Original subtitles

According to Symerian scriptures the Flood in Mesopotamia

happened at the third millennium BCE.

After this cataclysm, waters are said

to have receded

except between the tigris and the Euphrates

where they still bathe the marshes.

the marshes are a mysterious land in the south of Iraq.

this marshy region is covered up with reeds.

It spreads in the delta of the Tigris and the Euphrates,

between Nasiriyah and Amara.

It is actually next to Qurna where the Tigris and the Euphrates

join in a timeless landscape

of water, sky, reeds, and palm trees

that the Eden was believed to be.

the inhabitants of the marshes have a special way of life.

they love in huts made of reeds

built on artificial islets of rush and mud.

this secret and entrancing worid

is unluckily doomed to disappear.

As a teenager, I had the opportunity

to go to this marshy region of Iraq.

It was the first time

l had seen such an unusual landscape.

l was under the spell of these floating houses

and all these birds I had never seen before.

A great number, of ducks, coots

grey and white geese of Siberia

and pelicans nested there.

this is my wife, Najma.

Since God has brought us in this house,

she fills my life with happiness...

Of course like every woman, she has her own temper...

But to tell the truth

she is a virtuous and attentive woman.

together we have been,through the best and the worst

and our love has built itself [up] with time.

this is Yasin.

He was 5 years old when his parents were killed by bombing.

But God wanted him to be the only survivor.

His house had burnt everything had been destroyed.

Since l don't have a child I took care of him.

Now he's a little man.

Is there something wrong, Yasin?

No, nothing!

Yes, there is something!

You're sad because you think of your parents?

Come on, my boy...

Death is man's fate.

Did you say your prayers?

- No. - Ah, you see!

You have to pray, my boy, if you want your heart to be enlightened by faith.

All right?

You still have all your life in front of you.

If you start worrying so much at your age

what will it be in ten years?

No, my boy, smile to life.

Don't worry!

You see this palm tree?

Do you see it?

It's been here, upright, for so long...

years and years...

It has never complained,

and yet it has endured heat

cold, wind, rain...

and it is still upright, it has never failed in its duties.

what's more, it keeps feeding people.

Look how beautiful and gorgeous it is!

Yasin, don't get a way from God.

Smile to life!

You'll see life is beautiful...

It has been asked of the Arab and Islamic leaders to establish a political strategy

to stop threats of attacks.

why did you wake up so early? You should have stayed in bed!

l don't like staying in bed.

l thought it would be better to make breakfast.

- l could have made it. - No!

Sit down,Yasin.

Eat, my boy.

l'm going to pour the tea.

Come on eat, my boy, l'm pouring the tea.

There you go...

we wish you a beautiful and sunny day

with our morning songs.

Come on,Yasin, hurry up!

- Peace be on you! [hello] - Upon you be peace, Doctor!

How are you, Aunt Halima?

Very well, thanks to God!

Come on, Najma, get ready, the doctor is here.

Please, doctor, come in.

- [Good morning.]

- [Good morning, ] You are most welcome, doctor!

May God preserve you!

Thanks, you too.

In the name of God, the Merciful.

Breathe in...

Once again.

You're going to be all right.

Thank you, doctor.

Do you have stomach-aches sometimes?

Thats the problem, doctor.

Sometimes l feel like someone tears out my guts,

and l can't swallow anything.

Open your eyes wide, look upward,

Upward, upward...

Take care of your sisters, l'll be back in a minute.

May God preserve Najma's health!

So, doctor, tell me whats wrong with her?

Uncle Zaman she has strange symptoms.

l've noticed similar cases...

First, we have to take medical tests to identify the disease.

But where does it come from?

It could come from water, food?

Even the air we breathe is infected.

Don't you worry, uncle Zaman.

Yes, God is here.

l'll take the opportunity to see a few patients in the village.

l'm coming with you...

No, stay with your wife, l'll find someone to get me back in to town.

So, doctor, how is Najma?

She gets going...

Ah, doctor, please, my little daughter is ill,

would you have some medicine or an injection?

l have to see her first!

Yes, you're right and my eyes hurt, would you have eye-lotion?

Look upward, next time, l'll bring an amazing one!

Don't forget? well, l'll go and see Najma.

So how is Najma?

It's still the same with ups and downs!...

Have you taken the medical tests?

l had to drag her a long, but what for...

And the doctor what does he think about it?

He said straight away that she needed surgery.

She doesn't want to? l try to convince her but there's nothing to do.

what are you going to do then?

All l can do is make her life as nice as possible

For [during] the time she's got left to live.

Don't tell me there is no hope left...

l am putting all my hopes in God and in this prescription.

what is this prescription?

Its a doctor from the hospital who gave it to me.

He claims that it's the only medicine, which can cure her.

The hardest is to find it.

At the dispensary, they advised me to go and look for it in town.

when do you plan to leave?

Tomorrow at dawn, God willing.

Yasin, tomorrow l'm going to town, l rely on you to...

Take me with you.

No, no, who's going to take care of Najma? we can't leave her alone!

while l'll be away, you'll be the householder.

what are you doing here, Najma?

Do you really want to anger me?

The doctor told you to keep still, didn't he?

And who's going to milk the cow?

The neighbor Om Abbas can do it.

The poor woman, she can't be everywhere at the same time.

Still, she can at least milk our cow.

The doctor is right to be so firm,

You want to die and leave me alone? Come on, come on, stand up!

Good morning, God bless you!

Zaman, what are you doing?

You are taking pains to get this medicine for nothing.

Najma, my love, let me do this.

Go and rest, l don't have anything else but you.

How much for the bowl?

100 dinars.

So, Najma, do you have any news from Zaman?

Oh, God no, not since he left.

l'm worried,where did he sleep, how did he spend the night?

l understand. It worries me too.

May God preserve him!

God is Merciful!

So Zaman, you look worried...

Don't ask me in what state of mind l am.

My spirits are crushed by a time where

guardians and thieves go hand in hand

to plunder your village without frowning.

Nothing works anymore, l have a lot of worries:

Najma is in bed, there is this medicine l have to find and there's work...

Life is different times have changed,

Before you could go to sleep without worrying,

not any more.

Good afternoon.

Do you have this medicine?

l'm sorry, we don't have it and you won't find it in a pharmacy.

How come? But where can l find it then?

At the hospital...

Yet at the hospital, they told me to come here!

In that case,you should see a specialist. They can get it from foreign countries.

But l don't know any specialist and l come from so far.

l'm sorry.

- Thank you. - Good bye!

Yasin, hurry up, we're late!

You're going to drive me crazy, where are you?

Here we go, to the stadium, to the stadium! we're almost full!

Come and seethe great boxer!

Come on...get in...let's go!

Come and see our champion Majid Halima give the fatal blow!

Don't miss the great boxer, his right hook, his left stroke!

Today, meet Majid Halima, the great boxer!

Right from the beginning of the fight, you'll see,

he is going to lift him up and throw him to the ground!

Believe me there's going to be trouble!

Double six!

Hello, do you have this medicine?

l'm looking for this medicine...

It's hard to find, maybe next door.

we don't have this medicine. You have to try further on.

l'm sorry, l wish l could have helped you but we don't have this.

O homeland, I knocked at your door,

O homeland, I knocked at your door,

And l am like a stranger on the threshold

when my heart hears your call

l accept to be humiliated by your earth!

Hello, can l ask you a question?

where is the catholic medical centre?

A little further on your right.

My girl, l have this prescription.

l went around to all the pharmacies,

l looked everywhere but found nothing.

l was told l could find this medicine here.

Yes, indeed, we have it.

Ah, what a joy! God bless you!

Najma?

Najma Kalaf, she's my wife.

Full name.

Zaman Hadi Mttashar.

Give me the card.

The card? What card?

The medical card.

An identity card,

something which proves your name and address.

But what for?

l have to fill in the register in order to give you the medicine!

You're in a medical centre here not in a pharmacy.

So, what do we do? l don't have anything...

Your rationing card?

l left it at home.

In which district were you born?

l was born in Alkiffle...at Jabs.

You need to go back to Alkiffle to get all your papers.

l have to go back?

My girl, l'm exhausted, l've looked everywhere for this medicine...

and now that l find it you ask me to go back empty-handed?

Even God can't accept that!

Leave me your prescription.

l have to ask for the director's agreement.

He's gone now.

He won't be here until tomorrow morning.

In any case, l'll keep the medicine aside,

and give it to you as soon as he signs.

l can't take the risk, otherwise l would give it to you right now...

God bless you, my girl...

- So l'll come back tomorrow? - God willing!

Thank you.

Pilgrim... pilgrim...

If you have a wish, open your heart, l'll pray for you, thats what l'm here for.

l have only one wish, that God cures my wife.

Pray for me.

May God fulfill your prayers!

Here, for the prayers.

May God preserve you! May He cure the sick!

Pray for me...

O Holy Iman, l call upon your name to cure my wife, Najma.

when they who believe in our signs come to thee,

SAY: Peace be upon you.

when they who believe in our signs come thee,

SAY: Peace be upon you. Your lord hath laid down for himself a law of mercy.

So that if any one of you commit a fault through ignorance

and afterwards turn and amend

if anyone of you commit a fault through ignorance

and afterwards turn and amend

He surely will be Gracious, Merciful.

Om Abbas, you're still here at this time?

why didn't you go home to sleep?

l couldn't leave you alone.

Don't worry about me, l'm all right,

l'm going to sleep, go back home, you've been here since [this] morning.

All right, have a good night, l'll be here early in the morning.

Go and get me these medicines, quick.

who is it for, doctor?

Don't ask any questions, go quickly!

l'm sorry, but which name should l list for these medicines?

It's for the register!

Just write "confidential".

But you have to sign...

l told you not to ask any questions! Go right away and bring them to my office.

where were you, Iman?

l'm sorry, l was preparing the medicine.

well,you took your time!

Hello, my girl!

Hello.

My name is Zaman, l came yesterday, do you remember me?

Yes, of course...

l talked to the doctor, but...

wait for me, l'll be back in a minute.

Doctor...

what is it again?

Sorry, doctor, for the patient you saw earlier,

you forgot to sign for the medicine.

we will deal with this at the end of the day.

And for the patient l talked about this morning?

what patient?

Zaman, an old man he comes from Kiffle.

He doesn't have his papers, his wife is ill, this medicine is for her.

we can't let him leave like that!

And what can we do for him?

If he doesn't have his papers, we can't do anything about it!

He must be treated like the others.

Here, this medicine is for you, Zaman.

- The doctor gave his agreement? - Yes, he did...

May God preserve him!

May God help him in his struggle in the same way he did for me.

How much do l owe you?

Nothing, keep your money!

It's a gift from the doctor.

Ah, he's a good man...

May God bless him!

Fortunately goodness still exists in this worid...

and l'm sure that God will return it to him ten times.

Sure... sure...

- Goodbye, my girl. - Goodbye.

Some countries are against war in Iraq.

the Vatican says no to the war

and puts the Americans on their guard against war in Iraq.

the president Chirac has declared

that Iraq does not represent a serious threat.

the president of the UnitedStates has asked the Congress

to release 90 billion dollars to finance the war.

- Yasin, come warm your hands. - No, l don't want to.

Come on...

Yasin, go tell them l'm back!

Here is Zaman coming back to you.

l give you back your wife safe and sound.

well, l'm going to go now.

wait a minute l have something for you.

For me?

l brought you back a tchador from Baghdad. (tchador = loose robe)

May God preserve your husband!

Thank you again for everything.

Here, Yasin, it's for you.

So, Najma, you look good, it's all right.

And you, you're not too tired?

l'm fine, l'm fine, thank God! Look at what l brought!

Really, you shouldn't have.

Nothing is beautiful enough for you, you're the only one l have, Najma.

l have good news. l found the medicine.

Praise to God!

l looked for it everywhere and l finally found it in a hospital,

with the help of a young girl and especially thanks to the doctor.

He's the one who saved me.

Go and rest a little.

Don't worry for me. Tomorrow morning, you have to start your treatment.

God willing!

wake up, sweet heart.

It's time to take your medicine: one in the morning,

one at noon, one at night...

and you must start now!

wake up, my love,

l travelled the worid to find it.

Uncle Zaman do you see this palm' tree?

It has suffered heat, wind, cold

it has never complained to anyone,

it is still upright in spite of the years.

It is good-looking.

And what's more it keeps feeding people.

These are your words, Zaman, and l'll never forget them.