Hot Milk (2025)

[bunniefuu]

Sofia.

You didn't answer your phone.

Sofia?

Isn't she lovely?

Do you think

you'll ever marry, 'Fia?

There is a reason

why the man is called the groom.

It's an ominous title.

Is that yours?

Yes, you. Does that handbag

belong to you?

Rose.

He is unbearable,

even at a distance.

The jellyfish

or the medusa, it has no bones,

no brain, and no heart.

What it does have

is an ability...

They are so young,

Maggie and Tom.

And the water is so loud.

The mill.

And the town

condemns her.

f*ck.

Oh, again?

I quite like

how primitive it is here.

It reminds me of

my mother's house.

Will you fix it, 'Fia?

And would you get me

a spoon?

Of course.

That man should be shot,

keeping his dog

chained on the roof.

Blech.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

-Sleep well.

-You, too.

Don't smoke near my dress.

The grammar in this letter

is startling.

We have to be there

at 2:45 their time.

Shall we order a taxi for half

past 1:00?

- It'll be very early.

- Mm.

This cranial testing

he's talked about,

I mean, nobody's

mentioned that before.

It's going to be wonderful,

Sofia.

I'm optimistic.

I can't. I can't do it.

I just can't. I can't.

I just can't tell my story

all over again, I just can't.

It's...

Perhaps we should just go home.

Come on, Rose.

You mortgaged

our house for this.

My house.

What if it doesn't work?

This dress is wrong.

Can we change it, 'Fia?

Hola.

W-We're from London.

No problem.

So, sometimes

you do feel your legs.

Yeah, I-I can walk.

Um, perhaps once a year.

I have no idea why I can

when I do, it just happens.

You were a librarian.

What were your duties?

I do the cataloging.

I indexed and classified books.

- Hmm. And you were born?

- I'm 64.

- In Ireland?

- Yes, in a small town.

- The population was...

- No one. No one.

And you moved to London when?

I left home,

and I went to university there.

I was the first person

in my family to do that.

And your parents

were proud?

My father was, yeah.

Sofia.

You live with your mother?

Yes.

And what do you think

about your mother's condition?

Rose hasn't been able to walk

since I was four.

Julieta, estars a cargo

de las terapias fsicas,

por favor.

And is anyone else

in the family?

No. There's no one else.

Just me and Sofia.

I waited a long time

for my only.

Hmm. And you work?

In a coffee bar.

I deferred my studies.

Sofia is a permanent student

of anthropology.

Wonderful.

You study patterns.

Doctor Gomez.

Just Gomez, please.

Where do you feel pain now?

Um, in my leg.

Uh, in my right elbow.

And I have chronic

knuckle pain here.

And you feel nothing

below your knees?

That's right.

I'm a rare case.

Sofia, you may go

and come back in two hours.

Um, you feel nothing here?

Nothing?

-Sofia...

-Yeah? Thanks.

Gomez has taken me

off three of my pills.

-Really?

-You know, other doctors,

they talked about

iron deficiency and diabetes.

Well, it's far more

complex than that,

but we have begun.

-Oh, good.

-Nurse Sunshine is my daughter,

and today it's her birthday.

-Et j'ai rempli les papiers.

-Et c'est sign?

-Oui, Papa.

-Trs bien.

-Do you need some help?

-No, we're fine.

-We're fine, thanks. Thanks.

-Thanks.

-I'll see you tomorrow?

-Yeah.

Happy birthday.

These are to be chucked.

Don't you want to wait?

For what?

Someone is making money

out of my prescription.

I mean, you've watched me.

All those pills.

You are my witness.

They fed me like an ardent child

in a sweetshop.

He cares. I can tell.

You paid him 25 grand.

Hmm. Euros.

Which is less.

Have faith, 'Fia, would you?

Isn't it dangerous

to just stop?

Why don't you go out

and just do some work?

I will.

And just...

I need a different water.

Would you get me another type?

Hola, guapa.

I'd rather be dead,

wouldn't you?

Than shackled.

You should rent

a different place.

I like it here.

I went walking once...

...when I was your age.

By the sea.

And then up this cliff.

And the people on the beach,

they stared

as I started up this incline.

The grass is so lush

and the rain was so soft

on my hair.

And I kept looking over

the edge.

And wondering how I would look

if I fell onto the rocks.

How my death would look.

I was happy.

I had no bag.

Just a cheese roll

and some tobacco.

I stood at the top there

and I...

just had a cigarette.

You should go back there.

Find it.

Hmm?

I can't walk.

What would you do

if I could walk?

I'd be happy.

Gomez is the last one.

Er, laces.

A subject that we

kept returning to

was the Balinese trance dance,

where young women fight

against a witch.

What's your full name?

Sofia Papastergiadis.

You have to stay

here five minutes in case

you have a reaction.

Age and occupation here.

Do many people

ride horses here?

Try not to touch the wound.

Oh, sorry.

I'm done.

Hi.

The water's still wrong, 'Fia.

This book, I realized,

is not about love.

It is about shame.

What's happened to your arm?

Jellyfish.

Well, you'll have

to get that seen to.

I already did.

Well, come here,

let me have a look.

God. Put water on that

and blow on it.

Well, you know,

at least you can swim.

Pain won't last long.

Can we go out now?

Yeah.

Watches.

I want one.

Why?

My father always wore one.

Did Christos have one?

Sort of digital horror he had.

With lights.

And then he had

such nice hair.

I sort of fell in love

with the way his hair fell.

You have different hair.

What are these watches then?

Wh-What have you got there?

Oh, yeah, that's...

No, no, no.

They are very simple.

They're three --

They're three personnages.

Uh, the father, the mother,

and the child. Right.

Which is the father?

I don't care.

But I am the child.

Okay. You are the child?

I am the child.

Gracias.

Do you smoke?

Yeah.

Do you have cigarettes?

Yeah.

Okay. Let's go.

Ingrid.

What do you do

in London?

I'm writing about

Margaret Mead at the moment.

Who's that? She sounds dead.

S-She was an anthropologist.

She went to

the South Sea Islands

and wrote about teenagers

to try and figure out

if adolescence is always

a terrible time,

or if it's just

a Western thing.

It's about nature

versus nurture.

It's shoes!

Tell me about your woman.

Okay.

She writes

that life is flexible,

as in, we can change it,

but that it's also elastic.

Because we always go back

to what we grew up with.

Essentially.

f*ck that sh*t.

Look at all this blue, Sofie.

-Cyan.

-It's blue.

It's blue.

And?

Matty?

Matty, can you hear the sea?

I'm always late.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

yeah. Mm.

You're not using

our rental car?

Sofia doesn't drive.

She failed her test four times.

Well, perhaps

your imagination is too active.

Did you imagine that you would

finally k*ll people?

She failed her theory, too,

where no one was

in any palpable danger.

Rose,

we have the scan of your feet.

Uh...Sofia.

Could you tell me

about your father?

He left when I was four,

and I've seen him a few times

since then.

The last time?

When I was 15.

Two years ago, he inherited

his father's shipping business.

He gave Sofia nothing.

And you, Rose.

You have sisters? Brothers?

Three brothers, older.

I had a sister, but she died.

It was a -- a tragedy?

No, they never

talked about her.

Well, it's imperative

to talk about the dead.

What was your sister's name?

Mary. Oh, I didn't know her.

She died before I was born.

I would like you to think about

your enemies, Rose.

Make a list.

We don't have access

to a printer.

Handwritten is best,

Mrs. Papastergiadis.

I was waiting for

a long time.

- Sorry.

- You didn't hear me.

I had my music on.

Should be listening

out for me instead.

Do you want

to go inside?

I want to go, but we can't.

How long does it take to ladle

out a bowl of bean soup?

Sofia's only having salad.

People think that all

those little white cottages

out in the middle of nowhere

are romantic.

-They're not.

-Why not?

Well, everyone's watching you.

I think I'll have a glass

of white wine.

No. No alcohol. We're working.

Ah, beautiful. There you go.

Nice.

That -- That will make

me come out in hives.

-Hmm?

-I'm allergic to fish.

I-I told you that.

Well, if you have a reaction,

I'll move.

Hey.

Gomez.

Rose?

My eye hurts now.

Did you write your list?

Could we sit away

from this table?

Tell me who's on the list,

Rose.

Well, he's on it, obviously.

And, um, my parents,

they weren't helpful.

And, so, I married a Greek,

and I escaped.

When did you last see

your mother and father?

Uh, they both died, actually,

in hospital. Separately.

But I-I wasn't there.

Did you want to be there?

No. Mnh-mnh.

And who is "he"?

Christos.

Sofia's father?

When Sofia was four,

Christos found God,

and he left for Athens.

How's your eye?

Hola.

Do you have the keys

to the hire car?

Thank you, Julieta.

- Sofie.

- Hi.

This is Matty.

He's going to drive

your car for you.

-Hi.

-Hi.

Cigarette?

-Il tu promenade.

-Thank you.

That's great.

Thank you.

Do you know we're near

the desert here?

Really?

Yes.

They made films here.

I could take you.

Do you drive full-time?

No, I'm a musician.

-You okay?

-Oh. I'm grand. Thanks, Matty.

But you can't live

by your music.

I do this, I do that.

Good for you, Matty.

How do you sleep?

Not well.

You move in your sleep?

Your legs move?

Yes, they do. How --

-You can tell that?

-Mm-hmm. The muscle.

Do you dream at night?

Always. Vivid dreams.

It's always night.

I've lost my bag

or I can't find the bus stop.

Do you dream?

I dream of the desert often.

- Hmm.

- And being underwater.

You need weight-bearing

exercises

for strengthening and endurance.

My whole life has been

endurance.

Oh, my first enemy

and adversary is endurance.

Everything hurts.

Lo se. Lo se.

But you are strong.

'Fia?

I'm ready for bed.

Will you lock us in?

Julieta gave me these

yoga poses.

I remember this book was

in the library.

It was from the '70s.

Look, it's the lion's pose.

Oh.

-Very good one.

-Jesus.

Hmm.

Do you think you'll

ever finish your studies?

Yeah, of course I will.

Yeah. It's just you find

it difficult to finish things.

It's my favorite fabric

'cause it's alive like a bird.

"Beloved."

I thought of my little

sister when I worked on it.

Hannah.

Hannah?

She's...

...in Dusseldorf.

She's younger than me.

Much younger.

I couldn't really wake up today.

I had a...

I had a bad day.

Hi.

Mm.

It's so weird.

The branches are screwed on.

Look, here and here.

Yeah.

-Maybe for a film?

-Yeah.

I'm just quite sad

it's not real.

It's real.

I love the desert.

When I was a child, I wanted

to live in the desert.

-You did?

-In the Sahara with a camel.

Really? Why? Why the Sahara?

The name -- Sahara.

Were you happy as a kid?

Are you happy now?

What did you

want when you were growing up?

A crazy bicycle,

red shoes,

a cat.

Any friends?

I like to stay to myself.

Why?

Why not?

Must have been a reason.

Stop doing that.

Stop what?

Pinning me down like one

of your butterflies.

-Needling to the wall.

-I don't do that.

Like your woman who studied

the teenagers on the islands.

She should have left

the teenagers alone

and studied herself instead.

It's questioning.

It's cultural memory.

Its important.

It can help people,

could stop wars.

Well, it hasn't stopped

anything so far, has it?

Do you want to know

what I was like as a kid?

No.

You're still a kid.

Okay.

I k*lled someone.

Sofie.

It was a long time ago.

Ingrid.

It's beautiful.

A child has more bones

than an adult.

As we get older, they fuse.

But my spine has certainly

changed a lot, hasn't it, Sofia,

since the last set of X-rays?

How much time do you think

we'll need?

We'll see.

How have you been?

I left you messages.

I know. I received them.

Look. I'm making this

for an old man I met.

He asked me to personalize it.

What color do you

think I should use

to border it with?

Yellow?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I want to take a picture

of you.

So I remember.

Sofie.

August in Almeria.

Memory's a b*mb.

Mm.

I have to get back to work now.

Can I stay

and read for a bit maybe?

Matty just went to get

some food.

Okay.

Sofia?

Sofia, come and sit with me.

No troubles, no troubles

And I pressed...

What?

I like your work.

What happened

to your mother?

Nothing.

She was a librarian.

I like your mother very much.

But something happened to her.

You can feel it in her body.

Julieta Gomez is

an alcoholic.

I smelt it on her breath

the first time.

I was her birthday.

And since then.

I thought a change

would be good for you.

Can you stop, please?

As a child,

you hated change.

You were always fearful.

You were never brave.

Where are you in your cycle?

Shush! No!

Sofia?

I need water.

Sofia.

Why are you cooking?

Did you invite someone over?

- Untie the dog, Pablo.

- Excuse me?

-Please untie the dog.

-Does your mother --

Untie the f*cking dog now!

Do it now! Go!

You f*cking heard me!

Untie it now!

Puta!

f*ck you!

You're a monster.

Stay with me.

I'm going back to Berlin.

You should come spend

Christmas with me.

I'll get you a ticket.

And you walk

from the Brandenburger Tor

to Checkpoint Charlie.

And you have to bring

a heavy coat.

In the snow.

And I will hold up

a mistletoe over your head.

You will have to perform

the ritual.

Your brothers told you?

No.

But when they visited,

their behavior towards me.

You knew?

I felt it.

Like a confirmation.

From the people

you asked?

And did you tell them at home?

I couldn't.

It was a...

a very cold house.

They would have been appalled

that I had written to people.

They just --

They couldn't communicate.

But perhaps they tried.

No.

No, they didn't.

They couldn't.

You're doing really well.

You're doing so well.

-I'm so sorry. I'm sorry.

-No, no, no. It's good.

-I'm sorry.

-It's good.

Oh, God.

-It's very good.

-Oh. Oh.

Are you here?

Yes.

Are you really here?

Yes, I am.

I'm here.

I'm glad.

Ingrid.

Hmm?

Who did you k*ll?

Tell me.

Sofie.

My sister.

When I was six.

She was...

...on a swing.

And I was pushing her and, um...

And then, she fell and...

her skull cracked.

But she didn't die.

She just stopped.

I'm sorry.

No, don't say that. It's --

It doesn't matter.

Where is she now?

Somewhere in a home.

With strangers.

She's my age, but she's...

Her mind is five.

And I remember just wanting her

to go higher, you know?

I wanted her to fly.

You were just a kid.

-It's innocent.

-No.

No, Sofie,

you don't understand.

I was never innocent.

But you do love me?

Of course I love you.

You have to ask

yourself who you are, Rose.

I'm someone

with a bone condition.

- I know that.

- And I can't walk.

-What you told me...

-I'm losing bone density.

...who you truly are,

it's far more relevant

than a question of bone density.

You realize that?

You wanted events.

I gave you some.

Could I have some water, please?

Thank you.

Do you want me to stop

all my pills?

Is that what you

were saying the last time?

Rose, it's not only

about sharing facts.

We -- We have to explore them.

How they have impacted on you

and how they might affect

Sofia.

My daughter is

completely unaffected by this.

Now I need the bathroom.

I usually go with Sofia.

Is there someone who could...

I will page Julieta.

-Tell me, where is Sofia today?

-I don't know.

Your name as a child

was Rose Ivy Kennedy.

Yeah.

It was.

And I changed it as soon

as I could.

Where's Julieta?

Oh, God.

Thank you.

Ooh.

-Should I?

-No. No, it's fine. Don't.

Sofie, you're k*lling me.

Hey, hey, I have

some riding boots for you.

-Put them on.

-This is Leonardo.

We saw a snake, Leonardo.

Where's the snake?

Do I look like I need boots?

This is Sofie.

Going back into town.

I have my riding lessons

now, Sofie.

Uh-huh.

-You can't drive.

-I can, I f*cking can!

I was worried.

Your father was often silent,

like you.

For hours.

I want to see him.

What would you gain by that?

I haven't seen him

in 11 years.

Hmm?

Is it that long?

-Mm-hmm.

-He'll be the same.

I've got a baby sister

I've never met.

The notion of you

seeing your father

is just a ridiculous idea.

What is wrong with you?

Nothing.

Nothing's wrong with me.

Okay.

Sorry you had to wait

so long, Christos.

You can call me Papa.

Where do you live, Sofia?

In London with my mother.

Why Spain?

She's seeing

a consultant there.

Sofia's

mother feels pain acutely.

She always did.

It's real.

Do you speak Spanish?

No.

Do you speak Greek?

How long will you stay?

Just a few days.

If that's okay.

-Your hair thing.

-Oh, thanks.

The window opens.

You want me to open it?

No. It's okay.

I'll do it.

Okay.

Good night.

Night.

-You look like Christos.

-Really?

I have asked him about you

a lot.

What did he say?

He speaks about your mother.

Opa. How she found it hard.

Being on her own

with a child.

Not just that.

Have you been to

Greece before?

Mm-hmm. When I was 15.

Is it good to see your papa?

Where did you two meet?

Would you like to hold her?

-Yeah, sure. Hi!

-This is your sister.

Oh, yes.

Hello.

Hi. Hi.

-Sofia.

-Hi.

Come.

-I'll go check on Evangeline.

-Okay.

People in their boxes.

I like that everybody

goes to sleep at night.

Rose finds sleep hard.

Two insomniacs

you have for parents,

who would make tea

in the middle of the night

and listen to the radio

or play chess.

You wanted to sleep on the roof

last time you were here.

I'll let you fall asleep here.

You were not happy on that trip.

I was a bit scared of you.

What is this word?

"Beloved."

What are you going to do?

You can't be nursemaid

to Rose all your life.

No. Um...

I would like to finish

my doctorate in America.

Do you need funding?

You want money?

- That's not why I came.

- I don't have any.

-I give it all away.

-Yeah, I know, I know.

It was not all my fault,

you know.

Your mother was difficult.

Impossible.

What has Rose told you

about her family?

Said they didn't get on,

that they weren't close.

Tell Rose

she needs to tell you --

People should

not ring so late.

"Beheaded."

It says "beheaded."

No, it says beloved.

- You're here!

- I just went to the hospital.

But I-I didn't stay there.

You know, the pain,

it wasn't chronic.

So you're okay?

You're discharged yourself?

I was never admitted, 'Fia.

I-I just rang from there.

You see, I went to see them

about the water

because it is so bad here,

and I did not expect that.

And then, they realized

that I was nearly passing out.

Did you actually faint?

Well, everyone was just

so wonderful.

Just lovely people

and conversation.

And the doctors.

And Matty drove me everywhere.

And I-I don't want to see

Gomez anymore.

You know, it's just not helpful.

And I want to go home.

I mean, he just depresses me.

And I have a different idea.

So, tell me about Christos

and the child bride.

It's dangerous

to become dehydrated.

Which is

why I went to the hospital.

You could have just drank

the water.

Because it tastes like bleach

to me. Would you --

It's from the mountains.

It has a picture of the

mountains on the bottle.

- f*ck that!

- What more do you want?

It's a lie. I mean,

the mountains are a lie.

Sofia.

No.

- Sofia, come out.

- What do you want now?

-I am in severe pain.

-Really?

It's very bad.

And your father has upset you.

Where's the pain?

Tell me.

Well, I seem to have strained

sort of a ligament

just in the chaos of it all.

But this Dr. Shah there,

she --

she gave me some new

medication,

but it's just making

me feel very nauseous.

Anyway, I've got to try

and finish up with,

uh, Gomez tomorrow.

I'm going to ask for some

of the money back.

I mean, you don't pay

thousands of euros for a chat.

And we're going to have to ask

for a taxi

because Matty needs the car.

f*ck Matty.

f*ck all of them.

f*cking Matty.

Give me your paw.

Go on, give it to me.

Tell me about your father.

He told me you two played chess

when you couldn't sleep

at night.

We didn't.

Christos always slept.

He snored.

The chess is some narrative

of his, some fiction.

He also said you

should tell me what happened.

In what sense?

He was talking about

your family.

He never met my family.

You see, that's what he does.

He lies.

You need to work more

on what we talked of.

If you don't,

you won't walk freely.

I don't want to do

any more work on it.

-I don't feel the need.

-Are you scared?

It's natural,

but you have to fight that fear.

I feel better

since I went to the hospital.

There's a normality about it

which I appreciate.

You're happy

to suppress the event,

I understand that,

but you need to know

who you are in real detail.

And you have to find

the answer and accept it.

Julieta will take me

to the taxi, thank you.

Rose. Rose. Rose, please.

Rose.

What you are contemplating,

it will not help.

We didn't talk about money.

I will refund what

you ask for.

Excuse me.

Sofia Irina,

please stay a moment.

Your mother was progressing,

but she has gone into

a fight or flight

and has chosen the latter.

Your mother has proposed

something quite...brutal.

When you were away,

she talked about amputation.

She's not serious about that.

She wants to get better.

I cannot stop her from

wanting to staunch the pain.

She has made an appointment

with a consultant in London.

No.

He had confirmed it with me

and has asked for her records.

Tell me...

...h-how did you go with

your father?

It was good to see him again.

Was he cruel to you?

Well, you don't have to see

him again.

Ever.

Sofia, hmm?

You never have

to see him again.

Okay.

What are you doing?

Get in.

Get in, Sofia, get in!

Having a tantrum is not helpful.

Dog?

Dog!

Come, sit down, Sofie.

- I don't want to.

- Please.

You'll regret it if you don't.

Sofie.

Mm, Sofie.

You're like a blue planet

with two dark, spooky eyes.

Like little animals.

No, I'm not.

I'm none of those things.

Are you hungry?

I bet you want to eat pizza.

Hmm?

You're a monster, Sofie.

Do you think...

she's happy without a mind?

Do you think

she remembers?

She has a mind like a leaf.

Sometimes I want to...

blow myself up, Sofie.

Do you still like me?

Say yes.

The world is dark

until you say yes.

The world is so dark.

So dark.

Wait.

Oh, Matty.

Matty, can you hear the ocean?

Listen.

Hey!

Hey! That's my --

My phone!

-You go get my phone.

-You get your f*cking phone!

-Go get my phone! Go!

-Ingrid, it's not a phone!

You were children.

You were children.

You were children.

Hola. Hola, Hola.

Juntos.

Juntos. Juntos. Juntos.

Ahora, ahora.

-Ya est.

-Ya est.

What did you do

when you got home today?

Nothing.

So you didn't go out

or anything?

No, I just slept.

Why?

-Come on, let's go.

-Let's go where?

Can I have some water?

Tell me about

your sister, Mum.

Mary.

She died.

Would you help me fix

the lamp in my bedroom?

How did she die, exactly?

I-I don't know.

Will you just plug it in for me?

You must know how she died.

I don't.

I didn't know her.

I didn't know her.

Please tell me.

Just did.

All right, get in the car.

God, I don't know what is

the matter with you, 'Fia.

I'm hungry. We're going to

the restaurant. Come on.

- No, I-I --

- Let's go! Go, go!

What is this?

You walked today.

Why didn't you tell me?

I didn't want to raise

your hopes.

I watch you as closely

as you watch me.

It's what mothers do.

We watch our children.

You never ask me

if I'm happy.

Because you're

always so profoundly sad.

-You ask for so much of me!

-Is that not so?

-So much!

-Because you are so able.

You're so strong.

And why would you

talk about cutting off your leg?

That's too...

Too late. It's all gone.

Mary didn't die.

They sent her away.

She was 16.

She had me.

I was hers.

They didn't let her

near me.

Did you know her?

Did you meet later?

Yeah, once.

When I was your age.

She wasn't well.

She was broken.

Doesn't matter.

I'm an animal in the desert.

And there's no water.

There is water.

It's too late.

There's only pain.

Okay. Okay.

Come on.

Okay.

All right.

All right.

It's not too late.

It's here.

Okay? It's here.

You have to choose, Mama.

You have to choose.

You have

to choose to go outside.

You have to choose

to not sit in a room all day

and die slowly smelling

of that room.

Do you understand? Please.

You have to embrace life.

You can't just endure it.[

Do you hear me?

I -- I can't walk, 'Fia.

You have to choose, Mama.

I-I -- You've got to believe me,

I can't walk.

You don't believe me,

but I can't.

I do believe you.

I do.

Arise

From this land,

we made our home

The right way

It will be

Earth shattering

We will love again

My darling

It's earth-shattering

We will love again

My darling

We shall

You are still in me

In the wind

In the poplar trees

You are still in me

My darling

It's earth-shattering

Again, again, again, again

We will love again

Again, again, again

We will love again

Again, again, again, again

We will love again

Again, again, again

We will love again

And it will never

be the same

We will love again