SHAR Animation School-Studio
Committee for Cinematography of the Russian Federation
Story by Tonino Guerra
Drawings by Sergey Barkhin
in a film by Andrey Khrzhanovskiy
The Lion With a Grey Beard
Respected public,
Amedeo, or Teo to his friends, will now perform a most complex trick!
I ask you to maintain complete silence.
This lion, trained solely by my patience, will perform an unbelievable double somersault.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am happy that we can meet again,
10 years have passed since last we met.
I have the great honour of introducing you to the great Amedeo!
Today he will take on an unusual role for him: an illusionist's helper.
What, you're still here?
Have you forgotten what you're supposed to do?
Again!
I ask you to forgive this animal.
Amedeo, don't you hear me?
Maybe you've gone deaf?
I must again ask your forgiveness.
But even Christ, on his lofty path, stumbled more than once!
Dementia, and distractedness!
You see for yourselves that Amedeo forgets everything!
He's scatterbrained despite all the vitamins I prescribe him.
I assure you, he receives more of them than I do.
Unfortunately, old age afflicts even the strongest of animals.
But I must do everything to make sure that his good name lives on.
And because Amedeo is loved by young and old,
from this day until his last, we will display him everywhere our circus visits.
How much water there is! Soon it'll be up to our knees.
This is a kind of hell.
Enough! I can't take any more!
Where are the matches? Where are they?
Listen, Saint Antonio,
It's been raining for ten days already!
Have pity at least on the poor animals!
Answer me! I'm listening.
What language do you speak?!
Don't you understand Italian?
My dear friends,
Today, we give our last performance.
Our little world will cease to exist.
I've taken care of each of you.
I myself am leaving for Romania.
and until my last day, I will remember our small, friendly family.
Thank you for everything.
And now... let's drink a toast to the circus!
Teo!
We've arrived!
Come here.
Get up, let's go.
Come on, time to move...
Please, just listen to me...
Let's go slowly...
Just look at this unfettered world!
What a view!
Let's go slowly...
Do it like me: one... two... and so on...
One, two... oh... my poor back...
But you're younger than I am, after all.
Let's go, come out... ...easy does it...
Bravo! That's it, Teo!
Are you really thinking of going back?
Come, I'll light your path.
One... two... three... four...
That's it! You're doing great!
Everyone dreams of freedom, and now you finally have it as well!
Just look at the view!
Water, grass... everything you need.
My dear, fine friend...
...just look at how the moon shines!
How wonderful is the world.
How good the silence is...
I'll take a pill...
do you want one as well?
Well, never mind, then. As you wish.
Let us hug each other, for the very last time.
After so many years of love...
Well, I must be going.
Are you cold?
Goodbye, old friend!
Be strong!
Screenplay Tonina Guerra
Director Andrey Khrzhanovskiy
Art directors - Sergey Barkhin, Geliy Arkadyev, Anna Vronskaya
Artists - A.Andriyanko, P.Kotov, V.Morozov, V.Medzhobovskiy
Animators - N.Bogomolova, L.Mayatnikova, M.Voskanyants, N.Fyodosova, A.Abarenov, Yu.Kuzyurin
Camera L.Krutovskaya
Sound director V.Kutuzov
Music by Nina Rota, Astor Piazzolla graciously helped by Aldo Paganini
Senor Peretti is voiced by Tonino Guerra
Assistant director I.Borisova
Assistant art directors I.Antipenko, M.Sergeyeva, L.Guskova, Ya.Khoreva
Others who worked on the film E.Avakyan, I.Komedchikova, S.Davydova, L.Lobacheva
Yu.Doshchunskaya, E.Meladze, Yu.Ivanova, N.Mikhaylova, N.Kirichenko, I.Orlova
G.Kovalenko, E.Roshchenko, Ye.Kuleshova, T.Sitnikova, Ye.Malashenkova, B.Solovyov
Editor N.Treshchyova
Script editor R.Frichinskaya
Production director R.Sokolova
Producers A.Gerasimov, A.Khrzhanovskiy
The End (C) Shar School-Studio, Roskomkino, 1994
Subtitles by Niffiwan