"A friend once said, "There aren't good people or bad people."" ""There are just situations."" "Hello, Dad." "Come here, you." "That's it." "Here you are." "Now you've got the place to yourself for a week." "Hey, that'll do!" "Eh?" " Yes." "No sweets, eh Dad?" "Marcel!" " Sweetheart." "Morocco isn't the end of the world, is it?" "I'll be home before you know it." " I know." "But drive carefully, eh?" "If you're not careful, you'll fall asleep and end up in a ravine." "There are two drivers." " Yes, but I know you." "You'd drop dead before you let someone else drive." "I promise I won't drop dead and I won't end up in a ravine." "OK?" "OK." " Come here." "Go on, get out of here." "Bye-bye." "Finally!" "You took your time." "Women, eh, Wim?" " Right." "What do we know about the load?" "Moroccans on holiday, to be picked up at Vlaamse Kaai." "So, we're taking a busload of Moroccans to Morocco." "Filip Dewinter will be happy." "And our hotel..." "you won't believe this." "There was a film made about another town in Morocco, Casablanca." "Damn, what was the film called?" " Casablanca." "Of course!" "With thingy..." " Humphrey Bogart." "No, the woman." "What's her name?" " Ingrid Bergman." "That's it." "Ingrid Bergmans." " Bergman." "Not Bergmans." "That's what I said." "Anyway, not many people know this but a lot of the film was shot in Tangier in our hotel." "Exciting, eh?" "Marcel." "Um, I forgot to tell you that... the boss is coming too." "Is that a problem?" " Well, it's not great." "Oh dear." "Hello everyone." "Let's start loading." "Sorry, we got held up." " Right." "Well, come on." "Can you take our suitcases?" "And mine too...?" " I've already asked him." "Come on." "Thanks." "Hello." " Bed nice and cozy, Van Loock?" "What?" " The boss's." "And his girlfriend's." "OK." "D'you know what this reminds me of?" "Going on my first school trip." "Egg sandwiches, chocolate milk, money in my pocket and not knowing what's going to happen." "But... above all, feeling really happy." "You're not going to miss your wife, eh Marcel?" "I like being at home but I like getting away now and then, too." "There's nothing wrong with that, eh?" " No, no." "As long as you don't end up like me, mate." "What d'you mean?" "Towards the end, we only saw each other if we were lucky." "If her shift happened to have finished and I had a few hours off." "And one day, I come home..." "and everything's gone." "TV, fridge, furniture, the lot." "All gone." "Even the toilet seat was gone." "Right." "There you are." "Well, enjoy your holiday." " Thanks, you too." "Marcel, I've just told Wim that you can take a taxi to the hotel." "Right." " What about us?" "We'll follow on later." " You can't be serious." "I feel like I've been lying in the dirt." "I want a shower." "There's a garage just outside Tangier." "We're going for a quick service." "It's a lot cheaper here." "We can do that." "We'll go if you like." "No, that's not necessary." "You've earned your rest." "But then Veronique can have a shower." "Marcel, I'm not used to being argued with." "You're going to the hotel and that's the end of it." "It doesn't matter." "I can have a shower later." "Christ, mate, this isn't some crappy hotel, is it?" "In the bar in half an hour?" " Yes." "There, that's for the two of us." "No, no, I've done all kinds of things." "I worked at Ford Tractor for twenty years." "You know how it goes." "Laid off without any notice." "Oh!" " Then I became a taxi driver." "Agnes's boss gave me that job." "He owns a laundry and a taxi company." "Two weeks, two hold-ups." "The second time I said to them, "Not me."" ""Go and hold up someone else."" " And?" "My eye socket was broken in three places." "Excuse me, sir." "Two beers, please." "Thanks." "Then there was Bridge Tours." "Three months of taking grannies on day trips." "To the border with Germany and Holland, to Brussels..." "Hey, that's first-class goods over there." "Then a new driver arrived." "The boss was going to let him drive to Morocco and earn the bonuses." "I said, "No way!" I went to the boss." "I said to him, "Go on, let me drive to Morocco." "I'll have those bonuses."" "And lo and behold, here I am." "Just a minute." "Hello, do you speak French?" " Yes." "Look what I've bought." "Handmade, 200 dirham." "And if I hadn't been there, he'd have paid double." "Listen, guys." "There's been a change of plan." "Veronique didn't really enjoy the bus journey from Belgium." "So we're flying back to Paris and you can pick us up there." "That's fine." " Now we can go and do some shopping." "I want one of those little carpets." " You can have mine for 300 dirham." "I'm glad those two aren't driving back with us." "I'd rather he was on his girlfriend than on the bus, too." "Thanks again." " Right." "I'm just going to freshen up." " Pack your bag instead." "Oh, it's the boss." "Watch out, mate!" "Bloody hell." "We've got some time to spare before we have to be at the airport, eh?" "Darling, I don't know what I'd do without you." "Give your money to someone else, probably." "They say time goes much quicker when you've got your hands full." "Does it?" "No, the guys..." " Your guys are already on the boat." "Are they?" " They are." "So you concern yourself with your girl for a bit." "Well, just for a bit." " For a bit, yes." "They're taking their time." "Has he gone mad?" "Sir..." "Nothing." " Go and get a crowbar." "This game has gone on long enough, guys." "Don't move." " But the boat's about to leave." "I said, "Don't move!"" " But the boat..." "Wim, this isn't looking good." "Bloody hell!" "Get back." " Get your hands off me!" "I won't move." "OK." "See, our information was correct." "Salaam." "Hello." " Hello." "Salaam." "A total of 355 kilos was found." "Round it off, call it 350 kilos." "Don't think I'm going to take the rap for this." "What are you going to say?" "You didn't know about it?" "I'll tell 'em it was Scholten." "Hello." "The bill, please." "Here you are." "I'll sit over there." " OK, but don't order anything else." "Fucking Scholten!" "He used us!" "Nice hotel, empty bus on the way back, cheap service and Veronique who's too tired and has to catch a plane." "I'll kill him, the bastard." "If this takes much longer, our bird will have flown." "Scholten's airplane doesn't leave until this afternoon." "They'll let us go once they've got him, eh?" "Shut up!" "Sir, I've got some information." " Marcel, keep your mouth shut!" "I said, "Shut up!"" "The tall one wants to tell you who they're working for." "If you want to say something, I'll translate it." "I'm Ahmed." "I lived in Borgerhout for years." "Apparently you can hear that." "Right, thanks." "Come on then." "The taxi's waiting." "What are you doing?" "Slow down, slow down!" "Be careful, be careful!" "Your passport is in it." "How can you forget it?" "I think it's on the floor." "Next to the seat." "They've left already." "Excuse me." "Hello, Marcel." "That's him!" "Come in here." "Sit down." "Closer." "D'you think we're better off now?" "I don't believe you, Wim." "You knew about this, didn't you?" "Believe what you like." "Because of you we're in even deeper shit." "What?" " You should've kept your mouth shut." "Someone who sends us home with 350kg drugs, isn't going to come back to say we're above reproach, eh?" "I want to hear the whole story." "Didn't you ever wonder how Scholten could afford all that?" "Half a busload of Moroccans, there's no profit in that." "Certainly not enough to be able to afford a 4-star hotel." "We were so stupid." "Who was the supplier?" "You're asking for trouble." "Filthy dog!" "Thank you for your cooperation." "Your boss has confessed everything." "So you're letting us go?" " No, I can't do that." "You have to be here for the trial." "The judge has to decide." "But seeing as everything is in the file, it'll be OK." "Thank you." "Your passports." " Thank you." "This fax arrived in the office an hour ago." "It's from Foreign Affairs." "They found drugs hidden in the baggage compartment." "They can't have." "Well, they did." " Marcel wouldn't do that." "We know that." "It's probably a misunderstanding." "Marcel is against drugs." "Mrs. Van Loock, we're all against drugs." "Like I said, it's probably a misunderstanding." "But don't worry." "I shall personally see that the best lawyers are hired and the trial's just a formality for Marcel." "It's nothing." "It's not your first time here, is it?" "No, mate." "I often smuggle a few kilos into Spain." "Really?" " Yes, there and back in a day." "It pays well, if they don't catch you." "Were you allowed to keep your bag?" " Yes." "You need to know the right people." "This bag is plan B." "When you've seen the inside of a Moroccan prison you'll understand." "But I'm not going to prison." "Yeah, right." " Not for something I didn't do." "You don't think they're going to worry about that?" "A judge is a judge and he'll acquit me." "D'you still believe in Father Christmas too?" "Take Belgium." "If you're brown and it's not from a sunbed, you've had it." "Mr. Scholten?" " Yes." "Mr. Babazia." " Scholten." "Pleased to meet you." "What are they scheming now?" "Mr. Van Loock, stand up." "Your father's and mother's name." " Frans and Marie-Jozefa." "Mr. Moreels, stand up." "Your father's and mother's name." " Henry and Lieve." "Mrs. Luyten, stand up." "Your father's and mother's name." " Jos and Angèle." "Mr. Jack Scholten, stand up." "Your father's and mother's name." " Arie and Loes." "Counsel for the prosecution, you may speak." "Your Honor, the accused were caught red-handed, trafficking drugs." "I therefore demand the maximum penalty." "Mr. Babazia, you may speak." "Do you understand any of that?" " Of course." "Your Honor, the file contains all the important information concerning my clients." "I have nothing to add to it." "In that case, the court sentences" "Jack Scholten to 7 years' imprisonment," "Marcel Van Loock to 5 years' imprisonment and Wim Moreels to 5 years' imprisonment." "The case is closed." "Congratulations, you're free to go." "And the others, I'm sorry." "Guilty." "Is that it?" "Yes, that's it." "Bloody hell, you bastard!" "You fucking bastard!" "Sorry, Marcel, I did everything I could." "Honestly." "Judge, I'm innocent." "D'you hear?" "I didn't do anything." "I'm innocent!" "Let me bloody go!" "Your Honor, I'm innocent!" "You fucking bastard!" "Get out." "Come on, get out." "Come with me." "Open up." " Coming." "We've brought you some guests." "Come on, let's go." "Salaam." "Empty your pockets." "Your ring, your chain..." "Cigarettes." "That's a present for me." "No way, José!" "Hey, give that back!" "Bloody hell, put that in..." "Hey, are you crazy?" " Shut up!" "Name?" "Your name." " Van Loock, Marcel." "Section B, number 16." "Section B, number 16." "Next." "Wim Moree..." "Moreels, Wim." " Empty your pockets." "Your watch." "Hey, did you see that?" "Scholten is in a different section." "I wonder why?" "Be quiet." "Come on." "Move." "I said, "Move."" "Come on, you pigs." "You there, come here." "I said, "Come here and get in there."" "In!" "Are you deaf?" "Not you." "I want to be with Marcel..." " Move along." "Marcel, tell him that we're..." " Move along!" "Just look at that mustache!" "He looks like a dog." "Where does pale face come from?" "I want something to eat, I'm hungry." "You've just missed dinner, mate." "I'm in charge here." "Welcome to hell." "Thanks." "A packet of Marlboros." "What is this fucking prison?" "No blankets, no beds." "Not to me, you don't!" "Give here!" "What's going on?" "D'you want a punch in the face?" "Eh?" "Sit down." "What are you looking at?" "What's the matter with you?" " I want a blanket." "Come with me." "Come on." "Bastard." "What's the matter?" " I want a blanket and some food." "I'm hungry." "I haven't eaten for days." "Hungry?" " Yes." "Food?" " Yes." "Did you hear that?" "He's hungry." "Want a taste of my truncheon?" " Yes, food, thank you." "That's enough!" "Stop!" "Anyone who doesn't move it is a dead man!" "Get lost!" "You too!" "They gave him what for." "You can sleep there." "Just leave him to die." "He got a good beating." "I'm Rudy." "Marcel." "You got a beating." " I'm OK." "You're OK?" "Then you're luckier than I was." "They smashed my pelvis, but it only troubles me when it's rains." "Well?" "What are you in here for?" "Nothing." "I'm innocent." " Nothing?" "Everyone in here is innocent." "Makes you wonder why they build prisons, eh?" "It's Rudy, is it?" " Rudy Vermeersch from Kessel-Lo, yes." "Well, Rudy." "I am innocent." "Here." "That's to help you get through your first day, Marcel." "Listen, guilty or innocent, don't start whining." "You don't want to know what they do with whiners here." "Go on, up the stairs!" "Oh no, another one who's lost his faith in justice." "What are you doing here?" " They promoted me to kitchen slave." "I speak various languages." "The trial didn't go well?" "What about you?" " Only 6 months." "The usual shit, that's the risks of the trade, eh?" "They call that 'soupa', but don't eat too much of it or you'll be camping in the shithouse." "What are you doing?" "Pale face is back." " Yes." "Don't you like the soup?" "Hey, need this?" "Throw it." "Two cigarettes." "Hmmn, tart." "I knew it, Rita." "I knew something was going to happen when he left." "You still haven't heard from him?" "I think we should do something, Uncle Jozef." "What can we do, child?" "I paid Bridge Tours a visit." " Those scumbags?" "They've hired a lawyer in Morocco." "We're definitely going to appeal." "And you still trust that lot, after everything that's happened?" "Their boss is there too, Inge." "They won't let it happen." "That's enough." " Hey." "If it were up to me, we'd go out there." "We probably wouldn't even get to see Marcel." "This is driving me crazy." "Dad's in prison for something he didn't do and we're sitting here eating tart." "I could phone what's-his-name, couldn't I?" "Eh?" "Who works at the Ministry of Justice." "I can't..." "Well, I could always phone him, eh?" "When we were small, we used to go to Koksijde on holiday." "I think Marcel was about five or six." "He was playing outside with his bike, a little red bike." "We heard him shouting and screaming and went outside." "He was beating up the kid from next door." "Even though the kid was twice as big as him." "The kid'd tried to take his bike." "Not a good idea!" "Hey." "I know my little brother." "He won't take it lying down." "You bastard!" " Marcel..." "Calm down, understand?" " It's OK." "It's OK." "Have you gone mad?" "Ask him." "Ask what he did with the money." "What?" "What money?" " The 200,000 francs from Bridge Tours." "He used it to buy Veronique's freedom." " How d'you know that?" "He went and broadcast it to the world, with his great big Dutch mouth." "Leave me alone." " Listen to me." "I did all I could to keep you out of this." "It didn't work." "That's the way it is." "If you dare to try to make an ass out of me again, you'll wish you'd never been born, OK?" "What are you gonna do?" "Try to fuck my life up even more?" "Hey, listen." " Hey!" "I've got lots of friends, Marcel." "And they'd do anything for me." "And you might need me one day." "Are you OK, Marcel?" "Yeah, I'm OK." "Think about what I've just said!" "Am I supposed to be impressed?" "Dickhead!" "That wasn't very clever." "It's time you learnt the rules about life in prison, Marcel." "Firstly, the less attention you attract, the better." "You shouldn't have pulled that stunt just now." "Otherwise you'll be in the infirmary with broken ribs before you can blink." "What'll you give for these boots?" "Secondly, in prison everything can be bought." "If you pay with Marlboros." "See you later." "And the prices are more or less fixed." "One packet for twenty eggs." "Two packets for a chicken." "Four packets for a jar of Nescafe." "OK?" "Thanks." "Thirdly..." "Be on your guard." "Always be on your guard." "Hey, what are you..." "What are you doing?" "Give that here!" "Come on..." "Watch it, mate." "Hey, boss!" "Bloody hell." "What's going on?" " He fell over." "Come with me." "Do you know who I am?" " Everyone calls you Madi." "I always read the new inmates' files." "Did you know that your boss stated that you are innocent?" "No." " Then you know now." "If you need anything..." "Open the gate." " Quickly." "Mr. Van Loock, Jean-Pierre Surdiacourt, Belgian consul." "How are you?" "Not good." " It's not that bad." "Mr. Surdiacourt, the only good thing about this place is the weather." "At least, until a few days ago." "How can I help you?" "Apparently, my boss told the court I was innocent." "Can't you get them to let me go?" "That's not possible." "You have to wait until your appeal." "I know, but if the consulate used its influence, I'd stand more chance." "Mr. Van Loock, I'm a diplomat." "I can't interfere with judicial procedure." "Anything else?" "Here's a brochure about what the consulate can do for you." "There is one more thing." "Could you contact my family, please?" "I'm sorry, that isn't in the brochure." "There's no budget for that." "I haven't heard anything for a month." " I'll see what I can do." "Inge." " Hello, Mum." "Honey." " Mum, this is..." "Dad's been sacked." "This letter from Bridge Tours arrived by post and..." "Because of legal proceedings." "I told you, they're scumbags." "What shall I do?" "I need that money." "Sorry, Naima." "Mum, this is Naima." "Hello." " Naima is a colleague from work." "Her sister's husband is also in prison in Morocco." "Apparently, it's customary for the family to provide for the prisoner." "What d'you mean?" "Provide them with clothes, food, everything they need." "Why?" " Well..." "When you're in a Moroccan prison you get nothing." "No food, no clothes, no bed." "Nothing." "And the guards that work there earn so little..." "They expect the prisoners to pay them for everything." "So the family has to help." "It's normal." "Like my sister." " How does your sister do it, then?" "She sends parcels regularly." "We'll have to, too." "I've written out a list." "Stop snoring, you pig!" "Let us sleep." "Fuck off, man." "This arrived for you, Mr. Van Loock." "I've also got a letter from your wife." "Did you speak to her?" "How is she?" " I don't know." "How are you?" " Not good." "Sorry to hear it." " I've got a temperature." "And a cough." "Can't you get me some medication?" " I'm not a pharmacist." "Go to the infirmary." "They say that the doctor is a vet." "It can't be difficult for a consul to get some antibiotics." "Mr. Van Loock, what is it with you?" "Even though I'm really busy, I came here specially, to give you this parcel." "And it's still not good enough." "I'm entitled to medical care." "This is about my health." "You should've thought of that before you started smuggling drugs." "After all these years, you think that you know yourself." "All my life I've never hurt a fly." "I've already got into three fights here." "No." "My mum always used to say, "There aren't good people or bad people."" ""There are just situations."" "Why don't you open your letter?" "I'm scared." "They all think I'm guilty anyway." "Scared of bad news?" "Supposing..." "She might not want to see me ever again." "My Mum also said that believing in the goodness of people takes an effort." "Your mother should join the Salvation Army." "That'd be difficult." "She died last year." "Sorry." "Here, read it." "Go on." "Darling, I've heard the terrible news." "We still don't know what exactly happened, but I want you to know one thing." "I'm certain that you are innocent." "How are things there?" "At Bridge Tours they say it's all a misunderstanding and that soon, when you appeal, you'll be cleared." "I hope so too, of course, and that this nightmare will soon be over." "I love you, Marcel." "I always will." "Love, Agnes." "Here." "This came with it." "It's the first present I ever gave her." "I haven't been sleeping very well lately and my health is deteriorating." "I've got to get out of here soon." "I'm pinning my hopes on the appeal." "I'll get my lawyer to smuggle this letter out." "But I still have to be careful what I write." "The conditions in which we have to live are disgusting and degrading." "I can't tell you how much I miss you." "I'll have to stop here, it's lights out soon." "Reply soon." "A big kiss and..." "And Merry Christmas." "P.S. Say hello to the family." "I paid the money for the lawyer into the consulate's bank account." "I've also contacted my friend at the Ministry of Justice and who has contacts at Foreign Affairs." "I won't beat about the bush, Agnes, but the chances of Marcel being acquitted following his appeal are slim." "This contact says it's never happened." "There's always a first time, Rita." "I don't believe it'll happen." "You can't trust Moroccan courts." "We'll have to get Marcel home ourselves." " Yes." "Yes, and, reading between the lines, we shouldn't wait too long." "Get him home ourselves?" "How are you going to do that?" "It won't be easy, but I've got a few ideas." "You and your ideas!" "Come on." "Good luck." " Thanks." "Where's Scholten?" "He's deserted his lapdog." "Scholten got himself transferred to Rabat, the bastard." "Rabat?" " Yes, Rabat." "Rabat prison is the Moroccan Hilton." "Salaam." "Hello." " Hello." "Salaam." "Mr. Van Loock, hello." "Mr. Moreels, hello." "Have you got the money?" "The consulate paid." " No, have you got the money?" "How much?" " 200,000 Belgian francs." "Each." "Then you're free." "Wim, I don't feel very well." " What?" "I don't feel very well." "Apparently you're trading behind our back." "D'you think you're in charge here?" "Well?" " Half each, boss?" "What?" " Fifty-fifty." "Fifty-fifty?" "Come with us, you." "It'll be exactly the same farce as last time." "Believe me." "I don't feel well." "Mr. Van Loock." "Stand up." "Mr. Van Loock." "Stand up." "Your father's and mother's name?" "Your father's and mother's name?" " Frans and Marie-Jozefa." "Mr. Moreels." "Your father's and mother's name?" "Henry and Lieve." "Counsel for the prosecution, you may speak." "Your Honor, there is nothing new in this case." "Therefore, there is no reason to change the first verdict." "I ask for the verdict to be confirmed." "Mr. Babazia, you may speak." "Your Honor, there are no new elements that I can introduce into the case." "Mr. Van Loock, Mr. Moreels." "The court sees no reason to change its verdict." "The case is closed." "I'm sorry." "Marcel!" "Ahmed." "Go on." "DE MORGEN DAILY NEWSPAPER" "You'll do the talking, eh Jozef?" " Yes, I'll do the talking, Agnes." "There you are." " Thank you." "But it wouldn't be a bad idea if you were to wipe away a tear now and then." "Jozef, really!" "Mrs. Van Loock?" " Yes." "Pleased to meet you." " Mr...?" "Van Zuylen." "Jozef Van Zuylen." "Well, I read your letter." "To be honest, I don't see why we should write an article about this." "We can hardly write about every Belgian who's in prison abroad." "But this is a special case." " Plus, it's to do with drugs." "That's a sensitive subject." "My husband is innocent." " I don't doubt he is." "Look, this is a copy of the translation of the verdict." "How did you get that?" " I've got contacts." "Read the grounds given by the judge." "It says that the drivers should've felt that they were transporting an extra 350 kilos." "Do you know how much a bus like that weighs?" "Ten tons." "Ten tons." "What do you hope to achieve with an article?" "Negotiations are under way between the Moroccan and Belgian governments to enable countrymen convicted in Morocco to serve their time here in Belgium." "But the negotiations have reached stalemate." "We think that if the press were to draw attention to this, those negotiations might gather momentum again." "And if, thanks to that treaty, Marcel were to be transferred we promise you exclusive rights to the story." "OK." "Give me a while to check a few things." "Here, look." "I've always got this with me." "That's our house, Carine's and mine." "I worked like a lunatic for 20 years for that." "Three shifts a day, sometimes." "And they'll never take that away from me." "They'll never take that away from me." "And you've got Agnes and your daughter and your grandson." "And you have to continue to fight, for them." "Here." "Eat." "Ahmed?" "Dead." "Haven't seen you for ages." "I've been busy." "Well?" "Heard from Scholten?" "Actually, I came..." "I came to ask... if you had any cigarettes you could spare." "I'm broke, Marcel." "They don't send me anything from home anymore." "That's all I can spare." "Thanks." "I'll give them back as soon as I can." "Take a look around upstairs and then we're off." "What's going on?" "They're searching the house." " What?" "Searching the house!" "What?" "You have got to be kidding!" " Jozef." "We've almost finished, sir." " Well..." "My brother-in-law has been in prison for a whole year." "In all that time we haven't heard anything from the authorities." "I'm not acquainted with the case, sir." "Well, I'll acquaint you with it then." "We hear nothing about his arrest, we find out via his work." "Not a word about his trial." "Nothing about his sentence." "Even less about his appeal." "As for any assistance, any victim support, don't make me laugh!" "But you can turn the house upside down, looking for things that aren't there!" "It's not bloody right!" "What sort of country are we living in?" " You're not entitled to victim support." "What did he say?" " You said victim support." "The lady is not a victim of crime." "Yes, she is." "And do you want me to tell you which crime?" "The incompetence of those men in Brussels in smart suits with large pay checks." "We're just doing our job, sir." " We've finished." "Here are the keys." "We've replaced the lock." "Goodbye." "Come on, guys." "Well..." "It's a good sign, Agnes." "It means they're starting to worry, starting to feel the pressure." "It's a good sign." "After that article in De Morgen." " The money's all gone, Jozef." "The money's all gone." "I sent the last 10,000 francs yesterday." "It's all gone." "There's nothing left." "They're transferring us Europeans!" "Now?" " If we're quick, we might get a bed." "That's because of the letter I sent to Foreign Affairs." "I complained about the consul." "That Surdiacourt sometimes holds onto parcels for weeks and connives with the guards." "No, let go." "Let me go." "Hello." "Well?" " Real beds, mate!" "Great, eh?" " Yes." "That's true, you don't know yet." "Agnes always includes a separate letter with a list of what she's sent me." "And there's always something missing." " But Marcel!" "How do you think the guards got a radio from Aldi?" "I don't know." "Maybe there's a branch here in Tangier." "What's the first thing you want to do when you get out of here?" "Finish my veranda." "Me..." "I'd like to spend hours soaking in a hot bath." "Marcel, those pills..." "What are they for?" "The beds are comfortable, aren't they?" "Are they for what I think they're for?" "At least, they're better than the floor." "Marcel." "I need them, Rudy." "What do you need?" "The certainty that if I can't take it anymore," "I can put an end to it." "Being hungry, cold, humiliated, a man can take all that." "But the daily battle with your own thoughts, that's a different matter." "If things aren't right in your head, then you're finished, Marcel." "Then you're finished." "I know why we were transferred." " Do you?" "The Spaniards complained about the conditions here." "A European Union delegation is coming to do an inspection." "Marcel, here." "I owed you." "Forget it." "I know how you got them." "Marcel, everyone tries to survive, don't they?" "Make sure that you can still walk when you get out of here... if you survive." "Make sure you survive." "You look like you've been dead for weeks." "Come on, hurry up, hurry up." "Quicker, quicker." "Hello, gentlemen." "As you can see, gentlemen, everyone has his own bed." "Mr. Vermeersch, I've got a letter here for you." "There you are." "You're right, mate." "They're hypocritical bastards." "Oh yes, Mr. Van Loock, there's a parcel for you at the consulate." "It's been there 2 weeks." "Maybe you can write another letter to Foreign Affairs." "Did you hear that?" "Bad news?" "No, nothing special." "Mrs. Van Loock." "Mrs. Van Loock." "The board's recommendation is favorable." "That means you're entitled to state benefit." "Thank you." "On condition you don't have any other income." "I work two days a week in a laundry." "But that's cash in hand." "We'll have to reconsider our decision." "But that's only just enough to pay the rent." "I understand." "But the law is the law." "I can't do anything about that." "Can't you pretend you didn't hear me?" "Listen, I really can't manage without state benefit." "OK." "But we'll look for a solution together, and for official work." "Meanwhile, you can collect your money at the counter." "Here you are." "D'you remember the first day I arrived here?" "The next day you were at my door with a tin of beans." "If you hadn't been there then..." "And the days when it was all too much." "You always noticed." "Rudy." "Rudy." "Why won't you let me return the favor?" "Why won't you tell me what's up?" " I reckon we can get out of here." "What are you saying?" "I think I've found a way to escape." "Are you having me on?" "Marcel, I've never been so serious." "You have to prepare for something like that." "In Alcatraz, Clint Eastwood took the whole film to prepare for it." "Marcel, take a look at yourself." "You've lost 20kg, you don't eat anymore." "You bark like a dog." "For how much longer d'you think you can keep it up?" "Anyway, I'm busy making preparations." "Apparently there's a staircase in section M via which we can escape." "Section M?" " Yes." "On the other side of the prison." " I know." "Can you paint?" " Why?" "They're looking for volunteers." "One advantage is that you can walk round in prison without always being accompanied by a guard." "It's time to stop." "Finished." " OK." "Salaam." " Salaam." "It's here." "According to the Frenchman the cement is rotten." "If we get through here, we have to cross the roof to the outer wall." "And then we have to..." "Someone's coming." "OK." "When I say go, start counting slowly to 100." "How come?" "Why?" " I'll explain later." "Go." "It comes away really easily." " Marcel, count!" "I am counting." "Now." "How far did you get?" "Seventeen." "We'll do it tomorrow." "Come on, hurry up." "Faster." "Yeah, yeah, OK." "There are two missing, Karim." "How come?" "The Belgians?" " I saw them on the stairs." "We have to wait until he's relieved." "He has to open the door then." "That's the 17 seconds that he can't see us, until the other guard arrives." "Now." "Those two Belgian bastards have gone." "What shall we do now?" " We'll take a look outside!" "Quick!" "They mustn't see us." "The Belgians' painting stuff!" "Take a look upstairs for them." " Yes, boss." "Damn!" "They're on the roof!" "Come on." "Come on, get up, Marcel." "Get up." "Go on." "I'm coming." " Get up, Marcel, we're almost there." "Come on." " Christ, Rudy, go on!" "I'm coming." "Go on!" "You go that way." "We'll look here." "They've gone." "Come on, let's go." "Why did you do this, Marcel?" "Where's your friend?" " I..." "I..." "Eh?" " I don't know." "Carry on." "I'll ask you again, where is your friend?" "Carry on." "Enough." "If you don't say anything, I can't help you, Marcel." "Say something, Marcel." "Say something." "Leave him be." "You're lucky, arsehole." "BRING MARCEL HOME" "Let's start, Agnes." "If it gets too difficult, I'll take over." "Ladies and gentlemen, friends, welcome." "On behalf of the family, I'd like to thank so many of you for coming to this meeting in support of Marcel." "Can I remind you not to forget to sign the petition to Derycke, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, asking him to sign the transfer treaty?" "To start us off, Agnes will read out the last letter she received from Marcel in Tangier." "Agnes." "If it's too difficult..." "Dearest Agnes, I'm not doing too well." "The ten days spent in isolation weakened me so much that I can hardly stand up." "Two weeks ago, Rudy and I tried to escape." "They soon caught me again, but not Rudy." "At least, that's what I thought." "He'd reached the consulate, but couldn't get in." "It was outside office hours." "Anyway, they were waiting for him." "Sometimes, Agnes, the things that happen here are so absurd that we can't believe that it's actually happening." "After the isolation cell, Madi sent me to the infirmary." "I was examined for the first time in almost two years." "I've got pulmonary tuberculosis." "Agnes, I'm trying to survive but I can feel myself getting weaker." "I hope that you are all doing everything you can to get me home again." "Preferably while I'm still standing..." "While I'm still standing and not between six planks among an airplane's cargo." "Love you always, Marcel." "Well done, girl." "Well done." "Thank you." "It'll be alright." "I shouldn't have insisted." "I had to do something." "That letter was from Carine." "She's started divorce proceedings." "And the house is for sale." "I worked my whole bloody life for that." "Still, I shouldn't have insisted." "Rudy..." "I'm glad that we tried." "Abdel, have you seen Rudy?" " No, I haven't, Marcel." "TO CARINE" "Help!" "Help!" "What's going on?" " Rudy!" "Rudy!" "Wait there." "Shut the door and come with me." "Where are you going?" "Let him pass!" "Where's your friend?" "Where's your friend?" " I don't know." "I don't know." " Look for him." "Call Ahmed." "Call Ahmed!" "Ahmed, come here, quickly!" "Rudy." "What a mess." "Has he eaten?" " No, he refuses to." "He must eat." "We'll have to force him to." "Marcel." "I heard about Rudy." "I..." "I just wanted to say how sorry I am." "And I'm also sorry I haven't been much use to you." "To start with, it was because of Scholten." "He said that with you being the type of person you are, we'd all be in trouble." "That I had to keep as far away from you as possible." "And then he got of here, the bastard." "And then Rudy came along." "D'you know..." "D'you know what..." "Agnes... was good at making?" "Puddings." "She always... added... extra vanilla." "It was delicious." "MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS" "PETITION" "Dirk de Winne, principal private secretary." "Jozef Van Zuylen." " Dirk de Winne." "Isn't the minister coming?" " He has a prior engagement." "So who do I give my petition to?" "I'll give it to him and, between ourselves," "I know more about the matter than the minister does." "Right." "I've got good news and bad news." "The Belgian consul in Tangier promises to do more for Belgian prisoners." "About time." "The bad news is..." "The transfer treaty has been approved but now has to go before parliament and that can take some time." "But Marcel can't be considered as long as the fine hasn't been paid." "Together with the court costs, that comes to around 400,000 francs." "400...?" "We haven't got that much money." "Then I fear Marcel won't be able to take advantage of the treaty." "If it is ratified and implemented, of course." "What about a pardon?" " Yes." "That's up to the Moroccans, our government can't intervene." "Of course you could intervene, if you wanted to." "But then, who are we?" "Who is Marcel?" "This was to be a dignified conversation." "It isn't..." " Be quiet, Jozef." "D'you know what I've learnt, Mr. Principal Private Secretary?" "That there are two kinds of Belgians." "Those with money and influence, who can do what they want, and then there are all the others that no one gives a damn about." "And that's the category you've put us into." "Well, thanks a lot." "And, anyway, this isn't a dignified conversation, it's a hypocritical one." "Jozef!" "Nice to have met you!" "Come on, Marcel." "Here." "Eh, right, ladies and gentlemen of the press, firstly, on behalf of Agnes and Marcel, I'd like to thank so many of you for coming, for all squeezing in here." "We called this press conference because we feel that the Belgian government isn't doing nearly enough for Belgian prisoners in foreign prisons." "I think you've all received the official press release?" "Are there any questions?" "What do you expect from the Belgian government?" "I expect the government to support the prisoners' families better, we had to do everything ourselves." "We had to find it all out ourselves, we didn't receive any information at all." "And I also expect the government to ensure that prisoners in foreign prisons are at least treated like human beings and receive the care they need." "I wonder whether this government will survive the scandal if Marcel, who is innocent, dies in a Moroccan prison." "Marcel." "I've got some really good news, you're free." "What d'you want?" "A packet of Marlboros?" " No, no, you're free." "Hello, Agnes Van Loock." "Marcel?" "Thank you." "Mr. Van Loock, all the best." "I'm still not sure whether I should believe it." "Waiting more than two years and then... when it happens..." "What?" "Aren't you happy?" "I'm scared." "There's one more thing." "This is my mum's address." "If you can spare the time... go and see her and tell her I'll make it." "Mr. Van Loock." "Come on, it's time to go." "Wim..." "I'll go and see her, I promise." " Thank you." "Don't cry." "No." "Come on, Mr. Van Loock." "Come on." "Go on." "Here." "I'll help you." "Gently does it." "Don't give up." "Folks." "I'm a bit late." "Hurray!" "Come here." "Here he is." "Here he is." "Here he is." "Hurray!" "Now I can cry again!" "Thank you." "MARCEL VAN LOOCK WAS IN PRISON IN TANGIER FOR 2 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS" "THE TUBERCULOSIS SERIOUSLY DAMAGED HIS LUNGS, HE IS STILL UNABLE TO WORK" "HE NEVER DISCOVERED WHY HE WAS SUDDENLY RELEASED" "WIM MOREELS SERVED HIS FULL SENTENCE" "HE NOW LIVES IN ANTWERP, WHERE HE IS A TAXI DRIVER" "JACK SCHOLTEN WAS RELEASED AFTER 7 YEARS" "HE HAS SINCE VANISHED WITHOUT TRACE" "THE TRANSFER TREATY BETWEEN BELGIUM AND MOROCCO" "CAME INTO FORCE ON 11TH JANUARY 1999"