House Was Not Hungry Then, The (2025)

[bunniefuu]

[birds singing]

[car engine rumbling]

[car doors slamming]

[indistinct chatter]

[lock clicks, door squeaks]

- Come in, come in.

[indistinct chatter]

- Oh, I have to check that.

Anyway, been a long time.

Maybe two or three years.

- Oh, really?

- A lot of historical interest

in this place.

The older section

of the house was built

in Victoria's coronation year.

The plan was a month,

but the parish lines

were redrawn.

The next person to live here

was the son

of one of the local lairds.

- Oh. When was the roof

last replaced?

- Must have been '70.

Well, but it's hard slate,

so should last for 100 years.

Come. In you go

and have a look round.

[ominous music]

[dark piano notes]

- Imagine it without this room.

- Who ever thought

this was a good idea?

- Well, do you think

the fireplaces still work?

- [speaking indistinctly]

- I can't see up this chimney.

Either it's been blocked,

or there's a bird's nest

in there.

- I think it's blocked.

- [speaking indistinctly]

[ominous music continues]

[indistinct chatter]

- Difficult to get the car

up here when it's icy.

[static crackling]

[doorknob rattling]

- Smells a bit, doesn't it?

- Can we stop at the bank

on the way back?

- What did she say?

- What's the asking price?

- Can we stop at the bank?

- [speaking indistinctly]

- Can we stop at the ba--

[static crackling]

[ominous music intensifies]

[thunder rumbling]

- Let me know if you have

any questions.

Hello?

No point in thinking

like that, is there?

Not like anything can be done.

Just the way things are.

[sighs]

All right.

[rain pattering]

[thunder rumbling]

[knocking on glass]

[footsteps tapping]

[phone line ringing]

[ominous music]

[doorknob rattles]

- Hello, this is [indistinct].

I'm not available,

but please leave a message,

and I'll call you back.

[phone line beeps]

- Hi, this is Caroline

from across the road.

I'm just--

[sighs]

[static crackling]

Hello?

[rain pattering]

[birds chirping]

- No, no.

No need to worry about that.

That's why I'm here, isn't it?

That's why I'm here.

[car horn honks]

Oh, sh*t.

[car engine rumbling]

Oh, f*ck.

[footsteps thumping]

[door squeaks]

Come in, come in.

[knock at door]

[knock at door]

- Hello?

[footsteps crunching]

[grunts]

[breathing heavily]

[glass shatters]

[lock clicking]

[grunts]

[breathing heavily]

[grunting]

[breathing heavily]

[glass shatters]

[grunts]

[sighs]

[static crackling]

[ominous music]

[wind whistling]

[sighs]

[lock clicks, door creaks]

[dull thumping]

[thudding]

[grunts]

[object scraping]

[door creaking]

[stairs creaking]

[phone line ringing]

- Hello?

- Hi.

Hi, this is Caroline.

- Oh.

- Yeah, hi.

I'm back home, and--

- Oh.

- Well, actually, I'm back

in the area, and I went home--

- Didn't you call first?

- And--

- You haven't spoken to him?

- Where is he?

- He's really not well.

You do know that, right?

- Yes.

- We've been doing

his shopping for him.

- OK.

Where is he?

- He's very ill.

They had to move him.

Look, when was the last time

you spoke to him?

- OK, do you know

where they moved him?

- I'm not--I'm not sure.

To a--well, a facility.

- [sighs]

Do you know which one?

D-do you know which facility?

Oh, sh*t.

[sighs]

[object clatters]

OK.

[object clicking]

[groans]

[object thumps]

[metallic clank]

[sighs]

[sighs]

[door clicks shut]

[footsteps tapping]

[birds singing]

[car engine rumbling]

[car door clicks open, slams]

[metallic thud]

[indistinct chatter]

[lock clicking]

[door creaks]

- Thanks for making

the time for this.

- Not at all.

So as you can see,

there's a real wealth

of history.

Not many like these anymore.

- Mm.

- Oh, the electricity's

been turned off

to be friendly

to the environment.

- Henry, get your phone out.

- The first part of this house

was built

at the very beginning

of the Victorian age.

[indistinct chatter]

[indistinct chatter]

[static crackling]

[ominous music]

Did you tell anybody that you

were coming here today?

[indistinct chatter]

[static crackling]

- We really just want something

more like a home, you see.

[slapping]

Who would want to come and stay

in a holiday let like this?

[static crackling]

- Might be cheaper

to tear this down

and start with a new build.

- Get out.

- Henry.

- Pardon?

- Get out.

- Henry.

- Get out.

Get out!

- Don't talk like that.

- We don't need you here.

- You can't talk

to us that way!

- Get away!

- Henry!

[heavy breathing]

- Go outside, Sonia.

All right.

You're a small man.

- [sighs]

[whimpers]

[car engine rumbling]

[footsteps tapping]

[sighs]

You shouldn't have this.

I should smash it.

What are you doing?

You've been so hungry,

so hungry, so hungry,

I couldn't keep up.

Why?

Are you full now?

You know, they--you don't know.

You don't understand anything.

They'll gut you.

They'll rip you apart.

They'll--they'll--

they'll turn you

into something without soul.

Something without soul,

something--

strangers coming to and fro.

Or is that what you want?

You want to rot and decay

and turn into rubble?

Turn into a row,

a load of rubble?

[whispering]

I won't let this happen.

I got a letter here.

A CPO.

You know what that is?

They want to take you away.

Take you away from me.

Own you.

Change you.

[sighs]

But I'm going to sort it out.

I'm putting

some money together.

We'll fix you.

That's all they really want.

We'll get them off our backs.

Yes.

Things are hard.

We need to be careful.

We need to slow down.

You...

need me.

[gravel crunching]

[jaunty piano music playing]

[music stops]

- Hello?

Did you put this here?

[sighs]

Why?

You can see me?

And you...understand me?

Where did all these things

come from?

[object clatters]

[wood creaking]

[phone line ringing]

- You've reached

George House Hospice.

We're either busy

at the moment,

or you've reached us

after hours.

Leave your name and number,

and someone

will get back to you shortly.

[phone line beeps]

- Hi, my name's

Caroline Dalgarno.

I am calling to see if you

have someone in care there.

His name is Peter Dalgarno.

If you wouldn't mind,

give me a ring back.

My number is 077-009-00136.

OK, thank you very much.

Bye-bye.

[phone line beeps]

[clears throat, sighs]

Yes.

I was--

I was moving home, actually.

My--my landlord

wanted to renovate,

and there was nowhere else

I could afford, so...

I was hiding everything

by the train station.

I didn't have

anywhere else to put it.

Is that OK?

But I'll leave...soon.

Is he--is he coming back?

Plants...

and clothes

and drawings and some books.

I'm not very good.

I should be better

at perspective,

making things

look three-dimensional.

That's you.

You can just see a little bit.

It's a photograph

taken from the road.

That's your roof.

Yeah, exactly.

They--they take

all these photographs

and put them together

so it feels like

you're walking down the street.

You can go anywhere.

Sometimes when I was at uni,

I would put in my home address

and pretend I was walking

along my road.

It's just a few miles

that way, actually.

I used to come

past here all the time,

but I never came

down this road.

I never knew about you.

[singing]

Familiar places

Familiar people

Always the same

bright sunny day

It's like being a kid again.

We're not--

We're not--

I knew he was ill.

He can be distant.

[phone buzzing]

- Hello, Caroline?

Caroline?

- Yes, hi.

- Oh, hi.

[laughs] Yes.

You all right?

- How are you doing?

- Oh, I'm all right.

Yeah.

I'm all right.

You know, they're--how's uni?

- Yeah, fine. Good.

- Making your wee drawings,

yeah, your wee houses.

I still have that one

from your application,

your portfolio, the--

You keeping safe over there?

- Yeah, of course.

Yeah, everything's fine.

How are you doing?

- I'm all right.

[chuckles] Yeah, I do worry.

I put it out of my head,

of course, but--

I go on my walks,

and I imagine

what you must be getting up to,

going around, living your life.

Did I ever tell you that?

- Dad?

- Sorry, sorry, just had

a wee moment there.

[laughs]

So how are you?

How is uni?

- Yeah, it's fine.

- [laughs]

- It's hard.

- Oh, I know.

You don't have to tell me.

I had an awful time.

I didn't even make it

through a full year.

- I know.

- [laughs]

Remember when we lived

in Auchenblae,

the nice house?

Yeah.

Oh, no, no, that was

before you were born.

[chuckles]

No, Cat was pregnant.

Of course

you wouldn't remember.

That was the best time,

Caroline.

Seeing you on the ultrasound,

so cozy, so safe inside, yeah.

I thought about

that picture of you,

and I wished

you could stay in there

and not go out into the awful,

dangerous world.

Oh.

Oh, dear, oh, dear.

There I go again.

I'm sorry, love.

It's the drugs.

The good sh*t.

Let me know, and I'll see

if I can hook you up with some.

- I'm gonna come

and see you, Dad.

- Oh, no, no. No, no.

- Yes.

Yeah.

What did they do with all

your composition books?

- No, don't do that.

- No, it's all right.

It's OK.

Where are you?

- No, focus on school,

Caroline.

- Where are you, Dad?

- Oh, I'm just at home.

- You're at home?

- Yeah, I'm sat in the kitchen,

looking out the window.

I've got your little

clay sculpture

here on the windowsill.

Some robins in the bird feeder.

- How many robins?

- Three of them.

- Is it nice there?

- It's beautiful.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I have to go.

Liam at the door.

- OK.

OK, well, I'll see you soon.

- See you soon.

[phone line beeps]

- [sniffles, sighs]

[exhales sharply]

You fixed the window.

[birds singing]

When was that?

Do you remember

a time before that?

You fixed the window.

You can fix yourself.

What do you eat?

Do you know what you are?

Do you know how long

you've been here?

Does--does anyone else

know about you?

What happens to things?

You take them away

and you bring them back.

Where does it go?

[doorknob rattling]

I don't have any money,

but I could walk to him.

It's four hours.

I can do that.

I don't need any of this.

[birds singing]

[soft metallic clank]

[phone buzzing]

This is you.

A slate roof.

Slate ridge tiles.

A lead verge gutter.

Bay window and a French door

up on the gable end.

Top upper windows

with recessed window reveals,

Scottish style,

set back in the cavity

to keep out some of the rain.

In good shape, all in all.

[chuckles]

See how I put lines in

for perspective?

This is the vanishing point...

where it all comes together

and ends.

To the house without an occupant

from the girl without a home.

Thank you.

[door creaks]

[rain pattering]

[thunder rumbling]

[birds singing]

[gravel crunching]

- Just go and open the door.

- Here we go.

[lock clicks, door creaks]

- Want to have a look in here?

Come on, let's have a look.

Wow.

So big.

[gasps]

Can we see

what's out the window?

[baby fussing]

Oh, it's OK.

OK.

It's OK.

Look at the flowers.

[gasps] Wow.

Look at the flowers.

So pretty.

So pretty.

[speaking indistinctly]

Hon?

Can we get a picture?

You OK? Oh.

[baby fusses]

[baby fussing]

You're OK.

Hon, you got my phone?

- Huh?

- You got my phone?

- I don't have it.

- Thank you.

Oh, should we go back?

[gasps]

Can you take it?

- Yeah.

Let's go.

- Go on.

Say cheese.

- Cheese!

[camera shutter snaps]

- Go on, give us a smile, then.

Aw, he's a grump now.

- [sighs, speaks indistinctly]

[baby fusses]

Yeah, I know.

I know. I know.

I know.

[indistinct chatter]

[car engine rumbling]

[rain pattering]

[car door slams]

- Hiya.

- Hi. Are you--

- I'm an officer of the court.

You're the owner

of this property.

- I am the estate agent.

- No, you're the owner,

the inheritor.

You're Duncan Patterson.

I've come about the CPO.

You wrote to the minister

and the council

objecting to the CPO, yeah?

- Said I have 21 days.

- That's right.

You objected to the CPO.

You said you had

fixed the property up...

- That's right.

- And you had

an interested buyer.

- That's right.

- If you do actually

have a buyer,

then that's something

the court needs to know.

That's good news.

- Yes.

- Who is it?

Who's the solicitor

they're working with?

- I need to send it to you

in writing.

- We've sent numerous notices.

I myself have been here several

times trying to track you down,

but you're nowhere to be found.

- Well, I'm here now.

- Yes, you are.

And I'm here to see

if what you said is true.

And clearly, it isn't.

- What are you gonna do with it?

You gonna tear it down?

[ominous rumbling]

- It's uninhabited

and derelict.

- It's not derelict.

- People have reported

vandalism,

broken windows, squatters.

- What?

There's no--

[rumbling continues]

Do you see any broken windows?

- Not currently.

- Or squatters?

- Houses like this

are sitting empty

while people are desperately

needing somewhere to live.

The waiting list

for council housing is full.

- Not here.

Nobody wants to live here.

They want to visit.

They don't want to live here.

- If I'm not able to go--

- Go inside and have a look.

- I'm not here for that.

- Go inside and have a look.

There's nothing wrong with it.

- No.

- Go inside yourself.

[dull thudding]

- Sir.

[panting]

Do not touch me.

- I told you to--

[metallic clatter]

[footsteps tapping]

- [breathing heavily]

[door creaks]

I--I'm so sorry.

No, I'm really sorry.

I just need to get

my--my phone.

- Hiya.

- [gasps]

[breathing heavily]

- It's all right.

I just want to talk to you.

Come outside, please.

What have you been

doing in there?

- Oh, no, I haven't--

I just saw

the door was open.

I'm sorry.

[laughs nervously]

- It's all right.

Well, come out now.

You've been staying in here,

haven't you?

I'm the owner.

But that's all right.

- I need my phone.

- Your phone?

- Yeah.

I just--I just need to get

my phone, and then I'll go.

- You can use my phone.

What do you need?

Do you need a lift?

- No, no.

- I've got money.

It's all right.

- [laughs]

- I just want to help.

I can help you get

whatever you want.

[growls]

- [panting]

[grunts]

[static crackling]

[panting]

[ominous rumbling]

- [grunts]

- OK.

- [groans] Stop! Stop!

Be quiet!

[both grunting]

[static crackling]

- [whimpering]

[both panting]

[rumbling fades]

- [mumbling]

Don't listen.

Please.

Don't listen to it.

Please.

- [whimpers]

[static crackling]

What more could I have done?

Please.

Please.

Please!

- [breathing heavily]

- Hello, love.

Sorry to call you again

like this.

It's just, well...

there are a lot of things,

a lot of things

I thought I wanted to say.

When I finally heard your voice,

oh, it was so nice.

I couldn't think

of how to say it.

[chuckles]

I was afraid. I was.

I was.

Ever since you were born.

And it made me--

My own father, you know,

he wasn't a very good father.

I don't think his father

had been a very good father.

And I tried to be different.

I chose coldness, distance.

And I think--

I think that was wrong too.

I think about you

living your life,

and it's like

being young again.

It's like being born again.

And I'm not afraid now.

Not at all.

I'm not in here.

I'm out there,

out there living.

You're me, aren't you?

Oh, I'm telling you,

Caroline, these drugs, oof,

they're something else.

I've been feeling

a little poorly.

I've been--

well, the nice people here,

the nice people

who have been helping me,

they think I could stop

all the medication,

the pills,

just sort of...rest.

Sedation is what it--

palliative sedation.

I've been thinking about it,

but I wanted to,

you know,

just one last time, well--

yeah, so I might not

be able to speak again.

[chuckles]

Oh, dear, oh, dear.

I wish I'd been closer to you.

Just a silly man.

- [sobs]

- You'll figure it out,

won't you?

[chuckles]

So lovely to hear

your voice earlier.

Hope all's well.

[line beeps]

- A vanishing point...

where it all

comes together...

and ends.

Where do people go

when they disappear?

I could stay.

I have nowhere else.

No one will miss me.

Let me stay.

Let me go inside.

Please.

[sighs]

[door clicks open, creaks]

[footsteps tapping]

[door creaks]

[playful music]

[somber music]

[train rumbling softly]

- This is the 5:02 service

to Edinburgh Waverley.

Calling at Carnoustie, Dundee...

- Tickets, please.

- Cupar, Haymarket,

and Edinburgh Waverley.

- Wee project, eh?

- Yeah.

I am an architect student.

- All right.

Tickets, please.

- He's right.

I do this thing with my eyebrows

when I know I need

to acknowledge

what someone's saying

but I don't want to engage

and I have nothing to say.

Just like him.

All these little

bits of our lives

through the darkness

of history.

We're repositories of millions

of lives and stories

reconstructed

into something that thinks

it's new and unique.

And maybe that's it.

Maybe that's all.

An old ghost in a new house.

That's him.

Are you comfortable?

[tranquil piano music]