The bride has blackened her eyelashes
And made up her lips
She has been to the hammam
And hennaed her hair
She has put on her most beautiful dress
And all her bracelets
But she is still missing something
What is it?
- Her ring. - No.
- Her earrings. - No.
The bride has blackened her eyelashes
And made up her lips...
You're so lucky.
Don't worry, Myriam, you'll get engaged too.
Which one is he?
Guess!
- That's him! - Bingo!
What do you think?
He's just how I imagined him.
l'm bringing them to you.
May your girl Myriam be next on the list!
All our friends are here.
Come on, let's hear it for Nour and Khaled.
Look at it, look at it. You're the fiancee!
Don't be ashamed!
Nour, when's the wedding?
We'll wait until Khaled finds work.
Don't wait too long!
My neighbour was engaged for 10 years. Her fiance died.
She doesn't even have a sheep for comfort now!
- Come on, Antonietta! - No, I prefer Italian things.
Touch it, you'll like it!
To the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem
The German National Socialists
have always fought against world Jewry.
They support the Arabs' struggle for freedom
notably in Palestine
against the Jewish interlopers. Heinrich Himmler
The WEDDING SONG
- How much are the tomatoes? - Twenty centimes.
That's too expensive.
l don't have enough money.
Come on, let's go.
Oh, those Germans... l've never seen men like them.
They're well-mannered, they have blond hair.
And blue eyes.
Quite frankly, if one approaches me, l won't let him go.
Me neither.
What did you study at school today?
Nothing.
She's been expelled!
She picked a bad day for it!
As if me being fired wasn't enough!
You've nothing to teach me?
You know all you need.
You can sew and cook. Khaled will be happy with that.
My mother drives me mad!
So does mine.
Tell me...
l've wanted to ask for a year now.
But I don't dare.
Go on.
Why did your mother lose her job?
Because of the French...
Why?
l don't know.
They don't like us anymore.
Tita!
Come here!
l hear you haven't paid.
l said l'd pay next time.
You know our situation!
You always say that!
You're like a sister to me but l'm going to get angry.
Next time no money, no hammam!
l'll bring the money next time.
On my husband's grave, l'll bring it!
You can never get a Jew to cough up!
They're worse than the French!
Let's hope the Germans win the war and rid us of the French!
They're going to win!
Myriam!
Everything ok?
Fine.
And you?
l can't sleep.
Me neither.
Want to sleep in my room?
Wait for me.
Good morning.
Nour!
Come here, my girl!
Take this to Tita.
- Husband... - Yes.
l wish to talk to you.
What's the matter?
Khaled wants to know the date of the wedding.
Has he found work?
No, not yet.
No work, no wedding!
Come on, he's our cousin!
How will he provide for her? No work, no wedding.
May God forgive me!
What are they doing?
They're laughing.
Really?
Come and help me now!
There are dresses in my room!
Antonietta.
Ah, very good!
l'll sew it so you can pay the grocer back.
Tita?
Yes?
My mum sentthis.
Thank you, Nour.
What's wrong?
You haven't put the radio on for us this morning?
Come on.
Come with me.
Come and let Tita cuddle you.
Ah, Nour, the world is cruel!
Wait here, l'll get you some Molokheya.
What's wrong?
l need your help. l have to see Khaled.
Can you help me?
What's that red dress?
- Try it on for the synagogue. - I prefer the blue one.
- No, it makes you look pale. - It doesn't.
Enough!
Heed my advice to attract Raoul.
l don't want to.
You'll have to after what you did at school.
Is this a time to sing songs against Marshal Ptain?
Please, Nour, tell her to try it on.
It isn't sewn yet!
You can finish it tomorrow.
No time. l have to work with Nour.
As if the Germans will let you go back to school!
The Allies will.
Sew away while you wait for them.
Our concert today
was brought to you by the Galeries Barbes
and we hope that you enjoyed it.
Your satisfaction i's the goal of our store.
for you, we hire the top music hall stars.
for you,
we have developed our quick-dry wax polish,
the polish with the instant shine. free catalogue.
l'm the little wooden man from the Galeries BarbesÉ
Anglo-American bombs again fell on our dear Tunisia yesterday.
Since this war is of Jewish origin,
especially the invasion of North Africa
organized by international Jewry,
we thank the German authorities for compensating the bombs victims
by giving the Jewish community a hefty fine.
They understand the huge threat
that the Jews represent wherever they live.
The fine is set at the fair, sum of 20 million francs
to be paid immediately to avoid bloody reprisals.
May God destroy them!
Jews as a whole
is the greatest and staunchest enemy
of our cause and the Third Reich.
Wait in the living room.
Thank you.
Do you know Paris?
l studied medicine there.
l stayed until the Germans arrived,
then I had to come back here.
And you?
Tell me things.
- What do you like to do? - Nothing.
Do you like my house?
Not very talkative.
You were more outspoken at school!
How do you know about that?
The whole city knows!
Myriam!
Go back and see him.
And be nice to him.
l don't want to marry him.
When you're poor, you can't be choosy.
You eat and shut up!
You want me to die in poverty?
This man was sent by God.
He'll bring you fame and joy.
And he'll help us to pay the fine.
Myriam...
At first, I too thought l didn't love your father.
And then...
l got to know him.
Myriam,
there's a war on.
Now ask your god about the fine.
Almighty God,
give Myriam 20 million francs to pay the fine.
We'll see.
If it doesn't work you'll have to ask Raoul.
You'll end up liking him one day.
No chance of that.
And he lives far away.
We won't be able to see each other?
First...
of all...
First of all...
Have you finished it?
- And the Arabic book? - That too.
That's good.
Have you found work?
Not yet.
You have to, Khaled!
l know.
Why did you want to see me?
My father wants to call off the marriage.
Don't worry.
l'll soon find work.
l have to go.
Myriam will be worried.
What's that?
The Americans.
This is for you.
For me?
Think it's my size?
Try it on.
You'll wear it to see Khaled.
It's perfect.
Thank you.
Did you kiss Khaled last time?
Yes.
What's it like?
It's scary.
The bride has blackened her eyelashes
And made up her lips
She has been to the hammam
And hennaed her hair
She has put on her most beautiful dress
And all her bracelets
But she is still missing something
The bride...
My God...
Where's the baker's?
What do we do?
l don't know.
They're not going to bomb us every day!
The Americans and English bomb you
in order to invade your country.
They're friends of the Jews.
We're friends of the Muslims.
Show this document
and you'll be treated as a friend.
Let's go.
She did couscous without salt?
l asked her to
but she's such a scatterbrain.
Why so much oil?
l told you already!
Sorry, ma'am.
They never understand a thing.
These native bints are a disaster.
Calm down. The roundups make her edgy.
- This is terrible service! - l'll see to it.
Mother, it doesn't matter!
You always say that.
She hasn't given us spoons.
It's all right. Let's eat.
Fire her if you're not happy.
Every meal, we talk about the maid!
Can we eat?
The meatballs are good.
l haven't had meat since the war began.
We'll have it at the wedding.
We'll need your guest list.
Only family.
With this fine to pay, we need to cut back.
l don't know how to pay.
Don't worry.
Thank you, Raoul.
l'm sorry,
l have to leave straight after lunch.
l have a patient later too.
Why does the hospital give you so much work?
l'm lucky I kept my job!
Thanks to you, Si Mustapha.
Thanks to you. May God bless you.
It's nothing, madame.
Three other doctors backed me up.
And I left France to be safe here!
Such a pity...
Si Mustapha, what do you think
of the political situation?
l think you're safe.
No one is fooled by Nazi propaganda.
The Communists have asked me to contact the Nationalists.
We'd like them
to take a stand against the Axis. l think they will.
We share the same goal: independence for Tunisia.
l saw Muslims pick up leaflets.
Help my mother clear the table.
May I take your plate now?
Yes, the fine's spoiled my appetite.
We'll sort it out.
Thank you, Raoul.
Excuse her.
Where are you going? What's happening?
Come back to the table.
Make an effort, dear.
You don't understand.
There's a war on!
You're very beautiful.
- Do you know her? - Yes.
Could she wait outside?
l don't want customers seeing a native here.
Raoul!
Nour!
Show me what your Raoul bought you.
It's beautiful!
You're so lucky.
Khaled never buys me anything.
Don't worry, he'll buy you presents one day.
We'll see.
He still hasn't found work?
It's hard right now.
It's hard for us too.
- Here, you have it. - No, keep it.
- Take it. - No, it's a gift.
Please. Take it.
What about Raoul?
I'll say I lost it.
He won't believe you.
He will. Don't worry.
What about me? What will I tell Khaled?
I don't know.
Say you found it.
Like you picked up a piece of paper on the square...
That's true.
Can I ask you something?
Yes.
l'd like to see Khaled again.
All right.
Don't worry, l'll get myself a pass.
- You can? - Yes.
And l'll even get work. And money.
Have you told my father?
No, not yet.
- Does March suit you? - For what?
Our wedding.
Your eyes, your lips...
Come here.
No.
l've been waiting for years!
Like everyone.
Let me, please.
l beg you, my love.
- Don't you love me anymore? - Yes, I love you.
Forgive me.
Tell me about when you first saw me.
I already told you.
Tell me again.
Come on, tell me.
As soon as I saw you, I knew you were the one.
And then?
Then, my father told me
you were the cousin l'd marry.
But I already knew it was you.
How did you know?
I was trembling.
Are you still trembling now?
Yes.
Don't be afraid.
Myriam!
Here I am.
What are you doing?
Who is that?
Who is it, Myriam?
Have you done it?
My God, my daughter is a slut!
What will I tell Raoul now?
- I don't want to marry him. - Shut up!
If your father was alive, he'd slap your face!
He'd never marry me to a man I hate!
Shut up, you whore!
Seen this?
It's all spoiled.
l'll buy you another one.
When do you starrtwork?
I don't know.
Tomorrow I have to go to the Kom' mandantur.
You're working for the Germans?
Yes.
They're decent people.
They've promised us independence after the war.
I didn't know that.
There are a lot of things you don't know.
I'll teach you.
Who is he?
What did you do with him?
Everything!
Meaning?
Everything. He lay down on me, blew in my mouth and...
Ah, Myriam...
Give this to your mother for the wedding expenses.
Well?
I've sorted it out.
Thank you, you've saved us.
There's no problem. Everything's fine.
No problem, Tita!
l forgot to ask you. For the wedding night...
Do you want the bride Oriental or European style?
Oriental.
Oriental...
Be brave, you have to be beautiful for your wedding night.
How did it go with Khaled the other night?
He's found work.
What kind of work?
He didn't tell me.
Stand up!
I have a friend whose jealous neighbour
wanted her fiance.
On the wedding night, she cast a spell
and he became like a baby!
Didn't her father kill her when he saw the unstained sheet?
The poor man lived with the shame all his life!
Which family was it?
The whole neighbourhood knows!
I know who it is.
You have to be clean to please your husband.
Don't be afraid!
Your husband wants you as soft as silk.
It's all right, it's all right.
Relax, the pain will pass.
Everything's fine.
You see, your skin is silky.
There, it's all over.
I have to tell her and show her.
Answer!
Where are your children? Your husband?
I don't know I don't understand French.
What did she say?
She doesn't speak French.
For hostages, it's best to take men.
Where's her family?
Where's your family?
There's no one else. My husband is dead
and my daughter is married.
She lives alone.
Is that true?
No, she has a daughter.
But she isn't home from school yet.
I beg you...
l've done nothing, l've paid the fine, l...
We'll come back.
- What do we do? - Search the place.
Take the jewels, the money and the sewing machine.
There's nothing.
They hide everything.
Mum!
Nour!
Bitch!
Hello, Myriam, how are you?
Hello.
Are you all right?
Hello.
What's wrong with her?
I don't understand.
God only knows, my daughter.
What are you doing here?
Nothing.
Why did you pick those leaflets up on the square?
I was curious.
Has Khaled told you about his work?
No.
- Not a thing? - No.
He came to our place with the Germans and French.
They stole from us.
They hurt my mother.
- He did nothing wrong! - I saw him with them.
- It wasn't him! - I saw him.
You saw wrong!
What have you got against Khaled?
Are you jealous?
No!
I'd rather die than live your life.
You know nothing about what l'm going through!
... An office will be opened at the high school.
And now a final reminder.
In application of Colonel Raufs decision
and in accordance with the bill posted in the city,
German authorities require a contingent of 2,OOO Jewish workers
for excavation work and trench digging.
Therefore all able-bodied Jewish men...
Raoul!
must come tomorrow morning at 8 sharp
to the Jewish labour recruitment centre
with shovels and picks.
There will be no excemptionsÉ
Shalom Hajaj.
-Age? - 30.
Occupation?
Iron worker.
Any health problems?
I cough a lot.
Come here.
Cough.
Again.
That way.
Flix Haddad!
-Age? - 50.
- Occupation? - Doctor.
I know you, you're a carpenter, not a doctor.
You damn traitor!
Traitor!
Scum! You're not a man!
If l'd been in their shoes I'd have spat in your face too.
It wasn't my decision to send only the poor.
You're a party to it.
Whose decision was it?
The community leaders'.
We had orders to protect the elite.
That's inhuman.
What can I do?
Resign.
If I do, l'll be sent away too.
They'll need doctors there.
You really want that?
l don't want my fiance to be called a coward.
Know why I chose you at the synagogue?
No.
For what you did at school.
I wanted to help you.
Where's this bra from?
It's new.
Where did you get the money for it?
It was a present.
Who from?
Why do you want to know?
You mustn't wear another girl's clothes!
We're not beggars.
Who gave it to you?
A woman.
A woman? Who?
Myriam?
Take it off!
- Why? - Take it off!
You don't need to dress like a whore to please me!
Take it off!
You mustn't see Myriam again.
Yes.
All right.
The bride has blackened her eyelashes
And made up her lips
She has been to the hammam
And hennaed her hair
She has put on her most beautiful dress
And all her bracelets
Butshe is still missing something
What is it?
- Her ring. - No.
Give me a son.
I want a son when I get back.
Here.
Get dressed.
We'll talk about it when I get back.
Thank you.
Have you packed my things?
l've put in some food too.
Thank you.
I'm going.
Your father's waiting outside.
I know.
Raoul!
Yes?
Don't go.
It's too late now.
Don't worry, Oum Khaled. My daughter is in good health.
She looks a bit skinny to me.
Here's your money.
Better late than never!
Go on in.
Inspection! No one leaves!
Men aren't allowed in here now!
Stay there!
She has no veil.
They respect nothing!
Catch them.
Hurry! They're hiding in the steam bath.
She's my sister. A Muslim.
- What's to prove you're Muslim? - Here's her veil.
There is no God but Allah and Mohamed is his prophet.
All right!
We're taking ten hostages.
What came over you at the hammam?
Nothing.
Answer me!
You'd let someone be mistreated like that?
No, never!
She's not someone, she's a Jew.
Khaled...
Don't talk like that.
l don't recognize you.
Come here.
l'd like to live in a beautiful house.
Me too.
l'd like our son to go to university.
Me too.
Ever wondered why the Jews were allowed to do that?
Why did the French allow them to and not us?
This is our country!
Think that's normal?
You agree with that?
It's their country too.
And they're poor too.
That's not true!
You don't know! You've never read anything.
What do I need to read to understand?
It's hard to read.
Your French isn't good enough.
Read the Koran!
You won't do it again?
You promise?
Yes.
Come to see me at the villa.
l can't. It's too far.
Come by bicycle. It's quicker.
You know I can't ride one.
I'll teach you.
You know, I saw Khaled.
Did you speak to him?
No.
Did you talk to him?
What about?
About me.
About you?
Listen, Myriam, it's politics. You can't understand.
Explain to me then.
Put yourself in his shoes.
He didn't have any work.
We're exploited in our own country.
The French exploit us!
And you, the Jews,
you help them. You take our wealth and work.
Why do you go to school when I don't?
Why do I wear a veil when you don't?
Why can you go out
without being criticized
when I always am?
Why can't I go out?
Why?
Why do you say that?
Because it's true, Myriam!
Get that into your head!
It's not true. Raoul helps Mustapha to rid us of the French!
You like your Raoul now?
What about Khaled? You still like him?
Yes, I do!
He stepped in to spare us any problems!
Besides, politics has nothing do to with you.
You're different.
No, l'm not different.
Myriam, you're different.
- You're different! - Let me go!
Mum!
What's wrong?
What's wrong, my daughter?
What's wrong?
''lf anyone desires a religion other than Islam
''never will it be accepted of him.
''In the hereafter, he will be among those who have lost.''
Let me do it.
Nour, what's wrong?
Nothing.
l'm looking at the well.
Hello, here's the bride
Hello, Nour my dear
Come on, let's go inside!
You read Arabic now?
No.
l just saw you reading.
Who taught you?
l learned on my own.
Impossible! Who taught you?
Myriam.
Don't lie!
And where did she learn Arabic?
At school.
What are you reading?
The Koran.
So Myriam told you to read the Koran?!
Yes.
Go on, read it. l'm listening!
''If anyone desires a religion other than Islam
''never will it be accepted of him.
''In the hereafter, he will be among those who have lost.''
So Myriam told you to read that?!
No, I came across it by chance.
Read this for me!
''Those who believe
''those who follow Judaism Christianity and the Sabians',
''and whoever believes in God
''and on the Last Day and who does good,
''shall have their reward from their Lord.
''On them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.''
Thank you.
Now let me sleep.
The bride has blackened her eyelashes
And made up her lips
She has been to the hammam
And hennaed her hair
She has put on her most beautiful dress
And all her bracelets
But she is still missing something
What is it?
- Her husband. - Yes.
l love you.
- Nothing's happening. - Leave them! They'll come out!
I've read the Koran.
On your own?
Yes.
But not like you said.
What do you mean?
I found beautiful things in it about Myriam.
I told you to stop seeing Myriam!
I can't...
She's my best friend.
I'm the one who decides.
Give me your foot.
Thank you.
Let's hear it for them!
In the name of God the Lenient, the Merciful.
Say: God is one.
Hark, Israel.
The Lord is our God. The Lord is One.
Subtitles: Ian Burley