"ALGERIA 1954"
Well?
Why do we make history begin
in the year 3000 BC?
What first appears at that time?
You know this.
We've studied it.
- Salma?
- Tools.
No.
We saw that's the start of prehistory.
Two million years ago.
Yacine?
Writing.
Very good, Yacine.
The invention of writing. In Mesopotamia.
And also...
Children! Pay attention!
And also, at the same time,
near here in Egypt.
Go on, Salah!
The Garonne...
The Rhine...
The Loire...
Just a second.
You rode up here?
The road's cut.
It is?
You're armed?
What's wrong?
There were twenty attacks all
over two days ago.
At the barracks in Berzina,
the sentries had their throats slit.
They killed a teacher.
Hand out the grain and leave.
Come back to Tinguit with us
until it blows over.
We're all in the same boat.
I don't think so.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Here, Madjid.
Help yourself.
Two hours from El Ameur to here.
Filthy weather, filthy times.
Can we untie him for the tea?
Of course.
I wouldn't mind some of
your stronger stuff.
Where are you heading?
Here.
Here?
Sleeping here?
I'm off back to El Ameur. He sleeps here.
You have to deliver him to Tinguit.
- He's wanted.
- What?
Those are orders.
I'm a teacher, Balducci.
We can't do it.
We have to cover the whole region.
It's bad.
You're tough. You'll be back
to your pupils in two days.
Sorry, we have no choice.
Is he a rebel?
No, I don't think so.
Well, you can never know.
- What has he done?
- Killed a man.
- Who?
- His cousin.
A theft, I think.
Stolen wheat...
In any case, he killed his cousin
with a billhook.
Like a sheep...
Does he speak French?
Not a word.
You're a good man, Balducci, but...
I won't do that.
Do what?
Take a man to his death.
His trial.
It's the same thing.
It's simple, Balducci.
I'm not doing it.
What are you doing?
I'm going.
Are you armed?
I won't need two.
I'm not doing it, I told you.
My orders were to hand him over.
Now it's up to you.
You have to keep him tonight now.
Come on...
There's no need.
As you want.
One word of advice...
Take him there.
Or they'll give you trouble.
They don't like you.
They'd love to shut your school
without French kids.
See you.
Come here.
Are you hungry?
Yes.
Here.
Take this.
Drink.
Lay this on your forehead.
Thank you.
You speak French?
Yes, a little.
I worked on the French farm.
I won't speak to the officer.
I'm glad you're taking me.
I'm not taking you anywhere.
Tomorrow, you're leaving.
Anyone here?
Who is it?
Is someone there?
Wake up!
Wake up!
Sit there.
- What do you want?
- We're from his village.
Let him leave.
Why do you want him?
What's it to you?
Want to go out?
Go on out! You're free.
- Go!
- No, I don't want to.
Give him to us!
Go away! This is a school!
Leave now!
He's armed!
Don't make me hurt you!
Go away!
We'll be back for you!
You're leaving.
You have to go before they come back.
Go, God damn it!
Go!
Go on!
Go on!
You understand?
Get lost!
React!
Aren't you a man?
If I go, I'm a dead man.
If you stay here too.
Take me to Tinguit.
No.
It's that way, south.
A day away.
Follow the track.
Wait!
Come here!
Taking me to Tinguit?
You know what you risk there?
Do you?
Do you really understand?
They'll judge you.
You know what awaits you?
Eat.
And drink.
Children, no class today.
Hey, you!
Hi, Francis.
Renm...
Did Balducci bring him here?
Yes.
Renm's herd was slaughtered.
What has he done?
Why?
We'll take care of him for you.
He didn't slaughter your cattle.
He killed his cousin.
He's the only prisoner. Leave him to us.
I'm sorry for you, Renm. But it wasn't him.
- You don't care!
- Ido.
Afraid to upset your friends?
It wasn't him, ok.
You don't get it, Daru.
Hand him over.
Calm down, he will.
Do as we say, damn it!
What do you care?
Lower the rifle.
Shut up, Daru!
Shit, Renm, don't make me!
Now listen.
He killed his cousin.
What village?
Jizer.
Jizer.
Go and check.
Francis...
Here.
Go now!
He'll catch up.
Go!
I'm sorry about your herd. Really.
Speed up.
They're coming.
We can't stay on the track.
We'll head over the mountains.
Lower the rifle. I won't hurt you.
No, lower yours!
You're not my enemy.
Lower it!
Carry on your way!
It's your fault. You hear?
He died because you're weak!
You have no courage!
You hear?
No honor!
Take his rifle.
And his cartridges.
No.
Keep it.
It's not true I have no courage
or honor...
We have to return to the abandoned village.
We came that way.
We might be spotted.
It's that or die of cold.
It's condensed milk.
Have a little. It's good.
I'll leave you tomorrow. You're free.
I'll go back to my school.
Is Tinguit far?
I don't believe it, damn it!
Give Tinguit a rest! Stop talking about it.
I'm sorry about all this.
Why did you kill your cousin?
If he steals my grain,
I die.
My parents die...
Your brothers?
Yes...
They die.
So why are they looking for you?
They know that in your village.
If someone steals your grain, you die.
My family...
My family can't pay the diya.
The blood money.
My cousins must take revenge.
That's our custom.
It's the law. You can't escape it.
We can't escape the law?
You want to escape your cousins though.
If my cousin kills me,
my brothers have to get revenge.
They're little...
I'm the oldest son.
I don't want that.
If I escape, vengeance will
strike my brothers.
Getting killed by the
French is the solution.
You made sure they caught you...
You planned it all.
You're the oldest, your name is Mohamed?
Yes.
Your parents know your decision?
That's why I want to go to Tinguit.
Take me to Tinguit.
Mohamed?
I'm here!
We have to leave.
Here.
What is it? Berouaga?
Yes, green berouaga.
Chew it.
It's not very good.
Bitter...
But it fills you up.
Yes. It's like bread.
Almost.
Almost the same.
You don't speak Arabic like a settler.
My parents worked with the Arabs.
Where?
Not far from here.
What did they do?
Not my cousins.
No one else.
He's my old teacher.
He's protecting me.
He has problems with his people.
He's going to hide me in Tinguit.
What do we do with them?
They come with us.
They can be useful.
They're going to kill us...
I don't know.
The French are in Ait Kermane.
The French are coming.
We're going back to Tamazgha.
Slimane... Slimane!
Daru?
Know him?
Four years in the infantry in the war.
The whole Italian campaign.
I don't believe it.
You're the settler?
"Long live the 3rd regiment!"
Why are you here, major?
And you?
- What are you doing?
- We have to leave.
Promise you won't escape.
I don't want to tie you up.
And certainly not shoot at you.
So? What's this about a school?
You teach little goatherds French?
I teach them to read.
Our ancestors the Gauls?
You distribute grain and that?
Yes, I distribute grain and that...
They must like you on the plateau.
I hope so... Why?
You're doing good works.
That's the term, right?
I teach them to read.
And him? Why are you taking care of him?
He was entrusted to me.
What'll you do with him?
I don't know.
I never thought I'd see this again... War.
Any children?
No. I have pupils.
Have you been a teacher long?
Since the war.
You're happy up there?
Yes.
Hello, major.
Hello, Madjer!
How are you doing?
Your brother?
Madjer!
Excuse me, sir!
Nearly every Algerian from our unit
is in the rebellion.
Madjer, for instance.
Since the Stif massacre.
You're on the wrong side this time.
I'm not against independence.
Join us then.
I join you my way, by educating my pupils.
So they can read.
We're beyond learning to read.
- We're throwing you out.
- "You"?
It's war. You have to pick a side.
What side?
I was born 20km away, my
parents are buried here.
I can't live elsewhere.
Daru, I love you like a brother
but if I have to kill you tomorrow, I will.
I'll die without knowing a woman.
You've never known a woman?
No.
Really?
I couldn't get married.
I can't do anything for you.
What's it like?
What?
Making love to a woman?
- Are you kidding me?
- No.
It's...
It's something...
I'd have liked to get married.
Are you married?
Yes... I was married.
You got married in Tinguit?
No.
In Algiers.
At Notre Dame d'Afrique.
- Never been to Algiers?
- No.
It's a beautiful spot...
up above the city,
a large church with a square in front.
It overlooks the Bay of Algiers.
It was windy that day.
A wind from the sea.
It was a beautiful wedding.
You're not married anymore?
I lost my wife ten years ago.
May she rest in peace.
Yes.
We have a hostage.
Fire and we shoot him!
Hold your fire!
Come any closer and we'll kill him!
Let us see him!
We want to see him!
Show us your hostage!
Show yourself.
Go to the entrance and come back.
Go on!
Show us the hostage!
One step too many, we'll kill you!
Are there many of them?
I didn't see.
Come out one by one,
hands on your heads. We won't hurt you!
You have one minute!
Back off or we'll kill him!
Back off to the bottom of the hill!
Are you wounded?
There are other exits!
Don't shoot!
We surrender.
Show yourselves!
Step towards us!
Drop your weapons!
Hands on your heads!
Come forward!
Hands on your heads!
I'm the hostage!
Don't shoot!
I'm the hostage!
He's with me.
He's not a rebel!
Hands on your head!
Search them.
They're clean.
Cease fire!
Step forward.
- You killed surrendering soldiers.
- They're not soldiers.
Come with me.
If the rebels win,
where will you hide?
Lieutenant Le Tallec.
I'm told you're a reserve officer.
Yes.
A major, right?
Am I free?
We checked.
You were given a prisoner. Tuesday,
is that right?
That's right.
You were believed dead.
We're going north,
continuing the clean-up.
Go to Berzina. That area has been secured.
We have a base camp
one hour away.
Follow the valley. They're expecting you.
Or wait for us here.
We found this on him.
It's bad when veterans turn against us.
You killed men who were surrendering.
That's a war crime.
I obey orders.
We must eliminate all
terrorists on the plateau.
Without prisoners. I'm doing it.
These?
You were wrong to shoot.
I'll head down with him.
That suits me.
Unit pulling out!
You want this to happen to you?
You'll surrender to them?
You're alive. We're lucky to be alive!
Your brothers may be dead
or gone but you're alive!
Alive!
Alive! You understand?
You shout at your class like that?
No.
Well...
A little.
Now and then.
Where are we?
Berzina.
What for?
You'll see.
You know it?
I was born down there.
My parents worked in the valley.
And over there.
Me too, as a child.
Over there?
In the vineyards
and for the halfah harvest.
I've never seen French
people harvest halfah.
No, they were Spanish. From Andalusia.
Los caracoles, they called us.
The snails.
Our houses on our backs.
For the French, we were Arabs.
And now, for the Arabs, we're French.
Hello.
Hello.
It's closed. We open in two hours.
Senorita Martinez?
Yes. Do I know you?
Yes.
I don't remember.
It's been...
about thirty years.
Ancient history.
For him too?
Yes, please.
He's Mohamed...
- Hello, Mohamed.
- Hello, ma'am.
And...
a girl for him.
This is all I have.
Can I leave you my rifle
and pay the rest when I come back?
You're coming back?
Yes.
Give me the rifle.
- It's a good one.
- Yes.
Mohamed!
Give me your hand.
Don't worry, I retired long ago.
Come on.
Raphaelle!
There's a man here for you.
Come on.
Come on.
No, thank you.
Yes, come on!
- I'm out of money.
- It's paid for.
Paid for?
It's been so long...
All right, we're going to Tinguit
as planned.
Or not?
Are we near Tinguit now?
Yes.
Here...
This is for you.
I found it myself.
I was eight.
It will bring you luck.
An Arab coin?
Keep it.
Thank you, Mohamed.
That's Tinguit.
The big building on the left
is the police station.
And that's the trail to the desert.
A day's walk from here,
you'll meet the first nomads.
They'll welcome you.
That's their law.
I can't.
Listen to me, Mohamed.
Do what you want.
If you go to the desert,
I'll say I handed you over...
And that they killed you.
There'll be no more revenge.
But you'll live.
You have my word.
I can't.
Here!
You'll be able to last a few days.
Mohamed...
Don't surrender.
Don't surrender.
But...
if you say you handed me over,
they'll come after you.
That's my problem.
Don't come back.
Ever.
Can I call you "Daru"?
Good luck, Daru.
Trust in the Creator. He will
be there for you.
Give to Him. He will give to you.
Ask Him. He will provide.
Right! Time for class!
- Hello, Meriem...
- Hello, sir.
Hello, Madjid. Hello, Omar...
Hello, children.
Hello, sir.
This is my last day with this class.
I have to leave.
You know that.
I'd like this to be a normal school day.
I'm very proud to be...
to be your teacher.
The Atlas mountains.
"FAR FROM MEN"
Adapted from the short story
"The Guest"
taken from "Exile and the Kingdom"
by Albert Camus.