Original subtitles

- What's your name? - Amaneh.

ATIME FOR DRUNKEN HORSES

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 takes goods to Iraq on our mule

and brings goods back.

Do you have a mother?

No, she died, giving birth to my little sister.

Rojine's our mother now.

Who's Rojine?

She's my sister... my elder sister.

Is Rojine here?

No, she's at home, looking after my little sister.

That's A youb over there. My big brother.

Written, produced and directed by Bahman Ghobadi

- How many? - 3 sisters, 2 brothers.

What are you up to?

We're wrapping up packets in newspaper to protect them.

Me and A youb and 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 5 or 6 workers now. Hurry up!

Amaneh, take over. Be back soon!

Can I come?... Can I?

5 off you!

No more than 6!

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 5 minutes.

Get in!

Hey, be quick. The truck's leaving!

Hurry up! The truck's leaving!

Coming!

Life is aging me, making me wander

Life is aging 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.

We don't have any water, so use your saliva to swallow them.

Look. Swallow like that.

Rahman, either you take 150 tomans per person

or they each 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 raise their shirts!

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. 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 A youb would take his place.

A youb gave up his studies,

because my uncle has 8 children

and couldn't look after us anymore.

A youb said I should keep on studying

and he would pay for my studies.

Hello, Doctor.

Hi, Ayoub. Bring me Madi for his injection.

It was this morning.

Just bring him. I must 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.

O God, help Madi. O God, make him better.

Amaneh, who allowed you to 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?

2... No, 3.

No, 15!

OK, lie down.

Let's take your pants down.

Come on, fella...

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 4 weeks,

or else he'll die.

Dr Rezai at the hospital 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 7 or 8 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 math.

Are you OK?

Fine, thanks.

Madi, how are you?

Did you see Mr Yassin?

I couldn't find him.

I heard what the doctor said.

Madi's worse every day.

A youb said he'd find

the money needed for Madi's operation.

A youb went to see Mr Yassin again.

Maybe my uncle will manage to persuade

Yassin to find him a job.

You can't find work here if you haven't got a mule.

At the bazaar, they load up goods

for Iraq, and bring other goods 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 2 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!

IRAQ

- 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 not my problem. It's up to them to get paid.

So, what do we do?

Leave it here or take it back to Iran.

- Hello. - Hello there.

A cup of tea, please.

Welcome.

- 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 airplane was ready,

"they invited their friends to see this sight.

"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

"first conquered the skies.

"That first flight was over 90 years ago...

"Today, gigantic airplanes take people

"in just a few hours from one side of the world

"to the other..."

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.

A youb worked hard for 2 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 A youb 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 in?

Taher, you're a brave man.

So is your son.

If the boy and the girl agree,

then I'm in agreement, too.

I'd be very honored

if you accepted my son

as your son-in-law...

The sooner good deeds are done, the better.

I give you my daughter.

It's better to do this quickly.

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 the 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.

You OK, Madi?

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 Mr Taher?

I don't want him. I won't stand for this.

I already have 10 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.

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.

OK.

Are you sure? OK, give this boy a load of 2 tires.

It's very cold today, so give the mules 4 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 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!

Processed by C.M.C.