Stateless (2020) s01e01 Episode Script

1 Happy Christmas, Sofie.
There he is! Daddy! There you go.
Aircon's busted.
Oh, it needs a big hard kick up from the bottom.
I know who needs a big hard kick up from the bottom! She's here! Ho-ho-ho! - Merry Christmas! - Presents! Presents! Presents! Presents! Uh-uh-uh! We do presents after dinner, huh? How was your flight? On time? Yes.
Perhaps a shower before we sit down? No, I'm good, Mum.
- Happy Christmas, Dad.
- Happy Christmas, mein Schatz.
- So, how was Dubai? - It was great.
Wilhelm's family have gone to Okushiga for a skiing holiday.
And you didn't want to go with them? I can't ski.
He can't ski, but, uh, does wonders with a spreadsheet.
Alright, you two, back off.
- Happy Christmas, Sofe.
- Happy Christmas.
Save me.
"Ex-cel-si-or.
" "Excelsior.
" English, Mina-jan.
- What do - 'Does'.
- does - Mm-hm.
this mean? Excellent.
Very excellent.
Beyond excellent.
Excelsior.
Excuse me.
Your name? Mohsin Abbasi sent us.
Straight down.
Up the stairs.
Uh, what about a key? No key.
So I get there, and it's this huge palace in the middle of the desert, and it's the Sheikh's birthday, so he's throwing this massive party and there's ice sculptures and horses and pyramids of caviar, but the best bit was, there were turtles all over the floor.
They'd been painted in fluorescent paint so they glowed in the dark.
Why? So that when you were dancing, you didn't step on them.
What a lovely story.
Wilhelm, why don't you tell everyone about your plans for the company? I I want to hear more about the Sheikh's turtles, please.
Wilhelm? Well the future of small business is ever-evolving, but an online presence is critical for the business to reach achieve maximum impact.
I-I-I think what we need, actually, is a deeper engagement on a more technological level with our younger clients.
Oh, come on, Frau Klenner.
Think of the little weasel babies you're gonna have.
God! And, and look at this beautiful present that he has given to you.
- You want to hang on to that one.
- Oh, Wilhelm.
Yeah.
I don't know which is better, this or the spreadsheets.
Children are hungry for dessert, Margot.
How long are you home for? A few days.
All that flying really takes its toll.
- Oh, Mum! - I just worry about you.
- That's all.
- Well, don't! Mmm.
Salaam.
Salaam.
Okay.
It's not much.
But, uh I beat the Pakistanis at the cards, so now they have to sleep downstairs and you can come upstairs.
You can hang these up between us.
- Thank you.
- My name is Farid.
- Ameer.
- Ameer.
You going to Australia? Inshallah.
- You? - Of course.
How long do you wait? Too long.
But, uh At least here, I don't have to worry about Saddam's men waiting around the corner ready to cut off my balls.
What? Yalla.
Whenever you are ready, go up, fix everything.
I will wait here until you are finished.
- Tashakor, Farid.
- Habibi.
Weren't you going to talk to them about transferring to a desk job? Mum! If she's only here for a few days, how can she maintain a relationship? Look, Ke Kevin and Kevin lives half the year in Hong Kong and we manage.
- That is completely different.
- It's not completely diff Can you stop?! It's true there is a degree of compromise.
I don't want her to miss the boat.
That's all.
a bulk ordering delivers a significant profit margin I'm just saying, she's not getting any younger! See, importantly, these days, I think what we need to do is actually go offshore.
We can control the products Sofe? You in there? You must be ready to leave at any time.
Bags must stay packed.
I do not know when, so do not ask me.
You will get a knock on the door.
One bag each.
Only the essentials.
Food and water will be provided.
Ameer, this is my friend Mosi.
- Pleased to meet you, Mosi.
- You too.
OK, shh.
Listen very carefully to the man with the bushy eyebrows.
This is where our adventure begins.
Okay, okay, okay.
If you talk to anybody outside of this room, you will not be on a boat.
If you cause any trouble on the boat, it turns round, comes straight back here.
No money back.
Got it? Okay.
Sorry.
Uh, this is from him.
Names? Names.
Ameer, Najeeba, Mina, Sadiqa.
Mmm.
Yeah, but then then at three in the morning, he tries to get into MY bed with the spade.
Oh, such a good big sister! I thought he was gonna come down the chimney with his sack, put me in it and take off.
By the way, that water, uh water hasn't been changed since the boys were pissing in it all afternoon, so - Oh, you are - you know, enjoy that.
Dashing through the snow - On a one-horse open sleigh - Oh, my God, Sull! - What is this? - The rest, I do not know The way-hey-hey-hey-hey Boys, Father Christmas.
Here, look what I got you.
- Thanks, Uncle Sully! - Wait there, buddy.
Let me turn it on.
Go for it.
Watch out, little brother! Watch out! This is the best present ever! You spreading that cheer out at the detention centre? Well, they are not Christians, Janny.
Out of all people, you should know that.
I want a try, Sammy! Yes! Oh, that's nice.
Oh! And Mmm! For the lady of the house Ahh! Merry Christmas.
- Come on! - Are you for real? Well, brother boy, if you work with me at Barton, you get the cha-ching-ching.
So glad you're doing it for the right reasons, Sull.
You know it.
Boys! - Oh, my God! I love this! - Fucking blood money.
Don't get greedy on me.
Don't you dare.
Are we having a good time?! I think so.
Okay, okay.
I think we know who's got the talent up here.
Teacher.
Dancer.
Singer.
My beautiful Pat.
I think I scored the jackpot, didn't I? Oh, no, no.
I think I'm the lucky one in this equation.
But I think you did a pretty good job of keeping up.
Don't you? I may not be the best dancer, but what are we all here for tonight? Even if we're not great at what we do, what are we trying to do tonight? We're trying to open ourselves up! You know, we walk around all day wearing these suits.
And I'm not talking about the suits that we, uh, wear to work.
I'm talking about suits that are so much harder to take off.
And why is that? Because these suits hold the expectations of everybody else.
They want us to be the perfect partner, the perfect wife, the perfect daughter, the perfect brother.
But I ask you, what about the perfect you? But here's the key.
No, wait.
You know what? Throw away the goddamn key! Throw it away! Pat, pass me that baby.
Pass me the baby.
Look at this beautiful baby, everybody.
Come in, come on.
- Thank you, Melinda.
- Everybody come in.
Come and look at this.
Now, look at this lovely boy.
This is the state of being that we were all born with, all of us.
And if you can allow yourself to be as vulnerable and as true as this little baby, then we'll find our internal strength.
But if we can't do that Here, Pat, take.
If we can't do that, then we're going to stay in this prison that other people have created for us, cut off from happiness, cut off from success.
Cut off from your potential to love and be loved.
But worst of all, cut off from fulfilling your destiny.
So I say to you all, tonight Take off the suit! Take it off! Just take it off! - Take them off.
- And let's open the door.
Open it up! You know what's on the other side of that door.
Open the door.
Because behind that door, waiting for you waiting for you, is the person that you were always meant to be.
- Am I right? - Yes! Come on, then, let's dance! - What's your name? - Sofie.
Sofie! So nice to see you.
- Thank you for coming.
- Thank you.
Thank you so much.
From Kupang, 150km to Ashmore Reef.
A low tide means a calm sea.
Has this man Oshan even checked the tides? Uh, may maybe if he he look up from, uh, counting his money.
January 31.
There's a full moon.
This is the best time to go.
See? Ameer, you should be the one organising our boat.
We would be there already.
And you would be a rich man.
I think in Australia, I'm going to start my own business.
Doing what? Tyres.
Tyres? So many roads.
Everybody need tyres.
We should go into business together.
Yeah? The three amigos! Hey? Hey, we will call the business, uh Farid's Wheels.
First, we must get there.
You know, I was thinking of another idea.
No, no.
I I tell you, here.
Listen.
Here.
For business, you first need to do business plan.
One, two, three.
And again.
Five, six, seven, eight.
And one.
Keep the rhythm, everybody.
Six, seven, eight.
One, two, three, four.
No loose arms.
No stray legs.
Let the dance dance you.
Five, six, seven, eight.
Turn, two, three, four.
No boundaries.
Just one big wave.
Better.
Right! I think we can do better.
Let's just go back to the top.
Well done.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
Come on! Shitbox! It's alright, darling.
It's okay.
Hey.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
It's alright.
- Brother! Come in! Hm? - Hey! Come have a jug.
Come in.
So the detainee says he wants a new T-shirt.
And I say, "Well, don't rip it, mate.
" - And he goes, "Motherfucker.
" - Yeah, yeah.
Two words I reckon they learn on the boat, 'motherfucker' and 'visa'.
Well, why didn't you just get him a a new T-shirt? Well, 'cause he's got no respect.
It's in their culture.
Can't accept a woman in authority.
Wait.
You're a woman? Fuck you! Hey! At least I do my job.
You're a total slacker.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
I'm professional.
I do my job.
Oh, you're professional.
They're always looking for new guards.
You should apply.
Nah! Uh, got a job, eh, so He can't, you see.
His sister goes out there to wipe the refugees' arses and she'll never speak to him again.
Oh, you're full of shit.
Tell me this.
What is stopping you? - Hm? - Flexible hours.
Three times what I was getting as a boilermaker.
There you go.
You've got to start living your own life, brother.
Well, I don't have any qualifications, so Qualifi qualifications! Harry's in charge of recruiting.
Tell my brother boy what he needs.
Well, yeah, it's a tough one, mate.
A lot of prerequisites.
Mm-hm.
Very competitive.
Really don't think you've got what it takes, mate.
Yeah, righto.
Good on ya there.
- You'll be right.
- Come on, mate! - Come on! - Come on! - Do it for your country, mate! - Cheers.
Beats daddy day care.
You have to be open to transformation.
You're still holding on to all those expectations.
They're not you.
Release the breath.
There! What was that? - I I don't know.
- I think you do.
You're scared of its power.
Okay.
Hold on tight.
We're gonna find out what that was.
We're going to transfer all that fear all that negative energy out of you into me and away.
Here we go.
I was 13 years old and I was I was at my ice-skating competition.
And my sister, Margot, got her exam results on the same day and my parents took her out to dinner to celebrate.
It was my grand final and I won, and nobody was there to watch me.
But they were proud when they found out? My dad said he'd wished he'd come, but, um he never sticks up for me.
Why is that? I don't know.
I think you do.
Because Margot is better than me.
No! That's not it, Sofie.
They want you to be someone that you're not.
They want me to be Margot.
Here it comes.
"Go on a date with Wilhelm, Sofie.
" "Wear this stupid apron, Sofie!" "Have a baby, Sofie!" "Get a house like everyone else, Sofie!" "Just be who who we want you to be, Sofie!" "Don't be yourself, Sofie.
" "You're too loud, Sofie! You're too much fun, Sofie!" If you don't want to be that person Don't be.
Sofie We will stand up for you.
The person that you were was the invention of other people.
But here, you can be anyone you want to be.
You can be extraordinary.
It's okay, darling.
Here.
Let it all out.
That was excellent.
- Is that better? - That was excellent.
It's better.
- Oh! - Well done.
Well done.
Well done.
Every single one of you has done excellent work this year.
It's been very hard to select our eisteddfod competitors.
Are we ready? Mask work is Brian Jarvis and Harry Singh! Please hold your applause until the end! Okay?! And in dance all of our male dancers will perform the chorus with this year's solo by Sofie Werner.
- Congratulations! - Sofie? Sofie? There's someone called Margot in the foyer asking for you.
Sofie? You've found you.
Mm-hm.
Now, you don't let anyone take that away.
Okay.
Right! Shake out that negativity.
Why don't you return my calls? I've been leaving messages for weeks.
I've been busy.
What is this place? It's a dance studio.
Dance classes.
At $400 a week.
How do you know that? - I've seen your bank statement.
- You went through my mail.
Well, we were worried about you.
I don't care.
You've got no right to do that.
Okay, your landlord rang me and told me that there's 20 people living in your apartment.
We're rehearsing for our dance eisteddfod.
You're you're in an eisteddfod.
I mean, how old are you? 12?! I'm the lead dancer.
"Congratulations, Sofie.
That's really great news, Sofie.
" Okay, fine, whatever.
Just call Mum and Dad.
Do you know why I don't return your calls? It's 'cause of you and Mum.
You're always judging me and telling me what to do! You know, you might have the perfect house and the perfect family, but you've never taken a risk in your life.
You need to take your suit off, Margot.
I'm alive.
I'm alive, and I feel things inside, and you You're dead inside.
And when I'm around you, I feel dead inside too.
It's time! It's time! It's time! Sadi! Sadiqa! Sadiqa! Sadiqa! Sadiqa! You are all starting a new life.
You must have no identity papers on you or they will send you back.
Everybody must hand up their passports.
Come on, come on.
You cannot hold on to the past.
As soon as you reach your destination, you must declare yourself a refugee and ask for a protection visa, hm? Come on.
Hurry up! Passport.
Passport.
Passport.
Keep moving, everybody! Wait at the edge of the sand.
Right to the edge of the water.
The boat will be here soon.
Move it along! Move it along! Boys, come! Quick, let's go! Quick, quick! What's happening? Wait! Stop! They've taken our papers and left us here! - Where is the boat? - There's no boat! Polisi! Polisi! Polisi! Polisi! Let's go! Hostage skills, fire awareness, control and restraint.
What we're gonna start with today is cultural diversity.
Okay.
So, in some cultures, pointing can be seen as highly offensive.
While we see avoidance of eye contact as evasive, in Muslim cultures, it is respectful for men to avoid looking women in the eye.
- You done this work before? - No.
You? Gatehouse, juvie.
Arthur Gorrie.
You bloody name it, I've done it.
- You from Queensland? - Yeah.
- What are you doing here? - is encouraged in many cultures.
Came for the weather.
Grown men weep, shout, jump up and down and are respected for doing so.
Other cultures see this as immature behaviour.
Uh No, no, no.
This.
Got it, got it, got it, got it.
- Infraorbital.
- Infraorbital - Yes - is the - If you're going to hesitate - It's the nose.
Go up there like that.
- It's that thing.
Like that? - Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
- Alright.
- Alright.
Hypoglossal.
- Hypoglossal is is - Yes.
Yes.
like this.
That's the hypoglossal right there.
That's the hypoglossal.
He has no idea what he's getting into.
Yeah, the training seems pretty thorough, though.
Six weeks.
Full-time.
Here you are.
Come on.
Come here, stinky nappies.
Hello.
Hello.
Oh, yuck.
Hang on.
Thank you.
Welcome back, Mrs Rumac.
We're boarding via the rear of the aircraft.
- Sorry I'm late.
- Your shift started an hour ago.
- I'm really sorry.
- You can't keep turning up late.
- Sofie.
- What? Come on.
The passengers are still boarding.
There's been some complaints What complaints? You can't dance during the safety briefing.
Oh, come on! The passengers loved it.
They clapped.
No.
HR is sending you an email outlining our procedure.
Fine.
You know, you were holding me back anyway.
S Sofe.
Whoo! Sayonara, Southstar! Yeah, the flying was really taking its toll.
- That's a very brave decision.
- Mmm.
And it was affecting my ability to fully commit.
So you're going to look for some more fulfilling work? Well, for now, I want to focus 100% on the eisteddfod.
And I will figure out a way to make payments for the sessions.
Sofie, darling! This has never been about the money.
We're here to support you on your journey.
You just need to honour your commitment.
And we'll honour ours.
- Does that make sense? - Yeah.
Come through, Sofie.
What was that? Nothing.
I feel really good.
Sofie, you know you can't hide here.
Mmm.
Look at me.
What is it that you want? I want to be loved.
You want love? You have to allow yourself to be totally vulnerable.
You're not that person anymore.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the GOPA Eisteddfod.
Tonight We welcome Melbourne and Canberra to the fold as we battle it out for the Trophy of Transformation! Let's take a boat to Bermuda Let's take a plane to St Paul Let's take a kayak to Quincy or Nayack Let's get away from it all Let's take a trip in a trailer No need to come back at all Let's take a powder to Boston for chowder Let's get away from it all Let's travel south of the border Find me a real Spanish shawl Let's eat tamales in downtown Nogales Let's get away from it all We'll charter boats and airplanes too To far-off spots unknown Then hurry there to find somewhere Where we can be alone Let's spend a weekend in Dixie And pick up that sweet Southern drawl Then off to Reno But just to play keno Let's get away from it all Let's paddle over to Pompeii Have our own decline and fall Doing undoings - Smack in the ruins - Shh.
Let's get away from it all - Let's breeze to Buckingham - Pat, Pat! - Palace - Stop, stop, stop, stop! Stop.
Sorry, Pat.
Please stop.
Sorry, stop.
Sofie, what are you doing? I'm dancing.
Well, if that's dancing, I'm a bloody Catholic.
Well, I just think it's a bit of stage fright, Gordon.
Is it stage fright, Sofie? No.
I mean, all the work we've done, and do you know what I'm seeing up here? I'm I'm seeing someone so blocked, they're just you're just incapable of growth.
You told me that I didn't have to be the person that everybody Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Shoosh! Shoosh.
Does everyone see what's happening there? Someone is incapable of fixing themselves and so the first thing they do is blame.
She takes her dirty, negative energy and she tries to put it on someone else.
We have supported you.
We have trained you, forgone all your fees, and this is how you repay me, with blame.
I mean, there are children here, Sofie, vulnerable children, and do you want to infect them with your negativity? Do you want everyone in this room to fail utterly to achieve their true potential, just like you? No.
I'm s I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Good.
Then get out.
I said get out.
Go.
We're done here.
Go on! Go! Pat.
Well, there's a lot of emotion in the room tonight, and that's understandable, but I think we should channel it back into the show, because there's still a trophy to win! Isn't that right? Five, six, seven, eight.
All of Europe We found her wandering the street.
She was very disorientated.
Sofe? What's happened? I'm a good dancer.
I was gonna win the Trophy of Transformation.
Here's what we're gonna do.
I'm gonna take you home, to Mum and Dad's.
And tomorrow, we're gonna go and see a doctor.
You remember Dr Jaegar? They said I was extraordinary.
Yes.
You are.
Excuse me, sir.
Excuse me, uh my dau my daughter is very sick.
I don't have any money.
Could you please give me one tomato? Are you sure? Thank you, sir.
Thank you.
Five? Excuse me.
How how much is this? Uh, I don't have any money.
Um Ameer.
Ameer! Hey, Ameer! I told you, no money, no room! Tell me where Oshan is! Tell me! Tell him! If you talk to anybody outside of this room, you will not be on a boat.
If you cause any trouble on the boat, it turns round, comes straight back here.
No money back.
Got it? Okay.
Come.
What is your name, please? Okay.
Thank you.
Okay.
Thank you.
You call yourself Kumar now? You take people's money and then set up another business with a new name.
Places are limited, everybody, so, please, come and sign up.
What did you say to them? Huh? What did you say to them?! I told them the truth.
I will tell every single one of them not to do business with you.
You are a liar and a cheat! It's really important now that we we keep our eye on her.
We cannot watch her 24 hours.
Of course not! But Dr Jaegar's concerned she might run away.
She'll need to stay here with you.
I'll hold on to her passport and bank cards.
She needs to know that she's in a safe place, Mum.
She's very vulnerable.
She is in a safe place.
I just don't understand.
Why? Why can't she look after herself? I don't know.
But, clearly, she can't.
Ameer! Go! Go! - Don't let the boat leave! - Let the boat go! You can take me! Each compound is divided in two, single men on one side, families on the other.
Let me be crystal-clear.
Immigration detention is administrative detention.
It is not a prison sentence.
You have a duty of care to the UNCs, unlawful non-citizens.
Their dignity must be upheld in culturally, linguistically, gender and age-appropriate ways.
Do not engage with the Tamils on the roof.
Do not look at them or acknowledge them in any way.
What are they doing up there? Do you speak Tamil? - No.
- Shame.
'Cause if you did, you could ask 'em.
Now, all of you have been issued with a Hoffman knife.
Please keep this on your person at all times.
Look out for hanging hazards, hooks, pipes, etc.
Please check these regularly throughout your shift.
Alright.
Everybody listen up.
Let's make this as painless as possible.
All possessions in the tubs and declare any diseases up-front.
Very simple.
Some of these people, they speak better English than you, right? Don't you let them get anything past you.
Alright? Name.
- Karim-e Nasseri.
- What? Karim-e Nasseri.
Boat ID? - SER - Mm-hm.
53.
SER-53.
Good.
Get out of here.
Um, name.
Jomo Kimathi.
Uh, yep.
And boat ID? CED-24.
Alright.
Name? My name is Eva Hoffman.
I don't belong here.
I am just a silly backpacker who has lost her passport.
Have you got family, anyone know where you are? Why didn't you tell me your mate was such a Care Bear? You don't want to take in anything that they can use against you.
It's not like that at Barton.
Hey! Hey! You get those Tamils off the roof or I will send someone out there who can! And this is the new general manager, Ms Kowitz.
I am a refugee.
I ask for protection visa.
Do you know my wife, Najeeba? So will you deport me now? You can be anyone you want to be.