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- Mrs. Sabah. We made some tea, darling. Will you come?

- What?

- We've made tea, would you like some?

- No. Bring me a little bit.

- Coffee or tea?

- Tea, please.

- Tea? Okay.

- Just a little bit.

Sabah Al Salem's release from prison in the spring of 2020

reminded me of a reality I had lived in, in Damascus, my city.

The city I've been banned from returning to for over 8 years.

This opened up old wounds.

Sabah who was once an actress and a dreamer

has become lonely, devastated by prison.

Her only fault is that she said "No, I don't want to".

Her release has urged us to start making this movie

which has become an urgent matter.

A movie about the place where we grew up

and that we were denied return to.

A film about Damascus after the long years of war.

A film about women who were long-suffering.

Look, Nada. I can't stand you anymore.

I won't allow you to say another word.

I will talk. Because I can't take it anymore!

Shut up!

- Did he really hit you? - Yeah.

I'll start looking for a job tomorrow.

You can't get a job.

We're working on a play. The main theme

of the play is sexual exploitation.

We need to get your advice. We're afraid

of the reactions and of the backlash.

We're afraid that the men might restrict us somehow.

How would these men hurt you?

No, they can't.

- They hurt me because... - But you did pay the price.

Well...

The men you're speaking of don't have the same level of authority

as the men I'm speaking of.

I was hurt because they were powerful men.

They had connections. They had the power.

Were you shocked at what happened?

It wasn't a matter of shock.

It was more that I didn't imagine such filth existed.

Some men actually have no conscience, or they dull it...

You must have heard about the problems I encountered.

I've been imprisoned.

- Did anyone stand by you? - No.

- Nobody? - No.

Some people simply said to me, "Sorry, Sabah."

"We can't support you because of what might happen to us."

In short, it's the corruption

across all or some governmental institutions.

This corruption empowers these men to cross the line.

And nobody is able to stop them.

Even if you screamed at the top of your voice,

no one could stop them.

We are living through a dreadful experience.

Do you know that

if I want to extract a paper from the court now,

I don't know if I can go and get it done or not,

or if I will have the money to get it done.

Any document you want to extract from

a court or any department is expensive,

because you must start bribing people once you get inside.

How will I get that money?

Should I beg people for money for bribes?

Therefore, whoever can speak the truth should do so.

Keep walking. I am coming.

- Hi. - Hello.

- Hi. - Hello. How are you doing?

I will shake hands with all of you later.

- Wow. - What an incredible backyard!

- This house was vacant for seven years.

- It feels like it.

- The rent is really low.

I will work and live here for a short while.

The owner left a lot of furniture and stuff

that we can use to furnish the rooms.

Look how high the ceiling is!

- Is that a shell hole? - Yes, it is.

Our writing workshop will be in this room.

And we'll do our initial rehearsals in this room.

It would be nice to have the stage here.

- You sink into it. - Yes.

Alright, each of us should clean a room.

You're ready to start today?

Come on.

Why are you carrying it? Leave it on the floor!

Most women in my city who were abused and exposed to violence

refuse to talk about it because they're

afraid of being blamed by society

and being held accountable if they speak up.

It was difficult to get testimonies of

what has happened and is still happening.

We are in Europe and can't be physically

present at the shooting location.

Shooting from abroad was the only

possible option for making this movie.

We coordinated with these women

to persuade and encourage more women to speak out.

We agreed to support their efforts to create "a play"

and have the entire experience documented by our on-site crew.

"The play" will be based on women's

real stories and experiences.

Mom!

Mom!

We've been asked as a political party

why we fought by the government's side.

From day one, we believed that there was a foreign conspiracy

carried out by local agents.

Be patient! It always takes sacrifices.

Whatever you do, you will make mistakes.

- Dad, too many generations have made sacrifices already!

You, mom, my grandparents, my brother

and I have made sacrifices!

- I honestly don't see a solution.

- We have evolved. All these concepts are outdated.

There is nothing that can't be solved.

- No, there isn't.

We have gotten used to the current situation.

That is how we look, talk, and think.

I'm not saying I want to go to bars

and have fun. Or smoke wherever I want.

I just want to walk in the street

knowing that no one will step over me.

- Darling, we're living in wartime, and this is the price.

- I don't accept it.

- Any country at war must suffer.

- My problem is that the whole war is

unclear! Nothing is clear for us.

I'm just coping

and making excuses to be able to sleep at night.

- Why don't you try to understand the war?

- We need action! I would like to have kids and enjoy them.

I want to teach them to love.

- If I speak about the war in detail

it will only harm me more.

Just thinking about it.

- If I want to understand war... - No.

The enormity of what we experienced

is just a fraction of the reality.

- Son, once you understand the war,

you'll be able to tackle its causes, right?

The war is over now. The current situation is the aftermath.

This is a new war. It is the outcome of the previous war.

It isn't a new war. It's the same ongoing war.

No one will be able to understand it.

Listen, sometimes I feel...

I feel that...

- The power is out. - I'll turn the generator on.

What?

Sometimes I feel...

I have some complicated feelings about you two.

It's not that I hate you.

But I feel that you did not act responsibly.

At the same time, I feel...

Because we brought you to life?

It's not because I like this idea.

Why then?

- Because when you need to have babies...

- I somehow no longer feel proud of you.

Let's stop. Would you like some tea?

This is where I grew up, this is how it looks after the war.

Its people have either died or have been displaced like me.

As for the people from areas where

homes were spared from destruction,

who stayed in the country, they're

exhausted and live below the poverty line.

The vast majority of those who remained are women.

Although they constitute the majority of

those who stayed, they're still controlled

by a male minority, most of whom are violent and diehards,

because there are neither customs nor laws

to limit the men's power.

Here. Take this.

I'm not sure if I want to join "the play" or not.

Souhir, a part of me is encouraging

myself to participate in this project

because it could have a good impact.

The other part of me is scared.

This "play" will be exceptional as we'll

perform it in the country at such a time.

I want us to talk,

have discussions and brainstorm together.

I want you to feel free.

Write anything that comes to your mind.

Without this group work, I won't reach a result.

The goal of your project

is to step towards your ultimate goal.

At the moment, I have other projects

that have higher priority than joining this project.

I don't want to talk about it now,

but I don't want to waste my time or yours.

I also need to apologize for not being

able to participate in this project.

I can't participate for personal reasons.

It isn't that I don't appreciate the

project or that I'm against the idea.

I'm not against anything, but my mental state

makes it difficult for me to join this project.

That was a surprise.

- Hello Ali. - Hi Heba.

- We miss you, how are you? - Good, are you at Sabah's?

Yes, Sabah is here.

We are filming now.

- Heba? - Yes, Heba is on the line.

Hey, beautiful Heba. How are you?

I miss you.

- Are you fine and happy? - Yes, how about you?

Me? What can I say?

Homeless and moving from one apartment to another,

and I had some financial struggles.

I don't know, there is no... stability.

All these regulations...

I came out of a prison of walls into a prison of life.

Was it somebody you loved

who caused you so much hurt?

Yes.

He was not supposed to just be... "my affair".

He was actually my man in front of God and everyone.

Imagine! We were together for 10 years.

And at the end...

he doesn't lift a finger to help you!

And when a man acts like that,

he hurts you deeply.

He simply destroys your life...

and carelessly dumps you.

In your hardest moments,

he oppresses you, he hurts you, and he makes you jobless.

Life is full of hardships.

I keep crying all the time. Anything can make me cry.

Yet, I'm strong inside. I keep trying to cope and resist.

- How?

- But will I be able to keep going?

You say you want to resist but out of nowhere,

you find yourself on the street and homeless.

Women are more enslaved than ever in these times.

Prisoners of a thousand stories.

The biggest exploitations we face are of

a sexual nature. Exploitation of bodies. n

It's important for me to discuss real stories in this "play".

It will tackle violence, sexual harassment, and legal issues.

We will discuss the stories of some women.

We live in different circumstances than these women,

and they can't speak up for themselves.

I want to put myself in a position

to go and listen to their stories.

I really want to reach a point where we can say,

"We're navigating through an uneasy area."

We must be cautious, because we'll be

held accountable for everything we say.

Who's responsible for the family's expenses?

Currently, it's me.

I give my salary to my father. He asks how much it is.

When I answer him, he counts it and keeps it for himself.

When my dad gets mad, he tends to be aggressive.

He breaks things, beats us, and wreaks havoc.

He beats us really hard.

He sometimes beats us so we're hospitalized.

He once beat me with a belt buckle and cut my head.

I ended up in hospital. He did this to us many times.

My mom suffered so much that she got sick once because of him.

She stayed at the hospital for a week because of him.

I remember one incident when I was four or five years old.

My father used to punish us by making us face the wall.

I remember I was facing the wall

once, and my leg slacked a little.

He grabbed me by my leg and threw me against the wall.

I still remember how the blood stained the wall.

The scene is still stuck in my head.

When we were displaced,

my husband took me to his parents' house in a village.

He got married again.

- Did he marry a new wife?

- He got married to two more women.

He told me that my daughters and I

were no more than servants to them.

My daughters were school girls at the time.

Their dad didn't want them to study, but

I worked hard for them to finish school.

My story is...

- I'm here to hear your story. Say whatever you want.

- Shall I tell my story? - Yes, please.

He sometimes steps on the girls' heads with his army boots.

- Why does he do that? - He doesn't want them to study.

He doesn't want them to leave the house.

My girls are well-disciplined. Everyone praises their manners.

What keeps me going is my work

and my little boy running to me

and hugging me when I return home.

It wipes away all my sorrows.

He wore rings, so he'd turn the rings to the side and beat me.

- He'd turn the ring?

- Yes, he'd turn it to the inside.

The back of my ear started bleeding

because he kept beating me.

- Why would he do that? - The reason could be anything.

He'd come to me after being instigated by his family.

His mother and sister would

instigate him and he'd come to me.

He wouldn't let me see daylight.

He wouldn't allow me to go anywhere at all.

He wouldn't even let me visit my parents.

It's as if he has a mental issue.

- When did you get divorced? - About a year ago.

How many times have you seen your daughter since then?

One time. When I filed for divorce

at the court, I asked to see her.

But since then, we haven't seen each other.

Please don't cry. I beg you.

Shaimaa, please don't cry.

Remember I told you that I wanted to

discuss harassment as a form of authority?

The sentence I couldn't understand?

Yeah, as a form of authority.

Then I remembered the idea that I wanted to discuss,

which is women oppressing women.

The character is suffering under her

mother and grandmother's authority.

She finds herself trapped due to the

way her mother discusses women's issues.

And her grandmother considers women

as white dresses or glass panels.

And if it's scratched, the scratch

will be visible and unrepairable.

- These are the thoughts in her mind.

- Okay?

So, she always feels like she's trapped.

And she can't set her own rules or say "No".

For instance, when she goes to a man's

house, she might be in a situation

where she can't say "no" to him.

Since she came to his house,

it's implied she's ready to have...

- Excuse me?

There is one thing I didn't understand.

By "trapped" you mean she's entangled in

the rules of all the people in her life?

Yes, for sure.

She is trapped and stripped of her decision-making.

Is the water running now?

Ok.

♪Let's go with the grace of God, oh workers â♪

♪May your morning be beautiful, oh master Ateya.♪

♪God bless this morning. I don't know what's in store.♪

♪And our pockets are completely empty.♪

♪But our mood is peaceful and serene.♪

- Our mood is completely peaceful.

- It is indeed.

Mom, read the cup carefully. Do you see me trapped?

- No. - Read what's in store for me.

Look here.

You will face a situation, and it will be very disturbing.

- Oh, yeah. It occupies half of the cup.

- No, perhaps a quarter of the bottom.

It will be a difficult situation.

- Did it happen or will it? - It will happen.

- OK, it didn't take place yet. - Not yet.

You have to be certain you make the

right decision in this situation.

There will be no going back.

This decision will affect you mentally.

What is the topic today?

It's sexual abuse and rape.

I was on the bus with a friend from the deaf center.

A man came and tried to sexually harass us.

And I asked him nervously to sit away from us.

I want to ask you about what cases

you encountered here at the center.

- What can you tell me about them?

- We face a lot of cases.

A young woman was once raped by three men.

When she returned home, she told her family what had happened.

The three men knew that she was deaf.

They lured and kidnapped her.

They took her to an isolated farm.

And the three men raped her.

The men were prosecuted,

and they admitted that they had sexually assaulted her.

The court ordered the first rapist to

marry her to restore her family's honor.

The young woman was traumatized,

and psychologically devastated.

She couldn't look them in the eye.

If they hadn't been in a cell,

she probably would have attacked them.

I'm going to discuss the struggles of

other women who don't look like me,

and who have different lifestyles,

clothing styles, and everything.

So, how well can I represent all of them

while still feeling that I'm presenting a

general image, rather than specific cases?

This isn't your duty alone. It's my duty as well.

The first thing you should do is draw boundaries.

You need to set the real Souhir and your past aside

and bring together stories you've heard

or experienced to portray the characters.

I will lead the project as the director.

- I believe you still don't know

the overall context of the story.

- Exactly...

- In addition to the situation I was going through,

I believe I still need some time to

be able to understand this character

in all settings and circumstances.

- Don't worry. What we are developing today won't be final.

We'll benefit from everything we develop.

It's true we're friends in real life,

but on the stage we'll be more than that.

We have to do a lot of work to prepare and rehearse

before we even start reading the script.

I'm moving out to Farah's place for a while.

We are preparing for "the play".

Darling, why didn't you tell me?

I don't know.

My brother knows the house if you want to visit me.

- I just want to understand. - You will come to visit us.

- Yeah, that's it. - One moment, please.

You packed your stuff without telling us.

Are you moving out because you're upset?

- No, not at all. - Then what?

That's it. It's time.

- What do you mean, "It's time"? - I mean I'm moving out.

- I'm not against you moving out,

but I just need to understand why.

Are you moving out for a while to return later?

Are you moving out because you want to become independent?

- Let me see how it goes first.

You see the situation in the country.

I have to do something about it.

For the time being, I'll move out to work on "the play".

- So, you're moving out for work?

- Sure.

And when your work is over?

We'll see.

- So, are there other options? - Well, yeah. We'll see.

- We'll see what happens. - Okay, take a seat, please.

Take a seat and let's discuss it. Take the bag off your back.

- I don't like it. - This was hard on me.

So, that's it.

What do you want to say? Don't give me that look!

- Are you alright? - Yeah, sure.

You're taking your stuff now?

- Yeah. - Do you know that...

The strange thing is that you should have told me.

We would have packed together and lived that moment together.

But you sprung it on us that you're moving out!

- It's difficult...

Let me pass.

Why are you crying then? If that

is what you want and you're fine?

Nana?

You can stay and still work on "the play".

- I know, but I have to go. It's time.

- I don't understand why. - I'm not comfortable.

- Not comfortable here? - Yeah, I'm not comfortable.

- Will you be comfortable there? - I have to. That's it.

- Take it. - You're welcome.

Welcome. We are there already.

I broke down. My break-down caused a heart attack.

They took me to Alrazi Hospital in Jaramana.

After that, I told them I didn't want to live with him anymore.

- When I came out of his clinic I was shaking.

I opened the door,

I was fixing my hijab, trying to

convince myself nothing had happened.

- What if she ended up marrying a bad man?

- It's fate.

It's difficult to tell before marriage.

- What if he turns out to be bad?

- It's her fate, if he is good or bad.

So she would remain married to the bad man?

Discussions can solve everything.

I got a divorce because he was

a stern man, and we didn't get along.

- He wasn't kind to you?

- No. His mentality was backward.

He was a closed-minded person.

He wasn't open-minded like other people.

He was brought up this way, with a closed-minded mentality.

He used to beat me and was harsh to me.

He was jealous, doubtful and suspicious.

He wouldn't let me go out or do anything.

To him, everything was disgraceful and forbidden.

- Where's your son? - My son is with him.

- Can't you go see him?

- I can't because of our traditions.

They don't allow women to go for visits.

If a woman went against the rules of her family,

they might beat her or do something to her.

That's correct. I agree, Farah.

But you enter a new world when you cross the road.

The road is what separates us.

I was brought up in a place

where a girl has a thousand guardians

from the father to her brothers, cousins and her uncles.

Everyone has the power and pretexts

to shape our lives as they deem

we should be raised and live.

The price for deviating from their customs

is very harsh, it may lead to death.

I could hardly convince them to let me enroll at the university.

From that moment on, I decided to live with two personalities.

The first is religious, maintaining

the traditions I was brought up with

and my second personality is open to a new world

with everything about art, artists,

people and sects that are new to me.

I say what I want and express what I feel.

I become a free woman.

Two visibly different personalities but

each of them was afraid of the scandal

that the other personality might reveal.

A great state of anxiety and fear over the slightest details.

I lived this way for many years

until I was under too much pressure.

And I was exposed.

I was threatened and blackmailed.

Until the day I closed the door to

my room and was afraid to leave it.

I kept silent for many months.

And all those who knew me began to

say "Oh poor Heba, she went crazy".

My story is complicated. They deprived me

of seeing the sunset and brought me here.

My problem is really complicated.

- Please tell me.

- I can't. I'm very tired.

I can't wait to go back to the prison. I hate it here.

- Is the prison better than here?

- Yes!

- I tried to commit suicide,

and I spent a night in the recovery room.

- How did you try to commit suicide?

- I took a lot of anti-depressant pills.

- Why do you want to die?

- Because I can't find a treatment for

my illness. I lost my husband and kids.

- Where is your family? - They're dead.

- You don't have siblings? - No

But I feel that my sisters from

the orphanage are my real sisters.

- Do you talk to them?

- Yes. But it breaks their hearts when I call them.

I talk to them, but it breaks their hearts. They cry.

- Bring me an eyeliner, and blush.

- Okay.

- Lipstick, cigarettes, and a lighter.

That's it. They banned lighters for me, so I won't burn myself.

If someone teases me, I get mad and burn myself.

The nurse told me lighters are dangerous,

and they aren't allowed in prison.

- Yes, they're banned.

Alright, I will light your cigarette. Agreed?

- And a lipstick. - And a lipstick.

Prices are getting higher. Things suck.

Everyday prices rocket even more.

I'm speaking for the poor oppressed people.

Half of them are gone.

People are suffering.

I came here in July.

They diagnosed me with schizophrenia and depression.

- Do you feel you have these illnesses?

- Yes, I have depression.

But I don't know if I have schizophrenia.

- Why did you get sick?

- When I was five years old, they circumcised me.

My family has tortured me a lot.

My deceased younger brother used to beat me.

My father used to torture me a lot, too.

Ramy! Handsome man! Ramy!

Handsome man!

- Honey! - What's wrong, Aya?

- She's upset because they promised they'd come,

but they didn't.

- You're supposed to be discharged?

- Yes, today.

- Well, there's still time.

- I want to continue my studies. I don't want to stay here.

- You'll hopefully be discharged safe and sound.

- Perhaps because you're a bit sick?

- I want to leave, I'm not happy.

- Lina, who brought you here?

- My father and my uncle.

- Your father and uncle? - Tell her to release me.

I want my kids to visit me. I haven't seen them for a year!

Take one pill only!

Don't believe her. Take her outside.

Outside. Jesus!

When I saw my husband, I was spell-bound.

My husband is really good-looking.

His eyes are as blue as the sky.

He's a good person, but I don't know why he did that,

nor why he did this to me.

My husband told me to leave Germany.

"Go to Syria, and I'll follow you with the kids.

I will follow with the kids."

I said okay.

When I got here, I asked my husband when he was coming.

But he changed towards me.

His overall manner and tone changed completely.

He said, "Who told you I want to return?

You left this country, your children, me.

I don't need you anymore. Forget you ever had a husband.

And never ever think about your kids or husband from now on."

I want to cry because I miss my kids,

but my medications won't let me cry.

It stops your emotions.

A bomb exploded, so I fell to the ground.

I can't see you well now.

The car exploded just here. The terrorist tried to escape,

but we neutralized him.

All forms of reconciliations are rejected.

People are hoping the implementation of

the military solution will stop their daily sufferings

at the hands of these gangs.

I've changed in a way...

that I couldn't have imagined.

I thought I was stronger,

but I don't feel that anymore.

I thought I'd decided I wouldn't cry.

I want to shed light on a frequent situation.

Life tests you.

You make a decision to handle that test.

But after that, you can never go back

to how you were before, nor go forward like you wanted.

This is the very idea.

You no longer have the power to decide anything.

Can you hear it now?

Hello, Farah. How are you?

I'm very sorry for what I'm about to say now.

I apologize to all of you.

You're my friends, and more than friends.

I've had a very big problem,

and my boyfriend made me choose

either to quit "the play" or break up with him.

I don't want to cause any problems.

I don't want to cause all these troubles.

Therefore, I want to apologize to you and to the whole team.

I love you very much and good luck.

- Did he make her choose between quitting

work in general or just leaving us?

- This is not acceptable.

- This is illogical, and it's uncharacteristic of her.

She can't do it now when we're meeting to work.

We're working hard. Each of us has loads of issues in our life.

- But she said she has a situation.

- What situation is that?

She's in a play about women.

What is this situation? Did someone ask her to quit?

- You don't know the reason.

You can't put yourself in her shoes.

- This is our society, and you know it. Eliana...

She shouldn't work on a play about

women if she doesn't know her rights!

Who doesn't know her rights, Souhir?

- Does she sound like someone who knows her rights, Inana?

- Life is bigger than us, Souhir.

You may screw us later.

- I never thought she would quit. Excuse me, Inana?

- You don't know. Life is bigger than all of us.

- If I ever quit, I will be hurting myself.

I won't be hurting you.

- These are empty words.

- Why empty words? She said we're

a team, right? Where is the team?

- What I care about is Eliana. What happened to her?

She clearly spoke about a big problem.

- Hi, Farah. - Hello, darling. How are you?

I'm fine. How are you doing?

You're on speaker. The others are here.

- Yeah, hi girls. - Hi, love.

- How are you? - I'm fine.

- To begin with, are you all right?

- I'm fine.

- Is there a compelling reason why you

don't come and speak your mind in person?

- Yes. But I don't want to talk to anyone

about the matter right now.

- Are you alone? - Yes. I'm on my own.

Why can't you speak then? Why are you being an asshole?

I'm not alone. My mom and my brother are around here.

Go to a place where you can be alone.

I'm sorry for what I told you.

I'm sorry for everything. This isn't how I usually behave.

The point is I've been pressured a lot.

My boyfriend has nothing to do with it.

- How come? You said he made you choose!

He isn't involved.

Is our work causing him any trouble?

No, it's not like that.

So, "the play", its theme, and our work are not involved?

No, neither "the play" nor our work are involved.

Then what kind of problems?

It has to do with my personal life.

Just one question. What stopped you from coming here today?

Let her go to Tartous City.

When she returns here, she knows where the house is.

Let her go to Tartous. Let her sort out

her life to be able to come and tell us.

She'll come for sure.

- You know where we are?

For sure I know.

Okay, bye dear.

She is under a lot of pressure.

Eliana's quitting has raised a lot of questions.

I reached out to her and was able to find

out the real reason behind her quitting

which was not her fear of "the play" and the movie.

We knew that there was a hidden hand behind her action.

A hand that has used every tool to blackmail and abuse women.

The person we had an agreement with from the beginning.

Who would help us make this movie

in the country we are banned from entering.

We booked the women's tickets to Beirut to get their testimonies

about what happened during the past months of filming.

Do you know why the line producer

Adel was kicked out off the project?

No.

You know nothing about it?

No, nothing at all.

Please let me know if you know anything.

I honestly don't know anything.

Last time I filmed was when we heard Eliana would quit.

I don't know anything beyond that.

We fired the line producer.

We discovered he sexually exploited women from "the play".

Ah, okay.

We used to sit together after shooting.

We sometimes would go out for lunch together.

Farah used to tell me, "Never lose that person."

"Adel is always by your side."

Yes, yes, yes. Film us. Film this crime.

I am making a video of you.

I noticed that he was trying to make me drink a lot of alcohol.

For a second, I was suspicious.

Adel tried to impose an atmosphere

that was not work-related.

One time he texted me at night.

He asked me, "Can I see you tomorrow?"

I replied, "Sure, but do you want to

see me alone or do we have a meeting?"

He replied, "No, all of us will

meet, then we'll go out for dinner."

- He said there was a meeting? - Yes.

He asked me, "Have you had sushi before?"

I answered, "No, I never tried it before."

He asked, "Would you like to?"

I answered, "Sure, I don't mind eating raw food."

He said, "Great. I'll treat you to sushi." I said, "Great."

We then went to Al Sham Hotel.

After we sat down, I tried to reach for

my phone to ask Farah where they were.

He took the phone from my hand, and told me,

"Don't call anyone."

I replied, "Why? Isn't it supposed to be a group dinner?"

He replied, "No, this invitation is just for you."

I asked, "What do you want from me?"

He looked at me and said, "I want you."

At that moment, I was struck!

I wasn't just shocked, I was thunderstruck.

I looked at him and said, "What do you mean you want me?"

He said, "Listen, Eliana, since your first day at work,

I've liked you. My love for you is driving me crazy every day,

and every meeting, and every shooting session.

All the sessions I'm setting up and

everything I'm doing is just to see you."

So, I replied, "Adel, you are stressing me out a lot!"

I was really stressed out, and I was shaking then.

I told him, "This is stressful. I can't breathe. That's enough!"

He said, "I am not asking you to do anything.

Take your time, think about it."

I said, "Okay, fine."

And he paid the bill.

We entered the elevator.

He approached me and hugged me in the elevator.

And he kissed me.

- He kissed you on your lips? - Yes.

- What was your reaction? - I don't know.

You can't remember it?

I was just shaking all the time.

All the time I was telling him, "What are you doing? Stop it."

He said to me when we went out, "I will drive you home."

I replied, "No, I know the way home."

He said, "I won't leave you like this."

I was looking awful.

When I left the place, I looked completely

different from how I looked when I came.

I can't describe how I looked.

Then he kissed me.

I was very lonely.

I wasn't looking for a man then.

At that time, I was focusing on what projects to do.

Whether to travel abroad or

whether to start my project here.

I have been thinking about these ideas for two years.

He looked at me and said, "Would you come up with me?"

I said, "It's difficult."

I told him, "I am tired and exhausted.

I can't be in a relationship." I told him that.

He said, "Listen to me, Eliana. I never lose."

I responded, "I never lose, either.

And I never lose, either. Are you threatening me now?

What do you mean you never lose?"

He said, "Remember this:

The moment you tell the director anything,

consider that you, the other women,

and the project are gone and finished.

Who do you think will believe you?

And would believe that this happened?

Remember you went out with me. Remember you met me,

and remember you agreed to do this."

He sent my thoughts spiraling.

I said, "Okay, I agree. I will be silent."

So, he was manipulating me and Eliana all the time.

- What happened after you arrived?

When he asked you to come up?

Continue please from this point on.

If you don't mind, of course.

This is dangerous, Heba.

He said, "One more thing." "What is it?," I replied.

He said, "You have to record a voice message telling the truth

about what happened to you. I said, "Sure, I will record it."

He said, "No, not the truth we both know."

"Which truth then?," I replied.

He said, "Your boyfriend prevented you from shooting."

I said, "And if I don't?"

He replied, "I'm telling you, Eliana. I never lose."

I feel bad that we can't say everything.

I wish I could say everything in detail.

But I don't have faith that people will understand.

I can't tell you the details,

because I have no faith in people.

Other people don't even have to understand the circumstances.

We rush to issuing judgments and punishments.

I really wish I could speak.

I really wish I could tell everybody everything.

But there would be huge consequences.

And they won't only affect me.

Some consequences will affect my family.

I will never allow that to happen.

I've been shaking since I arrived in Lebanon!

I don't usually shake.

I never shiver! We were all under pressure.

It's enough that we stood up for ourselves.

That she and I were able to speak. We were raised in fear!

The mentality in Syria is shit.

I live in Syria like all of them.

I can't afford living or doing anything.

I can't do anything. I can't make the money I want.

But I can't let people within Syria know about that

especially men.

Don't tell me, "We are an open-minded people."

Or "We support you, dear." I don't buy that.

Everything in Syria is built on lies.

No one in Syria is able to work unless

they are liars, mafia, and motherfuckers

with deep connections to the government,

and they can ruin your life in a second.

I was hurt by what the women had said on and off camera.

I was raging because of what Adel had done.

I had believed him.

That he felt our pain and our forgotten war

and that he believed in revealing

the suffering of women

and in everything we are documenting.

The women returned to Syria.

We returned to Berlin,

disappointed and with a heartache

A decision to stop filming.

We changed the decision after a while

due to the women's renewed desire

to film what is happening with them.

When we started with "the play", we were five women.

Some women quit early on. This didn't

significantly affect the project.

The last time we met, the five of us were there.

We were going to perform "the play".

When I asked Farah about the script, she replied arrogantly,

"I'm in charge of writing the script.

And you take orders from me."

But a man is now writing the script. This is a disaster.

How is it acceptable that 5-6 women do

their best, but their work is rejected

because a man has a take on women's lives?

This could have been the first time

ever to present an all-women play.

It could have been the first time

to speak about our problems!

To speak about sexual harassment

and to speak about women's rights.

To speak about the problems that we know very well.

Until now, we didn't have the courage

to talk about our experiences.

If they ever ask me...

If they ask me why a man wrote the script?

Go ahead, answer it.

Because... because...

Women don't understand themselves well

enough to write about the subject.

I can't find female graduates from The

Dramatic Arts Institute. Or actresses.

No women were able to summarize

the experiences they went through

in the form of an artistic work.

Our play is based

on the psychological consequences of the war,

and the impacts on people's lives

and what's imprinted in their minds.

- Amir is the only person. - He captured it, yeah.

He really knows the impact of these experiences on women.

It could be because he is a writer,

or a sensitive, talented person,

who is gifted, or because he's an avid reader.

I don't know for sure.

I definitely decided to let Amir rescue me,

because I knew what he would write.

When I read his work, I felt happy.

His writings took me to another level.

Amir will present me as a better director

because he wrote exactly what I wanted.

I made the decision without any hesitation.

And you are also by my side as an actress, as a friend.

I believe in this because of you, Amir,

the script, and the financial backing.

It will become a reality. I thought it never would.

- Wow, Amir. - Bravo, bravo.

- Thank you, Inana. - Cheers, Amir.

Amir. Cheers, Amir.

Shall we start?

I will give the cue. Take your time.

Are you sad, my daughter?

Don't be. This is your destiny.

Sometimes you have to go to her and lean towards her like that.

Remember Malik Maktabi, the TV presenter?

- I want to see it again. - Sure.

Sometimes he comes too close to the guest.

He comes close to exert pressure.

Especially when asking a question like

"What did you do with him?" To put her under pressure.

The issue ended with an apology.

She apologized to me. She apologized.

What annoys me the most are the empty words they used.

I was thrilled when I found Farah.

It is similar to the situation with Adel,

who kept telling us what we wanted to hear.

I feel...

I feel she took advantage of our

hunger, because we are in great need

of mutual support and of having each other's backs.

We aren't living in a healthy environment.

We don't have a sound life.

You keep trying to fight the monster that might come out.

Has her monster come out?

It did come, and it was fierce.

It came out disguised as a meek lamb.

We need to clap our hands.

I love you so much.

My loves, you are going to burn the stage.

- Let's have a moment. - Sure, love.

I love you, women.

- Love you so much. - I will follow you.

Keep quiet for 20-30 minutes

to be able to focus before we start.

I warn you, I will be upset!

Come over. Don't be afraid. Let me tell you something.

Stay away, stay away from me.

How dare you say that? Come over here.

Stop! Stop, stop.

- What happened? - Why did you stop "the play"?

- What's wrong with her? - I don't know.

- But I can't continue like that.

- Why?

I don't know, but we are fully blaming only one side!

Without knowing the man's wishes or even his intentions.

Is presenting the man as a monster all we care about?

Furthermore, he can be the victim

and the victimizer at the same time.

- Are you done talking? - No.

- Let's continue "the play". - No, the discussion is over.

Come on! Let's finish "the play" peacefully.

So, What's next?

- Hello.

- Hello, welcome. Come in, please.

- How are you? - Welcome, come on in.

- You've decided to file a case? - Yes.

We need to proceed legally and file a case

against Adel. What are the procedures?

The procedures start with going to the court

and filing a complaint against him.

Then we take the case to court.

From what I understood, there are further facts.

Yes, there are two more witnesses. Go ahead...

Can we make Adel sign a pledge to

not harass or approach us in any way?

Sure, we'll ask that before the judge.

We need a pledge that he can't

approach us directly or indirectly.

The big problem is the indirect way.

Sure. We'll request that from the judge.

It will be something like a pledge to not harass you.

But we shouldn't be too idealistic.

In some cases you can't get protection.

Alright, give me a moment, please.

No problem. Take your time.

Excuse me. Two files, please.

Thank you very much. Now we'll go to

the complaints office. It's over there.

When I was young, I learned how to

live and cope with my nightmares.

Today I learned how to draw a picture from these nightmares.

I have good dreams and good dreams

for other women of my generation.

One day they will come true.