Presidential palace, Saturday
You're sure these are
the terrorists' vehicles?
My head hurts, I can't see anything.
Yes, sir.
Let's trust the Algerians.
If they say the terrorists are leaving, it's true.
They can't take the hostages.
They'll be sold to other groups.
Getting them back'll take years.
- They're right to intervene. - That's not the problem.
The problem is how...
How they will intervene.
If it's with machine guns...
What's that? What's happening?
It's a rocket.
They want to block their way.
The Men in the Shadows
We pushed the terrorists back to the site.
I see. How many dead?
We're not sure.
Minister!
How many of the hostages?
I'm sorry. 2 are dead,
from our initial observations.
5 in the 1st attack, 2 now.
That's a lot of dead.
They're dangerous madmen.
We all know that!
That's just it...
You have to handle them like nitroglycerin.
I want no more dead.
Their leaving took us by surprise.
We need time.
I'm glad you've come to this conclusion.
I'll keep you posted. Goodbye, Mr. President.
That went well, Mr. President.
What can we do to end this fucking mess?
I'm not up to the task.
It's clear.
I'm unable to do my work.
Mr. President, nothing will happen tonight.
I'll sleep for an hour. I'll see how I feel.
Call the prime minister, the foreign affairs minister,
Interior, Defense. Everyone.
When I'm awake...
Bakian's calling.
I hope it's good news - I've had enough bad news.
Mr. Bakian...
Hello, Gabrielle.
They agree in principle to negotiate.
I just need your green light.
I have to go now.
What guarantees can you give me, for the president?
The names of the victims in your inbox, dear friend.
I'll tell the president.
I don't like this so-called diplomat stuck to me.
That's procedure. You know.
Oh, yes! "Procedure," yes.
Hurry, Gabrielle.
Give me Captain Francis.
Captain Francis, I expect you to keep me posted
on the negotiations as they happen.
All right, ma'am. I'll give you regular updates.
The fate of the hostages is in your hands.
- President. - Hello, Simon.
Bakian...
just left for Tripoli
where he has a contact with the terrorists.
Officially, you know, France
doesn't negotiate.
We must keep up the impression that we don't negotiate.
What if we get them back?
We're not there yet.
Meanwhile,
handle things as we decided.
Excuse me. I'm sorry.
I'm exhausted.
- Do you trust Bakian? - No.
- A bit. - And the president?
When you dine with the devil, use a big spoon.
We took precautions.
- Like what? - Stuck him with an intelligence guy.
Did Bakian give you the victims' names?
Their bodies haven't been officially identified.
We just have their word.
We can't make a mistake.
It'd be awful for the families and bad for France.
So, we keep quiet?
Usually, foreign affairs handles it.
- Let them deal with it. - No.
When the president hasn't been seen,
his office must speak.
But the situation is set. We can say nothing.
We can say...
part of the truth.
Everything's being done to bring the Gazex hostages back
to their families.
We can't say any more,
to guarantee their safety.
I ask you.
In the name of these women and men,
to respect this and provide no details.
I'll polish it a bit.
Sounds very foreign affairs.
Fine with me.
I'll go write it up properly.
I hope nothing will happen tonight.
Even terrorists have to sleep now and then.
- Hello. - Hi, Charlotte.
This press release says nothing.
The hostages' lives are at stake.
All the same.
What are you plotting?
- I have some info. - Yes?
- Do you know who Bakian is? - Vaguely.
His name is starting to get around. Intermediary?
Deleuvre may have taken him to the president's office.
- "May have"? - Yes. I don't know any more.
And he took a private jet to Tripoli.
Isn't that strange?
You know everything. You should've been a cop.
Bakian's doing business.
Any hostage negotiations will be in Tripoli.
It can't be in Tunisia or Syria. It's gotta be Libya.
But officially there are no negotiations.
All journalists and all politicians
respect the law of silence.
I can still dig around.
We won't print it.
We know journalists held hostage.
Their freedom depends on the State:
I won't piss off the government about this.
I want to go to Tripoli.
No.
I can't just listen to their bogus statements.
It's happening elsewhere.
I won't pay for your ticket.
If I bring you something we can print...
will you pay me back?
Are you tired?
What's going on?
With all this drama, things are bad.
There was no honeymoon.
Marjorie fell in the polls after 3 months.
What did they expect?
Miracles?
Probably.
Would Anne Visage have done better?
I have no idea.
The proof is in the pudding.
And now, with all this...
The world is bad.
It's not the president, it's not France,
it's the world.
"The world"!
The world's hardly ever good.
Excuse me.
Yes, Assa.
You can go. I'm at the house now.
Thanks.
It's my nanny. I'm late.
Are you troubled?
Yes.
If you like... I have frozen dinners.
What an irresistible offer.
Frozen dinners aren't that bad.
The wine is good.
So that means you don't like the food.
Next time, I'll make pasta.
You know how to cook?
Not exactly, but I...
I can make pasta.
Mom!
Excuse me.
- Thanks. - OK. He's asleep.
Could you tell me Victor's story, if I'm not prying?
With no father in sight, I adopted.
I thought it would be easy,
it would be good.
Left-wing activism.
Not really left-wing.
No. It was complicated?
Yes, a little.
But you hung on? You're not the type to give up.
I have no regrets, but... I feel guilty.
I'm never here.
Victor has 2 nannies. It's hard for him.
How did you manage with your daughter?
How'd I manage what?
How'd you raise her?
Not very well, I think.
In fact, not at all as I'd imagined.
I couldn't refuse her anything. I should have.
What does she do?
- It's not in my file? - No.
It's not.
"What does she do?"
If I only knew!
It drives me crazy.
- She's 25. - Yes. Everyone says that.
But she's still my daughter.
I didn't abandon her.
"What does she do?"
She's writing about something or other.
Her mother's thrilled.
They're both...
I don't know. Journalism is an illness.
I try not to think about it.
But you think about it anyway.
- I'll go. You're exhausted. - Yes. I'm...
- My mother said: "I'm cooked." - Yes, I'm cooked.
Thanks for dinner.
It was a pleasure.
MOm!
Hello, Gabrielle.
Hello, Simon.
...foreign military uniforms
and stores of arms and explosives.
It was reported that the terrorists,
who entered national territory from border countries...
Finally!
I'm happy to see you.
In this crisis you leave me 25 messages?
"25 messages"? Aren't you exaggerating a bit?
What are you doing?
What do you mean?
For the hostages?
You know I can't answer that.
Of course. You can never answer.
What are you doing?
Are you investigating networks sending fighters to Syria?
Yes.
Juliette, these are dangerous people.
I'm going to Syria.
You can't do that.
You're completely oblivious.
- There are journalists there. - There's a war.
You could get shot at or hit by bombs.
You could be killed, journalist or not.
You could be kidnaped.
What if I get a photo with a gun to your head?
I'd do anything, but I work for the president.
That could make you a target.
You know state secrets, so I have to stay home?
It's always about you. I don't count.
I can't forget I'm Kapita's daughter.
I have no life - it'd bother you.
You know that's not true.
Why'd you come back anyway?
To see me or to get info for your Islamist friends?
I came to get clothes. And I'm going.
Tell me where!
I'll tell you when I leave.
Fuck...
Libya, Sunday
Is this your 1st time in Libya, Captain?
You'll see, they're very hospitable.
You, come with me.
The Frenchman stays.
You're not invited, Captain.
You'll have to trust me.
They'll take you to the car to go back to the hotel.
I got it.
Captain!
Tell the office it's going as planned.
It may take some time.
Telephone.
I'm sorry. Bakian left alone with the terrorists.
I had no choice.
How long will the negotiation take?
I don't know, but Bakian says it's going as planned
and you'll have to be patient.
Very well.
- I'll wait for your call, Captain. - OK.
I hope we didn't make a mistake sending Bakian!
It'll be OK.
What are you doing?
Can't you see? I'm getting dressed.
Alain!
I have to see Lenoir, head of Gazex.
- Did the negotiations start? - Yes.
Y0u'll PaY-
Can you help me, please?
- You were doing better this morning. - Yes, but...
Then exhaustion hits me, and it's terrifying.
- You should sleep 15 hours a day. - Yes. I "should."
I'll test the waters with Gazex. You know, this is all...
They say governing is making decisions. No way!
My back's against the wall with no room to move.
With an ego like the Eiffel Tower
and the certainty of saving the world,
that must be tough.
- You're talking about me? - No.
Isn't it crazy?
You blame me for wanting to be president.
"Wanting to," no.
Winning, yes.
But you're wrong.
I like how you fight to save the world. I liked it the 1st day.
There. You're ready.
And you...
you're very beautiful.
Why so elegant?
The hostages' families.
Can you handle it?
Yes.
See you soon, honey.
You know the CEO of Gazex, Mr. Lenoir'?
I've met him several times.
Seems like a good guy.
- You don't need rne. - You're receiving them here.
You can reassure them.
How can I reassure them?
Your presence shows they're not abandoned.
I can't do it.
Listen...
You were a lawyer. You were used to this.
I knew those people. I wasn't speaking for the government.
I don't know what to say.
I don't know.
They all have a son, brother, or husband.
And don't know if this son, brother, or husband
is tied up to a chair
with a gun to his back.
Or if he's cold or hungry.
They don't know if they'll see him again.
Now it's up to you.
I hate being preached to.
And I hate good deeds.
And I don't like families, Kapita.
Madame Elisabeth Marjorie.
- She's perfect. - Thanks for coming.
The president's expecting me.
Yes. Come in.
- Hello, Mr. President. - Hello, Richard.
Skip the formalities. I'm tired. Have a seat.
Indeed, you don't look good.
It's a lot. So, Richard. If, and I do mean "if,"
we manage to negotiate with the terrorists,
are you ready to pay?
It all depends on the amount.
We don't have unlimited resources.
We have shareholders.
Your accounting is transparent and you enter markets
without paying bribes, I know.
That's exactly right, Mr. President.
My colleagues and I discussed this possibility.
It'd be hard to go above 10 million.
Are you serious?
Or bargaining?
- I wouldn't do that. - Yes, you would.
You'd bargain over cafeteria prices.
Our finances aren't what they once were.
15 million minimum for you.
France will pay the rest, if we negotiate.
Yes!
Are you OK?
Yes, I'm OK. I'm just tired.
May I speak with you?
Could you leave us?
We have a call. Line 3.
Captain Francis. Hello, Mr. President.
Ijust spoke to Bakian.
The terrorists demand 25 million.
Bakian is trying to lower the price,
but we have a big problem.
They want Abbad Wahid.
- "Abbad Wahid"? - Yes, Mr. President.
Abbad Wahid is a war leader said to be dead.
We said that he was killed by a bomb,
but in fact he's held by our troops in Mali.
H0w'd they know he's alive?
Word spreads in Africa.
He's in a military camp where civilians work.
- You'd transfer him to France? - They want him let go.
No!
Mr. President,
we could take measures to track him.
We just negotiate the place and the conditions.
It depends on that.
What does intelligence say?
Too dangerous.
- Mr. President... - No, no. Wait.
They want 25 million and, as a bonus, the man responsible
for the death of French soldiers
and Malian civilians?
I'll tell you the exact measures we can take.
That changes nothing.
Bakian can negotiate, since he knows how.
I won't let Wahid go.
He'll come around.
You're optimistic.
22 hostages: he'll come around.
There's no other solution. Change his mind.
You know I'm serious.
I understand, Captain.
I'll call you back.
We're agreed?
20 million?
OK for 20 million.
And Abbad Wahid?
He's a hero to us,
but the French will never let him go.
We can drop it.
Just put more pressure on.
Human life is very important to the French.
The situation can't go on forever.
The fighters are mad.
The hostages are tired.
Abbad Wahid is a leader.
You asked for him to be freed.
He was already dead to us.
Think it over.
If Al-Muthalimin can get Abbad Wahid released,
they'll be famous throughout Africa and the Middle East.
Do you really think the French will give in?
Kill 2 hostages.
They'll give in, believe rne.
Why do you care about Wahid?
Wahid is a brother.
Corinthia Hotel, Libya
Hello. May I sit down?
Are you French?
Yes.
Wasn't that the French ambassador to Tripoli?
Excuse me. You are...?
You're a journalist.
Sorry.
Appoline Vremler from Mediamag.
What are you doing in Tripoli?
Nothing to see here.
What are you doing here?
- Business. - What kind of business?
Oil.
"Scada"? Thank you.
I don't think I'll need your services.
Why didn't you call me?
I'm sorry. The negotiations are broken off.
They threaten to kill 2 hostages.
I don't believe for a second you can track Abbad Wahid.
Fucking bullshit!
Like asking
the U.S. to let Bin Laden go and not kill him.
What about their threat?
- What if they kill 2 hostages? - Quiet.
I want to be alone. Leave.
Your wife is in Tripoli.
My wife? What's she doing in Tripoli?
- I'm asking you. - First of all, she's my ex-wife.
Secondly, I don't know.
She's not there by chance.
I don't think so.
Go ahead, ask me.
"Simon, did you tell your ex-wife
"about the secret negotiations?"
How could you think I'd do that?
I'm sorry.
You know me better than that.
We're screwed.
Who's screwed? Appoline or the president?
For now, the president.
I repeat: who can influence him?
His wife, but she won't get involved. Hussan, but...
It's complicated.
Does he trust you?
It's not enough.
We bring him the facts, but the decision's up to him
and his own conscience.
OK.
Mr. Hussan? Simon Kapita. May I see you?
Please come in, Kapita.
You fired the cleaning lady?
Yes. She wasn't classy enough for this place.
And Rose?
She's taking a walk.
Do you want news of my grandmother too?
She's dead.
I loved her a lot. A good woman.
Is that good enough?
You're in no condition to see the president.
Oh, no, I'm in no condition.
What's up with Marjorie? Feeling melancholy?
- He needs his old friend. - He didn't ask for you.
Oh! You're asking?
That's a real p.r. guy idea.
What are you guys up to?
Did you get my message?
- What message? - Deleuvre sent me his little...
Desmeuze
to ask me about a certain Bakian.
I said: "Bakian...
"is bad news."
I'll make you coffee. Take a cold shower.
A freezing shower.
Make yourself throw up.
Official cars don't make the same noise.
Have you noticed?
Where's Rose?
That again?
Don't worry. She hasn't left yet.
But I'm horrible, I'm unbearable.
I do all it takes for her to split.
So that...
Well, anyway.
That's not the problem.
So what's the problem?
The chief of staff and Bakian know each other.
Yes. They've met.
No. More than that.
It could be a real pain for her. And for Marjorie.
And for everyone.
If Kapita hadn't insisted...
He actually stuck me in the shower.
Why? You were drunk?
- You don't look good either. - Are you surprised?
What do the kidnapers want?
Why should I tell you?
Because I'm here.
- You always told me everything. - Can't say the same for you.
They want the release of Abbad Wahid.
- Who's negotiating? - Bakian.
- Well, you managed it all. - If you know Bakian,
why didn't you leave his file for Palissy?
- What about continuity? - Palissy has all he needs.
The intelligence services, too.
- They said nothing. - You shouldn't have fired me.
You need an experienced chief of staff.
I like Gabrielle a lot.
So, what do you know?
We can't prove it, but we're almost sure
Bakian sold arms to Al-Qaeda and is linked to Wahid.
So let Wahid go and pay.
If you don't, there'll be a massacre.
I'm sure they threatened to kill hostages. Am I wrong?
No.
They threaten to kill 2.
Let Wahid go and pay! Whafre you waiting for?
For someone to say it like that.
I'm going to miss you, Benoit.
Now that I'm president, no one speaks up to me.
It's like I'm in an elastic world.
A padded room?
No. Not yet.
No...
There's just you and Elisabeth.
The 2 who love you the most also make you worry the most.
I can't let you run for election.
Or give you a prestigious job.
Don't worry. I won't bug you.
I won't cause problems.
I'll retire to the country.
- What's wrong? Are you sick? - I'm OK.
I'm tired.
I have a bit of sciatica.
We're not getting younger.
I gave you a cane when you turned 50.
Do you remember?
To give me shit because I was a year older than you.
Are you still?
I don't know. Maybe.
Don't see me out.
I know the way.
Let's cut the terrorists' Internet.
They show whatever they want.
- Where's this from? - Algerian National television.
OK. That's enough.
Get the terrorists out of there and track Wahid.
Don't worry, Mr. president.
We won't lose him.
I'll hold you responsible.
You asked for me, President?
I wanted to thank you about Hussan.
- The sciatica idea is working? - Perfectly.
In 1981, Mitterrand thought he had sciatica.
It was prostate cancer.
Are you bringing me bad luck?
No, other presidents had sciatica with no issues.
Let's hope so.
Yes, yes. I know.
Yes.
We hope to resolve the situation quickly.
I can't say any more.
You'll be the 1st to know.
Your newspaper has always had special treatment.
OK. Good night.
Le Monde.
I'm tired.
Victor's sleeping at a friend's.
It's Rose.
Benoit left.
I don't know where he is.
I can't stay in this place all alone.
I don't know where to go.
Please...
Come.
How long have you known Bakian?
I hadn't seen him for 6 years.
Where'd you meet him? How?
In Budapest, at an embassy cocktail party.
He offered his services.
Discreetly.
"His services"?
What services?
- Is this an interrogation? - No.
He comes from nowhere, he knows everybody.
I need information.
Hussan says you know him well.
"Hussan"?
How does he know? I don't know him well. Except...
"Except" what?
He helped me adopt Victor.
Victor was in a Hungarian orphanage. His case was frozen.
He unfroze it, I don't know how.
You paid him?
Yes.
Wait, Simon... Don't look like that.
It was an awful place. Victor could've been stuck there for months.
I was scared someone else would get him.
I fell in love with him. I wanted this child.
That's the reason: "I wanted."
So you bought him.
You didn't know if his parents
were alive, gave him up willingly,
if everything was done by the book.
- He was in an orphanage. - That means nothing.
The procedure's long so that
the rules are followed for the child's good.
All was in order. Victor was adopted legally.
There are also delays due to corrupt bureaucrats.
Then you deal with an official organization,
not Bakian.
What do you know about the parents?
Nothing. But...
Oh, "nothing"!
Nothing.
I'm sorry.
But I'm not hungry anymore.
Wahid was released in this area,
in Mali, near the Mauritanian border.
He fled here,
near Bir Moghrein. We tracked him there.
The terrorists will leave the site at 5 AM tomorrow.
With 7 hostages to guarantee their safety.
What? "7"?
They know the exchange will be dangerous.
They chose an area that's hard to get to.
But not impossible. The Algerians tell us
they can intervene.
Risking 7 hostages' lives.
Mr. President,
15 hostages will be freed at the site.
Every life counts, Minister.
I released Abbad Wahid to avoid a massacre.
I can't...
France can't let the terrorists get away.
There'll be an intervention during the exchange.
Corinthia Hotel, Libya
This is yours...
Room 821.
I have information.
Tuesday
Operation complete, Mr. President.
The Algerians recovered the money and 6 hostages.
The 7th is dead.
Thanks, Admiral.
Can I keep it?
Yes, yes.
The journalists know you're tired
and have sciatica.
No point in saying a lot. Keep it short.
Take the number of questions you want.
Stop when you want.
I'm sure no journalists will try to trap you.
Everyone's just... relieved.
Not as much as I am.
But I have the dead on my conscience.
No. Not you, President.
The terrorists.
You should be a shrink, Kapita.
Why not?
- May I? - Go ahead.
Shrink or dresser.
The president of the Republic.
Please be seated.
Hello, ladies and gentlemen.
At 8:30 this morning.
The terrorists were intercepted by an Algerian commando
at the Mauritanian border.
5 of them were killed
along with 1 of the 7 hostages,
Yves Lefoll.
I want to express my deep sympathy to his family.
As well as to the families of the French citizens killed
in the attack on the gas site.
Once again, I want
to assure them of our support
in this difficult time.
The 15 hostages who remained at the site
are in our embassy in Algiers. They're doing well.
They'll return home in a few days.
- Mr. President? - Yes. Go ahead.
There are rumors that you released Abbad Wahid.
Are these rumors true?
He was killed 3 months ago.
So it would've been hard to release him.
I won't comment on rumors.
Mr. Bélier?
Did the French army support the operation?
You're back?
Just got off the plane. I was waiting for you.
I'm here.
I know everything.
Who negotiated, who you released, what you paid. Everything.
I'm going to write it.
Subtitles: Eclair Group