"Images that come and go I see myself lying on the ground, smelling the earth I am behind the home from which I was stripped and dumped in this city" "On November 15th 1974 we were living in the South" "I was 12 years old, dreaming of becoming an artist" "In THE SHADOWS Of THEClTY" "Wíth" "The Children" "Wíth the participation of" "Special appearance" "Director of photography" "Sound" "Setdesigner" "Production manager" "Music" "Editor" "Co-producer" "Producedby" "Written and directedby" "Affter the third day of Israeli bombing, we left the South for Beirut" "Beirut impressed me, and at the same time, shocked me" "It was welcoming but heartless" "In time, I began to see that something was seething" "Where shall I put my stuff?" "Forget your stuff, think about finding work" " Work?" "And school?" " School is for kids!" "Now you're a man" "Take it easy, he's only a child" " l'll work instead" " And I'll be the woman ofthe house?" "Goal!" " Foul!" " No, it's not a foul!" " Girls don't know about football!" " That's not right" "Behave, and stay put!" "Come play, you'll be goalie!" "Hail America..." "The best cars in the world!" "My love, my beauty" "Look at me, I'm the strongest, fastest man in town" "So, you drink petrol?" "I bet none ofyou can beat me!" "Especially you" "Come closer, stand here" "The first to reach the pillar is the winner I'll pay double anyone who beats me" "One pound... three, four, that's all?" "Ok, I'll double that.. eight pounds, put it here" "Get ready, three!" "This is where he lives you'll get the 3 pounds" " What a figure!" " Who is she?" "She's the butcher's wife he lefft her and never came back" " "The Winch" is hitting on her now" " Really?" "But she ignores him lt seems she doesn't eat fat that's why she's so skinny!" "Here's "The Winch"!" " Are you out ofyour mind?" " You want your money back, or no?" "Hey you!" "Winch!" "Some rascal stole your rear light" " What?" "I'll kill him..." " Don't you worry, brought you another" " l'll sell it to you cheap" " Hold on, I'll show you, bastard!" " Bring that back" " What if I don't?" " l'll break your bones!" "Come here!" " Ifyou want it, run for it" " You're the champ, aren't you?" " How much was it?" "4 pounds" "Plus yours makes 12, make it 10, that'll do" " Bastards, I'll never forgive you!" " Nor will we!" "Put it on the ground, move back!" " It could fly away" " Put a stone on it!" "Now get back... more, more..." " Do you go to school?" " How boring, not offten..." " Don't your parents mind?" " My father, he doesn't care either" "Honestly, which is better?" "Learning how to read or making money?" "See you later!" "Yasmin!" "What are you doing?" "Shame on you!" "Come home" "That's my brother" "What have you done?" "In which sewer were you?" "Next time, you'll wash your own clothes" "Aren't you ashamed to loafaround, while I'm trying to get you work?" "Will you ever become a man?" "Tomorrow, we'll see Abou Samir" "Abou Samir?" "Stay away from him!" "He's from our village, he could help" "He wants to involve you in politics" "Tell me who's going to help?" " Hello there, Abou Samir?" " Hello, Abou Rami" "How are you, son?" "When did you come from the village?" "Isn't this Rami?" "Last time I saw you, you were so small!" " How long are you here for?" " We're staying" " Could you help us find work?" " You're in the wrong place" "We're sweating blood over work" " What's that, Tareq?" " Nothing, boss, it fell by itself" "Come on, guys, get moving!" " What's this, Fahd?" " What?" " This, what?" " l don't know, ask my boss" "Listen, my friend, Beirut is not for you!" "Especially these days" " You should go back to the village" " No, I'm staying put" "Don't you know about the South?" "Fine, I'll try, but, it won't be easy" "God be with you" "Mother relies on you, don't let her down" "Hurry, people are waiting!" " Good day, Mr." " What do you want?" "Ifyou need more help, I'm very good with herbs I'm already fed up with one, offyou go" "Pass on the message.." "anyone who speaks out will be crushed" "That day, students were calling for a demonstration against Israeli bombing I realized then how the war in the South was following us to Beirut" " Hey, cutie!" " Hey" " Which way to the sea?" " Don't know" " l'm bored, come with me?" " Where?" "What for?" " You go to school?" " No, I'm looking for work" " l'll give you 10 pounds" " What for?" " Nothing hard, come and see - l'm going home" "Son... we couldn't sleep, we were worried, where have you been?" "You look pale, what's the matter?" " Answer your mother!" " Nothing" " Weren't you looking for work?" " l got lost" "At your age?" "Couldn't you ask?" "I find you work with Abou Samir and you get lost, like an idiot!" "Leave me be" " What?" " No, please don't" "This country of mine where are they taking you?" "For the first time, your students fire at each other... I smell bullets, oh, country of mine!" " Students have always been trouble..." " Not like this time!" "Good evening!" "Abou Samir said you have work for me" " You must be Rami?" " Yes, I am" "A tough guy, too!" " What can you do?" " Whatever you want" "Guys!" "Meet Rami, he'll help me put up with you lot" " Welcome, Rami!" " Welcome, Rami!" "Yasmin!" "I know you're down there, come up now!" "At your age, I used to help in the house!" " At her age, you had your own home" " Don't you get started!" " Can't one tell the truth?" " You know what I mean!" "This country is sinking into chaos" " You said it, we must do something" " You have a solution?" "Some do.. get rid ofthe foreigners, they cause the problems" "The rest will then shut up" "Daily strikes and demonstrations, we've had enough!" "We're happy here, what's the problem?" "Hang around with that Rami, you'll end up like him and his lot" " Give it back to me" " Take it!" "Nadeem!" "Quit the nonsense, give it back to her" "Give it back to her now!" "How nasty!" "You're no longer a kid, know who you're with" "I lived the best moments of my life at the café" "In time, I began to realize how Salwa and her customers were the soul of Beirut" "Hey, take it easy!" "Rami, a glass ofwater!" " Greetings, Ms. Salwa" " Hello Abou Samir" " Hello Nabil, you look a sight!" " It's the barber" "How is Rami doing?" "None like him, just what I needed" "Rami is another story, you don't know him well" " How's work?" " Not that great" "The port has only two ships" "What matters is quality, affter all, we are a country ofquality" " But it depends which kind, right, Salwa?" " Don't give me riddles" "Tell me smuggling or arms, I'll understand" "This country is like the sea, deep and full ofeverything" "Our sea is getting shallow and small" "What I see today makes me sick it's getting worse" " Damn it, man!" " That's it" "The rich complain, because they want more, and you, because you have nothing I won't keep quiet, my dignity comes first I'll fight for it" " Nabil!" " Here's "The Hyena"" "I'll never forget when I saw "The Hyena" enter the café I thought he was affter me.." "I saw him beat up the students" "And I saw his smuggled arms at the port" " Who is protecting this "Hyena"?" " A bigger "hyena"" "When I saw the detective I wondered what he was doing'there" "Where is "the Hyena"?" " Mister, you haven't paid" " That's ok, Rami" "There, boy..." "How long are we going to put up with these faces?" "That's enough!" "What are we?" "Men or mosquitoes?" " The only man here is Rami" " You're right, we're mosquitoes I admire "the Hyena"" "He scares and humiliates you, so no-one dares speak" "This "Hyena" is off his head, feelings he sure does lack" "Rami, you are moving forward, before you lies a tale tough and slack lt awaits us out in front, and we're lagging at the back" "It awaits us out in front and we're lagging at the b'ack lt awaits us out in front and we're lagging at the b'ack lt awaits us out in front and we're lagging at the b'ack" "This "Hyena" is off his head, feelings he sure does lack" "This "Hyena" is off his head, feelings he sure does lack" "Rami alone is not enough, with him he needs decent folk..." "This "Hyena" is off his head" "When we moved to the right, we got not a mere flour sack" "And when we moved to the lefft it did not like such talk" "For it awaits us out in front and we're lagging at the back..." "For it awaits us out in front and we're lagging at the back..." "For it awaits us out in front and we're lagging at the back..." "Oh, that's good!" "It's so hot here, not like your village, right?" " You're not working today?" " l finished early" "Let me take your basket" " Since when?" " A long time" "You never showed it..." "Are you crazy?" "I thought you'd forgotten me" "No, I hadn't" "Are you still working?" "I haven't seen you" " Abou Samir got you a job?" " Yes, so what?" "Nothing, He's a good man, looks affter his friends" " Maybe he could look affter me" " But you don't work lt depends on thejob, besides, we're pals" "Remember who got your money back from "The Winch"" "There's shooting outside, have you heard?" "No, I haven't" "Are you deaf?" "I almost got shot" " Where is it?" " In the next street" " Four guys in a car" " Did you recognize them?" "No, but they had M16's" "They aren't Lebanese" "The country's full ofspies, inflaming the situation" "Come on, Deeb, these aren't spies, they're tourists" "Most welcome!" "It's more complicated, sects can't tolerate each other anymore lt kills me to hear our problem is sectarian" "Those behind this are known" "We don't agree on everything, but we're still sitting at the same table" "Why are sects giving up on each other now?" " What's your name, son?" " Walid" " Is he your pal, Rami?" " Yes, he is" "You seem smart" "Listen, there was a demonstration, some got killed ...Affter the shooting this morning at the fishermen's demonstration there are 20 dead and wounded" "Ambulances ferried victims to the hospitals ofthe city lt started from the sea this time" " It's great tonight!" " Tonight we're celebrating" " l have a job now" " Congratulations!" "It's not easy these days, good luck lt's only part time, better than nothing" "Cheers!" "Enough with explosions!" " This is the third time this week!" " It's getting worse by the month" " Yasmin, go get candles" " Hang on, there might be oil in the lamp" "Watch those steps" "Where are you going this late?" "Can't you hear the shelling?" "I'm leaving, I can't take it any longer" "Beirut is about to split into two, I'm leaving before it gets worse" " Tell Mum and Dad tojoin me" " Where will you be?" " At my friend's, in the militia" " Have you told Dad?" " Yasmin!" " Yes, Mum, I'm fine!" "Where are the real men?" "Carry on!" "A month affter Yasmin's brother moved out, Beirut started to split in two" "That day, I was going to work" "Don't go today, it's too dangerous I must go, I can't leave Salwa on her own" "Take care!" "What are you doing?" "I haven't had water for 3 days" "And me for a week!" "3 days?" "Your red hose is always on the tap" "May you always go thirsty, why all this water?" "I've never seen you hang the washing, why so vain?" "Shut up!" "Ifyou ever hook your hose here, to the tap, I'll shove it up you..." "Shut up, you slut!" "You'd better find your husband, get stuffed" " What's up with you today?" " l want to smash you!" " Shame on you all, stop this!" " You'd better keep your men off me!" "What's all this fuss about?" "Get away!" "I'm in charge" "From now on, you will only fill up water in turn, without shouting" " What are you doing here?" " Guess, I'm affter volunteers" " Men with guts!" "I was thinking of Rami" " What scum" "Go get a decent job, we've had enough" "One day, Rami will join us" "I'm afraid, Nabil" "It's strange, the sadness in his eyes is also in yours" "There are lots like him why didn't you have children?" "He was 50, I was 16 my parents arranged the marriage" "He was rich, he died suddenly, I was distressed" "Nabil, I'm afraid sometimes I feel I'm all by myself" "Even with you, I don't know why" "Salwa!" "I'm not going!" "We can't stay here any more, don't you see your brother?" "Come on, love, enough" "Going to East Beirut?" "What about Rami?" "It's better like this" "A militia man saw your brother Nadeem firing from the other side" "You're not safe any more, Rami knows this" "We'll stay at my uncle's for few days, until we find a place" "Here's the telephone number" "Tell Rami to call me, he must know where l am going" "The car is waiting, we must go" " Please let's stay a little longer, Mum" " Yasmin, we must leave now, come along" "Don't forget to give Rami the phone number" " Tell him I'm waiting" " Don't worry" " Are you going to Ashrafiyyeh?" " No, to Mansouriyyeh" "Keep an eye on our home, we won't be long" "Don't worry, I'll miss you" " So long" " Goodbye" " Yasmin has lefft with her folks" " What?" "To the East, looking for a house" "Goodbye Nabil, goodbye Nabil" "It's time we parted, my loved ones" "Goodbye and farewell" "Our groom's head is hurting" "May his head get well soon lt's time we parted, my loved ones" "Goodbye and farewell" "Nabil meant everything to me" "No sooner did I find him than he vanished like lightning" "Nothing left here for me, I'm going away" "Years have gone by, I've lived the ugliness of war, the siege and the massacres" "In 82, I saved many lives, my life was full ofdanger" "Some nights, when I was alone, I used to feel Yasmin within me" "Stop!" "You can't go here, go back" ""The Winch"?" "King of the Bums?" "How are you?" "Rami?" "How are you?" "I didn't recognize you" " Stop this sissy work and fight like a man" " Shut your gob, and move your ass!" "Walid?" "Still stuck in this war?" "Why are you blocking the road?" "There's fighting between two factions" "No problem, I'll find another road" " What's wrong with her?" " Shrapnel, nothing serious" " How's the family?" " Surviving" "Let's get together sometime" "For God's sake!" "Please help me" "An unexploded shell has hit my flat, my kids are inside, help me!" " l have orders to stay put" " Don't look at me!" "I don't know about shells" " There are kids!" " What if it blows up?" "I'll blow your brains out ifyou don't come!" "Take her to casualty, and come back" " First floor" " You stay here" " Take me with you" " No!" " Come on" " Forget it" "This calls for specialists, I know someone, let me get him" " Come here, come" " Leave it..." "Get a move on!" "Winch, here" "Go" "Leave it, father, let's call it a day" "Damn these days, they've broken me, just like this chair" "Rust has eaten into my dreams" "Father..." "Father" "I wanted you to become a doctor, to heal people" "Don't worry, it's not your fault, let's go..." " What are you doing here?" " We've lost our way" " Let's go... hop on!" " Why?" "What have we done?" "12 years on, I couldn't believe I was facing "The Hyena" again" "Father!" " Guys... won't you welcome Rami?" " Welcome Rami" "It awaits us out in front we are lagging at the bac!" "k..." " Hey, who's out there tonight?" " What do you want?" "Tony..." "Who was that blonde tarring around in the next building today?" "Your sister, you fool" "Hey Tony, next time, I'll blow her tits off" " l'm not Tony, you jackass" " To hell with you and Tony" " Is that you, Nadeem?" " Rami, you on the barricades?" " Well done!" "How are you?" " Since when do you care?" "Why did you bastards take my father?" " Isn't it your war?" " Is your war any better?" "You're showering us with roses?" "Find out who took him!" " Who did?" " l can't say, get it?" "Yasmin!" "How's Yasmin?" "Tell her that I haven't forgotten her!" "Will you?" " He gets on my nerves" " Why?" "He won't tell me about Yasmin" "And you?" "Did she say anything before she lefft?" " Me?" "..." "She gave me a letter for you" " Where is it?" " l lost it" " Liar!" " You're jealous!" " Strange, isn't it?" " Who?" "Yasmin?" " This war!" " My father's shirt" " Let's go" " "The Hyena" took the hostages" " He escaped" "Come on, quick" "Mum!" " Rami!" " Over here, I'm here!" "We went early to the baker's, to avoid any hassle..." " Watch out, there's a sniper!" " l know, I don't live far, thanks" " Let your husband get the bread" " My husband is not around" "Do come in" "Reem and I are grateful for your help" " Reem, thank the gentleman" " Thank you, mister" "You're welcome, kid" " Mum, take me to bed" " Let's go, darling" " Mum, please stay" " No, darling, I'll leave the lights on" "Now sleep" " Right..." " Stay a bit longer" "Cigarette?" " Is your husband away?" " My husband was kidnapped" "Two armed men came asked for him and took him away" "They said he'd be back in 5 minutes, he is yet to return" "He was... he is a school teacher" "He's been missing for 2 years" "My father was taken as well, I was with him" "You've heard nothing in 2 years?" "Along with other women like me I've asked everyone officials, militias" "to no avail" "Quite simply... he vanished" "I'll keep searching until I get the truth" "Out of my sight!" " Hold him!" " He must die" "Take his gun!" "Take him to the other room!" " What's up?" " Look inside!" "Who are they?" "I don't know, we found them on the other side" " You infiltrated their lines?" " Last night" "A commando operation, we chased them" "Where were you last night?" " They're with "the Hyena"?" " No, maybe civilians" "We found them in a house we had to find cover" "Do you know "the Hyena"?" "Has he got hostages?" "Where are they?" "Speak up!" "Are you mad?" "Get back!" " He must know something!" " That's why we want him alive" "His lot killed my brother and took your father!" "Get back, that's an order!" "I don't give a shit!" "I should give orders" " You shit, get the hell out of here!" " You talking to me?" " Put your gun down, down!" " Easy, Tareq" " l'll show you, Walid!" " Get out, all ofyou!" "Tareq, what a jackass, we'll get nothing out of him today" " And he's in pajamas?" " He was in bed..." "Don't look at me, I did what I had to do" "At least we got back safe, hey "Winch", clean up this mess" " He's got family!" " And a nice home, too!" "Who knows, he might be worth more than we think" " So, did you get anything new?" " Nothing" "Don't worry" "He'll talk if he knows something, he saw what Tareq can do" " You dragged him from his family?" " So what?" "You'll kill him like Tareq did to his friend?" "Enough killing!" "So what ifwe took him in front of his family?" "It's done" " What do you mean?" " We might take profit..." "He has a house, and for sure, money and contacts..." "You want a ransom?" " Why else keep him alive?" " You disgust me!" "One o four men is dead, I've bust my ass for nothing for ten years!" " You became like "the Hyena", look at you" " Look around you, get real" "What revolution?" "It's long dead!" "It's all hot air" "No one cares for anyone, everyone fights to save his own skin" "You're the only true friend lefft lfyou're affter a ransom, you are not my friend" " Something strange is going on" " What isn't strange nowadays?" "Nothing" "Look, ifwe pull this, and this one" " What do we get?" " A horse?" "No" "A donkey?" "No" " An aeroplane?" " A plane with two legs?" "It's a bird, here are its wings, head and tail" " Please, come" " At the table!" "Ifyou listen to your mother, I'll make you a real wooden doll" " With eyes?" " Black ones!" " With hair?" " Long hair, red cheeks, the works..." "Her father loves her?" "Enormously, as much as the sea" " Mum, take me to the sea" " Yes, my love, we'll go to the sea..." " l didn't mean it to get this far" " Don't worry" "Reem misses her father a lot" "She offten speaks of him..." "She still suffers from nightmares" "That's quite normal, I feel just the same" "Most ofthose I love are either dead or missing" "At times, I think it's because I was so attached to them lt is either a curse or a punishment" " How old are you?" " 5O" "My father is 58, but it doesn't show on you lt shows on him" "My father wore much grief, with no work and nothing to his name..." "All his dreams have vanished" " And now...?" " Now, we've become like each other..." "We nicked it from someone who had a bullet in his head" " Did he talk?" " We know more than him" "Damn this luck, the bullet hit the gas pedal, ofall places" " l don't like all this nonsense!" " Neither do I, who's going to buy it now?" "I'm serious now, I've spent half my life avoiding this" "Suddenly, I'm involved in this filthy game.." "Kidnapping" " l can't stand that anymore!" " l am only following orders!" "You're a machine!" "All it takes is a flick ofa button!" " We must see Abou Samir" " Why not?" "Stay by the car" "While at Abou Samir's, let's ask him to find us a job in the system" "You're right!" "He's got good contacts" "His brother is buying property here, there's no stopping him..." "Let's go" " Say affter me" " Say affter me" " The disappeared are countless" " The disappeared are countless" " The officials, careless" " The officials, careless" " Say affter me" " Say affter me" " The disappeared are countless..." " Get back" "You can't go in" "Get back" "Where are the hostages, you cowards?" "Welcome, lads, you had problems yesterday?" " Could've been worse" " Capturing "the Hyena"" "would've helped to find your father, Rami" " Seen the women down there?" " Can't help them" "You know, Rami, there were exchanges of hostages" "Most ofthem have been killed on both sides" "There's no other way, hesitation is weakness" " We need to talk to him!" " Leave her alone" " Let her in" " Didn't you hear?" " Yes, madam?" " We hope you've read our petition!" "We should know about our families, are they dead or alive?" "But we can't do anything for you lfyou can't, who can?" "Ask the hostage takers!" "Look here, we feel for you, the war is coming to an end" "Your demands are bound to trigger things offand open up old wounds lt's still very sensitive, even when we know who the kidnapper is" "You know the kidnappers, ask them!" "Turning a blind eye is being accomplice to a crime!" "We want to end the war, unlike you" "You're a decent, sensible woman" "Go back home, and let the others go home, bring up their young and forget the past..." "Forget?" "How can we forget?" "Those who forget are the ones preparing for a new war" "We'll continue to demand our rights to know what happened to those who went missing all over" "We've taken someone called Nicholas Dahem I haven't heard of him from both sides" "He might be of use, because he has money..." "No, this isn't on!" "We could exchange hostages!" "Can't you see what's happening down there?" "Rami, I feel for you" "Your father was a friend, a very good one" "We can't exchange hostages, not for people or money" "This only encourages hostage-taking" "The war is almost over, it's not like before, everyone doing their own thing" "No hostage came back alive from the other side" "And nor shall we give anyone back, get it?" "Yes, Sir!" " Do you know that woman?" " Yes, what did Abou Samir tell you?" "Nothing important" "What's going on?" "Where are you bringing me?" " Do you like the flat?" " You want me to move in?" " How did you get it?" " By chance..." "Chance?" "Why don't you say Abou Samir is buying you off" "What?" "The owner's dead, with no-one lefft, what's wrong?" "Ifthis flat were your father's and someone squatted here, how would you feel?" " l told you, the owner's dead!" " Are you sure?" "He was kidnapped..." "which means he's dead" "Not necessarily!" "Maybe he's alive and will return, like your father and my husband!" "They're all dead, Siham ls it possible to kill 17,OOO people, without a trace?" "You don't want to fight, you're becoming like the rest" "The war kills one's spirit, don't be a coward, Rami" "Stop this!" "I am looking for the missing, and you are burying them and occupying their homes" "Do you think your husband and my father are alive?" "Living in the past, it'll bury you alive!" "I'm no fool" "They might all... be dead but I want to believe the opposite" "for the truth to come out..." "I just want the truth!" "Don't fall asleep!" "The prisoner's gone, what's this shit?" "Look for him all over" "Get him, wherever he is!" "Winch, upstairs..." "Behind him" "Behind him" "Rami, I know you're out there!" "Come back!" "Don't be stubborn, come back!" "There's an alley, it's not closely watched, let's go" "Stop, Nadeem!" "Hold your fire!" "I've a hostage for you!" "How can I ever repay you?" "It's safer this way..." "On this site we'll have a 20-story building" "Demolish this old building to make way for the new motorway" "Step on it..." " Dad..." " Coming, my girl..." " Yasmin darling, we're late" " Take my picture by this house" "Before it gets demolished like the rest" " Over here, or there?" " Here"