(9)
EXT. SHANGHAI -- FALL OF 1939 -- DAY
A bird's eye view of SHANGHAI emerges with western-styled buildings erect one by one beside the Bund, a main street running along the embankment.
The CLOCK on the Customs Building is identical to the one on Westminster in London. The CHIMES harmonize with HONKS from ships flowing over the waves in the HUANGPU RIVER.
EXT. ANNA'S HOUSE -- FRENCH CONCESSION -- DAY
A decent four-story house sits in a quiet neighborhood, sunshine streaming through the leaves of French trees.
INT. KITCHEN -- ANNA'S HOUSE -- DAY
Emilia makes eggs and toast by an electric stove. Mark drinks coffee and reads a newspaper at the table. Anna finishes her breakfast and kisses her parents goodbye before leaving with her painting folder and briefcase.
ANNA
I'm gonna work. Bye, Papa, Bye, Mama.
MARK
Take care. Bye.
EMILIA
Bye, honey. Come back earlier.
EXT. JEWISH SCHOOL -- INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT -- DAY
Anna walks toward the building bearing a sign of JEWISH SCHOOL.
Children from Sephardic and Russian Jewish families are driven here by chauffeurs and accompanied by maids. Some Jewish PARENTS say goodbye to their children at the gate.
INT. CLASSROOM -- JEWISH SCHOOL -- DAY
Anna teaches the CHILDREN to draw and paint. Anna supervises, reviews and revises their work. While the students are working on their own, Anna sketches Hans' features and writes Hans' name on a scratch paper.
INT. CORRIDOR -- JEWISH SCHOOL -- DAY
ANDY, a Jewish TEENAGER, shines shoes for a couple of TEACHERS. He is paid and nods his thanks. He puts shoe polish, brush and a piece of cloth into a wooden box hanging from a strap on his shoulder, and walks along the corridor, WHISTLING AMERICAN SONGS.
ANDY
(singing merrily)
Oh Suzanna...
He passes a classroom and peeps in through the door ajar.
ANDY'S POV THROUGH THE DOOR AJAR
Anna teaches some Jewish children how to paint.
BACK TO SCENE
Andy sits on a bench near the classroom door.
INT. CLASSROOM -- DAY
After Anna and her students leave, Andy enters into the empty classroom and approaches the blackboard. He takes a piece of chalk and draws on the blackboard. Gradually, the character sketch reveals the beautiful female art teacher.
INT. CORRIDOR -- DAY
Anna walks through the corridor with a colleague.
ANNA
Oh, I forgot my painting folder. I have to go back to my classroom. You go ahead, please.
COLLEAGUE
Okay, see you tomorrow.
ANNA
See you.
INT. CLASSROOM -- DAY
Anna returns and sees Andy drawing the portrait on the blackboard.
ANNA
Hello, the portrait looks like me, doesn't it?
Andy turns his head and sees Anna. He smiles, shy and awkward.
ANDY
Hello, Madam. I did not expect you to come back.
ANNA
I'm Anna, from Germany. Nice to meet you.
ANDY
I'm Andy, nice to meet you too.
ANNA
You draw very well.
ANDY
Thank you.
Anna takes out a set of paint box and brush from her desk and gives it to Andy.
ANNA
Here you’re, a paint box and brush, a gift for you.
ANDY
For me? Thanks a lot. It's very kind of you, Madam.
Andy accepts the gift and beams with delight.
EXT. SYNAGOGUE -- INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT -- DAY
The white stone SYNAGOGUE built by Sephardic Jews is impressive.
INT. LECTURE HALL -- SYNAGOGUE -- DAY
A RABBI lectures to the Jewish CHILDREN. Then they recite and pray in Hebrew.
INT. AUDITORIUM -- SYNAGOGUE -- NIGHT
Candles are lit. Fresh flowers are placed all around. The anxious JEWISH PRAYERS, holding framed portraits or photos of the victims, chant in mournful melodies and pray for their relatives and friends who died during the Holocaust in Europe.
In front of a pulpit, Anna prays for Hans.
ANNA
Hans, I miss you so much. Please be alive and come to me. Come to me soon, come to me soon, please.
EXT. HARBOR -- HONGKOW -- SHANGHAI -- DAY
Battling ocean waves, the SHIP sails toward SHANGHAI HARBOR and docks.
PASSENGERS disembark, nervously looking for their relatives or friends in the waiting crowd. Hans walks down the gangway and elbows his way through the crowd.
Hans imagines that Anna's smiling face emerges from among the waiting people and waves to her. In a moment, Anna's image turns out to be a stranger's face smiling to another passenger. Hans seems disappointed and strolls through the harbor listlessly.
Standing in front of a post, a squad of JAPANESE SOLDIERS guards the dock, holding rifles with fixed bayonets aiming at PASSERS-BY or resting the rifle butts on the ground next to their feet.
Rickshaws fixed with cushioned seats are lined up near the dock. JEWISH NEWCOMERS call on rickshaw PULLERS to transport them and their luggage.
EXT. STREETS -- HONGKOW -- DAY
Hans stands on this strange land, without luggage, bare-footed and in thin shabby clothes. As Hans bends to pick up a piece of bread dropped by a LITTLE CHILD in his MOTHER'S arms, someone from behind calls out to him.
ANDY
Hey, Sir, like to have your shoes shined?
Hans looks back and finds a Jewish teenager who carries a wooden box and tries to solicit customers.
HANS
Oh, sorry, I've got no shoes.
Andy looks at Hans' bare feet.
HANS (CONT'D)
What's your name?
ANDY
Andy.
HANS
How old are you?
ANDY
Twelve. Who're you? Where are you from?
HANS
I'm Hans, from Germany.
ANDY
Germany? I know an art teacher. She's also from Germany.
HANS
(indifferently)
Really?
ANDY
Yeah. She's beautiful. She sent me a set of paint box and brush.
While they are talking, several TRAVELERS approach them.
TRAVELER 1
Hey, Boy, shine my shoes.
TRAVELER 2
Hurry up. The tour bus leaves soon.
TRAVELER 3
Come on, I'll pay you more money. Just do it faster.
Andy grunts while shining shoes for travelers in a hurry. Hans jumps in to help. Hans follows Andy's process to dust the shoes with a cloth, cream and brush them.
HANS
Aha, we've done.
The travelers give a handful of coins to Andy and leave. Andy counts the money, chuckling.
ANDY
Hans, are you hungry?
HANS
I'm starving.
ANDY
Let's have a bite to eat. My treat.
INT. FOOD BOOTH -- HONGKOW -- DAY
Andy and Hans enter a food booth and sit down at a table. Andy puts coins on the table and yells his orders.
ANDY
(in Chinese)
Hey, Boss, grilled cakes, fried twisted pastes, sweetened soybean milk, and wonton soup. Two of each.
HANS
Wow! You can speak Chinese
language so fluently.
ANDY
I’ve been here in Shanghai for
more than one year, dawdling
along all day, of course, I’d
learn to say some Chinese for
food and drink.
Food is delivered. Andy and Hans dig in.
HANS
I'm looking for some friends who came here several months ago, but I don't know where they'd be.
ANDY
Um, maybe, in Heime.
HANS
Heime? Where's it?
ANDY
The Heime in Hongkow is not far from here. Your friends are probably there.
HANS
The Heime in Hongkow? What's the place?
ANDY
It's a place where Jewish people gather and dwell as they first arrive in Shanghai.
HANS
You're so smart. You know about so much.
ANDY
I live there with my grandpa and auntie, so I know about the place. Just follow me. Let's go.
(CONTINUING)
