Happiness Сomes from Childhood by Kateryna Aleksandrova

Scenario 

Scene 1 

A fuchsia-colored blooming tulip. The camera is being slowly removed from this image showing the stems of other flowers. 

Father: Do you like it? 

Ella (8 years old) nods enthusiastically and looks at him. 

Father to the saleswoman: Please give me a flower. How much? (quietly) 

Counts the money. 

The father gives the flower to the daughter, they go away. 

Scene 2 

Kitchen. The father loudly closes the top locker. 

Father (shouts): I told you not to put flowers here! I told you not to bring flowers! How many times do I have to repeat: do not bring the shitty flowers home!  

The mother is sitting next to the table, turned back to him. She is still. There is a bouquet of tulips in a vase on the table. 

Father: You never listen to me! All you do is turn your ass to me! That's your respect! 

Ella (10 years old) is standing on the stairs, just behind the wall, listening. Turns around, goes away. 

Scene 3 

A bride’s bouquet of flowers is a bit visible through the veil of a white dress. Ella's mother's hand is holding Ella's father's hand in a black suit with white cuffs. They go down the stairs to the people waiting for them. Among the white flowers, Ella's mother has a fuchsia tulip in the bouquet. Laughter, muted congratulations. 

Scene 4 

Basement. 

Mother: What do you want to take to grandparents? 

Ella (13 years old): Betty. 

She takes a cat toy from a big box where all the things are dumped. 

Mother nods. Folds the clothes. 

Scene 5 

Staircase. Little Ella (age 6) runs upstairs, sees her parents. They are kissing. Her mother has a few tulips in her hands. 

Ella: Garfield is the destroyer of romance! I'm Garfield! 

She scrapes in between parents to disturb them. Laughter. 

Scene 6 

Kitchen. 

Ella (16 years old): You need to find a job. Otherwise, we won't be able to leave, do you understand? 

Mother: I'm not going to leave. 

Ella (raises her voice): What are you going to do then? To live like that? Maybe you will raise your grandchildren like that? 

Mother: Give me some time. 

Ella: What time? Another 15 years? I'm not going to wait for so long. Nothing changes. Nobody changes. 

Scene 7 

Kitchen. Ella (16 years old) and her mother are browsing through a catalogue. They are choosing wallpaper. 

Ella points to the fuchsia wallpaper in the image. They discuss something in a muffled voice. Ella's father is standing in the doorway, looking at them, smiling. 

Scene 8 

Ella is sitting on the floor near the coffee table. She is writing her homework. The room door opens. 

Mother (nervously): Ella, let's go. Dad has cut his arm at home. I don't know, they say, badly. Let's go. 

Ella: Mom, what? No, wait, I'm scared. 

Mother: Get ready. I'm scared too. 

She picks up the phone, calls somebody, leaves. Ella is still sitting on the floor. 

Scene 9 

Adult Ella is standing on a hill under a tree in a graveyard. In her hands there is a bouquet of tulips, and her coat is flattering in the wind. She puts two tulips on her father's grave. 

Scene 10 

Kitchen. Adult Ella puts a bouquet of tulips into a vase on the kitchen table. On the other wall there is a hanging cupboard with a cut hole on the side.