Harvest: 3,000 Years (1975) - full transcript

Wake up.

Wake up, it's dawn.

Beletech, wake up. Wake up!

Almighty God, bless us.
Bless us and give us a nice day.

Berihun!
Wake up, the sun is already up!

Stubborn bull!
Why won't it listen?

Or can't it hear?

Keep going!

You'd better obey me.

Stubborn bull.
You're asking for it.

Keep going straight!
And don't you trying kicking me!



Keep working!

Keep going.

Straight!

Do a straight line.

Straight!

Okay, calm down now.

I warned you.

You'd better obey me.

Water, my dear friend.

What would become of us
if we had to pay for you?

When I chose this house,
I knew from the start you would be here.

Everybody has to work hard. When
you're not here we have to remain idle.

Everybody should be as useful as you are.
How can we remain idle when you are here?

In the name of the Holy Trinity!



Oh God, I keep stumbling.
When will it be the end of me?

You, keep flowing.
Don't cause any trouble here.

It's your turn to work now.
Come here and rinse me.

Rinse me and purify me.

I know how to choose a home indeed.

Hey, you!
Has your father gone to work yet?

He left at dawn.

- What?
- He went to the fields at dawn.

Watch my cattle thoroughly.

Don't you lose a single animal.
Be it a goat or a cow, watch it.

You and your family, I order you!

If you let them graze on
somebody else's grass,

you will have to
deal with the consequences.

You lazy people.
Taking advantage of my own wealth!

A whole family of parasites.

The fresh air enters here
and circulates in the house.

And the water, our vital friend,
is flowing there!

All these plants are purifying the air.

They bring life to this place
and make it look like paradise!

This is what I call a modern house.

These are modern houses.

My... "friends", the Italians,
built this house and left.

But the very ones I fought with
to kick the Italians out,

the ones who persuaded me
to defend our country,

the ones who said
I shall defend my liberty,

they are also the ones who stole my land.
The land I had made many sacrifices for.

They stole my land and told me
to come live in this "modern house".

Look at this house!

It's wide open!

Why isn't there a thief?

There are no thieves where I live.

Everything I own is here, in plain view.

The bed is made out of leather.
It's still in good condition, very solid.

Why hasn't it been stolen?

Because there are no thieves here.

No lock, no problem.

No lock, no fear. No worry!

What we...

What did I do to you?

You rascals!

Good-for-nothings! Scallywags!

Did I come here begging for
food and a home?

Naughty boys! Tykes! Brats!

Numskulls! How dare you
talk back at me!

I'll teach you!

♪ Oh, magnificent bride! ♪
♪ Glory and praise to you. ♪

♪ It is 3,000 years old. ♪

♪ Your dress is 3,000 years old. ♪

♪ Your wedding dress ♪

♪ has it still not worn out? ♪

♪ Oh, magnificent bride! ♪
♪ Glory and praise for you. ♪

♪ Your dress is 3,000 years old. ♪

♪ Has your dress still not worn out? ♪

Hurry up!

You, lazy man! Do you think
you can get the same pay as the others?

- Old man! Don't use too much water.
- Very well, Sir.

And pull out the weeds
if you want to get paid!

You, there, be careful.

Working hard is worth it,
that's how you get paid.

See, the one who sweats
and work hard get rich.

The lazy and idle ones
will always sponge off the rich.

My coffee, at last!
I hope it's good.

What is this?
How dare you bring this to me?

- This is Wolete's fault.
- Idiot! Go to hell, all of you!

You are such a pain! Vultures!
You just keep robbing me.

They keep wandering.
They do suck but suck my blood.

You'll get nothing
without efforts, leeches!

Hello Ato Mamo.

How are you doing?
How's your family?

Fine, thank God.

- How is your wife?
- Not so good.

I sent her to the church.
The holy water shall heal her.

The holy water from Setla Mariam
healed Ademe's wife.

- The holy water?
- There's no doubt about it.

If my wife doesn't get better,
I'll send her to Setla Mariam.

I'll pray for her to get better.
Have a nice day, Master.

You have to leave already?
Don't fancy a coffee?

I'm in a hurry.

You had to leave
before you could be my guest.

Faster, you all.
The day is almost over.

You will be so happy
went you get your due.

It's okay to look for money.

But staying idle and waiting for
your wage, it's infuriating!

- Hey, you! I warned you already!
- Yes Sir.

- Don't make me angry!
- Yes, Sir.

"Yes Sir" won't do.

Work with all your heart!

♪ An ammunition belt, worn on your hips, ♪
♪ inspire respect ♪

♪ Summon the Heroes, ♪
♪ Call them ♪

♪ The father was a millet seed sower ♪

♪ He beget a brave soldier ♪
♪ who could handle guns ♪

Here, harder.

♪ Don't provoke this black bull ♪

♪ When it's angry,
it destroys its enemies. ♪

Hey stubborn, be careful!

They should have worked hard,
if they wanted to be successful.

All they did was sleep,
and now they want our land.

I won't give them one inch of land.

Hey lazy!

You got nothing better to do

than sit and wait under the sun?

Here he is. Listen to him.

Crook! Thief!

Kentu, kick him out.

You stole my land, thanks to
the tricks the Italians taught you.

That's how you became rich,
you collaborator!

- Everybody knows you're a crook!
- Kick him out!

Send your puppets, your dirty dogs.

Your dogs always protect you.

Why do you harass my master?

Don't interfere, Kentu!
I'm warning you.

- You have no idea...
- I'll knock you out.

I'm leaving, but I pity you
for you are a slave.

I'll break your skull open.

That thief is feeding you
with his leftovers.

Don't help this pig
who let you live with an empty stomach.

Don't fight for him!

If you realized, it's him you would hit.

He lives off other people's
land and labor.

Kentu, you will never understand.

You are blind with ignorance
and you have been enslaved.

Go home, I'm far away already.

How insolent!

So cheeky, but I chased him.

What a pain he is.

Well he doesn't seem to be crazy.

I, your servitor,
would break his skull for you.

But I don't want to bring you troubles.

Very well, very well.

He can surely choose his word.

I don't think he is crazy.

How can you say that?

If we were in Addis,
he would get shock treatment.

But in this city,

the police let him free.
What can I do?

Master, I heard him brag in the city.

He said he never got any problem
with the police in Addis.

He just feels comfortable
surrounded by his lot.

Once, in prison, he called a guard.

He gave him a little package,
wrapped up in a newspaper,

so the guard could keep it for him
until he was released.

The guard thought
it was something valuable

and put the package in the storeroom.

Then the storeroom started
to smell really bad,

to the point order was given to find
where the stench was coming from.

Covering their noses,
the policemen found the package.

They opened it and found a little note.

"This is Kebeke's shit."

They thought he was mad and let him go.

Hear that?
And you think he is not crazy!

Who would put his shit
in a police storeroom?

He's totally crazy, there's no doubt.

There are all kind of guys.
Pathological liars and such.

But wrapping up his crap?
This man is totally crazy!

Yet you said he can choose his words.

Hey, faster!

You, over there!

Hurry up.

You, with the scarf!
What are you doing?

I told you already,
you will get beaten.

Hey, you! Hurry up!
Your cattle is going!

This is yours, you better go after it.

Hurry up

Make a U-turn and come back here!

This is your turn.

- You moved.
- No, you moved.

- Who won?
- It's not over yet.

You're cheating.
You took one more.

One of these is mine.

Cheater, you shouldn't lie.

Make a U-turn and take me there.

I have to make a speech.

Take me there right now,
I have to talk.

We will all either get killed or robbed.

Those who haven't stolen yet

are waiting for their turn.

They take turns to get rich,
this is their strategy.

How can the people benefit from it?

They take power in shifts.

This is meaningless to us.

The only thing they do
in Addis Abeba right now

is building of more buildings.

Dazzling facades, this is the new trend.

There will soon me another ministry.
The Ministry of Work.

It will start an economic development
"for the good of the people",

while poor people are still waiting
for their houses to be rebuilt.

Enchanted by the dazzling facades
of the new buildings

they put their hope in the new ministry.

But the old directors,

the corrupt employers, their henchmen,

the speculators and their administration,

all of them are back
in new ivory towers.

When you grow vegetables,

and see some of them are ill,

if you try to remove only the ill ones

by uprooting them one by one,

you will see
all of the vegetables will die

because they have been
contaminated already.

But if you uproot a whole patch

and plant brand new seeds,

if you take good care of them
while the grow,

you will have a great harvest.

It's the same thing as breeding eggs

when one has gone bad.

You're losing your time,
waiting for the eggs to hatch.

If you throw away the rotten eggs
and only breed fresh eggs

beautiful young chicken will be born.

Waiting for rotten eggs to hatch
is a waste of time.

It's all the same with men!

Even though I was exhausted from
working in the fields the whole day,

I had to go by the river
to cut some grass, so I could survive.

On my way to the market,
I got an awful headache.

A stabbing pain in the neck,
because of the load I was carrying.

I sold the grass and
bought this pathetic flour.

Then I cooked kitta for my family.

I had to feed my children.
What else could I do?

Mother, I had a dream last night.

Please, not tonight.
I'm too tired to listen.

Also, you shouldn't tell your dream
when it's already dark.

If you really want to,
you will tell it in the morning.

Very early, before the rooster sings.

Otherwise, you will bring a curse
to this family.

Only early in the morning.

- But we work very early!
- Only in the morning.

We already work when the rooster sings.

Alright, let her speak.

We can listen to her
if she really wants it.

I saw our master in the middle
of the field, all dressed in white.

He was sitting on his chair.

As usual, he was watching his field.

He had a white hat and a walking stick.

Kentu was holding a basin,
standing near the master.

He was as still as a rock.

He seemed lifeless.

Tenku, the master's son, was nearby.

Like his father,
he was wearing white clothes.

He had a whip in one hand and
he was driving the plough with the other.

He tied up Dad to the yoke.
Then he tied you up.

And he started to plough.

Using you as if you were oxen.

You and your dream!

I can never understand them.

It's just a dream.

- Let me finish!
- Go on.

So you and Dad were pulling the plough,

stumbling and falling.

Berihun and me were there,
powerless, looking at you.

- How was your father dressed?
- He was wearing his usual work-clothing.

Good, it's a good omen.

It's very good. Good fortune.

It's good he was not wearing
white clothes or his Sunday best.

When you were too exhausted,
the son's master cracked his whip

and he had the two of us
to pull the plough.

When the four of us
could not take it anymore

we stopped obeying
and we broke the yoke.

We joined forces, then I heard a sound.

That was you waking me up.

It was the rain,
it rained hard all night long.

No! It was the sound of the yoke breaking!

What a dream! What a miracle!

It's an extraordinary dream.

Because you're a child,
you're still innocent.

How else could one have
such a striking dream?

Divine visions are revealed through
the eyes of innocent children.

Stop your nonsense and finish
baking the bread so Berihun can eat.

- Eat what?
- Her dinner.

♪ Oh, magnificent bride! ♪

♪ Glory and praise to you. ♪

♪ Your dress is 3,000 years old. ♪

♪ Your wedding dress is 3,000 years old. ♪

♪ How has it still not worn out? ♪

♪ O Master, o Lady, ♪
♪ glory and praise for you. ♪

♪ Your 3,000 years old wedding suit. ♪

♪ Your 3,000 years old wedding dress. ♪

♪ Your 3,000 years old wedding suit. ♪

♪ Why has it still not worn out? ♪

Who gave you permission
to cut the master's grass?

Who do you think you are?
You stubborn idiot!

This is my grass.
Nobody can forbid me!

- How insolent!
- This is incredible.

What a time we live in.

Stop! I'll call my father.

Everybody knows this is my land.

How impudent!

Shall I beg?

If you have no pity,
then you are insolent.

Stop now.
Or this will turn really bad.

Be careful!

I always see you

help your father.

But I never see you

go to school.

Education is important.

Otherwise, you will end up

working for exploiters.

When they

stole my land,

Nobody

listened to me.

I asked for help,

but they didn't do anything.

My son,

should I steal or beg?

In my own country?

Can't I at least
sell some grass so I can live?

My arms and my legs
are still sane and strong,

it would be a shame to beg.

Especially here,
the place where I was born!

Even when I was in Addis Abeba,

while I was trying to get my land back,
I did not beg.

To beg in his own country
would be a shame.

That's why I suggest you

to go to school, son.

Otherwise you will become a slave

exploited by the pitiless.

If your father asks what he can give you,
say: "Education".

What should he buy?
Say: "Education".

Always, unceasingly,
say: "Education".

Why? Because nothing is more important
than education.

Without it, you will be a slave.

If you are an ignorant,
people will exploit you without scruples.

But if you are educated,
you will be free from them.

This is what happened to that family

in Dedgaz Belechev.

Their wealth was stolen.

The father had left it as inheritance.

But his children never saw it

Now they are fighting one another,
the son and the daughter.

They invade the tribunal,
they monopolize the judge.

They argue and fight: "This is mine!
- No, it's mine!"

They trick themselves
so they can steal the inheritance.

She wants to poison her brother,
he threatens he will murder her.

They create chaos and
destroy the community.

This is also true for Bante's children.

His body was barely cold,
right in the middle of the wake,

that his daughter and his son were
already fighting. It was shocking!

They didn't even wait for 40 days
before they started settling accounts.

They had no consideration for the dead,
they challenged their father's soul.

Can you imagine this, my son?
They fought at his funeral.

Why? It's very simple.

They were not educated.
All they wanted was money! Money!

If somebody asks you
who this land belongs to,

answer it belongs to the people.

Land was not created to be owned.

Cut the good grass up there.
You're falling? At your age?

What will you do
when you'll be as old as I am?

In the name of The Father,
The Son and The Holy Spirit.

Why aren't you working?

Don't you stay here looking at me.

In the name of The Father,
The Son and The Holy Spirit.

Do your job!

In the name of The Father,
The Son and The Holy Spirit.

Why do you keep looking at me?

Shouldn't you be working?
I'm tired of watching you.

Go back to work. Faster! Hurry up.

Almighty God, My life on Earth

is a life of pain.

Be charitable, in the name of God.

Help me survive,

even if my life is nothing but hardship.

♪ Glory to you, ♪
♪ hard-working people ♪

♪ wherever you are. ♪

♪ Each on his land ♪

♪ is respected and obeyed, ♪
♪ like a lion in the jungle. ♪

♪ May the inheritance from our ancestors ♪

♪ be glorified by you, land-worker, ♪
♪ wherever you are, ♪

♪ wherever you are ploughing. ♪

♪ Glory to you, serves, ♪
♪ wherever you are! ♪

♪ We are all the children ♪
♪ of the same mother. ♪

Kebebe, how are you doing?
Sit down with us and play some begena.

Let him wet his whistle first.

Don't put your begena down,
play it for us.

What's the matter?
You are not greeting me anymore?

I hadn't seen you.
How are you doing?

Thank God I'm fine.

Please, play your begena.

- You are very late.
- How are you doing, Kebebe?

Eat something.

How are you doing?

Pour him some beer,
it will make him play.

Please, Kebebe, play your begena.

- Please!
- Come on, play it!

The harvests is excellent.
Especially the beans, as you can see.

This is what we will eat
and there is no better than that.

♪ A bird named Big Bread ♪

♪ is soaring the sky. ♪

♪ It's gliding, flapping its wings. ♪

♪ It's riding the clouds. ♪

♪ It's flapping its wings and gliding. ♪

♪ They look at it, ♪
♪ with wide open eyes. ♪

♪ They are hungry, skinny. ♪

♪ They look at it with bulging eyes. ♪

♪ People are hungry, ♪
♪ they are looking at the sky, ♪

♪ waiting for a bird named Big Bread ♪
♪ to come and feed them. ♪

♪ Gliding through the clouds, ♪

♪ seducing the people down there, ♪

♪ it seems cooked already, ♪

♪ it looks deliciously crunchy. ♪

♪ But it is far away, in the sky. ♪

♪ It attracts the people, ♪
♪ it fascinates them. ♪

♪ But it remains far away, in the sky. ♪

♪ As far as the food ♪
♪ the people are waiting for. ♪

♪ The people are naive, stupid. ♪

♪ As skinny as a branch. ♪

♪ Starving, they keep looking, ♪

♪ with their bulging eyes, ♪

♪ Big Bread is baking near the sun. ♪

♪ It's floating in the sky, ♪

♪ it's fascinating the poor. ♪

♪ While the rich get richer. ♪

♪ While they comfortably live ♪
♪ in abundance and joy. ♪

♪ My fellow countrymen, listen to me. ♪

♪ My lament is about the rich. ♪

They live in towers,
with stairs reaching the sky.

While we are living in cemeteries.

- It may sounds ironic, but...
- Is that true?

Isn't it weird?
The rich living higher than us.

They live on our blood and sweat.

- Our struggle is vain.
- This is what happened.

Kebebe, don't be distressed,
keep your faith in God.

Of course, who else but Him?

We can still get what we deserve.

There is still hope.

As long as we are alive,

we will not give up.

No, I won't give up.
Why? Because I always find a way.

Ato Gerima, during the war,

you kept saying us
not to lose hope.

Sure, we'll keep our faith!

You were very meditative.
What happened that day?

I got shot,
but I went straight back to the fight.

- Didn't I kill him?
- You sure did.

Didn't I take his weapon?

Didn't we inform Captain Gerima,
our chief?

As soon as we got armed,
we went back to the front.

A sub-machine gun for Jera,
who fought until it broke.

I disarmed the enemy,

I presented him my looting.

The English officer
ordered more ammunition.

So we went back to the front
one last time.

In Debebahr,
the bombing finally stopped.

The brave Gebrehiwet
cracked the enemy's lines open.

We exterminated them.
The Italian were done for.

They were crunched, prisoners.
It was the end of the war.

Still, you made a big mistake that day.

How would you know?
You were hiding?

I did not make any mistake.

- Listen to me.
- Go ahead.

That day, you did not obey the rules.

Remember, you didn't respect the rules.

You know why? Because they barricaded.

There was no way but the corridor.

- It would have worked!
- But they retreated.

- No, they flew away!
- That's when I got injured.

- You were very brave that day.
- Absolutely.

You leaned against a rock
and kept fighting heroically.

Yes I did! I had to reload
my sub-machine gun three times!

- What about me, your comrade?
- I killed them one after another!

Don't you talk only about yourself.

Your bravery? When I got shot,

you came to rescue me, it's true.

Captain Gerima asked
if I was the only one wounded.

Then he ordered you
to come and rescue me.

- Major Ringross himself rewarded you.
- With a wallet full of money!

- Do you remember the bills?
- I sure do! Freshly printed!

I shared it with our comrades.
There were bullets in the wallet too.

Our bravery is a thing,

but you, when you were sent
to spy on the enemy,

so you could provide us and the rookies

a shelter with ammunition and food...

You kept wandering in circles,
aimlessly.

I'm sorry to interrupt,
but what about the rich?

They live in luxury while we,

the fighters,

the ones who sacrificed everything,

are now living in misery.

Those who didn't move a pinky

now enjoy a sumptuous life.

I have to live with 30...!
Only 30 birr a month!

While these traitors earn 1,000 a month!

And these 30 birr are
for me and all my family.

This is my salary.

At least you earn 30 birr,
what about us?

♪ Here he is, waiting for me to share, ♪
♪ the few things I have. ♪

♪ Our country is an illusion. ♪

♪ It's deceptive, as is humanity itself. ♪

♪ It can disappear into thin air, ♪
♪ as can men. ♪

♪ Our warriors have to guard ♪
♪ our frontiers with alertness. ♪

♪ They have to fight, and fight again, ♪
♪ before we lose everything. ♪

♪ Gondar is his home town ♪
♪ but his heart is from Wegera. ♪

♪ He mortified the Italians, ♪
♪ on the battlefield and outside it. ♪

♪ He beat the collaborators ♪
♪ and humiliated the Italian general. ♪

♪ Here he is, protecting our country. ♪

Come on, tell us
your heroic achievements!

♪ Oh, warrior! Oh, warrior! ♪

♪ Oh, warrior! Oh, warrior! ♪

♪ If you don't relentlessly defend ♪
♪ our borders to repel the enemy, ♪

♪ if you don't solemnly call ♪
♪ for heroic actions to beat the enemy ♪

♪ then he will spread like an epidemic. ♪

♪ When I disemboweled that Italian, ♪

♪ bits of potatoes came out of his guts. ♪

Go ahead! I was there,
I know it's true.

♪ Oh, warrior! Oh, warrior! ♪

♪ Son of Semien, Begemder, ♪
♪ Mekele and Gondar... ♪

Belay! Belay!
Come here, someone's calling you.

The master is calling me, take over.

Why would he call you
in the middle of your work?

It distracts us when you call us
in the middle of our work.

As if we didn't have
too many things to do already.

What do I know?
These things are a mystery to me.

We have so many work to do
before the rainy season.

♪ Oh, magnificent bride! ♪
♪ Glory and praise to you. ♪

♪ Your wedding dress is 3,000 years old. ♪

♪ May your 3,000 years old ♪
♪ Wedding dress be blessed ♪

♪ Has it worn out yet ♪

♪ Oh, magnificent bride! ♪
♪ Glory and praise to you. ♪

♪ Your wedding dress is 3,000 years old. ♪

♪ Your wedding suit is 3,000 years old. ♪

♪ And it remains intact, that's true. ♪

♪ Oh, magnificent bride! ♪
♪ Glory and praise to you. ♪

Did you plant the seeds?

Not yet?

- Not yet.
- Why?

- What are you doing here then?
- What haven't got the seeds yet.

- When will you do it?
- As soon as we get the seeds.

After the rainy season?
What will be the point?

We will plant them
before the rainy season.

It will be done, Sir.

You just keep wandering
and playing around.

- Don't you want to keep your job?
- It will be done.

Yes, after the rainy season.

It will be too late.

- And what about the vets?
- They haven't come yet.

So they are careless too.

They wait for my cattle to die.

I know you.
I've been watching you.

You'd better start
being reasonable, or...

When you're invited to drink alcohol,
you're never late!

Oh, you can surely do this,
drink like a fish.

A mug of beer here,
a glass of katikala there...

Look at you. You are pathetic.
You look like a cadaver.

Why do I always have to
remind you of your duties?

You should be more responsible.

Don't worry.

- It will be done.
- Who could trust you?

Let's go.

Wait.

Listen...

One of you go with Kentu
and go get the sprouts.

And you plant them immediately,
don't make me come again!

- Do everything as I say!
- We'll do it, Sir.

I'm warning you!

All these big trucks, loaded with goods,

some go to Mekela, some to Asmara.

Then they go to Massawa
so the goods can be sent abroad.

Addis Abeba,

is being invaded by machines.

It's aberrant.

This is where
all the wealth of our country is.

Addis Abeba is a place for those
with money and connections.

If you are penniless,
you're a nobody there.

But the worst thing in Addis Abeba,

are the countless skyscrapers
and the machines.

Look up, motors everywhere!

Look down, motors everywhere!

Right, left... motors everywhere again.

There is nothing but
towers, metal and machines.

Try to find...

a human being. There is not a soul.

Only metal and machines.

If you get close to one,
you'll get robbed.

If you touch one,
your hand will get cut.

The city has been invaded
by threatening machines.

- Have you ever seen a plane landing?
- Are you crazy?

How could it land?

The city is nothing but towers!
Where could it land?

Once, I saw a plane trying to land.

But it couldn't find a place.

It became so angry

it made a horrendous sound and left.

Another time, I was tired
to fight at the tribunal.

I was penniless and hungry.

I decided to go to church
and implore God.

At the doorway, I met Beyene.

He knew I was too ashamed to beg,

but he could see I was hungry.

He invited me to a grand hotel.

There, he told me
I could order everything I wanted.

I was sitting, anxious.

A well-dressed gentleman
proudly came to me.

I thought he was the owner of the hotel.

But he asked me politely:
"May I take your order?"

Remove the bread. You burnt it.

Okay, let's split it and eat it.

This is only a fire,

it won't hurt you.
Remove the pan too.

Take it out and let the fire burn.

In the old days, you'd have been
spanked for your negligence.

You were not supposed to throw that pan.

Keep fanning the fire, son.

Blow harder.

Back to my story.

Keep blowing and
listen to me at the same time.

So, the man had a uniform.

He was a waiter.

He had to serve simpletons like me!

Can you imagine?
Serve me, with all my misery.

So, Beyene asked what I wanted to eat.

He asked the waiter:
"What do you have?"

He read us an endless list of dishes.

It was nothing but gobbledygook,
foreign mumbo-jumbo.

Then, at the end, he read the list
of our local dishes.

Doro Wat, Alecha menchetabish...

I was thinking:
"We are belittling ourselves!"

Beyene was waiting
for me to make my order.

He was very polite, very refined.

But it all looked so weird to me.

I just told him to choose for me.

I was afraid to order
something forbidden.

Beyene wanted me to eat well,
so he ordered a "combination".

I was worried,
I didn't know what that was.

Finally the waiter brought
a huge tray with our dishes.

I rolled up my sleeves,

so I could honor that good meal.

My stomach was empty.

I hadn't eaten anything for a few days,
apart from water.

Slowly, listen to my story.

You are so impatient
you are gonna choke.

You only care about
your stomach, your food.

You're like donkeys!

Control your appetite,

get your stomach ready for harder times.
Don't spoil my story.

This is bad behaviour.

So, Beyene said:
"Let's eat."

I took a handful of that great dish

and gobbled it all at once.

But he, he was pecking like a bird!

I was stuffing myself,
what were you expecting?

I was fortunate enough
to be invited without having to beg!

We were served water
and I drank it all right away.

I ate so much that day.

I can never forget
the generosity of Beyene.

He was a good and smart man.

No, let me share the bread.

Our Father, Holy Spirit,
bless our bread.

I want the biggest share.

- Don't worry, you'll have it.
- The biggest.

First, let me fold it.
Then I'll hand it to you.

Here, it's folded.
It's easier to eat.

Insolent, where is the tea?

Pour the tea first,
enough to quench our thirst.

- Can he speak a foreign language?
- Beyene? Of course.

While we were at the restaurant,

a friend of him came,
a well-built guy.

They greeted each other
in a weird language.

I was listening to them,
trying to understand.

But I realized
it was a foreign language.

I know many of our languages.

Allebede, Saligelda, Ai Gaftai,

Northern Kameyalch...
These are our languages.

About our education, he told me that

the teachers,
whether local of foreign ones,

don't teach us
the most important things.

Instead,

they go to whorehouses
and drink whiskey.

They like playing with prostitutes.

That's what he told me.

Beyene was incredible,
very intelligent.

We could see he had read a lot.

Once, I noticed his eyes

had become as small as a pea,
because of his reading.

The mysteries of our world
were explained in the palms of his hands.

Much more than his food,

what made him so strong, I think,

was the greatness of his knowledge.

It was amazing.
I have experienced many things, but...

The remembrance of our short talks

will remain engraved in my bones.

Even after my death,
people will be able to read it.

While nibbling on his food,
he told me...

"When you look closely at the way a man
walks, you can see what torments him".

Then he told me to eat.

He told me there is
enough food for our country.

That the only thing we lack
is goodness and good manners.

Educated people are too rare.
The other kind is too abundant.

They have become an obstacle.

- Mother, I had a dream last night.
- Not tonight. I'm too tired to listen.

Hello, how are you doing?

I'm fine, and you?

- Is everything okay?
- Yes, thanks to God.

- No problem?
- No, God willing.

My master wants

this eucalyptus
to be planted right away.

- How is the lady of the house doing?
- Not so good. Her condition is worsening.

Even with the holy water?
She's not getting better?

- How are you doing, Kentu?
- Fine, thank God.

The son of our master
sent me a picture.

- Who would send you a picture?
- He really did.

I will be his servant
once he is back from abroad.

- You probably stole that picture.
- No, look by yourself.

- Let me see.
- Here it is.

How can you be proud
to be his future servant?

I'm really happy,
I can't wait for him to come back.

He promised me the job.

- Why don't you go to school?
- Stop dreaming.

It's just a matter of time.

I hope that day will come.

I won't slave for some master,
like my father had to.

I'll be dead if that day come.

He promised me
I will be his servant.

- Ready?
- Hit it!

Can I play with you?

- Let me play with you. Please!
- No.

- Why?
- This is not for girls.

- Ready?
- Go!

- Let me play too, please.
- You are a girl!

I'm tired of this.

Ready?

Kentu! Kentu!

My master's chair is very comfortable.

No wonder he sits all day
and don't do anything.

He never cuts any grass.

Sitting on his throne,
I feel like taking a nap, like he would.

But, please, don't report me.

To look like my master,
I need a stick to make the flies leave.

He doesn't do anything.

He never works in the fields,
he never grow anything!

All he does is giving orders:
"Keep digging!"

And he always sits on this chair.

I've been wondering
if he is not fed up to keep sitting.

I wish I had his life,
sitting on this chair.

My master promised he would give me
his shoes once they are worn out.

- Mother, I had a dream last night.
- Not tonight. I'm too tired to listen.

I'm dead tired. Leave me alone.

Soldiers! Forward march!

March!

Left! Left!

Left! Left! U-turn!

3,000 years march.

U-turn!

U-turn!

U-turn, march!

Left! Left!

Backward! March! March! Backward!

Soldier! Forwards!

Left!

Left! Left!

3,000 years travel.

Backward! Backward! Backward!

You stubborn kids!
Leave him alone!

Don't make fun of him, you retards!

What can we do?
Leave them be, they are kids.

Come here, son. Sit down.
You always take care of me.

God bless your future.

When I was in Addis,
Germachew, a member of my family,

kept ironing his uniform.
From Monday to Friday.

He's wash it and iron it everyday.
Even on Saturdays.

From Monday to Friday,
inspection after inspection.

- Inspection everyday.
- How do they iron a uniform?

Squirt some starch on it
before you iron it.

Wear it once, do it again.

It has become as stiff as a stick.

It was inspection,
over and over again.

Saturday, inspection,
and Sunday, patrol.

He'd patrol all day long
under a burning sun.

It was exhausting.

In the evenings,
he'd go out with his friends.

The daily drinking session.
He had to get drunk.

So drunk that
he could not stand anymore.

Berihun, my son,
why would I become a soldier?

What would I do?

All the uniforms, these shoes,

misspent for every soldier.

If I was in charge,
I would give these to the poor.

But what if I do this?

I'd be accused of
wasting the state's properties.

I'd be imprisoned and mistreated.

After being released,
I would be banned from the army.

This is why I never went to the army.

Our son will be leaving soon,

instead of taking care
of his aging parents.

Young people nowadays are ungrateful.

They are idiots, still we try our best
so they stay with us.

We did everything we could
to convince him.

Put he put us under pressure.

He knows we cannot live without him.

This is our situation.

What we have been though to raise him!

Oh, really, after all these sacrifices.

Be confident,
he can't just let you down.

There are no loyal children anymore.

This is the time we live in.
They are spoilt.

It's not just us,
this is how the world is now.

It's the same for everybody.

We worked so hard to raise him.

Now, he doesn't want
the life his father had.

Our life has always been tough
and it keeps tormenting us.

If I say I want to do this or that,

they tell me:
"You are a girl!"

"Dry the patty."

"Look after the cattle,
you are a girl!"

That's all I hear.

"You are a girl", it's so irritating.

I can't stand it anymore.

I want to do this, "You are a girl".

I want to do that, "You are a girl".

It's enough!

When I highlight your weaknesses,
you say I'm crazy.

When I say you are bad,
you say I'm crazy.

Don't you damage my begana!
Just say I'm crazy.

I show you your flaws
and I'm the mad one.

You have nothing else to do
but to call me a mad man.

Every time I criticize you--
Hey! Be careful with my begana!

If you break it,
you will have a bad time.

Hup, horse! Hup!

How cheeky!

This girl is so cheeky.

Even if I'm a girl, I won't give up.

I won't give up.

I'm not afraid.

Beletech! Beletech!

Beletech! Come, quickly!

Your calf is stuck in the river!
The water level is rising!

Oh my God, what a misery!
How did it end up there?

- What a misery!
- Come quick! Come!

I should not have played.
How unfortunate.

I am so angry with myself!
So much bad luck!

What a misfortune.

What will happen now?

How unlucky!

Hurry up! The flood is coming!

Get it out of here, quick!

The water is rising!

Hit it harder! Come on!

The flood is coming,
get it out of here!

Harder! Push it in my direction.

What a torment, oh my God.

I don't want to leave.

Please, let's go home.

- Be strong, please.
- No, I can't.

- Let's go home.
- No, leave me alone.

- I'm begging you, let's go home.
- I don't want to.

I can't, leave me here.

Please, leave me here.

We must face this together.

Be strong.

I don't know how to do that.

I can't take it anymore.

You have to face it.

Please, leave me here.

♪ Listen to me, mortals! ♪

♪ Even Adam, in his flesh, ♪
♪ was called to the sky. ♪

♪ You mortals, be ready ♪
♪ to be called for the Last Judgment. ♪

♪ Where sentinels are guarding the doorway, ♪
♪ Where God's herd is waiting. ♪

♪ Busy with our terrestrial matters, ♪
♪ what will we do if He calls us? ♪

♪ Will we say ♪
♪ we have forgotten His principles? ♪

♪ Charity on Earth. ♪
♪ Earth is only a temporary shelter. ♪

♪ Can you name someone who lives eternally, ♪
♪ without being caught by death? ♪

♪ We are waiting for dawn, ♪
♪ but the night keeps coming back. ♪

♪ Still, men take possession and hide ♪
♪ what they want to own on Earth. ♪

♪ Listen to me, ♪
♪ this is the mystery of life. ♪

♪ Listen to me, hurry up, ♪
♪ why be so dismayed? ♪

♪ Since immemorial times, ♪
♪ we go on this journey one after another. ♪

♪ Is this how life ends? ♪

♪ When, at dawn, ♪
♪ we forget our duties? ♪

♪ We cannot change our path, ♪
♪ heading straight to the Last Judgment. ♪

♪ We can't wait for those ♪
♪ who didn't go through the doorway. ♪

♪ This is part of the mystery of life, ♪
♪ may the stream of life carry me away. ♪

♪ When, suddenly, you are called, ♪

♪ good deed on Earth, ♪

♪ charity in His Name, the Almighty. ♪

♪ Life and death are inseparable. ♪

♪ Our actions on Earth ♪
♪ will not be forgotten, ♪

♪ only our good deeds ♪
♪ will be our redemption. ♪

♪ Our actions will be our witnesses ♪
♪ when we will be called. ♪

♪ Only our flesh sleeps ♪
♪ when our grave is sealed. ♪

♪ Dust goes back to dust. ♪

♪ May the stream of life carry me away, ♪
♪ so be it. ♪

Imprisoned, you said?

So they finally locked him up.

The jail has become his house.

Amazing! He his in jail?

- Kentu!
- Yes, Sir?

- Did they plant the eucalyptus trees?
- Yes.

- How many of them?
- Around one thousand.

- Are you sure?
- Absolutely.

This is wonderful news.

- On our annexes?
- There too, Sir.

Very well.

- Listen.
- Yes, Sir?

Starting from today,

you will watch the milking for me.

Milk has been stolen recently.

- This milk is for my children.
- Yes, Sir.

They are spoiling my milk.

Farmers are stealing a lot
for their children.

- Good evening.
- Thanks heavens.

Our Lord sends his condolences
for the death of your child.

He asks you to skin the dead cow

and then bring him the hide.

And you, Berihun,

you will take care of the milking
and the delivery of the milk.

Be strong.

I was her age when she...

Please, Mother,
you have cried enough.

We can't bring her back.
You're hurting yourself.

Please, calm down.

We will get over this,
time heals all wounds.

Please, spare yourself.

Everybody has to die one day.

Pull yourself together.

Don't cry that much,
it's hurting you.

Death has always been with us.

It was her destiny.

Please, be strong.

Mother, pull yourself together.

Death is part of life,
for every family.

Your sorrow will clear.

I thought the Master
would offer her a proper funeral.

After everything she did for him,
carrying milk day and night.

That's what makes me so sad.

He could at least
have given her a decent funeral.

And the shoes he promised her,

he never gave them to her.

When we die,
they treat us like dogs.

It's sad. Don't we serve him loyally?

Death is a thing. But to be abandoned
while we are alive is different.

I thought he would give her
a decent funeral.

It's late, shouldn't you be going?

- You have a long way.
- Go.

During the war against Italy,
when I was the age of Beletu,

my mother told me to run away.

As I have hesitating, she shouted:
"Run! Run away!"

Then she invoked God's power
to fight against the Italians.

"God, I'm giving you my son."

When I went back to the village,

I saw my friends
gathering arms and ammunition.

Then I saw the Italian soldiers
surrounding the village.

- Isn't it late already?
- Alright, good night.

Incredible. Why doesn't he ask us
to bring her skin too?

This is so sad.

If I ask them to go to school,
they will scold me.

You will go to school, I'm here for you.

Don't worry,
I'll teach you everything myself.

Kebebe.

If you hadn't lost your land,
your wife and your children,

but your land especially,
what would have become of you?

Berihun, you are very naive.

I wish I hadn't lost
my wife and my children.

But what I went through after that
was even harder.

To say to truth,
losing my land actually opened my eyes.

In Addis Abeba, when I was fighting
to get my land back,

officials were getting ready
to welcome the Queen of England.

See, the Queen might have a headache
if she saw so many poor people.

You have no idea how many poor people

were brought to camps, like livestock.

I saw incredible things
with my own eyes.

Countless plaintiffs, friends of mine,

were put in camps,
in their own country.

If God hadn't take me back
to my hometown,

no one would have found my body.

Berihun, do you understand
how ironic this is?

Isn't it true that those greedy,
wretched Europeans,

come to our country to drink our milk
and fatten their bellies?

As if the poor
had impoverished themselves.

As if their was no poor
in the country of the Queen.

To spare Her Majesty
the sight of poor people,

we put all these people in camps!

If you had seen that,
you would have gone crazy.

Berihun, it was incredible.

The saddest moment was
when students protested.

They protested against the conditions
we were living in in those camps.

They were brutally clubbed by policemen.

Think about this.

Is there any place on Earth,

where there are no flies
and no Europeans?

Isn't there any poor people
in their countries?

Why were the poor people of our country
put in these horrible camps?

In their own country!

Think about it.

Think about it.
Isn't it for our oil and our gas?

They take it from us
and sell it at a very high price.

These swindling foreigners
come to our country.

They hide their greed
behind their disguise.

They call themselves Doctor Pepsi-Cola,
Mister Coca-Cola!

Then they suck our blood from our bones.

Our poverty? We did not choose it!

Do the poor impoverish themselves?

They are put into camps!

It's incredible!
And what amazes me the most,

is the new blind elite in Addis Abeba.

They don't understand anything
and belittle the people

every time a President or a Queen
come to this country.

Why do they imprison the poor?
Why do they starve the poor?

Berihun! Please!
I can't understand this!

Your 3,000 years-old dress

Your 3,000 years-old dress

Has it remained undamaged?

Our magnificent bride!

Your 3,000 years-old dress

Load it quickly!

Hurry up, it's getting late.

Kentu, don't stand there like a lemon.
Go help them, hurry up!

Quick!

Be careful, don't tear it up!

Master, what is my family
supposed to live on?

What do you mean?

My share.
What will be left for my family?

You will have your share
once everything is loaded.

What will we eat?

Get this to warehouse first.

Open it. Let me see the grain.

Here.

Not as good as the last harvest,
but it will do.

You two, load it in the cart.

Quick!

Quicker!

Hey, you there!
You're not greeting me no more?

You can't hide your lack of respect.

Here comes insanity himself!

Do you at least fear God?

- I don't talk to mad men.
- Mad?

- Go speak to your sort.
- Are you saying I'm mad?

You stole my land and
you exploit the peasants.

You fill your belly with their harvests,
and I am the crazy one?

- I don't have time for people like you.
- I'm not blaming you.

- Law is on your side.
- Be careful.

I have a score to settle today,
even if it costs me my own life.

- Exploiter!
- Kentu, stop him.

Will you keep living
on the sweat of poor people?

Kentu, stay out of this,
I have nothing against you.

- Kentu, stop him!
- Kentu, this is none of your business.

I told you to stay out of this!

Scum! You won't get away this time!

Help! Help! He's killing the Lord!

He's killing the Lord!

He's killing the Lord!

Our Master is dead!

He killed the Lord!

Come here! Hurry up!
Come here! Hurry up!

Be careful!
He is armed, he is dangerous!

You two, go this way!
You, call the police!

Don't let him get away.

If you come any close, I'll shoot!

Call the police!

I will kill you all!

Don't let him get away.

Fraudulent priest, gossip, nosy Parker!

Don't pray for me.
Pray for your sinning friends.

You wear a fake turban and
you pretend you are a man of the cloth!

Pray for your corrupted friends.

Charlatan!

Keep lying.

You pretend you are a saint, liar!

To surrender? Not to such a devil!

I mourn my life,
fighting with my begana.

♪ I whisper my grief, ♪
♪ sheltered in obscurity. ♪

♪ My struggle for my motherland ♪
♪ end up with my death. ♪

♪ Death is laughing at me, ♪
♪ it's hitting me with its ominous feet. ♪

♪ Once turned on, ♪
♪ the light can never be turned off. ♪

♪ I'm drowning in this storm, ♪

♪ no hand is coming to help me. ♪

♪ This is a dark day, ♪
♪ my house is far away. ♪

♪ My sorrow is incommensurable. ♪

♪ Despite all my complaints, ♪
♪ my country remains hoarse. ♪

♪ Kebey the brave! ♪

♪ After all the harm he did, ♪

♪ he is finally dead. ♪

♪ He didn't have a stick, ♪
♪ not a single weapon. ♪

♪ Left... He has left us, immortal. ♪

♪ Let the water carry me away. ♪

♪ Let the stream carry me away. ♪

♪ I can see the eagle flying. ♪

♪ May the sea swallow me. ♪

♪ I can see the eagle flying. ♪

Now that the Lord is dead,
the state might give us our harvest.

How can you think of this
at a moment like this?

All I want is my share.

The share I earned
by the sweat of my brow.

Soldiers! Take her to the station!

Carter, to the station.
Hurry up.

Soldiers, forward!

Eritrea, Tigrea, Wollo, Kaffa,
Gojam, Harrar, Shoa, Bale...

Thousands of persons work
in a brutal system of class exploitation.

I have understood this exploitation
is not limited to my family.

I am your servant.

I am your shoeshine boy,
your shoemaker.

I am your carrier,
your laborer, your janitor.

I am your worker, your nanny.

I am your blacksmith,
your steelworker, your smelter.

I am your guard,
your protector, your solider.

I protect your boundaries.

I am your baker, your feeder.

I am your weaver,
the maker of your clothes.

I make everything comfortable for you.

I am your bricklayer.

I am your farmer,
I bring you your harvest.

With our labor,
on our backs, with our sweat.

With our labor,
on our backs, with our sweat.

The 3,000 years harvest

Subtitles: tadanobu@KG