BEAUTY AND PAIN

As she sits glumly, Anastasia begins to notice Marcelle  preparing for the show. Marcelle takes her time and feels each article of clothing before she puts it on. She is clearly enjoying the textures and smells and whatever she is looking at. Marcelle finally notices that Anastasia is watching and she smiles.

MARCELLE

What?

ANASTASIA

You're amazing. You're so into every detail and it looks like you notice everything. The smell, the feel...

MARCELLE

I love beautiful things. Ever since I was a child.

Anastasia smiles at her.

My mother loved beautiful things too. Gloves, fur coats, perfume. She used to let me touch the fur when she was wearing it. I think of her every time I wear something she would love.

ANASTASIA

Isn't that painful?

MARCELLE

I guess so...but I think beauty and pain are never far apart.

IVANA'S FUNERAL

INT. FUNERAL HOME
Slowly, amidst the ocean of flowers and photographs and elaborate tributes, the body of Ivana is revealed in her casket. Her mother DASHA and two younger sisters POLINA (14) and OKSANA (10) stand over the coffin weeping together. Polina puts a picture of her with Ivana in the coffin and  Oksana puts a small teddy bear in with her sister. The family then moves away to allow others to pay their respects.

Marcelle, Fawn, Nicoleta, Francesca and Anastasia go to the coffin. Each of the closest friends takes a turn looking at Ivana and struggles to make reality of the corpse that confronts them. Anastasia remains at the casket as her other friends move away.

SURVIVOR GUILT

When I came to Auschwitz, my sister was with me. She was only 14 and it was a miracle she got past Mengele. From the moment we got into the camp, she couldn't eat. Once a week in Auschwitz you received some marmalade made from sugar beets in your hand. She couldn't even eat that. The only thing she ate was the slice of bread she got and I used to get angry with her. Once I yelled at her, "If you don't eat, you will die!"

Needless to say, I know in my head I'm not the cause of her death... but in my gut I've believed that I caused her death.

I felt guilty for many years that maybe I should have run back and tried to get her with me or stay with her. Maybe I didn't do enough to stay together. Maybe I was too selfish about saving myself. You can excuse yourself and say if I had run back my fate would have been the same as hers. There is no logic to my feelings.. but those words ring in my ears, "If you're not going to eat, you're going to die."

LET THEM EAT CAKE

INT. IVANA'S APARTMENT - SAME NIGHT

Ivana sits down at a table when they get in the apartment. She looks pale and she is breathing a little heavily.

ANASTASIA
What did you eat today?

IVANA
Oh, some apples and a...I don't remember.

Ivana looks at Anastasia intensely for a moment.

ANASTASIA
What?


IVANA
I want you to do something for me.

ANASTASIA
What?

IVANA
Could you call my mother if anything happens?

ANASTASIA
Anything like what?

IVANA
I don't know. Like today. What if I went to the hospital?

ANASTASIA
Oh. Yeah. Of course.

IVANA
MAma is always worrying if I'm going to church.

ANASTASIA
Wow.

IVANA
I know...I haven't gone in months, but it's very important to her.

ANASTASIA
Why are you talking about church?

Ivana changes the subject.

IVANA
I'm supposed to wear the wedding dress tomorrow.

ANASTASIA
I know. I heard. Congratulations.

IVANA
Thanks. Yukiko always liked me.

They sit quietly for a few seconds.

IVANA
Do you think you'll ever get married?

ANASTASIA
I don't know. How about you?

IVANA
I've been thinking about it a lot lately.

ANASTASIA
Now that I remember, didn't you say you were against marriage before?

IVANA
Oh maybe. I just - I don't know.

ANASTASIA
It's a good excuse to eat cake.

They laugh.

IVANA
Oh my God. Cake. What a wonderful thought. I love cake.

ANASTASIA
I know. So that's why we need to have an excuse to eat it.

IVANA
That's true. Promise me you'll eat cake with me if I get married.

ANASTASIA
Definitely.