Original subtitles

TALES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE

Come back here!

Stop!

What's in your bucket?

- Why do you ask? - Let me see inside.

- Put it down. - No way.

Don't stick your nose in my things!

- You're a thief! - Don't touch my things!

- You've stolen them. - They're mine!

- We're going to the police. - Leave me alone!

I'm taking you to the police, come on.

You're coming with me.

- We're going to the station. - I haven't done anything wrong!

Take your paws off me, mean man!

I'm taking you to the station.

Come on, we're going to the police.

Officer, I've caught a thief!

Me a thief? Everyone's gone crazy around here!

I'm a princess, how can they call me a thief?

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO SOLD THE SUN

At last, here you are, how are you?

Where have you been?

My knee hurt a lot.

- Are you okay? - Yes.

- Where to? - Dakar.

Maybe I'll get something to feed the family.

Get on.

- That's it. - Let's go!

They don't allow horses to go downtown.

Let's go!

Spare me a coin in God's name.

A coin, please.

- Buy the South! - Buy the Sun!

Buy the South, buy the South!

The Sun, buy the Sun, buy the Sun!

- The newsboys are scoundrels! - Are you hurt?

They behave like wild animals.

But they'll have to deal with me.

Grandma.

I'll go look for a job tomorrow morning.

I may not be a boy, but I'll find something.

No matter what people say,

what a boy does, a girl can do it too.

- God be with you. - And with you.

I want to sell the Sun newspaper, do you have it?

Yes, do you want to sell the Sun?

A girl is going to sell newspapers?

Boss, what boys do, girls can do it too.

All right, give her those,

the ones that are back there.

Five, ten, thirteen.

Thirteen Suns, that's a lucky number.

What's your name?

Sili Laam.

- Where do you live? - In Tomatoes Town.

Sili, please sign here.

Keep this receipt.

Thank you, I'm off, goodbye.

I'll sell them all and bring you the money tomorrow.

Here, use this bag.

How is he?

The Sun, buy the Sun!

The Sun, the Sun!

Grandma, I've done it, I'm selling the Sun.

The Sun, the Sun!

The Sun, the Sun, buy the Sun!

What are you doing here?

That's not your spot, get the hell out of here!

Kid!

Kid.

The law says anyone can work wherever they want.

I'll get you next time!

Come on, come on, let me by.

You're the blind lady's granddaughter.

Newspapers?

- Yes. - That's good.

I had lost hope in this country.

I'll buy all your papers.

Here.

Take it.

Buy yourself some clothes and give the rest to your grandma.

How's that?

Here.

Here.

Here.

Here.

Yaadikone's son has escaped, great news.

I'll take them.

Come on, kids, move!

- 10,000 francs. - CFA francs.

We'll get you!

Give me change, please.

Sili,

where did you get this?

What's this banknote? That's very suspicious.

I saw you begging

the other day with your blind grandmother.

You better come with me.

You better mind your own business.

Be careful, do you know who you're talking to?

I'll say it again, mind your own business.

- You're coming, - Sure, let's go!

- Let's go! - All right.

- I'm taking her. - I told you so.

Come on!

Hurry up!

Here's the station.

Good morning, sir, this officer accuses me of stealing.

But I'm a newspaper vendor, I sell the Sun.

You sell the Sun?

Yes, I sell the Sun, I can show you the receipt.

Yes, I see.

What a lovely signature.

But isn't this

a lot of money for someone who sells the Sun?

That's my business.

What I earn only concerns me, sir.

Why didn't you show the receipt to the officer?

It would have been simpler.

He lost his head when he smelled my money.

He didn't even ask for my ID.

He owes me an apology.

Officer.

Did you hear the girl?

Did you have any proof?

Sir,

that woman over there also says they accused her without proof.

Allow her to go back home.

Officer in charge!

Do me a favor and let this woman go.

Happy now?

- Yes, sir. - You may go.

I'll give you 2,000 francs for that parasol, it's for my grandma.

2,000?

Can you take it to her and give her another thousand francs?

You have to give me back 7,000 in small bills and coins.

Your change is 7,000.

- That's right. - Here you are.

- For you. - Thanks.

Where are you taking our parasol?

I just sold it.

Sili, follow me.

Don't, man.

Why did you turn off the music?

Shut up, what's wrong now?

That's right, we only paid for one song.

You want more money?

Give me all you have,

All right, music!

God be with you.

And with you.

Here you are, little girl.

How did the sales go?

I don't have any left.

And you brought us the money!

Very good.

Look, here's your commission.

All in all, 350 CFA francs.

You better take 25 newspapers.

If you don't mind, I prefer to take thirteen.

It's my good luck number.

Here are thirteen Suns.

Your receipt.

- Thank you, peace be with you. - And you.

Here's a coin, turn on South FM.

Come on, louder.

South FM, South FM.

- South... - Why don't you sell the Sun?

The South sells better than the Sun, that's why.

The South, the South!

The Sun, the Sun!

- The Sun, the Sun! - The South, the South!

- Shut up! - No, you shut up!

I told you to sell the Sun.

Shut up.

Look, here's a bench.

Let's have a rest.

Why does the South sell better than the Sun?

Because the South is the people's newspaper.

But the Sun is the government's.

Then I'll stay with the Sun.

Hopefully, the government will get closer to the people.

How dare they call me a thief?

To dare call me a thief here, in Dakar!

How could I steal anything if I was born here!

But they dare call me a thief!

Poor woman.

They accused her of stealing.

The police took her away and jailed her.

And now she's lost her mind.

Let's go to the harbor, it's quieter there.

Yes, let's go.

Second devaluation of the CFA franc! Buy the Sun!

Second devaluation of the CFA franc!

Buy the Sun, second devaluation of the CFA franc!

You're still here! I'm going to kill you.

You don't scare me, bully.

Did you know that when you fall in the water,

you're supposed to bring back a fish?

But you didn't, here's your book.

But I brought back your crutch.

- That's great, what's your name? - Babou Seck.

- And yours? - My name is Sili Laam.

Can you read?

Only the Koran.

But that's only good for a marabout.

My grandmother is blind, she taught me how to sing.

She can't see at all,

but if you cough in front of her, she knows who you are.

She's taught me a lot of stories.

"Leuk the Hare" is my favorite.

I can't read, but I can tell stories.

Tell me one.

One day, all the animals got together

to decide who was the cleverest among them.

Of course, they all knew before hand

that the youngest of them all would be the cleverest.

"Let the one who thinks he is the youngest raise his hand,"

ordered the lion.

That's when the gazelle said:

"I was born during the last draught."

But the hyena came forward: "I was born three moons ago."

The monkey jumped in and said:

"But I've just been born."

Everyone applauded, the monkey was convinced he had won.

Suddenly a cry was heard coming from the crown of a tree:

"Make room for me, I'm about to be born."

And the hare let himself fall in the midst of the animals.

The elephant spoke first,

and the lion immediately backed him up.

The hare was declared the youngest and the cleverest.

Everyone applauded, what about you?

I liked your story, but you promised me a song.

Awa is beautiful, Awa is quiet, Awa is nice to touch.

Awa, if you leave, don't be long.

Your family misses you.

It's going to rain, I can feel it.

The Sun, buy the Sun!

Buy the South, Africa leaves the franc!

- The South. - The Sun, buy the Sun.

The Sun, the Sun, buy the Sun!

Buy the Sun!

Africa leaves the franc!

The Sun, Africa leaves the franc.

Africa leaves the franc!

Take away her crutch and we'll race away.

- Did they hurt you? - No, no.

They got away, and now what?

Pass me my bag.

We carry on!

And thus this tale is thrown into the sea.

The first one to breathe will go to heaven.

This story is a hymn to the courage of street children.