Original subtitles

The Messenger of Allah said:

"Satan flows through men as blood flows through his veins."

"I feared, therefore, that he might sow evil in your hearts."

ALGERIA, EARLY NINETIES

They're coming!

- Let go of me! - Mom!

Mom!

Don’t touch her! Let go of her!

Mom!

Oh my God!

Oh my God! My children!

- Let them go! Leave her alone! - Move it!

- Dad! - Let them go!

- Dad! - Don’t move!

Keep him down!

Move! Move it!

Let us go!

In the name of God...

ROQIA

THE EXORCIST

Shit!

"In The Name of Allah, I seek refuge in Allah."

"In The Name of Allah. Allah is Great."

"In The Name of Allah. Allah is Great."

"In The Name of Allah. Allah is Great."

Ladies, are any of you on your period?

Please leave.

Give me the veil.

"In The Name of Allah The All-Merciful"

"Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds"

"The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful, The Possessor of the Day of Doom."

"You only do we worship, and You only do we beseech for help."

"Guide us in the straight Path"

"The Path of the ones whom You have favored"

"other than that of the ones against whom You are angered"

"and not that of the erring."

"In The Name of Allah The All-Merciful"

"Alif, Lam, Meem."

"This is the Book about which there is no doubt"

"a guidance for those conscious of Allah"

"Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer"

"and spend out of what We have provided for them."

"And..."

"And..."

"Allah is Great."

"In The Name of Allah The All-Merciful"

"Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds"

"The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful"

"The Possessor of the Day of Doom."

"You only do we worship, and You only do we beseech for help."

"Guide us in the straight Path"

"The Path of the ones whom You have favored"

"other than that of the ones against whom You are angered"

"and not that of the erring."

"In The Name of Allah The All-Merciful. Allah! there is no deity except Him."

"The Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence."

"Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep."

"To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth."

"Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?"

"He knows what is presently before them and what will be after them"

"and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills."

"His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth"

"and their preservation tires Him not."

"And He is the Most High and the Most Great."

"Allah is Great."

"Allah is Great."

It took longer this time.

Mustapha Zeghnoun plays at a consistently high level.

He always delivers.

ES Sétif are getting a throw-in

every now and then.

Thanks, man.

Thanks.

"May the peace and mercy of Allah be upon you, incha'Allah."

Cheikh?

What's going on?

Let's go back upstairs.

You need to rest.

- Here you go. Sure, bro. - Thanks, bro.

- A piece like this? - Perfect, thanks.

Get him!

Get him!

- What happened? - Bastard went that way!

I saw him kill him!

- What's going on? - He's dead!

- May his soul rest in peace. - Out of the way!

- God is great. Call an ambulance! - Cheikh!

Cheikh.

What happened?

- Where were you? - It's nothing.

- Morning. - How's my favorite neighbor? Come.

Hello, my dear. Didn't I tell you to wait until you'd given birth?

I'm bored at home.

Cooking doesn't tire me out.

As you wish.

I’m sick of pizza, anyway.

I miss your cooking.

He'd bought a phone at the market.

When he got home, the phone didn’t work.

He went back and asked for a replacement or refund.

They argued and the guy knifed him.

Stuff like this happens too often these days.

Last week there was this poor girl.

A man burned her alive because she wouldn't marry him.

He said if he couldn’t have her then neither could anybody else.

You know old Kaddour?

One of his cousins beat his uncle’s brains out.

- Over an inheritance. - Good lord.

All this talk of murder and death is scaring your baby.

Give me one.

Fat chance. Mind your laundry.

Wait till your husband gets back and I tell on you.

I’m scared.

I’m scared it happens again.

I can’t go through that again.

You can feel the evil inside you, but you remember nothing.

I’d rather die than be possessed again.

Who took it?

Give it back!

Give me back my Quran!

Where is it? Who took it?

- What’s going on? - Where is it?

- What did you lose? - My book.

- What book? - I lost it.

- Your Quran? - Yes.

Maybe you left it upstairs.

You think I’m lying?

- Are you calling me a liar? - No, maybe you misplaced it, that’s all.

- Help me look for it. - You're sure it’s not here?

- No, it has to be here. - It’s fine, we’ll look for it later.

Cheikh.

Go back to bed. I’ll get you a new one.

- Who took it? - No one took it.

- I’ll get you a new one. - I need it.

I’ll get you another one. Go back to bed.

I’ll get you a new one.

You’ll buy me a new one?

- You won’t forget? - I won’t.

- Don’t forget. - I won't.

You’ll buy me a new one.

Don’t worry. Get some sleep.

What’s going on?

Come on, spit it out.

He has Alzheimer’s.

- Is there anything we can do? - Nothing.

It's old age, nothing strange.

Don’t worry.

- I'd like a copy of the Hafs Quran. - Sure, no problem.

- Since when can you read French? - Excuse me.

Here you go.

- I'd prefer a smaller one, if you have. - Sure.

- May he rest in peace. - May God protect us from Satan.

You haven't heard?

He got into a fight with his son, and once home he slit his throat.

In front of his own child and the boy's brother.

- I didn’t know it went down like that. - You can watch it on YouTube.

Sir?

Thank you.

I don't get it: is he even human?

How can you slit a child's throat in front of your kids and his brother?

His wife helped him cut up the body.

It's like a movie, but this stuff doesn't even happen in movies.

A child butchered for a fight over a ball!

This is unacceptable!

It's no use blaming the government or poverty.

No, no, no.

You can't understand unless it happens to you.

If it were my kid I'd go berserk.

I'd tear that monster apart.

- I was too hungry to wait for you. - No problem.

Ah, thanks.

- Still haven't found it? - It's vanished.

Look.

It reads like gibberish.

Poor man.

"Allah is Great."

- "Allah is Great." - "All praise to You, Allah."

- "Allah is Great." - "Allah is Great."

- "Allah is Great." - "Allah is Great."

- "Allah is Great." - "Allah is Great."

- "Allah is Great." - "Allah is Great."

"May the peace and mercy of Allah be upon you."

"May the peace and mercy of Allah be upon you."

I don’t understand it.

To be honest...

I’m afraid to.

But you can’t just sit on your hands.

I'm the one who needs your help, not him.

He made his choice.

He knew the risks.

There’s nothing we can do.

You realize he might have saved the country?

A decade of terror.

Tens of thousands dead.

Were it not for him back then, hundreds of thousands would have died.

You know it very well, every one of you.

Why are you doing this?

You won’t do anything.

There’s nothing we can do.

There’s nothing anyone can do.

What if they come back?

We’ll do what must be done.

The word of God is our only weapon.

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

- Hello. Is El Hadj here? - Hi. He's unwell.

The exorcist.

- He's unwell. Come back another time. - Please, I beg you. Wait, Hamid.

Please, he must see us.

My son has been like this for a week.

Yesterday he begged me to bring him to El Hadj.

He even showed us the way here.

- How did he know? - Do you know my son?

- Has he been here before? - We don’t know him.

But he knows me.

You know him, Cheikh?

Who is this guy?

"In The Name of Allah, The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful"

"Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds"

"The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful"

"The Possessor of the Day of Doom."

"You only do we worship, and You only do we beseech for help."

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba..."

"...ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

Hamid, he's reading the Quran backwards!

"I seek refuge with Allah from Satan"

"I ask forgiveness of Allah, I seek refuge with Allah from Satan"

"Allah is Great."

We'll go to a doctor, not some fucking quack!

- Come, let's go. - Let's go home, Mom. I'm done.

- Cheikh! - Let's go!

- Cheikh, what's wrong? - Come, let's go!

Go help them.

El Hadj, what's wrong?

Cheikh! Give me a hand.

Easy, easy.

What's going on?

Go in front.

AHMED

They don’t know what happened.

They found skid marks and pieces of broken glass, but no car.

Ahmed, buddy, don't you remember anything?

Not a thing.

But he should get his memory back soon.

- I missed you, Dad. - Let's go, kids.

I missed you so much, Dad.

Look, Islam my boy, it's Dad.

This one's for you, Dad, you used to like oranges.

Look, Dad, I did it how you taught me.

We got married at your folks'.

It's where we lived at first and where Hichem and Aïcha were born.

Later we moved here.

Don’t you remember me?

My face.

My scent.

My hair?

You liked playing with my hair when we were alone, like tonight.

What are you doing?

What you always liked doing since we got married.

And even before.

Help your father up.

Islam, go with your brother and sister.

Police! Open up!

Open the door.

- Evening. - Hello.

Does Ahmed Lekhal live here?

I'm here.

Come with us.

We know you had an accident.

We found the skid marks and the broken glass that injured you.

Where were you going?

I honestly don’t know.

What have I done, officer? Why are you interrogating me?

Why weren’t you driving your own car? What was it doing at home?

- How do you explain that? - The car?

I honestly don’t know.

Evening, boss.

It's him. His prints are a match.

The doctor made it very clear we mustn't remove his bandages.

The blow to his head caused amnesia.

That's what the doctor told me.

Why did you say "it's him"? What have I done?

And your finger? Forgotten that too?

- You think I cut it? - Let go of me!

Let go of me!

Boss...

We know all about you and what you’re up to.

- Good morning. - Morning.

- Hello, Krimou. - Hi. I brought the car registration.

You can hold on to it, he can't drive yet.

I'll let you know if I need it.

Ahmed! Hey, buddy.

- Abdelkrim's here, Ahmed. - Feel like going for a walk?

Get some fresh air.

Go.

You two used to go walking together. Maybe it'll help you remember.

Give your father a hand.

They wanted to know what happened.

It’s suspicious when someone disappears and suddenly reappears.

But I don’t remember a thing and couldn’t tell them anything.

Did they ask you anything else?

What do you mean?

About the accident, where you were going, the car.

Sorry, Ahmed.

Never mind.

You really don’t remember anything?

Are you trying to remember or just waiting for your memory to come back?

I don’t remember anything.

Why do you all want me to remember things I have no clue about?

Are you trying to drive me insane?

Who's "you all"?

- Take me home, Abdelkrim. - Wait a bit. There’s no rush.

- Wait a bit. - Abdelkrim, take me home.

Abdelkrim?

Abdelkrim?

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

Selma!

- "Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala..." - Selma!

"...qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

- Ahmed! - I'm here, don't worry.

- Selma? Selma? - You okay, buddy?

- Why did you let me go? - I'm right beside you.

- It's alright. - Selma?

- What's the matter? What's wrong? - Selma, take me home.

- I’m right here. - Take me home.

Nothing's wrong.

Take me home.

I don’t know any of you.

I don’t recognize anyone.

I don’t even know who I am.

My ID says I'm Ahmed Lekhal, but...

I can’t stay...

I’m scared.

Islam.

Stay with your father.

Where’s my dad?

I’m your father, aren’t I?

You’re not my dad. Where is he?

I don’t know where he is either, my son.

I don't think Islam likes me much.

He’s just a child.

He doesn’t understand what’s going on.

Before the accident he was your shadow.

I can’t wait to finally be rid of this.

Tomorrow we'll go to the hospital.

And then they'll come off at last.

But what if once they come off we find someone else underneath?

Under the bandages?

I can’t even laugh.

Let's take a taxi tomorrow.

- What about Abdelkrim? - We'll take a taxi.

How do I know Abdelkrim?

You work together in Algiers.

Do you remember you’re a builder?

A builder?

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

Ahmed, what are you doing here?

The bogeyman!

What are you doing here?

Calm down.

How did I end up there?

I'm blind.

I hear voices in my head. What’s going on? I'm losing my mind.

Let me explain.

The doctor said this might happen.

In the hospital you shared a room with another patient.

You scared him, so they moved him.

He said you...

You'd wake up at night and wander around muttering.

We've lived in this house a long time.

As for the rest...

The doctor said it’s normal, just your memory coming back.

Mom!

- Try to get some sleep. - Mom!

Bright and early tomorrow.

Here I am, honey.

By tonight you’ll be able to see faces. Look at me.

- Ouch, that hurts. - That's a very good sign.

I see you shaved his beard.

Selma.

I'd like a word with the doctor.

Sometimes I wake up to find myself standing somewhere in the house.

Even though I can’t see.

I spoke to your wife about this.

You took quite a blow

but your head is starting to unscramble itself.

When, doctor?

How long will it take?

A few days ago the police took me in for questioning.

There are things I need to remember.

- Even my neighbors-- - The police visited me several times.

They obtained your medical records.

They think I’m lying, but I don’t even know what they're talking about.

You don’t remember for now, but it'll all come back.

You'll start to remember certain things.

You were...

You were in Afghanistan.

Fighting the Russians.

Me? I fought the Russians?

Doctor, I'm scared stiff.

I’m scared of my neighbors, of my son, my youngest who doesn't recognize me.

I'm terrified of my own shadow!

I can't imagine fighting the Russians.

You don’t know who you are.

Or what you’re capable of.

- Did I take too long? - No worries, meter’s running.

This is for the kids. Maybe you’ll win Islam over.

Let's go.

At the last beep the time will be 6pm.

Today is March 11, 1992.

Now for the weather.

Mind the step.

Go on, I can walk by myself.

Selma.

Why didn’t you tell me about Afghanistan?

The doctor told me everything.

What I was doing there.

I wanted you to remember the good things only.

Afghanistan wasn't one of them.

Why?

You came back a different man from the one I knew before.

Sometimes I felt like the man sleeping next to me wasn't you.

Once you get your memory back I'd like you to stay as you are.

I feel close to you.

Things weren’t going well between us.

I was afraid of you.

So were the children.

Islam was with you the day you vanished.

He was wandering outside all by himself.

You were nowhere to be found.

I feel like you’re talking about someone else.

Not me.

The one who went to Afghanistan.

The one who abandoned his family, who left his son alone outside.

I don’t know him.

And the one before you asking all these questions.

He’s lost.

I’m just as scared of him as you are.

What can I say...

Say nothing.

I'll go fetch the kids. Back in a flash.

Dad!

Dad!

- I missed you. - We missed you!

- Look how much you’ve grown! - You look well, Ahmed.

Dad, it's really you!

Now this is for Islam.

Look what Dad got you, son!

- You like it? - Yes.

Come eat before it gets cold.

Time for bed.

Easy now.

Close your eyes. Close them. I see you.

Am I seeing right?

- Are these hearts? - That's right.

Seriously? We have pillows with hearts?

- Can you see better yet? - A bit.

The light hurts less.

What can you see?

Shapes.

Outlines, people.

But it's all still blurry, both near and far.

I can't make out faces.

Or written text.

Can I even read?

You can forget whatever you want.

Except this face you can’t yet see.

If once you see it you don't recognize it...

I'll get a divorce.

Be kind to the blind.

They shaved your beard. You look just like before.

I missed you, darling.

It’s fine if you don’t remember. I’ll remember for us both.

What about the kids?

The kids.

They're sleeping.

- Want to turn your toy on? - Yes.

- He wants to sleep in our bed. - Back to his bad habits.

Good times.

What the!

So noisy! Time for him to go to bed too.

Here, take the battery out.

You two ready for bed?

Here, I'll take that.

Something up with the neighbors?

You didn't want us socializing.

Earlier they gave me the cold shoulder.

You've changed so much since your vanishing act.

You look out for others, you go out.

You don't mind me not covering my hair.

You have lovely hair.

It's like I've met the old Ahmed again.

Maybe I don't want my memory back.

There's just one thing: Abdelkrim.

What?

He was your only friend. You did everything together.

You even lost your fingers the same day.

A work accident.

Where does he stay?

Abdelkrim!

Abdelkrim!

Abdelkrim!

What is this?

Why are our fingers missing?

Speak!

You’re the one who cut them off.

What?

I didn’t cut off anyone’s finger.

If the police hadn't told me I'd never have known.

So they know.

Yes, and so do you, so tell me!

Everyone knows except me.

You're the source. You're the commander.

The first one.

You were chosen in Afghanistan.

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Rakfa hanaka dayba ansala qarza rahbala"

"Fadjala sinala lanyou lan noumahilou dab"

"law taabala laha saarou anmidha ayahloumou el ktila yousafil yafif"

"mim hamda atourikna bida"

"aqabou houla saylou sou'bana kadhaka, halouloum touharibou nakwa."

"Fadjala sinala lanyou lan noumahilou dab"

"law taabala laha saarou anmidha ayahloumou el ktila yousafil yafif"

"mim hamda atourikna bida"

"aqabou houla saylou sou'bana kadhaka halouloum touharibou nakwa."

"Fadjala sinala lanyou lan noumahilou dab"

"law taabala laha saarou anmidha ayahloumou el ktila yousafil yafif"

"mim hamda atourikna bida"

"aqabou houla saylou sou'bana kadhaka halouloum touharibou nakwa."

- Now do you know who we are? - Call the others.

It's happening tonight.

Leave the other one to me.

I’ll take care of him and anyone who tries to save him.

The youngest's blood must be spilled first.

Ahmed! What's going on?

Ahmed!

Open up!

Ahmed! What’s wrong?

What's going on in there?

Ahmed! What's going on?

What's going on? Where are you going?

Where are you going? Tell me!

- Dad, what's wrong? - What's wrong, Dad?

- What's wrong, Dad? - I love you, my babies.

What's wrong?

- Islam, come here. - Don't wanna!

I'm coming back.

Selma!

I remember now. I'm so sorry.

- I'll fix it and come back. - Where are you going?

"Lam, Meem."

"This is the Book about which there is no--"

"Allah, there is no god except He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains"

"Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him"

"To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth"

"Who is he that shall intercede with Him except by His permission"

"Allah, there is no god except He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains"

"Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him"

"To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth"

"Who is he that shall intercede with Him except by His permission"

El Hadj!

El Hadj!

Slimane!

Hadj!

Hadj! Slimane!

Hadj!

Why did you leave me? Why?

Hadj!

Hadj!

El Hadj, they know. They know everything.

They know I spoke to the police. They know everything.

"In The Name of Allah The All-Merciful"

"Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds"

"The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful"

"The Possessor of the Day of Doom."

"You only do we worship and You only do we beseech for help."

"Guide us in the straight Path"

"The Path of the ones whom You have favored"

"not that of the erring."

"In The Name of Allah The All-Merciful"

"God! There is no except He, the Living, the Everlasting"

"Neither slumber overtakes Him, nor sleep"

"To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth"

"Who is he that can intercede with him except with His permission"

Blood will flow from everywhere.

We've opened the gates. We're coming in force.

El Hadj!

El Hadj!

They’re going to the village!

They’ll kill Islam! My children!

El Hadj! My children! El Hadj!

They'll kill them all!

You can’t do this.

I won’t let you defile the zawiya.

I know what I’m doing, brother.

Cheikh!

- What do we do if you can't master it? - Then you must kill me.

For real, El Hadj?

What you’re about to do is haram.

Do you want to go to hell?

Burn in eternal flames?

Your sacrifice is in vain.

There’s nothing left to sacrifice.

I'll corrupt you.

Like I corrupted that dog.

Ahmed!

Ahmed!

Why, Ahmed? Why?

WAFFA

El Hadj!

Cheikh!

Go in front.

I've run out of strength, my boy.

You must kill me.

- Look at me. You must kill me. - I can't do that.

It called him.

Did you see how he ate his finger?

- I did. - Right?

- Don’t worry, El Hadj. - He's one of them now.

- What are you doing? - Stay there. Don’t move.

Cheikh.

Cheikh.

"In The Name of Allah The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful"

"Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds"

"The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful"

"The Possessor of the Day of Doom."

"You only do we worship and You only do we beseech for help."

"Guide us in the straight Path, The Path of the ones"

"whom You have favored"

"other than that of the ones against whom You are angered"

"and not that of the erring."

Cheikh.

Cheikh! God forgive us.

"In The Name of Allah The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful"

"Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds"

"The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful"

"The Possessor of the Day of Doom."

"You only do we worship and You only do we beseech for help."

"Guide us in the straight Path"

"The Path of the ones whom You have favored"

"other than that of the ones against whom You are angered"

"and not that of the erring."

"Indeed Allah said the truth."

"Allah is Great."

Cheikh!

Cheikh! Can you hear me?

Tell me what to do.

- You can't. - I can. Tell me how.

You can't do it.

You can't do it.

Come to me. Come out.

Come out.

Take me!

Take me.

Come out and take me!

Come to me! Come!

Come out!

Come out!

Waffa...

We'll bury him according to the Prophet's custom.

Place him on his right side.

God is great.

Hand him the stone slab.

Put it the other way around.

Pray for your brother.

- May God have mercy on him. - Amen.

- May he rest in peace. - Amen.

You'll wear yourself out, Waffa.

- Let me give you a hand. - You can put it down here.

I feared nothing with El Hadj alive.

- May God have mercy on his soul. - I wouldn’t be alive but for him.

Waffa, your foot.

- Hmm? - Your foot.

I cut myself yesterday when you broke the glass.

- Was El Hadj already dead? - I don’t know.

Try to remember. Was he still alive when you cut yourself?

Sorry, Waffa.

Come, I’ll call your mother.

- Take it easy. - My baby!

I’ll call your mother.

Slimane, who are these men?

- Why are the lights off? - Who are you?

Good lord!

Who are you?

Come here!

- Slimane, don't leave me alone! - I'll be right back.

- What do you want? - I'm scared!

Slimane!

- Waffa! - Slimane!

"In The Name of Allah The All-Merciful"

"Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds"

"The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful"

- Evening. - Evening.

- Boss. - What have we got?

Slimane Mefteh, age 50.

Throat slit.

He worked with the houseowner

the head of a zawiya turned exorcist.

He died 2 days ago.

- Cause of death? - It's all in the file I sent you.

Waffa Saïd, age 25, their neighbor.

She did housework and cooked for them.

Her husband works down south. He’s on his way back.

Good God, boss...

They gutted her so savagely that her leg was severed.

Fuck, that's three crimes of this kind in a week.

She was pregnant.

The baby survived. It's at the hospital.

The fire brigade will come pick up the bodies.

Ma'am?

Ma'am? Please come with me.

"Violent fundamentalism is not Islam but a distorted reading of its texts."

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MAMANRYDA, WHO TAUGHT ME TO TELL STORIES