The Ice Rink

66. EXT. SCREENING ROOM- DAY

The ambulance screeches to a halt in front of the screening room doors.

The assistant to the director of the Venice festival gets out, goes to kiss the producer’s hand.

The introductions are quickly made.

The festival director's rolling bed is wheeled inside the projection room.

Everyone goes inside.

67. INT. PROJECTION ROOM AT CINECITTA - DAY

In the projection room, the rolling bed is pushed right up to the front row.

The bed is left in front of the screen.

The producer and the director watch the film in the dark standing against the back wall.

The producer (softly)

It's almost over.

Under the screen, the gigantic deformed shadow of the rolling bed of the Venice Festival director, with his perfusions, blends in with the images.

The director, worried, watches the end of the movie in the dark.

The last images of the film flash over the screen.

The lights come on in the room.

The assistant to the director comes up to the small group, shakes the hands of the producer and the director, congratulates them without wanting to anticipate the festival director's decision in any way.

They wait a few moments, no one dares to move.

There is a moment of hesitation.

Everyone looks in the direction of the rolling bed in the first row.

The assistant to the director finally goes up to the director of the festival.

He stays with him a few moments, crouched over his bed.

He comes back, his face is grave, withdrawn .............