Conviction, The (1991)

[bunniefuu]

THE CONVICTION

Look, they want to
take our picture.

This extraordinary effect...

gives us the impression that it
is circular, of perpetual motion...

If you look carefully it appears
among the DNA replicates...

And ahead we see the other
pillars recessed into the wall.

He has realized that something
immensely is going to happen.

She has changed under his hands.
Notice his frightened gaze.

Sandra!

We continue.

Look Sandra! Where did you go?
Did you get lost? Come with us.

This room is known for its
strange acoustic effects.

Could you please spread out
in the four corners...

and whisper something. No matter what.
It'll be heard, so please think first.

Sandra! Come here, listen.

Listen!
You hear them over there.

-Say something, anything.
-I can't think of anything...

Well.
Now you we've come to the end...

The museum is closing now.

-What are you staring at?
-The expression in the child's eyes.

As if it is scared... that someone
would prevent him from drinking.

Not he seems scared. It is Leonardo's,
the genuis', the master's gaze.

For him, all breasts are equal.

In that gaze lies a deep insight into
the world, especially into science...

That not even the poorest breasts
can hinder his creativity to unfold.

What are you doing here?

Do you know that
we are locked in?

Come on, we might find a way out.
Maybe someone is left...

What shall we do now?
We can't stay here all night.

Haven't you seen
the castle at night?

In darkness you see nothing.

It's not completely dark, a little
light is always left. Come...

Come on, don't be afraid.

In a museum everything's lit up, the
whole painted surface must be visible.

It's a factual, flat, efficient light
that doesn't take a position.

But this random, vivid light
gives depth to the works.

Almost makes them move.

Signor Professore tries
to r*pe me in the dark.

You're stronger than I am.

You can do what you want.

Also not do it?

Why did you stop?

Do you see the statue there? It's
beautiful and untouchable, like you.

Like me?

But actually you were very touched...
More than you realised, right?

Suddenly I got afraid
not to feel anything.

And afraid you'd notice it.

Come...

You already r*ped me...

So come...

Come.

I'm always looking for an image.
A beautiful woman's gentle lusciousness.

I'm looking for the physical woman
that art can't give me.

Now you're an untouchable picture here
on the divan, like a painting by Goya.

My desire asks nothing of you.
What I want is to give you life,

r*pe you to feel your emotions
like a child that is born.

You'll try to crush me,
like the newborn does.

I know I love you because I
don't expect anything.

You appeared this night among
the motionless pictures.

Something that actually
can not happen.

Inspired by memories
we make statues?

I love you because I will
disturb Goya's painting:

Then you'll crush me like a statue
because I still have the memory of you.

I didn't want to look at you, but take
you from behind without seeing you.

But you turned round.

I was hit like a vampire by the sun
and you planted love into my mind...

Love for your face
on a still innocent body.

Listen to my silly prayer,
let me be...

I'll give you my body that
you can't live without.

-Shall we go?
-Where?

Out. I have keys.

De Blasi,
I'm the defendant's lawyer.

-Good morning your honor.
-It'll be tough today.

Members of this court!

-Who represents the defense?
-Adv. De Blasi.

-Prosecutors?
-Adv. Tassoni.

Colaianni, Lorenzo, architect,
born in Rome 13.12.1946...

is accused for
the following delicts:


of Alessandra Celestini...


of the Penal Code...

and with v*olence and threats forced
intercourse with said Alessandra C.

Come forward, Mr architect.

Have a seat.

Have you understood
the accusations?

Can you confirm what you said
during police interrogations?

You don't need to respond.

In the records of the police
interrogations... you reject...

the accusation of r*pe...

arguing that it happened
with her agreement.

-What kind of "agreement"?
-I didn't say it that way.

No, but the meaning was so.

No, she didn't agree actually...

because then you perform
an action of free will.

At a certain stage in the
act of love... the free will...

loses its importance...

and turns into
a pointless hindrance.

The beauty of the act of love includes
both lovers surrender completely.

You said
"at a certain stage"?

So there is a "before"
and a "afterwards"?

But before, before that
that special moment...

Did Sandra Celestini... agree?
Did she say yes... and agreed with it?

Maybe not, but
that's unimportant.

I can admit that I forced
Sandra but not...

but not that I r*ped her.

Did you ever think about if you
acted... right... or wrong?

I had no bad conciousness.

-You were not even...
a little bit unsure? -No.

But aside from a possible r*pe...

do you think it's
normal behaviour...

to practise one's love life...
at night...

in a closed museum?

No. But there was no v*olence
involved that is illegal by law.

-What makes you believe that?
-Sandra's orgasm.

Do you find it painful
to make love?

Kiss me...
Love me... Kiss me[/ i]

Let's sum up... You claim
that no v*olence was involved...

since Sandra Celestini experienced...
an orgasm? Can you prove that?

An orgasm can't
be proven scientifically.

I can not describe it.

The more unconscious,
the more beautiful...

The traces are only existent
in the lover's souls.

But why would Sandra Celestini
accuse you, if she had enjoyed it?

She was forced.

-She didn't choose to do it.
-And the keys?

What about the keys?
You pretended not to have them.

I pretended nothing.

I didn't need to say I had keys.
It was my private affair.

In fact...

-I did it on purpose.
-On purpose...

Yes, to force her to stay.

-Then it was illegal restraint.
-No.

Sandra came there by free will and
locked herself in by free will.

I just didn't say anything
about the keys.

If you had said it, would she
have wanted to leave?

Hard to say.
Maybe she wanted to stay.

Why that? You hadn't met yet?
-Just an assumption.

In any case was Sandra Celestini
in an... inferior position.

Her inferiority was her inability
to surrender to her desire.

Objection! We're not looking for
theories and interpretations.

Let's go back to the facts.
Start from from the beginning.

As you wish, although don't
expect any new facts.

Why not?

A richly detailed description would
be absurd, even grotesque, false.

Simply untrue.

But it wouldn't harm you.

I note that the defendant
doesn't answer my questions.

Any other questions?

No, your honour.
- Does the defense have questions?

The prosecution?

You can go and sit down.

Call in the witness.

Step forward.

You will now
testify under oath.

Consider your responsibility
before God and man.

Swear to tell the truth, and nothing
but the whole truth. - I swear.

Have a seat.

I have to ask you about
sensitive details.

Please tell us how
it all happened.

I visited the museum
in Castello Farnese...

together with some friends.

And...

Near the exit I was
seized with panic.

I thought I had lost the keys
to my apartment.

I went back to look...

And...

I was scared.

The museum...
was completely empty.

But I have to find them, I had
nowhere else to go.

Inside the museum, I went astray...

I couldn't find the way out...

I was almost settled to spend
the night at the museum...

when the man suddenly
appeared behind me.

He disturbed...

immediately the calmness
I had achieved.

He was... provocative...

in his crudeness.

Like...

Like a maniac who tries
to hide his violent intentions...

Then he was very correct,

but his correctness...

made me uncertain...

As if he tried...
with his gestures...

or normal movements...

intimated and stimulated...

a frightening and
aggressive sexuality.

And I was right.

The first time he tried...

to take me from behind...

Then he went away.

The second time, however...

well... he r*ped me.

He threw me down on the divan.

Then he abused me.

He said I was...
unable to make love.

And the third time...

He took advantage of
my weakness,

I couldn't defend myself.
So he took me.

On a divan where I had
laid down to rest...

He...

has such willpower...

that a woman surrenders,
even against her will.

Without lengthy conversation
or talking about art...

he manages to touch
one's innermost...

And it's true...

He used his strength,
but not to hurt me.

He knew I couldn't defend myself,
couldn't fly...

couldn't freely and soberly
decide about my actions.

It was him who
had the power...

The keys...

which he didn't want
to share with me.

And then he forced me...
Still without v*olence...

To sexual acts
only I could choose.

And he hurt me...

making fun of my
sexual problems.

He wasn't kind...

in his absurd,
violent searching...

for an impossible beauty.

That is all.

You don't love me. Why do you
want to have sex with me?

It only makes it worse.

Can't you sense
you're hurting me!

-Do you think Colaianni is guilty?
-I haven't said that.

-But you're convinced he is.
-I didn't say that.

-You said it two times.
-What did I say two times?

-Never mind.
-What did I say twice?

I don't think he r*ped her.

Why do you rather believe
Sandra than him?

She seemed honest... sincere.

And he admitted
he had forced her.

-That's not the same.
-What is it then?

Actually you are a r*pist!
Therefore you believe Sandra!

- r*pist? - Yes, you r*pe me when
you disappoint me, and that's always.

- Always?
- That's no news.

You never said it.

It's not about your sexual
performances, they're normal.

It's something else.

You can't let yourself go,
you know everything beforehand...

You see everything,
you've everything under control...

Is that what call you passion?

You shall give me an orgasm!
You!

For I can't do it myself!

Do you understand that?

Giovanni,
you'll never be a r*pist,

unfortunately
you'll never be one.

-Unfortunately?
-Right, unfortunately.

First you accuse me of being
a r*pist, and now the opposite.

You know what I mean.
Don't you?

-You drive me crazy.
-Yes, I want to drive you crazy!

I want you to be crazy.
At least once!

-How?
-You have to find out yourself.

-But it makes no sense...
-Do it for me please!

-Why?
-Stop to ask all the time!

This court trial...

is about a fundamental right:
the right to property...

and especially a woman's right
to physical integrity.

Each human, free...
and normal...

is the absolute owner
of his body.

In respect of others freedom,

everyone can do what
he wants, even...

even jump from the balcony.

Lorenzo Colaianni,
has unquestionably denied this right,

this freedom of choice,
to Sandra Celestine.

However...
One could argue

that under certain circumstances,
a no may mean yes.

And vice versa.

The intention can be
the contrary of the words.

And especially...

The unconscious intentions

are possibly in conflict with
the conscious intentions.

Unconscious impulses...
As such...

should not be punishable.

Here we have...
the thr*at...

against the principle of
personal responsibility...

as I had mentioned earlier.

From that thr*at,
one can't escape,

unless we distinguish strictly between
consciousness and unconsciousness,

and choose consciousness!

Otherwise we're unable
to judge at all!

I have tried to understand the reasons
that lead to certain behaviors.

For example...

It is difficult to rationally
explain how it could happen...

that Sandra Celestini...

was locked in
in the museum.

You could assume that she
voluntarily let lock herself in,

to meet the Colaianni
but it doesn't work...

she had never met him earlier!

Therefore it remains a fact...

that is rationally inexplicable.

That Colaianni was there
is not so inexplicable,

He had keys.

This detail...

lets us determine
two totally different situations.

Sandra can't escape from the museum,
Colaianni can get out.

Sandra is a prisoner in the museum,
but Colaianni is not.

Sandra is completely
at Colaianni's mercy.

The difference in the situation
and Colaianni's personality

are the two elements
that lay the ground

of a sexual as*ault that
is different from the r*pes

we read about in the papers,
that normally are judge in here.

But still there was,
actually...

a sexual as*ault in the
deeper sense of the term.

In that situation Sandra
wasn't free...

to choose if she wanted to have
intercourse with Colaianni...

while Colaianni could!

Moreover, Colaianni
admits to have forced her...

To have forced her to a
sexual act on his conditions!

Colaianni could not know that she
would experience sexual pleasure,

He only forced Sandra to do
something she would...

never do knowingly
and voluntarily!

And then...

What an arrogance,
to assume...

that he was right!

All this in the name of beauty...

The beauty of surrendering...

to orgasm...

Continue please.

Excuse me...

Continue please.

Yes, of course.
I claim that this court...

sentences Lorenzo Colaianni...

to 21/2 years prison...

to pay the court costs,
and I also...

suggest that he is
granted probation.

Excuse me.

Wait...

- Leave me!
- You did it on purpose?

You're crazy, this is paranoia!

Leave me alone.

Look Monica, I don't allow you to
have doubts about my intentions.

You behave as if
everything is fine.

- Is anything wrong?
- I dunno.

- Calm down.
- Leave me alone.

- Let's talk about it.
- It's over!

And don't follow me.

Don't follow after me, f*cking idiot...
There's nothing to do.

Malatesta...

Your final speech wasn't good.
The sentence must be appealed.

-Colaianni was convicted.
-The verdict is none of our business.

I watched you this morning.
You're not a real prosecutor.

You couldn't convince,
it was pitiful.

Your closing argument was legally
pointless. You are the prosecutor...

It is your role.
It is impossible...

A prosecutor can not
justify himself.

At one point,
I had the distinct feeling...

you wanted to justify yourself
for the defendant.

Do you know that you
spoke for six minutes?

In such an important lawsuit
you speak six minutes?

I shouldn't have taken the case.

An appeal.
I really recommend an appeal.

- You have three days.
- Yes...

You look beautiful.

Thank you.

May I ask for a dance?

Good evening.

Happy birthday to you...

Happy birthday, Valentina...

What are you doing!

Give him a napkin.

One moment, sir.

Preta, bring Colaianni
for an interview!

I want to talk to you,
it's important to me.

Please.

-Have you read the papers?
-Some of them.

Tell me if I'm bothering you...

- I won't take much time.
- I have time, I'm very free.

- Your confidence has cost you dear.
- To act abnormal has its price.

I pay for my normality.

I would like you to explain
to me why...

Don't be surprised
about my question.

Why...

Last night I was at a party...

Sandra Celestine, in front of everyone,
threw a pie in my face.

- So she's just fine...
- Agreed, but why me?

She had no reason.

If women are forced to be
themselves, they're okay.

But you can't force someone
to do what don't want to do.

I'm unable to do that.

It violates natural laws.

The penal law is based
on natural laws.

And also...

I know I'm unable...

I couldn't become a r*pist.

Even Monica blamed me for it.

Monica is my girlfriend.

At least she was.
According to Monica, I would be...

I am a r*pist...
by the fact not to be one.

By the fact that you can't
give her an orgasm.

But I can't become crazy,
just because I want to!

What should I do?

I've never done anything,
you've to be in a certain way.

What does that mean
"be in a certain way"?

Be the opposite of women...

Never be like them.

Diversity...
And solitude.

Solitude inside...

and sometimes physical.

They have a secret they don't away
spontaneously. We must take it...

But then they get happy
for being... r*ped.

They'd never admit that,
rather...

They denounce you,
and perhaps even rightly.

This is the tower room, the ceiling
is made of Lebanon cedar.

At the center, we can see
Cardinal Farnese's coat arms...

made of pure gold.

Eventually we see here
Pope's apartment.

The exit is over here.

How do you go crazy
for a woman?

And make her crazy too?

Desire her more than
anything else.

See and hear nothing but her.

Overcome her resistance with
the force of desire alone.

Monica has come back.

Things are better now.

But actually nothing
has changed.

The beauty is missing.

The beauty of utter devotedness.

- It still feels impossible.
- The impossible has its price.

If you're afraid to be judged,
you won't succeed.

Jugded?
Why should I be judged?

It is inevitable.

Beauty is only tolerated in museums,
motionless, contemplated...

But to give it life,
body and movement...

is prohibited by
the normal society.

Do you want to avoid
to be judged, because

you can't find beauty anyway?

Or can't find it because you're
afraid of being judged?

The other day I went to the museum
and imagined I saw Sandra.

And then, when the museum
had already closed...

I saw her body behind a glass...

Inside the castle.

Was it real or an illusion?

Time to work!

Did they hurt you?

Luckily, I heard you.

In such cases, one must
act without thinking.

Who told you that?
It was love.

Wasn't it r*pe?

But it wasn't r*pe...

What was it then?

What was it?

I will never be like
Colaianni, I know...

But I am doomed to try...

Go all the way in this research,
that keeps me alive.

I feel it...

Otherwise, I'll die.

There's no mercy.

No, there is no mercy.
Women's contempt is a fact.

The contempt of a whore
for an impotent customer...

is not so different from...

a woman's contempt who falls asleep
in the arms of her husband...

after fulfilled conjugal duty.

Both are faithful to
their own mediocrity.

Gender equality is just bullshit.

You men have erections...

and thus the duty
to use this power...

Even without our consent.

But it doesn't happen...

because you're afraid to
become totally crazy.

Afraid your uncontrolled v*olence
will make you commit a crime...

r*pe.

The fear of the sentence...
And women's hatred.

Colaianni was lucky that
society condemned him;

forced him to pay.

Either you pay that way or you
might pay with madness...

The darkness that never ends...