A TIME FOR DRUNKEN HORSES
-What's your name? -Amaneh
How old are you?
I'm younger than Madi
Who's Madi?
My brother. He's a cripple. He's always ill. That's him there
He's the one in the yellow jacket
Today we took him to the doctor at the hospital
-What does your Dad do? -He's a smuggler
He goes to Iraq on our mule with things to sell and he brings stuff back
Do you have a mother?
No, she died when she was having my baby sister
Rojine's our mother now
She's my sister...my elder sister
Is Rojine here?
No, she's at home, looking after my little sister
That's Ayoub over there. My big brother
-How many? -Three sisters, two brothers
What are you up to?
We're wrapping up packets in newspaper to protect them
Me and Ayoub and the other village kids
We come here almost all the time
Where's your village?
It's far from here...
...on the border with Iraq
Can I wrap your glasses?
Madi, dear, are you tired?
Have your pills
I'm not going to take them for you
I need five or six workers now
Hurry up!
Amaneh, take over. Be back soon
Can I come? Can I?
Six of you!
No more than six
Hurry up, before we're spotted
Careful, it's fragile
Carry it in to the bazaar
Hurry up, you boys who are going home
I'm leaving in five minutes
Get in!
Hey, be quick. The truck's leaving
Hurry up! The truck's leaving!
Coming!
Life is ageing me, making me wander over mountains and valleys,
bringing me closer to death
In the truck they said that several smugglers had been blown up by mines
Our village is on the border
That's how many villagers died
My dad's there at the moment
I'm worried about him
Last night I had a dream about him
Madi, time for your pills
There's no water, so use your spit to swallow them
Look. Swallow like that
Rahman, either pay 150 tomans per person...
...or hide exercise books on them...
...until we get past the border post
Jump out, you Iraqi kids! We're nearly at the border
We'll wait for you on the other side
-Hello. What are you carrying? -Just passengers
-No Iraqis? -No
-Where are they going? -To their village, Sardab
Out you get, kids!
Line them up, Sergeant
-What's this? -Exercise books
Where are you taking them?
They're theirs
What are you talking about?
Search them, Sergeant
Everybody, lift your shirts up
Sir, there's a whole pile of exercise books in the truck
Impound this truck!
Wait, Amaneh
Let me give Madi his medicine
Madi, we'll head for the other side of the hill
There's no snow over there. You won't be so cold
Swallow it
I can't, Dad. It's too bitter
Eat some snow. It'll help it go down
We will never see my father again
My uncle said that Ayoub would take his place
Ayoub had to give up his studies
But that was because my uncle has eight children...
...so he wasn't able to look after us any more
Ayoub said I should keep on studying
Hello, Doctor
Hi, Ayoub. Bring me Madi for his injection
It was this morning
Just bring him. I have to go to town
Hello. Help me up
-Where are you going, Ayoub? -I'm going home to get Madi
I'm taking him to Dr Rahim
-He's not there -Where is he?
He went with Amaneh to the cemetery
-Can I leave this here? -Yes
Oh God, help Madi. Oh God, make him better
Amaneh, who let you come here?
-Why did you bring him here? -Madi isn't well
You know he has to take his pills and have his injections!
-He was very sick! -Get up! Let's go
Mr Rahim! Doctor
Ayoub, is that you? I told you to take Madi
I have to go to town for a few days
Madi, where does it hurt?
Here?
Where else? All over?
I'll give him his injection
His pills?
I gave them to him, but he was in pain all night
-What's your name? -Madi
How old are you?
Two... No, three
No, 15!
OK, lie down
Let's take your pants down
Come on
Big boys don't cry, do they?
Well done...
Ayoub come here a second
Last night, I told your uncle what I told you
We can't keep giving him injections all the time
He's getting worse
He must be operated on within four weeks...
...or else he'll die
Dr Rezai at the hospital has told you that already
We can't afford it. It's up to you
He must be operated on very soon
Even if he's operated on...
...he'll only live for seven or eight months
His illness is incurable
-Amaneh, are you mad at me? -Yes
-Why? -You hit me
You went to the cemetery...
Madi was bored
-Why listen to him? -But he was bored
Friends?
-No -Why?
Because you hit me
I won't do it again. Friends?
-All right -Give me five
My exercise book's full
-Want the same kind? -Yes
I got top grades twice
I'll buy you one tomorrow
I'll have dinner, then test you on your maths
Are you OK?
Fine, thanks
All right?
Did you see Mr Yassin?
I couldn't find him
I heard what the doctor said
Madi's getting worse every day
Ayoub said he'd find the money needed for Madi's operation
Ayoub went to see Mr Yassin again
Maybe my uncle will manage to persuade Yassin...
...to find a job for him?
There's no work here if you haven't got a mule
At the bazaars, they load up with stuff for Iraq and bring other stuff back
Could you give Ayoub a job, my dear Mr Yassin?
He's in great difficulty at the moment
Let's load that up!
Mr Yassin, you must find Ayoub a job
Could Ayoub take a load?
Why not?
Where's Ayoub? Get him over here
Hello there
-Can you take a load? -Sure
All right, come here every morning and take a load
-Raouf, give Ayoub a load, all right? -OK
It's not too cold today
Just give the mules one bottle
-Tired? -Yes, it's hard going
-I know -Where are you from?
Tchampara
You got no mule?
No, my dad and his mule were blown up by a mine
-Work for yourself? -Yes
What's your name?
Riboire
You got any land?
Yeah, plenty
So, why don't you farm it?
Landmines everywhere
-Can't you clear them? -There are too many
The border's not far now
The border? Where is it?
You see over there? Over there is Iraq
Is there a fight? Let's go
Won't you pay me for my last two loads?
No way. The owner of the load should pay
You hired us. You've no right not to pay us
No, you've no rights!
-Hello -Hello there
Yassin says hello and told me to ask you to pay him for the load
You want paying?
We already told him...
...we couldn't give any money to the carriers
So, what am I supposed to do with these loads?
That's nothing to do with me
It's up to them to get paid
-What... -It's not my problem
It's up to them to get paid
So what should we do?
Leave it here or take it back to Iran
-Hello -Hello there
A cup of tea, please
Welcome
-Are those pictures on sale? -Yes
-How much are they? -2, 3, and 4 dinars
-The small one? -2 dinars
How much in tomans?
-100. Got no dinars? -No
Never mind. Pay me when you've got dinars
-Thanks -I'll get it
Thanks
Are you from Sardab?
Yes
Get paid for your load?
No
Why?
The owner said I should've been paid in Iran, not here
Are you new to this?
Yes
Listen, until they've paid you for your load...
...you shouldn't start work. You can't trust them
Every day they're somewhere different
You won't find them
Ayoub, come on. The kids are coming back
Goodbye
-Hello, Rojine -Hi there
Did you get paid?
No, they're going to pay me tomorrow
Madi! Are you awake?
How are you? Look at what I brought you
"When the first aeroplane was ready...
..."they invited all of their friends...
..."to witness this event
"When the engine was started...
..."the two brothers were very nervous
"At last the plane took off and gained altitude
"And that is how man...
..."came to conquer the skies
"That first pioneering flight was over 90 years ago...
"Today, gigantic aeroplanes are capable of transporting people...
..."in just a matter of a few hours...
..."all the way from one side of the world...
..."across to the other side"
Come in
Hello
Can I talk to Amaneh?
Why?
I brought a book
Amaneh, off you go
I brought you your exercise book
Thank you, Ayoub
Goodbye
Ayoub worked hard for two months...
...but he wasn't able to earn enough money for Madi's operation
He had to spend everything on us
After the fight in which he broke his arm...
...our uncle offered Ayoub his mule so that they could work together
Stop! Silence! Don't move!
Bakhtiar! What's up? Is it an ambush?
Run!
It's an ambush!
Which hand is it?
Taher, listen...
...you are a brave man...
...and so is your son
If the boy and the girl are both in agreement...
...then I'm in agreement, too
I'd be very honoured...
...if you accepted my son...
...as your son-in-law
The sooner good deeds are done, the better
I give you my daughter
In which case, I think it would be much better...
...for all of us to get this done as quickly as possible
As for Madi, don't worry
This evening, we'll discuss...
...how to take him to Iraq to have him operated on
I'll let you know
Hello
Hello. Whose shoes are those?
Mr Taher's and his son's
Is my uncle here?
Yes, he is
Why are they here?
I don't know
Call him
Why don't you call him yourself?
Call him, I said
Uncle, come here
-Hello -Why don't you come in?
Why are they here?
To do a good deed
What?
To ask for Rojine's hand
What? Why didn't you tell me?
I'm your uncle. While I'm here, it's not up to you!
Did you hear me?
Hey, I am Rojine's brother
As long as I'm around, you don't decide. Shut up!
She's my sister. You didn't tell me. They must go
Go away! While I'm around, you have no rights at all!
Why did you behave like that?
Drop it! Why didn't you tell me?
What?
About Taher's son
I didn't know either
Why are you lying? Don't ever lie to me!
I'm your brother
I thought he'd told you
He said nothing to me
Why are you so angry?
Why shouldn't I be angry? Am I not the son of this family?
I did it for Madi. If I get married they'll have him operated on, over there
You couldn't get enough money for the operation
-Is it definite? -I don't know
Ayoub! Hey, Ayoub!
Hello, Mr Rahim
Don't move! You're a man now
Men don't cry
I'll come back on Thursday...
...to give him his last injection
Mrs Mahboubeh, please take care of the children, I beg you
What did you bring him for?
I don't need him
I sent for the bride. I don't want him. Take him back
Uncle!
Their mother says she won't let Madi come
You promised. Mr Taher was in agreement
Who's Taher?
I don't want him. I won't stand for this
I already have ten children myself
We didn't receive the dowry that is normally paid
The deal was that Madi would go with the bride
I'm not standing for that
She wants a divorce
We refuse a divorce
Instead of a dowry, we can give you a mule, OK?
A mule, but the boy has to go back home
When Madi got home, he was in a bad way
There was no one to give him his injections
The doctor didn't come to the village for a week
Without telling my uncle, Ayoub took Madi and the mule to the bazaar
He told me he would sell the mule in Iraq
Over there, mules sell for a better price
He said he'd have Madi operated on, then come back
He told me to stay home and that he'd be back very soon
-Hello -Hello there
What is it?
I want to go to Iraq
Why?
I want to sell my mule
Is that all?
He needs an operation
Children can't get through
The road's full of landmines and ambushes. It's not for kids
It's for grown-ups
-I'm not a child -What about him? He is
No, he's not. Let us come
What if something happens?
I'll take full responsibility
All right, if you insist
Come on, but you take full responsibility
You load up your mule, but we won't pay you
Are you sure?
OK, give this boy a load of tyres
It's very cold today, so give the mules four bottles of alcohol
Ayoub, hey, brother! Wait for me!
Why are you here?
I brought some bread for the journey
Thank you
Be careful and look after Kolsoum
Hey, brother!
What!
Will you get me another exercise book?
All right. I'll buy you one. Now go home
I love you so much, Madi
We're nearly at the border now
Turn back, it's an ambush!
There's an ambush this way, too! Turn back!
Everyone head for the valley!
They're too drunk to walk! They've had too much alcohol!
Take their loads off! Maybe they'll get up!
Get up! Please stand up!
They're getting nearer!
They're closing in on us!
Mr Rahim, please help me save my mule!
Rahim, please don't leave me by myself!
Rahim, I must get Madi to Iraq! Please help me!
Get up! Come on!