Original subtitles

It's us, the Africans, come from afar.

We had our own civilisation.

We forged iron.

We had our popular dances and songs.

We were very good at sculpting wood and working iron,

spinning cotton and wool,

weaving and basketwork.

Our commerce wasn't just barter. We made gold and silver coins.

We had pottery and cutlery.

We made our own tools and domestic utensils,

using brass, bronze, ivory, quartz and granite.

We had our own literature.

We had our legal terminology, our religion, our science

and our teaching methods.

Forgive me, Father, I spoke in Fulani.

Forgive me, Father, I spoke in Bambara.

Forgive me, Father, I spoke in Creole.

Forgive me, Father, I spoke in Laris.

Forgive me, Father, I spoke in Bamoun.

Forgive me, Father, I spoke in Quicon.

- Forgive me, I spoke in Swahili. - Forgive me, I spoke in Lingala.

Forgive me, Father, I spoke in Kisongi.

Forgive me, Father, I spoke in Sumbé.

To live with Christ is to love God and men,

and to fight evil spirits.

Satan, leave these children,

and let the spirit of Christ enter them.

There is the wisdom of the world

and the wisdom of God.

As salt gives flavour to food,

Christ, if we believe in Him, brings a sense to our lives.

Receive the salt of wisdom.

May he purify you and help you enter the kingdom of God.

To be baptised is to be part of the Church

and share the Christian faith.

By entering God's Church,

you will, like Christ, have eternal life.

You promise to renounce Satan, to fight sin,

and to resist temptation.

I bless you in the name of Christ our saviour,

and for eternal life.

I baptise you in the name of the Father,

the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Jean, go in peace. The Lord is with you.

Jean.

Auguste, I baptise you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Auguste, go in peace. The Lord is with you.

Auguste.

Martin, I baptise you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Martin, go in peace. The Lord is with you.

Martin.

Victor, I baptise you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Lord be with you.

Bernard, I baptise you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Bernard, go in peace. The Lord is with you.

Adolphe, go in peace. The Lord is with you.

Adolphe.

Go in peace, children.

The Lord is with you.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four...

One day,

I started studying your writing,

reading your thoughts,

talking Shakespeare and Moliere, and holding forth.

Sweet France,

I am bleached by your culture,

but I remain a Negro,

as at the beginning.

I bring you greetings from Africa.

I am glad to walk upon your soil

and to discover your first city, which is also my capital.

Sweet France,

I am coming to you.

I am coming home.

You poor thing.

Marseille...

You know...

SKILLED WORKERS WANTED

AGE: 25-40

HIGHLY PAID

Are you hungry?

Do you want some bread?

Hey, are you hungry?

You are very kind. Thank you.

WANTED: CORRESPONDENCE CLERK

You can't come in here.

I just saw the job ad over there.

I'm looking for work, that's all.

- I didn't know that was illegal. - This is not a souk.

You can't just walk in.

But that man over there let me in.

Mamadou, did you let him in?

Yes, sir. Don't have a go at him. He's only looking for work.

You can't let just anyone in. It's a private firm.

Excuse me.

Thank you.

What is it?

What do you want?

It's about the accountant's job in the paper.

Oh, yes.

Yes.

Pass me a 14mm spanner.

OK, OK.

No.

Is the job taken?

No.

- Where's that spanner? - It's coming!

No.

I mean...

It's not taken.

No.

No.

I know that discrimination isn't common here.

Am I not in the land of the free?

I'm as much at home here as anywhere.

We are equal, you and me.

We had the same ancestors.

They were all Gauls.

No. No.

Run. Run, comrade, the old world is behind us.

Run. Run, comrade, the old world is behind you!

Is anyone in?

Excuse me, sir.

'Up-

I need your help.

- Who'll pay the car instalments? - Oh, shut up!

You didn't have to buy a sports car. I never buy anything!

Why shouldn't I?

I've had it up to here. It's always you. I work, too!

- And I don't? - I work as much as you do.

You make me sick!

If this carries on, I'm leaving. I've had enough.

- I pay for everything here. - And I can't do anything.

- What do you mean? - I can't hear my programme.

- Me neither! - Your programmes are stupid!

Are yours any better?

Mass!

- Shut up, idiot! - Shit!

And so He came with them to a place called Gethsemany.

Jesus picked up some bread.

Having said the blessing, He broke it.

He gave it to his disciples saying,

'Take this and eat it. This is my body."

Then he took a cup.

Having given thanks, He gave it to them and said,

"Drink, all of you, for this is my blood,

"and that of the covenant that will be spilt for the many,

"for the forgiveness of sins.

"I tell you, I shall not drink this fruit of the vine

"until I drink new wine with you,

”in the Kingdom of my Father.”

Having sung the psalms, they left for the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them,

'This night all of you will have your faith shaken

"because of me. For it is written:

"'l will strike the shepherd, and the flock will be dispersed.“

The employment service sent you?

Sit down.

Thank you.

After all your years of experience, I'd like to know

what conclusions you have drawn on the profitability

and the value of the tests concerning African labour.

It's a considerable undertaking,

but not one that incurs great expense.

In truth, it involves no investment whatsoever.

The only expenditure is in the transfer of materials.

Or rather, personnel.

In my view, it's the most profitable method.

At least, I know of no company

that has used this method

that hasn't continued it afterwards.

And what was it that led you to develop this... procedure?

It is absolutely indispensable

to choose individuals who are capable of understanding things like we do,

of thinking like we do,

of remembering, of...

taking in, yes. Capable of taking in words like us,

and above all, giving them the same meaning.

In this way, there will soon be millions of white Negroes.

White... and economically enslaved.

Slaves, only civilised.

Yes.

Maybe it's not the best meaning, but at least it is ours.

It is the only one compatible with our technical world.

Today, the aim of our lesson

is to help you understand the meaning of words.

Often one thinks one is understood, but isn't.

For example, some among you

are less gifted than others.

As soon as one asks you to go and get

some part or some object or other,

you rush off, appearing to have understood,

and come back with something completely different.

So pay attention and listen closely.

Repeat after me.

There.

A hacksaw.

A hacksaw.

A handsaw.

A handsaw.

A screwdriver.

A screwdriver.

An adjustable spanner.

Flat-nose pliers.

A crocodile clip.

An adjustable spanner.

- A broom. - A broom.

Do you think it desirable for European companies,

and also for migrant labour,

that this selection process

be extended to all Africans who want to come to Europe?

Insofar as we do not wish to see such Africans...

as potential vagabonds...

At 10 rue Roque de Fillol,

a man rented a flat that was in a very bad state,

but that had 7 rooms,

a kitchen and a toilet.

He decided to install 51 beds,

that he sublet to African workers.

Soon, 80 people were living there.

Each one paid 23,000 old francs' key money,

plus a monthly rent of 3,500 francs.

The tenant therefore made a profit of over 3 million francs a year.

When the flat became inhabitable,

the workers were taken in by a shelter in the 20th arrondissement

until something came up.

Insofar as one thinks

that they can and must be employed by our companies,

I think a selection procedure should be carried out

before they leave Africa.

That would indicate to us their potential for development.

STOP THE NEGRO-ARAB MENACE

Tell me what you think.

No-one is interested. The French are not interested.

What about those already living in Europe?

The same principle applies.

For example, when one recruits individuals at random,

a lot of waste is produced as a result.

So it is very desirable,

and in the interests of those workers living amongst us,

to institute a selection, which would allow us to choose

those who are the most useful in terms of skilled jobs.

The choice can only be made by a process of selection.

For this selection to take place,

people must turn up.

It is therefore inadvisable to restrict their departure.

In your view, should Africans be allowed to come to France and Europe?

Or should they be prevented from coming?

An individual can always have the desire,

whatever and wherever he is,

to go wherever he wants to go and try his luck.

Furthermore, on a practical level,

I don't really see how we could stop them.

But let us not forget

that faced with this wave of migration,

Europe's interests are served.

It is a continent in constant evolution

towards a kind of bourgeois state,

with the help of some elements...

of the working class,

in which the most onerous

and banal tasks, we might say,

are gradually being relinquished

by native citizens.

They have to be filled by others.

After midnight, the demonstration moved towards the centre of town.

By daybreak, calm had returned...

Please sit down.

15 have been wounded in the demonstrations.

Students and workers from Gothenburg in Sweden

formed a solidarity committee with workers, teachers,

students and artists on strike in France.

The committee asked me to contact the French strikers

and give them a sum of money

collected by the workers of Gothenburg.

You know, according to our rules,

this strike is a national matter that does not concern other countries.

Our workers want for nothing, especially money.

The union has made sure that they can survive another month.

In my view, contrary to what you think,

this strike is not just French. It concerns all countries.

The financial solidarity of workers abroad

is an important step towards political solidarity.

If I may say so, that is a romantic idea

peddled by irresponsible elements who have infiltrated us

and who are trying to divide the working class by proclaiming

Utopian and ill-thought-out slogans.

Believe me, we know that this strike is not a revolutionary one.

Only our claims matter.

The working class is sophisticated enough

to understand that this strike is the result of patient organisation

by our activists over many years.

Fine.

What about the immigrants?

Of course, the situation of foreign workers is more difficult.

But we can't contact them. They are not at work.

Still, you could take the money and give it to them later.

We have no special account for them.

The only difference, in my view,

is that their place should be taken

by migrants from countries closer to us than Africa,

who are naturally more adaptable than Africans.

Such workers are European,

and want only to come here.

In this way, we would avoid having to confront the human,

social

and political problems

that will surely develop with mass immigration of African workers,

who risk becoming a sub-proletariat.

"Black invasion."

The expression has been used and must be refuted.

It's true that at the time,

it related to the apparent tide of students and trainees

from all over Africa who came to France to study or to learn

a new art of living.

Some men went

Apollo, to the Moon to look for summer

Apollo, they challenged the cosmos

Apollo, they sang without echo

Apollo, leaving the Earth and its misery

I don't know why

Apollo, they went round in circles

Apollo, did they want to discover

Apollo, diamonds or sapphires?

Apollo, leaving the Earth and its misery

Love is there, open-armed

Why leave if you can't cure it?

Towards the immensity that dazzles us, day and night

We are all crazy

We are all crazy

We are all crazy

They left without passports

Apollo, for the unknown, the infinite

Apollo, they could not resist

Apollo, within our limited frontiers

Apollo, leaving the Earth and its misery

But the wars continue

Apollo, on the Earth between tribes

Apollo, and hunger already has a hold

Apollo, in towns far and wide

Apollo, on this Earth and its misery

Love is there, open-armed

Why leave if you can't cure it?

Towards the immensity that dazzles us, day and night

We are all crazy

We are all crazy

We are all crazy

Oh, yes, my brother.

Yes.

But in Katanga, in Rhodesia, in South Africa.

Africa, Africa.

Oh, yes, my brother. Yes.

What is it?

What is it? Who do you want? Where are you going?

Hello. It's about the accountanfs job

in the paper. - We don't have an accountant.

- But it's in today's paper. - They're not here.

I'd like you to leave, please.

We've enough wogs here already.

Why don't you go home?

Can you tell me where I'm from?

- Please. - Stay right where you are!

Get lost! What are you doing here?

Go on, get lost!

Hello.

I'd like to talk to you about...

...an important matter.

I assure you...

Yes.

Listen to me. You know...

It's quite a big deal.

- Yes. Why not? - OK, I'll talk to the President.

The cheque.

Shit!

That's crazy!

TAX-FR E E SAVINGS ACCOU NT

37 francs 33.

We are from the Republic of Tamara.

We are a new country,

a poor and wretched one with no natural resources.

We are under-underdeveloped.

But we have several...

...several embassies in the world.

- Hello. - Hello, my brother. All right?

Hello.

Hello. Come in.

Sit down, everyone. Find a place.

Do the best you can.

Right, I think everyone's here,

so I will tell you

the result of our petition to the ministry.

This is what they have agreed.

A solution has been found thus...

What do they say?

Specialist associations find us old buildings

that could be made livable again.

These old buildings...

are bought and then renovated.

The habitable area is divided

into small dormitories of about 4 square metres...

for 6 to 8 people. - Rabbit hutches, you mean!

Comrade, I think we presently have many difficulties surviving here.

That is why we must now think

about the problem of returning to our native countries.

- To our native forests! - Yes!

That is the question, in fact.

If they don't need us, why invite us?

That is the question.

We're better off at home.

So why are we here?

4O people to a room is unbelievable.

Enough words. We need action.

- We are all agreed on that. - But what kind of action?

They are real hypocrites.

- We must speak out. - Profiteers.

We're wasting our time, freezing. We don't even have homes. Incredible.

Slaves for ever. Unimaginable.

You can't take people for idiots.

But who brought us here?

They did!

6 months we've been looking. Nothing. Nothing at all.

Now 3 of our comrades are in hospital

because they caught tuberculosis.

Why? Because they live in cellars in terrible conditions.

This situation is due, it must be said,

to the lack of will of many councils

who fear what they call "the influx of foreign workers".

But they are the ones who colonised us!

You said it!

Don't worry. We'll colonise them back.

Look, let's not get angry.

There are more interesting things to discuss.

So if you don't mind, let's move on.

Anyway, I think we need to think a lot more

about returning home.

Otherwise they'll put brooms in our hands

and say, "Go on, sweep the whole of France."

That is why we have to contact our respective embassies

in order to go home.

The ambassador doesn't represent us.

He represents France in Dakar.

I know the embassy's in on it!

The ambassador...

I think the ambassador should at least say to us,

"Don't go to France,

"because they'll exploit you."

- You're kidding! - Obviously!

But we can only appeal to the relevant government department.

Either that, or to the embassies

of our respective countries. - But the ambassador

defends the government's interests. - Absolutely.

He represents Dakar in France, and France in Dakar.

It's always about France!

That's why I hate hawkers of Negro poetry who crow about being black.

They're only looking after their interests.

They're traitors.

- So is France our country? - Yes, since our presidents all fail.

- So independence doesn't exist? - Absolutely not.

- That's rubbish! - Obviously!

"Black invasion."

The phrase was spoken without spite,

but with a hint of uneasiness, perhaps.

It was aimed at the "new coloured" who strolled along the Boulmiche

or hung around the Boulevard St-Germain.

There were tens of them in 1946,

several hundred in 1948,

over 15,000 in 1964,

and 300,000 in 1967.

How many are there now'?

How many will there be tomorrow?

Beyond a certain level, a previously harmless phenomenon

became more significant for some.

"Black invasion."

The words are loaded with dynamite.

There are more and more of them.

What are they doing here?

They wanted independence, now they can stay at home.

They get money, too.

We support them. Do you realise that'?

You can't push your luck too far.

OK, they come here to do the jobs that we don't want to do.

But they should invent machines to do them!

It's simple, isn't it'?

But instead of that, look.

Great, isn't it?

We former, present and future colonised people

contributed greatly

to the foundation of your industrial and economic capital.

The interest on that capital should come back to us.

So please don't say that we're costing you dear.

Furthermore, the help that you are giving us

is aimed above all at preserving your own markets

and maintaining your economic privileges.

- Got a light, please? - Yes, I have.

Thanks.

I've got... Hang on... one,

two...three...four...five. Two of them are teachers.

They're nice.

They're educated and polite, so I've no complaints.

- I've got a lot more. - Really?

On the first floor, I've got two.

On the second, two.

On the 4th, I've got three.

On the sixth, I've got eight.

Good evening!

Hello.

- Hello. - Hello, ladies.

Good evening.

It's OK.

I've got my ID card and work permit. Can I come in now?

I won't be thrown out, will I?

- Go on. - Go on, go in. Right at the end.

You know, all my formertenants have left.

Of course. You're more free at home.

BLACK INVASION 500,000 WORKERS A YEAR!

Yes. In short, the majority of the population

want African workers to fulfil certain tasks,

but on condition that they don't show themselves

and live elsewhere.

Underground, for example. Why not?

For sure.

Current European policy regarding African immigration,

especially that concerning overseas territories,

has serious consequences.

Yes. It is storing up trouble for the future.

Racial conflict, suffering,

hate, despair.

These ills will hit both communities,

but especially the black community:

the victim of being a minority. - Absolutely not.

My daughter is free. She does what she wants.

I have nothing against anyone.

But we must recognise we're not all the same.

For example, Africans eat millet,

and we eat potatoes.

We eat potatoes, too.

You mean the ones who are already here?

Yes, of course.

There are more and more of them.

If it continues, we'll have to herd them like...

the American Indians.

Oh!

I've been promising them I'd go for 6 months.

- Don't exaggerate. - Apparently he's very cute.

Will you hurry up?

Yes, I'm coming.

- Hello. - Hello.

- It's been ages. - How are you?

- We came to see the baby. - That's nice.

Where is he?

Just there.

Come on, darling.

Come and say hello to Granddad.

Say hello to Granddad.

See? That's Granddad.

And that's our cousin.

Come on, say hello.

Come on.

There you are. That's for the baby.

We're just passing. We're in a hurry.

- Goodbye. Keep in touch. - Goodbye. See you soon.

It's all right, darling, it's over.

That's incredible.

Strange. I've never seen that before.

- Want a drink? - Yes, I'd love one.

Ever slept with a black man?

- Are you mad? - Thanks a lot.

You're Crazy'

Wouldn't you like to try?

One day?

Out of curiosity.

I would.

He'd have to be handsome.

Have you?

No, not yet. But I'd like to try.

You know, I've heard...

And I've heard...

- No! - Yes, really!

That's not true!

Some of them have big mouths like that.

"Open your big mouth!"

That's so funny!

- Shall we try? - Yes!

In all that, man's misfortune

is a lack of feeling towards those close to him.

We are all wrapped up in ourselves, admit it.

Yes, indeed. That's what everyone says.

- Sorry- - sorry-

- sorry- - sorry-

Still, it's crazy.

I can't understand it. Really, I can't.

What?

That girl we just passed.

Well?

- Did you notice anything? - No.

Did you see she was on a black man's arm?

Oh, yes.

Is that all you can say?

Every time I see something like that,

it bothers me. I can't help it.

I've got nothing against them.

The proof is, I love Negro spirituals.

Sorry, but I'm a Negro.

You? You're joking, aren't you?

Did you sleep well?

I heard Africans in bed were...

But...

BIAFRA: THE END

The right is unsympathetic. The left is hardly revolutionary.

lam sick of the white race.

It's over!

Hey, you bunch of blacks! Stop your bullshit, you idiots!

Look. My skin is whiter than yours! Dirty Negro, get lost!

Shit! Shit!

Look! Do you see that, madam?

All these Arabs, all the same!

They're all as bad as each other! What are you waiting for?

Get lost! Go on!

Order is chaos.

That's clear.

Whites have always organised civilisation with order.

I mean, their civilisation, to their profit.

For whites, there are 3 kinds of living being:

human,

animal,

and then the Negro.

In any case, what's for sure is that in their eyes,

we have never quite been men.

If I was a Negro, I would hate the white race.

It is the cause of all our troubles.

It's true.

Good health.

I'm telling you,

in 100 years, all our grandchildren will be Negroes.

Maybe sooner.

Do you realise Africa will rule over France?

Yes. What do you expect? That's the future.

Shit!

Another one.

- Can we sing here? - Yes, but softly.

- Eh? - Softly.

But for me, singing is singing!

Yes, OK.

Sing softly, because the clients clap and the police car comes.

You have to explain everything.

They're like children.

Come and sit down with your brothers.

- There. - Thanks.

Jordi!

My God,

what a white man's life, eh?

My God. God is surely white.

Unless he's a Negro.

Well, if he's a Negro,

he's the biggest bastard the world ever invented!

- To his health! - Cheers!

What's on the tape recorder?

Well,

it's a very big surprise for you.

It's an old African song.

Did you see the three savages

Who all turned up in Paris?

They were as black as soot

From their heads to their belly buttons

They seek their fortune

All around the Chat Noir

By the light of the moon

In Montmartre, at night

Did you see the three savages

Who all turned up in Paris?

They were as black as soot

From their heads to their belly buttons

They seek their fortune

All around the Chat Noir

By the light of the moon

In Montmartre, at night

Did you see the three savages...

Those people are nice. It's true, and that's a fact.

To the health of your Negro grandchildren.

...In Paris

They were as black as soot

...to their belly buttons

They seek their fortune

All around the Chat Noir

By the light of the moon

In Montmartre, at night

Did you see the three savages

Who all turned up in Paris?

They were as black as soot

From their heads to their belly buttons

They seek their fortune

All around the Chat Noir

By the light of the moon

In Montmartre, at night

It's true that if we don't force them to accept

our way of seeing things,

there's a good chance they'll carry on in their own way.

It's also true that, not having their consent,

we have no reason to be interested in their personal tastes.

We are there to impose what amounts to our happiness,

and which should become theirs.

Love our uniforms, our Jesus,

our culture, our manufactured products.

Help us to maintain order in your country,

and you will be possessed possessers.

You will be rich.

You will have millions of cars, refrigerators, radios,

luxury soaps, mini-skirts, maxi-skirts and court shoes.

You will have tons of gold and diamonds

that we'll have taken the precaution of extracting from your country.

In short, you will be

what we have always wanted you to be:

over-civilised,

over-developed,

over-abandoned.

You will thus have acquired happiness and eternal joy.

Yes. Happiness... Happiness.

If, bit by bit,

we raise them to the dignity of an electorate,

it is clear that whomever they elect will never have a mandate to work

toward the realisation of their goals.

The last condition is imperative and essential.

Without that, where would we go?

It's the latest coup d'état. He replaced General Gulawa.

- Mr President! - Quietly, please.

Mr President, how did your meeting with our president go?

It went very well.

There were no problems.

Everything went very well.

On what policies will you base your new government?

First of all, we started

by meeting with the politicians

in order to allow us to organise our power better,

to give the nation new laws

and new democratic structures.

This plan will be submitted to your government,

to your president.

African culture towards the West

EXPORT OF WESTERN CULTURE

Come on.

You are branded by Western civilisation.

You think "white".

Go and work elsewhere.

When I earn deutschmarks, I put them in Switzerland.

Enter into my heart. Give me eternal life.

Because money is freedom!

Everything's burnt! Nothings left!

You have a glass of champagne in your hand.

You have every right to throw it in my face.

You are complicit in all the crimes on Earth.

You allow the continuation of slavery,

assassination and genocide.

You choose your victims and perpetrators by their skin colour,

according to whether they accept

or refuse your policies.

with a serene spirit, you sleep peacefully.

A pleasant feeling of having a clear conscience envelops you.

You become good Whites,

good Blacks.

All of you compassionate.

All good Christians.

But you know that all contact is out of self-interest.

All dialogue is commerce.

All aid is investment.

All gifts are for future return.

All truth can be bought.

Man is dying before your open eyes,

annihilated, scorned, rejected.

Africa, Africa, Africa, Africa...

Hello. How are you?

It's nice in the country, isn't it?

Run to the house.

Come on.

Come in.

There.

- Hey, he's eating bananas! - Don't eat bananas now.

Julien, sit there.

Sit there because that's my place.

- I'm going to eat a banana. - No, start with the chicken.

No, I'm starting with the salami.

- I want salami. - You want salami?

Salami.

- Do you want salami, Julien? - No!

- Do you want chicken? - No.

- Do you want salami? - No.

- Do you want salami? - I said no!

- A tomato? - No!

Have a tomato, Julien. Have a tomato.

- Do you want a tomato, Vincent? - No!

Tomato?

You're right. There.

I don't have a plate.

Where's my plate? I've lost my plate.

You've lost your plate? What have you done with it?

These lunches just get better.

My lovely chicken!

- Have some ham. - Yes.

Oh, the bananas! The bananas!

Oh, the bananas!

Wait. Look, really! No.

Right. Can't you serve the tomatoes, too?

Eh, Vincent? Crush the tomatoes. Feel free.

Come away from there! Watch out for the bananas!

The bananas!

- Oh, the chicken! - The chicken!

He's knocking everything on the floor.

What are your horrible brothers doing?

Come on, children!

He's going to knock over the table.

Go on, Dad.

But...

What's he doing?

- Did you say something? - No.

- Did he speak to you? - No.

- What did I do? - Nothing.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Subtitles - Geoff Rowlands for TELETOTA