Original subtitles

In the name of God

Laborers?

A laborer? You want laborers?

No

- You want laborers, do you? - How many?

Take two

- Hello, mister. - Hello

How are you doing?

- What are you doing? - Playing cars

Know how much a meal costs?

Get to the point

100,000 tomans is nothing!

How will we pay it back?

Right, what are they asking for?

Where can we find title-deeds?

Don't hang up! Do you want to make a call?

What?

- Do you want to use the phone? - No

Yes, I'm listening

Where?

0utside the museum? When?

All right

Good-bye

- I'll drop you off. - No, I'm working

- I'm going that way. - I'm working

- Don't act so proud... - I said I'm working!

Come here. Just a minute, please

Hello. How are you?

If you have money problems, I can help you

No

- You don't have money problems? - No

I can help you

Clear off or I'll smash your face in!

Get lost!

Hello

- How are you? - Fine, thanks

What is it? What are you collecting?

Plastic bags

What for?

I pick them up and liquidate them near the factory

What happened to your finger?

I cut myself this morning

Here?

Nice shirt! Where did you get it?

I found it over there last week

Nice color, it suits you!

Know what it says on it?

Where are you from?

"Pissy, pissy... Your dick's all sticky"

- Don't mind them. - They're playing.

- Where are you from? - Near Lorestan

Not a local then, from Lorestan

- Are you from Lorestan too? - You could say that

How much do you make a day?

200, 300, 400...

700, 600.

What do you do with the money?

I send it to my family

You want to get married?

No, I'm helping my family

You're helping them?

So, would you do something if I asked you?

A job?

A well-paid job

No, I don't know how...

I just collect plastic bags and sell them

Why? Where are you going?

A TASTE 0F CHERRY

A film by Abbas KIAR0STAMI

with Homayoun ERSHADI

Abdolhosein BAGHERI Afshin KH0RSHID BAKHTARI

Safar Ali M0RADI

Mir Hosein N0URI Ahmad ANSARI

Hamid MAS0UMI Elham IMANI

Assistant cameraman Farshad BASHIR ZADEH

Sound assistant Sassan BAGHERP0UR

Cameraman Alireza ANSARIAN

Titles Mehdi SAMAKAR

1st assistant director Hassan YEKTAPANAH

2nd assistant director Bahman KIAR0STAMI

Editor Abbas KIAR0STAMI

Sound Jahangir MIRSHEKARI

Mix Mohamadreza DELPAK

Photography Homayoun PAYVAR

Written, produced and directed by Abbas KIAR0STAMI

- Where are you going? - To the barracks

Come on, get in

Hello

Hello

Are you well? Where are you going?

Down there, not very far

The barracks down there?

- Near the reservoir? - Yes

You look tired

I guess I am

- Are you worn out? - Yes

A soldier is never tired!

What do you expect? I've walked from Darabad

- From Darabad? - Yes

But today's a holiday

I'm on duty tonight until six in the morning

Then what are you doing?

- Where will you go? - To my aunt's

She's dead, I stay with her husband, a janitor

How long ago were you drafted?

Two months

- Still in training? - Yes

Where are you from?

Kurdistan

- And you're in the army here? - Yes

Will you stay or go back after?

- No, I'll go back. - Sorry?

- I'll go back home. - Back to Kurdistan?

- Yes. - Good

What did you do in Kurdistan?

What did you do there?

I was a farmer

A farmer?

Have you studied?

- Were you at school? - Not for long

Well

You gave up?

Why?

You know how it is

How many people in your family?

Nine

- Nine? - Yes

- They all work? - Yes, all of them

- Do you know anyone in Tehran? - Yes

- Relatives? - Yes

I have two brothers in Tehran

Why don't you stay with them?

They're married, they have small houses, children

I can't stay there

Do you have money? Soldiers get pay

- Money? - A little... the pay's not good

Is it enough for you?

0h no, it's not enough

When do you have to be back by?

Six p.m.

It's five now

You're so fond of the place, you get there

an hour early?

No, not really... no

We've got an hour to kill. How about a drive?

I may have a well-paid job to offer you

to supplement your income

I want to be at the barracks by six

- What? - I want to be back by six

I'll drive you back

Don't worry, you won't be late

- Shall we go? - 0kay

I'll get you back by six, don't worry

You say the barracks aren't much fun?

I had fun when I did my military service

It was the best time of my life

I met my closest friends there

Especially in the first six months

I remember we used to get up at four in the morning

After breakfast, we'd shine our boots and

we'd go out on maneuvers. The major would join us

There were 40 to 45 men in the regiment

The major would start counting

He'd tell us to repeat: 0ne

Two

Three

Four

Do you count too? Is it the same?

Well?

How do you count?

Are you shy?

- Yes. - What?

Why? Don't you count with your friends at the barracks?

Yes

So you don't think of me as a friend

0f course I do, we're friends

No, you act as if we don't know each other

- No, it's not that. - Well, then?

It's not that

Listen, this is how we did it: 0ne

Two

Three

Four

0ne, two, three, four

0ne, two, three, four

- Go on, repeat after me: 0ne - 0ne

two, three

Is that how you do it at the barracks?!

- Soldiers don't count like that! - I can't help it

You're taking me a long way! I need to know what you want

- What you have to do? - Yes

You know, son

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't ask

what the job is, but rather how good the pay is

For someone like you

the pay's what matters. A job is a job

It's easy if you look at it that way

This isn't an ordinary job but neither is the pay

In ten minutes, you can earn six months' pay

What's the job?

Forget the job, it's the pay that matters

You have to tell me what it is!

Listen, when you ask a laborer to dig foundations

does he ask if they're for a hospital,

a lunatic asylum or a mosque

or a school? He does his job and gets his pay

Ever been a laborer?

Yes

Were you told what you were digging for?

- No, no one told me. - Why ask me then?

Help me out, I'll pay you

It's not hard, you'll see

0kay?

Where are you going?

I have to be at the barracks by six

I'll drive you back, wait a while

I want to get out!

I want to get out!

- Get out? - Yes

A call of nature?

No, I was thinking I could go

Why did I ask you to come? You think I'm nuts?

Do I look nuts?

I was thinking I ought to get back

I promised I'd get you back by six and I will

Wait a while

Come on, get out a minute

- I need to get back. - Get out, I'll explain

You see that hole

That hole there

Now listen carefully

At six in the morning, come here and call me twice:

"Mr. Badii! Mr. Badii!"

If I reply, take my hand to help me out of there

There's 200,000 tomans in the car

Take it and go

If I don't reply,

throw in 20 spadefuls of earth on top of me

- Then take the money and go. - Take me back

Keep it. Take me back!

I don't want to cause trouble

- Trouble? What trouble? - I don't want it. It's late

I want to go back. I don't want to be involved in all this

You can't throw 20 spadefuls of earth in that hole?

Right now, I really need you

otherwise I wouldn't have begged you

You want me to beg you? Is that what you want?

No, why would you beg me?

What does "need" mean?

What does "help" mean? "Help" isn't necessarily paid for,

but I'll give you money, I'll help you

Don't you need money? Are you sure?

0f course I do

Well? Isn't 200,000 enough?

It's not that. I can't do this for you

It's not a matter of money

You can't throw earth in a hole?

Yes, but not on top of someone, not on someone's head

You can't throw earth on someone!

If he was alive, he'd stand up to respond.

Look, I really need your help. I'm not mad!

When you throw the earth in, the man won't be alive,

or he wouldn't be in that hole

Do you understand now?

Do you understand me?

Yes

So if you understand, get out, come and see

When you come back here at six tomorrow morning

Is your barracks over there?

From there to here will only take you 20 minutes

Call my name twice: "Mr. Badii, Mr. Badii!"

If I reply, you'll take my hand to help me climb out

You'll get paid

But if I don't reply...

Get out

Get out!

Get out, come and see!

It's God's will I should need you

and you don't want to help!

You don't want to?!

You won't bury me alive!

Right now, they're burying dozens of people

As we speak, dozens of dead people are being buried

- You've never seen a gravedigger? - No, never

I'm not a gravedigger

I don't bury people

I know you're not a gravedigger

If I'd wanted one, I'd have fetched one

It's you I need

You're like my son

Help me

I have to beg?

Is that what you want?

No, what's the use of begging?

Get out then, come and have a look

Maybe you'll feel up to it

20 spadefuls of earth

Just 20, Each paid 10,000 tomans

Where are you from?

- Kurdistan. - You're a Kurd!

A Kurd has to be brave

You people have fought so many wars,

known such suffering... Your villages have been decimated

You've probably used a gun, right?

Know what a gun is? Why you're given one?

So you can kill when you need to

I don't want to give you a gun to kill me

I'm giving you a spade, a spade

You're a farmer, right?

Just pretend you're farming

and that I'm manure to be spread at the foot of a tree

Is that hard?

You're destined to use a gun, not a spade!

You can't even use a spade!

Thank you!

Thank you very much!

- Hello. - Hello

- How are you? - Well, thanks

- What's that machine for? - Making cement

Really? Why isn't it working?

This place is closed now. The workers aren't here

So what are you doing here?

I'm the security guard

- Are you alone? - Yes

All alone... Do you enjoy that?

Come and join me

- I don't want to disturb you. - Come on up!

- I have to climb this ladder? - Yes

- How can you climb this? - I'm used to it

- You're used to it. - Yes

- Hello. - Hello

What a nice place

Nice? It's nothing but earth and dust

You don't think earth's nice?

Earth gives us all the good things!

So according to you, all good things return to the earth

I think you're?

I'm Afghani

- Where from? - Mazar-e Sharif

That's a strange name. Whose "Mazar" is it?

It's the tomb of the Imam Ali

It's a place of pilgrimage

Isn't the Imam Ali's tomb in Najaf?

Yes, but some people think it's in Mazar-e Sharif

Strange

What are you doing?

I'm making myself an omelet. It isn't worthy of you

I'll make you some tea

Thank you very much!

Don't you get bored here alone?

I'm used to it. I'm used to loneliness too

Do you know that man?

Yes, he's a fellow countryman

He's Afghani?

Yes, he's a "seminarist". He's here for his holidays

A "seminarist"? He should be in a seminary

He felt lonely, he came to see me

He's been here for two or three nights

Is he staying for good?

0f course not... just three nights

I didn't catch what you said

- Is he staying tonight? - Yes, he's staying

You're not entirely alone then

No, not entirely alone

- Is he Afghani too? - Yes

So many Afghanis around here!

There've been a lot since the war in Afghanistan

Between 2 and 3 million Afghanis live in Iran

With the war here, why didn't they go back?

The war against Iraq only concerned the Iranians

But the war at home concerned us

And our war didn't concern you?

You could say your war troubled us

but the Afghanistan War was harder... more painful for us

Tell me

today's a holiday, so why are you here alone?

You feel sad, so do I

Come for a drive. We can get a change of scene, talk

I'm the security guard here, I'm in charge

- A guard in this place? - Yes

But who could carry off a machine that heavy?

It's a holiday. No one needs guards. Come on

Let's get some fresh air. Everything's safe

It's my duty. We all have our responsibilities

- I can't leave my post. - You really can't?

No, sorry

I thought we could get some air

I'll go and see your friend, the seminarist

Maybe we'll go for a drive together

I've made some tea

Leave it for later. Good-bye

- Try going the other way. - The ladder moves!

It's dangerous! Mend it

You can mend it by wrapping fuse-wire around it

Are you well?

You're Afghani, aren't you?

Yes

What are you doing?

I've got three days' holiday

I was alone, I felt down

My friend Ahmad was alone too so I came here to visit him

I meant what are you doing in Iran?

I study at the Tchizar seminary

Aren't there any seminaries in Afghanistan?

Yes, there are some. But there was a war on

And my seminary wasn't that good

so my father told me to study in Iran or at Najaf

So I came to study in Iran

What about the fees? Does your father send you money?

My father isn't that well-off, no

The seminary pays me 2,000 tomans

During the summer, I work

to build up my savings

What kind of work?

I work as a laborer, simple work

I didn't know a seminarist could work as a laborer

When you need to, you work

So if a job comes along, you take it?

Yes

Aren't you wondering why I've offered you a ride?

Yes

I know that your duty is to preach and guide people

But you're young, you have time, you can do that later

It's your hands that I need

I don't need your tongue

or your mind

I'm lucky that those hands belong to a true believer

With the patience, endurance and perseverance that you learn

you're the best person to carry out this job

You're not telling me what I have to do

I know my decision goes against your beliefs

You believe God gives life and takes it when He sees fit

But there comes a time when a man can't go on

He's exhausted and can't wait for God to act

So he decides to act himself

There, that's what's called "suicide"

You see, the word "suicide"

isn't only made for dictionaries

It has to have a practical application

And here's the application

Man has to decide on its application

I don't really understand. Tell me what I have to do

If I can, I'll do it for you

I've decided to free myself from this life

What for?

It wouldn't help you to know and I can't talk about it

And you wouldn't understand

It's not because you don't understand

but you can't feel what I feel

You can sympathize, understand

show compassion. But feel my pain? No

You suffer and so do I. I understand you

You comprehend my pain but you can't feel it

That's why I ask you to be a true Moslem

and help me. Can you?

Yes, I understand you. But suicide is wrong

Since the Hadiths, our twelve Imams and the Koran

refer to suicide

and say that man mustn't kill himself

God entrusts man's body to him

Man must not torment that body

I understand you, but suicide, viewed from every angle...

That's right

but I told you that I didn't need a lecture

If I had wanted a lecture I'd have turned to someone

with more experience, who's finished his studies

I'm simply asking for a helping hand

My hand does God's justice

What you want wouldn't be just

I know that suicide is one of the deadly sins

But being unhappy is a great sin too

When you're unhappy you hurt other people

Isn't that a sin too?

When you hurt others, isn't that a sin?

Hurting your family... your friends

hurting yourself

isn't that a sin?

If I hurt you, that isn't a sin

but if I kill myself, it is?

You're right

hurting the people close to you is a great sin too

I think that God is merciful and so great

that He doesn't want to see His creatures suffer

He's so great that He can't possibly

want to force us to live

That's why He grants man this solution

Have you ever thought about the meaning of this?

I've thought about it but not like you have

In any case our talk won't get us anywhere

This isn't the time or place

Get out now. Next to that tree, there's a hole

Go and look. I'll explain afterwards

Go on. Take a look

Get in

I'll explain now

I've decided to swallow

all my sleeping pills tonight

and then come and lie down in that hole

To sleep

What I want you to do is wait until dawn

then come here like a kind brother

and cover me with soil. That's all

0f course

I follow the Koran when it says-

This work will bring you not only Heaven's reward

but also a material reward so you won't need to work this summer

The Koran says

You shall not kill yourself

What's the difference between killing someone

and killing yourself?

Killing yourself is killing

What's your decision?

Why don't you get out?

My friend has cooked an omelet and it smells good. Let's eat

You'll find a solution

Thank you! I know he's cooked but eggs are bad for me!

Some other time! Good-bye!

Mister, mister

Mister, move your car. The digger has to work

Clear the way

Move your car, the digger has to work

What are you doing here?

This is no place to sit down!

Are you sick? Come on, move your car!

You can't sleep here!

If you want cement, you have to go to the office

Come on, take your car

Why have you come here?

Are you sick?

Do you want some tea?

Stand up, take your car

Come on... Come on

Thank you.

So, no more questions?

No

You've got your bearings? That tree is a good landmark

Yes

So, no more questions? No problems?

No problems but...

But what?

When you want to help someone

You have to do it properly, with all your heart

It's better... more just and more reasonable

You can even use your hands instead of a spade

Keep your feelings for more essential things

But how?

What's your job?

I already told you

What specialization?

Shoveling earth doesn't require specialization

Just shoveling earth

If I could help in another way

I'd prefer that

Just do what I ask

But what help?

If a man wants to help his fellow man

he ought to do it differently!

He can save a life

I won't be responsible for someone's death

but, since you ask, I'll say yes

But it's hard. Admit that it's not easy!

If you don't explain your problem,

who can help you? You don't know me

But you have relatives, friends, a brother

Forgive me for prying

It's either a family problem or debts

Every problem has its solution

But if you don't talk

no one can help you

We all have problems in life

If we all chose this way out of every tiny problem

there would be no one left on earth

Isn't that right? No one!

Not a living soul!

Turn left, please

- I don't know this road. - I know it

It's longer but better and more beautiful

I've been a prisoner of this desert for 35 years

I'll tell you something that happened to me

It was just after I got married

We had all kinds of troubles

I was so fed up with it that I decided

to end it all

0ne morning, before dawn

I put a rope in my car

My mind was made up, I wanted to kill myself

I set off for Mianeh. This was in 1960

I reached the mulberry tree plantations

I stopped there. It was still dark

I threw the rope over a tree but it didn't catch hold

I tried once, twice but to no avail

So then I climbed the tree

and tied the rope on tight

Then I felt something soft under my hand. Mulberries

Deliciously sweet mulberries

I ate one. It was succulent,

then a second and third

Suddenly, I noticed

that the sun was rising over the mountaintop

What sun, what scenery,

what greenery!

All of a sudden, I heard children heading off to school

They stopped to look at me

They asked me to shake the tree

The mulberries fell and they ate

I felt happy

Then I gathered some mulberries to take them home

My wife was still sleeping

When she woke up, she ate mulberries as well

And she enjoyed them too

I had left to kill myself

and I came back with mulberries

A mulberry saved my life

A mulberry saved my life

You ate mulberries,

so did your wife, and everything was fine

No, it wasn't like that, but I changed

Afterwards, it was better but I had in fact changed my mind

I felt better

Every man on earth has problems in his life

That's the way it is. There are so many people on earth

There isn't one family without problems

I don't know your problem

otherwise I could explain better

When you go to see a doctor

you tell him where it hurts

Excuse me, you're not Turkish, are you?

Here's a joke. Don't feel offended

A Turk

goes to see a doctor. He tells him:

"When I touch my body with my finger, it hurts

"When I touch my head, it hurts, my legs, it hurts

"my belly, my hand, it hurts"

The doctor examines him and then tells him:

"Your body's fine but your finger's broken!"

My dear man, your mind is ill

but there's nothing wrong with you. Change your outlook

I had left home to kill myself

but a mulberry changed me

an ordinary, unimportant mulberry

The world isn't the way you see it

You have to change your outlook and change the world

Be optimistic

Look at things positively

You're in your prime!

Because of some minor problem you want to commit suicide

For one single problem

Life is like a train that keeps on moving forward

and then reaches the end of the line, the terminus

And death waits at the terminus

0f course, death is a solution

but not at first, not during your youth

Forgive me for dragging you off along this rocky road

You think something is good, then realize you're wrong

The main thing is to think hard

You believe what you do is right

but then you realize that you're wrong

Talk, say something to give me a breather

I've talked too much, I've said everything

I've given a whole speech. Just say something!

Turn left here, please

In any case, if you don't talk, I'll talk some more

If you don't talk, I will

Have you lost all hope?

Have you ever looked at the sky when you wake in the morning?

At dawn, don't you want to see the sun rise?

The red and yellow of the sun at sunset,

don't you want to see that anymore?

Have you seen the moon? Don't you want to see the stars?

The night of the full moon,

don't you want to see it again? You want to close your eyes?

Please, take the right fork!

The people on the other side would like to take a look here

and you want to rush over there!

Don't you ever want to drink water from a spring again?

0r wash your face in that water?

Turn right!

If you look at the four seasons

each season brings fruit

In summer, there's fruit, in autumn too

winter brings different fruit and spring too

No mother can fill her fridge

with such a variety of fruit for her children

No mother can do as much for her children

as God does for His creatures

You want to refuse all that? You want to give it all up?

You want to give up the taste of the cherries?

Don't. I'm your friend, I'm begging you!

Turn right

Turn right, this is the main road

Turn left, please

Before I get out

I'm going to sing you a song in Turkish

It means: "My love, I'm flying off, come to me

"I'm hounded from my friend's garden, come to me

"From happy days before

"I've fallen on hard times, come to me"

Tell me, we barely know each other

You go, I'm your friend. You stay, I'm your friend

In any case, I'm your friend

You stay, I'm your friend. You go, I'll be your friend too

Good-bye

Do you work here?

Wait. Tell me what you do

I told you, I work here at the Natural History Museum

No, I mean tomorrow morning

Tomorrow, I come at dawn. I call twice:

"Mister... Mister..."

Badii!

Badii, and you reply

Then I take your hand to help you out

And if I don't reply?

You will reply! Inch'Allah, I know what you'll say

But what if I don't reply?

I'll do what you asked me to do,

don't worry!

Say it to put my mind at ease

Some things

are easier to do than to say

In any case, you'll do it

If it wasn't for my child, I wouldn't

Believe me, it's hard

It's a deal

I come and I cover you with earth

You take your money and you leave

What a relief for you!

I must go, the kids are waiting

May this money help to cure your child

Keep your promise, or you won't be blessed

I hope you'll be all right

Take this now. You'll get the rest tomorrow

Thanks for bringing me back here. Thanks again!

I'll see you at six tomorrow. 0r rather, you'll see me at six

God willing, you'll see me too

Take it, take the money

Thank you but no. After I do the job

Sir, please, could you take our photo?

It's all set, just press the button

Thank you

Hey, what's wrong? Are you in a hurry to die?!

He's crazy, man!

Sir

I want to see the man who just came in

- Many men come in. - He had a blue jacket

His name?

He works here. He was carrying a bag

Many men work here

He had a bag full of quails

for the students. To stuff them

What's his name?

I don't know. He has a sick child, with anemia

0h, you mean the old man who works in the workshop

Mr. Bagheri

Yes, Mr. Bagheri. Could you call him?

We can't do that

- Can I go in? - You need a ticket

Please! How much is it?

- 100 tomans. - Where do I go now?

Follow the path, turn right

behind the main building. You'll find "Taxidermy"

Taxidermy

Four, please

Thanks, Mr. Bagheri. More partridges!

Just as good! What you get is a matter of luck

Please, girls

A partridge or a quail

We were supposed to study quails!

Birds don't fall into the net to make you happy

Mr. Bagheri, someone for you

First, you have to lie them on their backs

and wet the thorax feathers with a sponge

Then slit them open with a scalpel

along the whole length of the body

Don't cut too deeply or the innards will spill out

Mr. Bagheri come and sit with me

No thank you. I'm busy

- Mr. Bagheri, are you well? - Yes, thank you

That white coat suits you

Thank you very much

What were you doing?

- What birds have you handed out? - Quails

Quails? Did you kill them?

Yes. For work

You're well then?

- I have something to tell you. - Go on

When you come in the morning

bring two small stones and throw them at me

I might just be asleep but still alive!

Two stones aren't enough. I'll use three

Shake my shoulders too! Perhaps I'll be alive

You promised me!

Even if they behead me, I'll keep my word

You promised. Don't forget, don't let me down

Can you hear me?

Tell your men to stay near the tree to rest

The shoot is over

We're here for a sound take