Read the transcript of Settlers (2021), the science fiction thriller written and directed by Wyatt Rockefeller. Mankind’s earliest settlers on the Martian frontier do what they must to survive the cosmic elements and each other.
* * *
[dramatic music plays]
[film clicking]
[wind whistling]
[slow music plays]
[wind whistling]
[man] And what about that one?
[girl] That’s Ursa Major.
Very good.
How about the big W there?
Cassiopeia.
Yeah.
And how about that big, bright one?
[girl] That’s a planet.
[man] Very good.
Jupiter?
No, Jupiter we can’t see right now.
What’s that smaller body just off it?
You see that?
[girl] A moon.
[man] Yeah.
Is it Earth?
Very good.
[girl grunts]
[sighs]
[wind gusting]
Dad! [echoes]
[pig squealing]
Shh, shh.
Shh.
[metal squeaks]
Remmy?
Remmy!
Remmy!
That’s far enough.
[footsteps approach]
[button clicking]
[static hissing intermittently]
He’s coming, Remmy.
[wind howling]
[Remmy] To here, that one up here, plus eight would be sixteen.
You would add one more. That’d be 17.
So I put the one up here and the one up here, so that will be eight plus nine.
I don’t know.
Then let’s go…
[clattering]
[gasps] Dad!
Dad!
[soft music plays]
[sighs]
[wind whistling]
[indistinct conversation]
[Reza] Hey, hey, look at me. Look at me.
[continues indistinctly]
[Ilsa] We don’t know where we’re from.
[Reza] I’ll get her to bed.
I’ll be right back.
[footsteps approach]
[Reza] Hey.
What’s up?
There are strangers nearby.
No.
No. It’s just us.
I’m scared.
There’s nothing to be scared of.
You’re fine on your own.
Are you gonna stay?
Are you?
If you leave the bed, I’m gonna shave off your eyebrows.
I will scream the loudest possible scream and follow you around until they grow back.
I’ll tie you up with your own socks and leave you by the graves all night.
I will escape, steal the lighter from where Mom hides it and set the house on fire.
You mom and I are gonna hold you by your ankles and then slowly lower you into the hole in the outhouse.
I will poop on your face while you’re sleeping.
Jesus.
See?
No one’s gonna mess with you, kid.
Good night.
You want me to leave this one on?
Yes, please.
[Reza] Okay.
[departing footsteps]
[soft clattering]
Dad?
♪ And sweet and soft ♪
♪ And sweet and soft ♪
♪ And sweet and soft ♪
♪ And sweet and soft ♪
[laughs]
[kisses, laughing]
Okay, now you play.
Okay.
Um, I’ll try.
I’ll see if I remember.
♪ Your eyes take me back ♪
♪ To my childhood and my home ♪
♪ And though the light May be dim ♪
[wind whistling]
[song continues]
Did you ever see a whale?
No.
How about you?
No.
I wish.
[Remmy] An owl?
How about an elephant?
Nope.
[Remmy] Did you see anything?
Dogs.
Earth isn’t what it once was, you know.
Is that why you left?
We left because we wanted something more.
We’re very lucky to have this place.
Why?
‘Cause someday it’s gonna be just like Earth.
We can talk about it more tomorrow.
[Remmy] Okay.
You gonna stay?
Y… es.
Yes. [laughs]
I love you very much.
Love you.
Good night. [kisses]
‘Night.
[light switch clicks]
[pig squealing]
[soft music plays]
[running footsteps]
[Remmy panting]
Reza!
Don’t move, okay? You stay right here.
I told you!
Shut up!
[whispers] What’s going on?
Fuck.
[whispers] What’s going on?
Do you see anything?
[panting]
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
[panting]
What if it’s his son?
Don’t.
[distant people whooping]
I count six.
No.
They’re changing their voices.
[whooping continues]
[Ilsa] There are only three.
Come on.
Come on! Come on!
Come on!
Come on, come on, come on, come on!
[soft music playing]
[wind howling]
[Remmy] I think the other pig is still alive.
Hello?
Let it go, Rem.
[Ilsa sighs]
[sighs]
You okay?
Yeah.
Me, too.
First rule?
Stay calm.
Stay alive.
[gate creaks]
Hey.
You are in very, very good hands, okay.
Remmy!
Get in here!
Get in here right now!
[suspenseful music plays]
[gun firing]
[suspenseful music plays]
[woman cries out]
[suspenseful music plays]
[Reza] Get inside!
[suspenseful music plays]
[gun firing]
Do you have Remmy?
Yes!
I need your eyes on the ridge!
You see anything?
I see him!
Is he still at the sun?
Yes!
[suspenseful music plays]
[gun fires]
[gun clicking]
You lock the door behind me.
It’s gonna be dark soon.
I know.
[gun clicking]
Dad, Dad!
You stay with your mother.
Dad!
[Ilsa] Get inside, get inside now!
[door bangs]
Hey.
Okay?
[gun fires]
[radio static]
Turn it off.
[radio static]
Mom.
I have to go to the bathroom.
[suspenseful music plays]
[clattering]
[suspenseful music plays]
[wind whistles]
[suspenseful music plays]
[rumbling]
[Ilsa] We’ll use this.
Come on.
[bucket splashing]
It’s okay.
[bucket splashing]
What’s going on?
The main lights went off.
[clattering]
[suspenseful music plays]
[wind whistling]
[clothes flapping]
Stay here.
[wind whistling]
[pig snorting]
[Remmy] Mom.
[Ilsa gasps]
Drop the blade.
Drop it.
[metal clangs]
This place doesn’t belong to you.
It was my parents’.
And I don’t know what you did to them.
I don’t really care, but I was born here, I was raised here, and I’ve come a long, long way to get back.
And I’m here to stay.
I don’t wanna hurt you.
So you can leave if you want.
But I’m pretty sure that you know what’s waiting for you out there.
I know how to get this place back on its feet.
And I can protect you.
If you behave.
Stay in sight.
We can go, Mommy, we can go.
Mom, we can go, please?
I know, I know, listen.
Please let us go, Mommy.
Listen, I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.
I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.
Okay?
I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.
Hey.
I will be right back, okay?
I want you to stay right here.
Promise?
Yeah, okay.
[drawer clatters]
[suspenseful music plays]
[door bangs]
[both struggling]
[knife clatters]
[Ilsa thuds]
If you move another muscle, your kid is gonna be alone with me.
Think!
How is killing me going to help you?
Okay.
Here’s the deal.
For 30 days you don’t pull another stunt like this on me, I will take this gun, put it on that table over there, turn my back around and walk out on to that porch.
30 days.
And you’ll get your chance, if you still want it.
I want my husband buried.
Stay as long as you need.
[Remmy] We can leave.
Mom, we can leave now.
No, Rem, we can’t.
[drawer clatters]
[door clatters]
[gear clattering]
[panel clatters]
[safe clattering]
[door thuds]
[man] We need to talk.
We’ve got our work cut out for us.
Luckily we have everything that we need to get this place back on its feet.
Fuck off.
Okay.
[man] Taps should be running, by the way.
[water splashing]
[crates clattering]
[Ilsa] Remmy!
[robot clangs]
Hey.
Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, it’s harmless.
Don’t touch me.
[Remmy giggles]
What’s his name?
It’s just a tool.
[man] This is very good.
Can I go play with Steve?
Steve?
The robot, I named him Steve.
Sure.
Can I take your plate?
And… catch.
Yay.
Come here.
Yay.
[Remmy] Catch.
My name’s Jerry, by the way.
My parents ever mention me?
Guess not.
Guess there was no point.
Made it pretty clear I was never coming back.
Leave me alone.
I didn’t wanna be here either, you know.
There was nowhere else left.
Cities, other settlements, all gone.
She’s a cute kid.
I didn’t kill your mother.
That’s good of you.
She was already dead when we got here.
I never saw any of your cities.
Our transport got shot down when we entered the atmosphere.
Your dad took us in.
Then one day, when I was seven months pregnant, he stuck a rifle in our faces and told us to leave.
Why would he do a thing like that?
He figured it out, that we were from Earth.
So I slit his throat with the knife you just washed.
If you touch her, I’ll carve your heart out.
You could empty out a whole gun of yours into me, I’d still get to you.
You assume a lot about me.
I see no reason why I’d need to touch her.
[Remmy] Can Steve sleep with us?
I don’t think it sleeps.
Come on.
Good night.
Good night.
Get into bed, I’ll be right there.
Hi, hey, Cassy.
Wait here, Steve.
Come on, Cassy.
Yes.
[Jerry] You in there, kid?
Hey, so I know, I know that I’m not supposed to be talking to you, but I lost something from a notebook I keep.
An old drawing.
You wouldn’t know anything about that?
Do you think maybe Steve took it?
Anyways, um, I just came to tell him that he can keep it.
I won’t snitch.
All right?
[suspenseful music plays]
[Ilsa] Remmy?
[suspenseful music plays]
[Jerry] Smells good.
Where’s the kid?
[Ilsa] Just called her.
Are you getting up?
[Steve clicking, whirring]
Have you seen Remmy?
Go away, Steve, it’s not safe.
Go!
Go.
And tell my mom that she can have another daughter.
With Jerry!
[wind whistling]
[screams]
[screams]
[door rumbling]
[Ilsa] Remmy!
[machine rumbles]
[Remmy gasping]
[Jerry] Hard to miss, isn’t it?
Once you know it’s there.
I was eight when my parents told me.
So you wanna know what’s out there?
Obviously.
Nothing.
Sand, a rock.
There was once more, but it’s all gone now, or will be soon.
Then where did you come from?
From the war, for less and less.
I don’t believe you.
Ever notice that the sunrises are getting bluer?
What is that?
It’s from the dust in the atmosphere.
An atmosphere that we created and maintained.
It’s all just blowing off into space.
I know it’s a hard thing to hear, you know, but the sooner that you accept it, the sooner you’ll realize how lucky we are to have this place.
We… we have everything we need, right here.
Rem, stop playing with your food.
Come on, you gotta eat.
You don’t like sweet potatoes?
I used to not like them either.
[fire crackling]
I’m going back to my bed, Rem.
I think I know what you’re feeling right now.
I would feel the same way.
I just need you to know that I loved your father and I love you more than you will ever know.
[guitar music plays]
Forgot about this.
Wanna learn how to play?
You?
Little bit.
Really?
How about a song?
Been a long time since I heard any music.
Sure.
Come.
Sorry.
[guitar music plays]
♪ Your eyes take me back ♪
♪ To my childhood ♪
♪ And my home ♪
♪ And though the light May be dim ♪
♪ The taste of your lips Is sweet ♪
♪ Like the first wine Of the… ♪
Remmy.
Remmy.
Remmy, please.
Remmy.
Remmy.
I need you to trust me.
Remmy.
I hate you.
Remmy.
I hate you. [crying]
[door slams]
Everything okay?
Mm-hmm.
You okay?
Yeah.
She’s, uh…
She’s just adjusting.
Hmm.
[suspenseful music plays]
You don’t have to.
[suspenseful music plays]
Nah, I’m just tired of it weighing me down.
So.
Think about your daughter.
I am.
[gun clicks]
[gun clicking]
What are you doing?
[gun clicking]
Stop.
[suspenseful music plays]
[both grunting]
[no audible dialogue]
[Remmy crying]
Please, please, please.
No, no, no, no!
Listen, everything’s gonna be okay.
I’m never gonna hurt you.
I just need you to stay.
I just need you to stay until I say you can.
Okay?
Can you do that?
Can you do that?
You can come inside now.
Remmy.
It’s okay.
It’s okay.
When you’re ready.
Seven piggies in a row, if he hollers, then you’ll know he’s the pig who wants to go.
My mother said to pick the second best one and it’s Y-O-U.
I was thinking.
[gun clicking]
You might want to give it a go.
[gun fires]
I’m going to the valley tomorrow morning.
Isn’t that exciting?
I’ll need Steve… if that’s okay with you.
He’s agreed, provided that we are back by lunch.
I pointed out that he doesn’t eat lunch.
And he looks back at me with that steely gaze of his, and he says, “Jerry, we’ve talked about this.”
I saw that.
Eleventh time this year.
Wild times.
[Jerry] Who goes there?
Remmy?
Is that you?
I knew it.
You missed me?
You should hop in.
It’s murky but it’s clean.
And it feels so good.
I’ll leave a blanket for you.
Enjoy.
[water lapping]
Want a drink?
Go on.
Careful now with that one, the batch is strong.
What do you think?
Cheers.
Hey, I, I have something for you.
I think you’re gonna like it.
Sit over here.
Go on, just, just take it.
It helps that you grew up to look so much like her.
She’d be so proud of you, Remmy.
It’s okay.
It’s okay, come on.
Okay.
[crying]
Come on.
[Remmy crying]
It’s okay.
[Remmy gasps]
So how was your day?
You know there’s no rush.
The important thing is that you feel comfortable.
You know?
All those things that you’re feeling are completely normal.
I can’t do it.
Hey.
I can’t do it.
You can’t do what?
It’s okay.
Like I said, we’ve got plenty of time.
Ever.
You’re still young.
You’re not listening to me.
I haven’t had much practice lately.
We’ve been through this before.
This is bigger than you and me.
I’m not about to give up.
That’s very noble of you.
A man’s gotta stand for something.
If you try to force one inside of me, I will kill it.
Do you know how to do that?
‘Cause I do.
Pretty dangerous if you don’t.
And then where would you be without me?
I don’t know.
About where I am now, I guess.
Gotten pretty good talking to myself.
So what are you waiting for?
Is that what you want?
Hmm?
Is that what you want?
If I just held you down and did it?
So you can just keep on pretending like I’m the bad guy?
Go on hating me?
I don’t hate you, Jerry.
Then what is it?
[hand smacks]
You think it over some more.
I have.
[ball thuds]
Leave me alone, Steve.
[door thuds]
[door clicks]
You going somewhere?
[box clatters]
Give it back!
If you leave, you’re gonna die in a day, maybe two.
Stop pretending like you’re doing this for me.
Okay, all of this, all of this I did for you!
If you think there’s someone out there, you’re wrong.
I’m it, okay?
Me!
Give me back my mask.
You can’t control me!
You’re my responsibility.
Yeah, and why’s that?
Well, because someone couldn’t
accept the reality of her situation!
Well, this time you don’t have a child to use to pressure me into your bed.
Okay, you want your fucking mask?
Huh? You want your mask?
Here’s your fucking mask!
Okay, this is how it will feel, okay.
This is how it’ll end!
Hmm!
[whacks]
[cries out]
[head clangs]
[cries out]
It’s okay. Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay.
It’s okay, it’s just, it’s okay, it’s…
It’s just so that we can talk. It’s okay.
No! [cries]
It’s just so that we can talk.
Jerry.
Hey, it’s okay.
Please.
I’m sorry.
Jerry.
Okay, I’m sorry. It’s…
But, but you leave and then you’re dead.
And then that will be it.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
And, and I just, I just, I just can’t risk that, not, not while there’s still some sort of hope.
Okay?
Jerry.
[cries]
Jerry, please.
Hey, hey, hey, wait.
Listen to me.
Can you listen to me?
We both have a responsibility, okay?
You and me. Which neither of us asked for.
Okay?
You all keep making me do these terrible things.
Yes, we need to…
No.
I need you to understand how important this is.
No.
Please, I need you to understand that this is so important.
Okay.
Okay, it’s okay, it’s okay.
Let me go.
Let me go.
No, it’s okay.
Let me go! Let me go!
Okay, it’s okay.
[screaming] Let me go!
It’s okay, it’s okay, you’re okay.
It’s just… shh, shh.
It doesn’t have to be bad.
It doesn’t have to be like… please, not like this.
It’s okay.
Please, not like this.
It’s okay.
Let me go, Jerry.
Let me go, Jerry, Jerry, let me go!
Stop it.
Let me leave!
Stop it! Stop it!
Just stop it!
[screaming]
Stop it, stop it, stop it!
Okay.
Stop it.
Stop it.
Hmm, okay stop it.
Stop it.
It doesn’t have to be bad.
Just, just…
Okay, just.
[whimpering]
Okay, just close your eyes.
[Steve whirring]
[Steve fires]
[both panting]
[gun fires]
[Remmy panting]
God!
[tap splashing]
[Jerry choking, spitting]
You need me as much as I need you.
I disagree.
[water splashing]
[gun fires]
[Jerry thuds]
[tap splashing]
[rocks clattering]
[water splashing]
[Steve rattles]
[pigs snorting]
[gasps]
[chickens clucking]
Hello!
[wind whistling]
[rooster crows]
[wind whistling]
I’m going, Steve.
You have to stay here.
Don’t look at me like that.
This is your place now, okay?
Do you hate me?
Yeah, me neither.
The opposite.
[wind whistling]
[door clanging]
[door clanging]
[gate whirring]
♪ Erasing the days ♪
♪ And burning the past ♪
♪ Waited too long This time could not last ♪
♪ The night is a river ♪
♪ The ferry awaits ♪
♪ A sign from the sky To follow the fates ♪
♪ Silencing echoes ♪
♪ A ferryman’s waiting ♪
♪ A voyage to oceans ♪
♪ From night til the day ♪
♪ Through the fine dust So much left unsaid ♪
♪ Now two moons raising Have colored the sun red ♪
♪ Waiting for stars To light up the way ♪
♪ To silence The posturing night From the day ♪
♪ Silencing echoes ♪
♪ A ferryman’s waiting ♪
♪ A voyage to oceans ♪
♪ From night til the day ♪
♪ I lived in this world A prisoner of lies ♪
♪ Now the darkness has gone ♪
♪ I’ve opened my eyes ♪
♪ Silencing echoes ♪
♪ A ferryman’s waiting ♪
♪ A voyage to oceans ♪
♪ From night til the day ♪
♪ Silencing echoes ♪
♪ A ferryman’s waiting ♪
♪ A voyage to oceans ♪
♪ From night til the day ♪
