Nimbus Film
presents
a film by
Kathrine Windfeld
THE ESCAPE
Thanks.
Hurry!
Hurry!
Surround the car.
Hold him.
Make sure he's not escaping.
Do it!
Cover her head.
Go!
Get her inside.
Drop her there.
Hold herlegs.
Tie herhands.
Come on.
Nazir, she's your responsibility.
She musn't escape.
Are you ready?
Is the camera ready?
In there!
Move the chair.
Sit.
Sit down.
Put this on.
Get her ready.
This is an important moment.
Allah is great!
Read! Read it aloud.
Tell herto read it.
Look, Mom!
- That's nice, Sweetie.
Could I have some juice, Dad?
Dad? More juice.
- Wait.
Did you know that your uncle
killed the interpreter and his family?
He said
we only needed the woman.
What will happen to her?
Is that hers?
- Where is Denmark?
Far away.
In Europe.
She looks happy.
Come on.
In the case
of the Danish hostage...
There isn't much
Denmark can do.
The interpreter, Zalmai Hussani,
who accompanied Rikke Lyngvig -
- was found dead this morning...
Ten days with no sign of life
I'll be right there.
It's this case...
It may go all the way to Strasbourg.
To the Court of Human Rights?
- Yes.
He became psychotic in isolation.
It's an open and shut case.
Honey...
I must be done
by tomorrow.
In ten minutes I'll be asleep.
- I'll be right there. I promise.
Ten days with no sign of life
Nazir... You'll have
the honour ofkilling her.
You must avenge
the death of your father.
But it's just another dead journalist.
No one can see
the difference anymore.
Not even BBC will air it.
You are wise, Nazir.
So was your father.
I remember how everybody
had great respect for him in Herat.
Maybe you're right.
Wie'll think of something new.
Let's go.
I'm leaving.
Watch the sheep.
Get the camera ready.
Are you ready?
The Danish government
refuses to cooperate.
They do not care about
this woman.
They have ten days
to meet our humble demands.
Each day we will demonstrate
our dedication to a free Afghanistan -
by taking a finger from this woman.
Ten days, ten fingers!
Allah is great!
Place her hand on the table.
Today you must prove you're a man.
Be a man.
Do it for your father.
Do it for a free Afghanistan.
Allah is great!
Be a man, Nazir.
Do it for Islam.
Do it for your father.
Allah is great.
Allah is great!
Don't you think I know
you cannot escape without help?
Someone gave her the keys.
- That's not true! I didn't help her!
Get him out.
Everybody out! We must leave.
And the interpreter, Zalmai?
- He...
He didn't make it.
Unfortunately.
And his wife and children?
We found their bodies in a ditch.
Shortly after
you had disappeared.
Rikke...
How did you manage to escape?
I knocked down one of the guards,
took his keys and ran.
I've never heard of anyone
escaping the Taliban.
On their own.
How did you find your way?
I don't know.
- Right, but maybe you...
I don't know,
and I'm really exhausted.
These gentlemen are experts
in matters of terrorism.
They have a few questions.
Denmark
Hi.
- Hi.
Ready for the press conference?
- Yes.
Take all the time you need.
- Okay.
Are you sure? If you need...
- Damn it, I just told you I'm ready.
Let herthrough!
Good morning, everyone.
It is with great joy and relief
that I am able to welcome home -
our dear colleague
Rikke Lyngvig.
Rikke, how did you escape?
How was captivity?
Were you very afraid?
What happened was that shortly after
having my finger cut off, I fainted.
And when I woke up -
I was lying in my cell.
And...
I noticed... that the guard watching
me had fallen asleep...
So I picked up this rock...
Hi, it's me.
Uh... Thomas.
I just heard...
...what happened.
I can't stop thinking about...
I hope you're okay.
I can't...
Give me a call.
Please give me a call.
Call me, no matter what.
Bye.
Hi, Rikke!
- Hi.
Hi. Welcome back.
- Hi, Susi.
So, Bech, do I still have a desk?
- Hi, Rikke.
It's great to see you.
- You too.
Are you okay?
- Well...
Oh right.
Seriously, are you okay?
- Yes.
There's no pressure.
- Don't you start, too!
I'm serious.
Don't push yourself too hard, now.
All I want is to get back to work.
Fair enough.
Welcome home.
Thank you.
I'll write a two-page account
right down to the last detail.
A diary?
Personal and therapeutic.
That's a great idea.
It'll sell more papers,
and we like that.
Yes.
I assume you'll be expecting more
than a free lunch in return?
Yes, obviously,
but you know what I want, Kielland.
I want to do political stuff
and refugee stories -
even if it doesn't fit
with our editorial line.
And I want to write a book.
Independently from the paper?
- Yes, about my thoughts on the war.
Don't you ever stop working?
I take it we have a deal.
So, the war correspondent
has returned.
Yes, it was a rough ride.
But you get a lot of publicity.
You were always good at that.
Excuse me?
I mean...
It may be difficult to live up to,
if you are not a damn fine reporter
Welcome to our Minister of Integration
and to reporter Rikke Lyngvig.
We're here to throw some light on the
ongoing debate about the interpreters.
Hanne Hvidtfeldt, why don't you grant
these interpreters asylum.
They've made
their own bed.
They accepted a risky job,
and it is the Afghan government...
These Afghan interpreters have
chosen to help the Danish government.
They put their lives on the line forus
so aren't they our responsibility?
We can't make special laws
for everybody.
We must see the bigger picture.
Is that what you want?
Special laws for people in distress.
I find it deplorable that every time
we hear of a pig transport -
that has a hint of neglect about it-
we make special laws
'cause we are oh so outraged.
But when it comes to refugees,
it's suddenly all about the principle.
How can your government defend
that pigs are better off than people?
In this case, my hands are tied.
Our supporting party won't accept it.
You know
I always oppose tightenings.
But in this case,
I have no choice.
You always have a choice!
- It's not that simple.
I'm only able to help someone,
if I've got political backing.
That's the name of the game.
Nazir!
You're a good boy
and I choose to believe you.
I have a very special gift for you.
Come...
Abduljabar Khan was just appointed
Home Secretary.
In three days he'll be staying there.
- At that hotel?
He promised his three children
they'd get to see the town mosque.
They must be well protected.
- They only bring one guard.
Nazir... get help.
No... Oh God.
Not my son.
Help me.
Oh God no...
Are you coming?
May I?
- Yes, of course.
I must have called you
a hundred times.
What are you doing here?
- Why don't you return my calls?
I've been working non-stop,
since I got back.
I'm really pressed for time.
I see.
I didn't realize.
I'll wait until you have time.
Okay?
Let's go for a walk.
Come on, don't be so stubborn.
It's just a walk.
Atiny walk.
I thought I was going to lose you.
I saw you on TV,
and it scared me senseless.
But we haven't
seen each other for years.
You've got a wife and kids
and all the things we could've had.
You didn't want me.
No, not back then.
I wasn't ready.
And now?
I don't know.
Sorry. I'm a little nervous.
It's okay.
I was so afraid, Thomas.
I thought I was going to die
in the backseat of that car.
In my mind's eye I kept seeing
all the films of decapitations.
And then...
Then I saw you.
The very last image in my head
was of you.
And nothing else.
Can you imagine that feeling?
To be thinking of you,
when I believe I'm about to die.
Come here.
I didn't mean to...
- Then you turn up out of nowhere.
I never wanted to upset you.
I know.
But you're married.
Yes.
I'm married.
Which is why
we won't do this again.
I won't settle for having you
only in my mind.
I won't do that.
Turkey
What now?
What are we doing here?
If we're ever to get the 4,000 dollars
for a trafficker-
we'll be collecting cans
for three years.
I'm going to Denmark.
Give us the cans!
Let them have the bag.
There is a way to get to Denmark
that won't cost us 4,000 dollars.
How?
We jump on a truck,
and it takes us straight into Europe.
You must be crazy.
You want us to jump onto a truck?
Do you think Rikke will help us?
Yes.
You saved her life.
Do you think everyone in Europe
has blonde hair?
Yes, like Paris Hilton.
She's from America.
- She's beautiful.
Look at the cars.
They slow down,
where the road starts climbing.
Have you lost your mind? They're
going at least 50 miles an hour.
Do we have a choice?
We could go to a brothel
and sell our bodies.
It pays 200 dollars a trick.
We'd only have to do it 20 times.
You kind of want to, right?
- I've seen the looks you send me.
You'd do it for free.
Wait for a truck.
That one.
Ready?
Now!
What the hell?
Read it.
What do you mean?
- What part of 'read it' didn't you get?
You're the only one
who hasn't read it.
You want me to interview her?
- Sunday a week from now. Full page.
Do people never get tired ofher?
- Nope.
I think you should shoot the pictures
at her boat.
Yes, of course she also has a boat.
- Cheer up!
Look at me, please.
Thank you.
I'm all done.
...I found a rock in my cell -
and then I hit the guard on the head.
I sneaked out -
and ran like hell.
Anything else you want to ask me?
No, not really.
- Okay.
Congratulations on your book.
- Thank you.
Well, I never heard of anyone
escaping the Taliban on their own.
See you.
- Yes. Bye.
- Push.
- Will he come if I push it?
Will he come if I push it?
Maybe something exciting happens.
- Maybe something exciting happens
One, two, three...
- One, two, three...
What were you doing
in the girls' section?
Looks like a big Viking
once fucked your mother.
Huh?
She went out the window!
Over there.
Get the dog!
Get the fucking dog!
Rikke speaking.
Hello?
It's Thomas.
I miss you.
Where are you?
I'm at...
...an office party.
You're drunk.
Go home to your house in the suburbs.
Right?
- Yes.
Thank you.
Why are you doing this?
I can't help myself.
You can't have it all.
I think I'm doing alright.
Would you leave your wife for me?
Don't ask me stuff like that.
- I want to know what this is to you.
I love the scent of you.
I love your smile and your kiss.
And I love...
I love that you know what you want!
But, do you love me?
I love that you're
so fucking stubborn.
Let it ring.
Come here.
Rikke, don't answer it...
- Hello, Rikke speaking.
Why is he in Denmark?
- I don't know.
Why is he calling you?
- I don't know, damn it.
It's not very clever to meet
with a terrorist who tortured you.
He's extremely dangerous.
You'll just have to trust me.
Okay?
Rikke...
Would you mind telling me
what this is all about?
I had to lie.
Here.
From a legal point of view...
You must come forward.
No, that's a bad idea.
He's on the run, and if I do that,
they'll ship him back to Afghanistan.
Not if you tell the truth.
That'll change the whole picture.
I'll fix it. I have an old friend
that can help me.
No one needs to know about this.
So, what will you do?
I know
how the media will spin this.
I lied to the world in a book
that sold 30,000 copies.
People will understand.
- No, they won't!
To them he's a terrorist,
no matter what I say.
You owe it to him to try.
- I don't even know him, damn it!
Morning, Arne.
- Good morning.
Couple on the run
Rikke, this is really bad timing.
We're under a lot of pressure,
and the police'll be here any day.
You must help me.
I don't know what to do with him.
I know a family that was previously
convicted of hiding refugees.
Please, talk to them.
- It's Ole's contact.
Fine, call Ole.
He's on a trek in Norway,
so it's gonna take a few days.
Dammit! I can't wait that long!
- Rikke, calm down.
Two days.
You can handle it!
- Yes.
I'll give you a call.
- Yeah.
So, we'll talk.
- Yeah.
It'll be okay.
It's a funeral for a dog. Of course
we'll cover it. It sells newspapers.
The dog got a mountain of mail
from readers.
I'll call you back.
Shit!
It is him.
No doubt about it.
Look at the eyes.
Why are you so hell-bent
on taking down Rikke?
If you won't print it,
I'll take it elsewhere.
Of course, we'll print it.
It's a great piece of work.
No matter why you did it.
- I go for the good story.
And this story is good.
- Yes, definitely.
But we need to hear
Rikke's side of it first.
Isn't it cut-and-dried?
- Aiding a terrorist is just like her.
She believes her great ass
can get her everywhere.
Shut up, Arne.
Rikke, speaking.
- Hello, Bech here.
Would you stop by the paper?
What's that?
Who took this?
Arne, did you take this?
Did you stalk me and take
pictures of me, you sick bastard!
Rikke, this doesn't look too good.
You're a proclaimed heroine,
and you run around with a terrorist.
The very same that kidnapped you.
Did you make some sick deal there?
So that you could return a heroine?
Shut your mouth.
We must call the police.
Why the hell didn't you tell us?
- I didn't know what to do!
Stay here with Bech.
I'll go get my stuff.
...pencils and everything...
- Pencils and everything.
There he is!
- There he is...
gge, speaking.
- Hi, it's me.
I need your help.
Meet me at the boat right away.
I'll take Nazirto a safe place.
What's up?
Don't worry, Rikke.
Thank you, Rikke.
Hi.
I apologize but...
- Hi.
Hello.
- I'm Sarah.
Thomas' wife.
I'm Rikke, and I know Thomas
from 10 years ago...
Yes.
I know who you are.
Please, come in.
- Thank you.
I saw the police at my house
and I...
I don't know what I thought,
except that Thomas' judicial insight-
makes him the only one
who might be able to help me.
Yes.
Yes, of course.
I'll get the guest room ready,
and tomorrow we'll figure it all out.
Right?
One must help where one can.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Thomas.
N is safe.
Kidnapped joumalist meets
with terrorist
Why is he wearing your jacket?
You said it got stolen at the party.
- It's not what you think...
Don't lie to my face.
Do you take me for a fool?
Don't you think
I see what's going on?
I knew this would happen.
Why didn't you say anything?
Because I love you.
I'm taking the girls to the cottage.
I'm so sorry.
Shut up.
Are you coming back?
If I had known that Sarah...
- I don't want to talk about it.
Not right now.
Not right now.
We should...
We must focus.
First of all,
you need to regain your credibility.
You're losing sympathy
from all corners because of your lies.
What should I do?
- What I've been saying all along.
Come forward with the truth.
And this time, the actual truth.
So I should just say:
"Yes, I lied. Let's move on."
Yes.
I have a camera here.
You tell your story from the beginning.
In detail and with honesty.
Let people know
why you acted as you did.
Isn't there some legal measure...
Wake up, damn it! This has nothing
to do with the law! It's a media thing.
Radio and the papers are all over it,
and TV will be tonight -
and tomorrow the word is
that you lied and helped a terrorist.
That's what he is to them.
Nothing but a terrorist.
Not a single politician will find it
lucrative to grant asylum to Nazir.
We must turn the whole thing around!
Make people understand -
that defending Nazir is a just cause
and maybe, just maybe...
...the politicians will step up.
So, a speech of defence?
- Yes.
This is an open letter.
My name is Rikke Lyngvig,
and I have been lying to all of you.
I had no choice, and I'd do it again
in similar circumstances.
I was kidnapped in Afghanistan
by Nazir Osmani and his group.
Nazir had recently lost his father
in a demonstration in Gereshk.
US soldiers shot him and he died
from internal haemorrhage.
Nazir's father oppsed the Taliban,
but Nazirwas pressured by his uncle-
- to avenge his father's death
and join a terrorist group.
His life was threatened, and he was
forced to take part in my kidnapping.
Were it not for Nazir Osmani,
I'd be dead today-
- and that is why I lied to the media
about my escape-
- so that his uncle would not find out
that Nazir had betrayed him.
But the group got suspicious
andwould have forced him-
- to perform even worse actions
leading to more violence and deaths.
Nazir did the morally correct thing,
when he released me-
- and I appeal to the authorities,
the media and to the politicians-
- not to punish this boy but instead
help him by granting him asylum.
We should follow our consciences, as
Nazir followed his, when he saved me.
Welcome, Hanne Hvidtfeldt.
- Thank you.
This appeal has had
all of Denmark in uproar today-
and it's an appeal addressed to you.
What will you do?
We cannot oblige Rikke Lyngvig.
We must get to the bottom of this,
and Nazir Osmani must be tried.
But if Rikke Lyngvig speaks the truth,
it seems you ought to take action.
Rikke Lyngvig is a good person,
but although she's highly involved -
- she doesn't know all there is to
know about Nazir Osmani's activities.
That's up to the courts, and today
Nazir's group, Juyush as-Thar-
- claimed responsibility for the US
convoy blown up earlier this year.
Did Nazir Osmani's group
attack US soldiers?
Does that mean that he will be
extradited to Guantnamo?
Yes, our terror law enables us
to cooperate with the US.
- If they ask us, we'll consider it.
- Thank you forcoming.
That's all for now
about the sensitive Nazircase...
That's the last thing
we wanted to happen.
They're extraditing him.
If Hvidtfeldt says it on TV,
they're doing it.
They can't send him to Guantnamo.
- That's what the terror law is for!
Turn yourself in.
As soon as possible.
It'll only get worse.
If I turn myself in,
they'll want me to take them to Nazir...
They'll find him anyway.
They'll find him sooner or later.
...extradition to the US
and eventually Guantnamo.
You'd better go inside.
Hello?
Yes?
Hey, it's really you?
How did you know where to find me?
- I know you better than you think.
What do you want?
This came for you at the paper.
Rikke, you're throwing it all away
for a terrorist.
Maybe he saved you
in order to save himself.
Maybe.
But I can't know that for sure.
I hope you think long and hard
about this.
Thank you.
He's right.
I'll take you to the police.
The sooner the better.
So let's get it over with tonight.
And the paper don't...
- Just a minute!
I have to help him.
We've been through this.
How would you help him?
I don't know.
There must be a solution.
There is no solution, Rikke.
Before doing anything,
I'm taking this letter to Nazir.
Okay?
I'm Rikke Lyngvig, and I...
- I know who you are.
Okay.
I'm here with a letter for Nazir.
I'll go wake him up. Come in.
- Thank you.
Nazir, we have company.
This is empty!
That's good.
Is he conscious?
- Yes.
We've decided to keep him here
for 24 hours.
I'll arrange a private room for him.
I'm bound by professional secrecy,
but there are other doctors...
Okay.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'll stay here
and do what I can for Nazir.
Yes.
I should probably
be getting home now.
You've changed.
Yes. I've grown up.
I liked you better before.
It was different back then.
- Not for me.
We can't all act 22 and still believe
we can save the world.
Oh, okay!
What can we do, then?
Sit in a mansion with a trophy wife
and two biodynamic children?
And fuck an idealist like me
on the side, hoping it'll rub off.
How dare you judge me!
I struggle every single day!
I may not have had my fingers cut off,
but I sure as hell do what I can!
You write a book based on a lie!
And for what?
For fame?
'Idealist'? You're a fucking hypocrite!
How wonderful that we
still have something in common!
I love you.
I know.
There are tailbacks
on most freeways.
Cars are backed up all the way...
The police are searching all cars
because of the Nazircase.
So patience is the key word...
Sweden
THE END