" In a sense, he's right!" "Sorry, but he's right." " He has an idea." "No, no, that's wrong." "There are institutions..." "They have the power..." "Fethi, Fethi, Fethi..." "Excuse me, but..." "In debates, he tries to think for the people... to assume the position of a scholar... so the masses will follow him." "It's unacceptable." " He has experience to bring." " Intellectualism..." "The idea of the intellectual thinking in the place of others is wrong." "Intellectualism runs through all of society!" "But there are still elites at the forefront, with interesting ideas." "We should help society understand things." "Help yourself understand things." "So that society helps you understand things that you have no way of understanding." " If you want..." " But the thing is..." "We need to create a movement." " A real movement..." " What we're waiting for is... a massive movement throughout society..." "But do you think..." "Do you think there's real hope in that idea?" "That's it!" "A Dionysian movement!" " A movement for life!" " Go Fethi!" "Hello Athmane." " Hello Malek!" "How are you?" " Fine, thanks..." "If you don't come to the village, I'll have to tell you myself." " You received a telegram." " Really?" "Majid told me so." " You want me to get it for you?" " No, don't go to the trouble..." "I'm busy right now, but I'll go later..." "I'm having coffee." "Do you want some?" " Why not, if it's ready?" " Let's go." "Is there any news about the young men from the village who were imprisoned?" "Were they released?" "Not quite yet." "Toufik and Salim are still in custody." "But the rest of the group was released." "I think the government is afraid that the situation will get worse." "It starts with the baton and ends with hugs." "We're used to it." "Two-step... like hip hop." "When are they going to trial?" "No idea..." "Maybe in the next three or four months..." "Do you know what they're being accused of?" "Disturbing public order... and damage to public property..." "In a place like this..." "What are they going to break?" "Well, exactly... what do they break?" "At the beginning, people were... burning tires... and then when the cops arrived... they entered City Hall... and burned all the archives..." "You didn't burn down the station?" "No..." "Why?" "Are you afraid, Malek?" "No, no..." "We can't do any more of that right now." "If we'd gone that far, there'd be none of us left." "And now?" "What will you do?" "Now Malek, we need to organize with everyone... who comprises the democracy." "We're much too isolated here." "Good luck." "Oh my beloved, how I loved you." "I did everything you told me to do." "Since you hurt my reputation, people are starting to talk." "The negative mind is always suspicious." "It suffers all its life." "We'll sell what we have and you can take what's left." "Sign here." "This is dedicated in honor of Sheikha Djenia!" " Good evening." " Good evening." "One ticket to Oran." "She wants to live!" "She can't become a kamikaze..." "She doesn't want to die, she wants to live." "You must be with them!" " Because if you're not with them..." " We agree with you." " We'll be forgotten by history." " We agree." " Long live life!" " And death to death!" "I have something to say:" "When chaos occurs somewhere, and no one intervenes..." "If the intellectual class is supposed to..." "Where is the intellectual class?" "There is no intellectualism class!" "There is intellectualism throughout all of society..." "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" "The "intellectual" does not exist!" "Intellectualism runs throughout society!" "Everyone thinks." "What matters is what we do with these thoughts." "Together, that's it!" "There's too much isolation." "What does Naïm have to say?" "Long live life and death to death!" "We need you to be alive!" "My grandma talks like you..." "No, sorry..." "So what?" "Your grandma, when she talks..." "Your grandma understands things too!" "Going back to the discussion..." "You know that we're in a very delicate, dangerous phase..." "The authorities..." "Excuse me, Chawki." "The authorities aren't going to help empower us." "I'm waiting for the authorities!" "But we're talking about this!" "What can be done about this?" "What can be done?" "What are we doing?" "Why are we having this conversation?" "We're here to figure out what to do." "What to do." "I'll tell you what to do." "Wait, wait!" "I declare that the century will be female." "I want to say, with the utmost conviction, that I will no longer be a man, but a hermaphrodite!" "I hear what you're saying." " Hear, hear!" "" " Everyone listen to Naïm!" "I hear what you're saying, and I say that I, too, am a hermaphrodite!" " Malek!" "How are you?" " How are you, Rachida?" "Good." "It's been so long since we've seen you." " Is Aziz there?" " Yes." "Are you expecting him?" " Yes." " Go ahead." "You know the way." " Rachida!" " Yes." "Please, a bottle of water, tea, and two coffees." "Malek," "I'll be brief with you." "We've just acquired a new mission on the Monts de Daïa." "Whether we agree, our clients are under a lot of pressure." "It can't be changed." "Save your comments for later." "The town is located approximately thirty kilometers southwest of Saïda." "There's an old municipal road and nothing beyond it." "A study was conducted there about 10 years ago..." "But unfortunately... everything was stopped... after the two surveyors were killed." "Since then, no one has wanted to go back there." "Pardon, Aziz, were you part of this study?" "No." "Well, that's it." "It's true that the region is still at risk." "Too much crime, too many dead..." "Nothing to defend as a village." "Why?" "Is the man in charge of making decisions... from the area?" "It doesn't matter." "What interests me... is to respond to the official reaction." "Don't forget... that the office of Annaba has begun to make decisions." "Where is this headed?" "Soon the Europeans will be involved, too." "Give me the cards." "Here they are." "Okay." "So... here's the region." "Here's the village." "You know what they want?" "They want to know the feasibility of extending power lines along the capital of Wilaya." "There isn't much time to conduct this study." "They've been waiting fifty years." "They can wait a little longer." "Nevertheless, the study of feasibility... isn't an official launching of building plans." "But that can wait." " I can't speak for the locals." " You can, Malek." " I speak for the region." " You'll have to be patient." "There were riots... and they're afraid of a repeat incident." "Our vehicle is broken down..." "Samir took it... to the mechanic for repairs." "It will be ready tomorrow night." "It works out well for him, he'll leave in two days." "Who'll go with me on this mission?" "Who would you like to work with you?" "I'd prefer Samir, but he's busy." "He'll join you later." "What can I do, starting by myself?" "What are you going to do?" "You can at least go clean the Saharan cabin." "You can also get back in contact with local authorities." "Lakhdar, paperwork isn't really my thing." "Who said you had to do paperwork?" "One of us must go..." "Alright." "You say that two days will suffice." " That will be enough." " Alright." " The car will be ready in two days?" " It will." "Okay." "But two days, coming from you..." "I know what that means." " Rachida!" " Yes." "Please." "Listen!" "Reserve a room for two nights... at a nearby hotel." " I don't have the phone number." " You don't have the number?" "Do I have to do that for you?" "Just look it up!" "Yes, later." "I'm going to lunch now." "Are you having lunch too?" "Please." "A hotel room with a shower, right?" "And a TV too?" "If that's okay with you." "Alright then!" "It even has a TV!" "That way, you can watch CNN and Al Jazeera... you can appreciate the beauties of the world." "One island isn't enough." "It takes several islands." "What we need is an archipelago." "Rachida, it'd be nice if... you could bring us some coffee and tea... before the office closes!" "Go on." "Good luck, Malek." " How is Zohra?" " Fine." "Alright." "And the little tomboy?" "The tomboy became a woman..." "She grew up." "Do you see them?" "I haven't been able to." "I must phone ahead to know whether she came back or not." "Is Zohra still at university?" " Yeah, she still is." " And the office?" "She never let it go." "You know the salary of teachers." "Do you help them?" "From time to time... when I can." "When you can..." "The little girl is growing up..." "She can't for you to be able to help..." "See you tonight Arzew." "Alright?" "Sure, why not?" "See you tonight." "Suppleness..." "Flexibility, he says..." "One of his latest discoveries." "Outsourcers... have become demanding." "A company needs to guarantee the satisfaction of its clients." "We're building a new Algeria, all day long he sings to me, praises of the new Algeria." "A broken record, spinning idly." "An Algeria that wins..." "The new Algeria..." "Blah blah blah..." "But what they don't mention... is that, over 45 years, we have seen..." "Algeria make progress... but... most often, in baby steps." "This is the stationary car." "I'll have to be the one to wait two days." "Hold on, I spoke with the mechanic." "I asked him to slow down his work." "Bad move, Lakhdar..." "You're biting the hand that feeds you." "Whatever it is you want... you'll miss me." "And you'll be far away..." "This way, we can hang out together." "Before you return to your dirty old home... and taking showers with bottled water." " Are you getting out?" " What would you suggest?" "It's pointless for them to know I'm here." "I'll go a little later." "I need to help my mother dye some clothes." "I made a promise to her, and you weren't part of that promise." "I'll wait." "I'm leaving the satchel with you." "It's too heavy for me tonight." ""... this acceleration of the processes of development and..." ""the social positions adopted by the government..."" "I'll leave you the day's paper." ""wrongfully accused of authoritarianism, are actually in service of..."" "Thank you." ""the public interest." "According to the scientific lexicon..." ""and for the IMF, we should not speak of an..." ""authoritarian regime, but an adequate regime." ""The decision by society to serve citizens and visitors..." ""favorably, reflects the will of..." ""the government to achieve reform." ""They will remain inadequate if certain decisions are not made."" "I received the divorce papers." "You must sign, and... take it to the lawyer, who'll present it in court." "As you wish." "I think you should pay something else to the lawyer." "Do you have enough to pay?" "Normally, I have enough." "Do you know how much?" "No..." "I don't know..." "Finally, you accepted the new proposal... from the consulting firm?" "Yes." "You don't seem happy..." "No, no, it's fine." "Nahla!" "Nahla!" "Hold on." "Do you know this book?" "HOWL" "Ginsberg." "No." "Shit, I don't know where I put it." "Nahla won't forget that you promised her a walk." "I haven't forgotten." "Good afternoon." "When are you coming back?" "In a week." "She can wait one week." " Would you like some coffee?" " Sure." "The tree in front of you..." "And that little tree over there, it belongs to the Mir family." "And the houses there, they belong to my nephew." "And that is our home." " That one." " Yes." "But no one lives here." "Everyone fled the village." "I don't come here to work." "If you miss something..." "Ask for Kouider." "He can bring me up to the village for you." " My name is Malek." "Nice to meet you." " God bless you." " Hello!" " Hello." "Are you the surveyor?" "Yes, that's me." "Why didn't you tell me of your arrival?" "I just got here." "What exactly is your mission?" "We're reporting a survey of the power lines." "The power lines?" "What power lines?" "The ones connecting small towns to the main line." "Do you have a mission statement?" "Yes, I have one." "Let me see it!" "I'll get it." "You don't have light here?" "Yes, yes, there is... it's just that I didn't want to waste gas." "Why?" "Are these gas operated?" "Yes." "You don't work for the Sonelgaz Company?" "No, I work for a private office located in Orant." "I can read, I can read..." "Show me the paper." "And this mission, will it last long?" "I don't know." "It's based on statements that have been made." "The forest has grown and everything has changed." "I'll have to start from scratch." "This is true in certain places, but in others, everything is burned." "You can't just go wherever you want." "The land is covered with mines." "I know, I was told yesterday." "And does the mayor know?" "Of course." "Normally, he's up to date." "And does he serve the public interest?" "Do you have a document proving it?" "No." "All I have is this mission statement." "But if you call the mayor, you can confirm it." "I'd like the papers you have." "I can call the office in Oran." "They'll fax you a copy of the contract." "Fax!" "We don't have fax." "I'll go to City Hall on my day off to make a duplicate." "What's your day off?" "Alright?" "I'll keep this one..." "No, you can't." "I need it." "You need it?" "We're the ones who need it, right?" "It's better that it stays here." "But when I go to City Hall, the mayor will ask me for the mission statement." "Ah..." "I forgot about that." "Fine." "Make me a copy." "Understood." "Bring it to me here." "I'll wait for you." "Thank you." "I heard explosions last night..." "Did you hear them?" "I didn't, but it's entirely possible." "Sometimes wild boars... roam the minefields and cause explosions." "Are you working right now?" "Right now, no." "Right now, we do nothing." "It's an idle time." "So you can come work with me." "I don't know how to do your job." "It's not so difficult." "I'll explain." "If it pleases God." "Hello!" "Hello, how are you?" "What's up?" "How have you been?" "What's up?" "I'm doing great." " I have a new client for you." " Welcome." " Hello, how are you?" " Hello." "Fine." "Do you need anything?" " Is there coffee?" " Yes." "Give me a packet." "What else?" "A box of... pasta." "And rice." "Give me some laundry detergent." "Is there water?" " Yes." " Give me some water." "Is this green tea?" "Yes." "I'll take some." " You don't sell any vegetables?" " No." " Did you take the cookies?" " Yes, a box of cookies." "Take this gel too, you might get laid!" "Have I forgotten anything?" " It's not serious." "I took that and then..." " No problem." " How much is that?" " 47." "Bring us dinner." "Kouider!" "Here, here!" "Open up the target." "Don't move." "Keep it steady." "Five centimeters to the right." "There." "There's where you can hammer in a nail." " Hello!" " Hello!" " God bless you!" " Thank you." "How are you?" "What's up?" " I'm fine." " God be praised!" "What is this project you're working on?" "A dam or something?" "Power lines." " Ah, power lines?" " Yes, my brother." "How's the electricity going?" "It's being prepared." " Lines." " Yes, lines." "But there's already electricity." "But there are places without it." "Is that where they don't have it yet?" "That's it, exactly." " God help you!" " God help you." "Turn around!" "Turn around!" "What's the matter?" "Reverse!" "The road is closed." "I see that, but tell me why." "Leave, or we'll destroy your car!" "We have demands too, you know!" "People have died!" "One war is over, another is beginning, and nobody realizes it!" "Turn around!" "Lakhdar!" "Lakhdar!" "What's the matter?" "Do you have any news of Malek?" "The outsourcers would love it... if the study were ready." "No news of him." "But he just left." "How long does he intend to stay on his mission?" "I'm not sending a request..." "If he hasn't called." "The important thing is that he has no problems." "And you?" "Have you tried to call him?" "No!" "I know Malek, he's a hard worker, who knows his job." "If he didn't call, it's because... there wasn't an opportunity." "Yes... no opportunity." "If there was an opportunity, we'd be up to date." "He can't use a landline?" "All police stations have them." "If there were no station available, he could use a gas station." "He should figure it out." "What's important is that we have contact." "But listen to me..." "I swear to you that he'll pay dearly if we lose this contract." "Where did you come from?" "Tell us where you came from." "Talk." "Where did you come from?" "What country?" "From where did you come, please?" "I come from a place where it's... almost impossible to stay." "Can you be more specific?" "There are many countries at war." "What is he saying?" "Where are you from?" "Ask him that." "The officer wants to know your name and origin." "I lost my name." "The road that brought you here will return you back." "There's couscous and pasta waiting for you." " Keeping this up will drive you mad." " Shut up." "What is he saying?" "Gently, don't do it like that." "Be reasonable." "Tell me where you came from." "The police will know about everything in time." "Tell me your name." "This will speed up the procedure." "Where did you go?" "What route were you thinking of taking?" "How did you get here?" "What happened to you?" "Huh?" "Who sent you here?" "Where do you want to go?" "What network got you here?" " Speak!" " Do you want to go to Europe?" "Take it easy on him." "Did you want to go to Spain by way of Morocco?" "Who brought you here?" "Where did you go?" "Who were you with?" "The police want their names and the route you took." "Let me see, let me see the photo." "And this man, do you know him?" "You know him?" "He is dead." "Yes, they're all dead." "The other two, too." "The other two?" "Yes." "What happened to the girl?" "A woman?" "Was there a woman with you?" "You didn't find the body of a woman?" "Let's see." "Was there a woman with them?" "That's what he says." "Ask him for her name." "What was her name?" "The girl." "The son of an idiot, slaughtered by idiots." "His renown has spread." "Some say he's the best." "And others call him a scholar." "There's a lot of talk about him." "That anyone with him will prevail." "But there's always doubt." "I prefer loving asceticism." "For those, like me, who have seen and felt it." "If God created Hell," "Heaven will be empty." "This is in honor of all my friends present." "Those from Hassasna, my brother Mohamed, and the Dahmani family." "At this beautiful gathering for Ould Mellal..." "For my brother Athmane and the people of Sidi M'Barek..." "May God reward us." "I lie, Miss O, My beloved has forgotten me." "Oh my heart, why must you always be so cold?" "Love for a grieving soul is hard." "The love weighing on me can only be measured in tons." "This is dedicated to all my friends present, for the Dahmani family, in honor of my brothers Mohamed and Kouider and his friend Malek, for my brother Athmane, for the people of Sidi M'Barek, for Ould Mellal," "and his friend Khelifa Mohamed Zendani, for everyone who loves us and the people of Hassasna." "May God reward us." "Who are you?" "Where do you come from?" "Do you speak French?" "Do you speak French?" "No!" "English?" "Don't move!" "It's alright." "Kouider..." "Let's go over to that hill." "Kouider!" "Come out where I can see you!" "That's it, exactly." "Well, here it is." " Malek!" " Yes?" " Hello!" " Hello!" "A group of illegals passed through here." "Some of them crossed a minefield." "Some managed to get away." "How many were there?" "There was at least one woman." "She is injured." "In my opinion, she won't get far." "She'll stay on the minefield unless her location is given by someone being questioned, or one of our people." "What country is she from?" "I don't know..." "Of course... she's from somewhere far away." "Her trip will last for a while longer." "Alright... if you see or hear something, it would be nice if you could warn us." "No problem." "We will." "Hey!" "Wasn't it you who was supposed to bring in papers?" "I haven't had time to bring the papers." "City Hall was closed and no one could enter." "Consider it done." "The village has been wiped clean." "Bring your papers quickly." "Listen... uh..." "I keep wasting my time with these papers..." " I have better things to do..." " Like what?" "Do you know who you're talking to?" "I work for the big man!" "I have no time to spend looking around City Hall for papers that will do you no good." " Be careful!" " Please!" "Tomorrow!" "The project is already behind schedule... he's a little annoyed..." "Come to my office tomorrow, or I'll be forced to come find you!" "No problem." "I'll bring the papers." "Why talk to him?" "He won't let us work." "Democracy is a regime of pretenders." "Whoever rules tomorrow..." "It's not democratic." "In a democratic society, everyone speaks, their ideas, their opinions, their interests, there is nothing of hegemony." "And what happens then?" "Nothing!" "Why are you looking for an afterwards?" "We need people to place a value on all this talk." "That's it." "Otherwise, where is all this talk going?" "Why do you wonder where it's going?" "What for?" "Society is free." "It is free to its words, its conscience..." "That's human..." "You're in the discourse." "You've grown." "I haven't grown like you seem to think I have." "Don't sell yourself short..." "Speak your passion." "Start doing it now." "You, what pains you in your life, in your body, in your relationships with women, in..." "Come on!" "They say society will explode." "Well..." "It's exploding now." "But you, aren't you exploding too?" " Stop!" "Don't move!" " Leave me alone!" " Stop!" " Leave me alone!" "Stop!" "Bastard." "Come with me." "There is a route to the Moroccan border." "It will take about 10 hours." "There are many police roadblocks before we'll reach the border." "We'll have to take the backroads." "The car will be reported very quickly." "No." "I want to go home." "I can't stand it anymore." "I want to go home." "What?" "You don't want to go to Spain?" "I'm tired." "It's too much for me." "I can't go any further." "I'm tired." "I've had enough." "I want to go." " We're here, right?" " Yeah." "We'll take this road." "Okay." "Yes, this is it." "Stop!" "How long has he been gone?" "Since this morning." "You couldn't have come a little sooner?" "My friend hasn't been feeling well lately." "Sorry, but... if we started looking for everyone who failed to arrive for work, it would go on and on." "There are many serious problems to solve here." "Maybe he went for a walk... to sort his thoughts out." "It's not like him." " I think he's far away." " Really?" "How do you know?" "Because he took the service vehicle." "If he only went for a walk..." "He wouldn't be far away." "And there's still work to do, within a short time." "The region isn't secure." "Are you telling me he would flee with the vehicle?" "Do you want to register a complaint?" "It would be useless." "If you want to find the vehicle," "I'd like to be informed." "Oh, I'm not promising anything." "Let me contact the owners of the vehicle... we'll see if we can make a report." "Just leave everything to me." "Good luck!" "Thank you." "Thank you." "Why did you stop here?" "The car broke down." "Is it reparable?" "Yes, but I don't have the hardware with me." "You're in luck." "We go here once a year." "The road is over 150 km." "The shepherds don't pass by here often." "As you can see..." "Where are you going?" "We went to Aïn Sefra, and then Béchar." "There's much farther still to go..." "There's no hurry." "We can walk." "And you, what is your route?" "We're going to the edge of Aïn Sefra." "To the Moroccan border." "There are pastures there." "Because of the cold, few other shepherds go there." "Where are you from?" "Djenane Mordjane, Touam." "South of Saïda." "It's far..." "How long have you been walking?" "Sixty days..." "On foot." "Sometimes the truck comes by to take the tired sheep." "When is the truck coming?" "It's expected today." "Your workers are young..." "We started even younger than them." " You started young." " Yes." "Many shepherds have died..." "Killed by terrorists." " You've met them." " Yes." "Several times." "But they're still alive." "That's what they say." "How many animals?" "There are plenty." "Are you the owner?" "No, it's someone else." "You thought we were the owners." "The owner is from Saïda." "I don't know him myself." "Your girlfriend seems cold." "No doubt..." "There." "It's yours now." "I need a little more." "Thank you." "God bless you." "So?" "Did you find him?" "Finally." "Where?" "In the middle of the steppe." "He didn't say where he went?" "Ah, alright... the car was found." "Béchar Road?" "Hey!" "Stop, look." "Who is it?" "It's me." "Where's mom?" "Tell her to come." "How's it going?" "How's it going?" "Alright." "Is dad there?" "Yeah." "Tell him I said hi." "What?" "Mabou?" "She died." "Yes, dead." "She passed away." "I'm in Algeria." "I don't know." "I've just been walking." "It's beautiful... and terrible at the same time." "Yes." "I'll call you again soon." "Yes." "Give my respects to Grandpa Nko'o." "Goodbye." "Be well." "Hey!" "Wait for me!" " Hello." " Is Hmida there?" " Yes, may I ask who's speaking?" " Malek." "Hmida!" "Hmida!" "So, a new building site?" "No, that's not it." "It's something else." "I need a favor from you." "No problem." "Come on." "Who are you?" "Where are you from?" "You don't speak?" "Why don't you speak?" "Tell us so we can hear your language." "How are you?" "Welcome, even if you won't talk." "There's something I don't understand." "What?" "Why are we walking?" "We're walking..." "I think that... walking is a release." "It gives me humanity." "Walking is a revolution." "A revolution?" "Yes, a revolution." "Walking is a renewal." "We are in agreement." "Walking is a revolution against the powers that be... the powers of the tribe, of the state, the power of speech, of definitive truths." "I walk like El Shanfara, the errant poet." "Why haven't you returned with him?" " He left with the bike..." " With the bike..." "What do you want me to do?" "He's a friend." "A friend?" "Both of you can fuck off." " Do you have tea inside?" " Yes." "Wake up." "This way." "Where are you?" "Where are you?" "Where are you?" "I'm here!" "What?" "Come on." "Speak!" "Something wrong with your tongue?" "Come here." "I can see the border." "You must go." "And you?" "I'll see you on the other side." "How did you do?" "And you, just arriving here now?" "I was only half there."