BEST DIRECTOR WINNER AT THE CANNES FESTIVAL - 2004
It is urgent to speak of the absent ones.
It's time to speak of those who made mistakes.
It is important to interrogate the absent ones.
Those who have lived with no democracy in general.
It is urgent to speak of the absent ones.
It is urgent to speak of the absences.
It's time to speak of those who have always been wrong.
It is urgent to speak of freedom.
It is important to interrogate the absent ones.
Those who have lived with no democracy in general.
Democracy always walks hand in hand with...
Wanna go to Algeria?
Algeria?!
What's so funny?
Why would you want to go to Algeria?
What music do you play?
I don't play anymore.
EXILES
The conductor! Move it!
Oh shit!
Duck!
Those are artichokes.
That's a cabbage.
And those are peas.
- Where are the peas? - See them?
The green hanging things!
Your bullshit's contagious.
Shitty road!
What am I doing here, without my cell?
- I shouldn't have broken it. - What's all this?
The rain's not my fault!
Get off my case!
You and your macrobiotics.
You're mixing it up with ecology.
What's that scar?
A burn.
I was in the car with my folks.
The firemen got me out.
What's that one?
A souvenir of a guy. He slugged me.
And what's that?
That... I can't tell you.
Go to sleep my little button, my sweetie, my sugarplum.
I'll be upset if you wake in the night.
Go to sleep my little button...
Hey! You're not washing your dog!
- Come on! - Gently!
Get the towels.
Hi.
Do you know if there's a bus to Seville?
A bus going to Seville.
Some tea, my brother?
They're French.
You smoke?
- What? - What's your name?
Naima.
Naima. Isn't that Arab?
You're Arab.
It's just Naima.
Why are you here?
We're off to Algeria.
Why go to Algeria?
- We're walking to Algiers. - Walking?
Why don't you speak Arab?
No one taught me.
My father wouldn't speak it to us.
He didn't talk about his country.
Leila, I'm sick of this place.
Are going to Paris or Amsterdam?
It's better in Paris.
Here, there's no work, no nothing.
We left Algeria to study in Paris or Amsterdam.
What's Paris like?
We left because we had nothing.
Paris has everything. But nothing's free.
You've nothing? All the French have something.
That's how it is.
Is Paris dangerous?
No, Paris isn't dangerous.
We're going...
to go...
to Algeria.
We're walking...
to
the capital.
My father often spoke of his father.
He was a hero, an anti-colonialist.
He was tortured, murdered in the Algiers prison in 1959.
In 1962 all the family was repatriated by boat.
My father wanted us to visit Algiers.
He'd never gone back.
We took the car.
I just remember the trees.
They were spinning around.
I heard my father shout...
And then...
That was all.
After the accident I was in hospital two weeks.
The doctors who told me...
my father and mother were dead.
I never touched the violin again.
A total block.
So long, my brother.
- You looking for work, too? - No, we're traveling.
Paco, let's go. We're late!
If you go to Paris...
go to this address. Phone on my behalf. OK?
Good luck.
What's he want?
Coffee?
Hey, dog!
Injustice! Dictatorship
Terrorism! Upheaval!
Penalty!
And the Gypsies?
Gone.
I want to feel your dick, I want it inside me.
I like to feel your dick.
I like to wet your clarinet.
My boot!
They stole my boot!
Who shtole your bota?
Fuck! It had half of what I got for all my stuff!
I don't believe it...
Fuck!
"Shoes-os"...
- "Sell-os to mi-o." - I don't understand.
"Shoes-os like those-os..."
- "Babuchas." - "Babuchas."
- Size? - 8.
- Men's. - 9.
For "brush-os?"
"Sell-os champano?"
How much?
- Money? - Yes.
Mosquitos.
I saw you!
Catch me, mosquito.
All night you stung me.
I'll be eaten by mosquitos.
I'm taking a swim.
- You coming? - I'm making a shower.
A shower?
I dreamed we got to Algeria.
There was blood on the road. Blood everywhere.
It was all red with blood.
What would you like most?
Your dick.
I'd prefer cold champagne.
To toast your birthday.
- How'd you know? - Your passport.
Watch! I'm about to do the impossible.
I'm wishing for champagne.
Bravo!
Oh! Flowers!
I'm getting a beer. Want one?
You from here? You look like a Gypsy.
I'm Algerian.
Algerian from France.
You been in Seville very long?
I just got here.
- Do you know Triana? - Triana? No.
It's historic.
Great flamenco. Great crowd.
- You know it? - No.
I invite you.
Why'd you do that to me?
A bitch.
You fuck like a bitch!
Where'd you learn that?
To fuck with anyone?
In porn films.
Like you.
Nice breakfast in bed.
Hey, man.
You were asleep.
You were asleep!
Why are you raging at me?
Go fuck yourself.
It's always just you!
You really are crazy!
I've really had it! We're through!
Unbearable, unreliable!
The kinda bitch who'd jump into any convertible.
Stop taking all guys for assholes!
Fuck! What happened to you?
Fuck you!
You don't know shit.
You were born rich. I've slaved since I was 14.
Here, there... with no home.
I need men for work.
We're going to France.
In Paris you can work with fake papers.
You like that?
Hey! Watch the fruit!
It takes a year to grow it and you spill it!
Be careful!
This bottle is for catching flies that bite oranges.
They enter through the holes...
and then they can't get out.
What's all this?
It's supposed to be one bottle per tree.
- It's pretty. - He doesn't want a Christmas tree.
Cut it out or we'll get fired.
I'm not a fly trapper! Shit!
You're a pain in the ass.
Naima, daughter of Ahmed Tarhouni, fly trapper.
- You have a place to sleep? - No.
Come with me, to the house.
You got your papers And you left your village
You got your papers And you're an immigrant
You got your passport And you left
You've jumped the walls And you've left
This is the women's house.
Go on, go on.
Let's go to the other house.
- Hey! - What are you doing here?
And you? How are you?
- Okay. - It's just... just great.
- What are you doing here? - Working. And you?
Us too. We're working in the fields to pay the trip to Paris.
Each has his water.
You can sleep here.
An earthquake...
It killed a lot of people.
And all my family's there, my friend.
"The trip went well.
We got to Europe and will soon be off to Paris.
I miss you a lot.
I'm sending you two French people.
They're coming to Algeria, looking for memories."
Give this letter to my mother.
You got your papers And you left your old village
You got your papers And you're an immigrant
You got your passport And you left
Your papers.
I'm French, shithead.
Fuck! Algiers in 8 hours!
Algeria...
Algeria, Algeria...
You like everybody in the sunshine.
- Going to Nador? - Nador?
My family could put you up...
rent you a nice room, cheap.
It's friendly, nice.
We're just going to Algiers.
To Algiers? Through Nador?
No, direct.
Algiers direct? This boat doesn't go to Algiers!
It goes to Nador.
You got the wrong boat. It's not for Algeria.
You can go there...
but this boat won't.
It's not going to Algeria!
I'm sitting there.
What a hassle!
Just to save 150 euros!
We don't need pens.
- I don't understand. - You don't speak Arab?
You know Morocco? Ever been here?
First time.
The next bus is tomorrow.
Say it again.
We're going...
to go...
to Algeria.
- What's your name? - Zano.
What's your religion?
My religion's music.
- And what's your name? - Naima.
That's Arab. Are you Muslim?
No.
You tourists?
Want to see the desert?
We're walking to Algiers.
The border's closed at Oudja. Algeria's closed.
The border's closed? Meaning we can't get through.
If you want, I know a smuggler who can get you in.
A smuggler?
- We can't go by road? - To the mountains.
- Shut how long? - Four years.
We'll go to the mountain.
This way.
We're here. So give me the other half.
That's 1000 dirhams.
Do you have 200?
Beyond the palm, that's Algeria.
Take the road to Mastaganem.
- Good luck. - Thanks.
You're welcome.
So long.
In Mastaganem go to the French consulate...
to get your passport replaced. Say you lost it.
Those who leave us...
Come back to us...
Always!
No more seats.
No bar.
We're in Algeria!
To the capital.
Just think. All my father's and mother's family were born here.
A letter from Habib et Leila.
"Dear mother and brother, I've missed you so much.
I'm writing to tell you we've gotten to Europe.
We're leaving for Paris.
The trip has gone well.
I hope you're all right, dear mother.
I miss you very much.
We learned about the quake and worry about you."
What's wrong?
I don't feel well.
"We walked a lot. We're so tired.
I sent you these two people. Take care of them.
Tell Said to help them.
Say hello to all the family. Jilahli..."
I feel like a stranger.
...Haicha, Mehnouar...
I'm a stranger everywhere.
Don't worry, Momma, they'll come back home.
They're doing okay.
I'll protect you from the evil eye.
Be simple, intelligent, well read.
Be proud and brave.
Don't reject your father or your uncles.
Or your mother or brothers.
Or where you come from.
I'll protect you from pain... poverty and the evil eye.
I'll protect you.
May the demons stay away from you.
Repeat after me...
Wait, a line.
Cover yourself!
Respect God! Conform. Aren't you ashamed?
Respect God!
People like you...
inspired God to curse us.
They're strangers.
- What? - You can't dress like that.
Not in Algiers!
We talked an hour. Use it as a disguise.
I look like a witch.
I was born here.
All my family always lived near Algiers.
Fallen buildings. Families screaming...
This is where I lost my family.
Next to Boumerdes.
It wasn't three-point, it was five-point...
It was strong. And the noise!
- I'm fed up. - With what?
I'm fed up.
A little air!
That's 500 dinhars!
I got to breathe.
- Know where? - Top floor.
It feels strange.
Everything okay?
- The Boulangers? - That's right.
It's this way. He lived where Haicha lives now.
The Boulanger's children. They're reminiscing.
The Boulanger family.
Welcome.
My grandmother!
Naima, come here.
My father in his mother's arms.
They fled from here in a few hours.
It was all they had.
It's crazy. Nothing's moved.
Even the piano's...
where it was in the photos.
How did you enter the flat?
Well, when your family left Algeria...
my husband broke the door and we came in.
And why are the paintings where they were?
They're so pretty!
How's your family?
All right.
Here's your family photos.
It's the box with your family photos.
they left here.
This way.
She knows what's wrong.
They ruined your life.
She sees it very clearly in your eyes.
She knows about the scar on your back.
Tell her, how old are you?
You're here, but your spirit is elsewhere.
You've got to get a grip.
You must refind your bearings.
Refind yourself, your family and bearings...
Leave me alone!
You must refind your bearings.
You must refind your family, refind yourself.
You must refind yourself. You must refind.
You must refind your family.
Ferdinand Boulanger, my grandfather.
He was a quite a guy.
The first teacher in Rouiba.
Too long
We've been alone without news
We've forgotten the smell of the jasmin
Of your parks.
And little by little
We've forgotten your language
That of our mothers
To sing to you of our pain
To ask you to take care
Of those who reamain with you.