Heaven Without People (2017) Movie Script

1
What are you doing?
We can't burst in like this!
- We need to open the door.
- No. Ring the bell!
- There's no electricity.
- Knock on the door.
What's the big deal?
- Babe, I have the keys.
- Call your mother, tell her we're outside.
- The wrapping is beautiful.
- Yes, it's nice.
- Did you choose it?
- Yes.
- What is it with you?
- It's a very Freudian situation.
- Enough with Freud! Call your mother.
- Okay.
- I thought I heard something!
- How are you, Mom?
Welcome! Christ is risen!
- He is risen!
- And we are witnesses to His resurrection.
- Hello, Auntie.
- Hello, darling.
- Sorry we're late.
- Don't worry, Serge sent me a message.
So, we're witnesses?
Which of us was alive 2,000 years ago?
Come in now.
Why did we send you to a Catholic school?
- Hello, Zoufan!
- Happy Easter!
- There was no need for a gift.
- It's nothing!
- Hello, Dad, happy Easter.
- Happy Easter.
- Hello, Uncle, happy Easter.
- Nice to meet you! Happy Easter.
- Christ is risen!
- Happy Easter.
- May we soon celebrate your wedding!
- May we always be celebrating!
- Those are your seats.
- Thank you.
- Sorry, we already started eating.
- No worries.
It's our fault, we arrived late.
This is my sister, Christine,
and her husband, Elias.
- Happy Easter!
- How are you? Happy Easter!
- How's everything?
- Good.
- This is Yara, their lively daughter.
- Cute.
My aunt Noha and Sami, her son,
currently busy on his phone.
And you've met the rest:
Rita, her husband Rabih...
- I'm fine.
- and Gaby.
Enjoy your meal, Gaby.
- Yes, I know you all from pictures.
- Which pictures?
On Facebook, or maybe an album
that Serge showed me.
- Facebook, what an invention!
- What an invention, but she never uses it.
- As if I could find the time!
- Do you like the food, Rita?
- Christ is truly risen!
- You're not waiting for my answer, right?
- My mistake. I really miss you.
- Me too. How are you?
- Fine. You've kidnapped the kid, Leila?
- The kid is always busy, don't blame me.
Sami, put the phone down
and greet Serge and his friend.
- You mean girlfriend?
- Girlfriend or friend, put it down.
- Sami is all fired up on Facebook.
- Fired up?
He's always posting pictures of parties,
friends and girls.
- Hello, Sami.
- Hello. Welcome to the family.
- Such a joker, Abou El Sam!
- He is.
- What are you watching?
- A video my friend sent me.
- Friend or boyfriend?
- That was a quick payback.
I need to use the bathroom.
It's on the left, right?
- Bathroom? For what?
- Do you really need to ask that?
She just went before we came.
I'm just surprised.
- Leila.
- Yes?
- Nabil is in the bathroom.
- There's someone in the bathroom?
- Yes, Nabil.
- For an hour!
There's the guest bathroom,
but it's not working.
Your father got Jean to fix it,
but he made it worse.
The toilet seat is old
and the bowl is new. They didn't fit.
You keep blaming the seat.
The seat can last 100 years,
but Jean is a clumsy mule.
He broke the seat and kept the bowl.
I am going to make him pay for it.
- I will get someone else.
- No. I will sit on his neck.
No. Mom! You got it all wrong.
The expression is breathe down his neck,
not sit on his neck!
- Yara, don't you want to eat?
- Come here!
Let's go check on Maria.
Yes, sure!
- She's sleeping in Mom and Dad's room.
- Great, let's go.
- She's such a pretty baby.
- Please, don't wake her up.
- No worries, we will be careful.
- She just fell asleep,
let her mother enjoy it.
Gaby, you're in quite a joking mood today.
- This is my childhood bedroom.
- Nice.
- I hope he won't take long.
- What's with the bathroom all of a sudden?
I just need to pee, is that forbidden now?
Why are you making an issue out of it?
Lower your voice.
- God bless her, she's so cute.
- She looks like me, doesn't she?
- Not at all!
- Not at all?
She looks a lot like your sister.
She's adorable.
Last time I saw her was eight months ago.
She's grown so much.
- When she was born?
- Yes.
- So sweet!
- I barely recognized her.
Yara!
Check out what Rita is doing.
Rita!
Yes, Rita, teach her,
teach her to do these things.
Noha, dear.
It's a double trouble generation.
They eat, but stay hungry.
They sleep, but stay sleepy.
They listen but don't hear.
And they leave and don't return.
- So you need to be patient with him.
- You're right, sister. God help us.
- They fart and don't care.
- You're such a character, Rita.
- You nailed it.
- I'm full.
What do you mean you're full?
Stop eating hummus, lunch just started.
- Wine, anyone?
- Yes, please.
Me too, please.
Elias, what are you drinking?
Can I get you something? Whisky?
- Is there beer?
- Yes, sure.
- Christine, how about you?
- Just water. I can't drink alcohol.
Of course, I forgot.
Anyone else want a beer?
- Me.
- Water is best.
- Yara.
- Mami.
- Yara, enough.
- She's so grown up!
Yes, indeed,
and she looks so much like Christine.
- No, she resembles her uncle Serge!
- No.
She resembles me? Really?
Serge, can you turn on the generator?
Nobody knows it better.
How long has the electricity been off?
It's been such a hard day.
Both the state electricity and the street
generator have been off since noon.
At 2:00 p.m., it came on for half an hour,
then went off.
The generator is taking an Easter break!
The food in the fridge will rot.
A week's work, gone.
- The food is on the table, Mom.
- The problem...
There's so much more.
The problem is that when people
speak up against the monthly fees,
all of a sudden, the generator
starts overheating.
Then it gets sick and sneezes.
What a coincidence!
You're too harsh on them, Gabz.
Life is full of coincidences!
- This is our country.
- I'm married to a philosopher.
- Let's go start up the generator.
- Sure.
Yara, sit down.
- Okay.
- You're taking her with you
wherever you go?
Like a key chain?
- I'm showing her the house.
- Showing her the house?
By taking her to see the generator?
Why didn't you ask Gaby?
First of all, Gaby is a lazy butt.
And second, Serge knows the generator.
Only he can start it.
She's not lying.
- I'm the family expert in mechanics.
- Are you?
This way, Leila.
- Is this the generator?
- Yeah.
Good, it still has some gas.
Okay, this is... No, like this.
- Stand back a bit.
- Yes.
- Bravo, Serge!
- Serge, our hero!
- Finally, some light!
- Joujou!
- Where are you?
- I'm here.
Do you remember in 1991,
that merchant who bought all the
generators on our street on the cheap,
since the war had ended and electricity
was supposedly coming back?
Yes. Who would've predicted that,
27 years later,
the electricity still cuts out daily!
Everyone sold their generators
and they hit a brick wall. Poor them!
Indeed. In Lebanon, be optimistic
and you will ride straight into a wall.
Really.
Fabulous pastries!
We were lucky
we didn't sell our generator.
Now, when we use it, the sound of it
makes the neighbors jealous.
Yes, sure! As if Wadih El Safi
was performing a concert outside.
Mom, can we close the door?
- Our ears are hurting.
- It's coming from the kitchen window.
Zoufan?
- Yes, ma'am?
- Close the kitchen window, please.
- Okay.
- Such delicate ears you have, Gaby.
- I'm taking music lessons, as you know.
- Poor darling, you're so full of it.
- Great work, guys!
- Good one. It's all lit up.
- How did it work?
- Just use the choke valve.
What do I know about choke valves?
He is the choke valve master.
- It needs expertise.
- Master of choke valves!
Such a dull joke!
- Did you try the pastry?
- Very tasty.
They got the timing all wrong this year
in the Orthodox Church.
On Good Friday it was sunny,
and today it's rather gloomy.
Rita, your hubby must be happy this year.
Catholics got it right!
Never, Auntie. God is an Orthodox!
Hitting where it hurts!
Cheers to you, my son-in-law!
- You're most welcome.
- Now Mom will be happy.
She's already happy.
Elias, tell us, man. How is work?
It's good.
- Honestly, I'm leaving the job.
- Really?
- Yes, it's my last week.
- Why?
It's nothing.
Leila, Serge, there's fattoush.
Can I serve you some?
- Thanks, Auntie, I've already got some.
- Don't be shy, honey.
Sami, put away your cell phone.
By the way, is Fado not coming today?
I called her earlier this week,
and she said
- she was going out with her boyfriend.
- That's what she said?
That's what she said.
- Why is Yara not in her seat?
- She's playing over there.
On Wednesday she told me
she was not sure.
Yara, come to the table. Come on.
If only you would stop spoiling her!
- She promised to come.
- Then it's not her fault.
- Whose fault is it then?
- I don't know.
- Gabz?
- Yes?
- How is it looking for next week?
- Fado is like that, it's okay.
- You mean the elections?
- Let her be.
- Yes.
- Honestly, there's hope,
but the challenge
is convincing people like Dad.
- Why?
- Ask him.
My son, the devil you know is better
than the one you don't.
Here we go!
Dad, don't get offended,
but that's the worst excuse in the world.
Rita, the president called me,
and we we're voting for them.
- The president of the municipality?
- Yes. And we're voting for them.
They've fulfilled all their duties to us.
What do you mean? Which duties?
You mean, when you die,
they will come to your funeral?
But when you're alive, what do they do?
Other than make us eat shit?
When you're alive, they kill you.
We don't know these new ones,
how credible they are.
What kind of logic is that?
Surely the new ones are better
than the corrupt old ones.
- Gaby, Rita, please, no politics today.
- Okay.
- Leave it for another time.
- Every time we talk, we get silenced.
Okay, Mom, no politics.
But let's not forget that the highest
leader in Lebanon is worth a trash bag.
Oozing stinky liquids out from it.
- Would you like a glass for water?
- No, I'm good with the one I have here.
Sami, how inappropriate to say this
during lunch!
No politics. As you wish.
But I have to warn you
that next week,
I will deflate your car tires.
A family lunch without politics?
Mission impossible.
Thus spoke Zarathustra!
- Who wants some tabbouleh? Sami?
- Christine, not too much. He doesn't eat.
No. I'm good.
Are we having an egg fight?
- Finish your food first.
- Yes, I'll bring the eggs.
- Rabih, please hand me the vegetables.
- I'll get it.
Please.
Choose your eggs well for the fight!
- Rabih, if I can bother you.
- Nice colors!
- Who did the coloring? You?
- Yes, who else?
- I'll take the blue.
- I'll take the brown.
Please don't start yet. Wait for Yara.
- This one looks strong, thank you.
- I'll keep an egg for Yara.
- Beautiful eggs, Mom!
- Check how strong it is.
- Very festive.
- Colored and prepared for egg tapping.
This year, for the first time,
they distributed eggs for the kids
at church.
By the way, what's with that fancy car
Father George was driving? Is that normal?
In the old days,
they used to walk from town to town.
A priest needs to have a car
to run errands.
- And also a cell phone and a house.
- Why? Why so much?
But the car doesn't have
to be worth 40,000 dollars.
- How much?
- Forty thousand.
Minimum. It's the newest Mercedes.
It's unbelievable!
It doesn't need to be expensive,
but he needs a car to help people,
to move around.
- How can he move around?
- How is it that they used to walk?
Walk? Maybe they enjoyed it as a sport.
What an excuse, Mom!
But a priest needs a car, a cell phone
and a house.
Father George...
Rabih and I both wanted to get married
at his church, remember?
- Yes, we know.
- So we went and talked with him.
He didn't accept. Why?
Because Rabih is Catholic.
Only after persistent pleading
did he finally agree.
Pleading? We ended up paying him
three times more than Elias and Christine.
- That is another issue.
- What can we say,
some priests worship money!
A religious man supposedly.
Some people call it extremism,
but it's all about money.
Yes, indeed.
Imagine for a moment
that only Christians with this mentality
were left in this country.
They would kill each other.
- Let's be honest, there's extremism.
- Exactly.
Not long ago, in Ireland, Catholics
and Protestants used to kill each other.
Who is fueling this extremism?
There's extremism everywhere,
even between Christians.
- For sure.
- That's because they are being fooled.
- By whom?
- By priests.
I agree, some priests are extremists,
no doubt.
Father Raymond,
now that he's an archbishop,
on Saint Maron's Day, said in church,
"We, the Maronites,
are the original Christians."
The Patriarch should remove this guy
from office.
I waited for him outside,
and he greeted me with a laugh.
So I asked him,
"Father, how could you say that?
Isn't your mother from the Hneni family?"
He said, "Yes." So I replied,
"That means you're half Orthodox.
How could you talk like that?
You disappoint me!
You're creating a rift
between Christians."
Really, Mom?
You followed him,
waited for him outside,
and finally told him,
"You disappoint me!" That's it?
- He got what he deserved.
- Instead of scolding him.
Scolding him? He made a mistake,
talking like this.
Anyhow, all is good.
May God bless you all,
and may God take care of your father,
a very special man.
- Cheers!
- Cheers!
- Cheers! God bless this beautiful family.
- Cheers to Mom and Dad!
Welcome Elias! Rabih!
Our beautiful sons-in-law!
Welcome to the family, Leila.
- Cheers to my brothers, the thugs.
- Above all, this is a toast to drink.
You mean the thug rulers of Lebanon.
- Who might it be?
- Maybe Fadia?
- No.
- She always rings the doorbell hard.
That was a very subtle ring.
I'll go check who it is.
Look into the peephole before opening up.
Maybe Fadia is acting delicate
in front of her new boyfriend,
- pretending to be classy.
- Prestige and stuff.
After they marry,
she'll be back to being a brute.
What is this?
A Daesh militant visiting us on Easter?
- No. I think it's the generator guy.
- With that beard? Are you sure?
Daesh?
- What's the matter?
- Hello.
They've sent you on Easter?
You barely leave and then you're back.
It's the first day of the month.
Should I come back later?
- No, it's okay. You're here now.
- What's the matter?
No generator, no electricity,
and you don't do discounts. Why is that?
The state electricity
has been cut for two days.
- Our generator could no longer handle it.
- Excuses, excuses.
- Is the generator on the balcony?
- Yes, thank God.
We pay state electricity, your generator,
and gas for our own generator.
If only you would discount the gas price.
- Let me see this receipt.
- No worries, ma'am.
You always say that,
and yet I'm sure it's 40 dollars.
Yes, it is.
I know, darling, I know.
- God! In Dekwaneh, we pay 30.
- Apparently we live on a VIP street.
There's less power cuts in Dekwaneh.
And here, it's practically nonexistent.
- Joujou, do you need change?
- No, dear, go finish your food.
- I'll go get the money.
- Okay, then.
- Excuse me for a second.
- No problem.
In the name of Christ!
Saint Rita, I implore you.
- My egg's a bottom.
- Really? He was an Orthodox?
Yes, he was.
If someone who's not a Maronite runs,
what would happen?
Nobody would vote for him.
- Feels like a strong egg.
- Serge, what do you have? Let's tap.
These days, it's no longer an election,
but an appointment.
I have a bottom. Leila as well.
Is this a bottom or top?
How can I tell?
Christine?
During the Taif Agreement,
it was written into the constitution
that the president be Maronite,
the head of parliament Shiite,
and the prime minister Sunni.
This is a bottom.
See how it's a bit more rounded?
That's from 1943, and it was never
actually written in the constitution.
It was a custom that remained.
Yes. What changed in Taif was just
the religious parity in parliament.
Yara, please sit.
- All went well?
- Yes.
The door closed, maybe from the wind.
They sent him on Easter. How rude!
- Did you tell him that?
- Let him come back later.
- You're not going to reopen the door?
- No.
A custom is an unwritten law,
but still obeyed.
And with time,
it becomes like a constitution.
Even in ministries.
- Are ministers experts in their field?
- No.
And why not?
Because they appoint ministers
based on their religious group,
not their skills.
If you have no religion,
what do you do?
Live in Lebanon without a religion?
You better kill yourself.
- Kill yourself!
- Anyone want this egg?
I'll take it.
- Open your hand.
- He beat us all!
If someone feels that he is qualified
to become president...
let him convert to the Maronite Church
one or two months before the elections.
What's the problem?
What's the difference between a Maronite,
a Catholic and an Orthodox Christian?
What's the difference between a Maronite,
a Sunni, a Druze, a Shiite, a Buddhist?
No real difference. For example,
a lot of artists change their names.
- Why?
- Why?
- To succeed.
- For fame.
However, I believe that changing my name
is a million times harder
than changing my religion.
- It's hard to change names.
- There's a viewpoint there.
- Can you please pour me some wine?
- Yes, sure.
- Is there more wine in the kitchen?
- Yes, there is.
Sami!
Yara, eat something. She never eats.
She just keeps breaking eggs.
She never eats.
- Don't do that, Yara!
- Sami!
Yara. Please stop.
Sami!
Shut up.
That's enough.
Sami!
She wants this egg? Give it to her.
Is it filled with wax?
- Please give it to her.
- She will break it.
- So is it as I suspect? Wax?
- How is it wax?
I taught him the trick and now
he's using it against me.
We used to do it when we were kids.
You empty the egg.
Kids? You did that two years ago,
and you were a fully grown mule.
When you cheated.
- Is it wax or what? I want to know.
- I'm getting beaten up, guys.
- Give it to Yara!
- Well? Is it a wax egg or not?
- It's raining eggs.
- Show it to me.
- Just play. What do you want with the egg?
- You messed up the whole place, Yara.
He is cheating, 100 percent.
Antoine, did you take my cell phone
from my purse in the closet?
No. I didn't touch your purse at all.
Isn't that your phone charging there?
Yes, it is.
God bless you, thank you.
- Please pass me the bread, Rita.
- We need water.
- So you still have both?
- Yes. Top and bottom.
- You want to lose again?
- Let's play with the cheater.
How can this be!
This is crazy.
I don't know what's going on.
Jesus all merciful!
Ma'am?
- Shall I serve the main dish?
- Wait for me, I'm coming.
Should I wait for you?
Okay.
Saint Charbel, I beg you on your feet.
Please, Saint Charbel.
Yara will be in the scene with us.
You start!
What have you done with the egg, Souaad?
I got rid of it.
Wait, don't look at each other.
- Now you want to play the director?
- Isn't that what we agreed on?
- Who agreed?
- Look over there.
- Get into the scene!
- Later.
- What do you want?
- You look this way, and you look away.
His butt is taking up all the space.
- It's fine, he's your brother.
- Gaby, move!
Focus already!
- It's the heaviest butt in the world!
- Take a breath.
Speak, Souaad, and don't conceal,
in your guts, the bitter reality.
Riad Sabbagh...
I can't speak,
words are betraying me,
are deserting me, are disintegrating
before parting with my body.
Disintegrating!
- What? Stop it, please.
- That was beautiful, why did you cut?
- Continue.
- Ah, Souaad!
If only humans could stop allowing greed
to enslave them.
If this egg weren't made of gold,
would what occurred have occurred?
Riad!
Riad, how can we trust each other
when the identity of the culprit
is still unknown?
- Riad!
- Souaad!
- Riad!
- Souaad!
Riad!
Riad, speak!
Fucking say something!
I know that what I've done
is unforgivable,
and even if you find it in yourself
to forgive me, I cannot forgive myself!
It needs something about the land
or the nation.
I'm getting to it!
God, Rabih,
you're scrutinizing each tiny detail.
Is there a garlic clove up your butt?
Go and sit down!
- By the way, I'm still in the mood.
- Excuse me, Mr. Actor!
Something about the nation.
- The land?
- Yes.
The decadent age we live in
is the reason you've become like this.
It has made you idolize possessions
and prizes,
and ignore your soul and selflessness.
He who loses his roots
loses his identity.
And who are we
without the soil of this land?
Souaad! The egg, Souaad!
- The egg?
- Back to the egg!
The egg? It's like all material things.
It is an illusion! The only true thing
in this life is emotions,
the emotions that bind us
to this moment and this place.
- Souaad Youssef.
- Nabih Rajeh.
- Wafic Tashtoush.
- Nabih Rajeh.
I have travelled a long way,
I left my family and loved ones,
in order to deliver to you this message.
So, listen carefully!
You are today in a different dimension,
a world far away from daily reality,
from the daily bitterness
of the Lebanese people.
Your expressions are sophisticated.
Your gaze is high-handed.
Your tone... dramatic.
Your posture...
detached from a reality
that is tearing my guts apart.
- The message says...
- Yes, the message.
"Get back to the table.
The food's getting cold."
- No! Rabih, you're the worst!
- Bravo!
- So funny! Great imitation of a TV series!
- Awesome, really!
You're the king of impersonations.
- Good? It could've been better, no?
- You guys are real experts at this!
- Nice, you really lived it.
- Very nice, bravo.
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
I like how you went to the heart of it:
the land, the soil, the cedars.
- What was the name?
- Wafic Zaloum?
- You killed me with that one.
- Didn't know Wafic was a real name.
- Wafic Zaloum.
- With an accent.
- The wine? We got it from Dubai.
- There's wine in Dubai?
There are grapes in Dubai?
I didn't know that.
At the duty free, there's always wine.
Yes, duty free.
- They grow it in the desert?
- God save everyone from your tongue.
- What a joker!
- Are you happy there, at least?
There's enough green space
for your taste?
Of course, there are jungles.
- We went to the grape harvest.
- You tried skiing?
- Yes, there's indoor skiing.
- Inside a mall.
- You know about it? Yes.
- Did you try it?
- There's one penguin.
- I was worried about getting lost.
I didn't try, I just watched.
- You go off track and end up in the shops.
- Yes, you end up at Zara.
When there's a sand storm,
do you wear a jacket?
- Good one!
- Bad joke!
- That's a good one?
- Whatever.
Nonsense.
- He's inspired today, Serge.
- Hardly. Right, Sam?
It's nothing, really.
Please, can you take this?
Zoufan, did you clean our room today?
No, just the bed. I will be cleaning
the room tomorrow, Monday, as usual.
- If you want, I can clean it after lunch.
- No, tomorrow is good.
- Yara?
- Anything wrong?
I don't know, I feel tired today.
My head is aching.
Maybe it's the weather.
Don't worry.
I will make myself a cup of tea.
- Go ahead.
- Okay.
Some people choose their kids' names
before they're pregnant.
Some people choose the name
before they even get married.
My friend Jacques, for example, poor guy,
is getting married next month. In May.
It's already May 1, haven't you noticed?
- You're right. Happy Labor Day!
- You've started forgetting things!
Anyway, he argued with his fiance
over the name of their first child.
So I asked him, "What happened?"
He said, "She insisted
on naming the child after her father."
I said, "What is the name of her father?"
He replied, "Sejaan."
Sejaan is not so bad.
Yes, Sejaan is not catastrophic.
It's usable.
But then he said... Wait, it gets worse.
He asked,
"What if the baby is a girl?"
She replied, "We'll call her Sejaaneh."
Sejaaneh? That's hideous.
- His fiance is weird, no?
- More like she has an attitude.
What's terrible is that the baby
gets stuck with the name for life.
What's the alternative? For him to grow up
and then choose his own name?
Not necessarily. But you know what,
Auntie, it's like Ziad said:
"Freedom is only the first five minutes
of a person's life.
And then they receive a name,
a nationality and a religion."
I saw that on Facebook.
- But it's not Ziad who said it.
- Not him?
It was on the Not by Ziad page,
which is all quotes
wrongly attributed to Ziad.
I wonder who said it then?
I don't know,
but this is what I read on Facebook.
But it is a very intriguing notion,
that a human being is not born free.
Taste everything.
You are born,
and then in a few minutes,
others decide your name, religion
and nationality.
And some people will fight
and even die for these things.
But what is freedom?
It's a very vague concept.
What do you do then? Leave your milieu,
your family, and go somewhere else?
Then, what, this freedom is once again
restrained by a new set of values?
It'd be great to have a law allowing you
to name yourself at the age of 20.
Really? What else?
Choose your religion as well?
Yes, why not? If this is what you want.
A person should be born free.
Sweetie, we need a solid foundation,
somewhere to start.
You want a person to come from nothing?
When I was born, nobody told me,
"You're going to be a Catholic
or a Druze or a Shiite."
- Nobody told me either.
- That's not what I mean.
- Nobody asked anybody.
- Indeed.
Our lives are predetermined.
Do you know anyone
who's switched religions?
Very few, why?
- Our lives are predetermined.
- Let's say you could switch later in life,
but you need to switch for better,
not for worse!
- Who wants to move backwards?
- Each religion is worse than the next.
No matter how you switch,
it'll be for the worse.
- This is a very long discussion, Auntie.
- It's not a long discussion.
I'm okay with having only a number.
For example, 97-000-527.
Rita has a philosophy.
- Who can remember that?
- No name, no religion, no identity!
I just want a number and to live.
That is one philosophy. Noha has another.
We all have our own viewpoint.
We bring children to life,
we educate them, we nurture them,
and we don't owe them anything!
And they come and tell you
that your children are not your children.
Fine, okay.
But Gibran neither had children
nor got married.
If he had children of his own,
he wouldn't have said this.
- No, Auntie, he had May Ziade as a lover.
- Yes, May Ziade was his girlfriend.
That was platonic love. He was never
in a real relationship or got married.
- I have all their books.
- What about all the passion between them?
They confuse people with their fancy,
unpragmatic quotes.
- Beware the flies around the food.
- That is also a philosophy.
Joujou, where are you going?
Stay with us.
The most dangerous thing to say is
"I have the truth."
- Nobody really has the truth.
- There's no one truth, anyway.
- The truth is tricky.
- If we continue like this,
- society will fall apart.
- It's already started to fall apart.
The whole situation is a matter
of point of view.
I have my viewpoint, for example,
and Elias has his.
What do I see now?
I see the curtains and the balcony.
What does he see?
The Last Supper painting and the dresser.
Everyone sees the truth
from his own viewpoint.
Gibran talked in a philosophical manner
from his own viewpoint,
but he didn't grasp the consequences
of his words on people.
You are absolutely right.
And you know why?
We were in France, Rima and I,
on the street of Charlie Hebdo.
And I'm like, "What's this?
This is not the France I knew!
I will not come back to this place."
- Why?
- You don't recognize it anymore.
We went to Bruges, Brussels,
you should have seen it there.
All the women were veiled, all of them!
I really said to her, "I won't
come back here. Lebanon is better!"
At least you know where you're going,
you can expect who you will encounter.
You choose the street,
and either you go or you don't.
There's an invasion happening in France.
This is not the same France
I visited 20 years ago.
I don't know what it is.
Equality? Fraternity? Liberty?
We don't understand it anymore.
You...
But it's nice to travel to a country
without knowing who is Christian,
who is Muslim, who is Buddhist,
- who wears a hijab and who doesn't.
- Really? For what?
To get suddenly blown apart
into a million pieces?
You can get blown apart
wherever you are.
Sweetie, let's be clear,
I don't want to get blown apart!
I mean you have no guarantees
if you are on a specific street.
Really? I can guarantee it.
Here's an example: the southern suburbs.
I don't know it,
and I'm not interested in going there.
Neither before 2006 nor after.
- Okay?
- I live in the southern suburbs.
And I consider it very normal.
- Where do you live?
- On Jamous Street, in the suburbs.
We used to live on Haret Hreik.
But after the Israel War of 2006,
our house was destroyed.
And we moved to Jamous.
Serge goes there with me sometimes.
Look at Achrafieh.
Many bombings have happened there.
Can those who live in Achrafieh
guarantee safety?
No, they cannot.
Sister, if I know the street,
- I know where I am going.
- All streets in Lebanon
- have been targeted by explosions.
- That is just a viewpoint.
I won't go somewhere
where I don't know where I am going.
An explosion happened
next to Sporting, in Verdun,
- and in Downtown.
- In all streets in Lebanon.
You cannot guarantee where an explosion
might happen!
There was a volcano that exploded in Japan
and 10,000 people died.
- In 2003, 30,000 people died in France.
- Car accidents?
No. A heat wave killed them.
- What are you doing? You need help?
- No, dear, I'm good.
What a nice maid you have!
Well-mannered and talented.
I hope the maid I'm getting
will be like her.
Most importantly,
she is calm and mild.
Mild?
Seems like you're talking about food.
It's like a lottery ticket,
either you get lucky or you don't.
By the way, are you available on Tuesday?
Can you accompany me, please?
Tuesday?
Yes. Would you go with me to school
to meet Sister Marie Therese?
Is it about Sami?
He's giving me such a hard time.
He burned a paper in class,
and they found he had a condom
hidden inside a cigarette pack.
They expelled him.
I feel there's something wrong with you.
What is it?
- I don't know...
- What?
- I want to tell you something.
- What?
- I'm a bit annoyed about something...
- Mom, I finished!
- Wait a second. What happened?
- Don't worry, it's nothing much.
- Forget about him, tell me!
- I swear, don't worry.
- Are you certain?
- My head is aching a bit, nothing more.
Go ahead, we will talk after lunch.
What's the emergency?
Rony and Wissam are waiting for me
downstairs.
- Walk with me. Go ahead, walk!
- We just want to go for a quick ride.
I'll give you a ride that will bruise you.
You, Rony and Wissam.
- What's the matter?
- Gosh, Mom, it's only five minutes!
- What's only five minutes?
- Just a quick ride around town.
- Why are holding out your hand like that?
- I want the car key.
- For real?
- Please.
- You know where it is?
- I didn't find it in your purse.
You brat, you searched my purse?
- The same conversation every time?
- We're not having this conversation!
- Lower your voice!
- I don't want to lower my voice! Please!
Lower your voice, you're humiliating me.
- I've been with the family since 11:00.
- Your aunt made lunch for us.
I'm 17, I'm a grownup.
I know what I'm doing!
You are grown up? Really?
So grown up that you steal
and burn garbage bins in class?
What? What should I do with you?
Please, Mom, not this all over again,
I just want the car for five minutes.
Should I call your dad?
To come back from Saudi Arabia?
Call him!
- You're making fun of me?
- No, really, call him, let him come!
Fuck my life and my luck
for having a kid like you.
I'm going back to the table. Go!
Follow me now! Don't make me wait.
Forgive me, everyone! My apologies.
- Christ is risen!
- He has risen, indeed.
- Have a seat.
- We missed you, man.
Thank God you're still alive.
- Leila, where are you going?
- To the bathroom.
- What are you going to do inside?
- Pluck some palm trees!
- Leila, you want to use the bathroom?
- Yes, why?
Because Samer...
Sami went in and slammed the door shut.
- He slammed the door?
- Yes.
God Almighty, what an annoying brat!
I'm very sorry, I know many of you
wanted to use the bathroom.
- Sorry.
- What happened?
- This kid is a special case.
- Yara, come to the table!
But if he slammed the door,
it means he will not back down.
I'm truly sorry, Leila.
It's not your fault.
I drank too much water.
- You want something to drink?
- Just water.
I'm not going to eat. It's okay.
- You think it's something you ate?
- I suppose so.
- It's very delicious.
- Who won the egg fight?
Sami, by cheating.
What's bothering him?
He wants to take the car out
with his friends.
- It's nothing then.
- He's making his mother go nuts!
Leila, my advice is to wait.
Sami has done this before.
Maybe he changed his mind.
- He's an expert in bathroom protests.
- Why does he do that?
Like a hunger strike, why do they do it?
To make the authorities feel guilty.
That might work in a developed country.
In Lebanon, the authorities don't care
whether you live or die.
Or gain public support for your cause.
Enough philosophy!
The girl just wants to use the bathroom.
Then let me also pressure public opinion,
maybe it will work.
- She is playing along!
- Going together as well?
While pressuring,
- make sure you don't release a smell.
- You're so disgusting!
I'm going to teach you
and your thug friends a lesson.
- Get out!
- Not without the car key.
Sami, get out now!
- Sami?
- What? I'm closing the window.
Wait! How are you withstanding the smell?
What has Nabil left behind?
I was hoping no one would come in
right after me,
but then Sami jumped right in.
- You should've sprayed something.
- What, more? I sprayed enough already!
Chemical bombs! Bombs!
Now Russians will use it
as a reason to invade Lebanon!
And America will bomb the shit out of us
because you used chemical weapons!
- How long can he hold his breath?
- I wonder!
I'm hurting from laughing so hard.
My sides are killing me.
What did you eat yesterday?
- In America, you can drive at 16.
- In America? We're in Lebanon.
Sami, you managed to wreck the whole day!
I'm going to bury you! Open up!
- You're not going to take the car!
- Sami, I'm talking to you, please open up.
Did he say anything?
We were negotiating with him.
Leila can't hold it much longer.
I feel like I'm going to pee myself.
In the broken bathroom, there are bowls
used for cleaning. Use one for now.
Why not? What do you think, Leila?
Where did you disappear to, Joujou?
Lunch almost finished while you were away.
- I'm coming.
- It's logical.
- Canada is surely better than Dubai.
- In one you die from heat,
in the other you die from cold.
When did you apply?
A year and a half ago.
But we didn't want to talk about it
before we got accepted.
- So? Did you get Sami out?
- No, he's still protesting.
- Still?
- Yes.
Still protesting?
I watched TV, nothing.
Then I read the newspaper, also nothing.
I didn't leave one page unturned,
and found nothing.
That is when I decided
I cannot live in that country.
- Lebanon is better.
- Of course.
You get beaten up,
and all the TV stations transmit it live.
- Not that much.
- In Dubai,
you work well, you get paid well...
"But shut your mouth!"
- That's the rule.
- Once, when we were there...
And you don't really make money.
Many Lebanese come back in debt.
- Indeed.
- Because they show off.
And also everything is super expensive:
going out, the rent, the cars...
I am living proof of it. I returned
from Dubai 5,000 dollars in debt.
I repaid it in instalments.
When you're living there
and feel frustrated,
you need to compensate
with something else.
What?
- Christine, you wanted to say something?
- Nothing much, just that you're right.
But does that mean
you're leaving Lebanon for good?
Dad, we've been in Dubai for two years.
Yes, we go back and forth often,
but we've already left the country.
For me and Rabih,
the connection is already
cut between this country and us.
It's repulsive! What more can I say?
Personally, I would prefer
we come back to Lebanon.
May I have a word?
But we applied to Canada,
and we got it.
And if we don't go,
we might lose the residency.
- And the Canadian passport is kinda sexy.
- Also true.
Not only that. Let's be frank, Dad.
You and Mom, my sister and brothers,
you all know
that I'm against having a child.
Life is a misery. Isn't it enough
that life is painful for us?
When I married Rabih,
I was straightforward with him.
If I ever have a child,
it will be my only one,
and it won't be Lebanese.
I will have it outside of Lebanon.
Yes, in Canada. It's nice to be Canadian.
At least citizens there are respected.
In Lebanon, unfortunately,
human beings have no value.
- Yes, Leila?
- Serge, it's two stripes.
- Do you know what it means?
- Didn't we agree
we were not going to do this here?
Also, it's not two stripes.
- What?
- It's one and a half. That's a cheap test.
- It's a pregnancy test, and I'm pregnant.
- You are pregnant? You are...
Leila, Mom's been trying for two years
to gather us all around the lunch table.
And this year, it finally worked.
We were already late getting here.
What should I tell her now?
Tell her I'm not feeling well.
You're worried about your parents?
How about mine?
What does it have to do with your parents?
Why are you being so paranoid?
They're not removing a baby
from your guts.
You have nothing to lose.
What do you want me to do?
What should I tell my parents?
You want me to be shamed?
Who said that?
I want none of it,
but also don't shame me in front
of my parents for a lousy cheap test.
- And half a stripe!
- I can't go back
and continue the conversation
as if nothing happened.
- I beg you, let's leave.
- Calm down.
- Let's leave!
- Wait just one hour, please.
We'll buy another test,
we'll do a real test with a doctor.
We can't just jump ahead
and assume that you're pregnant.
What do you want, that we flee to Brazil?
We'll do that!
- You know what I want?
- What?
You to become a Shiite
and ask my parents to marry me.
There is no other solution for us.
Me become a Shiite
and ask for your hand?
Going to Brazil and getting married there
is much easier.
If you're really pregnant,
I shouldn't smoke next to you.
Serge, it's no time for your jokes,
I'm not well.
My feet are swelling, I'm in pain.
We're getting married,
and naming the baby,
and I'm becoming a Shiite,
all of it in this instant!
Let's just postpone all this for one day.
They served Mom's homemade sweets
at the table.
Don't you want to taste them?
Fuck you and your mom's sweets.
It's not the time for it.
Can you please just think of something
that makes you happy?
I beg you, don't let me leave without you.
- You want to leave without me?
- Don't let me leave without you.
If you leave without me,
everything between us will be over!
No. Not everything
between us will be over.
For my sake then, please.
Don't worry, honey.
What shall we do now?
We will find a solution.
We will solve it together.
Please, stop crying.
- Wash your face.
- Where? Here on the balcony?
Your mother, do you think she heard us?
She knows?
Surely not, she must think
we're having an argument.
- Go to the table. I'll see what she wants.
- Is it showing?
- No.
- Okay.
- Serge, I want to tell you something.
- About Leila?
- What is it with her?
- Nothing, she had an issue at work.
Maria is asleep.
I want to tell you about the money
your father gives to me every week.
- Did you lose it?
- No, worse.
It was stolen from my purse
in the closet.
- Really?
- Yes.
How much?
Twelve thousand dollars.
- Why so much?
- The municipality paid him 9,500.
- What a coincidence.
- What's a coincidence?
That the municipality pays him
amounts like that.
I don't know who has done this.
My head is spinning
with a million thoughts.
One week before elections, isn't it weird?
They paid him what they owed him,
and he also got a year's payment up front.
His account is in the red,
and the bank calls him daily.
So he was very happy
that they gave him money.
- This is the purse?
- Yes.
The money was inside.
Twelve thousand dollars.
That's a big envelope.
Yes, a big envelope
with dollars and Lebanese pounds.
I didn't want to talk about it
before everyone leaves,
but I'm going crazy!
I'm falling apart.
Did you search the whole closet?
Did you search thoroughly?
Yes! Am I crazy?
- I carefully put it there.
- Why didn't you put it in the bank?
I was going to the bank on Friday,
but it was closed for Good Friday,
and I was busy running errands
and preparing the food for today.
What a catastrophe! Most importantly,
your father mustn't find out.
You remember three years ago,
when Issam stole from him?
- Yeah.
- He almost died.
- No, of course.
- He had a seizure.
And without Saint Charbel's help,
he would've died.
We can pray for Saint Charbel now.
Saint Anthony, blessed are you,
help us find the lost money.
Mom, the money was stolen, not lost.
The country's problem is that the majority
of people think like you do.
- But this is reality.
- We protest against those motherfuckers
down there, and everyone says,
"Let's emigrate.
We cannot make changes.
They've been in power for ages."
It is not true!
When we unite against them,
then we will be able to make a difference.
- Unite!
- If we all think like you do,
then we will surely fail.
The country is sectarian.
Every sect unites with its own.
Unite and fart together
under the bed sheets.
Herse is the perfect example.
Your own father is voting
for those same corrupt people.
They've stunk of corruption since forever!
Didn't they start the civil war?
Didn't they destroy the country?
He's still voting for the same bunch.
A million people tried to change
this country before you.
- Do we stop, then?
- What happened to them?
- Did they change anything?
- No, but...
They didn't succeed in changing Lebanon,
and neither will you.
Lebanon finally changed them.
If we think that way,
Lebanon will change us for sure.
I am talking about reality.
I don't believe in illusions like you.
Rabih and Noha were getting
all philosophical about Kahlil Gibran.
Gibran? Really?
Would Gibran have become Gibran
- if he lived here?
- How is this related? And yes.
What are you talking about?
You are crazy!
If Gibran lived in Lebanon,
he wouldn't have become Gibran.
You wouldn't have heard about him.
At most, he would've died, homeless,
at the door of a hospital
not able to get a shower
and without enough money to buy medicine.
- I agree with her on that.
- He wouldn't have had a penny to his name.
If only we could cut down
on useless, shitty talk.
I'm moving to Canada,
and nobody can blame me.
Bullshit! I'm not saying shitty talk,
I'm just giving my opinion.
I'm your sister, not your brother.
- I said "bullshit," not "brother."
- Bullshit? That's worse!
How beautiful! That's shittier!
- How have we gotten here?
- What is it with you, Gaby?
When I get to Canada,
I will buy you some gifts to entice you.
You are mistaken, I cannot be bribed!
Bullshit!
- Leila.
- What is it?
Did your mother hear
what we were talking about?
- No.
- Serge, I can't stand any more stress!
Check if anyone is coming.
I need to search Zoufan's closet.
What did your mother tell you?
Did she steal something?
I don't want anybody to notice
I'm not at the table.
- Please, stand here.
- Who will notice? Your siblings?
For once do something
without asking 100 questions.
Okay, but is it normal for you to ask me
without telling me anything?
- Are you checking if someone is coming?
- Yes.
- What did she steal?
- Twelve thousand dollars.
- What?
- Twelve thousand dollars!
What is 12,000 dollars in cash
doing with your parents?
Leila, please, let me focus.
- She has the house keys?
- Yes.
- And her passport?
- It seems so.
How much does she earn?
- Serge?
- What?
- How much does she earn?
- Two hundred.
Are you keeping watch
or just leading an interrogation?
Two hundred and you still doubt
whether it's her?
If it was her, she would've fled.
What a joke!
You're convincing me she's not guilty
and your hands are in her underwear.
Leila.
- Serge, put it back!
- She has good taste.
Maybe she has a boyfriend,
and he pushed her to do it.
She's married,
and she goes to see her husband
in Ethiopia every couple of years.
- Long distance?
- Yes, long distance.
- Look, can you shut up for a second?
- Look, if you don't talk, I won't.
There's nothing in her closet.
- Shit, the generator went off!
- Last thing we need.
We need to leave
because they'll ask for me.
Wait, check the shoe boxes.
Down there, the boxes.
- Leila.
- What? Is this it? Open it.
What is it?
- Just pictures.
- Her pictures?
Serge, she is coming, she is coming.
- Sorry.
- Sorry, Zoufan.
I'm just here to get my phone.
- Stay if you'd like.
- No, no, thank you.
- What's up, Dad?
- Yes?
- Where are you going?
- To get some gas for the generator.
- Let me do it.
- No worries, it's close.
- Stay with your guests.
- Sami, honey, open the door.
- What is it?
- I just want to talk, I promise.
I won't make you come out.
Open, please!
What? Please!
- It stinks in here!
- I got used to it.
- We were all laughing.
- I didn't find it funny.
Anyway, I want to leave.
I did my duties for today.
I don't have to endure your family
for longer than this.
We're their guests and they lost money.
Did you see or suspect anyone?
- Please, it's a simple question.
- You mean I took it?
Oh, my God! Who is accusing you?
- No, it's not...
- You're asking me!
You came to my room to ask me.
I don't get it.
Your aunt's bathroom
has become your room?
There are many other people here,
plus the generator guy who stopped by.
- Did you notice anything suspicious?
- Mom, you have to decide.
Either I'm a thief or a drug addict
or a thug. Choose one.
- Not a different accusation each day.
- Forget about it.
Yes, let's forget about it.
I was just fine until you came in.
- Whatever I do, it's never right with you.
- Please, Mom, enough.
Look, Sami, on Tuesday,
your aunt and I are going to school.
Bravo.
We're going to talk
with Sister Marie Therese.
If things go well,
and they accept you back,
I want to get you a gift.
What do you want?
- You want to get me a gift?
- Yes, honey. Why not?
What would you like?
- We discussed it earlier.
- What?
- A motorcycle.
- Okay.
You will get me a bike?
If I can afford it,
and it's not expensive.
It would be around 2,000 dollars.
Great, then you'll get a motorcycle
and be happy.
A bike? Really?
- I said yes, if it's not expensive.
- No, it's not expensive.
Anyway, I can buy myself six bikes
with 12,000 dollars now.
What? How did you know it was 12,000?
- You said it.
- I said she lost money,
I didn't say how much.
You said, "She lost 12," and you stopped.
What would it be? Twelve dollars?
It could be 12 or 12 million,
what do I know!
- Are you accusing me?
- No! I'm just worried about you.
You're accusing me, and it's not me!
You want me to take my clothes off
to prove I didn't take it?
I'll get naked in front of everybody!
Isn't that what you want?
Am I not the thug who took 12,000 dollars
from Aunt Joujou?
Where is it?
Where's the 12,000 dollars?
What's with you?
And I encourage everyone to get naked!
This way we can tell who stole the money!
May God punish you for humiliating me!
- Sami?
- What happened?
- The day is ruined!
- What's the matter?
- There's no decency left!
- Everyone, please, listen!
Let me tell you
about what happened today.
- Talk.
- Serge?
A theft happened in the house
while we were all here.
- Serge, we all know about it.
- Serge, enough!
- Mom, it's okay.
- Don't make them worry about this.
- It's my fault I told you and Noha.
- I also told Rita and Gaby.
- That's great!
- Leila knows too.
What's going on?
There's only you, Elias,
and maybe Nabil, who don't know.
A robbery happened in Mom and Dad's room
while we were all present at the table.
How can a theft happen
while we're going in and out
of the room to check on Maria?
- I don't know.
- Serge, it's my money
and I don't want this.
Please, change the subject.
Mom, 12,000 dollars was stolen today.
That's no small amount!
- Yes, 12,000 dollars was stolen today.
- Let's call the police, if that's true.
What? He tells you 12,000 was stolen,
and you ask if that's true?
- Are you making fun of us?
- Maybe it was forgotten or misplaced?
I am absolutely certain of it.
I'm certain it was in my purse.
Just this morning,
I paid the water supplier with it.
I also asked Antoine
whether he'd touched my purse today,
- and he said no.
- Who can forget 12,000 dollars?
Or misplaced? Yeah, right.
She gets into the room,
moves it from one place to another,
and loses it?
- What are you talking about?
- There's no need to call the police
because the thief is one of us here.
Nobody came in or out of the house
- since we were sat all together at lunch.
- It's disgraceful! How can you say that?
- What is disgraceful?
- He's saying that the thief is one of us.
- You're accusing a family member!
- I am not accusing...
Serge, what you're doing now
is making things worse.
Okay, Mom.
I'm personally fed up
with this empty talk, Mother.
- Like what?
- It's disgusting!
Enough of it!
Let's talk openly, Mother!
- Rita!
- Why are you silencing me?
He's talking nonsense,
accusing us of losing the money
when it has been two years
since he's come to this house.
Why? He doesn't let you talk to Christine,
- nor does he let Christine...
- Rita, allow this day to pass.
I should allow this day to pass?
Shouldn't he allow us
to find the 12,000 dollars?
Is he accusing us of something?
She's a doctor,
but he forces her to quit her work. Why?
All he can think about is hunting!
He is obsessed with it!
- Soon he will start hunting ants!
- Would you stop it?
- First birds, then donkeys...
- It's none of your business.
- Then monkeys.
- Rabih, talk with your wife!
- Why?
- Please don't get me involved.
- Rita is your wife!
- Every other week
- she's taken to the hospital. Why?
- Will you shut up, please?
- Me, shut up?
- Do you want to start a fight or what?
- Elias, please!
- It's enough, Rita.
Elias, you are like a son to me,
you and Rabih.
But what happened today
has got us all stressed out.
- Look at you, Mom!
- We're done with this.
- You're doing it again.
- It's entirely my fault.
- I wish the ground would swallow me up.
- Yes. Let it swallow you up, Mother.
What I worry about is your father,
that something might happen to him.
- Now we're only thinking about Father.
- Rita, don't put words in my mouth.
- He is like your son? What's that mean?
- Don't put words in my mouth!
- Please, Mother.
- I talk to Elias out of concern for him.
If I criticize him, it's because I care
about him, Christine and the kids.
Let's go! Let's add lies upon lies,
let's fill bags full of lies.
- Enough!
- I can't take this anymore!
Mom, I can't stand it anymore.
You are lying now!
- You're calling me a liar?
- Yes. And you're repeating the same thing,
- that he's like a son to you.
- You're making it worse!
For two years, he hasn't set foot
in this house
and he stopped you
from speaking with Christine!
He made her quit her career as a doctor
and spend her days cleaning
and wiping babies' poop!
- What gives you the right!
- It's my right and more!
Shut your goddamn mouth!
If your husband can't shut you up,
- I will fucking do it!
- Enough, Elias!
- Shut her up!
- Calm down.
- Sit down, calm down.
- She's been attacking me for an hour!
Why should I be dishonored in this house?
What did I do?
Even if I didn't visit for two years!
So what?
Who gave you the right
to criticize my marital life?
- I do what I please.
- You forced her to quit!
I didn't force her to do anything.
She didn't leave her work.
- What happened then?
- If you allow me to talk!
You don't allow anyone else to talk,
not at the table, not here.
Rita!
My daughter shouldn't have to hear
all this screaming. She shouldn't.
- Enough.
- Calm down.
First, Christine left her work,
I didn't force her to do anything.
Yes, right.
We discussed it and agreed
it's better for the kids this way.
Yes, it's better for the kids
that she stays close to them.
Cleaning poop? Yes.
Discussed it with whom? With yourself?
No, between my wife and I.
Were you there with us?
Let's change the subject
and focus on the theft that happened!
Yes.
Are you happy now? Are you glad?
You made my sister cry.
Are you happy, Mother,
that this is happening now?
This happens every time.
He hasn't visited us for two years.
- Listen to me, darling...
- Don't you see how he treats her?
No, please, Mom. Twelve thousand dollars,
stolen! What is that?
Is he mocking us?
No, please don't silence us!
Look at how he treats her, a doctor.
He forced her to stay home.
She's frustrated and beaten down by him!
I won't allow this. She's been to school...
Stop repeating the same exact thing!
Stop annoying her!
- I'm annoying her?
- Enough with the baseless accusations.
Do you know what she thinks about you?
You don't. Have you ever asked her
- what's in her heart?
- Enough!
What do you know? Do you live with her?
How can she know? How?
He is launching a tirade of accusations
upon us.
All this fighting is useless!
If only you would listen to me!
You're accusing everyone!
And, okay, it has been two years
since I came here, but I'm not a thief!
Why don't you ask the maid?
For her, 12,000 dollars is like treasure,
worth six to seven years of work!
Nobody called her,
nobody talked to her,
nobody suspected her.
She stole the money!
- Elias...
- Not me, not your children.
She stole the money!
Elias, we consider Zoufan
part of our family.
And yes, she should also be questioned
if we don't want
to differentiate between us.
- We can ask her to come.
- Let her come.
- Zoufan!
- Yes, sir.
Did you hear about the theft?
- Yes, I heard you talking.
- It's public knowledge by now.
We're just trying to investigate
who might have stolen the money.
I'd suggest, first,
that we ask whoever did it
to return the money,
and we act as if it never happened.
- What a genius solution, Serge!
- Are you for real?
Let's play hide and seek,
and catch the thief.
- Let's do it, Gab!
- Spare us this.
Let's make Serge happy!
Let's play like children!
We shut our eyes, allowing
whoever stole the money to return it.
Whoever stole the money would've taken it
outside the house already.
Dozens of people came in and out
of the house today.
Zoufan alone went in and out ten times.
- And the door was open.
- The door was open!
Folks...
Who is it other than the Sri Lankan maid?
Search her room, and you'll see!
- No. And I'm Ethiopian.
- Shut up, nobody asked for your opinion!
- I have the right to defend myself!
- You don't have any rights!
The final straw: a vile creature
raising her voice at me!
- Who allowed you to speak?
- Damn you, racist!
She's a human being
like the rest of us.
I sent her a million times today
to the grocery store.
- Don't add to our misery today!
- Vile creatures! Servants like her
- are thieves and liars!
- Enough!
All of them!
I can't stand you any longer.
You're blaming us?
You want to raise
my mother's blood pressure?
You want Dad to have a stroke
when he's back?
Let's say it's not the Sri Lankan.
You're claiming it could be any one of us?
Why not you then, Serge?
- Me, Elias?
- Yes, you.
A son stealing from his parents?
You got jail for five days
for possession of hashish. Yes or no?
I was in a protest,
and they used that lie to arrest me.
Today, we arrived last
and we immediately sat at the table.
- You were a witness to it.
- But you both went to see Maria
and stayed in the room for an hour.
- We went to see your daughter, man!
- It was not for an hour!
- Why did you stay so long?
- We didn't! Are you accusing me of theft?
- Serge, please, I want to leave.
- Calm down, honey.
How about Nabil?
You stayed for an hour in the bathroom.
- Me? I don't even know where the purse is!
- Why not Gaby, then?
- What is it with you accusing everyone?
- You know this house very well.
Would I steal from my own parents?
If not you, then why not Rabih or Rita?
Yes, you!
You claim to be a saint,
a women's rights activist?
You and Rabih are broke because of your
degenerate parties and decadent entourage!
- Calm down, both of you!
- You're the one oppressing your wife!
Elias, sit down, chill.
- I'm calm!
- Calm down!
- I'm telling you I'm calm!
- You've been screaming non-stop! Chill!
Are you happy now? Look at your daughter!
Let her see the real you!
- It's your fault we've come to this!
- Yes, sure.
- It's my fault!
- Stop it!
Elias, even though
you blew this out of proportion,
I want to thank you.
At least you took us
out of the usual family lunch hypocrisy
and forced us into brutal honesty.
But all these accusations are baseless
if we don't take fingerprints
and do formal interrogations.
Anyone could have stolen the money.
Nobody is 100 percent innocent,
- including yourself.
- Why? Why would I steal?
Every crime needs a motive
and an opportunity,
and you had both.
You and Christine had unlimited access
to the room,
since Maria is sleeping in it.
And you're under a lot of financial
pressure, more than any of us.
You're having a third child,
and just today, you told us
that you quit your job.
And your pride stops you
from asking for help.
Do you think you're still acting
in a TV soap opera?
Bullshit theories, analysis,
and useless speeches?
- Do you want evidence and to finish this?
- Yes, how?
Do you want to know where the money is?
Follow me!
- Where are you going? Stop!
- Are you crazy?
Where is he going? He can't do this!
You want the money?
This is where you'll find the money!
- Neither Sami, nor your children...
- Have you lost your mind?
Nor their husbands
have the courage to do it.
- Leave Zofran's stuff alone!
- And a ghost didn't steal it!
- You woke Maria up with all your yelling!
- What are you doing?
May God punish you.
How immoral are you?
What now?
What is this? A pregnancy test?
Who are you sleeping with?
- This is not mine!
- With which concierge?
Cleaning boy? I spit on you!
A driving license? This is not yours!
Where did you steal this from? Talk!
A veiled woman?
What is it doing in your purse?
Leila Hammoud? Disgusting!
- Leila, what is your purse doing here?
- It's cruising around on its own!
Serge, why is Leila
carrying a pregnancy test?
Nothing, Mom.
Leila just worries a lot.
- Leila was in this room? Why is that?
- Relax, man!
- It's time for me to leave.
- Before you return to the suburbs,
- why was your purse here?
- Serge, tell them
you've already searched Zofran's closet
and save them the effort.
- What?
- Do you wear a veil or not?
You're afraid to get blown into pieces?
Boom!
- Leila!
- Serge!
- Why did you search Zoufan's closet?
- Stop it, Rita, please.
He messed up the whole room!
The money is here, I am sure of it.
Get out of the way, you scum!
- Stop it, I can't take it.
- Admit it! Where's the money, bitch?
- You too, get out of the way!
- This closet is not Zoufan's.
- Gaby.
- Let him search,
- let's see where he's going with this.
- What is this?
This is not Zoufan's closet.
It used to be Christine and Rita's,
- and their stuff is still in it!
- Beautiful!
- This is how you raised your girls!
- What is this, Rita?
Yes, Elias!
- Not only men play with themselves.
- Maybe this is why we have come to this!
Great! After you've solved
the world's problems,
- how about you start teaching us manners?
- All of you want to teach me manners?
That gives me the full right
to teach you all manners in return!
- Where's the money?
- Move away!
- Shut your mouth!
- Stop it, Elias!
You've given her a room, a TV,
the house keys! Don't you have a brain?
- Don't you know she's a thief?
- Hey!
- Stop this now, stop it!
- Get away from me!
- Why do you always get fired from jobs?
- What do you know about it?
Why do they always kick you out?
Because you have no manners
- or morals whatsoever.
- Shut the fuck up!
If your husband
doesn't restrain you, I will!
I'm sorry,
Elias loses his temper sometimes.
Honey, you're apologizing on his behalf?
On behalf of that animal?
What now, Mother?
You're calling him an animal?
But when he was here,
you were silent!
You said he is like one of your sons.
You didn't see what he was doing?
- I want to leave, ma'am.
- So you think I'm happy, Rita?
Zoufan, wait, please calm down.
- I don't want to work here anymore.
- We're very sorry.
- Zoufan, please calm down.
- Calm down.
I've never stolen anything in my life.
- We know that, we do.
- Why don't you call the police?
Please let this day pass.
Just today!
It's my fault.
- I hope Antoine doesn't see this.
- Now you're worried about Dad?
- Uncle Antoine has just returned.
- It's okay, go.
- So, you've finished?
- You took a long time, Dad.
Where's Serge?
I brought gas for the generator.
Leila was not feeling well,
so he took her home.
Gaby, I left the gas on the balcony.
Take care of it when you can.
Hey, Sami,
thank God you're better now!
Did you sleep well, my love?
Was it peaceful?
Look at the colors, do you like them?
May God protect her, Christine.
God bless her, she's so cute!
God bless her.
- Where's Yara?
- Hiding there.
Hiding from Grandpa?
What are you doing behind the sofa?
Is this for you? Brava.
Did you eat well? I'm happy to hear it.
Why are you all gloomy all of a sudden?
What is with you, Rita?
Are you all right?
- It's nothing, Dad, nothing.
- Are you sure?
Dessert is ready, everyone.
Please, join us at the table.
- Let's go.
- Shall I help you, sister?
- Yes, please.
- Let's go.
Rabih, Rita. Please, come.
- Dad?
- What?
Serge told me that Mom said
that the municipality paid you
for the price of spare parts.
- One year in advance?
- Yes, for the municipality cars.
- Really?
- Yes.
In advance? One week before elections?
Clearly an electoral bribe.
You might interpret it like that,
but they always buy spare parts.
And even if they lose,
the parts still go to the municipality,
- so what's the big issue?
- Is all back to normal, Mother?
You're serving dessert
as if nothing happened!
- What happened?
- Dad, are you taking bribes?
You take it as a bribe, but everyone
sells stuff to the municipality.
Is everyone who sells anything
to the municipality being bribed?
- This is called commerce.
- This is what happens in every election?
Rita, my love, this money is for the price
of spare parts, and we needed it.
The landlord wants to kick us out,
we have outstanding university fees,
- and expenses and checks already signed.
- That's the most dreadful excuse.
I wish you had never put me
in a private university
and then accepted a bribe to pay for it.
How much are they paying per head?
- Where's Elias? In the bathroom?
- Rita, show some respect.
Don't shout at us.
Your dad has a delicate medical condition.
Do you want to kill him?
Would that make you happy?
I want to shout as much
as I fucking want!
- Rita!
- Is it possible
that you are helping these corrupt,
motherfucking thieves?
Say whatever you want,
but without swearing.
No swearing in this house.
You're an educated and smart person.
This is no way to speak.
The work we do with the municipality,
everyone does it.
What's more, we're just a few people.
Whether we vote or not,
- we won't make a difference anyway.
- Let's go, Rabih!
- Rita.
- Rita, this money
is not the price of our votes,
nor the vote of anyone in the family.
- It's the price of the spare parts.
- It's the price of his children's votes.
Fine. I'm going to Canada,
far away from this disgusting routine!
- Rabih, let's go. That's enough.
- Hold on, Rita.
What, Gaby? What?
- No, no!
- Where is she?
You're not going to speak?
Where did you put the money?
- Speak or I'll blow your head off!
- It's not me.
Are you mad? Who in their right mind
would bring a loaded rifle into the house?
What if you shot your own daughter
and destroyed your family!
What money is he talking about?
Ask your wife and kids. They accused us
of stealing 12,000 dollars!
- Josephine, what is he talking about?
- Yes, Dad, your precious money was stolen.
- Come with me, Joujou.
- The money you gave me, Antoine,
that you thought I put in the bank.
I'll make it up to you!
- Joujou, you deposited it yesterday.
- I said I was going to, but I couldn't,
so I kept it with me.
The bank was closed,
and I got busy with preparations.
I wasn't expecting this to happen.
Joujou, sweetheart,
you deposited it yesterday at the bank.
And you gave me the receipts as well.
Here it is: 9,500 dollars
and four million Lebanese pounds,
on the 30th of April, yesterday!
Don't you remember it, my love?
What happened?
Did you forget what you did yesterday?
Did you forget the whole day altogether?
Do you remember anything from yesterday?
Calm down, Mother.
- Did you see something?
- No. Nothing.
Maybe it was fireworks?