# The Juniper Tree

The Juniper Tree is a 1990 Icelandic film loosely based on the Brother Grim fairy tale.
    Directed by Nietzchka Keene. Written by Nietzchka Keene

## Jóhann

* She's got two legs and a nose, she's not a goat.
* Why are you here? You don't belong here.
* He's dead and she's gone, little girl. And we're all that's left. We're all that's left.

## Margit

* I don't want to see. Even if I could.

## Katia

* I'll sew my footprints into his coat, and he'll follow me forever.

## Others

* Katla: [to Jónas] She must have loved you very much to give you something so fine that you can't show it.
* Jónas: You're a witch, you're a dirty witch.
* Title card:
       Under a juniper-tree the bones sang, scattered and shining.
       We are glad to be scattered, we did little good to each other.
       Under a tree in the cool of the day, with the blessing of sand.
       Forgetting themselves and each other, united
       in the quiet of the desert.
       T. S. Eliot

## Dialogue

    Margit: Where did she go?
    Katla: She became ashes and left with the wind.
    Margit: And her sould?
    Katla: Her sould... was tied with the heart of a bird.
    Margit: And the tread will hold forever?
    Katla: Until the bird's heart breaks.
    Jónas: I come here every day so she'll remember me.
    Margit: And if you didn't come, she would forget?
    Jónas: Yes
    Jónas: Don't.
    Katla: Don't what?
    Jónas: Don't do your work on me.
    Jónas: You took two.
    Margit: I only nocked it with my hand.
    Margit: You have to pick a shell first.
    Jónas: Where are you end your sister from?
    Margit: It's not there anymore.
    Jónas: It disappeared?
    Margit: No. There aren't any people there anymore. They are all gone.
    Jónas: Will you ever go back?
    Margit: Katla sais we'll stay here. That we are from here now.
    Jónas: But you can't change where you are from
    Margit: But what if where you are from isn't there anymore?
    Jónas: Then you can be from here, but your sister can't be.
    Margit: Why not?
    Jónas: Because I'm from here and I don't want here to be.
    Margit: But she's my sister and she has to be from the same place as I am.
    Jónas: But I don't want her to be.
    Margit: But she has to be.
    Jónas: No, she can't be. I don't want her to be. No she can't be. I don't want her to be. She can't be. I don't want her to be. No. She can't be. I woun't let her.
    Margit: What's it like beeing married?
    Katla: Do you have someone in mind?
    Margit: No, I just wanted to know.
    Katla: Are you sure you're not thinking of someone?
    Margit: No.
    Katla: When you know, then you'll know why I woun't leave Jóhann. And you will know when you will find out.
    Margit: Jónas, Jónas.
    Jónas: What's the matter?
    Margit: I've seen my mother.
    Jónas: Where
    Margit: By the see, and on the heath. I couldn't remember before. But now I do.
    Jónas: What dose she look like?
    Margit: She's very beautiful.
    Jónas: But how can she be here?
    Margit: Sometimes people return.
    Jónas: Is she a ghost?
    Margit: No, she came to take care of me.
    Margit: [to mother] This is Jónas.
    Margit: [to Jónas] She can't speak. When people are dead they can't speak anymore.
    Katla: You should remember I'm carrying your little brother
    Jónas: He woun't be my brother.
    Katla: Your father is the father. So he will be your brother.

## Cast

* Björk - Margit
* Bryndis Petra Bragadóttir - Katla
* Valdimar Örn Flygenring - Jóhann
* Guðrún Gísladóttir - Mother
* Geirlaug Sunna Þormar - Jónas

## External links

* The Juniper Tree quotes at the Internet Movie Database