Original subtitles

[Bird chirping]

[Bleating of goats]

[Boy 1] Move.

[Boy 2] That goat is in pain.

[Boy 1] This is because she is blind and cannot see.

Move! - [Bleating of a goat]

[Boy 2] Move, come on.

[Boy 2] Move without stopping. Move.

[Boy 1] Come on.

Move.

[Boy 2] Lower your voice after this point.

- Follow my steps. - [Boy 1] Okay.

[Boy 2] Don't be afraid, but be careful because there are mines in the ground.

We will cross from here.

[Whispering wind]

[Bleating of a goat]

[Boy 2] From here.

[Boy 1] Come on!

Come on, you blind woman. Come on!

- Come on, move. - [Boy 2] Come on.

[Boy 1] Move, you lazy thing.

Move, come on!

[Boy 2] Lower your voice a little, Ashraf. Don't speak so loudly.

We will rest here.

There is food and water for her here.

Look how beautiful this is.

Give it to me.

Her fallen mother refuses to breastfeed her.

A fallen woman, just like you.

Calm down.

Come on, catch up with them.

My father and uncle used to bring the cattle here every day.

They were wandering around the place as they pleased, back and forth, here and there.

The whole place was ours and no one controlled us.

I have never been here before.

I have never crossed the "Megri" corridor before.

You won't tell your mother about this, Ashraf, will you?

Of course not.

Promise me, Ashraf. I don't want anyone to know I'm coming here.

Don't worry. Okay.

[The stone hitting the water]

[Bleating of a goat]

Here's the water. Rahma didn't believe me.

Follow me, I'll show you a wonderful place.

Don't push me!

Let's go.

[Boy 2] Cool, right?

Yes.

My mother told me that they are everywhere, filling entire mountains.

Don't worry, Ashraf, we're fine.

They are hiding on the opposite side now.

Damn those bastards.

[Laughs] That's right.

Okay.

20 million years ago, this place was a sea with fish.

Before your mother got married and gave birth to a mischievous child like you.

The sea covered this entire place.

His name was "Tatus".

"Tatus"?

It doesn't matter. "Tatus," "Tusa," or "Tatis," it makes no difference.

- Like a cat? - Exactly, and she was eating fish.

[Soundtrack music builds up]

Shall we get off here?

[Bleating of a goat]

[Bleating of a goat]

- [Footsteps] - [They moan]

[Man] What are you doing here, you scoundrel?

- Who is this other bastard with you? - [Boy 2 coughs and groans]

[Mysterious music builds up]

[Ashraf coughs]

- [Man 1] Has the boy woken up? - [Man 2] I don't care.

["Ashraf"] "Nizar".

"Nizar".

"Nizar!" [He groans]

[Man 2] Take this to his mother.

Let them learn to shut their mouths.

[Mysterious music builds up]

[He pants]

[He inhales]

He cries]

[Soundtrack music builds up]

[The music continues]

[Explosion sound]

[coughs]

[coughs]

[Bleating of a goat]

[He moans]

[The bag rolls]

[Sad background music builds up]

[Boy 1] Look! Ashraf is pregnant!

[Boy 2] Come and play ball with us, Ashraf.

I'm going home, I don't have time.

[Boy 1] Play with us for a little while!

Leave me alone.

[Boy 3] Don't spoil our fun, Ashraf.

I don't have time.

[Boy 4] Come on, Ashraf, we'll play three against three, me, you and Ayman.

Give me your bag. Leave the bag!

- What's in the bag, Ashraf? - Nothing.

[Boy 2] Why is she covered in blood?

Okay, but I won't play much longer. I'll just put my things away.

[Boy 1] Pass the ball!

[Boy 2] Pass the ball, Moez.

[Boy 3] Yes, pass it on.

- Bring it back! - Come on, Ashraf!

Pass the ball! Come on!

Give it back to me!

[Boy 2] Why have you been acting this way since you arrived?

[Boy 1] Go home, we don't want you playing with us. Why are you acting like this?

[Boy 2] You're a bastard.

[Boy 2] left!

[When 1] Why did you ask him to play? Didn't you see how he behaved?

[Boy 2] Damn you too. Go home too.

- [Boy 1] I'm not leaving. - [Boy 2] Leave!

- [Boy 1] I'm not leaving. - [Boy 2] You bastard!

[A woman laughing]

- Go to your mother. - [Woman 2] Come.

[Woman] Oh, how beautiful you are, and how beautiful your shoes are!

Look how beautiful it is, come on. Look.

How beautiful and kind you are.

What a nice boy.

What a nice boy!

Come and kiss your grandmother.

[Woman 2 laughs]

[Soundtrack music builds up]

Good morning, Ashraf.

Your cousin has woken up, take him his coffee.

[Gasps]

How funny you are, Nizar!

And you, too.

- [Music continues] - [Lip movement without sound]

mercy"!

"Ashraf!" What are you doing there?

Where is Nizar?

["Ashraf"] He is waiting for me in the forest.

He is secretly preparing something.

I didn't understand what it was at first, but it's over now.

I want you to come and see it. I didn't want anyone else to see it.

[“Mercy”] And why not me?

- For no reason. - ["Mercy"] What is that thing?

How long have you been doing things like this?

Enough joking around, tell me, "Ashraf".

["Ashraf"] Come on, "Rahma".

["Rahma"] I'm fed up, "Ashraf." I'm going home.

Calm down. We're here.

Is this it? Did you bring me to the ruins?

Tell me where "Nizar" is, "Ashraf", or I will go back home.

Okay, I told you that "Nizar" is coming.

["Mercy"] Oh, how wonderful, it's beautiful.

How wonderful.

[Bleating of a goat]

His mother left him. Take him if you want.

How beautiful!

What is his name?

- "Tatus." - "Tatus."

What a name. You are beautiful, "Tatus".

How beautiful it is.

Look how beautiful it is.

[Anticipating music rises]

["Mercy"] Stop, you're hurting him like this.

What's wrong with you, Ashraf?

I don't want to stay here, Ashraf, I want to go home.

mercy"…

Don't leave me alone.

Nizar loved you.

He always told me about his dream…

I didn't want to marry him.

Don't say that. Don't say that about Nizar.

The dead know everything.

There is no point in lying.

He always used to tell me, "The day will come when I will swim with her."

But you don't like him.

You don't like him.

Take this, Ashraf.

I always carry it with me. Take it and keep it with you.

It will protect you from everything.

We must leave, Ashraf. The adults will know what to do.

[Soundtrack music builds up]

[A woman breathing heavily]

[A woman moaning]

[A woman sobbing]

[Opening a door]

- [Approaching footsteps] - [Panting woman]

"Ashraf!"

Thank God.

They let you come back to me.

Thank God, my dear.

Did they hurt you? They didn't kill you.

My dear! My heart almost stopped.

I was running around saying, "What if…"

- [A woman crying] - ["Umm Ashraf"] Forgive me, "Mubarakah".

Forgive me, I was afraid for my son.

They have broken your heart, my sister.

They beheaded my brother in the mountains.

I know it's forbidden, Mr. "Salah".

How will it benefit me if you tell me that?

Won't you protect us from the scoundrels?

We are all here waiting for you. Everyone.

[A child moaning]

Leave me alone.

I don't want to move.

I want to die.

I want to die.

I want to die.

- [Collision] - [Gasps]

Be patient, my sister "Mubarakah".

Be patient with your Lord's decree.

[Young man] The police will arrive soon, Mom.

Pray for mercy for him, and we will bury him tomorrow, God willing.

Will you bury your brother's head?

Will you bury Nizar's head?

My son came out of my womb complete.

It must be buried completely.

I want him to be washed, shrouded, and perfumed.

And it is buried whole.

Completely.

Do you understand, Munir?

[Opening a door]

["Munir"] I don't know what to say to her.

[Man] Call them again, Munir. Tell them they have to bring the body to us.

["Munir"] They don't care about us.

If we were from the city, they would have come to destroy them for our sake.

[Man] It would be a disaster if the state were unable to do something after a crime like this.

Then talk to them! Tell them that and let's see if they will listen to you.

[Man] Did Mr. "Salah" speak to you?

["Munir"] has stopped answering my calls altogether.

I lied to my mother so that she would calm down a little.

I don't like seeing her like this.

[Man] Where are they?

They won't come tonight. They said they'll come tomorrow.

[Munir] They won't come today or tomorrow. Why would they bother themselves for a shepherd?

When I went to them, I told them everything that happened.

They told me, "Tomorrow."

They didn't say anything else to anyone.

But I heard them talking. They were afraid of the ambush.

Honestly, they are right, my brother "Munir".

So why did they ask us to wait?

["Munir"] Because they don't want us to go.

They don't want to come or for us to go.

Imagine an entire family climbing a mountain to retrieve a body for burial.

This is a dirty government.

Call Mr. "Salah" again, "Munir".

Nizar's body should not remain in the mountain.

Otherwise, the wolves will eat it.

Let's go!

[Soundtrack music builds up]

Let's go!

"Nizar"?

["Umm Ashraf"] "Ashraf"!

What are you doing here?

- Where is Ashraf? - Here he is.

[Quran recitation]

Go to your uncle.

[Woman] What are you doing at 3:00 AM, Rahma?

- I have a test tomorrow. - [Woman] Are you trying to embarrass me?

["Blessed"] What's wrong?

What happened?

Sleep a little, "Blessed One," the night is still long.

"Nizar".

"Nizar".

"Ashraf".

["Umm Ashraf"] "Ashraf".

Come here.

"Ashraf".

You are like my son.

Nizar and Munir are your brothers.

Tell me what happened.

What happened to my son?

"Ashraf".

Tell your aunt "Mubarakah", my son.

This morning…

We went to the mountain with the goats.

He wanted to show me a beautiful place

It contains a spring of water.

We played and swam.

Did you two swim?

no.

There wasn't much water.

But we wet ourselves.

We played and splashed each other with water.

After that, we felt hungry.

Okay.

I had prepared some pancakes for him.

I know he loves my pies.

Okay.

Two for him, and two for "Munir".

Okay.

- Did he eat them? - Yes.

Have you eaten?

[Dramatic music builds up]

I don't know where they came from. They hit me.

We fell to the ground.

How many are there?

I don't know.

They asked Nizar many questions.

They were hitting him and asking, "What are you doing here?"

"Have you gone back to spying on us?"

But Nizar did not answer their questions.

[In a low voice] 20 million years ago…

[Ashraf's voice] was speaking to me.

He told me, "Take care of my dog, Ashraf."

He told me, "Kiss my mother."

I love my mother more than anything in this world."

He told me, "The mountain is the best place for goats."

Don't be afraid, Ashraf.

"We have the dogs, and this mountain is ours."

"Ashraf".

There is no place here with water that can be used for swimming.

The dogs were with me, not with you two.

I don't know, they hit me on the head.

What happened after they hit you?

I don't know.

They tied up Nizar and beat me.

I lost consciousness and I don't know how long I remained unconscious.

- Did they tie him up? - Yes.

They tied his hands behind his back so they could ask him questions.

- What questions? - I don't know.

And where was Nizar when I woke up?

On the ground beside me, motionless.

I touched his foot.

How did they kill him, Ashraf?

You must tell us, did you see how they killed him?

I don't know.

What did they use to cut his neck?

I don't know. I didn't see anything.

[“Um Ashraf”] Leave him alone, you have exhausted him with questions!

Leave him alone!

[Opening a door]

[Man] Your late brother was a young child.

Perhaps they tricked him and the poor man did it.

My brother was not an informant.

By your right.

Understand me, Munir, we are all susceptible to that.

In exchange for two goats or a little money.

Do you like the harsh life we ​​live here?

"Bashir!"

Shame on you!

We would rather eat rocks than sell our consciences.

Give me the lighter, "Munsif".

We must hand these men over to the government.

I don't care if they call me an informant.

["Bashir"] Hey guys.

You are all attacking me as if I were an informant.

I just wanted to remind you that we live a tough life.

We know that our lives are tough.

But we will show no mercy to these scoundrels.

[Soundtrack music builds up]

You look better with your head on.

I sent you the two dogs so that you wouldn't be alone at night.

Are they with you?

[Pouring water]

["Blessed"] Thank you, my daughter.

[Whispering] Give it to her. Give her a little water.

Drink a little, "Blessed One".

[“Umm Ashraf”] One sip.

"Blessed"...

[Munir] Where are you, Mr. Salah?

We waited for you all night.

What is your purpose then? I want to know your purpose.

Are we waiting for you to come another day as well?

You know what? We don't need you!

We will go to the mountain, and you will take responsibility.

["Munir"] "Ashraf"!

"Ashraf".

"Ashraf".

"Ashraf".

- You remember the way, right? - [Uncle Ashraf] Stop, Munir!

Ashraf will not return to the mountain!

The mountain is full of mines, Munir.

Ashraf knows how to avoid it.

Do you remember the way or not?

["Munsif"] The guards will arrest us, man.

There's no one there. Ask him.

Did you see any guards yesterday?

- Did you see? There's no one there. - [Woman] No one there?

What about the terrorists?

Isn't it enough that they slaughtered your brother?

Answer me, Ashraf!

- Answer! - ["Um Ashraf"] Have you lost your mind?

Don't hit my son again, Munir.

I don't want my son to go to the mountain.

Are you punishing him?

What happened is not his fault.

Why doesn't the government wait?

Didn't you say they were coming?

My son will never return to the mountain again.

We can't rely on anyone, not even our family.

Ashraf should have been beheaded.

And then you would be in my mother's place, Auntie.

mercy"!

- Was Nizar really an informant? - I don't know.

- Didn't he ever tell you that? - No.

When you are an informant, whose side are you on?

I don't understand.

I mean, is he helping the army or the terrorists?

["Nizar"] These scoundrels took three of my goats.

Half of what I have.

They hate us.

They wanted me to work with them.

Munir even hit me and prevented me from going to the mountain.

But where will we go then?

There is no water downstairs for animals.

Even we can't find water to drink.

I won't tell him, but I'll do what I want.

Were you scared?

I haven't been to the mountain for months.

I wanted to show you the place, it's great, right?

Listen, Ashraf, now that you've left school,

You need to find a place like this for your goats.

Look how thin she is, just like you.

What girl would accept you when you're so thin?

"Rahma," what's wrong?

I used to concentrate and review what I had memorized aloud, usually when I was alone and no one could hear me.

decent.

Save it as you wish.

I know all your lessons.

I read it last year.

"The stability of animals in the environmental environment according to the seasons."

The stability of animals in the environment varies with the seasons.

Some animals appear throughout the year.

The first example is the mountain rabbit.

This rabbit's fur turns white and becomes thicker

To hide in the snow and face the cold.

Some other creatures also change their behavior to get through the difficult season.

Don't you regret leaving school?

I told you that I am waiting for my father to return.

My mother is tired of herding cattle.

I will complete my studies in ten years.

And you will stay here.

One day, your mother will die and your father will remain in "Algeria".

And you will stay here, Ashraf.

"Some animals migrate to more suitable environments, and are called migratory animals."

Some other animals spend the winter hibernating.

They are called hibernating animals.

Example number three,

The hedgehog, which feeds on insects and earthworms

And snails on sunny days,

But it goes into hibernation in late autumn.

Finally, some animals spend the winter in a different form.

The larval form alternates

And the adult form.

This transition from one form to another

Accompanied by a change in the living environment.

The positioning of plants in the environment follows the cycle of its seasons.

This is because of living conditions

It varies throughout the year.

Nizar…

[Thunderbolt]

"Nizar"?

Do you live here now?

["Nizar"] No, "Ashraf".

You live here.

They will go looking for you.

To bring your body.

[Nizar] Aren't you going with them?

["Ashraf"] So that we may bring you and bury you?

no.

["Nizar"] This is better.

Because they won't find me without you.

Then you can come back whenever you want.

When you want to.

I will not return, Ashraf, the decree has been issued.

It's over. Do you remember how much we played and had fun?

No, it's not over. Nothing is over.

She opened the gates of hell for us and left.

This is not my fault.

I've come back with your head; it's in the refrigerator.

I stretch along the mountain from my head to the soles of my feet.

I hate this mountain.

It is not the mountain's fault.

Did it hurt?

Less than you.

Did you see how I died?

Because you forgot.

Everyone is looking for you.

"Ashraf".

I know you don't want to go back to the mountain.

And I understand that.

But we must bring his body back.

We will go alone.

Listen.

I will be with you, do not be afraid. I swear to you by my son's head.

I swear to you by my son's head that you will not be harmed.

"Ashraf".

Let's go.

Well done, my son.

"Ashraf".

Let's go.

[Soundtrack music builds up]

Make no noise after this point. And watch your footsteps.

Come on, Ashraf.

[“Fair”] Even the animals were not spared from them.

["Munir"] the scoundrels.

Come on, move.

Take care of yourselves.

[Nizar] Do you really want to find me?

I might be as rotten as a goat.

[Munir] What's wrong, Ashraf?

I think this is the way.

Are you sure?

No, I remember, we left from here.

[He whispers] "Nizar?"

"Nizar"?

[Soundtrack music builds up]

♪ Sparrow ♪

♪ My little red bird that dances ♪

♪ My tummy needs warmth, your feathers will bring it ♪

♪ My tummy needs warmth, your feathers will bring it ♪

♪ She's calling you herself ♪

♪ She's calling you to warm her up ♪

♪ By the moonlight, beneath the palm trunk, she waits for your arrow to strike her ♪

♪ What are you waiting for, my friend, to release that arrow? ♪

♪ She's calling you to warm her up ♪

[They laugh]

♪ She's calling you herself ♪

♪ She's calling you to warm her up ♪

["Munsif"] What's wrong, "Munir"?

It doesn't move at all.

We will find a solution.

There is only one solution.

But there is a risk.

[A young man panting] moved.

The rock.

Are you sure, Ashraf?

Yes, from here.

["Bashir"] There is nothing here.

["Munir"] What do you mean by that?

Are you sure, Bashir?

There can't be nothing.

["Bashir"] Come and see for yourself.

Perhaps this is not the right place.

["Munir"] Perhaps the boy made a mistake.

[Uncle Ashraf] As I told you, they drugged my nephew.

He doesn't remember anything.

[“Munsif”] His thinking is extremely confused.

There's nothing here.

[Uncle Ashraf] He doesn't remember anything.

[He cries] This is the place.

here!

I swear to you, it's the place! They left it here!

[He cries] They left him here!

I swear to you, they left him here!

They left him here!

["Fair"] They probably beat you both here and moved you to another place.

I tell you, they left him here! They hit his head with this rock!

They left him here!

He cries]

I swear to you, uncle, they left him here!

We must go back, Munir.

[Dog barking]

The two dogs.

The two dogs, Munir!

"Munir!" Uncle! Come here, he's here.

[Quran recitation]

[Man] What is your name?

"Nizar," my nickname is "Al-Nouri."

- [Man] Who sent you? - An officer from the military barracks.

He asked me to go to the mountain

Tell him if you see anything, and he will give me money in return.

[Man] When did he send you?

Last summer.

[Nizar via video] asked me what I do, and I told him I am a shepherd.

Look, it's a video of "Nizar".

[Man via video] How many times have you come to the Mujahideen area in the mountains?

[Nizar via video] I didn't go because the mountain caught fire,

So I took the goat to the lower part.

I only returned last week.

[Man] And did you enjoy this task?

No, but they gave me money, and we are poor.

We are poor and have no money. We own nothing.

[Man] Did you hand over the mujahideen for money?

We don't have the money.

We own nothing.

[Ashraf shouts] "Nizar!" Leave him alone!

[Jihadist song]

- ["Nizar"] "Ashraf"! - ["Ashraf"] "Nizar"!

[Nizar shouts via video]

Stop! - [Tire friction]

[Girl] You left your school bag, Rahma!

mercy"!

You forgot your bag, Rahma!

Aunt "Zina"!

Is "Ashraf" here?

No, he's in the mountain.

What happened?

mercy"?

What happened, Rahma?

[Roar of a helicopter engine]

[Phone ringing]

Welcome?

What do you want us to do, Mr. "Salah"?

Should I leave my brother's body to rot in the mountain?

We have found it, and we will bring it back.

[Call End Tone]

[Soundtrack music builds up]

[Nizar] You shouldn't have guided them to my location.

We will never meet again, Ashraf.

And you understand that very well.

["Ashraf"] Come back, even if just once.

["Nizar"] I can't, "Ashraf".

["Ashraf"] Tell me what to do, "Nizar".

[Nizar] If you miss me,

Imagine us swimming together.

["Ashraf"] Shall we swim?

[Bashir] What are we going to do now?

Are we going to stand and wait for him to come?

Munsif will find him; he must be close by.

Come on, we'll wait for them downstairs.

Let's go.

What are you doing here?

Didn't I scare you?

I know your footsteps.

How did you do on the exam?

good.

We have found "Nizar".

I know, I saw them on my way.

My father is looking for you.

They filmed "Nizar".

The killers filmed everything.

Know.

I saw them filming him.

I know you saw everything.

- How did you know? - You appear in the video too.

Why did they kill him?

He was probably reporting everything he saw on the mountain to the government.

Or that's what the terrorists thought.

He told them what they wanted to hear.

That's why they killed him.

simply.

For no reason at all.

But Nizar did not do anything wrong.

And you too, Ashraf.

♪ Sparrow ♪

♪ My little red bird that dances ♪

♪ My tummy needs warmth ♪

♪ Your feathers will bring warmth ♪

Stop.

♪ She's calling you herself ♪

♪ She's calling you herself… ♪

Be quiet.

I also know your song.

Okay. Listen.

[Windstorm]

[Soundtrack music builds up]

What are you doing here in the mountains?

And you, boy, I have looked for you everywhere and I have not found you.

Come on, move in front of me.

faster!

[Munir's wife on the phone] There are a lot of officials here.

Maybe a minister or a governor, I don't know.

A group of journalists are waiting for you.

We must expel them.

I didn't want to tell you.

But they opened the refrigerator

They photographed Nizar's head.

His head is in the bag.

They are scoundrels, Munir!

Don't come back now.

Not before they leave the place.

Do you want me to ask them to leave?

Can you hear me, Munir?

Tell them that we don't want them to be present when we bury Nizar.

Especially journalists.

Tell them we will stay here in the mountain.

[Munir's wife] Okay.

We can't wait any longer, Munir.

As you can see, the body has remained in the mountain since last night.

They are the ones who left us to deal with it on our own.

And now they are waiting for us to show that on television.

Let's at least get out of this area.

No, we will not budge from the mountain.

Munir is right, we shouldn't move from here.

[Bashir] How can he be right?

The body will rot in the mountain, and you still think he's right?

I didn't force anyone to stay, so whoever wants to leave can do so.

[Man on the phone] We couldn't come yesterday.

But we are here now.

We are waiting for you and we stand in solidarity with you.

Solidarity?

Okay, brother.

Bring your ministers and your cameras and come to us in the mountain.

[Man on the phone] Who do you think you are, Munir, to dictate to us what we should do?

I don't think I am anything, Mr. "Salah".

[Man on the phone] I will not answer you.

So that I do not offend you.

Out of respect for your brother, may God have mercy on him.

Here is your wife.

[Munir's wife over the phone] I can hear you, Munir.

Okay, "Hasna".

Tell me when everyone leaves.

Did you say goodbye to him?

Yes.

Did he reply to you?

Yes.

And me too.

[Ululations]

- [Drums and chants] - [They sing a popular wedding song]

[Soundtrack music builds up]

[The music fades]

[Hassana over the phone] They've all left, Munir.

Okay, "Hasna". We're coming.

[Soundtrack music builds up]

[Women ululating]

[Thunderbolt]

[Thunderbolt]

Do you know why they didn't kill you along with "Nizar"?

Because they wanted you to deliver the head.

They know you very well.

They know what you look like and your name.

It would be easy for them to attack our village.

They can even catch you in your bed.

If you stay here, they won't leave you alone.

Do you think that parting ways with you is easy for me?

I have no one but you.

If anything bad happens to you…

On Monday, I will retake the test again.

I came to say goodbye.

Are you leaving?

My uncle will take me to "Gabes".

I will study and live there.

Doesn't that make you sad?

no.

I don't need that; there are already a lot of sad things here.

Keep it.

No, you keep it.

So that you might think of me.

Annual plants die, leaving their seeds behind.

Example number one…” – “The poppy.”

"A year and a half later, in June 2017, the brother of (Mabrouk Soltani) was slaughtered,

"The young shepherd who inspired this film in the same circumstances and the same place."

"Their mother died in 2020 without knowing the whole truth about these crimes."

"We dedicate this film to their memory."

"(Fushika), we will not forget you."

"To (Anisa), to our path"

Translation by Asmaa Ali