Original subtitles

Where are you? Can you come and get me?

Zahra dear...

Salt! Bread!

Zahra dear! Massoumeh dear! We have to go.

Where's my husband?

Salt!

Bread! Salt!

To the director of the Welfare Department.

We hereby inform you that in Valiasr, Tehran,

on the road to Saveh, at No. 10 Sajadi Avenue,

lives - or rather survives - a family made up of a man,

a blind woman and two 12-year-old girls.

The two girls have never been out of the house.

Even their door is locked.

They cannot speak.

They haven't had a bath for years.

All the neighbors are complaining about the situation,

but no one dares intervene.

So, we, the undersigned,

request you to take urgent action.

A film by Samira Makhmalbaf

Screenplay and editing: Mohsen Makhmalbaf

THE APPLE

You've enough to live on.

But you lock up your children and leave!

lsn't that right?

lf you want to see your children, l'll take you.

Your poor girls are innocent!

Madam,

do what you can to let their mother see them.

All right. First, let me see their mother.

- She says they'll hurt her children. - l'll do what l can.

We don't hurt children. Open the door.

The neighbors filed a complaint with the Welfare Department,

so we took action.

You wouldn't let the neighbors take the girls to the public baths.

They haven't been washed in ages.

Zahra, Massoumeh, come here.

Can we go in? You go first.

These children have no contact with the outside world.

What?

- What's that? - A glass.

What's in it?

What's your name?

What?

Massoumeh? How old are you?

Massoumeh, how old are you?

Mom... mo...

You want to see your mom?

What about you, Massoumeh? Do you want to see mom?

- For God's sake... - That's why we did it!

They must have a future, a role in society.

They should get married.

l'll look after them at home.

The fact is, they're prisoners.

For years now, they've been living like prisoners.

Even prisoners are allowed fresh air. But they're not!

Their father locks them up all day.

Do you want to go to school?

A lot of children with blind parents go to school.

Even orphans go to school. How do they manage?

lt's Fate, it's destiny.

You're tired. l'll bring you some water.

They say: ''lf the morning sun doesn't warm you,

the evening sun won't.''

Well done. Do the same shape.

Look how l do it.

Of course,

if they'd studied like other children,

both l and society would benefit. But that's the way it is.

You didn't let them study.

lt's my fault, l'm not saying it isn't.

Shall we go home?

Let's go see the children first.

Do you want to?

Do you want to see them? Do you?

These girls are twins.

Should they be apart from their family?

We visited them on two occasions and concluded

that in this case, we had to remove them.

Do you want to take the children home or stay with them?

Don't worry.

We'll take good care of the children.

Zahra, who's this?

Massoumeh, come here.

Go kiss her.

lt's Zahra. Are you Zahra?

Good girl, Zahra.

Why don't you come home?

Where's your headscarf?

We took it off to wash her hair

and clean her up.

We changed their clothes.

Zahra, come over here too.

Bring a scarf to cover her head.

Little bitches.

l'm not insulting anybody.

Bring a scarf,

so we can go home.

Give me my children!

l promise l'll wash them.

Do you promise?

Then l'll let you take them.

Why did you take off their scarves?

To wash and cut their hair.

Come on. Let's go.

Don't cry.

Come on, husband, let's go.

We clothed them.

Let's go home!

They're her children...

Zahra dear... Let's go home.

She's Massoumeh. That's Zahra.

Let's go home.

They said not to lock the door anymore,

that they must be allowed out.

You can take the children home,

but you mustn't lock the door anymore.

We'll fix the refrigerator so we can drink cold water.

We'll be just fine.

l'll take the children to the public baths.

l'll pay to have them washed.

lf we do all that, we can keep them.

We have to keep them clean, or they'll be taken off us again.

Flowers.

Flowers!

Help me, husband, l'm scared.

You see, my girl,

l put the saucepan on the stove.

Forgive me...

lf l'm teaching you this...

There are four of us.

For me,

you take a full glass of rice. You pour it in.

Do you understand?

For your mother, you don't quite fill it.

For you, you half-fill it

and for Massoumeh, the same.

Look carefully!

Here's a full glass.

That's for me.

You pour it in.

That's for me.

Watch now!

When you get married,

you'll have to know how to cook.

Then, people won't say:

''Because of her blind mother, she never learnt anything.''

So, you watch me!

God made woman for her to marry.

What's that?

God made woman for her to marry.

She mustn't remain alone.

l don't want people to say:

''Her mother was blind, so she never learnt anything.''

lsn't that right, Zahra?

- l didn't want to come see you. - Why?

Because you slandered me.

That's very serious.

l won't forgive you. And nor will God.

What you said were lies...

...that l didn't let my daughters out,

that l chained them up!

That is slander. The person who said that was wrong.

But everyone knows that for eleven years,

you imprisoned your children and didn't feed them properly.

Everyone says you didn't look after your children.

l've been slandered.

ln the whole country, on TV, in the press, it's all they talk about.

lsn't it good that the Welfare Department looks after your daughters?

lt's good for all of you.

l wasn't the only one to take action.

Everyone's pointing me out.

But you did lock them up for eleven years, didn't you?

l kept them at home, l'm not saying l didn't.

l didn't send them to school. But l didn't chain them up.

lt's slander.

Why am l being dishonored?

Being chained up and being locked up at home

is the same thing!

People say: ''He was on TV and in the papers.

He chained his kids up!''

But they were locked up. The rest is unimportant.

No, it is important!

You dishonored me.

l didn't chain my kids up. lt's all lies.

There's no difference between chained up

and not seeing the sun for eleven years!

l'll pay you to pray for my children.

No, even if you gave me a million, l wouldn't take it.

l don't want your money.

l won't take it because of all these lies.

Pray for my children.

l mean to say...

the newspapers wrote that l chained up my children...

- Don't cry. - Why would l have done that?

Their mother's blind. She locked the door, so they wouldn't get out.

But why did you slander me?

l won't forgive you,

and nor will God. l'm humiliated. l'm so angry.

ln this heat, everyone's drinking water,

has a fan, or air conditioning.

But l don't. l have enough worries. Don't add to them.

Neither God nor the Prophet will forgive you.

l'll leave you the money. Goodbye.

Massoumeh, my dear, Zahra, my dear...

One of you can wash the clothes,

the other can take the broom

and sweep the yard.

Otherwise the social worker will say you haven't learnt anything,

that you haven't washed, that you're dirty.

She'll take you back and keep you.

Go on, girls. One of you wash the clothes

and the other clean the yard. l'll make the meal.

Well done, girls. See to the clothes.

Zahra, wash the clothes.

lce cream! Delicious ice cream!

Come see!

lce cream! Delicious ice cream!

lce cream!

l want...

Delicious ice cream!

Do you want one?

That one? Give me the money.

Which one do you want? This one or that one?

10 tomans. Which do you want?

- Go get the money. - l don't have any.

- 10 tomans. - l don't have any.

- So you don't get an ice cream. - Give it to me.

Give me the money. 10 tomans, 10 tomans.

l don't have any money.

10 tomans.

So, go away.

Go away if you don't have any.

Zahra dear!

Massoumeh!

Come eat!

Come on!

Hurry up!

Massoumeh, here you are.

Zahra dear, eat up.

l don't want any... l'm tired.

''O God, l am weary,

''weary of this life.

''l have had enough of this earthly life.

''Direct me to the gates of death

''O God

''Or free me

''from all my chains.

''ln the prison of misfortune

''l have been buried.

''Alas, l never understood what l did wrong

''My God, l have never complained about my solitude

''For it has always been my destiny...

Yes?

l came to see your neighbor.

He has shut his door and gone.

- Are you Mrs Farokh's son? - Yes.

ls your mother home?

No.

How can l see the children?

- l'll bring you a ladder. - Thank you.

Careful.

See what's going on over there.

The kids are locked up.

Let me climb up.

Hold my notebook.

Hello, children. How are you, Zahra?

- Hello, madam, how are you? - Why did you let them come back?

They must be educated outside and by their family, too.

- You did the right thing. - Thanks.

Their father locked them up and left.

- Can you open the door? - Yes.

Thank you very much.

Hello, children. How are you?

What's that?

A spoon. Let's see.

You OK? What are you doing?

- Prisoner... - Prisoner? Why?

- The door's locked. - Locked?

- Where's your father? - l don't know.

Why these spoons?

What?

To hit? What for?

l see. ls there anything you want?

Apple.

OK, next time l come.

This time, l brought something pretty so you can see yourselves.

This is for you...

and that's for you, dear.

l also brought you a comb

to comb your lovely hair.

Hello.

- How are you? - Fine, thanks.

Are you well?

Where were you?

l went shopping.

You promised not to lock the children up anymore.

- l had to. - You had to!

- Well, yes, ma'am. - No, you didn't.

l look after the house and l have to do the shopping.

Their mother can't go anywhere.

l can't leave my family to starve.

l have to buy bread and ice.

l bought some ice.

l have hot bread in one hand and ice in the other.

What else could l do?

Leave the children in the yard.

Ask the neighbor to keep an eye on them.

We talked about this. You promised.

Your girls are back home.

You should treat them better than this.

lf l don't lock the door, boys climb over the wall.

Their ball falls in our yard, they want it back,

so, they climb over the wall.

l can't let the girls play in the yard.

lf anyone touched them, l'd be dishonored.

You could lock the front gate

and ask the neighbor to keep an eye on them.

Oh, the neighbor! She doesn't care!

She knows that my refrigerator is broken.

No one brings me any ice, even though my refrigerator doesn't work.

l had to...

- You see... - l'll take the key.

You should understand what it's like to be cut off from people.

You'll see what it feels like.

We talked it over, but it did no good.

Go out, children. Go on.

Go play in the street like the other children.

Go play outside like them. Go on. Off you go.

That's enough.

You should go out by yourselves!

So...

we'll see how you like being shut in!

They're so used to being locked up that they come back.

Go back outside. Go on, off you go.

Soghra!

Come here.

Look after the kids before they get run over.

Let me go see them.

Son-of-a-bitch! They'll get into trouble.

No insults now.

Why did you let them go outside?

lf you don't change your attitude, l won't let them stay.

l'll take them away.

You let them go outside.

You heard what she said!

Zahra, Massoumeh, come here.

They won't come back! l won't let them come back.

They've been set free.

She says you won't let them go free, you lock them up...

and you don't let them out.

Soghra, l told you already. l wanted to take you to see the doctor.

You should get out and talk to your neighbors!

This is no life!

Ask for the key so you can get the kids.

You're not dumb, ask her.

No, l won't give it to you until you promise not to lock them up.

l won't open this door. You'll stay here.

lf anything happens, too bad! lt's better than their life in here.

Soghra... speak.

- l already asked her. - No, l refuse!

You see...

l didn't lock them up, they came back.

Even when l open the door so they can get some air,

they lock themselves in.

You taught them to.

- No, it's them... - You taught them to do it.

Their mother's blind, she can't go anywhere.

That's just an excuse.

Go back outside, children.

l've had enough. Go out and make some friends.

lce cream!

Delicious ice cream!

Come see!

lce cream!

- Want one? - Yes.

- You have to pay. - l ca...

Pay for the ice cream.

Now it's melted, you want to give it back?

Come on, hurry up.

What do you want, kid?

Now the ice cream's melted, you want to give it back?

- What do you want? - She didn't pay.

- How much is it? - 20 tomans.

She was locked up for 11 years. Can't you leave her alone?

She won't pay me.

- How much did you say? - 20 tomans.

Wait, l'll pay you.

- You were locked up for 11 years? - Yes.

That's no reason not to pay for your ice cream!

Here.

That's for her ice cream.

That's for her sister's

and that's for you.

Now, don't fight.

Here, this is for your sister.

l'll give you mine.

What's that for?

Thank you.

Here.

Drink some water. You must be tired.

lt's hot in the sun. Drink it.

l already fed the children.

l wasn't feeling too good,

so l didn't eat.

lf you like, we can eat together now.

Please go ahead.

l told you... l have to lock the door,

because the kids' ball comes over the wall.

They ring the bell.

No one answers, so they climb the wall.

l have to lock the door for my girls' sake.

l don't know what l'd do if anything happened to them.

- Throw us our ball, please. - We're sorry.

We'll be careful.

Thank you.

The problem is that they're girls.

lf they'd been boys,

they'd go out with you. They'd play outside.

And they'd even climb walls.

- Do you know ''Advice to Fathers''? - No.

Know what it says about girls?

Here, read what it says about girls.

lt says: ''A girl is like a flower.

lf the sun shines on her, she will fade.''

A man's gaze is like the sun and a girl is like a flower.

lt's like putting cotton next to a fire:

it will be consumed.

Did you go to school?

lt was the old method.

l studied for four winters.

At which school?

lt was at a friend's house... lt was the old method.

There wasn't school in those days.

What's your job?

l don't have one.

People give me money,

friends and others give me rice and oil...

and in return, l pray

for God to forgive their sins.

Run. Try to catch it.

Catch it.

Jump and you'll get it. Go on, jump.

You won't make it.

You can't do it.

Even if you jump higher than a horse, you won't make it.

Jump.

Who wants an apple?

Wait a minute. l'm coming.

lf you want an apple, follow me!

- Hello. - Hello, madam.

Do you have a saw?

l wanted to thank you for bringing the kids back.

That's all right.

lt was my duty. Do you have a saw?

- What kind? - A hacksaw.

No, l have a wood saw.

Thanks anyway.

Hello, do you have a saw?

No.

Why are those children back with their parents?

lt'll sort itself out.

Do you have a saw?

We go to the trouble of getting them out and they come back.

No, l don't have a saw.

Thanks anyway.

Hello, madam. Do you have a saw?

- Yes, what kind? - A hacksaw.

Yes, l'll get it for you.

- Here you are. - Thank you.

What's up with those kids? You take them, you bring them back...

Either keep them or leave them to their parents!

lt'll be OK, madam.

Right. Thank you.

- Where are you? - l'm here.

Come here a minute.

What is it?

Look, l have to go.

l have other children to see. l'll give you this saw.

OK.

You may need to get out.

lt's locked, so here's the saw.

Either you saw through the bars or you break the lock.

Saw through the bars? But, madam...!

You have to do it yourself.

There'll be someone from Welfare along to see you.

lf the door isn't open, they'll take the children.

Do l really have to?

Yes.

l'm going.

lf you don't saw the bars, we'll take your children away.

You bastard, don't saw those bars! You'll destroy the place.

Madam, stop him!

You work for the authorities.

Don't let him do it.

Don't cut through them, husband.

All right, l'll let the children play in the yard.

Don't, you son-of-a-bitch!

l won't lock the door anymore.

Don't saw them.

l'll only lock the door at night. Don't saw through them.

Stop it! Stop it!

Sir, l want some apples.

You want some apples? They're 200 tomans a kilo.

- Got any money? - We don't have any money.

- You don't have any? - No.

You have no money and you want to buy apples?

Go ask your father for money.

Don't touch, kid. Go on.

Put them away.

Don't touch. Hands off!

Off you go.

Go ask their father for money. lt's 200 tomans a kilo.

l told you not to touch.

200 tomans? l'll ask their father for the money.

Don't cut through it. You'll damage the lock.

lf you cut through it, we won't be able to lock the door at night.

Don't cut it, you bastard.

Mon... Money.

They want some apples.

Zahra, Massoumeh, where were you? l was worried.

Sir, give them some money.

They want some apples. They take everything they see

from other kids.

Boy, l'm not so much of a miser

that l don't give them money.

One day, l gave them 1 toman each.

That evening, Massoumeh couldn't eat anything.

She'd swallowed the coin. She spent 24 hours in the hospital.

lt cost me a fortune to get that 1 toman out.

Give her a bill, she won't swallow that.

Here's 300 tomans.

l'm giving you 300 tomans.

100 for Massoumeh.

There's 100 tomans left for Zahra,

and 100 tomans for you.

l'm a prisoner here. Keep an eye on them.

l'll take 100 tomans.

And l'll give you 200 tomans.

The social worker wants them to do

the shopping themselves.

She's the cause of all our problems!

l'm off now, girls. You go buy some apples.

No, that's not fair. lt's my turn!

Keep out of the way.

Move away.

Get away!

Let the poor things play too!

Sara, l think they're boys.

l think this one's a boy, and the other's a girl.

Are you a boy or a girl?

Gi...

What?

You play with me, and you with her.

How's that?

Come here.

Come on.

Jump on the second square.

Not like that.

Like this.

lt's my turn.

Good.

Look, when you jump,

keep your legs apart.

Then, like this, and like this.

What's your name?

- What? - Mass...

What?

You hitting me?

Sara, l don't want to play with them anymore.

Sorry.

l forgive you.

OK, let's play.

Look how l do it.

How old are you?

Sara, let's not play with them.

Sara,

let's not play with them.

No, l don't want to.

You hit me, then you give me an apple?

l wanted to teach you how to play.

Eat it.

Thanks.

Thanks very much.

Girls!

Let's have a race

to see who can eat her apple first.

One, two, three!

Hurry up, you're last.

Massoumeh, hurry up.

l'm eating it slowly. That way, l can savor it.

You're going to lose if you eat it slowly.

Eat it quicker or you'll lose!

l'm going to win.

How do you know?

Don't be scared.

Massoumeh!

Come on the swings.

Do you want a watch?

Come on, let's go buy one.

We know a street seller who has nice watches.

Do you want one

like my father's?

lt rings every Saturday morning,

every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

My father turns the alarm off on a Friday so he can sleep.

Don't buy one like that,

because it rings very early in the morning.

My friend, Roghieh, always get full marks in dictation.

Once, l complained to the teacher

but she told me to be quiet.

My mother has a watch.

When she goes embroidering

at Mrs Pari's house,

she wears her watch.

lf l had enough money, l'd buy the same one. lt's so pretty.

You buy the same one, OK?

lt's really pretty.

My watch is pretty, too.

Buy the same one. The big hand's always on 4.

Sara's is no good. The big hand's always on 8.

Don't buy that one.

So, which one do you want to buy?

One like that or one like my mother's?

lt's so pretty! You'd love it if you saw it.

lf l had enough money, l'd buy it.

The gate's open. Come in.

Hello.

May l?

Come in.

- Are you well? - Fine. And you?

How are the girls? Did you see their photo?

No.

Look.

Proceedings brought against the father of the twins

Oh, woe is me!

We wanted to help you, to save the children.

For the past 65 years, nobody knew who l was,

nor where l lived.

The newspapers exaggerated. They shouldn't have...

They dishonored me.

We're sorry for you.

We think of your children like our children.

''How hard it is to put back together the pieces of a broken mirror!''

lf only their mother wasn't blind...

l have to look after my daughters. What else could l do?

We only wanted to help.

We wrote to Welfare so they'd help your children.

You can see how they've changed.

They couldn't speak or communicate before.

Now, they play with other children.

They say hello, and so on.

They buy ice cream.

Before, they didn't even know what real food was!

lnstead of eating an ice cream, they'd just throw it

in the gutter.

But l'm dishonored.

My family's in the paper.

Your daughters were unhappy.

l'm trying to cut through...

People say l chained my children up, but it's not true.

Look, l'm sawing through the bars of this door.

There's a street seller who has nice watches.

There's one that sounds like a train: ''Choo choo...''

Buy that one.

Massoumeh, buy that one!

They're really cheap.

You won't believe how cheap they are!

All right? You buy that one.

lt's just so cute.

- Will you buy it? - Yes.

- Hello, sir. - Hello, miss.

l want a watch that goes ''Choo choo''.

l don't have any like that.

The other day, you had a watch that went ''Choo choo''.

Just as you came, a train went past, going ''Choo choo''

and you must have thought it was the watch.

Massoumeh, which one do you want then?

This one.

This one?

Come back with your father then.

OK.

We'll come back with your father.

- Hello. - Hello, children.

They saw our watches and they want one too.

We went to the watch seller, and they chose one.

The man said to come back with their father.

ls he their father or their grandfather?

He's their father.

Sir, they want a watch. You must buy them one.

Their father can't get out until he saws through the bars.

For now, he's staying where he is.

Mrs Mohamadi,

please open this door.

l'm tired. l'll finish it this evening.

l told you already: you must saw through the bars to get out.

l won't open the door.

l'm tired, l can't go on now. l'll do it this evening.

No, you must do it now.

l told you, l'll do it this evening.

l locked the door. l won't go back on my decision.

l'll give them the key. lf they can open the door, you can get out.

Let's see if Zahra can do it.

Can you open the door?

Go on, try. You can do it... Well done.

Come buy us a watch.

Soghra! We're going out.

Me and the girls.

Look after the house. The door's open.

Where are you going?

Zahra...

let's go.

Come on, let's go.

Zahra...

come and eat.

Zahra dear, let's go.

Zahra dear...

Where have you gone?

Zahra dear, Massoumeh dear...

Zahra, don't go.

Zahra, stay here.

Where have you gone?

Come back!

Help me, husband.

She said she'd take my children off me.

l'm scared, husband. Help me get my girls back.

Take them by the arm and bring them back.

Zahra dear...

Come on.

Zahra, don't go.

Where have you got to?

Leave my chador alone.

Leave me alone.

Come here.

Don't let go of the children.

Come home.

Take the children by the arm.

Come back to me... Zahra!

Let's go back home.

Don't let go of them.

Bring them to me.

Director: Samira MAKHMALBAF

Director of photography: Ebrahim GHAFOURl

Assistant: Mohamad AHMADl

Sound: Behrouz SHAHAMAT

Screenplay and editing: Mohsen MAKHMALBAF

Assistant Directors: Marzieh MESHKlNl - Akbar MESHKlNl

Cast: Massoumeh NADERl - Zahra NADERl

Ghorban-Ali NADERl

Azizeh MOHAMADl

Zahra SAGHRlSAZ

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Subtitles: J. Miller - S. Farsi

Subtitles processed by C.M.C. - Paris