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Ali Zaoua, prince de la rue (2000)
I'm rowing.
The waves are high. The sun burns me. I sweat. I'm not moving forward. Then I see a pretty woman waiting for me. She looks at me, smiles at me. I smile back at her. She climbs into the boat. I take her hand, because the boat's swaying. Suddenly the wind rises. I hoist the sail. And the boat takes off... Then what? That's all. I wake up. How old are you? Fifteen. During the day, what do you do? I watch over the city. Ali, you said you'd be serious. Your pals say you can pull cars with your teeth. Is that true? Sure I can. It's easy. I tie the ends of a rope to each mirror. I stand in front of the car. I take the rope in the middle. I bite down hard on it and I start to pull. And then? That's all, the car follows me. When I was little, they called me "Ali steel Jaws". Tell me, Ali, what do you want to be later? A sailor. Really? Why a sailor? Because I love the sea. Why else? It's what I want to do. How do you eat, buy clothes? I work, I dabble at things. I don't live on anyone's back! Why did you run away from home? I didn't run away. Why did you leave? My mother... she wanted to sell my eyes. - She wanted what? - To sell my eyes. Is that true? When I was little, I remember a big black car. The guy spoke strangely. As if he came from another country. My mother sent me on an errand. But I'm not dumb, I listened at the door. He told her: "He won't feel anything. "Then you won't need to work, you'll be rich." I really heard that. I said: "Why stay with a mother like that?" Where did you go? On the streets. Your parents didn't look for you? You never saw them again? Where are they now? They're dead. Move in closer on him. Fine. Cut! Kwita... I'm going to leave. Where to? You know very well. To my island. And us? You'll get by without me. Kwita! Goal! "Go, Raja, go! Let your pride show"! Raja's a lousy team! I'll show you something. Swear you won't tell anyone? I swear. What is it? A compass. A what? Wait. Look. Go play, you! That's north. The needle tells me that. That way is west, where the sun sets. If I go straight ahead, I'll reach my island. What's that thing for? The sun sets in the west. But with two suns, how will I manage? - You're really leaving? - Sure! Now that I have it, I can embark. I've found a captain. At first, I'll do all kinds of jobs, scrub the deck, sweep. That way, I'll learn. And I'll become a real sailor, with a uniform. Kwita... Don't be afraid. When I'm on my island, I'll think of you. At night, you'll look at the stars. So will I. We'll be like the twin towers. They see the same thing! Those towers are tall... so are we! Goal! Life... Is a pile of shit! "Steel Jaws"! Steel, my ass! Coming back? No, we're not. Dib, we're not coming back. "My mother wanted to sell my eyes!" So your mother's dead? She died screwing! Ali! Is he dead? He's not dead! He crapped! Can't you smell it? He crapped! Can't you smell it? The security men! The cellar! Let go! Let go of him! You don't die because of a stone... Like a dog. Depends where it hits you. Like a dog. Is he really dead? You dumped him like a dog! So we wouldn't get caught! At least, he's in his cellar. Ali was a prince. A prince? I thought his mother was a whore! We have to bury him. We'll bury him today. What? You crazy? Kwita, are we really going to bury him? We're going to bury him! Right! My uncle says that when you die... screw your uncle! We shouldn't have split. If we'd stayed with Dib, we'd be better off. You crazy? Know why Ali took us down to the port? He wanted to leave. He'd found a captain! He was going to embark! You want to go back to the bastards who killed him? I'll bury him! The whole world will cry! The whole city! Even you! Yeah, even you'll cry! You can keep goofing off, but I'm burying him today. What'll it cost? We don't goof off! What do you want? They're praying for the dead? Why? My friend just died. Here, it's only for the Pure. Ali was a prince. Only the Pure, I said! He needs prayers, too. We're burying him today. You don't pray. I know a surate. I can recite it, I swear. Don't swear. I went to the mosque once. Can you pay? Yes. How much? You know... my friend Ali wanted to become a sailor. To go to his island, the one with two suns... Now that he's dead, I think his island's in the sky... There are no islands in the sky. There's heaven or hell. Your friend's up there. Playing with the angels. With the angels? You dirty fuckers! Sons of bitches! Scavengers! Dib! Dib, let me out! I beg you! I swear I was going to give it to you! No point in shouting! He's deaf! Omar... We won't go back with them, right? Madame... I'm a good Moslem! Sardines, you fucker! I kept them for you. Kwita, you're a pal. You gave some to? To who? The old hag? No... You dumb? We got nothing to eat. We can't feed the rats. Rosa! Go inside, cat! Don't hang out with glue-sniffers. Can Aicha the witch get into the cellar? No, she lives in the water. And she's nine feet tall. If she lived in the cellar, her head would stick out! Why haven't you gone down? She may kill him all over again. We can't leave him in there! Are we still burying him? You should've seen what Omar did to them! It was wild! You destroyed that guy, Omar! A stone... right in his balls! In the end, they all ran away! - Is it true? - Even Dib ran away! You're a pain! OK, I forgot! What? We're eating in the toilet! Where are you now? In the living room. That's simple! When you want to rest, you go to the living room. To piss, in the toilet. To eat, in the kitchen. I must tell his mother. She is his mother... Omar, you gonna come? Why? Ali was your friend. Our friend! I'm coming, Kwita! We'll all go! Hey, kids! Where's the cabin-boy? Where's the cabin-boy? Where you going? Come back! Come back! Cigarettes by the unit! By the unit! Let go of me! Get out! Omar! You, stay there. Stay there! Will it last long? I don't know. She spreads her legs, I don't. What does a cabin-boy do? Beats me! Nuredin, you OK? My name isn't Nuredin. WINSTON's PLAYCE You can't spell! What did you learn in school? My uncle can crush ten with one foot! Then go home to him. Remember the pot of glue Ali stole from me? No. A full pot. Brand new. I said to him: "Give it back, you son of a whore." You knew about her? You told me. And then? He punched me. And then? I was furious. I didn't have time to tell him... Let me look. Go on, let me look. Weird! I see nothing. Buy one? You dirty glue-sniffer! Mrs. Zaoua. You know my name... I'm a friend of Ali's. Come in. You enjoyed the show? What do you want? To say I'm sorry. Is Ali sorry too? Why did he tell those lies on TV? Give me a cigarette. What do you do all day? Does Ali work? He still wants to be a sailor? Sailor, sure... He wanted to go round the world. He's a glue sniffer! He was going off to his island with a captain... Come. Look. Isn't that a nice room? What more does he want? You know what that's for? To play music. So he can fall asleep. He couldn't hear what went on next door. Look. I put them up. Don't touch! I'd have ripped out my own eyes before I sold his! Tell me your name again? Omar. Omar, do you sniff that shit? Ali, too? No, he never sniffed. Liar! Does he smell as bad as you? Ali stinks like that? It's foul! He smells of dead meat? Give me a cigarette. Money's in the ashtray. Yes, there. Now get out! Fast! What's wrong? Wait for me! Boubker, you didn't miss anything. If that's a mother, it's better not to have one. Maybe with Ali she was sweet. Sweet? My ass! Her thighs are always open! And when you told her Ali was dead? She doesn't give a damn. My uncle would have buried me... screw your uncle! Screw his mother, too! If she doesn't care about her son, we'll bury him. Yeah, we'll bury him! He had a shitty life... But he won't be buried like shit. Right, Omar? Shut up, you sniffers! Stop it! We gotta find money. Yes, money! Tons of money! You hear, Ali? Like a prince! Yes, like a prince! The whole town will talk of Ali Zaoua. You bury him... That takes balls! Rosa, go in! You OK? I'm OK. Get on board. Yesterday, you said "Where's the cabin-boy?" What's a cabin-boy? A young sailor, like your pal Ali. Ali? Where's he gone? Why? I haven't seen him in 3 days. You know him? You gave him this? Why have you got it? Were you taking him to his island? You're the captain? Where did you get that compass? Where is he? Why's he vanished? Louder! Louder! We don't have enough. At least, we're trying! And you? Shit! Where'd you get that? Look, Omar! Let me have it! I swear, I won't lose it! Please, Kwita! You'll help me bury him? Yes, I'll even read the prayer. Like a real priest! You sold your ass again! A soccer game! Goal! "Go, Raja, go! Let your pride show!" Like a prince! She's my sweetheart. She's sweet. She saw me on TV. We're going to get married. And have a house all of our own... Life... Is a pile of shit! Come play! Come play, I said! You killed him! With that stone! Move on! Don't hang around here. It's forbidden! Go play elsewhere. I want a uniform. You want to enlist? You're too young. I don't want to enlist. I want a uniform. Think you're at the market? I'll pay you. Pay me? What's it for? For a friend. Why doesn't he come? He can't. He's handicapped? No. Come back tomorrow. Omar... Why did Dib do that to me? I did nothing to him. Think it hurt me? I swear it didn't hurt. I just wanted to puke. You should have puked on him. But Kwita's money... I'd hidden it in my mouth. I tried to swallow it... so Kwita would see I know how to keep money. What will he say now? What can he say? I've found a stretcher. What are you up to? Watching movies. What? We can't starve to bury him. It was my money! Here. Keep it! I'm an idiot to give my money to a baby. You, beat it to your uncle's! You're going to beat it! I saw you run away when Dib came! If I'd done what you did they'd have all raped him. What? Boubker, it happened to us all! Then, they leave you alone. Kwita can tell you. They fucked his ass so much he could get pregnant! Ali too? No, Ali was tough. Is that why Kwita followed him like a dog? I'll bury him alone. I don't need a snotty kid and a bum. Don't fight! Don't fight! You fucker! Why'd you come back? Where are you? You have the same smile as Ali. You know, when I used to walk by with Ali, kids insulted us. We pretended not to hear. Ali was ashamed. But he said nothing. I could have answered them. I could have told them what their fathers do with me. But I wouldn't tell kids about that. You kids are so cruel! Omar... You're his friend, right? Tell him to stop hanging around. I had his tape-player fixed, now it's even louder. Tell him, Omar. Tell him. Shall we go to the fair? I sold everything and paid him back. Right, Kwita? Guys, don't you smell anything? Soap. No, it stinks. I smell nothing. Where were you? At the bath-house. My uncle would have washed me with hot water. What? Is it true Ali could pull cars with his teeth? I don't know. He told me that. Then it's true. You ever see him do it? No. But if he told you he could... Then it's true? How would I know? But you think it's true? I don't know, I told you. If you had to choose, you'd say it was true or not? I'd say it's true. Me too! What are you doing? Don't be a fool. We're twins. Like the two towers. I'm looking for those stars, like you said. But they hide. How will I manage, then? Where is he? Where is he? We were going to bury him. We weren't going to leave him there. Tell him! We just need to find a cemetery. I've already got the stretcher. Stand up. Not so loud! Not so loud! Pack of dogs! I'm fed up! Leave me alone! Look at Kwita! So I'm a bum? He'll see what this bum does! Where you going? I've got things to do. That's Kwita's watch! It's Ali's! Even the sweater he wears is Ali's. Go tell him! You'll pay me for it! Nuredin, you OK? My name isn't Nuredin. Don't start whining! You don't like my stretcher? Yes, but it lacks something. Shitty nails! They're like thumbtacks! Try again. Why do you do all that? Without you, we wouldn't have come to live in the port. Ali wouldn't be dead. He must have told you of me. What did you talk about? The sea, and the fish that live in it. And his island. With two suns? As if one sun wasn't hot enough! Is it true, there are no islands in the sky? What can I do? I want to do something. Go get nails, we'll need more. He'll spend everything! Liar! We paid you back your money! My money? Not even half of it! Get big nails! A burial is a matter for men. First, it wasn't our fault. He wanted out of Dib's gang. Mrs. Zaoua! What is it? This is for you. It was Ali's. He tried to defend you. They'd insulted you. He's dead. But we're going to bury him. Like a prince. What are you saying? It's not true! Like a prince. It's not true! Let go! Let go of me! Go away! To hell with her! She's a whore! You're a whore, too! Get the fuck out of here! I'm going back! What are you doing there? That's where the glue is! I need nails. Not those, big ones! 12 dirhams. No money, no nails! But I need them! Beat it, or I'll belt you! Get your ass over here! Where you going? I need nails. You won't find any there. Then, where? I'll show you. Khalid, is it true? I swear it! Big ones, huh? You pick them. Your nails are a long way away! We're almost there. Did that stone really kill Ali? You don't die because of a stone. We're burying him. Didn't I tell you? What? You're crazy! Why not? He has a right to be buried like anyone. You're burying him? Like a prince! You said we were going to get nails! Dib's got lots! You'll see... Liar! I don't want to go back to Dib's! Don't be afraid. If anyone touches you, I'll kill him. You'll remain beside me. Look! It's Omar! He's waiting for us. You coming? Look who's here! My friend Boubker! Our friend! Welcome among the great! You, you're a bum! You stink! Sit down. Know who I am? A prince, like Ali. My friend Ali tells me secrets! And gives me gifts like a chick. You bum! Don't touch my watch! Leave him alone! Omar, you know how it works? You never know nothing, you bum! Look. You take it and stick it way up your ass, and when you walk, it goes tick-tock! Good, you learn fast. You know his mother? No. Do you? Yes, she's a whore. Why didn't you tell anyone? I'll go get those nails. - Remember me? - You came yesterday. You got the uniform? Impossible! There are rules. You promised! I didn't promise. I said I'd see! I've got the money. You said to come back. I tried to find your uniform, but couldn't. You want me to go to jail? You gave your word! I didn't give you a thing. Yes, you promised! You really did! Liar! You son of a bitch! You fucker! You know him? He's a pal. Your pal's a fucker? You still here? Not going to run away like last time? Let go of me! Boubker and Omar say you want to bury Ali. Didn't you know? They're back with us. It's not true! Hey, Kwita! We saw Ali's watch! It's fabulous! Dib can't read the time. He said "Go get Kwita. "He'll know how." Stop being an idiot, come back! Dib's waiting for you. I've got things to do. "I've got things to do!" You like them? "A lot." - Where will you put them? - "In a vase." OK, but where? "In my bedroom, to perfume it." "Where do you live?" And you? A long way, that way. "And you?" A long way, too. The other way. "You have a house?" Of course. I don't live off anyone's back! And I'll have an occupation, like Ali. He wanted to be a sailor. I need to find my calling. Wait! You still have my necklace? "Yes, I wear it at night, when I go out with my girlfriends." Wait! I'm no coward, huh? I'll bury him. Then I'll come back! Eat, so you grow big and strong. Like Dib. You see, Boubker... Dib said: "No one wanted to kill Ali." We liked him a lot, even if he was bossy. Why did you leave? You should've stayed in the gang. Look! He threw the stone! You saw how Dib dealt with him? Coming back into the fold? Careful, the man's coming back! Through with your belly dance? Hi, sweetheart! We're not coming back! We're not, Dib! We're going to bury him. Tell him, we're going to bury him! Don't play cute! That's where we'll bury him! The body, tomorrow! Life... Is a pile of shit! They're there! They're there! The cellar! Where are they? They bother me day and night! Get rid of that vermin! Shit! Ali! Hamid! Did you hide him? I thought I could count on you. I'm crazy to listen to kids. It's not our fault. It's because of Dib's gang. You put him on your ice? Hamid... We want to bury him. We really want to! Look. We've got the shroud. We've even found the hole. The hole? To dump the cabin-boy in? You have the compass? Put it down. The stars... are in the sea. It's his boat! Do the two suns set at the same time? You can sleep in the cabin. All three of you. Boubker, come up! There's no more Boubker! Go away! What are you doing? I'm going to drown myself. Here I go! Don't be an idiot! I want to die! What for? So you won't forget me. Like in the bus, with Dib. You didn't even ask what he did to me. Today, I didn't forget you. I went to Dib's. You went for Ali. Ali is all that matters. I'm going to die too! So people care about me. Stop dreaming. Why can't I be a prince, like Ali? You're too little. You have lots of time to become a prince. Come up, now. Why should I? I have no family, nobody. And your uncle? Aicha, the witch! She's squatting there! She wants to strangle me. My uncle, wouldn't have left me there! Your uncle would have beaten you! See, you make fun of me! You don't even want us to sleep together! You always say: "We're not faggots!" I was just kidding! I'm not kidding! Enough of your bullshit. It's freezing, here. Can I sleep with you? Yeah... Gently... Watch out, he'll fuck you in the ass! I'm sure he can see us... He's proud of us. Maybe he had a shitty life... But he won't be buried like a piece of shit! Yeah! Maybe he's suffering, screaming, and we can't hear him. You stupid? Why would he scream? Dunno... With all the dumb things he did. You've done even more... I didn't eat during Ramadan. You used to fuck cats. One day I'll make up for it... Maybe he has a wife. Sure! In heaven, you get anything you want! When I'm dead, I'll have lots of money! At least three cars! I bet he's on a yacht, sailing the ocean. He's caught in a storm and can't sail on! The waves are as high as walls! Know what Ali Zaoua does? Tell me... He dives... He takes the rope between his teeth and swims like crazy. And Aicha the witch comes out of the water, she wants to strangle him! Yes. Know what Ali Zaoua does? What? He opens his jaws and fights her. Ali Zaoua... "steel jaws!" He's hurt, but he still wipes her out! In the morning, he takes his boat back to the island. It's hot, on the island. Sure, there's two suns! A pretty woman is waiting for him and they have a great marriage. They eat a ton of candies! Then he puts into her stomach a little Ali! Her hair's in pigtails and she's sweet. Ali Zaoua... The prince of the island. The rain will wash away our kitchen. Don't worry. An angel can't really die. Hamid! The wind started to blow. The boat was carried off by the waves. The child looked up. Facing him, the sun lit a piece of the earth. From behind a cloud another sun came out that lit up the whole island. He would finally know if the two suns set at the same time. Nuredin, you OK? Don't worry, we won't trash your junk. Where's the woman who... Who made you cry? Tell us, "Winston"? Then you'll beat it? Swear! I swear. She has gone to the fair. She's nuts! You fuckers! Stop! I've got it, Omar! Who's she? Here! Give me a coin! Life... Is a pile of shit... He wanted to know... if the two suns... set at the same time. Tell me, Ali, what do you want to be later? A sailor. Really? Why a sailor? Because I love the sea. Why else? That's what I want to do. |
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