""We are glad to write this letter to you..."" "No, that doesn't sound right." "We're not writing to your father." ""We have the honorable pleasure to write this letter to you"." "That's good!" ""We have..."" "Wait, my pen's run out." " Can I borrow your pen?" " I don't have one." " Somparé, can I borrow your pen?" " I'm leaving." "I'll give it back to you tomorrow." "Thanks." "Sign it." "Yaguine..." "Koita." " Now you." " Fodé Tounkara." "Wake up." "It's late!" "You, black people, have soccer in your blood." " What do you Italians have in yours?" " Forget about it..." "Tomorrow Bari F.C. is playing an away match here." "Shall we go see it?" "Yeah, great!" "Hey!" "What's up?" "Will you two stop it?" "The practice is over." "Understand?" "And you, "Liquorice"..." "what's your name..." ""Pasta and beans"..." "Thabo!" "National team players drink mineral water, but they also have to eat!" "Just 33 Kg!" "When will he put on some weight?" "!" "Exactly." "Claudio, that kid..." "Send him away, OK?" "OK." " Armando, take back the African kid." " OK." "When?" "Right now." " Dad, I'm going to study at the airport." " OK." "Get some coal on your way home." "The coal merchant says he won't give us any more coal until we pay off the old bill." " OK, never mind." " Bye." "See you tomorrow." "Mom, I'm going to study at the airport." " Why did Fodé kiss you?" " I don't know." " Somparé!" " Fodé!" "What are you doing?" "Take your pen." "Aren't you coming to study tonight?" "No, not tonight." "We have something to do." "If you have an extra girlfriend, call me!" " That's the plane to Brussels." " Yes, that's our plane!" "It's huge!" "Pedro!" "20 million euros!" "He's not worth it." "He just has nice sunglasses." "Mine are nicer." " Nice." "Who gave them to you?" " My coach." " How do you see with those on?" " I see fine." "Try them on!" " Pedro!" "Pedro!" " Pedro!" " Thabo, come with me." " Where are we going?" "Come with me, don't worry." "Pedro!" "Pedro!" "Pedro!" "Go get changed." "Put on your clothes." " Why are you here?" " I hurt myself." "Where we are going?" "You have to try out for Fiorentina." "The coach wants to see you." "I must say goodbye to my friends." "It's just a tryout, then you'll return here." "Leave that stuff here, because it's ours." " Wait." " Why, "wait"?" "Will you get a move on?" "Come on, get going!" "Gaetano!" "Gaetano Fresa!" "Thabo, my sunglasses." "Hey!" " Where's Thabo?" " He left." "Thabo!" " Have you seen Thabo?" " No." " Have you seen Thabo?" " No." " Hernesto, did Thabo come in here?" " He went away with the coach." " Which coach?" " The one who brought him here from Africa." "That bastard!" "He had my sunglasses!" "Where did he go?" "Your sunglasses are under your pillow." "They told him the usual lie that another coach wanted to try him out." "That's what they say when they want to get rid of you." "Tomorrow we were supposed to go and see Bari F.C.." " Is that Fiorentina?" " What Fiorentina!" "Can't you see it's a service area?" "Florence is still far away." "Go order 2 sandwiches and 2 cokes, one for you and one for me." "I'll catch up with you later." " Good morning." " Good morning. 10 euros." "Certainly." " Good morning." " Hi." " I'd like two sandwiches." " Which ones?" " Those." " These two?" " Yes." " And two cokes." " Certainly." " Where's the coach's car?" " What coach?" " The man who was here with me." " He left." "I'm going to look for Thabo." "Bye." "Hey, Rocco!" "Get changed and on the pitch, or else you'll run laps for 2 hours after practice." "Coach, find someone else to run laps:" " I quit!" " I'll report you to the president." "Give him my regards with this:" "(Bari supporters chanting)" "(Bari supporters chanting)" "Thabo!" " I knew I'd find you here." " So did I." " Bari has equalized." " Good!" "Then let's play, too!" "Come on, Rocco!" "Are you two circus performers?" "I'm gonna make the ball disappear by magic." "Look." " How can we play without it?" " I don't know." "And I don't care." "Who are you?" "Where do you come from?" "We are two regretful soccer players." "Then you are Juventus players." "You are "Bianconeri"." " Are you eating here?" " I'm eating here." "Why shouldn't I?" "Let me tell you why." "I have gastritis, so I've brought all this food from home." "It's an occupational disease." "Having to dine out all the time, you get hemorrhoids, and gastritis, that gives you heartburn." " What are hemorrhoids?" " The ass on fire!" "My grandma had them." " You're from Bari, aren't you?" " Sure!" "Do I look like I'm from Bergamo?" " I couldn't know for sure, since he's..." " I'm African." "See?" "He's African." "I couldn't know for sure." " Is the bus yours?" " The bus is mine." " Where are you headed?" " To Bari." " To Bari?" " Will you take us there?" " To Bari?" " Yes." "Why should I take you to Bari?" "Do you have the money?" " We don't even have a cent." " You don't even have a cent..." " Then you won't go to Bari." " Come on!" "Without money, you won't go anywhere." "My uncle is the owner of the "Very Chic Super Bar" in Bari." "Is your uncle Nicola Abba?" "Exactly!" "I know your uncle's bar." "It's where they make a "granita" that's really..." "I've traveled all over Italy, but of all the granitas I've eaten, the one made by your uncle is really, definitely... disgusting, like sewage, garbage." "Claiming that his granita contains coffee is like making a false statement... in a government document." "Does the African boy live in Bari, too?" "Yes, he's coming with me." "He's my best friend." "Since an African man became the president of the United States, holy Mary, Africans are everywhere!" "You find them everywhere!" "In Manduria, for example, thousands of them arrive every day." "And they are not even presidents!" "They arrive en masse." "Hey, don't think I'm racist!" "No, no." "I think that everyone is equal." "Whites, yellows, reds, blacks..." "they're all equal!" "Anyone!" "Romani, Romanians, Romans, Rome FC supporters..." "They are all equal." "All equal." "Actually, it must be said, if we really want to be precise, that the Italians from Italy, those born in Italy, I mean, are a bit more equal than the others." "But I'm not saying this because I'm racist." "I really don't mind them." "They are all equal." "Even your friend." "He's equal to any other animal." "How did you get here?" "With a coach, who saw me play soccer in my village." "In Africa?" " Yes." " Really?" "Thabo, tell him, how that rascal took all of your family's money!" "And your parents even got into debt to pay him." "He made you travel in a container, with 10 whores, and you nearly died of thirst." "What happened next?" "Where did they take you?" " To a soccer school near Milan." " I was there, too." "If you are good, they keep you to make money, otherwise..." " they throw you on the street." " So that's how it works." " What are you gonna do now?" " He's going to stay at my place." " Then I'll go back to Africa." " Ah, you're going back to Africa." " Thank you." " Bye." "Thank you." " That's where I was born." " Does your mother live there?" "No, she's in a much higher place." "She died on a Sunday, some years ago." "Milan vs. Bari 6-0." "We all lost, that day." "I'm sorry." "What about your father?" "My father learned of her death in the second round." "He was in jail." "When I was little, I learned to play soccer here." "In the evenings, grown-ups used to come here to get high." " What does "to get high" mean?" " I can't really explain." " Is it like soccer?" " Yes, it's like soccer." "Hi, Rosetta." "Hey, Rocco, you're back!" "Hey, Rocco!" "Nicola, look who is here: your nephew, straight from the Champions League." "The little champ has returned home." "My little Rocco, sweetheart!" "What a nice surprise visit!" "You scoundrel!" "You've ruined me!" "If you'd broken them, I'd have smashed up everything here." "It's me who is gonna smash your head!" "And thank the Lord that the team's president isn't going to make me pay the penalty!" "Give me my money back!" "You sold me!" "Forget about it!" "You've even brought "Ronaldinho" with you!" " You sold me!" " What?" "You're a thief!" "Hey!" "Don't take the money!" "Don't take the money!" "You are a thief, like your father!" "You should live with the black people!" "You've ruined me!" "You thief!" "You should live with the black people!" " Rocco, are you hurt?" " No." "Come here!" "Come here!" "Come here!" "Did you hurt your knee?" "It's not my knee that hurts." "It's my arm." "You'd better go to the hospital." "Please come with me." "You have a fracture." "We have to put your arm in plaster." " What happened to your face?" " Nothing." "I fell." " Give me your father's number." " Why?" "We must inform him;" "you're a minor." " My father's in jail." " What about your mother?" "She's dead." "There's no cell phone reception up there." "Doctor, I have no one you can call." "Okay." "Please take him to the plaster room." "Hello?" "This is Dr. De Salvia." "Is that the social worker?" "I'm just admitted a minor with a wrist fracture, and bruising caused by a beating." "Where's the boy who was here?" "He left." "An African kid came, and they went off together." "I know that boy." "He's the nephew of Nicola Abba, the owner of the "Very Chic Super Bar"." "When I was little, I'd come here with my father to fish." "Then we would climb up there." "He used to say: "Look over there, where the sea ends." "Sometimes you can see Africa."" "Africa is my home." " What's your village called?" " N'Dula." " 'Nduja?" "Like the Calabrian spicy salami?" " What?" "Never mind." "Where is N'Dula?" "In the North or South?" " I don't know." "In Africa." " But Africa's very large." "It's where the world's most beautiful sky is." "Even more beautiful than this one?" " Maybe." " Africa is a nice place." " Why don't you go there with me?" " To Africa?" " Yes." " I don't know anyone there." " You know me." "I'll take you to my house." "I'll also introduce you to my coach." " What's your coach's name?" " "Pasta and beans"." " What kind of name is that?" " That's what everyone calls the coach." "So, are you going with me?" "OK." "After all, home is not where you were born, but where you are loved." "We'll sleep here tonight." "We'll leave tomorrow." " Starting tomorrow, I'll be Rocco the African." " Another of your crappy jokes..." " Good night." " Good night." " We've made it!" " We've done it!" "We've made it!" "We've made it!" " Wonderful!" " We've done it!" "Fodé, this wheel is hot." "The plane's wheel is catching fire!" "It's true!" "Fire!" "Firemen... help!" "This wheel is very hot!" " It's incredible!" " But true!" " It's incredible!" " But true!" " Oh my God!" " We're still in one piece!" "Antonio, take care of these two kids." "Come on, go." " We have to go to Africa." " Do you have the money and the documents?" "No, just the money." " Don't you have more money?" " No." "OK." "They call me "Ferry to Africa"." "I'll have you disembark in Tunis." "Follow me." "Who's calling you?" ""Uncle"" "Are you nuts?" "Who was it?" "A distant relative." "Boys, I just can't find N'Dula anywhere." "I've even read the fly turds on the Captain's chart, but I just can't find N'Dula." " Are you sure it really exists?" " I exist." "I was born in N'Dula." "I'm very familiar with African people like you." "I'm sure that... to get home, you'll have to cross the desert." "N'Dula should be here, in Central Africa." " Would you give us that map?" " The map?" "Keep it." "Remember:" "don't move from here." "Remember:" "you must stay hidden." "Will you sign my cast?" "Yeah." ""Friends forever"." "My ass!" "This wheel is still hot." "My poor ass!" "It has burned your ass!" "When we arrive in Brussels, we'll be red-assed like two baboons!" "Monkeys aren't allowed to enter the Parliament building!" " Where's the desert?" " Where's N'Dula, my home?" " The desert... please." " Over there." " N'Dula, my home." " Desert, desert." "Rocco, look: this one's Thabo and this one's Rocco." "What nonsense!" "There's an Italian boy on the truck." "Hi!" "I'm Philippe." "Where are you from?" "Hi, I'm Rocco." "I'm from Bari." " And you?" " I'm Thabo." " Where are you going?" " To N'Dula, my home." "N'Dula?" " Is it a city or a village?" " A small village." " And where is it?" " Here in Africa." "Here in Africa?" "But Africa is very large!" "Where is it?" "In Congo?" "In Nigeria?" "In Senegal?" " I don't know." " How come you don't know?" " Didn't you go to school?" " No, never." "Never?" "OK, come with me" "We'll play a little game on the radio to discover where Thabo's village is." "This is Philippe, from your favorite station, Oasis Radio." "We're going to play a guessing game to find out where Thabo's village is." "Describe your village." "N'Dula is a small village near a city." "I used to go there when I had to practice before a match." " What's around it?" " A small forest." "I'm going to translate what Thabo has just said." "His village is neither far from a forest, nor far from a city." "If you know of any "N'Dula", or if you have any hint, please don't hesitate to call us." "If it's surrounded by a forest, then it must be beyond this desert." " How can we get there?" " There are some "shoe paths"." "Why are they called that?" "Because there are many Africans who cross Africa on foot." "Are they crazy?" "No, they're not crazy." "They're hungry." "How come you speak Italian so well?" "I went to college in Bologna, and then I came back to work here." " You're one cool dude!" " It's you who are cool, boys!" "Any answer about N'Dula?" "I'm afraid nobody has ever heard of it." " Where is the "shoe path"?" " There's one here, just in front of you." " Then we're leaving now." " But it's very far!" " It's hundreds of kilometres away." " No problem." "We're leaving anyway." "Wait a moment." "Come with me." "Some bread, the only two boiled eggs left... and some water." " Good luck, boys." " Thank you." "The "shoe path" is just over there." " Philippe, will you sign my cast?" " Sure." "Hello, this is Philippe, from Oasis Radio 96.8." "I start today's broadcast with a true story." "Not all our brothers... want to leave our land." "Someone just passed by who was coming back." "I don't know his name." "It was a boy, aged 13 or 14." "He was coming back from Europe to return to his village." "Colonialism, that has occupied our land for centuries, is continually changing its aspect." "And today it has turned us into a people of illegal emigrants." "My God, it's still hot." " Yaguine..." " What's the matter?" "What's that?" "We forgot to write the recipient's name." "Well, write:" ""To Their Excellencies," ""Messrs. members and officials of Europe"." "Is that okay?" " "To Their..." " "Excellencies..." " "To Their Excellencies..." " "Messrs..." ""members and officials..." " "and officials..." - "of Europe."" " "... of Europe"." " It's okay like this." " It sounds better." " Now it's okay." "My coach, "Pasta and beans", used to say..." " Stop it!" "Don't mention "Pasta and beans"." "The last time we ate was at Philippe's." " Who's that?" " A desert nomad." " A desert nomad?" " Let's go!" "N'Dula... my home..." "Is this a "shoe path"?" "He can only say "yes"." "We are thirsty." "We're hungry." "We're tired." " I wonder where he's taking us." " Perhaps to his home." " Are you scared?" " No, I'm not scared." "I'm hungry." " Thank you." " Thank you." "Hold on a sec." "Will you sign my cast?" ""Signature"..." ""I love New York"?" "Is he an American nomad?" " Come on, pass it, Thabo!" " Go, Rocco!" " Pass it, Thabo!" " Go, Rocco!" "Go ahead." "Pass it." "Rocco, look." " This is the "shoe path"." " Yes, this is the "shoe path"." "I wonder who this man was." "He was heading to Europe." " My village is in that direction." " Yes, you're right." "It's in that direction." " I'm tired." " We'll stay here for the night." "Tell me about your family." "How many siblings do you have?" " Eight." " Lucky you." " What about you?" "I have a sister, but my father had her with another woman." "She lives in Turin." " What's her name?" " I can't remember." "Tonia, Monia, Sonia..." "You have only one sister, and you can't remember her name?" "I have 3 sisters and 5 brothers, and I remember all their names." " You must be good at Maths." " Yet another of your crappy jokes..." " Come on, let's sleep now." "Good night." " Good night." " Thabo!" " What?" "If you'd been born in Bari, and I'd been born in Africa, who would we be now?" "I would be you, and you would be me." "Who are they?" "Bandits disguised as soldiers?" "Or soldiers disguised as bandits!" "They took everything we had." "We have nothing left." " What do we do now?" " That damn bastard!" "We'll continue on foot." "We saw everything." "We can testify." " Where are you going?" " To Europe." " Bye." " Bye." " What do they hope to find in Europe?" " What I hoped to find, too." "A radio." "It works." "I saw it fall off the truck." "It's nice." " Pass it, Thabo!" " Go, Rocco!" "Rocco, these plants are edible." "My mother uses them to make a delicious sauce." "Good." "I'd eat them with some "Orecchiette" (Apulian dish)." "Look how many days we've been walking for!" "Who knows where we are!" "Where is N'Dula?" "This way, that way, forward, backward..." "I can't take it anymore." " What are you doing?" "Brushing your teeth?" " I can't find the map of Africa." "I have it." "Here it is." "Perhaps we're almost there." " What are you drawing?" " My girlfriend." " Do you have a girlfriend?" " I had one." "Previously." "But I know a lot about women." "Would you mind if I married your sister?" "Why would I mind?" "Besides playing well together, we'd also be brothers-in-law." "What are those?" ""Boob"?" "No, "boobs"." ""Boobs"." " Is your sister blonde or brunette?" " Blonde, with dark streaks." " Is she tall or short?" " Rather tall." " Is she beautiful?" " Yes, she's beautiful." "Thabo, I'm making up everything." " So you don't have a sister?" " Yes, I have one." "It's just that she lives with her mother, near Turin, and I've never met her." "Come on, let's go." " "Hello, this is Philippe"." " It's Philippe!" "Hello, Philippe, this is Rocco!" "Hello, Philippe, this is Thabo!" " Here." " Thank you." "As soon as we arrive at the European Parliament, they'll invite us to lunch." "Of course." "And even to dinner." "They eat 5-6 times a day, there." "There are dishes that are this large." "And the dishes are also good." "They have master chefs." "And then they'll also interview us on TV, when they read our letter." "I'm sure of it." "Yeah, sure." " Don't you believe me?" "You'll see that I'm not wrong." " What are they going to ask us?" " Wait..." ""So, Mr. Yaguine Koita..." - me " ""and Mr. Fodé Tounkara..." - you " ""Is what you wrote in your letter really true?" ""A letter that you even delivered to Their Excellencies of the European Parliament?"" ""Of course it's true!"" " Did you bring some water?" " No, I forgot to bring it." "Never mind, we're not going to die of thirst." "Hello." "Rocco, a mirage!" ""A mirage", my ass!" "Who brought you here?" " Our legs did." " Are you Italian?" "Quite Italian." "But I'm also African, like him." "I'm also Mexican, Indian..." "Chinese... human." "My Ascendant is... an alien." "Why are you looking at the sky?" "Let's go." "Why are you pushing the bike?" "Doesn't it work?" " It works fine." " Why don't you start it, then?" " There's been no fuel supply for 3 years." " Luckily." " Why "luckily"?" "Had fuel been available, the bike's owner wouldn't have been forced to abandon it here." "So, luckily, I found it, otherwise I'd have to walk now..." "like you, who have got lost." "Children are destined to get lost." "Then, unfortunately, they're found." "Push it!" "You think I'm crazy, don't you?" " Where are we going?" " We're going to my house." "So I can give you something to eat." "OK?" " Who are they?" " I don't know." " Please come in." " Is this your home?" "Yes, it's my home." "It's also yours, and of all passers-by." "Here you are." "You don't need to be asked twice to eat!" "Nor do I." " Prayers alone are not enough." " What's your name?" "I can't remember." "Well, you can call me "Father X", like Malcolm X." " Who's Malcolm "Mix"?" " "X"" "He's a relative of mine." "More closely related to him, though." " Who are these kids?" " Are they your children?" "No, they are... baby Jesus, Confucius as a child, Muhammad as a child, and Buddha, when he was little." " I prefer them as children." " Do they all get along?" " Sure." "Why?" " Don't they ever quarrel?" "Why would they quarrel?" "For example, you are Italian, a Christian, while you are..." "A Muslim." "Are you not friends?" "Don't you get along?" " Yes." "See?" "It's easy... for children." "Grown-ups, instead, are not able to get along." "They just can't." "It's difficult for them." "And nobody knows why." "Father X, what are you doing here?" "I could ask you the same question." "I came to Africa 10 years ago... because I still believed in humanity." "Now I don't believe in it anymore." "Not that I've lost my faith." "I've lost... hope." "We can't do anything." "NGOs come here because they want to help by giving money and food." "But when the money and food run out, what can be done?" "We must stay here to help local people become independent, but not everyone agrees." "They call it the "Third World"." "Do you know who chose to call it the "Third World"?" "The first two." "As if there were 3 different worlds." "But there's only one world, where we live all together." "Life was born right here in Africa." "The first man was born here." "Let's show some respect!" "Life here is getting harder and harder, instead." "That's why I surround myself with these photos of children." "See?" "I mount them on these kites, and then I make them fly... high in the sky." "You are the future, you know?" "You, children, are important." "One day, the world's powers that be will have to deal with you." "You haven't yet told me where you're going to." " To N'Dula, my home." " Is it here, in the desert?" "No, it's in the forest." "In that direction." " Is the forest in that direction?" " Yes." "Then go." "Go and see what's beyond that dune." " That's the sea." " Did we backtrack?" "No, you didn't backtrack." "The sea you saw from the dunes, is the ocean." "You have to go in this direction." "Look where the sun rises." "The sun rises there." "You wake up in the morning, and walk in that direction." "Here you go:" "bread, water and salt." "The wayfarer's food." " Come on, go." " Bye, Father X." "Bye." " Father X, will you sign here?" " On your cast?" "Yes." ""Father..." "X"." " Thank you." " Bye." " Bye, Father X." " Bye, Father X." "The letter!" " The letter!" " It's there!" " Where is it?" " There..." "Down there?" "I'm going down to get it." "Move over." "Are you nuts?" "The gear doors might open under your weight." " What do we do?" " Shit!" "What do we do?" "When the plane is about to land in Brussels, it will lower the wheels, and goodbye letter." "No..." "What do we do now?" "Thabo..." "I can't take it anymore." "You go ahead." "You're a main striker." " I'm just a second striker." " Come on, get up!" "To get up, I'd need a big dish of "Orecchiette" (lit. "small ears")." "Do you eat ears in Italy?" "No, "Orecchiette" is a typical regional dish." "What's N'Dula's typical dish?" " It's... "Empy Dish"." " You, dirty white boy, get up!" " Ouch, my balls!" "Dirty black boy!" " What's this?" " A grave." " So small?" " For a child." "The "shoe path"." "This must be one of his mother's shoes." "How old do you think he was?" "4 or 5 years old." " What could he have died from?" " Hunger, thirst, malaria." "So the wind won't take it away." "Rocco, come and see the sun." "Rocco, come!" "Leave me alone, I want to sleep." "Go to N'Dula on your own." " I'm not going home on my own." " We'll never get there." "Yes, we will." "We're near." "If we're near, then call your mother;" "she'll hear you." "Mother!" "(Father X) Mother!" "(Father X) Mother!" "Mother!" "(Father X) Mother!" " It sounds like Father X." " Let's try again together." "One, two, three..." "Mother!" "(Father X) Mother!" " N'Dula, please." " We are tired." " Keep hold of me." " I've got you." "Reach forward." "More." " I've almost got it." " Reach forward." "More." "More." " That's it!" "I've got the letter, Fodé!" " Come back up." " I've done it!" " At last!" "Great!" "Oh, my god, we have the letter!" "Put it here." "Like this, we'll protect the letter, and it won't fly away." "Thabo, I'll stop here." "I can't take it anymore." "I can't take it anymore." "Thabo, I give up." "You go ahead." "I'm not going to leave you alone." "Come on, get up!" " No, I'll stay here." "I'll stay here." "Do you know what I'd like now?" "Yes, a lemon granita." "No..." "I'd like to die." " What about you?" " I want to be a child again." "Do you remember when we weren't friends yet?" "Yes, but it's better now." " Yaguine!" " Yes?" "Wake up, it's cold." "Do you think we'll be allowed to enter the European Parliament wearing sandals?" "We'll tell him: "Mister President," ""we don't come from Russia, we come from Africa."" "Let's sleep now, so time will pass faster." " Where's the letter?" " In a safe place." "Rub my feet harder." "You should rub harder, too, so you'll also warm up your hands." "Do you remember when we weren't friends yet?" "We hadn't been born yet." "Wake up, you lazybones!" "What are you doing?" "Are you sleeping?" "You are almost there!" "Stand up!" "Are you sleeping now?" "Are you crazy?" "Wake up at once!" "You lazybones!" "Wake up!" "You've arrived!" "Just you wait!" "You've arrived!" "You can't fall asleep now!" "I'll kick your asses!" "I dreamed Father X was kicking my ass!" "I dreamed Father X was kicking your ass!" "Listen." "So it was true." " My coach's car!" " "Pasta and beans"!" "Run!" " Coach "Pasta and beans"!" " "Pasta and beans"!" ""Pasta and beans"!" " Coach!" " "Pasta and beans"!" "Coach "Pasta and beans"!" " Who are you?" " Sorry." "My coach has a similar car." " A coach who lives in N'Dula." " What's his name?" "Coach "Pasta and beans"." "Coach "Pasta and beans"?" "Get in the car." "This is N'Dula!" "This is N'Dula!" "At last!" " This is N'Dula!" " Thank goodness!" " That's my house!" " Finally!" "Coach "Pasta and beans", look who's looking for you." "What's the matter, Matteo?" "Coach!" "Thabo?" "I can't believe it." "A woman?" "You're back!" "I found them 60 miles from here, along the Calamé track." "What?" "Where?" "How did you get here?" " On foot." " On foot?" "One more kiss." "Who's he?" "This is Rocco, a friend of mine." " Hi." " Hi, coach." " Where do you come from, then?" " From Bari." "You walked from Bari to here..." "I mean, it's almost 3,000 Km." "It has been the longest counter attack ever in soccer history." "Chiara, if you don't need me for anything else, I have to go." " OK." " Bye, Matteo." " Bye." " Thank you, Matteo." " Thanks." " Thabo!" " Hey, Maurice." " Where are the other boys?" " In the shower." "All your friends are in the changing room." "What about paying a surprise visit?" " Sure." "Go with them." "Then come back here." "I want to take you to your mom." "Coach, I've worn it for 3 month." "Can you please remove it?" "Yes, sure." "Okay." "Yes, later." "Thabo!" "CHANGING ROOM" "Look who's here!" "Look who's here!" "Thabo!" "You'd better take a shower." "Give me these bags." "What will you have for lunch?" "Wow!" "Chicken and fries." "I'll have chicken, too." "And some "Orecchiette", a hamburger..." "Wait." " Now I'll give you..." " Coach, is this your bedroom?" "No, this is my daughter Nathalie's bedroom." "She's not here." "She studies in Brussels." " When will she come back?" " In October." "So... here you have shampoo, soap..." " Give yourselves a good scrub!" " Thank you." "I'll prepare lunch in the meanwhile." "In your place, if I'd had a coach like her," "I wouldn't have gone to Europe." "What's the matter with you?" "Why are you crying now that we've arrived?" "I don't want to go back home." "My parents expected me to come back as a champion." " I'm not a champion." " Come on, get up!" "You shouldn't be afraid of going back home." "It's here that you must grow up and study." "If you eventually become a champ, you'll be a champ for your country." " What do you think about it?" " Yeah, yeah." " Coach, where are our clothes?" " I threw them away." "You threw them away!" "Should we stay undressed?" " Sure." "Ta-da!" "They all belong to Nathalie." "Take whatever you like." "You've flooded the bathroom!" "How much water did you use?" "We made an impression on her!" "Let me see..." "Wow!" "Very elegant!" " I'll take you to your mom." " No, coach." "I want to go to my mother on my own." "Ah." "Fine." "I knew it." "You're strong." " Hello, Thabo." "How are you?" " I'm fine." "Thabo... take them." "No, thanks." " Thabo!" " Thabo!" "I've come back with this friend, who wants to live with us." " How is Carlotta?" " She's fine." "Now she's learned how to pee on the couch!" " Who taught her that?" " I have no idea." "Can I see her?" "Yes, wait." "Carlotta, say hello to your "grandmother"." "Her "grandmother"..." "Did you try putting some pepper on the couch?" "Yes." "Next I'll put her into a roasting pan with some potatoes." " Did you work a lot today?" " Today?" "Today something happened..." " Do you remember Thabo?" " Thabo?" "The kid that the white man took away to play soccer." "Exactly." "I don't know in what team he was playing in Italy." "When they realized he wouldn't become another Etò, they ditched him." " And how did he come back?" " On foot." "With a friend of his, Rocco, an Italian." "But I think Rocco is in trouble." "He's alone." "Tomorrow I'll go to the consulate and see what I can do." "As if the 11 kids you've adopted weren't enough, now you even want to take care of those coming from Europe." "Hello, Size!" " Good morning, Mrs. Trevisan." " Is the Consul in?" " Yes, he's in." " Ah, thank you." " Please." " Thanks." "Yes?" "Chiara Trevisan?" "Chiara Trevisan again!" "Did you tell her I'm in?" "Yes, you are in." "You're in." "Oops, sorry." "Were you working?" "We've known each other for a very long time." " Your father was my Confirmation sponsor." " Chiara, calm down." "I've understood." "Every time you say that, you need something, and my hair stands on end, which is hard for me." "The first time, you needed some medicines for the clinic." "It took me 2 months to find some drugs that were not expired." "Then you wanted "education and culture", and you came up with the idea of a school, so that the children could study." "Exercise books, pencils, pens... you even wanted some erasers." "And I even found you some erasers." "But then everything went lost inside a container." "And who toured all ports in Africa to find it?" "I did." " Do you how many ports are in Africa?" " A lot." "There's a lot of ports in Africa." "As the saying goes, "A healthy mind in a healthy body"." "We have to take care of our bodies." "You behave as if you were Zdenek Zeman." "You're building a pitch that looks like the Olympic Stadium." "For the opening ceremony, I've found you the Italian national team shirts, shorts and socks." "And let me tell you frankly:" "we'll also have to find four corner flags, for them to take corner kicks." "And also some chalk and a line marker, to produce straight lines on the field." "And what about the benches?" "And perhaps you even want to win!" "Is it better to win or to participate?" " To participate." " No, to win!" "You can't be a coach with that mindset." "I'm a honorary consul here." "Do you know what "honorary" means?" ""Honorary"." "It means I don't get a cent." "Do you see Giorgio (Napolitano), the great Giorgio?" "I downloaded his photo from the Internet." " See the Italian flag?" " You bought it with your own money." "What do you have in mind, now?" "Well, a 13-year-old boy came to my house, on foot from Italy." "He has neither father nor mother, and wants to stay here." " Does he have a passport?" " No, he doesn't." " So, what we are going to do?" " I knew it!" "We'll paint him black." " Let me know, tomorrow." " Yes." "Rocco, go!" "Go, go, go..." "Use the inside of your foot." "Quick, quick." "To the left..." "Control the ball better." "Go ahead." "Your foot!" "Left." "Good, good." "Go!" "Go, Rocco!" "Quick!" "You have built all this." "And in a few days, we're going to play the most important match of our lives." "The most important match of our lives, Rocco." "We must play with our legs, with our heads, but, above all, with our hearts." "And now..." " Pasta and beans!" " Easy!" "Hi, Consul." "Yes... really?" "Ah." "So?" "Rocco, you're sleeping here tonight." "Okay?" "Coach, Rocco's staying at my house." "Why does he have to stay here?" "Because tomorrow morning we have to go to the consulate." "He doesn't have any documents." "He needs a passport." "Come on, eat now." "Then..." " What about the match?" " He can't play." "He has to stay inside the consulate until he gets a passport." "He has an uncle, in Bari, who's his legal guardian, so Rocco must be repatriated." " Did you tell him?" " I only told him about the passport." " I didn't have the heart to tell him." " Mom!" " What?" " Turn around!" "Rocco!" "Why can't I decide where to live?" " Good morning." " Good morning." "The bag..." "Thank you." " Good morning, coach." " Hi, Thabo." " Where's Rocco?" " He has to stay inside the consulate... until he gets a passport." "He's like an illegal immigrant, he can't go out." "My parents are happy to have him as a guest." "I know." "But if the police find out, we'll all get into trouble." "He has to stay in there." "What about tomorrow's match?" "He can't play tomorrow's match." "Because... he just can't." "And he must go back to Bari, because he has an uncle who's his guardian," " who's waiting for him." " No!" "His uncle will kill him!" "(in broken Italian) He beats him." "Then Rocco broke his arm." " What?" " Don't send him back to Italy." " What does his uncle do?" " He beats him and Rocco broke his arm." " Does his uncle beat him?" "I can't believe it!" "When that kid arrived here, he had one arm in plaster." " Do you know how he broke his arm?" " No." "And I don't want to know." "While he was running away from his uncle, who was beating him." "And the Court says we must send him back to his uncle!" "I don't want to know!" "Anyway, yes." "I'll show you the fax." " Here's the fax." "Look." " Should I let a piece of paper stop me?" "It would be nice if you did, for once." "Your health would benefit from it." " No!" "We're talking about a kid who crossed Africa to escape from a scoundrel." "Chiara, this is from the Court in Bari." "That boy is an illegal immigrant here, just like those who come to Italy illegally." "Attilio, what are you saying?" ""Illegal immigrant"." "My father in Belgium was an illegal immigrant, too." "And so was your father!" "My dad was an illegal immigrant, too." "Yes." "Do you think I'm happy that boy is being abused?" "I'm supposed to represent our country's Law." "This Law." "Please, Attilio, make up something." "I don't know what to make up, but you do." "Make up something." "That boy must stay here." "He must stay here." "And you know it." ""Make up something"." "What can I make up?" "Rocco." " Rocco." " Thabo!" " What are you doing here?" " Let's go." "Take your stuff." " Where?" " Don't ask questions." "Come on!" "Move those goats!" "Goats!" "Just what I need!" "Do you know where Madam Chiara is?" "Chiara?" "Madam Chiara?" "No." "Chiara isn't here." "Madam Chiara?" "Chiara?" "Hey, kid:" ""Pasta and beans"?" ""Pasta and beans"?" "There?" "Thank you." " "Pasta and beans", come with me." " Hi!" "There's nothing to smile about." "Is that the changing room?" " Yes." "Wait here." "Where are you?" "Come out!" "There's a terrible smell of feet in here!" "Where did you put him?" "Do you think I'm stupid?" "Do I have "Attilio is stupid" written on my forehead?" "Yes, I'm stupid, because I always listen to you." " What are you talking about?" " This is not Italy, where everyone does whatever they please." "I have a hard-earned, respected and honoured image here," " and I don't want you to screw it up." " Attilio, what are you talking about?" " I'm not understanding anything!" " Rocco is missing." " But he's staying at your place!" " No, he "was" staying." "Now he's missing." "Poof!" "Understand?" "Poof!" "Rocco is missing." "Understand?" ""Someone" took him away." " What are you talking about?" " Now you must find him, since you like playing hide-and-seek." "He's disappeared, and now he'll reappear." "Cast a spell." "It'll be best for you, for me, and, above all, for him." "Get on with it!" "Thabo, do you know where Rocco is?" "I don't know." "I haven't seen him." "Please, look at me." "Where is Rocco?" "It's important, Thabo." "He may get into trouble." "He's making things worse." " Where is he?" " I haven't seen anything." "Okay." "But please think about it." "Think about it!" "There'll even be a European Parliament representative," "Médecins Sans Frontières, Save the Children... and also the Community of Sant'Egidio." "And Marco." "Do you remember him?" "And all the UNICEF workers, of course." "What should I wear?" "In your opinion, should I wear this one or this one?" "Haven't you thrown away that dark dress yet?" " It makes you look older!" " No, it doesn't." "It suits me perfectly!" "You are so beautiful when you wear the one I gave you." "BRUSSELS AIRPORT 2 AUGUST 1999" "Dispatcher Chiara Trevisan." "Inside the plane from Conakry..." "Damayé and Limane, now a big gift for you, for us and for everyone." "Thank you." "We are live from N'Dula, today 2 August, for the opening ceremony... of a soccer field, built in memory of two young African heroes, Yaguine and Fodé, who traveled in the wheel well of a plane bound for Brussels." "Their bodies were found by Chiara Trevisan, the coach... everyone calls "Pasta and beans"." "Today Yaguine and Fodé's parents are present at the ceremony, and Chiara, deeply moved, is hugging them." "Go, go, go!" "Well done!" "Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!" "Thabo, let's score one goal each." "2-0." "We'll win." " A fax!" "A fax!" "A fax!" " What?" "They arrested him!" "We defend civil rights, but also justice." "According to the fax, the hospital in Bari reported Rocco's uncle for physical abuse." "So?" " So?" " Throw a bucket of water on that kid... so he returns to his colour." "Now he can stay here!" "Rocco!" "Thabo!" "I have good news!" ""Excellencies, Messrs. members and officials of Europe," ""We have the honorable pleasure and the great confidence in you to write this letter..." ""about the objective of our journey and the suffering of us," ""the children and young people of Africa." ""But first of all, we present to you life's most delicious charming, and respected greetings." ""To this effect, be our support and our assistance." ""You are for us, in Africa," ""those to whom it is necessary to request relief." ""We implore you, for the love of your continent," ""for the feeling that you have towards your people," ""and especially for the affinity and love that you have for your children," ""whom you love for a lifetime." ""Messrs. members and officials of Europe, we call out for your solidarity," ""and your kindness for the relief of Africa." ""Do help us, we suffer enormously in Africa," ""we have problems and some shortcomings regarding the rights of the child." ""This is the reason, we, African children and youth..." ""ask you to create a big efficient organization for Africa," ""to allow us to progress." ""If you see that we have sacrificed ourselves and risked our lives," ""this is because we suffer too much in Africa." ""We want to learn," ""and we ask you to help us in Africa learn to be like you." ""Finally, we appeal to you to excuse us very, very much" ""for daring to write this letter to you," ""the great personages to whom we owe much respect." ""Written by two Guinean children, Yaguine Koita and Fodé Tounkara."" "English subtitles by YRR and Oliver Sanderson"