In the summer of 1968,
a year after the Six Day War,
my family came to IsraeI from India.
Back in Bombay, my father was promised
that after a month in Hebrew schooI,
we'll get an apartment in the center of IsraeI.
Now it sounds funny how naive we were
but back then, my father
had no reason for mistrust.
I turned 17 the day we left the schooI.
We were all very excited,
most of all I and my father,
my best friend.
After a few hours drive,
The truck broke down on the way.
I had no idea where we were,
but in that very place,
in the middle of the desert,
I met a girI
who was to change my life.
Sarah, come here!
Where are you?
What's so funny?
Vincent, that's enough!
Get to bed!
Thank God, it's back to schooI.
Vacation's over. I'm exhausted.
Nicole!
Where were you? Your hair's wet.
At the lake, with her fiance.
You're obnoxious!
Stop making fun of me!
I don't look good in it? -Sure you do!
Do I look fat?
Not fat, just plump.
Hello, Papa.
I'm not finished with you.
What's so funny?
There's a revolution in Paris.
Just like when they had a king.
The police don't scare them.
They know they're making history.
History's funny! Sometimes liberating
and sometimes imprisoning you.
Papa...
New arrivals. Poor things!
Why next door? Their cooking reeks!
I can't bear it! -Really disgusting!
1, 2, 3...
What are you counting? -Their children.
We were all brought here for the children.
You can't compare ours to theirs!
Their culture is primitive.
They burn their dead. -Cut it out!
The people living across from us
came to IsraeI 10 years earlier.
The fact is they were just as angry
trying to escape
to some place with a better...
future.
But like Uncle Stanley told my father,
escape
was not possible.
Is he peeing?
Doesn't he have a toilet at home?
He's holding us up. -Don't be mean.
One floor above Nicole's family
lived a young widow named Simone.
Nicole adored her.
And Nicole's mother didn't like it.
Later on,
I came to understand what she meant.
He cut me!
What's your problem, Indira Gandhi?
Why the bar mitzvah suit?
Stop it!
He almost gouged my eye!
Forgive him, it's nothing.
What?
SchooI? Go straight,
turn left, cross the town center, untiI you get to Yosi's caf.
It looks like a loony bin.
SchooI's there.
Other darkies arrived yesterday. - Including a girI.
She's our age. -Black as the deviI!
No, she's pretty, delicate.
Not like me, the Berber?
You talk like your mom.
Don't get all worked up!
Yosi, you crazy? So many crates?
What does the sign say?
"Yosis Cafe", right? Who's Yosi?
You? No, I'm Yosi.
So don't argue with me!
There's Moshe.
I have such an effect on him!
His erection is disgusting! -yes, but interesting...
You're a demon! Not my fault I am so gorgeous?
What is it, Moshe? -What, Yosi?
What's the matter?
Why hush?
Same problem again?
look
Who is that? -That's the new teacher
from TeI Aviv.
He's good-looking! What a waste!
Cut it out, he's a teacher.
I hate people from TeI Aviv.
They think we're animals.
I enjoy watching a handsome guy.
You and your dirty mind.
Watch what you do. He's a teacher.
Are you all right?
Yes, it's just that...
a pebble got into my shoe.
I'd better be going.
I can show you the way to schooI.
I know the way, thanks.
Who's that conceited guy?
He'd better watch his step.
Cut it out, before you scare off customers and tourists.
Tourists? In the middle of the desert?
Why not? Las Vegas got started like this.
Thanks to whom? To jews!
Ordinary Jews like you and me.
Nicole!
Come here.
Come learn with your sister.
Stop it!
Just a little taste.
No more "tastes", look at you!
Get in here before I lose my temper!
What makes a dish outstanding?
What a nice smell, Jeannette!
We're in the kitchen.
Why'd you tell her?
She already came in.
We have new neighbors.
Like us, they were brought in at night.
I saw someone new. In the truck today.
I don't like these Indians.
But neighbors are neighbors.
It looks good!
Bring them a plate of Pastillas.
Right, I'll bring them something too.
I've got nothing to say to them.
Come upstairs?
I told you to stay away from her.
She invited me!
Get the candy box in the bar.
There! Go on!
There's the new issue of "Haolam Haze".
A story on a big star from TeI Aviv,
Zeva Yariv.
She brought a Jaguar back from America,
up the Dizengoff, our Champs-Elysees!
And people cheered.
It's the new teacher!
Who?
The new schoolteacher.
It says here he's a poet.
A poet?
He writes songs for the radio?
Not at all, he writes poetry books.
Take the magazine, sweetie, but
bring the chocolates to the Indian...
The Indians.
This bra is killing me.
What do I say?
Their daughter's in my class.
She never opens her mouth.
Maybe she's retarded.
You know, an Indian!
What are you talking about?
Indians are very smart.
Who wrote the Kama Sutra? An Indian!
What's Kama Sutra?
The bible of sex!
Indians may be quiet but they know what theyre doing,
because they're cultured.
Men usually do what they want,
fast, fast! They don't think we have our own rhythm.
It should be taught in schools.
It's far more usefuI than math.
Sounds funny? But it's a part of love.
It's what counts most in life.
Look around you:
war, worries, problems...
Only one thing lights up the night:
love, God's gift to humanity.
We should find out more about them.
How the father talks to the mother...
But how do I do that? -Go over there,
ask how they are,
get friendly.
Play the spy.
Like James Bond.
This is for your mother.
Thank you. Please come in.
You speak Hebrew?
A little. I'm learning.
My mother sends this.
And that's from our neighbor, Simone.
We live downstairs.
She's right above us...
There.
Tell your mother thank you very much.
I'll send her something too.
No, don't bother.
It's not important.
Those your dad's soccer trophies?
Cricket. -What's cricket?
A very nice game.
Papa is a good player. -What else is he good at?
He's...
a good dancer.
Why's your necklace upside down?
The Y. -This? -Yes.
It's upside down.
It's not a Y. It's the hippie symboI.
It stands for...
free love.
Like in your Kama Kama.
What's Kama Kama?
You know, the book with...
The Kama Sutra? -That's it.
That' the Bible of the Indians...
the Indian boys.
Your father probably reads it daily.
My father?
No, we don't have it here.
You had this at the dam.
Sorry... Your secret diary?
They're... stories.
That you invent?
"Invent"?
Invent, it's like...
I... watch people... write down.
What for?
Those stories aren't life.
It's like learning the world,
learning people.
Here you'll only have blank pages.
Nothing happens here
and there's no one to write about.
Nobody at all?
Except maybe...
about...
What?
Me.
I'm not being pretentious,
but it's a small place.
About you?
As soon as I graduate,
I'll leave for TeI Aviv.
And then, when they'll write about me
in the magazines,
you'll already have written about me.
Just imagine
meeting Brigitte Bardot
before she became known.
You?!
What's so funny?
Who's the clown?
A new arrivaI, poor guy.
I don't like his mug.
In Morocco they hated Jews.
Here among Jews, we dislike Jews of color.
The Indian takes your line.
Madam, excuse me...
You, over there!
Mine. Shushan.
I live there.
I don't understand!
Today, okay.
But tomorrow, no.
Tomorrow, over there.
Which soap?
Which soap is it?
No way! French soap is the best.
French is the best.
You won't listen.
Oh, God!
And every time he sees me,
he gets a bulge in his pants.
What are you writing... About me?
A little.
What? Nothing happened here.
It was...
funny.
Funny?
Like stupid-funny?
No.
Human nature can be funny at times.
for your book...
if the teacher fell in love with me,
wouldn't that be interesting?
Mr. Asaf!
Just call me Asaf.
-Asaf...
We're having an argument and
we'd like your opinion.
Go ahead.
It's not to brag,
But everyone says
I'm the prettiest girI here.
So I'd like to know
if in TeI Aviv too
people would find me pretty.
I mean,
Pretty... is pretty...
"That if you be honest and fair,
"May your honesty admit
no discourse to your beauty. "
"Hamlet"? -Very good, Sarah!
But what do you mean? I don't get it.
What I mean is...
Some other time. See you in class.
Was that a compliment?
Didn't he use the word "beauty"?
I think so.
Nicole, where are you going?
To get my homework from Sarah.
I'll be right back.
So, how's the Indian family?
That's what I came to tell you.
They can see your living room
from theirs, and vise versa.
Look!
They are really nice. Like you said,
Indians are very smart.
Their daughter is writing a book.
I'll take her to my folk dance class.
She also dances, but not folk,
her father taught her ballroom dancing.
Poor guy, where can he dance here?
Two years of promises, but no raise!
They're kidding us. "There is no money. "
Meanwhile, the boss gets a new car.
When we came here, it wasn't what they promised.
We said nothing. They exploited us,
and we said nothing!
You, men, love war. Any excuse will do.
They're giving you a medaI.
Will that buy you a house in TeI Aviv?
Hey, turn that music off!
So we ask for a raise one more time.
If they turn us down, we stop working.
That's it! We've had it!
We're on strike!
We're on strike as of now.
We're on strike!
A strike!
What's going on here? -A strike!
Get out of here! Beat it!
Get back to work, all of you!
We're on strike. You understand?
We'll show you, big shots!
The striking workers expected
the government to force the owners
into a negotiation.
But time passed
and no negotiation commenced.
This strike may call the wedding off.
How can I dance at my wedding
without taking lessons?
Sarah's dad can teach you.
Not with an Indian!
If you step on your husband's feet,
you'll cripple him. -Cut it out,
I've had it with your insults.
Shut up.
It'll all work out, Josi.
Work out how?
Couldn't the strike have waited?
We had no choice.
Our dignity's at stake. -Dignity?
It's all we have left.
And our honor.
Enough!
Show some sympathy!
What are you telling me?
That for my speciaI day,
I won't have a hairdresser?
I'm not asking for much. It's my day!
The only day I can feeI speciaI!
But I'll have none of that, will I?
Pass it to me!
Stop it!
We're playing soccer!
Why'd you do that?
What's that?
What are those morons up to?
What are they playing?
It looks like dodge ball.
A girls' game!
Just look at them.
Are they with the queen of England?
After all, Indians are just white flunkies with a tan...
What is your father playing?
Cricket.
It's a nice game
with style, a bit like dancing.
I wanted to ask you something...
Could your father give my sister dance lessons? -Sure.
She's stressed. -She can't dance?
I know plenty of people who'd love
to learn with your father.
Simone, I arranged for you
to dance with Sarah's father.
Your friend's father will give lessons
To your sister and her fiance?
What? I just want to dance a little.
Where can I dance around here?
And with who?
Besides, your sister told me that...
he's a very good dancer.
I told her that.
So it was all your idea!
Bravo!
I have a gift for you.
Just because I care for you, but...
You deserve it.
Open it!
I had my first pair at your age.
My mother gave them to me.
Pretty, aren't they?
Like them? I cant accept them.
Why not? Don't be afraid, you're a woman.
If Mom saw me in this, she'd think I was...
What?
Like a...
A whore?
No! I do want it.
It's okay. Leave the garters here.
No, I do want it.
Really, it's a beautifuI gift.
So...
What's new with your poet?
My poet?
Mr. Asaf.
I don't know how...
Deep in your heart you want him?
So don't be afraid.
Yosi, what are you doing!
Sorry, I was watching the teacher.
You stepped on my foot!
Is it hard?
Don't write in your book I can't dance.
I'll be fine.
-You, the wedding, all will be fine!
We only have folk dancing once a week.
You can't dance or anything!
And when my sister looks,
you step on my foot!
You place one hand here...
the other here.
The other, on her shoulder.
Both hands on the shoulders. -I...
I must've drank something bad.
Moshe?
Is he feeling bad? -He feels too good.
Bravo! You broke my foot
and we learned nothing.
But I learned to count in English.
Shame on you!
Your dad's fine.
Goodbye, Sarah's dad.
Where's everyone?
It's finished.
Really? I thought it started at 8.
At... 8 o'clock?
No, at 7...
What a shame! I felt like dancing.
Really finished...
Knock at his door? He's our teacher!
He's a man first.
And I promised you materiaI
for your book.
You really want to? -I don't know.
We'll knock at his door. -We?
No, Nicole, not me.
I'm going home. You can tell me
about it tomorrow.
No, you promised me! -Good night.
- TOWN HALL -
Not many records for a dance teacher!
Records...
At my place.
You can return them later.
Would you...
Like to come...
If you like.
All the children...
With the literature teacher.
Turn the radio off. -But it's nice.
So turn it down, I want to sleep.
Good night. -Josi,
you know I love you,
but you should lose weight. -What?
You can't sleep with him like that.
So what? It'll be dark.
The first time I sleep with a man,
I'll want to see everything.
The mere thought of it gets me exited.
I'll take off my clothes nice and slow
He'll take off his, nice and slow.
What are you doing? You crazy?
We'll stand naked, face to face...
How disgusting! What a way to behave!
We'll really be in the mood...
I'll touch him a little...
Stop that nonsense!
It'll be so beautifuI and so romantic.
Have you no shame?
Good night.
They shut the factory down
No one will negotiate with us.
How did we come to this?
I came here to be part of something.
I'm part of nothing.
And we're broke.
In Morocco I got respect,
Folks crossed the street just to say, "Hello, Mr. Shushan. "
They called my father: the king.
Darling, for me you're always the king. -Yeah, right.
We were brought here for our children.
We're screwed.
If my father, may he rest in peace,
saw that his son couldn't even feed his family...
If my father saw that...
What is it?
Everything's gone dark. -Really?
Your hands are ice cold!
Your hands are ice cold. Come on...
What's this? -It's nothing.
I'll get you a glass of water.
I'll get you one, lie down, dear.
Me... listen...
This is nice to dance to.
I...
Afraid they'll worry at home?
I understand.
Take a record, if you like.
You know...
The first time...
you looked just like...
an Indian prince in an Indian movie.
Don't come! Not yet!
Please! No come. Not yet.
Keep going, keep going...
I want this to last.
May it last...
How do you get by during this strike?
I have 10 mouths to feed.
And by mid-month everyone's hungry.
It's scandalous
the way the bosses screwed you.
Got it, Isaac?
Even Che Guevara, speaking after Batista's fall,
said true revolutionaries
must unleash new rage.
Are you listening?
To be heard, you have to use force.
No way.
What is it?
It's something crazy.
See? The Indians wrote
the British consulate,
and got them excited about their
dumb game.
They think this will do
great public relations for England.
So they sent bats,
uniforms,
those dumb-looking balls,
and you won't believe this... -What?
The English champion team
is coming here for a friendly match.
Where? Here? -Right here,
on our own soccer field!
At first, no one believed
a British team would come to play
a game no one could figure out.
Only my father realized
what a grat opportunity that was.
They play against the English?
These clowns?
I don't understand. How do they score?
See my father there with the ball?
he's the bowler,
he has to throw the ball
and hit one of the 3 wickets.
If a fielder catches the ball,
he's "fried. "
Indians are all "fried. "
I don't get it.
-What do you mean?
It's very easy.
He throws, the other hits.
Don't you believe it. It's not easy.
It's very hard. -It's child's play.
My father's balls can't be hit.
He was the best in Bombay.
Bet you I'll massacre him.
It's a bet.
Who's he going to beat there?
Ready?
Again! I wasn't ready.
Ready!
Focus on the ball
and follow its trajectory.
What does she know anyway?
She's smart.
Are you okay?
So what did the doctor say?
What did he say?
Tell me the truth.
Tell me.
I'm afraid if anyone finds out,
they won't come to see us,
not even to the wedding.
But there must be medication.
Not for leukemia.
Let's go home.
You never danced with a boy?
But you dance so well.
I studied in a girI's schooI
and I only danced with Papa.
Let me show you.
Come on.
Stand here, like this.
This hand, here.
What are you doing?
I'm showing you, so that you know.
The best thing about dancing is the body contact.
my partner feels my heart beat,
and all my love.
Now I imagine you're Asaf,
and I'm all excited.
Asaf... Do you feeI that?
Then, very casually,
I place my cheek against his.
Then he turns his head toward me...
his lips brush against mine...
What are you up to? -Nothing.
I... we...
We have a party tonight.
How was TeI Aviv?
TeI Aviv is always marvelous.
I shouldn't have worn this dress. -You're Sarah?
I'm plump, right? -No, beautifuI.
Don't flatter me!
Now I meant it.
About your tips on "tricket"...
do you have some more?
Can't you play some music
that's a bit wilder? -Sure.
Go on. -Okay.
Eti. -Nicole.
How are things? -Fine.
Your sis is a show-off.
She's a terrific dancer.
What's the matter with you?
You know I adore Nicole,
but she's humiliating you.
Aren't you together?
Yes, but she doesn't know it yet.
She hangs out with an Indian, and now this.
She's ridiculing you!
Make her stop.
Girls like macho men
who tell them what to do. Honestly!
Can we talk? Come outside.
Everyone is looking at you!
Who do you think you are?
People will talk!
None of your business! -It is!
Leave me alone!
It's for your honor!
You think you are my boyfriend?
Let go of her!
What are you looking at?
Let go of me!
You crazy?
Are you all right?
No, I'm not all right!
They're a bunch of savages!
I'd do my military service right now.
We should both get out of here.
But it's impossible. -Why?
My mother would never let me
join the army.
She didn't even let me go on a schooI trip.
I thought things would change here,
that I wouldn't be a nobody like her.
Your mother's a nobody?
Mine is simpleton!
When I got dressed, I had to hide this
so my dumb mother wouldn't see it.
I wish she were dead!
You're not allowed to wear that?
Smell.
why?
Smell this!
Go on, smell.
It stinks. What did you put on?
I wanted to perfume myself,
but with what?
So I took some rose water my mother puts in the chicken,
and dabbed it on my neck.
It really burns!
You were really courageous
to stand up to Moshe.
He could have hurt you.
What are girlfriends for?
You and me are friends for life.
What?
You'd do the same for me,
wouldn't you?
Gabi, try to hit the ball.
I'm trying to. -Again.
Not bad. Again!
It's no good.
Why not? -Your eye's on the ball
instead of its trajectory.
O. K., no problem.
You have to concentrate
and be more relaxed.
You have to be at peace.
"Piss"?
I thought you said...
I said "peace,"
at peace with yourself. -Peace?
Moroccans only find peace in the grave.
I don't get this game.
I don't understand!
You're not the only one. Big deaI!
The strike's getting to us.
You're only trying to impress the girI.
You're popular.
With whom?
Yosi! Get over here.
No fighting.
Yosi and I were thinking...
Get over here!
What do I know about this game? -Help me out here.
We can help you out with the "tricket"
if there's anything at all...
it's not a complicated game.
Forget our feuds.
It's behind us.
Mr. Vaskar...
Count me in.
Look. He's so cute.
Even in that he wants to help out.
May I come in?
You don't really know me.
I wanted to say...
I don't want to scare you, so...
I wrote it all down.
Go ahead.
"I would like...
"you to love me,
"if you can.
"I want you to be unable
to live without me,
"I want you to dream of me,
"to think of me,
"the prettiest girI in the world.
"That you'll love me for all of that. "
I never did anything like this before.
It's beautifuI.
It's a simple and beautifuI poem.
It's not a poem. It's not made up.
It's...
what I feeI in my heart...
for you.
Your words are very flattering, but...
I think that...
How can I say it? It's...
impossible.
You and me are...
If there was something between us...
it would be impossible.
I...
I want...
I'm not afraid.
What are you doing?
Should I stop?
Nicole, this isn't...
right.
Sorry.
It's okay.
It's better that you get dressed.
Take your clothes and get dressed.
This is not...
What's wrong?
What happened?
What's wrong?
I...
I'm sorry.
I didn't want...
You're so...
What?
You're so courageous!
Good morning.
-I'm late for schooI. I got a question.
What's your question?
If you're with someone you love,
and you're with him completely,
but you feeI nothing...
It's not his fault, I wanted him...
And I gave myself to him.
Why don't I feeI anything deep down?
Listen, those poor men...
They don't know a thing.
It's not love they're interested in.
If a woman wants love she must take it.
tell them what she wants, what they should say...
No one will do it for you.
Come tonight. I'll explain it.
Look!
What're all those cars?
Mama?
Are you okay?
Sure.
Don't I look well?
It's not that, but...
I've been noshing on and
you didn't say a thing.
Simone wants to know what time is the rituaI bath.
Oh, my God! She can't come.
Tell her to wait here
and make up Josi afterwards for the wedding.
Tell her that's her specialty.
Can't she do it at the rituaI bath?
God forbid! -But why?
Nicole, you're a big girI now.
Simone's a widow. she's had bad luck.
If she comes, she'll bring bad luck.
So why not tell her so?
Is this how I brought you up?
That's no way to behave,
you have to be polite! -Polite?
If she doesn't go, I won't.
As you like!
Who's that, an Indian?
Door's open!
It's weird!
Go on.
Go on! -It's just not right!
Children...
There's a nice kitchen smell.
It's for my daughter's Heena.
I'm inviting the family,
and the neighbors.
You can come too. -Thank you.
...the neighbors?
You don't know Luna?
She lives next door to me.
And Simone, who lives upstairs?
Her husband...
dead.
Bad luck.
Don't worry.
She didn't go out, Nicole's with her.
Today, when I saw your sister,
I nearly cried because she's marrying.
Also because I feeI love in my heart,
so I cry more easily.
Love? But he's married.
Yes.
But...
he belongs more to me.
To you?
But you're just with him for fun.
And Sarah?
You ask too many questions!
You have to listen to your heart.
You only live once.
So make it a good one.
It's the only way to feeI alive.
May God guide you along your path.
May your children be in good health.
May your life be
full of joy and light.
Good health for your husband
and your children.
Wait.
Why?
I don't want to take off my robe.
Why not?
I feeI uneasy because I'm fat.
No, my daughter,
you're beautifuI today,
you shouldn't feeI ashamed.
But you said I was fat.
No.
My daughter, I didn't...
I didn't mean it.
So why did you say it? It hurt me.
I'm sorry, I didn't...
Mr. Isaac!
As of tomorrow, I call you father.
Today I'm the happiest of men.
Come, come.
I will teach you Moroccan dance...
Moroccans plus Indians: great future.
Never give up hope.
Come on, let's dance.
God has such great designs!
He darkened our life with this strike.
And now this miracle of cricket!
We'll be famous! Tourists will come!
Congratulations, you're pure.
Congratulations!
Thank you so much.
Congratulations! -Thank you.
Josi, the cafe is yours too now.
I'm sorry, I have to go. -Wait,
just a minute.
It's fine, don't go just yet.
You're so pretty.
I really must go.
I love you.
Good night.
It's beginning to look festive!
Hello! You have a way with knots!
Forget about her. She's trouble.
In my heart, I know she'll be mine.
He better watch out.
Tell me, honey.
I told you it was a waste of money.
Even the doctor said so.
I asked him how much time I have left.
He said...
We'll both dance at our kid's events.
Nicole studied for her finaI exams? -Yes.
I told her not to do the house chores.
Even when I'm not here.
She has to concentrate on her studies.
Are you all right? -Just fine.
What are you hiding? -Nothing.
Why turn it off?
I walk by with your father and everyone stares at me!
Everything I've done in life!
I gave my souI, so people would see us as white swans.
And now look what you've done.
Everyone laughs behind my back.
Why?
A girI your age with the teacher?
The teacher?
Lying is the worst!
Nothing happened. -You're Iying!
Stop running my life!
"Stand straight! Look at me!"
You want to controI everything!
How dare you!
Know what family you belong to?
Nobility!
Your father's family went to the Sorbonne!
They were so rich, the king always consulted them first.
Their houses were palaces!
Palaces?
Were the soap dishes made of gold?
The walls too?
How dare you! -All of you!
There were no barbers or shoemakers?
All personaI friends of the king?
What a sociable king!
AII Jews in Morocco were his friends!
Why all these lies?
I don't know who I am anymore!
I can't believe this!
And if you told the truth?
You'd lose people's respect?
All this stuff about honor, culture!
What's going on? -Papa...
Go get your mother a glass of water.
But Papa... -Quick!
What did she say?
I knew nothing
of my parent's marriage problems
and of course I didn't know
that Nicole's mother sent mine to have
a speciaI treatment...
She has to pee into the pot.
She shouldn't feeI ashamed.
Thanks to this pee, she'll get him back.
Don't be ashamed.
The brew will give your rivaI problems.
Guaranteed!
Simone, what a pretty dress!
It's an old dress.
Don't go to the game. You're too tired.
I won't have people thinking
I don't dare show my face in public.
How often do Europeans come out here!
Lots of celebrities came over from TeI Aviv.
Even that shit factory director.
Look at all these people!
Just to see Moroccans and Indians
compete with the English.
What a country!
Things are getting better and better.
This town will grow.
Yosi, if you score a goaI,
look at me, I'll wave to you.
There are no goals. -So what is there?
I don't understand the rules yet,
but what counts is having a game.
Simone, you look sensationaI!
Got a second?
Later, I have to get ready.
This is important.
You're an educated man.
I respect everyone
but I won't allow even you to hurt my daughter.
Understood?
Have you seen Nicole?
No.
I got it!
Nice work!
Go for it! -I'm running!
Is it our point?
The ball fell in the gorge!
Why aren't you at the match?
Are you ill?
Did you fight with Asaf?
In "Wild in the Streets" someone says:
never trust anyone over 30.
That's true, they're not honest.
They're hypocrites.
I'll go crazy like my mother.
Stop it and come to the match.
They're not all like that.
Yes, they are!
All of them, believe me!
My mother, my father,
your mother, your father.
My father? -Your father too!
Think he's any better?
A little.
Stop being such a hypocrite!
You observe other people's lives,
but you won't look at your own!
Is your dad less a hypocrite than my crazy mom?
He too plays the family man,
then sneaks out
to see Simone. Everyone knows!
He'd never do that!
You must be naive or very stupid!
Not stupid actually, showing off with your Shakespeare!
How can you be so ignorant?
That's what life is!
It's been going on for months.
You're not laughing so much now.
Put that in your book
and see if it's funny. -It's not true.
It is! -It can't be.
Who told you that? -No one! I know it!
How long have you known that?
You've known for months?
No, Sarah.
They're murdering us! Whens our turn to hit?
68 to 0? This is shamefuI!
Wait for me! Please forgive me!
I don't want to talk to you!
You knew and you said nothing?
To your best friend! -I'm ashamed.
I never should have told you!
I'm an idiot! Me and my big mouth!
You know I love you, right?
What are you doing? I had it!
I didn't touch a single ball!
I should've brought my newspaper!
This is boring, see you.
Go on!
It was a clean catch!
What's the umpire doing?
Don't shout, please.
No shouting, it's a gentlemen's sport.
That's enough!
Don't do this!
That's enough! Stop it!
Go back to India!
This is a disaster!
Everybody was devastated.
The strike was a failure,
the game was a failure
and there was absolutely no hope
for another miracle.
Nicole hated herself
and desperate for forgiveness,
but I wanted no part of her.
We both got our army call up papers
at the same time.
She was happy and knew that it was her ticket out of town.
Hello. -Hello.
I'm here to see Sarah.
Excuse me.
A pack of cigarettes. -Which brand?
Ascot.
I don't have enough money.
Can I buy just a few?
Six or seven?
Thanks.
Look who's here!
What did the boss come here for?
To mock us?
You...
You have more luck than brains.
The problem is
we don't even exist in history here.
We interest no one.
Maybe we lost
and we should call off the strike.
You're in for a shock!
They're reopening the plant! -Ours?
They'll give us a raise, pay overtime,
More money? What happened?
Our game got a lot of press.
With elections in 3 months, it shook up the politicians.
The government put pressure
on the management and they promised
subsidies if they gave in to our demands.
They're reopening the plant tomorrow.
That's it! You won!
I can't be without you for so long.
I saw Berko.
He says he's meeting the big bosses.
They're getting government money
to open a new factory in Ashdod.
There'll be Indians and Moroccans.
We'll have neighbors. And the sea.
I know it's hard...
Where are you going?
Nowhere.
I just want to...
feeI beautifuI.
You're meeting Sarah's father?
No.
Why do you ask?
Because it isn't right.
You're hurting Sarah and her mother.
You sent me there to spy!
I sent you?
You enjoyed playing James Bond, even more than me.
O. K., so give it up.
Leave those poor people alone.
Now listen good!
There's neither good nor bad in life.
Take what you want before others do.
You won't get any pity.
Take me. What's my life been?
Nothing but misfortunes and bad luck.
Don't I have a right to a little love?
Stop it, Simone! -No, you stop!
You sound like your mother or grandma!
Even my grandma was more modern!
Nicole, get out!
Please...
I swear, I haven't slept in two weeks.
I know I acted awfuI.
I can't look myself in the mirror.
I'm not just telling you this for you to forgive me.
I went and begged her to stop.
And she listened? -No, and I hate myself.
I don't know what got into me.
I was fed up living in this hole.
Punish me as you want.
I don't want to punish you!
What should I do?
Tell everyone how badly I hurt you?
I, Nicole Shushan,
am trashy and stupid...
Stop it! -I won't!
Everyone here should know
how badly I behaved towards...
O. K., cut it out!
Do you forgive me?
Sarah, I'm warning you,
I'm ready to embarrass you again,
I swear.
I'm not joking. -You're such a fooI!
I missed you so much!
So did I.
Come on, show me your book. -Forget it.
You can't read English anyway.
You must've badmouthed me.
Mr. Asaf is behind you.
What do I do?
Can we speak outside a minute?
The thing is, sir,
I have to study for finaI exams.
A few minutes only.
I've tried to talk to you... -Talk is useless.
It isn't. Tomorrow's the last day
and I'm leaving for TeI Aviv.
I'm ready to do anything for you.
I'll even speak to your father.
You mean so much to me.
I know you want to leave here.
Nicole, quick!
I'm all right.
You need anything?
A glass of water!
What? -She's not well.
What happened?
All this fuss about a dizzy spell?
Take the "tagine" out of the oven.
Are you all right, Mama?
Hurry up, child!
Out of the way. Hold her.
I'll do it.
Drink some water, Mama.
What's wrong with Mama?
Tell me, Papa.
Nothing is too difficult for me,
but when mother and daughter quarreI,
it breaks my heart.
Mama...
I'm so sorry.
It's not your fault. I was wrong too.
Forgive me, child.
Please promise me
they won't take me to the hospitaI.
I don't want to die in some ugly hospitaI pajamas.
I want to die properly, in my own bed,
with embroidered lace sheets,
and with my makeup on...
What can I do?
That's how I am.
Who knows who I'll meet up there.
Don't say that. -Do me a favor...
Go get your girlfriend's mother,
who makes a living crying at funerals.
God protect us! It's forbidden!
The AngeI of Death's waiting already.
That's what she wants! Please.
Talk to her. It's her last request.
So now you need me, do you?
She always treated us like savages!
Please, it's her last request!
Oh woe, to die so young and beautifuI!
She never tasted life!
No, not like that!
We're not in the jungle.
I want a respectable funeraI...
Go on.
Do it again.
Three, and a four...
Get going. Three, and a four, go!
The poor woman! Her house was so clean
and as for her couscous...!
No! what do you mean, couscous?
Pigeon pastilla...
That's what everyone should remember.
Remind me to give you the recipe.
I can't go to the prom.
But you should go.
Not without you.
It's crazy how time flies.
Only yesterday I was 6 years old
and next week it's the army.
They really won't let you go?
I didn't even bother to ask.
It'll work out.
What time is it?
Almost 9:30 pm. How do you feeI?
Isn't there a prom tonight?
There must be, you should go.
No way, I'm staying here.
Afraid I'll perish while you're away?
Go, your father won't let the AngeI of Death sneak in.
When you want to leave, tell me.
We'll stay a little, then we'll go.
Wanna dance?
Go on.
Have some fun.
It's the end of the year.
Go on.
I heard about your mother.
I'm praying she gets better.
Thanks.
This is a bad moment, but...
would you like to dance with me?
I won't make problems again.
That's all over now.
How about it?
Why do you look so sad?
What's that mean: "can't"?
Get out!
I'm not just anybody!
Bring me some water.
With a spoonfuI of sugar.
Be right back.
Here...
Drink it.
Your mother loved you very much.
Her children were everything to her.
Here it comes.
Hi, Tsvika, wait a minute, please.
Crazy world, isn't it?
Your mom lets you go to the army,
and I'm stuck here.
It's not for life.
Of course it's not for life!
I...
I'll miss you.
With all my heart.
Me too.
You'll write every day?
Even though I must look after my father and my brothers,
please don't describe me in your book...
as someone pathetic.
Like you once said,
people are funny.
People are funny, and you...
you're the funniest. -Hurry up, girls!
In that summer,
we both lost a part of our family.
And in that same summer,
we've become family for each other.
Years later,
I let her read my notebook.
At first she was moved,
then she started crying.
She said this story needed to be told
so the world never forgets those people
who loved us so much.
Subtitles: Elrom Studios