’m not an anthropologist. I
don’t have the foundation to
understand this.
PELLE
And yet I was the most excited for
you to come.
Pelle has pulled a special POUCH from his pocket. He draws
something out.
PELLE
Here: smell this.
He places a homemade sachet (containing a SPECIAL HERB)
under her nose.
108.
DANI
What is it?
PELLE
It calms you down.
She pauses before smelling it.
PELLE
Go on. Inhale. I will, too.
Demonstrating, he INHALES the herb deeply. He puts it back
to her nose, and she does the same. She’s still trembling.
PELLE
Isn’t that nice?... I know what
you’re going through, Dani.
DANI
What am I going through? I’m
scared. I can’t breathe.
PELLE
You’re going through a lot.
PELLE
I know you are, and I’m gonna say
something now, because my birth
parents are both gone, too--
DANI
What?!
(crying now)
That’s not what I’m talking about!
PELLE
109.
I know, and that’s fine, but
please... My birth-parents both
died when I was a little boy. They
burned up in a fire, and I became -
technically - an orphan. So believe
me when I say I know what that is,
because I do. Yet my difference is:
I didn’t get a chance to feel lost.
Because I had a family - here -
where everyone embraced me and
swept me up and I was raised by a
community that doesn’t distinguish
between what is theirs and what is
not theirs. That’s what you were
sacrificed to. But I - have always
felt...held. By a family. A real
family. Which everyone deserves.
And you deserve.
Dani looks down at Pelle’s hands GRIPPING hers.
DANI
Christian could walk in.
PELLE
He’s what I’m talking about. And
he’s my good friend and I like
him... But do you feel HELD by him,
Dani? Does he feel like a HOME to
you?
His eyes are locked intensely on Dani’s. She doesn’t turn
away.
PELLE
My pilgrimage has been fun. New
York is fun... But I also find it
terrifying how people live. As if
it’s necessary and even good to be
lost and drifting...and I haven’t
spent one night over there that I
haven’t longed to be back here...in
the lap of the Hårgas.
Dani looks almost hypnotized as she looks into Pelle’s
eyes.
PELLE
Stay, Dani. Please. It will be
good... And I swear we’re all
finished sacrificing animals.
110.
Dani gives a weak half-laugh. She relents. She sits up
straight and wipes her eyes, regaining composure.
PELLE
Good.
Pelle stands up.
DANI
You’re a very empathic person, do
you know that?
PELLE
Well, our first language here is
strictly emotion-based. So I could
just be using that to manipulate
you.
Dani pauses at this. Pelle sticks his TONGUE out, teasing.
Dani SMILES, relieved.
PELLE
You are very vulnerable, though.
And I mean that in a great way.
It’s very rare. It’s beautiful.
Dani is touched, but tries to hide it.
DANI
(re: the herb)
Can I smell that again?
69 EXT. HILL - SAME TIME 69
The ceremony has ended. Groups are now setting up TABLES
for lunch. As usual, they’re being laid out in a particular
pattern.
Simon and Connie stand frozen, traumatized. Simon is
visibly DISTRAUGHT. He stares up at the top of the HILL,
where the dangling, blood-drained animals are now being cut
down.
SIMON
Are we eating those animals?
INGEMAR
Not those ones.
SIMON
And why not?
111.
INGEMAR
(seeing the aggression)
...Because they weren’t killed for
that.
SIMON
So what were they killed for? So we
could watch that shit and clap?
Ingemar smiles. This infuriates Simon.
SIMON (CONT’D)
What the fuck is that smile, mate?
Get it off.
CONNIE
(trying to calm him)
Simon...
This has drawn attention. People are now looking over.
INGEMAR
(gesturing)
We can talk about this over here.
SIMON
Why didn’t we talk about it before
you took us here?
Ingemar gently touches Simon’s arm to lead him away.
SIMON
(pulling back his arm)
Don’t sort me out, mate!
The PLUMP ELDER speaks up.
PLUMP ELDER
What’s offending you, son?
SIMON
What’s offending me? Besides the
fact I just saw something I can’t
ever unsee, I’m offended that
you’re teaching impressionable kids
to sacrifice living, innocent
animals - including a fucking
defenseless dog--
One middle-aged WOMAN (50s) speaks up.
WOMAN
112.
We sacrificed defenseless animals
yesterday, too! To fill your belly!
PLUMP ELDER
Why are we using “sacrifice” like
it’s a dirty word? SIMON
SIMON
Because it’s fucking medieval!
WOMAN
Why are you swearing?! We’re not
swearing!
PLUMP ELDER
(to Simon)
You’ll find that sacrifice is
essential in any relationship.
Let’s put it in your terms--
SIMON
You don’t know my terms!
PLUMP ELDER
(continuing, louder)
Say you find yourself entangled
with a lover who can’t put your
needs before her own.
CONNIE
What’s that supposed to mean?!
PLUMP ELDER
(to Connie now)
Say you learn that your partner
can’t part with even a fraction of
his own comfort to give you what
you need. And show that you’re
appreciated.
(to both of them now)
Wouldn’t you start to resent this
person? Wouldn’t your own
performance begin to lack, knowing
they’re not pulling their weight?
Wouldn’t you want to punish that
person for taking you for granted?
(to Simon)
Sacrifice is proof. And without it,
no union can last.
Beat. Simon pops the bubble:
SIMON
113.
Alright. Thank you for that. And
now we’ve seen two people kill
themselves and nine animals get
bled to death, so I think we’re
leaving.
PLUMP ELDER
I’ll happily drive you to the
station.
SIMON
Lovely. Thank you.
(to Connie)
Let’s go. We’re getting our things.
PLUMP ELDER
(gesturing)
I do need your help jumping the
truck, if you’ll be so kind.
Simon pauses.
SIMON
(to Connie)
Go pack our stuff. I’ll pick you up
out front in -
(to the Plump Elder)
- what, five minutes?
PLUMP ELDER
Fine.
Connie doesn’t want to go alone. She hesitates and then
walks quickly off. We TRACK alongside Connie, following her
away.
As Connie speed-walks, PANIC rises in her. She looks back a
few times, making sure that she’s not being followed.
She arrives at the MAIN HOUSE. Dani and Josh are standing
outside. They watch her storm past.
DANI
Are you okay, Connie?
CONNIE
(not stopping)
Yeah. Sorry. We’re actually
leaving.
70 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 70
114.
Connie rushes to her bed. She starts throwing her things
into her suitcase.
71 EXT. THE MAIN HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER 71
Connie stops outside the door, gripping her and Simon’s
bags. She turns to Dani as she waits for Simon.
CONNIE
(anxious)
It was really lovely meeting you,
Dani.
DANI
Yeah, it was lovely meeting you,
too.
CONNIE
Sorry to just leave like this.
Simon’s coming with the car.
DANI
I understand. I might be right
behind you.
CONNIE
(on overdrive)
Simon went mental. Christ. I feel
sick.
(then)
We exchanged emails an’ all that,
yeah?
DANI
No. We didn’t.
CONNIE
Oh. I’m Connie-dot-Brahms at
AOL.com.
DANI
Connie-dot-Brahms. I’ll write you.
CONNIE
Yeah. Lovely. Sorry to just leave
like this.
ODD comes running up.
ODD
Connie! Simon told me to tell
you...
115.
(arrives)
Jan drove him to the train station.
After Simon gets dropped off, he’s
sending the truck straight back for
you -
CONNIE
What?
ODD
- and you’ll meet him there.
CONNIE
No. Why would he go without me? He
wouldn’t do that.
ODD
The truck only had room for two.
CONNIE
What does that mean? That’s not
real. Why wouldn’t he tell me?
ODD
Today’s only train leaves in ninety
minutes. It takes forty-five
minutes to drive there and back.
They didn’t want to waste time.
CONNIE
So I could have sat on his lap!
ODD
Simon mentioned that, too. We don’t
break traffic laws.
Connie looks to Dani, incredulous.
CONNIE
(to Odd)
They just left without me, just
now?
ODD
There wasn’t room in the truck. Yet
it is coming right back. For you.
Connie shakes her head, not buying it. She WALKS OFF, on a
mission to find out more. Odd turns to Dani:
ODD
Lunch has been called.
116.
72 EXT. FIELD - DAY 72
Lunch time. Everyone is seated at the tables (which are
connected to form a HELIX shape).
ULF, still panicked over the damage done to “his tree,” is
consulting a BESPECTACLED ELDER.
ULF
(in Swedish)
It feels like a tingling. Like a
numbness in my arm.
The Elder presses his arm. MARK watches this, very nervous.
Farther down the table, CHRISTIAN sits beside a HAPPY MAN
(30s).
Christian takes NOTES as he asks questions. Two Hårga women
listen in, smiling. Christian’s eyes keep straying to JOSH,
who is also questioning people. They are now RACING to
gather info.
CHRISTIAN
How are roles or jobs assigned?
HAPPY MAN
Well - that’s based on traits we
show as children. For example:
(points to the
bespectacled elder)
He was assigned “to protect,” so he
did his pilgrimage as doctor.
Christian quickly writes this down as DANI arrives at the
table. She sits next to Christian.
CHRISTIAN
Hey. You okay?
DANI
...Simon left without Connie.
CHRISTIAN
(faux concern)
Really? That’s so shitty.
Christian bluntly returns his attention to the Happy Man.
Dani PAUSES, disturbed by Christian’s indifference. For the
first time, she actually looks scared of him.
CHRISTIAN
(to Happy Man)
Is incest ever a problem?
117.
HAPPY MAN
Ha! Well...the bloodlines are very
well preserved, so - the elders
must approve mates.
Christian is taking feverish notes. Dani watches him with a
new kind of SCRUTINY; a new kind of distrust. As Christian
writes, he GLANCES over at:
JOSH, who is now interrogating an uncomfortable BALD MAN
(40s).
JOSH
What about the holy text? Ruby
Radr?
BALD MAN
Um...I cannot answer this for you.
You might ask a elder.
73 EXT. FIELD - DAY 73
Lunch is over. Josh is now interrogating the Thin Elder on
the grass.
THIN ELDER
I don’t understand: You want to see
it?
JOSH
I wouldn’t even touch.
THIN ELDER
It’s written in our Affect
language. You would not be able to
read it...
74 EXT. FARMSTEAD - DAY 74
Dani walks idly around, thinking about her exchange with
Pelle (and about Simon leaving Connie). She holds the
folded DRAWING that Pelle gave her for her birthday. As the
gears turn in her head, her attention falls on...
A large KITCHEN in one of the houses. A group of WOMEN (all
ages) collaborate to prepare dinner. One SMALL WOMAN (40s)
sees Dani and waves her over. Dani pauses and then
approaches.
SMALL WOMAN
Would you like to help join us?
118.
DANI
Sure! But actually - have you seen
Simon?
SMALL WOMAN
Oh, yes, he was driven to the
station. Did you not say goodbye?
DANI
No. I didn’t. But that’s okay...
(mind still racing)
What are we making?
SMALL WOMAN
Meat tarts!
Dani smiles “ooh!” and joins the women. She’s handed an
apron. Another Woman says something to Dani in Swedish.
SMALL WOMAN
(translating)
She says you’re so beautiful.
DANI
Oh! She’s so beautiful!
Meanwhile, MAJA is preparing a tray of unbaked MEAT PIES.
One of the pies is clearly very special. She distinguishes
this one by laying a special BASIL LEAF on top.
75 EXT. FARMSTEAD - SAME TIME 75
SIV stands among labouring men, staring at the KITCHEN
WINDOW. She watches Dani.
76 INT. TEMPLE - SAME TIME 76
The HOLY TEMPLE. Josh stands near the altar with the Thin
Elder, who has pulled the Rubi Radr from an elevated
pedestal.
He shows Josh the text (written in the graphic Affect
language - a combination of runes and abstract hand
paintings).
THIN ELDER
We describe it like “emotional
sheet music.”
JOSH
What does it say?
119.
THIN ELDER
Well...each runic letter represents
one of the 16 affects, which are
graded from most holy to most
unholy. This here is about Grief.
You can see at the end, however, we
have blank pages?
Indeed the last half of the book is BLANK.
THIN ELDER
This is because the Rubi Radr is a
constant work in progress. Always
evolving.
JOSH
And who decides what’s added?
THIN ELDER
Well - this iteration is being
written by Ruben.
The Thin Elder points to RUBEN, the mentally disabled boy,
who is playing outside.
JOSH
Wait. The...disabled?
THIN ELDER
Since birth. He draws and the
Elders interpret.
He shows Josh the first pages. They are marked by a BABY’S
HANDPRINTS - all in different colors of paint. (Below the
drawings are runic interpretations.)
THIN ELDER
Ruben is unclouded by normal
cognition. It makes him open for
the source.
JOSH
So...what happens when Ruben dies?
Do you just wait until a new baby
isn't “clouded”?
THIN ELDER
Ruben was a product of inbreeding.
All of our Oracles have been
deliberate products of inbreeding.
Josh’s jaw hangs. He hides his amazement.
120.
JOSH
Can I possibly take a photograph?
THIN ELDER
(suddenly alarmed)
What? No. Absolutely not.
The Elder CLOSES the book.
JOSH
Okay. Sorry.
THIN ELDER
Absolutely not.
A TENSE beat. Broken suddenly by:
SCREAMING, outside. They TURN.
CONNIE (O.S.)
SIMON!! SIMON!!
77 EXT. FIELD - SAME TIME 77
CONNIE, panicked and crying, backs away from three
encroaching Hårgans (all 30s). They approach her carefully,
trying to calm her down. Connie desperately appeals to
CHRISTIAN and MARK:
CONNIE
Please! I’m begging you! I saw them
pulling Simon! I swear I saw them!
HÅRGAN MAN #1
He was driven to town an hour ago.
We all watched them drive off.
CONNIE
I’m not talking to you!!
(to Christian)
Please. You have to believe me.
CONNIE
I saw them dragging Simon through
the woods. He was unconscious.
CHRISTIAN
Where?
CONNIE
(pointing)
Back there. Near the river. Please.
121.
CHRISTIAN
Can you show us?
(to the Hårgans)
Can she show us?
CONNIE
(crying)
Please.
HÅRGAN MAN #1
Of course. Just please -
(to Connie)
- calm down. I promise it’s not
what you think you saw.
HÅRGAN MAN #2
(impatient)
And the truck is already back for
you, by the way! You can leave.
CONNIE
I’M NOT GOING WITHOUT SIMON!
78 EXT. WOODS - MINUTES LATER 78
Connie desperately leads the group (Christian, Mark, and
the two Hårgans) into the woods. She keeps her eyes locked
on Christian, as if begging him to believe her.
CONNIE
It was right back here! I swear to
God. Right over there! They were
dragging him by the arms and he
wasn’t moving and his head was
bleeding!
HÅRGAN MAN #1
So why didn’t you try to stop them?
Or follow them? -So where did they
go?
CONNIE
I couldn’t even breathe! -They went
behind the bushes. I ran back for
help.
(to Christian)
I wanted to find someone!
CHRISTIAN
Which direction were they going?
CONNIE
122.
(indicating)
That way! They rushed behind the
bushes when they saw me.
HÅRGAN MAN #1
(placating)
Okay: I can tell you’re saying the
truth. Let’s all go in the
direction you saw them. If he’s
here, we’ll find him.
CONNIE
They’d have already hid him by now!
You’re lying!!
The Hårgan Man wears a false smile, but his eyes BUZZ.
CHRISTIAN
(interjecting)
I’ll go. Okay? They went in that
direction? I’ll go looking.
CONNIE
I’m coming, too.
CHRISTIAN
Great. You and Mark go together.
Okay, Mark? We’ll cover more
ground.
Mark nods.
CONNIE
(re: Hårgan Men)
I don’t want them.
CHRISTIAN
They’ll go away.
(to Hårgan men)
Right? Thanks guys. Sorry.
The Hårgan men concede. They begin walking off.
HÅRGAN MAN #1
I hope you find him.
HÅRGAN MAN #2
And the truck is waiting for you
when you finally choose to leave.
79 EXT. WOODS - MINUTES LATER 79
123.
Christian walks alone through the woods, half-heartedly
searching. He suddenly stumbles upon a vague trail of DRIED
BLOOD, streaked across the grass. Christian PAUSES at this.
Tree limbs groan in the wind.
Christian looks up, left and right. Nobody’s around.
MINUTES LATER
Christian sees MARK in the distance. He walks over.
CHRISTIAN
Where’s Connie?
MARK
She got freaked out and ran back. I
dunno.
CHRISTIAN
(skeptically)
She went off alone?
MARK
She’s fucking nuts, dude. So are
the rest of these people. The whole
fuckin’ place is crazy.
They arrive at each other.
MARK
Did you find anything?
CHRISTIAN
Not really.
MARK
...I do really wanna fuck that
brunette.
80 EXT. FIELD - DAY 80
Christian and Mark return from the woods. They approach the
two Hårgan men, who are now laying a dense CIRCLE OF ROCKS
around the ominous, yellow SACRED HOUSE (which we saw
earlier, isolated in the field).
CHRISTIAN
Did Connie come back here?
HÅRGAN MAN #1
(looking up)
124.
Uh - yes. Her boyfriend called our
landline from the station and they
talked on the phone. Then she
begged our pardon and Jan drove her
to the station.
Christian squints with burgeoning suspicion.
CHRISTIAN
Okay. Huh. I guess that’s a relief.
HÅRGAN MAN #1
For her it was. We already saw him
leave the first time.
In the b.g., a Hårgan BOY (13) runs from one group to
another, announcing:
BOY
(in Swedish)
Supper is ready! ... They’re
calling supper!
81 EXT. HILL - DAY 81
At the base of the hill, the dining tables are now set in
the pattern of a STAR. Everyone is seated, save for some
stragglers.
Christian, Dani, Josh and Mark sit at a table. Pelle is
seated a few seats away. Dani glances over at him. He
smiles warmly and looks away. Dani’s eyes LINGER on him.
The SERVERS are laying plates in front of everyone. One
especially COY-LOOKING SERVER sets a plate in front of
CHRISTIAN.
It features the special meat pie with the BASIL LEAF on
top.
CHRISTIAN
Thanks.
Dani turns to Christian.
DANI
Do you know what happened with
Connie?
CHRISTIAN
She supposedly got driven to the
station.
125.
DANI
Why do you think Simon would leave
without her?
Christian shrugs.
DANI
I could see you possibly doing
that.
CHRISTIAN
...The fuck does that mean?
DANI
(pause)
Never mind.
Christian stares at Dani. Surprised at the uncharacteristic
defiance.
Meanwhile, Mark has noticed ULF staring at him from a
distance.
Ulf has murder in his eyes.
MARK
(to Josh)
Fuck. Somebody’s still sore about
“his tree.”
Josh looks up to see Ulf, whose eyes really are trained on
Mark.
JOSH
Yikes.
MARK
Is he gonna kill me?
Josh, preoccupied, turns to Christian. He asks, faux-
casually:
JOSH
Did you learn anything about the
Rubi Radr?
CHRISTIAN
(mock-delighted)
Oh, what? You wanna collaborate
now?
Josh ignores this and moves on to his food.
126.
CHRISTIAN
I know that one elder showed you
through it...
JOSH
(abruptly)
Yeah, barely. Never mind. Sorry I
brought it up.
Christian seethes. He takes a BITE of his tart. As he
chews, he catches something on his tongue. He turns away
from Dani, and pulls a PUBIC HAIR from his mouth. His eyes
widen with alarm.
MARK
(seeing this)
Oh my God, dude. What the fuck?
DANI
(inquiring)
What is it?
Christian turns to Dani.
CHRISTIAN
Just a piece of bone.
DANI
Ew.
CHRISTIAN
Yeah. It’s okay.
Mark leans in to whisper to Christian:
MARK
Was that a fucking pube?
CHRISTIAN
Shhh! Calm down.
Christian sits “casually” back into his chair. He tucks the
pubic hair into his pocket. He looks around to finally
ALIGHT on Maja. She is smiling at him. Dani catches this.
Christian self-consciously breaks the gaze, taking a sip of
his drink (a pink-tinted MEAD). He then PAUSES, realizing
what he might be drinking (namely, menstrual blood).
Paranoid, he sets the drink back down.
Mark notices that ULF is still staring him down.
MARK
127.
Jesus. He’s still lookin’ at me. I
don’t like this.
Josh looks tensely at his NOTES. He stares at a line that
reads: Affects -- runic combinations, “emotional sheet
music” INGA, the pretty brunette, sneaks up behind Mark.
She whispers in his ear.
INGA
You will come with me?
Mark turns to her, startled. He smiles widely.
MARK
What?
INGA
You will come? I show you.
MARK
Uhhh... Oh-kay.
INGA
Yes?
MARK
Yeah. Okay. Sure. Great.
Mark rises from his seat.
MARK
(to his friends)
I’ll be back, I guess? She’s gonna
show me...
Mark looks very excited as he walks off with Inga. She
takes his hand and leads him toward the woods.
DANI
Somebody for everybody, I guess.
Josh is so immersed in his thoughts, he didn’t even notice
Mark being lured away.
82 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - NIGHT 82
Everybody is climbing into bed. Josh’s eyes, however, are
BUSY. He’s thinking intensely about something.
Dani sneaks up on him.
128.
DANI
Hey, can I steal another sleeping
pill? Only half this time.
JOSH
Oh. Yeah. Okay.
Josh fetches her a pill. She takes it and moves to her bed.
Josh crawls stiffly into his bed. He’s still wearing his
SHOES.
83 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - LATER 83
Everyone is asleep, except for JOSH, who looks as tense as
before. He sits up, scanning the room to make sure nobody
is awake. He then climbs quietly out of bed. He creeps to
the door and silently exits.
84 EXT. THE MAIN HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 84
Josh rushes across the grass. It’s now darkest twilight. He
hustles to the TEMPLE, glancing nervously about.
85 INT. TEMPLE - FOYER - CONTINUOUS 85
Josh passes the dark foyer to enter through the Temple
Doors...
86 INT. TEMPLE - CONTINUOUS 86
Josh sneaks into the Temple. He creeps over to the pedestal
featuring the holy book RUBI RADR. He pulls out his phone,
turns on the FLASHLIGHT, and begins taking silent PHOTOS -
page by page - of Rubi Radr’s text.
While he anxiously photographs, Josh keeps glancing up at
the Temple DOORS, making sure he’s still alone. He has
photographed about fifteen pages when he hears the front
door CREAK open.
Josh FREEZES. He looks up. Through the Temple’s open doors,
he sees SOMEONE standing in the dark foyer. The person is
barely visible in the dimness. After some scrutiny, Josh
makes it out to be MARK. He is standing motionless.
JOSH
(relieved, whispering)
Holy fuck. Mark?
129.
But Mark doesn’t move or speak.
JOSH
(whispering)
What the fuck are you doing? Close
the door! We’re not supposed to be
here.
Mark still doesn’t move. Despite how hard it is to see, one
can tell that his body looks BULKIER than usual. And his
face seems somewhat SWOLLEN.
Josh looks unsettled. He starts moving toward the door.
JOSH
(whispering)
Mark? Hello? What the fu--?
MARK steps forward. It is now bright enough to see... This
isn’t Mark. It’s a LARGER MAN, and he’s WEARING MARK’S SKIN
(which is stretched uneasily over the man’s bulkier
features). Upon closer inspection, one might identify these
features as belonging to ULF.
Before the full horror of this revelation can register on
Josh’s face, he is STRUCK against the HEAD by a bludgeoning
FORCE (a block of wood wielded by an off-screen Hårgan).
Josh collapses to make a sustained, involuntary GROANING
noise.
A quiet moment as “Mark,” eyes invisible behind the skin
mask, stares down at Josh’s twitching body.
Josh’s body is swiftly DRAGGED out of frame.
87 INT. THE MAIN HOUSE - MORNING 87
Outside, the ROOSTER crows.
People stir awake in their beds. Josh’s bed is EMPTY. As is
Mark’s.
88 EXT. FARMSTEAD - MORNING 88
Breakfast time. Dani, Christian and Pelle look quizzically
around.
DANI
Could Mark still be off with that
girl?
130.
PELLE
I wouldn’t be surprised.
DANI
Then what about Josh?
CHRISTIAN
I’m honestly not too concerned.
The Plump Elder stands up. A hush falls cleanly over the
scene.
PLUMP ELDER
We have something regretful to
announce. This morning the third
book of Rubi Radr was found missing
from the south house. We are not
hoping to point fingers, yet we ask
kindly that whoever took it, please
return it to its original place.
You can leave it in the south
house, which will be left unguarded
and unwatched. Nobody need know it
was you. If it is not returned by
tonight, other actions will be
taken. Thank you.
He sits down and everyone uneasily resumes eating.
CHRISTIAN
(under his breath)
Fuck.
(to Dani and Pelle)
Which of you is surprised?
LATER
Breakfast has ended. People leave their tables, carrying
their empty plates.
Christian, Dani and Pelle stand up to see the THIN ELDER
and the PLUMP ELDER walking toward them. Our group
anticipates the following question:
THIN ELDER
Where is your friend Josh?
CHRISTIAN
I know. We have no idea.
THIN ELDER
131.
He and your other friend go
disappearing on the same day. You
see how it looks.
CHRISTIAN
Yes, obviously, but I swear to you
- we are completely in the dark on
this. We are every bit as confused
as you are.
DANI
(not sure whether to say
it)
We did see Mark go off with one of
the girls last night.
PLUMP ELDER
What girl?
PELLE
Inga.
The Plump Elder thinks about this. Christian interjects:
CHRISTIAN
But Mark wouldn’t have done this.
Josh, though: he came to bed with
us, and when we woke up, he was
gone. And if he did take that book,
I just pray you understand: we do
not identify as friends of his, or
collaborators, or anything. I
certainly don't vouch for him and
we'd be so embarrassed to be
connected to this in any way.
Beat. The Thin Elder relents.
THIN ELDER
...Let’s just hope it gets
returned.
CHRISTIAN
Yes. I hope that very much.
PELLE
I feel responsible.
THIN ELDER
Well - you and Odd can go looking
for them. Maybe you can redeem
this.
132.
Pelle nods, walks to Odd, and they proceed toward the
truck.
The Plump Elder turns to Dani and Christian.
PLUMP ELDER
(to Dani)
You’ll be going with the women for
the day’s activity.
(to Christian)
And Siv asks to see you in her
house.
CHRISTIAN
(nervous)
Why?
The Elder doesn’t have the answer.
CHRISTIAN
...Which one is hers?
The Elder points to a SMALL WHITE HOUSE across the field.
Christian nods “okay” and starts toward it. As he walks, he
hears:
PELLE (O.S.)
Grandfather Sten!
ODD (O.S.)
The truck is gone!
PLUMP ELDER (O.S.)
What?!
Christian turns to see a distraught Pelle and Odd.
ODD
They took the truck.
Pelle stares daggers at Christian, and then turns back to
Odd.
Christian, very uneasy now, proceeds to the small white
house...
89 EXT. FIELD - DAY 89
ECU of a BRIGHT YELLOW-GREEN PASTE. It’s being MASHED
vigorously in a bowl. The paste is made of ground-up
flowers.
133.
A fat SCOOP of the paste is dropped into a LARGE JUG OF
SPRING WATER (perched on a table). The paste is STIRRED
into the water.
A queue of WOMEN (between 16 and 35) has formed behind the
table.
One by one, the women accept a CUP of the water. They drink
it (sometimes after nervous hesitation). In the b.g. is the
MAYPOLE.
Dani has joined the line. The BLONDE WOMAN (whom she
befriended earlier) is in front of her.
DANI
Do you know what we’re doing?
BLONDE WOMAN
Oh yes. This is the big one.
The Blonde Woman smiles mischievously. Dani smiles
skeptically back. They arrive at the “water” table. Both
are handed a cup.
DANI
It’s just water?
BLONDE WOMAN
Not just. It is for the
competition.
The Blonde Woman gulps hers down, and then gestures “You
now.” Dani pauses, and then knocks it back.
BLONDE WOMAN
(smiling)
Uh-oh.
She LAUGHS and HUGS Dani.
BLONDE WOMAN
Here we go!
Dani looks very nervous.
LATER
Three CIRCLES OF WOMEN have formed around the Maypole. The
inside circle (of about 8 women) is surrounded by the
middle circle (about 15 women), which is surrounded by the
largest, outside circle (about 22 women).
134.
The men, children and older women have gathered on the
grass to watch. The LARGE WOMAN stands with musicians
(fiddler, key-harpist, and floutist).
Dani stands in the middle circle. All the neighboring women
look very excited.
Dani looks down at the earth. At first everything looks
normal, but then she notices...GRASS has begun to sprout
from her shoes.
Dani looks up. Fuck. She’s tripping.
The LARGE WOMAN speaks up.
LARGE WOMAN
(in Swedish)
It was here, long ago, that the
Black One lured the youths of Hårga
to the grass and seduced them into
dance. Once they began, they could
not stop, and they danced
themselves to death. Now, in life-
holding defiance of the Black One,
we dance until we fall. And she who
survives last will be crowned for
her stamina.
The Large Woman CLAPS her hands ONCE. The musicians play a
long, sustained NOTE. All of the women join hands and
slowly dip to a cross-legged BOW. The musical note dies. A
brief moment of SILENCE, and then...THE MUSIC BEGINS! (It
is the song of Hårgas.) The women begin to DANCE. The
inside circle dances to the right.
The middle circle to the left. The outside circle to the
right.
Dani stumbles as she finds her way into the dance. Once she
hits her stride, she smiles. The Blonde Woman looks back at
her and LAUGHS good-naturedly. Dani laughs back!
90 INT. SMALL WHITE HOUSE - SAME TIME 90
Christian sits in a small wooden chair in the empty LIVING
ROOM. The walls are completely covered in RUNIC MURAL ART.
Christian lingers on a particularly striking ILLUSTRATION
(painted in the wall’s center) in which a BEAR is being
BURNED ALIVE before several onlookers.
A door opens to reveal SIV.
135.
SIV
Please. Come in.
Christian rises to follow Siv into the other room.
91 INT. SMALL ROOM - CONTINUOUS 91
A spare room. Two chairs face each other in the center. Siv
takes a seat in one of them.
SIV
Please. Sit.
Christian obliges.
Siv’s posture is perfect. Christian self-consciously
corrects his posture. A long silence, and then:
CHRISTIAN
I just need to say, I have no idea
where Josh went, and I can swear to
that on my mother’s life.
SIV
How do you feel about Maja?
Christian pauses.
CHRISTIAN
About Maja?
Siv’s lack of response says “yes.”
CHRISTIAN
How do I feel about her how?
SIV
You have been approved to mate with
her. You’re an ideal astrological
match and she has fallen in love
with you.
CHRISTIAN
We haven’t even spoken.
SIV
She fell in love with you before
you came. Pelle showed her a photo.
CHRISTIAN
(pause)
136.
I have someone here with me. I’m
with Dani.
SIV
Dani will not know. I am not
proposing marriage. You wouldn’t be
approved for that.
CHRISTIAN
So...you’re asking me to what?
SIV
I’m asking you if you care to mate
with Maja. It is a one-night offer.
CHRISTIAN
...She’s very beautiful.
SIV
She is very beautiful.
CHRISTIAN
I think I ate one of her pubic
hairs.
SIV
That sounds probably right.
Beat. Christian doesn’t know what to say.
SIV
From an academic perspective, it
would also serve as a unique
glimpse into our sexual rites.
CHRISTIAN
Can I not have a unique glimpse
without participating?
Siv smiles at the silly question.
CHRISTIAN
Can I think about it?
SIV
You can think about it here.
Tonight is the time of alignment.
Then it’s done.
A long, conflicted pause.
CHRISTIAN
I don’t think I can.
137.
SIV
Okay. Is that your answer?
Christian hesitates. He’s very torn.
92 EXT. SMALL WHITE HOUSE - MINUTES LATER 92
Christian emerges from the house in a daze. We track back
with him. His eyes are fraught as he wrestles with the
moral quandary. But as he continues to walk/think, a vague
SMILE sneaks onto his face.
Christian looks forward to see the DANCE COMPETITION in the
distance. He’s walking toward it.
93 EXT. FIELD - SAME TIME 93
Dani is still engaged in the dance. It’s a dizzying
spectacle, and the mounting hallucinations are clearly
taking their toll on the dancers.
The music STOPS abruptly, and everyone FREEZES.
LARGE WOMAN
(in Swedish)
Around!
Everybody turns around to face the OPPOSITE DIRECTION. They
switch hands, and the music RESUMES. They now dance in the
opposite direction.
One woman STUMBLES to her knees, laughing. She is now
disqualified. She walks off to sit on the grass and watch.
Another WOMAN pulls out of the circle to RETCH nearby. She
is also disqualified.
Dani, who was having fun, is suddenly disturbed by the
retching sound. She feels sick for a second.
DANI
(thoughts turning)
Josh...?
The Blonde Woman turns happily to Dani.
BLONDE WOMAN
Don’t slip!
Dani looks to her.
138.
BLONDE WOMAN
Can you holding on?!
Dani gets a second wind. She’s back.
Maja, who is dancing in the outside circle, sees CHRISTIAN
arriving. He joins the onlookers.
Maja decisively feigns COLLAPSE, opting out of the dance.
She stumbles over to the onlookers, affecting dizziness.
She glances over at Christian, smiling at him. He SMILES
back. She coyly sits a few people over. The electricity
between them is palpable.
The music STOPS abruptly again. All the dancers turn
around, switching hands. As the music starts again, one
woman TOPPLES to her side, bringing down two of her
neighbors. She and one other laugh; the third woman is
furious.
LATER
Many of the women have now been disqualified. Dani is still
in the running! She seems determined to stay alert and
compete.
The music CEASES. The women STOP. Their attention is turned
to a field where NINE SMALL FENCES extend one after the
other.
LARGE WOMAN
(in Swedish)
Nine fences jumped clean! Three
ladies at a time!
BLONDE WOMAN
(to Dani, translating)
Now we are jumping the nine fences.
We go three and then three.
DANI
(confused, semi-alarmed)
What?
BLONDE WOMAN
Just watch first.
The Large Woman CLAPS once. Three women - including the
Blonde Woman - walk up to form a row. Standing side-by-
side, they face the nine fences.
The fiddler suddenly WAILS on his fiddle, creating an
intense treble. The women all RUN forwrd.
139.
They JUMP over each fence and run to the next. One woman’s
foot catches the third fence and she FALLS to the grass.
Another women collapses over the fifth fence. The Blonde
Woman makes it to the end. She happily returns, still
eligible.
Another three women go. Again, only one makes it to the
end.
Next up, two women line up. DANI is urged forward to join
them. She looks to the women beside her. They SMILE at her.
Their smiles stretch wider (and more fluidly) than normal.
The edges of their mouths elongate up their cheeks.
The fiddle suddenly TREBLES. The women RUN.
DANI JUMPS OVER THE FIRST FENCE. She gasps, suddenly filled
with confidence. She runs to the next fence and CLEARS it.
She runs faster now, to the third fence. Clears it. The
fourth fence - clears it! The woman to Dani’s left suddenly
BIFFS it, falling on her face. Unshaken, Dani clears the
fifth fence, and then the sixth, and then the seventh, and
the eighth... Dani makes it to the final (and tallest)
fence. She leaps high. Her foot ALMOST connects with the
top of the fence, but it PASSES OVER! She lands on her
feet, triumphant. She glows with excitement.
The other woman also made it. She walks up to Dani, HUGS
her and gives her an encouraging PECK on the lips.
Dani turns to the onlookers. She sees CHRISTIAN. He isn’t
paying attention. He claps absent-mindedly.
Dani’s expression CURDLES. She walks back to the maypole.
Her trip is turning BAD again.
More women have lined up to jump the fences. The fiddle
SHRIEKS, and they run.
Christian’s eyes go to Dani. She’s staring at him. Taken
aback, he gives her a smile. She doesn’t smile back. She’s
very much in the grip of the psychedelics now.
Dani’s HANDS are taken by women on either side of her.
Confused, she looks around to see that she is now part of a
more modest circle surrounding the maypole. Only SEVEN
women remain. The music STARTS and they commence dancing.
140.
MEANWHILE, Christian sits among the onlookers. He’s
sneaking obsessive glances at Maja. Suddenly, he notices
ULLA (whom he met earlier) walking toward him. She arrives
at his feet, holding out the CUP of the flower-spiked
water.
ULLA
For you.
CHRISTIAN
What is it?
ULLA
Spring water with special
properties.
CHRISTIAN
(skeptical)
What’s it do?
ULLA
Breaks down your defenses and opens
you for the influence.
CHRISTIAN
...I’m worried I’ll have a bad
trip.
Christian looks back to Maja. She’s now looking directly at
him.
Her eyes are languid, confident. She doesn’t break the
gaze.
Christian turns to Ulla, and accepts the water. He sips it.
Sips it again. KNOCKS it back.
Settling into the idea that he’s now going to hallucinate,
Christian looks back to the MAYPOLE. The women are still
dancing in a circle.
IN THE DANCING CIRCLE, Dani’s eyes betray a rising panic.
One SKINNY WOMAN says, as provocation:
SKINNY WOMAN
(in Swedish)
If we stop, will everything keep
spinning?
A SHORT WOMAN replies:
141.
SHORT WOMAN
(laughing, in Swedish)
What if we looked down and there
were centipedes everywhere?
The Short Woman laughs, and then looks down. As imagined,
she sees the ground as a squirming BLANKET OF CENTIPEDES.
She SCREAMS in horror, desperately FLEEING the circle.
Another woman has looked down to see the same thing. She
SCREAMS too, and runs off.
Dani looks down, panicked and confused. It’s just the earth
beneath her feet.
DANI
There’s nothing there.
Dani looks up. She laughs with relief, still confused.
BLONDE WOMAN
(smiling)
That’s right! Hold on to your
brain!
Now there are only five women dancing.
TIME-LAPSE. The shadows of the dancing women crawl across
the grass, moving in accordance with the drifting sun. Two
women FALL (to be disqualified) over the course of this
time lapse.
Now, only Dani and two other women are in the running. One
of these is the Blonde Woman. The other is a good-natured
Plump Woman. They each dance separately, no longer holding
hands.
The Plump Woman’s legs are clearly less stable than Dani’s
or the Blonde Woman’s, and she is tired and stumbling.
Competition has been growing in Dani. She’s so close to
winning that she can now taste it.
The Blonde Woman turns happily to Dani.
BLONDE WOMAN
(in Swedish)
Are you tired?!
Dani, still dancing:
DANI
I don’t speak Swedish!
142.
BLONDE WOMAN
(not understanding)
What?!
Dani repeats herself, but it comes out as:
DANI
Aewobeemeewish!
The Blonde Woman, understanding, responds:
BLONDE WOMAN
Waweroobeeny!
DANI
(somehow understanding)
Aewabeeny-sa-aewonnerstabloo!
They are speaking complete gibberish, but they understand
each other perfectly. Dani is amazed.
DANI
(excitedly remarking on
this)
Weerabbleeishcobleraymib!
The Blonde Woman nods manically, agreeing with this.
BLONDE WOMAN
Blorishcobleraymib-wonnerstablee!
The Plump Woman suddenly TRIPS over one foot to fall
CRASHING to the ground. The Blonde Woman (still facing
Dani) TRIPS over the Plump Woman. She COLLAPSES, laughing
merrily on the way down.
Dani dances past the fallen women. She doesn’t immediately
realize that she’s just won the competition. She still
looks determined as she continues dancing manically around
the maypole.
Cheering women rush over to congratulate Dani, but she
KEEPS DANCING in the circle, afraid that it’s a trick.
The women tug excitedly at Dani’s arms. They embrace her.
Dani decelerates, but does not cease dancing. Finally,
enough women have enfolded her. Her dancing feet slow to a
confused halt.
LARGE WOMAN
(in Swedish)
We have our May Queen!!
143.
The LARGE WOMAN approaches with an immense, gorgeously
crafted GARLAND CROWN. She lays it on Dani’s head.
DANI
(hallucinating)
It’s over?
LARGE WOMAN
You are our May Queen.
DANI
(confused)
Why? Me?
LARGE WOMAN
You!
DANI
(suddenly scared)
What do you mean?!
ROSE PETALS are fired out of small air cannons by children.
The petals rain down on Dani and the surrounding Hårgans.
Dani, severely disoriented, is led aside by several women.
One woman wraps her in a sort of scarf (composed only of
greenery and flora), and then she is directed to stand
before a gorgeous view of the field. Her distracted
attention is pointed to a MAN holding a large, old FILM
CAMERA. He takes Dani’s PHOTOGRAPH.
Dani looks for Christian, who stands among the Hårgans with
a baffled expression. Dani alights on him.
DANI
What’s happening?!
But Christian doesn’t understand it himself. He shakes his
head to say “I don’t know!”
DANI
(pleadingly, to the
surrounding women)
What does this mean? What do I have
to do?
The women answer with hugs, warm smiles, and kisses on the
cheek. Their faces morph subtly (a product of the
psychedelics).
144.
Among the people who kiss her are her MOTHER and FATHER and
SISTER (Terri). She looks back for them, but they have
disappeared. A figment of her imagination?
Caught in the hallucination, Dani falls into a traumatized
daze.
PELLE breaks the spell by giving Dani an enthusiastic hug.
PELLE
Holy cow, you won! May Queen!
He gives her a blunt KISS on the lips. Before she can
react, Pelle is replaced by two new women, also kissing and
hugging her.
Dani is then led to a ROUND WOODEN PLANK (painted gold and
shaped like a cartoon SUN) with eight long, protruding
handles. She is directed to STAND on it.
BLONDE WOMAN
Careful!
The handles are gripped by eight men, and Dani is swiftly
HOISTED UP. She almost falls, but doesn’t. She is elevated
five feet above the ground as the crowd erupts into
mirthful SONG.
The song persists as Dani, still on her pedestal, is
carried across the field. All eyes are on her. Everyone
follows her.
DANI
(searching)
Christian?!
But Christian has lagged to the back of the crowd. He looks
extremely conflicted. His eyes move to Maja, whose eyes are
TRAINED on him. She smiles widely, but her eyes are faded.
Christian slows to a stop as the procession continues. Ulla
runs back to fetch him. She takes his hand and pulls him
back toward the crowd.
Meanwhile, Dani’s confusion and fear is beginning to
subside.
She looks down at the procession to see that these people
are indeed celebrating her. A few women even persist in
throwing rose petals up at her.
145.
Dani, now calm, looks down to see that her FEET and LEGS
have assumed the GOLD color of the plank (like a
chameleon).
The crowd arrives at today’s DINING AREA. In a LUSH FIELD,
the tables are all queued up to form a long, straight line.
At the head of the table is a HUGE CHAIR (more like a
throne) adorned in lush greenery and bright flora.
Dani’s pedestal is set down. Members of the crowd step
aside to create a PATH for Dani’s trajectory (toward the
throne). Dani takes a moment before stepping decisively
onto the GRASS.
When Dani’s FOOT touches the grass, small SUMMER FLOWERS
magically SPROUT UP around her foot. Her next step is the
same. Flowers emerge, impossibly, from the soil. She
continues to walk forward, having now assumed a more self-
possessed posture. Confidence is rising in her, and with
every step, more flowers sprout up. She’s leaving a
beautiful trail of wild flowers in her wake.
Dani STOPS at the throne. Everyone now finds their way to
their seats, but no one sits. They look to her. She looks
momentarily confused, but then understands. She SITS. Now
everyone may sit.
Dani admires her green throne. The greenery/flora subtly
SWELLS and DEFLATES (as we saw before, with the mushroom
trip).
SERVERS appear with plates. Dani is the first person to
receive food and drink. Her tableware is much finer than
the rest.
Before long, everyone has food in front of them. They sit
with their hands on their laps, present. They WAIT for
Dani.
Dani picks up her FORK. She looks back to the rest of the
table.
They all look back at her with patience. She then looks
down and PIERCES her food with the fork. (The sound of the
piercing is heightened.) Dani takes a BITE. Now everyone
may begin eating.
Dani looks down the length of the extended table. She
alights on CHRISTIAN, who isn’t eating. He looks very
disturbed, clearly suffering a bad trip. He looks in Dani’s
direction.
146.
They LOCK EYES, but communicate nothing to each other. They
are both lost in confusion, but they don’t share in this.
If anything, they look SCARED of each other.
This moment is broken by a SERVER arriving at Dani’s side.
He presents her with a baby SALT HERRING. The community
sees this and laughs, knowing what’s in store.
DANI
For what?
The PLUMP ELDER explains:
PLUMP ELDER
You must eat it whole, but the tail
going first.
DANI
(sincerely frightened)
What? I can’t. That’s too big.
PLUMP ELDER
(chuckle)
No no - you must try.
Christian, tripping heavily, turns to a LARGE MAN to his
side.
CHRISTIAN
How much is happening right now?
Inexplicably, the Large Man CLAPS in Christian’s face. This
sends Christian on an intense downward spiral.
CHRISTIAN
(almost inaudible)
Why did you do that?
The Large Man’s attention is now on Dani, whose head is
tilted back as she tries to eat the herring whole (tail
first). The Plump Elder holds it above her, feeding it into
her mouth.
Dani takes half of the herring into her mouth, starts to
chew, and then coughs out the rest. This elicits ecstatic
APPLAUSE.
Dani, unnerved at first, lets out a childlike LAUGH.
PLUMP ELDER
A word from the May Queen!
BLONDE WOMAN
147.
Yes! Speech!
DIFFERENT HARGANS
Speech!
LARGE WOMAN
Stand! Stand!
Dani is urged to stand up. She does so, clearly
hallucinating intensely. The silence hangs heavily.
DANI
...I don’t know if this is real, or
what’s happening - but...thank you.
Dani lets this hang, and then sits back down. Brief,
awkward pause, and then:
THIN ELDER
To the May Queen!
(raises his aquavit)
Skål!!
EVERYONE
Skål!!
Everyone drinks to that. One Hårgan Woman turns to Dani to
excitedly says:
HÅRGAN WOMAN
You are the family now! Yes?
Dani nods, unsure. The woman nods manically.
HÅRGAN WOMAN
Yes! Yes! You are the family!
The Woman rubs Dani’s arm, smiling warmly (and
aggressively).
PELLE, we reveal, is composing a drawing of Dani in her
throne.
Christian’s expression is SOUR. He turns to notice that
MAJA is looking at him. Taken aback, Christian’s expression
slowly SOFTENS (in a slack-jawed, lust-stricken way). Maja
is clearly “in heat.” Holding Christian’s gaze, she RISES
from her seat (as if in slow-motion) and begins to walk
sensually off. Christian watches her go. She passes SIV,
whose eyes are also trained on Christian.
148.
Maja continues toward the TEMPLE, glancing back at
Christian to confirm that he’s still watching her. DANI
notices this, despite the fact that everyone is competing
for her attention.
Dani looks to Christian. He stares dumbly at the table,
lost in conflict.
MINUTES LATER
Everyone is finished. Siv RISES. All eyes go respectfully
to her.
SIV
Now it is traditional for the May
Queen to bless our crops and
livestock. And after the luck you
just inherited from that salt
herring, we should all be doubly
encouraged.
Polite laughter all around.
Siv gestures in the direction of a CARRIAGE, just beyond
the tables. Its roof sports THREE UNLIT TORCHES.
Three GIRLS scatter flowers to create a PATH between Dani
and the carriage. Dani RISES. Everyone else stands up, too.
DANI
Can Christian come with me?
SIV
No. The Queen must ride alone.
Dani pauses to accept this. She steps onto the floral path
and approaches the carriage. On the way, one MAN (dressed
in lady’s clothing) offers her a LONG, FLAMING STICK. Dani
accepts it. The man motions to the carriage’s unlit
torches.
Dani walks to the carriage, extends the stick’s flame
toward the torches, and sets them each AFIRE.
The man takes the stick back from Dani, and gestures for
her to enter the carriage. A TRADITIONALLY DRESSED MAN
stands beside the carriage door. He hands Dani a VIAL OF
HOLY SPRING WATER, and offers Dani his hand (for support)
as she contemplates entering.
TRADITIONALLY DRESSED MAN
Your majesty.
149.
Dani accepts his supportive hand as she climbs into the
carriage.
94 INT. CARRIAGE - CONTINUOUS 94
Dani takes a seat.
Outside, several YOUNG WOMEN (including the RED-HAIRED
WOMAN) have gathered in front of the carriage. They each
take hold of RODS, prepared to pull the carriage.
A few other women have gathered to the sides of the
carriage.
They hold juniper boughs and unlit torches. One girl goes
around, IGNITING their torches.
95 EXT. FIELD - SAME TIME 95
Most of the community remains standing at the dining
tables.
They WATCH as the women pull the carriage away.
Christian watches, too. Guilt-ridden. He looks to SIV. She
looks unblinkingly back.
96 INT. CARRIAGE - MOVING - MOMENTS LATER 96
Dani looks out the window as the carriage is pulled through
the WHEAT FIELDS. The accompanying women WAVE their torches
about, casting away dark spirits.
97 EXT. FIELD - SAME TIME 97
A GIRL begins scattering flowers to create a NEW PATH. This
is between Christian and the TEMPLE. All eyes are now on
him.
Christian, frozen for a moment, RISES. He takes one abrupt
step forward, and then continues warily toward the Temple.
98 INT. TEMPLE - CONTINUOUS 98
Christian enters the foyer of the temple. The temple doors
are closed. A BEARDED MAN IN A DRESS stands in waiting. He
hands Christian a WHITE GOWN.
150.
BEARDED MAN IN DRESS
Put this.
The man gestures to a MODESTY PANEL in the corner (behind
which Christian can disrobe).
99 EXT. WHEAT FIELD - SAME TIME 99
The women pulling the carriage have slowed to a STOP. Dani
is directed by the Red-Haired Woman to step out. She is
handed a flaming torch, and led to a small HOLE in the
ground.
Dani is handed a sack of GRAIN, a raw STEAK, and an EGG.
She is directed to pour the grain into the hole, which she
does, and then to drop the steak over the grain. She does
this, too. She is then instructed to crack the egg and pour
its contents into the hole.
The Red-Haired Woman now affects perfect posture. Dani
instinctively mimics this.
RED-HAIRED WOMAN
Repeat now after me.
Dani and the Red-Haired Woman are looking directly into
each other’s eyes. The Red-Haired Woman begins to SING very
slowly, enunciating very carefully, and Dani SINGS ALONG
(quite well):
RED-HAIRED WOMAN
Vakna upp, vakna upp, både åker och
äng Nu har du sovit länge i din
säng Nu är det över med snö och med
regn Nu har sommarnatten kommit.
The Red-Haired Woman is impressed. As are the onlooking
young women.
The hole is COVERED UP with soil.
100 INT. TEMPLE - FOYER - SAME TIME 100
Christian has changed into the WHITE GOWN. He steps
nervously out from behind the modesty panel.
CHRISTIAN
What now?
The Bearded Man in the Dress holds up a STONE POT. He lifts
off the lid to release a WAVE OF STEAM.
151.
BEARDED MAN IN DRESS
Breathe in.
CHRISTIAN
What does it do?
BEARDED MAN IN DRESS
For your vitality.
Christian BREATHES IN the vapors. His eyes begin to cloud.
He EXHALES heavily. He’s already feeling the effects. His
breathing becomes shallow.
The Bearded Man now OPENS THE DOORS to the temple.
101 INT. TEMPLE - CONTINUOUS 101
It is dark, save for several burning candles.
In the center of the room, lying on a bed of freshly cut
birch twigs and WILD FLOWERS, is MAJA. She is NUDE, lying
on her back, legs together.
Several OLDER WOMEN, mostly in their 30s and 40s (a few in
their 50s and 60s), stand at the back of the room. They are
also NUDE.
Christian is too stoned to react. He regards the room as he
would a dreamscape.
Ceremonial MUSIC begins. A few women, reading from the Rubi
Radr, SING in the Hårgas’ wordless, groaning, microtonal
tradition.
One Woman steps up to draw Christian’s gown OFF of his
shoulders. He is fluidly DISROBED. Now standing naked (and
erect), he is directed towards Maja, who waits nervously.
Christian seems to LEVITATE half-an-inch off the ground and
then FLOATS gently across the room (clearly a product of
the escalating hallucination). As he approaches Maja, the
singing intensifies. Maja’s LEGS timidly PART. Christian,
now standing at her feet, looks down at her. Her eyes are
closed as she waits to be taken.
102 EXT. CATTLE HOUSE - SAME TIME 102
The sun is less intense now. It is nearing twilight.
152.
The carriage has pulled up to the cattle house. Dani,
holding a torch, proceeds to bless the livestock (according
to the Red-Haired Woman’s instructions).
103 INT. TEMPLE - SAME TIME 103
Christian has descended to his knees. He sits between
Maja’s legs, preparing himself. He looks extremely
intoxicated.
Maja’s eyes are squeezed shut as she anticipates what’s
coming.
Christian awkwardly leans down to gently KISS her lips.
Without opening her eyes, she kisses back - slowly,
sensually. The singing rises and falls (out of harmony)
with trembling impatience.
Christian gently presses himself into Maja. Her mouth opens
in anticipation. He ENTERS her. Overwhelmed, Maja digs her
nails into his back. Her eyes well with tears. Christian
looks unsettled, but he continues...
Christian is now MAKING LOVE to Maja, very slowly - almost
robotically. She lies motionless, mouth agape. She doesn’t
move a muscle, nor does she make a sound, but her
expression is one of total, paralyzed ECSTASY. The singing
has now HARMONIZED.
The Older Women watch this with rapt attention. They are
clearly aroused. The lovemaking is dreamily slow. The
singing rises steadily. Delayed percussion accompanies each
heavy, lagging THRUST.
Maja looks back at one of the WOMEN (50s). The woman smiles
tenderly at her. This would be touching if it weren’t so
weird.
Maja offers the woman her HAND, and the woman supportively
takes it into her hands. The woman lovingly presses her
CHEEK against Maja’s open palm, CARESSING her face.
104 EXT. FARMSTEAD - MOMENTS LATER 104
The carriage has returned to the farmstead. Dani steps
uneasily out of the wagon, still under the warping
influence of the hallucinogen. The SINGING is heard faintly
from the Temple.
RED-HAIRED WOMAN
We shall go now to Siv’s house.
153.
DANI
What’s there?
RED-HAIRED WOMAN
It is a special meeting, only for
the Queens. She will bless you.
The distant singing persists. Dani looks to the Temple. She
seems DRAWN to it.
DANI
What about there?
RED-HAIRED WOMAN
Not for us.
Dani, attracted by the singing, takes a few steps toward
the Temple. The young women look very concerned. The Red-
Haired Woman steps up to STAND IN DANI’S WAY.
RED-HAIRED WOMAN
I think you should not.
DANI
...Why?
The Red-Headed Woman is not convincing when she says:
RED-HAIRED WOMAN
It is a ceremony for the men.
Dani is now very suspicious. Her expression begs “What is
it really?” The Red-Haired Woman’s expression says that
it’s something that would hurt Dani. The woman’s expression
pleads: “Don’t go inside. For your own sake.” Dani’s eyes
NARROW with paranoia. Now she must enter. She PUSHES ahead.
The women remain where they are, very worried.
105 INT. TEMPLE - FOYER - CONTINUOUS 105
Dani enters the foyer of the temple. Beyond the closed
doors, the singing has reached an operatic intensity.
Dani takes a moment to gather herself, and then she bends
down to peer through the door’s KEYHOLE.
Through the keyhole, Dani sees Christian’s BACK as he
“makes love” to Maja. The surrounding women have fallen
deeper into their trance. Dani’s eyes go WIDE with horror.
Stunned, Dani backs away from the keyhole. She suddenly
doubles over and RETCHES. She rushes out of the temple.
154.
106 EXT. TEMPLE - CONTINUOUS 106
Dani runs outside. She VOMITS onto the grass. She’s in a
state of shock. Her breathing is shallow and she looks
anxiously around, as if confused as to her whereabouts.
The young women rush over to Dani. They surround her,
touching her, rubbing her. Dani CAN’T BREATHE. She’s
panicking.
The Red-Haired Woman directs the women to LEAD Dani to the
Main House. They all hurriedly guide her in that direction.
107 INT. MAIN HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 107
The young women usher Dani to her bed. They sit her down,
gathering intimately around her. Dani struggles
increasingly to breathe.
The Red-Haired Woman HOLDS Dani’s FACE in her hands. She
locks eyes with Dani and affects DEEP BREATHING. Dani’s
eyes, unwilling to settle at first, gradually become FIXED
to the Woman’s. The Woman continues to affect deep,
measured breathing. Dani struggles to follow her. Her
breathing trembles to meet the Red-Haired Woman’s example.
Finally, Dani BREAKS DOWN into tears. Everything she’s
bottled up, all the emotions that she’s labored to stifle -
it all comes BURSTING out. She falls into deep, anguished
SOBS.
Still locked onto Dani’s gaze, the Red-Haired Woman also
breaks down. She SOBS DEEPLY along with Dani. They are
sympathetically connected. It’s remarkable, and very
unsettling.
The surrounding women have also started CRYING, although
not as intensely as the Woman who has fixed herself to
Dani. The crying is infectious, and the deeper they go, the
greater the outpour.
It has become a circle of hysterical, weeping women. They
moan and scream and cry. It’s positively TRIBAL.
108 INT. TEMPLE - SAME TIME 108
The ceremony has nearly reached its apogee. The singing has
peaked, and Christian is thrusting faster and harder than
before.
155.
Maja, eyes still closed, is in a state of absolute
EUPHORIA.
Christian suddenly looks ill. He begins to slow down.
MAJA
(in Swedish)
No. Don’t stop.
Christian looks like he’s going to be sick.
One of the OLD WOMEN (60s) crouches behind Christian. She
PUSHES on his buttocks, urging him to thrust faster. She
keeps pushing and pushing until Christian’s thrusts have
gained in force.
MAJA
(in Swedish)
Yes. Yes. Fill me.
Christian continues to push until he finally CLIMAXES. The
Old Woman releases him, and backs away.
The singing DIES out.
Christian, motionless for a long moment, pulls out of Maja
and sits on the ground. He looks slightly traumatized. Maja
looks as euphoric as ever. She hugs her knees to her chest,
and gently rocks herself back and forth.
MAJA
(in Swedish, to the
women)
I can feel it! I feel his life
inside me!
Christian looks back to the OLD WOMAN who was just pushing
his buttocks. She smiles toothlessly at him. He’s
definitely going to be sick. He STANDS suddenly, taking in
the room with growing repulsion. He turns to amble dizzily
out of the temple.
109 EXT. TEMPLE - CONTINUOUS 109
Christian exits. He looks around, increasingly disoriented.
He looks down to see the fresh puddle of Dani’s VOMIT. This
triggers him to retch. He moves desperately away from the
vomit.
å
156.
Standing at a distance, several isolated Hårgans watch
Christian stumbling about. Christian tries to ignore them.
He walks toward the MAIN HOUSE, but as he approaches, he
hears the CHORUS OF CRYING (coming from Dani and the young
women), and he immediately changes his trajectory.
Christian is now walking toward a HORSE STABLE.
As he passes the stable, he peers inside to notice that the
TRUCK (which was supposedly stolen) is parked inside.
Christian’s eyes buzz with suspicion.
Very aware that he’s being watched, Christian continues
onward. He arrives at a SMALL HOUSE. He opens the door to
reveal that it’s a CHICKEN COOP.
110 INT. CHICKEN COOP - CONTINUOUS 110
Christian enters. He shuts the door behind him. Chickens
flap stupidly about.
Christian tries to regain his composure. As he tries to
sober himself up, a barely audible MOANING is heard. He
looks up, startled, to SEE...
Across the room, JOSH has been chained to a fence. He is
shirtless, his eyes are half-open, and the SKIN of Josh’s
upper abdomen has been stretched OPEN to expose his LIVER
and the corners of his ribs. If it weren’t for his faint
moans, it would be difficult to discern whether he was
alive.
The gnarled edges of Josh’s wound have been covered in bird
feed. It’s clear that the birds have been at it. In fact,
one chicken is currently (and feebly) trying to flap its
way up to Josh’s open wound, and one CROW is perched to
Josh’s side.
Frozen in horror, Christian stares unblinkingly.
CHRISTIAN
Josh?
Christian’s eyes fill intensely with TEARS. He starts
toward Josh. As he arrives near him, he begins to repeat:
CHRISTIAN
Jo--
Josh’s eyes BURST open and he GASPS wretchedly for air. He
is thrown into violent, gurgling convulsions.
157.
Terrified, Christian turns around to see... SIMON’S CORPSE,
hanging upside-down. His bare feet have been SHOD with IRON
HORSESHOES, and he hangs dangling by the HEELS (rope,
secured at the ceiling, has been tied between the tendon
and the bone).
Christian’s face is locked in an expression of utter
horror. He turns to RUN, only to bump into ODD, whose face
is painted WHITE. Odd blows a handful of BROWN POWDER in
Christian’s face.
Christian can’t help but BREATHE IT IN. He coughs out a
lungful of the mysterious dust.
Stunned for a moment, Christian stumbles back. He tries to
move his legs, but they are suddenly FROZEN. Now immobile,
Christian drunkenly COLLAPSES. He writhes into panic,
unable to move. His eyes are LOCKED OPEN.
He sees a gathering of Hårgans outside the door. Among them
is PELLE. Christian looks pleadingly at Pelle. Pelle looks
away with shame.
Odd leans down. With his fingers, he CLOSES one of
Christian’s EYELIDS. He then CLOSES the other. As this lid
shuts, we GO TO BLACK.
HOLD ON BLACK. After a beat, we sharply cut to:
111 EXT. FIELD - NEXT DAY 111
A TIGHT CLOSE-UP of Christian’s sleeping face. His lip is
slightly contorted, and his chin is chapped with dried
saliva. A HAND enters frame to gently SLAP Christian awake.
His eyelids do not open on their own.
The hand’s fingers PRY OPEN Christian’s EYELIDS. His lip
remains contorted. He tries to speak, but it’s nothing but
vowels.
HÅRGAN MAN (O.C.)
You cannot speak. You cannot move.
158.
We cut WIDE to reveal that Christian sits limply on the
grass, propped up against a pole. He faces an immense
THRONE, made of jagged sticks and enveloping greenery. DANI
sits in this throne, dressed in a beautiful white dress
(covered in intricate embroidery). Her face is painted
WHITE. Her lips painted BLACK. Her impressive FLORAL
GARLAND CROWN is comprised of the nine special flowers and
herbs. To either side of her, the ELDERS are all seated in
a row. (Also, RUBEN has a special seat, whose platform is
covered in COTTON, to resemble CLOUDS.) Dani seems to have
detached from reality completely. Her eyes are somewhere
far away.
The entire community is gathered behind Christian. Among
them, MAJA stands happily, wearing vivid red lipstick.
Siv has risen to announce.
SIV
On this, the day of our deity of
purification, we gather to give
special thanks to our beloved Sun.
As an offering to our great Father,
we will today surrender nine human
lives.
Christian’s eyes flare with terror. Dani’s expression is
blank.
SIV
As Hårga takes, so Hårga gives.
Thus, for every newblood
sacrificed, we will dedicate one of
our own. That is: four newbloods,
four Hårgans, and one to be chosen
by our Queen. Nine in all, to die
and be reborn in the great and just
Cycle.
Siv turns to the PLUMP ELDER. He rises to continue the
speech.
PLUMP ELDER
The four newbloods have already
been supplied. As for our end, we
have two already dedicated -
The Plump Elder gestures to the CORPSES of the two elders
who jumped to their death. These bodies are proudly
DISPLAYED near the back of the crowd.
PLUMP ELDER
- and two who have volunteered.
159.
(projecting to the crowd)
Ingemar? Ulf?
INGEMAR and ULF take one step forward. Ulf looks nervous.
Ingemar looks overjoyed.
PLUMP ELDER
You have brought outside offerings,
thus volunteering your own bodies.
You will today be joined in harmony
with Everything.
(to Pelle)
And to Pelle, who has brought us
new blood and our new Queen: you
are today honored for your
unclouded intuition.
Pelle, wearing a TWIG CROWN, smiles sadly.
The Plump Elder continues:
PLUMP ELDER
And now, for the ninth offering, it
is traditional that our Queen, in
all her fairness and wisdom, shall
choose between a pre-selected
newblood and a specially ordained
Hårgan...
The Plump Elder turns to a Man standing beside a large BALL
CAGE (as generally used in bingo). The cage holds about a
hundred WOODEN BALLS (the size of ping-pong balls) with a
different RUNIC NAME carved into each.
The Man rotates the ball cage, which then dispenses a
single BALL. The man holds up the ball and reads the name
aloud:
BALL MAN
Dag.
PLUMP ELDER
Honorable Dag! Please step forward.
DAG, a man in his late 50s, looks like he just won the
lottery. He takes a step forward, beaming with pride.
PLUMP ELDER
And Christian Hughes...
The Plump Elder acknowledges Christian, whose eyes are
locked wide.
160.
PLUMP ELDER
(to Dani)
These are your candidates for the
ninth and final offering. We
patiently await your verdict.
Christian tries to scream, but this only results in muffled
moans. His eyes BEG Dani for mercy. Her eyes are GLASS.
The community waits as Dani makes her silent deliberation.
Dani’s EYES settle fixedly on CHRISTIAN. A wave of intense
EMOTION suddenly animates Dani’s face. Sadness, anger,
love, heartbreak... These feelings are finally wrestled
down, and her expression becomes BLANK again. Her EYES,
still trained on Christian, have HARDENED. They narrow
pointedly to suggest that she’s made her decision. The
Plump Elder understands.
PLUMP ELDER
(to the crowd)
The honor has been bestowed on
Christian Hughes, our ninth and
most sacred offering!
Christian’s muffled screams now become hysterical. Dani’s
gaze remains steely and absent.
112 EXT. FIELD - EVENING 112
CU of a WHEEL rolling across the grass. Tracking alongside
this, we tilt up to reveal that it belongs to a
WHEELBARROW. Lying in the wheelbarrow is CONNIE’S CORPSE.
It is soaking wet and its flesh is grossly distended (from
being left underwater). She is wearing the same outfit (of
greenery and jewels) that was used earlier for the
sacrificial tree (which was fed to the river).
Continuing to track alongside the wheelbarrow (which is
pushed by a young male Hårgan), we pull back to EXPAND OUR
VIEW. We reveal that the Hårgan is carting Connie’s corpse
toward the yellow-painted SACRED HOUSE, which was
previously off-limits.
It stands in the center of an open field. Its door is now
OPEN.
We settle on a static wide of this until a NEW CART is
pushed into frame. We now follow this cart, keeping it
centered in frame. This cart holds MARK’S “CORPSE.” In
fact, it is just his hollowed out SKIN - stuffed with straw
and hay.
161.
Peripherally, other bodies are being carted toward the
house.
We continue to track ahead, following Mark’s cart INTO the
SACRED HOUSE...
113 INT. SACRED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 113
The interior is completely adorned in greenery. An
impossibly lush mausoleum. In the center is a PLATFORM made
of hay.
Connie’s corpse is rested in one corner. Mark’s is placed
in the next corner. Simon’s body is placed in between them.
In the following corner is the corpse of one of the ELDERLY
MEN who jumped off the cliff. He is surrounded by his most
precious belongings (jewelry, books, etc.). His SON (40s)
is overseeing the removal of one of his father’s EYEBALLS
by the DOCTOR.
The doctor has effectively drawn the corpse’s eyeball from
its socket. He hands the eyeball to the son.
The doctor then moves to the body of the other elderly man
who leapt to his death. He is also surrounded by his most
prized possessions. The doctor now proceeds to remove his
eyeball.
114 EXT. FIELD - DAY 114
The son of the fallen elder has walked to a small HOLE in
the earth. He lays his father’s EYEBALL in the hole, and
covers it with soil.
115 INT. BOOK-BINDING ROOM - SAME TIME 115
A room that is typically used for book-binding. Its walls
are lined with collector’s editions of books.
A DEAD BEAR (seen earlier, alive and caged) lies on the
island table. A deep INCISION has been drawn from the
animal’s neck to its groin. Two Hårgan Labourers pull out
the bear’s INNARDS.
After scooping out the majority of its guts, they pile the
waste into a bucket.
Then, with the assistance of two well-built Hårgan men, the
Labourers endeavor to lift CHRISTIAN’s paralyzed body.
162.
Christian is fitted into the bear’s hollowed out carcass.
They start by inserting his limp legs into the bear’s legs.
116 INT. SACRED HOUSE - MINUTES LATER 116
Christian has been secured into the giant bear carcass. The
incision (from its groin to its neck) has been SEWN UP. The
bear’s JAW has been removed, creating a gaping HOLE (down
to its upper chest) through which Christian’s FACE is
visible.
Five Hårgan labourers plant the bear carcass in the CENTER
of the hay platform. There is a pole against which its back
is rested. Christian is still unable to move or speak. His
muffled screams persist.
A man dressed as “Víoarr” (god of vengeance) stands before
Christian. He holds the Rubi Radr in his hands.
VÍOARR
(in Swedish)
Mighty and dreadful beast. With
you, we purge our most unholy
affects. We banish you now to the
deepest recesses, where you may
reflect on your wickedness.
Ingemar and Ulf are now strapped to the walls. They are
also surrounded by their most prized belongings. The Doctor
stands before Ulf. He pours a thick, sappy LIQUID into
Ulf’s mouth.
DOCTOR
(in Swedish)
Drink from the yew tree. Feel no
fear.
The doctor moves to Ingemar, who smiles widely. The doctor
pours the liquid into his mouth as well.
DOCTOR
(in Swedish)
Drink from the yew tree. Feel no
pain.
In the b.g., Josh’s corpse has also been placed.
The doctor leaves the house. Now, THREE HÅRGAN MEN enter
with FLAMING TORCHES. Music begins outside, including the
wordless, microtonal SINGING we’ve come to recognize.
163.
The men approach Christian, whose “screaming” has become
horribly frenzied.
The men move to different sides of the hay platform. They
form a TRIANGLE. Simultaneously, they touch their torches
to the hay - igniting a FIRE.
117 EXT. FIELD - SAME TIME 117
The torch-men exit the house. Inside, the fire has begun to
spread along the platform.
The music rises as the fire picks up. The SINGING, which
wavers in trembling anticipation, has not yet found
harmony.
Dani watches this with dissociated eyes. She stands tensely
in the field, eyes locked on the fire. Behind her, all of
Hårga is enraptured.
118 INT. SACRED HOUSE - SAME TIME 118
The fire has grown considerably. Inside the bear, Christian
is now being steam-boiled in the animal’s fluids.
The bear’s FUR begins to catch fire. Before long, the whole
animal is swallowed in the blaze. Christian’s wretched face
becomes invisible behind the flames.
Ulf and Ingemar (still smiling) watch this with detached
fascination.
The fire has now spread to other piles of hay. It has begun
to crawl up the walls of the house.
Ulf is suddenly consumed by flames. He SCREAMS!
119 EXT. FIELD - SAME TIME 119
Ulf’s screams are heard from the Sacred House. Suddenly,
every member of the Hårgan community (who is not singing)
begins to SCREAM as well. Feeling Ulf’s pain, they emit a
horrible chorus of wails. When Ulf’s screams die down, so
do theirs.
Meanwhile, Ruben has been given paper to PAINT on. Two
elders encourage him.
164.
DANI, watching the burning house with fraught eyes, is
suddenly met with a wave of conflicting emotions. Her
expression curdles into one of sheer HORROR and DISGUST.
Then it becomes one of deep SORROW and SHAME. Her eyes well
with tears. The singing has now HARMONIZED and has risen to
an insane, operatic pitch.
We cut to an immense WIDE. Dani’s back is in the f.g. and
the burning house is in the b.g. Overcome, Dani buries her
face in her hands. Breaking into gentle sobs, she begins to
walk aimlessly to the side. We TRACK alongside her, keeping
her centered. She is circling the house, pulling at her
hair and face in increasing anguish. She is WEEPING now,
and the house (ever-present in the b.g.) has become
ENGULFED in the raging flames.
Dani begins MOANING and SCREAMING. Her howls almost
harmonize with the singing in the b.g. The fire ROARS and
CRACKLES in the distance. It’s apocalyptic.
Soon it’s uncertain whether Dani is crying or LAUGHING. Her
legs become weak and she collapses to her knees. Four
Hårgans (one of them being Pelle) run into the scene,
carrying a LARGE CHAIR - Dani’s throne.
The Hårgans lift Dani by the arms and SEAT her in the
throne.
They then HOIST the chair into the air.
On the upward LIFT, we cut to a tight CLOSE-UP of Dani’s
face.
She is being carried forward. Her expression, which begins
as one of great distress, slowly starts to TURN. Her agony
subsides into sudden CONFUSION. What’s happening? Where am
I?
I’m on this chair, being carried! Her expression goes from
FEAR to EXCITEMENT to CONFUSION again. She suddenly lets
out an abrupt LAUGH (which we can’t hear over the music and
the now-deafening FIRE). Dani is now being taken over by an
invading sense of pride and contentment. This soon evolves
into a manic exhilaration. Dani BEAMS. She has been
embraced by a new family. She is Queen. She is not alone.
A SMILE finally breaks onto Dani’s face. She has
surrendered to a joy known only by the insane. She has lost
herself completely, and she is finally free. It is horrible
and it is beautiful.
CUT TO BLACK