Original subtitles

Madeleine?

- Daddy? - What is it?

- What is it, honey? - I dreamed of mom.

Oh yeah?

She was standing in front of the window and she smiled at me.

I miss her.

I miss her too.

Daddy, are dead people ever coming back?

No.

Dead people never come back.

That's why it's important that you don't forget them.

Do you understand?

Uncle Etienne says that dead people aren't dead and aren't really gone.

It's late. You really have to go to sleep now, Asma.

Do you want to sing Mama's lullaby for me?

Good. OK.

You sing falsely.

You really think so?

Very false.

Have a nice day, Dad.

You too. Just sleep.

Your breakfast is ready. Make sure that Asma eats well, okay?

See you tonight.

- What happened? - I overslept.

- Hello, Régine. - You didn't wait all night?

Well.

- Everything good? - Yes.

- Sorry. - Had sent a message.

Asma had a fever.

That is five euros, madam.

Hello, Abbas.

Everything good?

Régine, five euros.

Thank you. Good day.

They stand longer with an aspirin in the water.

Thanks. Bye.

- There was mail for you. - Again?

And a letter for Etienne.

- Is everything alright? Not significant? - No.

In connection with my asylum application.

- Was that guy going to decorate you? - Stop it.

I'm sure. Like he looked at you...

- An extra customer is never gone. - What do you think, don't you?

- We have to go back. - Yes, come on.

Asma, that's water waste. Water is expensive.

Yes, I'm so ready, you know.

We are 19 months in France, my sister, my father, uncle Etienne and me.

Because of the war we fled from Bangui.

During our flight, mommy was killed by militia soldiers.

In Paris, Daddy filed an application with something called immigration.

They asked us all kinds of questions.

That's how it is.

Dad, come here. I don't understand this task.

I'm coming, Yacine.

Just give up.

After a year of waiting they said no. Our application was rejected.

Dad then appealed to the court.

We are now waiting for the answer.

Another omelette. I'm so fed up.

Omelet with mushrooms, pumpkin, peppers...

Soon omelette with sweets.

- Do you want ketchup? - That makes no difference.

So you are not hungry?

Boys...

I have to tell something.

Oh no? Do we have to move again?

Yes.

The gentleman from whom we may use this property will return next week.

Dad, when do we get an ordinary house, like everyone else?

- We are not like everyone else. - Why do you say that?

- I have no appetite anymore. - Are you just leaving the table?

- I don't anymore. - What not?

- Where are you going? - I'm going to feed Bing.

Who is Bing?

The goldfish.

Do you want a dessert? There are delicious pears.

You said that we would be welcomed with open arms in France.

You have been hunting.

Forward, to bed.

To bed.

Good night, Daddy.

Good night, Daddy. I love you.

Dad has changed in France.

He was cooler in Bangui. He was a French teacher at a high school there.

Hello, Etienne.

- Pizza for the children. - You don't have to always bring food.

- Everything's good? - It's okay. Keep on walking.

- Where are the children? - In bed.

Uncle Etienne was a teacher of philosophy in the highest classes.

- Do you want to eat something? - No thanks.

- You sure? - Yes.

Here, have some books. You can spice up.

Oh yes, fine.

- But how is it going? - Good, you know.

- You sure? - I also have something for you.

Do you know these?

Go on, do you want to take me to the crown?

This is going to make my long winter nights bearable. Thank you. Looks good.

- Will we overtake him? - No. I am...

Okay, then run.

Your wife is dead, Abbas.

You have to continue.

You have to start living again.

For your children, for yourself.

For us.

Sorry.

Madeleine is still in my head. As if she didn't die.

I'm here.

Alive and well.

I know.

I know.

I also care about you very much.

I need you...

to chase my ghosts.

I'm going to the bathroom.

A good father would arrange these papers.

Now go to sleep.

- Good night, Asma. - Good night, Daddy.

Good night, Yacine.

- Hello, Etienne. - Hello, Carole.

- How is it going? - I better ask you that.

Well, then I'll go.

- I'm not chasing you? - Don't be so bad.

I have to leave anyway.

It'll be fine.

See you soon?

Abbas.

Be right back. I walk with him for a moment.

Is that you, Carole?

Is Uncle Etienne away? Too bad, I wanted to see him.

You have to go to sleep, Asma.

- It doesn't work. - Can't you Sleep?

Are you worried?

No.

Shall I sing a song for you?

It's a song that my mother sang for me...

when I was seven.

A beautiful song.

It's called "A brown dog".

OK.

A small dog was bored around

he went in search of a wizard

to tell about his dog life

I am chained all day long

under a large den where it's on the assembly line

pine cones raining

what a noise

give me wings like a swallow

then I fly away into the blue sky

amid all the colorful birds.

Everything's good?

I had problems. That's why I didn't call.

A whole week, yes.

Sorry. For real.

You're sorry. But what do I have to do all the time? To wait?

Worry me?

You could have sent a message.

Okay then.

To offer excuse.

- What is that? - Look.

A papaya.

- No thanks. - Yes.

Glass of wine?

What are you doing?

Nothing.

Don't.

Have you lost interest in me?

You don't get excited about me anymore?

You know, Martine?

It's over with me.

I'm impotent.

I have been shunted.

If you have someone else, say it.

You never loved me.

What are you doing? There's work to be done.

The rest must also be unloaded.

Where are you thinking?

Unbelieveable.

What is this? You are fired.

Is it here?

- This is it. - Come on, guys.

Come in.

Here the crockery. Everything is there: cutlery, plates, glasses.

The lamp.

Hop, and he's on. And this is the heating radiator.

He can become very warm.

And this cross is holy. Nobody can come to that.

The sliding door.

There you see the garden.

And this is a table for cooking.

And this...

is the sink. And this is a mirror cabinet. Everything is there.

- And where is the toilet? - On the landing.

Come on. I'll show you then.

This is temporary.

Once we'll have a big house, with everyone having their own bedroom.

- Do you swear? - Yes. I swear.

Just as big a house as in Bangui?

Cool.

I want a bedroom with white and gold walls...

and with...

lots of books and lots of dolls.

And a super sized loft bed with a slide to get off.

And you? What kind of room do you want?

- Tell me, how it will look like? - Blue, as Paris Saint-Germain.

I knew it.

And with posters, soccer shoes, a ball and a computer.

- No game console? - Yes, a PS4.

And posters by Neymar, Messi, Griezmann?

No. Zlatan.

- Zlatan no longer plays in Paris. - So what?

- Tackle. - That was a real Zlatan move.

Happy Birthday.

- Congratulations, Carole. - Thank you, dear.

- How was your day on? - Nice.

You haven't been in the kitchen all day?

Thank you for being there.

- I have another one. - Two bottles?

Do we open it?

O yes... A registered letter.

- I bought a lot of candy for you. - Cool.

Yummy.

- Don't you open it? - No, don't feel like it. Today is the party.

And now blow out the candle. One...

two, three.

- You blew two out. - Awesome.

- I'm going to get the champagne. - I'm already starting to become tired.

Carole? How old did you get?

73.

That is a nice age?

Then they say: You look much younger.

This is a recipe from my mother. It's a Polish cake.

With apples...

and a lot of cream. Poles love cream.

- What do you know each other from? - Stop it, Asma.

He can do that again, Asma.

- It's not that bad. - Look...

There it comes.

- A glass for you. - Thank you.

- Ladies first. - Thank you.

Do you want champagne?

Thank you, Yacine.

- Isn't he too...? Not too bad. - Do you prefer a candy?

I put this on.

Ready?

Then we will toast.

- On us. - Cheers.

- On us. - All of us.

- That hair band looks beautiful on you. - Thank you.

Please.

- Which first? - Doesn't matter.

This one is the most obvious.

Very nice.

- Is it a flowers? - Yes.

Really beautiful. Thank you.

- You haven't gotten a kiss yet. - Wait, first open.

- Delicious cake. - I will also taste it.

The cake of mother's recipe.

From mother.

Indeed, delicious.

- That's nice. - What is it?

A book about plants. Very nice.

Thank you.

No thanks.

- Now your gift. - The last gift.

The tension is running...

- Beautiful. - That's true.

Have you figured it out together?

What a lovebirds.

- Don't say those stupid things. - You have to put it on.

Leave me.

Why are you laughing?

It will work, you know.

I almost suffocate.

Given the European Convention on Human Rights...

and with due observance of the Aliens Act...

has been determined by the prefecture as follows:

Point 1: The asylum application of Mr. Abbas Mahadjir has been rejected.

Point 2: Mr. Mahadjir must leave the country within 30 days...

after the date of this notification. Point 3:

In the event of non-compliance, Mr. Mahadjir are expelled to the country of origin...

the Central African Republic or any other country that wants to take him.

Point 4: Mr. Mahadjir has to hand in his passport to the police...

and to report once a week to the police station.

Are you succeeding? Which have you taken?

Very well.

There are too many, Asma.

- No, I want to keep it. - We can only borrow six books.

This, then.

- You already read that? - Doesn't it give?

It's about a boy who would go to a country with his grandmother...

Asma, come here.

I think he is.

- Have you done your homework? - I don't feel like it.

Enjoy your meal.

Yummy.

Is something wrong?

Don't Cry.

- We have left nothing for Dad. - That doesn't matter.

Come and see.

- Do you know him? - No.

Etienne?

What are these for games?

You don't answer.

Damn.

Shit, say.

Foreigners rioted.

People like us are no longer welcome in France. We have to leave.

But where, Abbas?

We no longer have our own country.

The Central African Republic no longer exists.

- The whole Africa is a brainchild. - Don't exaggerate it.

I will stay here. I'm not leaving.

Do you want to lead the humiliating existence of an illegal?

Do you want that?

I will continue to work as a security guard for a living. Dumb work doesn't exist.

Once a guard, always a guard.

We still have our dignity.

- Don't lose it. - He can do that again.

Just go.

No, I will not leave you that way. Where are you going to sleep?

- Go on. - Don't be stupid. Come and sleep with us.

- Get out of here, Abbas. - It's small, but it'll work.

No, thanks.

Come on. Come, Etienne.

Let me be, damn it. I don't need your help.

Buzz off.

Go away.

Go away, I said.

Ready to lift? Lifting. And walk.

Yes, inside.

I don't even know where he lives.

He said that he lived with friends in a shelter for Malians.

- Is that right? - Yes.

Where?

In the 18th arrondissement. No, in the 20th. Yes, the 20th.

I was never allowed to join.

Good evening.

I'm not satisfied with you.

I'm sorry, Thammah.

I'll really pay next week.

I don't trust you anymore, Mr. Abbas.

You have to leave.

That has to be. You haven't paid.

I also need money.

You can't do that. What about my children?

I really promise to pay you next week.

- You're leaving. - You can't do that.

Thammah, you can't mean that.

Please.

Please, Mr. Thammah.

We are looking for a country.

Where they can no longer drive us away.

And don't we go to school anymore, Dad?

I would like to finish this class.

How about the North Pole, Dad? That's nice.

There is snow and there are polar bears.

No, nobody's living there. Australia is fun. There you have the sea.

Or Chad? Just below is Bangui.

Or Brazil, with the carnival in Rio.

Or Argentina. Daisy de Vampier was made there.

Or Morocco. There the sun shines.

Or Spain.

No, not Spain. To the US, to New York.

Or Alaska.

Hey. Everything's good?

Come on in.

Give your bag.

Don't worry. It'll be fine.

Come on.

That's enough?

Does your fish have a name?

- What's his name? - He's called Bing.

Nice.

- Are you hungry? - No.

You do? Do you want a piece of cake?

No, Yacine. We have already eaten.

If he wants to...

Abbas...

Pretend you are here at home.

Relax.

It's not big, but it will work.

Where do we sleep?

On the couch, it can be made into a bed.

Cool.

And where does Dad sleep?

With me.

In the same...

Yes, Asma. We sleep in the same bed.

Come here.

Nosy Parker.

Don't you think that's annoying?

Carole is my girlfriend.

Don't you have a boyfriend?

- Elias is still your boyfriend? - Yes.

See.

- What's his name? Elias? - Yes.

- Do you have a girlfriend? - No.

- Why not? - I don't want to.

With those beautiful eyes of yours. Don't you really want to?

Finish school first.

Do you think that's funny?

Give Carole a kiss.

Run, Asma. Get it.

Now we have to catch up with them.

I can't stand that. Stop.

I'm doing it anyway.

It is fine.

- And if we get married once? - I don't have any papers. You know that.

Who's that again? Stop.

Wait a second.

What did you say?

What is it?

Uncle Etienne is buried in the friendship garden of a Paris' cemetery.

It used to be called the arms cemetery.

Graves may only be there for five years. That's what the social worker said.

After that, Uncle Etienne has to go somewhere else.

Otherwise the municipality will cremate him.

That is burning. His ashes then go into a pot.

I find that pathetic. In our country, the dead are not burned.

It's time.

The thirty days are over.

From now on we are illegal immigrants.

You have another chance.

The administrative judge.

You have to keep believing.

Keep on believing.

I have also ever been without documents.

For three years they didn't want to renew my passport.

They demanded proof of nationality from my parents.

Stop that.

It is going to succeed.

It is going to succeed.

Abbas?

Is it going, Abbas?

What are you doing? Are you praying?

Is everything alright? What's wrong with you?

Look at me.

Is everything alright?

It goes again.

Law enforcement. To unlock.

I'm coming. Quickly to the kitchen.

- To unlock. Law enforcement. - I'm coming.

Bye gentlemen.

Audit visit, madam. You are Carole Balzac?

Blazac. That's me, yes.

- What's going on? - Is it true that Abbas Mahadjir lives with you?

Well...

I have no idea where he lives.

But to help him, he may send his mail to my address.

Do you know Mr. Mahadjir well?

No, not really.

When did you last saw him?

I wouldn't know. Last week, I believe.

He should be out of the country. He received a letter from the prefect.

With the assignment to leave the country.

- Do you know if he left? - I have no clue.

He nevertheless appealed to the administrative judge?

No, madam.

If you know anything about him, you must report it.

I don't know anything else, just what I just told you.

To provide shelter to an illegal state five years in prison and 30,000 euros fine.

Article L-622 (1).

Come to the office today to make a statement.

Excellent.

- Goodbye, madam. - Bye, gentlemen.

Why didn't you appeal? Why?

Sorry.

I'm going to the police.

I didn't do anything wrong.

- We mustn't go to jail anyway? - No, quietly.

We'll think of something.

I love you, Carole.

I don't want you to get problems through me.

"Dear Carole.

"You have locked me in your heart as a stranger. I will never forget that.

"I will beg God to be merciful to you.

"Today I disappear. But traces of our short-lived gathering will remain.

"Nobody can erase our moments of happiness.

"Nor all memories that belong to us forever.

"They give me the strength to continue.

"We left with a depressed mind. Where to? I don't know.

"I trust the wind. It will take us somewhere.

"What I wonder: will it be like that in 1938, with the Evian Conference?

"Then countries refused to open their doors to Jewish refugees.

"It was said that the saturation point had been reached.

"Feeling undesirable is not nice.

"Carole, I'm leaving to give my children a peaceful future...

"far from this Europe that has become a tower of Babel.

"If I were pessimistic and fatalistic, I would say...

"that everything that happens to us is written. But I don't believe that.

"I think that every person can write his own life story.

"Mine is made invisible, not to tell.

"But someday someone will tell it. Because nothing is definitively fixed.

"As long as I stand upright...

"as long as the children and I can continue...

there will always shine a star somewhere in the sky for us."

Hey.

Everything's good?

Can I help you?

Are you looking for someone or something?

- Wasn't here the jungle of Calais? - Yes, everything has been cleaned up two days ago.

Do you work for an organization or you're a journalist?

No?

Is there no one anymore?

Everything's gone, the women's and childcare, the containers.

Are you looking for something or someone?

I'm looking for...

the man I love.

You should have asked that at the children's center when it was still open.

No, I... Do you know if they have applied for asylum?

Do you know what nationality that gentleman had?