"SECRET BALLOT" "Wake up." "It's your shift." "What's that box?" "It's election day." "Don't you know?" "There's a letter..." "You have to guard." "You mean I have to collect votes?" "No, an agent will come at 8." "You have to guard the agent." "It's 8:1 5." "Where is this guy?" "Nothing ever happens on time." "They'll come sooner or later." "What about the smugglers?" "Whoever sent the order knows what's best." "Just let me sleep." "Go to your post." "Be back here at 5." "At 5 sharp." "We won't wait." "Good morning." "Are you on duty here?" "Nice to meet you." "I'm here for the elections." "Good, the box arrived." "What time is it?" "Look..." "Voting is like this:" "We follow this map." "To collect ballots in remote areas." "People won't come on their own." "From here, we'll go to all those marked areas, and collect the ballots in this box." "We have to finish by 5." "The ballot is placed in here and we stamp their I D." "That's how officials are elected." "Let's begin with me." "I must vote, you must vote, everyone must vote." "To choose who sits up there." "On the ballot," "I write the name of my chosen candidate." "I fold the ballot and put it in the box." "That's it." "Did you get it?" "What are you waiting for?" "Who sent you here anyway?" "I'm in charge here, Mister." "I have orders." "This says I'm the agent and you are the guard." "That order is no good." "It says an agent will come, not a woman!" "In this desert!" "It doesn't state man or woman." "And I am the agent." "That order is no good." "It was signed by your superiors." "Don't argue." "Your duty is to assist me." "I decide things here." "They should have sent a man." "An order is an order." "You must obey," "Stop wasting my time or I'll see to it you stay a soldier forever." "Give me your I D." "I don't have I D." "And why not?" "It's under the mattress that my buddy is sleeping on." "OK, you'll vote later." "Get the car." "Let's go." "You shouldn't have come anyway." "What time is it?" "8:30." "It's late..." "Tell me, Miss..." "I have a question." "Yes?" "Who has to vote?" "No one has to vote." "They can if they want to." "They don't have to." "No one is forced." "But it's better if they vote." "Better for them." "They'll be better off." "So anyone can vote?" "Of course." "As long as they are citizens and of legal age." "Then those smugglers can vote, too?" "Yes." "Everyone can vote." "Every citizen has rights." "Even smugglers." "If those crooks vote, I'll be out of a job!" "That's irrelevant." "The voting process helps countries improve." "Look!" "There's someone!" "Let's go!" "Where?" "He's running, over there!" "Let's get his vote." "Why is he running?" "He must be a crook!" "How do you know?" "Because he's running!" "Maybe he's afraid of this army jeep." "There's no reason to be afraid." "I'd be scared if the army chased me!" "Go faster." "That way!" "Catch up with him." "The poor guy keeps running." "We must reassure him." "We must get his vote." "Forget about him!" "Why were you running away?" "I wasn't." "What are you running from?" " Empty your pockets!" " No way." "Don't touch me!" "Let him catch his breath." "He's a crook." "How do you know?" "You're provoking people on election day!" "I'm sorry, sir..." "Tell him to put his gun away." "Alright..." "Put the gun away!" "What's my crime?" "None, sir." "I'm very sorry." "Your running was misinterpreted." "Is running a crime?" "The gun means nothing." "We're taking care of the elections." "He was only doing his job." "Elections?" "In this desert?" "With guns?" "You live here." "You have rights." "I want to vote, but not at gunpoint." "That was a misunderstanding." "Let me explain..." " Do you have I D?" " Yes." "Then follow me." "This is the list of candidates." "Write down your two choices." "Your pen, please..." "He didn't even look at the list!" "What is he doing?" "If he's collecting, I won't vote!" "Who is he anyway?" "Leave him alone." "Voting is by secret ballot!" "I want to vote freely, without his interfering." "You are so right, but he was just doing his job." " By interfering?" " No, I won't allow that." "Look away!" "Let him vote in peace." "Go on and write." "Behind the box, if you'd like." "No, I'm fine!" "I don't want him to interfere." "I want to vote." "I want to do it freely." "You're right, sir." "Go on." "Don't forget my I D. It comes in handy, even here." "It's good that you never lost it." "Thank you." "Here you are." "I don't understand..." "Why send an armed soldier on election day?" "That uniform, gun and jeep... you're ruining everything." "Those crooks would never listen to you without this gun." "And you think chasing some poor soul with this jeep and gun is the way to control crime?" "Everything has its own way." "The law must deal with crooks." "And the law is in this box." "This is what I get for following you around!" "The crooks are having a party!" "I'd be better off without you." "That gun scares people and causes conflict." "People need to feel free on election day." "Voting encourages expression." "For people to talk." "That gun shuts them up!" "Can you drive, Miss?" "What?" "Can you drive?" "I didn't think women were allowed to drive here." "What are you doing?" "Where are you going?" "What are you doing?" "Leave me alone, Miss!" "Take care of your business and I'll take care of mine!" "You wouldn't survive here for 1 0 minutes without my gun!" "You're just hiding behind my gun!" "Who knows what you're up to with that box!" "Do you know what happens when one disobeys orders?" "That gun won't be able to help you!" "You've been ordered to stay with me until 5." "You saw the order yourself." "I saw nothing!" "The only thing I saw was a box fall from the sky and ruin my day!" "What?" "I can't hear you." " Is this the voting station?" " Yes, it is." "I missed you at the guard post." "I looked everywhere." "And you're here to vote?" "I have voters with me." "Where from?" "From a neighboring island." "I brought them all here." " In the truck?" " Yes." " Where are they?" " I'll get them." "They all have I D." "Well, bring them over." "Come down!" "Hurry!" "Line up here." "Give me the ballots." " They must write themselves." " They don't know how!" "Then I have someone." "They can't talk to him." "Their husbands will raise hell." "What about you?" "They all know me." "Just give me their I D." "So you can write your choice in their place?" "Not at all." "They must choose two names from the list." "Impossible!" "They're in my care." "I must write their ballots." "Voting is not done in groups." "I know who they should vote for." "What are you saying?" "They must choose!" "I'll choose for them." "Everyone chooses individually." "If you know so much, then you vote for yourself." "And what about for them?" "No, voting has strict procedures." "Is everyone here?" "No one missing?" "Hurry up." "Here..." "OK, ladies..." "Have you voted before?" "No problem..." "I will explain." "Can you read and write?" "And you?" "Good." "Come here." "This is the list of 1 0 candidates." "I'll call your names." "Then fill in your ballots." "This lady will help you." "Then put your ballot in the box." "OK?" "Tahereh Zarei?" "Where is she?" "Is it you?" "No, dear." "You're too young to vote." "She says the girl is 1 2." "Why can't she vote?" "Because... she has to be 1 6 to vote." "She can marry at 1 2, but she can't vote?" "That's the law..." "She must be at least 1 6." "Tell her I can't do anything." "Sakineh Yekshanbezadeh?" "Is that you?" "Come here, please." "Take your ballots one at a time." "Come here." "Come closer." "Here are your ballots." "Fill them in quickly." "Come closer." "Take your ballots." "Come forward if you don't have a ballot." "Fold your ballots and put them in the box." "This place isn't on the map." "We'll go anyway." "They're voters." "They're fishermen..." "I'll bring them here." "They're not from here." "They're just repairing their nets." " They don't have I D." " How is that possible?" "That boat out there." "It crosses the border." "So let's go to them." "How will we go there?" "With one of those boats." "They don't lend out their boats." "Nothing is impossible!" "Halt!" "What did you do?" "Why did you shoot?" "That smuggler fled when I ordered him to stop." "How can you tell from so far away?" "He'd have stopped otherwise." "There will be a scandal if headquarters finds out we fired shots." "I don't care." "I ordered him to stop!" "But people must feel free on election day." "Without shots, those smugglers won't let us live in peace!" "They'll create chaos." "They arrested him." "We lost a vote." "Why run off to marry some foreigner?" "Aren't we man enough at home?" "It's alright." "Don't worry." "Where do you live?" "Are you from here?" "Tell me where you live." "We can take you home." "I am from Moshri." "Thank you so much for your help." "But it would be better to take a break and vote." "Voting doesn't catch fish." "One day less of fishing and..." "We'll wait in the car." "Are you the election agent?" "We were left out the last time." " We travelled together to vote." " Why all the trouble?" "We've come from far." "I'll prepare the ballots and the candidates list." "We know who we are voting for." "Here's the approved list." "Our candidates aren't on this list!" "What is this!" "We didn't come all this way to vote for these!" "We don't care about these guys!" "Are all the candidates listed?" "It's the approved list." "I D, please." "I must stamp them." "We won't vote for those!" "We want our candidates." "Who are these?" "We've never heard of them!" "What about our candidates?" "Voting is by secret ballot." "We'll vote for who we want!" "How old are you?" "1 6." "She's 1 6." "She can vote." "She has enough problems." "I thought voting was the answer!" "Voting can't solve every problem." "Maybe she would vote for someone who would stop our girls from running off to marry." "Or maybe vote for someone who'd let people marry as they wish." "Not now, dear." "You can vote when we arrive at your home." "They won't let me." "What?" "She might vote for the groom!" "My family won't vote." "You can vote and they will, too." "We'll deal with that when we arrive." "You should think about the scandal!" "What a mess!" "Her family, her brothers..." "They'll think she's been rejected." "What is that man doing here?" "That soldier is with me." "We're here for the election." "He must leave!" "A woman is giving birth." "He must go!" "He means no harm." "We're here to collect votes." "All you have to do is choose 2 names." "Our men aren't here." "But we're here." "You can vote on your own." "Not without permission." "You don't need permission." "Everyone votes independently." "Just choose 2 names." "That's all." "Hello." "I'm the election agent." "If you can't read, I have photos of the candidates." "Have a look." "Just choose 2 from the pictures." "Once you choose... put their names..." "If you write..." "What happened?" "What did she say?" "No photos of unknown men." "A child has just been born." "Here?" "I want to see." "What happened?" "Where did she go?" "Can't you see a city girl is here?" "Cover yourself." "Hello." "Good day, ma'am." "How many families live here?" "Don't know." "Not too many." "Are you thirsty?" "Yes, thanks." "You forgot the box!" "The box can stay there." "Everyone can come here." " Who owns this place?" " Granny Baghoo." "Where is she?" "She never leaves home." " Can't we talk to her?" " She's always at the farm." " Near here?" " Yes." "You better take the box." "They won't come so easily." "You'll be lucky just getting them to the door!" "The ballot box must be held by the agent." "Otherwise votes become void." "Go away, soldier!" "Hello." "What is he doing here?" "Go away!" "Stay back." "I'll manage." "Please, sir..." "Who is the owner here?" "Granny Baghoo?" "I need to speak to her." "Today is election day." "I'm collecting votes." "Please tell Granny Baghoo..." "I must speak with her." "The election could bring a water system here." "Things can improve." "We can help you." "Please ask her to speak with me." "Just ask her to come here." "I'll explain everything." "If everyone votes, then your herds could prosper." "There could be less disease." "Do you understand?" "No, I don't speak Farsi." "We must hurry." "The next stop is far away." "Come and pour some water to wash my hands." " Some soap?" " Thanks." "Did they vote?" "How did you get those workers to vote?" "They weren't cooperative." "Well, I convinced them." " Water?" " Yes, thanks." "Of course, a gun can do a lot." "Even with blank ballots, you just need to fill your box." "Granny Baghoo sent food for you." "Thanks, dear." "She sent this herself?" "Come back." "Where's the boy who was here?" "I don't know." "What do you want from him?" "He can help us talk to these people." "If we stop to eat..." "Do you need water?" "We don't have time to eat." "They'll be offended if we don't." "I am hungry... now I see this food." "I thought you wouldn't eat all day." "We weren't going to, but local food is an exception." "You still haven't told me if you got their votes." "Granny Baghoo doesn't need to vote." "All day you've talked about how important voting is!" "Now you're giving up?" "Of course, voting is important, but..." "Granny Baghoo has her own government here." "She doesn't need representatives." "Hold on!" "Hold on!" "What's wrong with it?" "It hasn't been used in a long time." "Today has been too much for it." "Try again." "Stop!" "Let's push it." "That won't help." "Is it broken?" "Hey, man, give us a hand here." "Are you the election agent?" "Yes, why?" "Some people were looking for you." "Why didn't you say so earlier?" "I didn't think the agent was a woman." "I thought agents were men." "Where are they now?" "Granny Baghoo gave them water, then sent them away." "Where did they go?" "I don't know." "But they showed me a place..." "I can show you." "Wait!" "How much further?" "Not far.Just around the back." "And the jeep?" "It'll be fine." "Let's go and see." " Still farther?" " No, we're here." " Who were those people?" " I don't know." " Fishermen?" " Yes..." "It's here." "They told you to show me this rock?" "What is it?" "I don't know." "Help me move it." "I have to go back." "What's written there?" "What is it?" "Don't know." "I have to go." "My flock is loose." "God knows what you're hoping to find..." "Come and help move it." "What is that rock?" "There is an inscription." "What's written?" "Can't you read?" ""Dear Election Agent," ""our votes are under this rock."" "It's dated today." "Turn it over." "Let's see what's underneath." "That?" "If you found ballots there, would you put them in the box?" "I'm just curious to see if there is anything." "Even without proper I D?" "It's important to know if people left votes here." "But where are those voters?" "I'll do it myself." "Let me do it." "Stand aside." "See what's underneath?" "Nothing!" "An inscription..." "That's on the other side." "There must be something." "There's another one." "What?" "Read it." "See for yourself." ""Dear Election Agent," ""our votes are under this rock."" "It's dated 4 years ago." "It's late." "If we don't make it on time," "I'll miss the boat, and the votes will be void." "We've been all around this island." "Half of the places weren't even on your map." "What use are those votes?" "Look over there!" "It's some kind of camp." "Let's go and see." "Why not just deliver the votes you have?" "Forget about that place." "We've searched everywhere." "We've even looked under rocks to find votes." "It's on our way." "Let's take a look." "There's no one." "Before I came to this island, those political types you're collecting votes for..." "They were plotting something here." "They and their projects all disappeared!" "Is anybody here?" "Hello." "Welcome." "Hello." "How are you?" "Are you the guard here?" "No, I'm the guide." "This is a solar energy site." "That's the solar kettle." "Let's have tea before it's overboiled by the sun." "Today is election day." "I'm in charge of collecting votes." "I have a list of 1 0 candidates." "You choose 2 names." "Then fill in this ballot." "Here, this is the ballot." "I stamp your I D." "And you drop your vote in the box." "Listen, young lady, I wouldn't know who to vote for." "I can tell you about them..." "That is a photocell unit." "It takes energy from the sun." "The energy is stored in batteries in the back." "It provides electricity here, and lights this place up at night." " Excuse me..." " I'm just checking..." "If the battery is functioning..." "Excuse me..." "I only have until 5." "Allow me 2 minutes to explain." "Then you can vote." "But I don't know those people." "I'll explain everything." "Give me your I D." "My I D is in the hut." "Son, can you get it?" " Where in the hut?" " In a bag under the bed." "I know no one except God Almighty." "If I vote, I must vote for God." "God does instruct us to participate in elections." "Where is that written?" "I haven't seen it!" "We must decide our own fate." "Fate?" "God decides every human's fate." "Those candidates cannot decide our fate." "Hurry with the I D..." "The candidates are familiar with the conditions here." "They understand your problems." "They can make a difference." "If you vote, you can plan your life better." "Listen, dear..." "See the sun?" "It has never changed." "And God exists forever." "The people on your list are not able to decide their own fate." "It's getting late..." "If we go on like this, we'll never make it on time." "Come on, just write a couple of names." "Will you do it for me?" "The lady will do it herself." "No!" "I vote for God Almighty." "But God isn't a candidate!" "God is my candidate." "What's wrong?" "Why did you stop?" "The light is red." "See?" "We're in the middle of nowhere." "There are no cars." "I can't break the rules." "But this is the desert." "The law means nothing." "See?" "I'm walking here now." "Nothing will happen." "It's late." "We must go!" "You have wandered all day long for the law." "And look at you now..." "You want to break the law yourself?" "What rules?" "This is a desert." "No cars pass here." "I can't break the law." "Law means nothing here!" "That thing is a mistake." "It shouldn't even be here!" "But you can see it's red." "But the light is still red..." "I thought it had been repaired." "But it's still broken." "There's no one here..." "Hello." "Can I help?" "Where is everyone in this town?" "I haven't seen anyone all day." "Today is election day and I'm collecting votes." "Do you have I D on you?" "Yes." "I'll show it to you if you buy something." "But I don't need anything." "Then I don't need to vote." "What should I buy?" "Buy something, and I'll show you my I D." "OK, give me that blond doll." "But this is foreign I D!" "Only legal citizens can vote!" "You only asked to see my I D." "There it is." "Everyone votes in their own country." "You can vote in your country." "What's wrong?" "The others won't play with me." "What are they playing?" "Hide and seek." "I'm not from here." "I have something for you." "So you can play on your own." "Where's your mother?" "In the cemetery." "I don't have a mother either." "Do you like it?" "Do you?" "Has she been dead long?" "She's just visiting my father's tomb with the others." "So they're all there..." "My condolences..." "Hello." "My condolences." "Today is election day." "I'm collecting..." "Women are not allowed in this cemetery." "It is forbidden for them to enter." "I won't interfere with the ceremony." "Since everyone is here," "I wanted to take the opportunity to collect your votes." "Voting is not allowed here." "Elections will do us no good." "You can only know for sure if you vote." "Have you ever voted?" "How can you think like that?" "If you and I think..." "Your ballots mean more to you than people." "That's not true." "What's important is choosing someone who understands your problems." "What do you know about us?" "And our problems?" "We must hide our feelings here." "What do you mean?" "Don't you want your voice to be heard?" "Of course, I do." "And can they make a difference?" "Step by step." "It can't all happen at once." "We don't even have the right to be here." "I must go." "My daughter is waiting." "Could I ask you something?" "What is it?" "When is the next election?" "In 4 years." "Elections are every 4 years." "Not before?" "What do you mean?" "Why not 3 or 4 elections per year?" "Too late..." "I missed the boat." "But we're on time." "They'll come sooner or later." "How could they not show up?" "We had an appointment." "Nothing ever happens on time." "They'll show up." "I didn't take your vote." "Here's a pen..." "And a ballot." "What for?" "Don't you want to vote?" "The candidates list..." "You must know it by heart." "Here." "But..." "I'm not a candidate." "I thought voting was by secret ballot!" "You know how it works." "You've seen it all day." "You choose 2 candidates." "People you know, then write their names." "But I only know you." "No one else." "You can't just vote for anyone." "Look!" "Your colleague..." "Maybe he knows..." "Ask him about the boat." "What's that plane doing here?" "It must be here for you." " Want some?" " No, thanks." "Give me the watch." "No, I'll stand guard." "I'm not tired." "But you've been up all day." "I can't sleep anyway."