The Lobster · written by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou · 2015

The Loner Leader tells David her deputy has died and offers him the deputy role while showing him a truffle-rich place.

Scene 109 of 123 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act three

Loner Leader
David

Act oneAct two

Begins 1:19 into a 1:28 film

The story so farBefore scene 109

After his wife leaves him, David has 45 days to find a partner at a hotel or become an animal; he escapes, falls for a shortsighted loner, and must decide whether to surrender his sight so they can stay together.

Scenes 1–15
David moves from his broken home into the hotel, where couplehood is imposed as the norm.
Scenes 16–24
He must find a partner before the 45-day limit turns him into an animal.
Scenes 25–62
He participates in the hunt, attempts a false match, then escapes into the woods.
Scenes 63–84
He adapts to loner customs and cautiously begins a connection with Shortsighted Woman.
Scenes 85–100
They build a secret language and plan to leave the loner community together.
Just before
Scene 106
The Leader tricks the blind Shortsighted Woman into thinking she is fighting her; Shortsighted Woman stabs Loner Narrator, then the Leader presses a small razor blade into her fist.
Scene 107
David meets the blinded woman; she admits the leader caused it, and he promises they will find a way forward.
Scene 108
The Loner Leader invites a sad David to accompany her and her pig on a truffle hunt.
Scene 109
This scene

109EXT. THE WOODS - NIGHT

David and Loner Leader walk through the woods holding flashlights. David looks scared. He doesn’t know if he‘s about to be punished as well.

LONER LEADER

Thanks for coming with me.

Something terrible happened today

and I needed some company.

DAVID

What happened?

LONER LEADER

Didn’t you hear what happened in

town?

DAVID

No.

LONER LEADER

Shortsighted Woman had an operation

and went blind. It’s so very sad.

And then my deputy leader was

killed on our way back. She was

attacked by a jaguar. I’m really

very upset because I was thinking

of making Shortsighted Woman deputy

leader as she’s very capable and

loyal. But then I gave it some

thought and realised that now it

will be difficult for her to

command so many people. The next

person I thought could take on such

a responsibility is you.

DAVID

Thank you very much.

LONER LEADER

Don’t thank me. I trust you

completely and I consider you one

of the best loners I’ve seen in

years. I know you won’t disappoint

me in any way. If something happens

to me, you will take over. Take a

few days to think about it and let

me know when you’re ready. Here’s

the place with the truffles. You

can’t imagine how many there are. I

wanted you to come with me and see

it for yourself. If you become

deputy leader, you’ll need to know

where in the woods you can find