Simple as Water (2021) - full transcript
A meditation on the elemental bonds of family told through portraits of four Syrian families in the aftermath of war.
Let me tighten it.
Keep going.
Good.
Bigger.
Good.
Stay strong.
Faten, bring a longer stick.
I'll do it.
It's down !
lt fell down !
Mom, take this, keep it with you.
Look, I know that truck.
SIMPLE AS WATER
YASMIN ATHENS, GREECE
What's this one ?
This is Faten, dad, and Mahmoud.
Who's this, Mahmoud ?
- Who's this ?
- It's me.
That's daddy.
Yes, that's dad.
Midyooni !
It's baby Midyooni.
Mama, show the one where he's dancing.
- Put it there.
- No, here.
Everybody can see but me.
No, you all can see. Sit back down.
Everyone's in my way.
Get back to your spot.
Yes, you need to stay where you are too.
All of you can see.
He was an angel. Wasn't he ?
There's you, Ahmad.
He's coming to the camera.
Don't cross this line.
I'll be back in 10 minutes.
I won't be long.
Yes, darling.
I'll call you back in a few.
But my husband is in Germany.
How can he be in one country
and we get asylum in another ?
Since her husband is at German, she
can apply for asylum here in Greece,
and then tell the people
from asylum service,
that she wants family reunification.
She can go and pre-register.
Until the day of the interview,
her husband must have sent her
a copy of the travel documents,
and an invitation
because he must be a recognized
refugee. At German. Ok ?
How long is her husband there ?
Ten months.
He doesn't have his refugee papers yet.
Does she live here at the port ?
- Yes, two months here at the port.
- Two months.
Do they have kids also,
or are there the two of them ?
Do you have children ?
- I have four children.
- She have four kids.
How old are your kids ?
Nine, seven, six, and five.
Nine, seven, six, five.
- Girls or boys ?
- Girls or boys ?
The eldest is a girl.
The others are boys.
The eldest one are girl,
and the others, they are boys.
Probably because she's a single woman
with four kids, for example, kids...
maybe she has a chance to find a place.
Of course, she has to know
that we don't have a lot of shelters,
and they are already overcrowded.
You can ask about housing shelters.
Because you're a single
mother with four children.
It might be hard to find,
but you have the right.
It's Ok ?
- What does she think ?
- Thank you.
This is giving me a headache.
Eventually, I'll just go back to Syria.
There's no war there.
And no airstrikes.
- Didn't he tell you that ?
- Yes.
Where does dad live in Germany ?
Your dad lives in a very big house.
- With who ?
- He lives with other guys.
They cook together and eat together.
And they sit and spend time together.
If we go there, will we live with them ?
No.
We'll get a house and live on our own.
How many times did dad try
until he made it ?
Your dad made it on his first try.
But he went in summer.
There was no rain or wind.
Did they have children with them ?
Yes, but not many.
There were 19 children on our boat.
How many times did we try
to get on the boat ?
Seven times.
We succeeded on our seventh try.
I only remember the last time.
I don't want to go to Germany,
because we let my brother
slip from our hands,
Come on, that's enough.
Do you want to leave
your dad there alone ?
Yes.
But he loves all of you.
He should come to us.
We shouldn't have to go to him.
We'll get a house
and you'll go back to school.
And when it's safe at home,
we'll go back.
Right ?
Yes !
Follow your siblings.
Go ahead.
Be brave. Yes.
Go in there.
Go further in. Yes, more.
Yes, go in.
Jump like this.
Take it off.
It's cold.
Scrub, scrub.
Quickly.
It's Ok. We're almost done.
Come !
How are you ?
How was your day ?
I can hear you.
Where are you ?
I didn't hear from you today.
I'm calling you now.
Did you ask about your residency ?
I asked, but they said I have to wait.
Things are more difficult now.
So you've checked with them ?
Yes, I have, but I don't know
when I'll get my papers.
God willing.
If you receive residency,
which papers would we need ?
For residency, you need to go
to the German Embassy there
and see which papers they need.
I don't know what the procedures are.
Hopefully, you'll receive it.
If I receive the papers,
it might take two or three months
until you can come here.
They said here that reunification
takes from six months to a year.
- So there's nothing new ?
- Not at the moment.
- I'm worried about you.
- I'm fine. Faten wants to say hello.
Hello, Dad.
Hey baby, how are you ?
Faten is speaking.
How are you, daughter ?
I'm good. How are you ?
Hope you're doing well.
- Hello, dad.
- Hi, Hammoudi, how are you ?
I'm good, praise be to God.
What did you eat today ?
Rice.
Was it tasty ?
No, it wasn't.
- You didn't like it ?
- No.
Hang in there.
Hopefully you'll come to me soon.
Hopefully.
And soon, all of this
will be just a memory.
It only has 9%.
We'll see what happens
when he gets residency.
God willing.
His residency papers...
laid eggs.
It's going to take a while.
SAMRA REYHANLI, TURKEY
Welcome. Tell me about your situation.
I have five children,
and I'm here to register them
at the orphanage.
But my eldest son doesn't want to.
So you have five children.
Your eldest son...
- Fayez.
- Fayez, how old is he ?
- 12 years old.
- 12 years old.
Tell me about your family's situation
before you came to Turkey ?
We had a little shop to earn a living.
My husband
did business with the regime.
And ultimately,
they took him.
They arrested him.
And we haven't seen him ever since.
We had a happy life before then.
Every time...
I look at my kids, I remember
the good life they had.
I'm afraid for them.
Why do you think it's best
to register them here now ?
Because I can't support them.
I can't do it, there are five of them.
It's a big responsibility.
Especially because I have twins.
And my son Moussa,
who's five years old, doesn't speak yet.
I have to go to work each morning.
Do you work in a factory
or in the fields ?
No, I work in the fields.
I leave at 4:30.
- 4:30am ?
- Yes.
So you're not home when they wake up ?
I'm not, but Fayez is there.
When I come home from work,
they run to me,
kiss me, and start taking
off my gloves and socks.
So they take care of you,
and attend to you.
Yes. Then Fayez comes...
Tell me about Fayez.
He says, "Mom, sit with us a while.
We don't see you enough."
I tell them, "I'm exhausted
and need to sleep."
So then he leaves me.
He understands that you're tired,
but at the same time,
he wants to be with you.
He follows me around
and asks for my blessing.
Fayez does that ?
Yes, he keeps saying
the same sentence:
''Mother, I want you to be
pleased with me."
He keeps following me around saying,
''Kind mother, I want you
to be pleased with me."
Did you ask Fayez to be responsible
for his siblings,
or did he start that on his own ?
No.
That's how his dad was.
He was good to his family.
He loved his family.
Affection is very good.
The fact that he takes care
of his brothers,
and that he's a friend to you
is very good.
But at the same time,
Fayez is a child now.
- He should live his childhood.
- That's true.
If he takes the role of an adult,
he's carrying a responsibility
beyond his age.
I'm really uncertain. I'm...
- Hesitant.
- Hesitant.
Until this very second,
I've been hesitant.
And I have a fear inside,
that's hindering
me from registering them.
Fayez is everything to me.
After his father was taken,
he became everything to me.
They're not on.
Give it to me.
Do this.
Here.
Here ?
Keep going.
No.
You put it on.
You put it on.
Good job.
Take this.
Well done.
Fayez !
I'm coming.
Want to come with me ?
That's enough.
Moussa, Hammoudi doesn't like that.
Not nice !
Hammoudi, tell him it's not nice.
That's not nice.
See, Hammoudi is telling
you it's not nice. Stop it.
Hammoudi feels like wrestling
like John Cena.
Fayez ? Fayez,
has he been sleeping long ?
Are you hungry ?
Hungry ?
Blood.
Where ?
Did he bleed ?
When ?
Did his nose bleed ?
When ?
Did he fall ?
Leave him alone. Here you go.
Fayez...
- That's enough Hammoudi.
- Sit. Sit.
Fayez...
What's going on inside you ?
You don't want to go ?
Should I ?
This is Bayti. This is the living room.
Here you can sit
and watch soccer matches.
We'll now go to your peers
who are Messi fans.
This might be one of the
classrooms you study in.
Who likes Messi ?
They all like Messi.
Fayez likes Messi too.
Who cheers for Messi's rival team ?
- Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Cristiano Ronaldo.
Who's a better player,
Cristiano or Messi ?
Should I introduce you to
the Messi fans or the others ?
With Messi.
Then these are the peers
you should be with.
Meet Fayez, he might join our family.
He loved me the most.
My brothers used to hit me
because he loved me so much.
Your brothers were jealous
that your dad loved you so much ?
What do you remember about him ?
Come visit. I want to see you.
I miss you.
I miss you.
Yeah.
This way.
We'll see the bedrooms now.
These mountains are in Syria.
Can you see the Atme camp ?
- We stayed there.
- Oh, you stayed there ?
Can you see the blue tents ?
You can see it from here.
It's very close.
I work around there.
- Oh, so you work close by ?
- Yes.
This way.
One of these beds will be yours.
Tell me why this room has six beds.
Because it's a corner room.
- What else is special about it ?
- It's big.
Would you like to be in a room
where you'd have five mates
and you'll be the sixth,
or to be in a room where you'll have
three friends and you're the fourth ?
Miss, I don't wish to be here.
Why don't you want to be here ?
I don't want to, Miss.
It's better at home.
Your mother can visit all the time,
and your brothers will be here with you.
You can really feel at home here.
Sit down.
What makes you say that,
when this could be like your home ?
Home is better for my soul.
My mother is there.
I understand you want
to be with your mother,
but don't you want to go to school ?
It's too much, Miss. I lost my father,
I don't want to lose my mother, too.
But what if your mother is close by,
and can give you all her love,
warmth and attention ?
Miss, it's better for us
to stay with our mother.
When your mother is away at work,
during those hours, do you feel burdened
taking care of your younger siblings ?
Don't you want someone
to help you with this task ?
- No.
- Why ?
I can manage alone.
I want to be their father.
I want to be everything to them.
If you want to be their father
and everything to them,
shouldn't you be
well prepared for that ?
- Yes, Miss, but...
- Right ?
Miss, I don't want them
to feel they've lost our dad.
So tell me, Fayez,
would you accept our invitation ?
Miss, I can't look at these children.
Which children, your brothers ?
No, at those children.
My heart breaks for them.
You feel bad for them ?
Give me a kiss.
Kiss, kiss, kiss.
Come on.
Who made you fall ?
- I fell.
- Who ?
By yourself ?
Give me a kiss.
What do you want ?
What do you want ?
What do you want ?
A candy ?
I can't be away from my home.
I don't want you to leave me.
I wish you could stay with me,
but, I have to...
and you're not willing to accept it.
Didn't you see how the kids
in the orphanage were living ?
It's a life of humiliation.
- Humiliation.
- Why is it a life of humiliation ?
They're far from
their mothers and families.
I need to stay with you.
OMAR PENNSYLVANIA, USA
Hello. Here you are.
- Have a nice one.
- Thanks, you too.
Hello
Can you hear me ? We got disconnected.
Yeah, he plays video games a lot,
but there's no way around it.
He's living his life,
and that's all I want.
I'll figure something out, God willing.
I don't want him to worry.
You know, he's happy.
I'm not going to let him down.
He's been to other schools
and he's been successful
but the fact that we have to move,
it just cuts him off
and he has to start
all over but you know,
doing so great in this school year,
I really don't want him to lose it.
You know, my main goal for him this year
was just to connect
and feel a sense
of belonging at the school
and I really think like he
has achieved that.
So it's not straight A's, but
considering he's had a transition
to several different schools
and he's learning the language
and learning the culture.
And he's taking one of the more
advanced math classes for the 9th grade
and he was the one
that wanted to take that class.
And so I think he pushed himself to do
it and I admire him for doing that.
This is good. I mean I don't
expect him to just kind of be
the best of the best,
even though I wish.
But he moved himself up a lot,
and that's great itself.
It's not... I mean he knows, that you...
I don't know,
I don't know if it's pressure,
but he knows
that he needs to be successful.
Like he knows that's important to you,
and that he wants to make you proud.
I'm grateful for everything.
I'm grateful for the fact that he's,
he's trying.
That he's not stuck with the past
though of what happened with him.
This covers for everything else.
You know, the fact that he's happy,
he's making it.
It covers for the little bit of slack
that he's doing but that's great.
Did you hear what the barber told you ?
- What ?
- What he told you about your mustache.
So you've been shaving it
alone at home ?
Yes, the mustache.
- He is brother ?
- Yes.
- He's got nice hair, right ?
- You have a different mother ?
- No.
- Why do you have a different hair ?
- What ?
- Really, you're gonna say that ?
When I was in university,
I had spiky hair.
Why ?
- It looked nice.
- That's silly.
No, like you don't know.
It really looked nice on me.
I tried it once. I tried that style
like myself when I was in college.
I'll show you my friends.
All Syrian guys had spiky
hairstyles a few years ago.
I don't like it.
You don't know the hairstyle
I'm talking about.
You think that it just
spikes up, but no,
they smooth it and then flip it around.
1 It's really nice.
And it's not too high, it's light.
If you don't wear it too high,
it'll be nice.
- I don't like it.
- Your loss.
I'm still gonna chase
you wherever you go.
I'm good.
If you leave it right there,
it's gonna die.
Just don't touch it.
You gotta protect it.
There were fighter planes.
A rocket came down near our house.
I went to see what was going on.
Mom woke me up. Stand up immediately.
What's, what's happening ?
She said, Abdulrahman went out and the
airplane is roaming, circulating above
and you need to get him
back to the house.
Once he saw me, he shouted, Omar.
Shouted with all his strength.
I saw his leg and he just yelled.
I was crying.
I couldn't also console myself.
He said, please don't cry.
If you love me, don't cry.
He had nightmares.
And sometimes day dreams,
bad day dreams.
And he kept saying to me, when are
we going ? When are we leaving ?
Yeah because once every time
the firing jet comes,
he says, when are we leaving ?
We should leave.
You know how far they can go ?
They can go maybe all the way up to...
They, I think they travel international.
I am not sure.
This river is long.
Sneak on one ?
...into the international water, huh ?
Want to sneak on one ?
Luckiest shot in the world.
Luckiest shot in the world.
One.
Do you already... do you
have your grade for the year ?
- Yeah.
- And can you show me ?
I am passing.
- No, I want to see.
- No.
- Let me see.
- See what ?
- Your grades.
- They're not here.
I can go on a parent, what
do you call ? Parent portal ?
Yeah. Okay, one second. I'll show my
grades. Let me just change this.
Look how many zeroes
you got there. You did not submit ?
Yeah, but it's a 90.
So don't worry about it.
- Still, you should have been seeing...
- 98 in (inaudible) class.
And 79 in Health.
Where is math ?
Told you this is 78, right ?
- 78 only ?
- Yeah, right here.
So, do they have college planning ?
Not for freshmen.
- When do they start ?
- I don't know. Some other grade.
You know, I haven't gotten a good job.
Why do you think that ?
- I don't know.
- Because I lack credentials.
I don't have any credentials even though
I may be good at things but I still.
If you don't have a bachelor's degree
to present for someone,
they are not going to
take you regardless, you know.
Okay ? I'm gonna wake you up
before I go to work.
Okay.
- So you don't miss your bus.
- Okay.
- Hello ?
- Hello.
You're sleeping now ? You sleeping ?
Are you sleeping ?
Yeah, it's Omar with Gerhards.
I tried to look up your address.
It's coming under,
you know, in Philadelphia.
And it says, Flourtown. So, do you mind
telling me what the actual address is ?
I shut it off. Alright ? Can I meet
you upstairs, get a signature ?
- Yep, you're a good man.
- Thank you.
- You just need a signature ?
- Ah yes, there and there, please.
- Do you want to lean...
- Let me just get my glasses.
Sit down. Relax, guys.
You go ahead. Do you wanna use
this book ? Put the paper on ?
Yeah. Boy !
Hello.
Thanks.
Hello ?
Which exam ?
Biology test.
I didn't know you started studying.
Take a picture. I want to
see your name on the board.
All right.
Smart boy !
- Omar, how are you, my friend ?
- Steve, how're you doing ?
A few things I wanted
to go over with you today.
We've had this decision
from the asylum office
that has decided
not to grant your application.
Okay.
So, one of the things that they noted
is that you're barred
from asylum because they say,
you have engaged in terrorist activity
because you fought
with the Free Syrian Army.
That's not labelling you.
It's not something I want you to
carry around,
and think of yourself as, my goodness,
the government's called me a terrorist.
If they thought you were terrorist, you
wouldn't be sitting here with me today.
- And then there's Abudi's case.
- Yes.
As you know, your applications are
independent of each other.
At the end of the day, he gets asylum
and you have to get asylum separately.
And there maybe ways that we could,
especially given
his injury and his profile,
that we could somehow
if you were granted asylum,
get you to stay as his caretaker,
as his guardian.
And especially,
as long as he's under 18.
So it's one thing we should explore.
If Abudi's granted asylum,
how to use that in a way to get
you to stay here for him.
And as long as I can just
be next to him,
supporting him at least here because
even if I don't have a status,
I can still be around and work
and support him until he can
you know, be on his own.
- He doesn't talk about it like at all.
- Right.
He's trying to just stay away from
the things that he cannot handle.
- Yeah, it's very healthy.
- Yeah.
- Just be a normal 16-year old.
- Yes, yes.
But you've done a really
good job with him.
And I, I also wanted to tell you that,
we've been considering traveling to
Canada trying to apply for asylum.
But I wanted to ask you,
what do you think ?
So I think that's not an unreasonable
option at this point to explore.
I do think given where
we are with Abudi's application,
it would be premature to go to Canada.
But I think your application
in particular
would be stronger in Canada than here.
So the one thing, you know as we finish
here that I want you to understand
is that you have lot of process between
here and anything happening to you.
You'll be able to work, you'll be able
to support Abudi
but we'll focus first on Abudi's case,
then on your case.
And we should continue discussing
and looking at whether there are other
options like Canada as well.
If that... I don't I don't think that's
an unreasonable option.
At this point though, I think if
we can get Abudi asylum here,
that could solve a lot of the issues.
- You alright ?
- Yeah.
Yeah, well, we'll try
another avenue maybe.
Yes.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
5, 6, 7,
- Alright, I got to 21.
- 8, 9...
- 22.
- No.
- 23, stop.
- No.
- 22.
- No.
- 23.
- Try again.
- I already won. I already won.
- No.
I'm so good.
What are you doing ?
I got you.
DIAA MASYAF, SYRIA
They kept waking each other up.
May God protect them.
Raising children is not easy.
So, Rasha...
What does your heart tell you ?
Are the people ISIS took still alive ?
Are Mohammed and Samar Ok ?
My heart is telling me they're fine.
My heart tells me
it's only a matter of time.
My heart is telling me...
There is hope. There is hope.
I swear I want to go there.
We can go.
I can go.
It's risky, Auntie.
The people in control
now aren't any better.
For my son, I'm willing to travel
to the end of the world.
Even if it's for nothing.
I will not accept it.
SDF forces battling ISIS
have secured 70% of the city of Raqqa.
Please leave a message.
Hello, dear. Hello.
I heard that as a mother
I can go to Raqqa
and ask about my son...
in hopes of finding
out some information.
So I wanted to ask you
about it before I go.
We haven't found anything.
You found nothing.
Did you get any news ?
No, we haven't.
But I think the Syrian Democratic
Forces might have them.
If SDF had any detainees
they liberated from ISIS,
if they had them, they would've said so.
So that's your opinion.
I have a good relationship
with SDF, and I asked them.
But they didn't have answers.
They don't have answers.
Yes, they don't know.
Because the prisons were mostly empty.
So we don't know where they went.
Right.
I haven't lost hope yet.
I haven't either.
Some people have lost hope.
Some people have, true.
What nice hair you have.
You want cologne ?
That's it my Yazan.
Yazan.
Come dear, come.
It's too sunny for him.
Today is sunny. It's Ok, leave him.
Enjoy your tea. Relax.
With rising fighting between
SDF and ISIS forces,
civilians are fleeing Raqqa.
Are they still finding bodies ?
Yes, of course.
They might have taken him.
Faten told me there
were still prisoners.
She said there were still prisoners.
Then where are they ?
No one knows.
No one knows.
I want to check on the walnut tree.
Come this way.
- For what ?
- I want to check on the walnut tree.
If there are walnuts on it.
Are you having fun, Yazzouni ?
Do you remember when we sent
some to Mohammed and Moayad ?
Did you forget ?
Hopefully next spring Mohammed
will be back here with us.
Take it. Take it.
My dear, is it good ?
How beautiful.
Come here.
So beautiful.
Let's take it home with us.
Let your dad smell it too.
Let dad smell it too.
I don't know why it's doing this.
You should transfer it.
He used to take good care
of his teeth. They were so white.
Transfer these pictures
and get it over with.
If you don't have a flash drive,
I'll bring you one.
It's not about the flash drive.
Should I go get you a flash drive ?
Look at his smile, his face.
The Jawzars' kid knows how to do it.
Yes, Ok.
The black fish is Sharky.
The lighter one is George.
Here we are at Khaled's
house with his fish.
Today we'll teach you
how to catch Sharky.
Who is considered the hardest.
Of course, there are
two methods to hunt.
Like this. You have 3 milliseconds
to snatch the fish.
Or the sneaky method.
You come up slowly from behind.
I will use the sneaky method.
Come on sharky.
Call me once they're gone.
Please write to me.
Is it true there's a prisoner exchange
between SDF and ISIS in Hasakah ?
Like you posted on Facebook ?
Is it reliable news ?
You remind us of Mohammed.
Do you know what I mean ?
That's what I think.
His father thinks so, too.
We've missed you, Moayad.
I miss you more, Auntie.
Honestly, here in France
I try and forget about home.
It's like a black hole in
Syria swallowed all my friends.
But I never stop thinking
about Mohammed.
He lived in this house like a breeze.
We're going to get old, Moayad.
I don't know if we're going
to grow old gracefully,
but he'll always remain young
in our minds.
No matter how old we'll be,
his image will stay in our minds...
In case he doesn't come back.
Put your head here, my dear.
Yazan, do you know that
you and Mohammed look alike ?
You look like Hammoudi.
Don't you look like your brother ?
Yes my son, you look like Mohammed.
Yes my dear, when he was your age.
He came back from Egypt after we sent
him there. Without even telling us.
I made him go away.
That's how the mothers are nowadays.
I forced him to leave,
he didn't want to.
I told him, "Mohammed, you have
to leave. That's how I can protect you.
Nothing is left in Syria
except death and devastation, my son."
But he didn't listen.
Mohammed used to say, "Mom,
don't be afraid all the time.
What is meant to happen will happen."
And I would answer him,
"How can I not be afraid ?"
When you came home from the
intelligence prison to Masyaf,
I made you tasty food.
And you slept on this couch next
to me, like Yazan is sleeping now.
You slept on my arm just like this.
I helped you put your socks
on with these hands.
You never showed your pain.
When you said ouch,
I asked you what happened.
I looked at the bottom of your leg
and found burn marks all over your legs,
from the beating and torture.
I asked you, "What did they do to you,
Mohammed ?
What happened to you ?"
You said, "It's Ok."
I remember that you said,
"I was lucky, Mom.
You should see what happened
to other people."
After everything that happened to you,
you still thought you were lucky.
Mohammed, you left Egypt and came
back without even telling me.
You were so close with me
and I didn't even know.
He loved you so much, Yazan,
but he used to pinch
you and tease you, right ?
There's so much to remember.
There's so much to remember,
Mohammed.
It's been five years
and I'm still waiting.
Waiting for you every single moment.
I'm waiting for you my sweetheart.
SAFWAN BUTZBACH, GERMANY
Yes.
Ok.
Is it a sunny day there ?
Is it sunny ?
I just finished work and I'm going home.
Fine, I'll call you when I get home.
Ok, bye.
Can you see me ?
Hi Dad. How are you ?
- How are you ?
- I'm good, how are you ?
- When are you going to visit us ?
- No, you're going to come here.
When can we come to you ?
Soon, baby, soon.
I wish you could bring
us there to be with you.
I want to show you something. Look.
It has horses !
- Hi Dad.
- Where are your teeth ?
- I can't see them.
- Here they are.
Dad, mom said she'll
get me a gold tooth.
- Don't lie !
- You did.
Dad, he wants a gold tooth,
but I told him they're for old people.
I'll get him a gold tooth
when he comes here.
Where's Mom ? Yasmin ?
Smile, I want to see your teeth.
You look lovely.
My teeth ?
Have you seen Mohammad's ?
When are you going to the agency ?
- I think next week.
- Why ?
- They've closed the booking for now.
- What ?
The refugee authority told them
not to process any bookings.
When I get home,
I'm going to call you again, Ok ?
- Ok.
- Ok, goodbye.
It's my youngest son
Hammoud's birthday.
He told me he wanted a piano.
- Happy Birthday to him.
- Thank you. He wanted a piano.
I saw that my co-worker had one,
and I offered to buy it.
Show it to me.
Does it work ?
If he comes here, I'll
give it to him, but if he doesn't...
Hopefully, I'll see him again.
I tested it for him.
I tested it today.
If I see him...
- It works.
- Who did you buy it from ?
A guy I work with.
Stop it.
So if the kid ever comes here,
God sent this to him.
May God bring your family
to you safe and sound.
I'm going to call Abu Faris.
He's supposed to be getting off
work now. Would he fix my hair ?
We'll see.
I'll tell him to bring his tools.
- Yes, have him come.
- Have you seen my phone ?
Where's my phone ?
Hey Abu Faris,
close your eyes and open them,
and your wife and kids will be here.
God willing. Hopefully, you're next.
Did you ask your wife if
she's arriving in Frankfurt ?
Yes, in Frankfurt.
- To Frankfurt.
- Yes.
And they'll take her to the camp ?
No, they said she can come to her
husband, if I find a house.
- Right away ?
- Yes.
And if you don't have a house ?
Then she has to go to a camp.
Where else ?
So when your family arrives, Abu Faris,
they can come straight to you ?
That's what they said,
but I don't know exactly...
I told Safwan,
I need someone with a huge brain,
a political expert, to analyze my case.
I just need him to give me a solution.
He's won.
Bashar al-Assad has won.
Our people won't be able to lift
their heads for a hundred years.
We've hit rock bottom.
- What ?
- We've hit rock bottom.
He humiliated us.
And the whole world saw it.
Still, you need to be patient.
More than this ?
This country can help you.
What else can you do ?
Thank you, Abu Faris.
Really nice work.
I looked in the mirror.
- It looks good, Safwan.
- Why, thank you.
How are things in Syria now ?
My wife now...
she's in a lot of pain,
and my seven-year-old son said,
"Please, mother, don't die
and leave me now."
- The kid is talking about death.
- He said, "Don't die on me."
My son Mohammad
He threatens his mother.
He asks to go to school,
and she tells him he's not allowed
to go to school in Greece.
So he goes to the window
and threatens to kill himself.
A ten-year-old is threatening
to kill himself.
Two years is like a lifetime.
Hammoud told me I'm all talk.
You can't do anything about it,
but he doesn't know that.
Hopefully, things will work out for you,
and God will provide.
and your family will come here,
and you'll be with them.
All safe and sound.
I don't know.
They said, "When is your dad
coming back ?"
What did you say ?
In about a month, or so.
But you're coming here.
I'll throw you a birthday party
when I see you.
I want to celebrate with you.
How are you, sweetheart ?
I really miss you. Don't you miss me ?
- Hi, Dad.
- Hi Farouq, how are you ?
- Praise be to God. How are you ?
- Praise be to God. I miss you.
I miss you a lot, Farouq.
- I miss you more.
- You miss me more ?
When are we coming ?
I really don't know, Farouq.
I've been waiting and waiting.
I'm tired of waiting.
Why didn't you fix
the gas problem today ?
Your mother told you to.
Why didn't you fix it ?
Why didn't you ?
I wasn't at home.
You weren't at home.
And, why do you stay out late ?
Why do you keep playing outside ?
Mother is sick.
All I do is bring her medicine.
That's Ok. There's no one
but you to stay with Mom.
Our 8-year-old son has to carry the
responsibility of a 40- year-old man.
You can't come here,
and we can't come to you.
Please, stop.
You're sick. This isn't good for you.
I wish I was there.
When you got sick and had the surgery,
and went through chemo,
I wish I'd been with you.
I'll make it up to you.
You know I love you.
What has your love done for me ?
It makes me suffer more.
Ok, Bayyouni. Take care of yourself,
and take care of the children.
We'll talk tomorrow.
I heard you speaking to your family.
It's the same every day.
Arguing, arguing.
The problem is she got sick.
She's in Syria, during the war,
she's sick and scared,
Of course you're going to
have problems when you call.
What can I do ?
Everyone left. We had no choice.
I feel ashamed.
How could you tie the fate
of an entire family to that unknown ?
When you got on the boat, how could
you know what would happen ?
I lost a son that way.
It's going to be the five of them.
One, two, three, four, five,
and four suitcases.
- What ?
- How's it going ?
I'm a little stressed. I don't know.
That's normal.
Stay with the car.
Thank God you're safe.
How are you ?
- Praise be to God.
- Thank God for your safety.
How are you ?
I'm so happy to see you.
Was the trip alright ?
- Everything was fine.
- Thank God you're safe.
Come, let's take the bags.
- How are you ?
- Look at my new bag.
Ok, bring it and let's go.
How are you ? Wow, you're so big now.
Come on.
Oh, Germany is so much sunnier now.
Baby, go to that van parked over there.
You got prettier.
Wait here.
I want to sleep next to him.
Dad has cute dimples.
Really ?
- Yes.
- Give me a kiss.
Faten.
Mohammad.
- Ahmad.
- I want to sit next to you.
Don't worry, I'm going to be sitting
with you for the rest of your life.
Here, Madame.
I'm going to sit in the back
seat with my family, ok ?
This is a selfie and everybody look.
Do the victory sign.
The "V" sign.
One more. Everyone look here.
You're the best.
Welcome, welcome.
So do you like the city, Ahmad ?
See these two ?
They teach German to foreigners.
- This is my family.
- Hello.
- Yasmin.
- Yasmin.
- Tomas.
- Tomas. Yasmin.
- Faten, say hello.
- Hello.
Faten ? Hello, Faten.
- Mohammad.
- Hello, Mohammad.
Hello, Mohammad.
- How are you ?
- Good.
- And you are finally all together.
- Yes. This is my family.
Great.
One.
Two.
Three.
- Faten
- Faten.
Faten.
It's only for one month.
Just one month, then it will get better.
Wake up, Mohammad.
Do you see it ?
Our house ?
I will take you to the door,
and then you will enter.
But first, I got you presents.
I'm going to give you presents,
and then you'll go inside, Ok ?
Here are the presents.
- It's for you Faten. Open it.
- Thanks, Daddy.
You can open it.
The biggest one is for Ahmad.
The biggest for Ahmad !
Open it. I'll help you. It might
be too big to open by yourself.
Oh, Daddy. Why don't you
sleep here in the camp ?
I'm not allowed. But I'm going to come
tomorrow morning to be with you.
Ok, let's put everything in a bag.
Put it in my bag.
So you're going to go in now.
I cannot go in with you.
Because I can't stay here, Faten, Ok ?
But I'll come and see you tomorrow
morning. Ok, give me a kiss.
Take care of yourself and your
brothers. Give me a kiss.
Give me a kiss.
Take care of the children.
Faten, take care of yourself
and your brothers.
Keep going.
Good.
Bigger.
Good.
Stay strong.
Faten, bring a longer stick.
I'll do it.
It's down !
lt fell down !
Mom, take this, keep it with you.
Look, I know that truck.
SIMPLE AS WATER
YASMIN ATHENS, GREECE
What's this one ?
This is Faten, dad, and Mahmoud.
Who's this, Mahmoud ?
- Who's this ?
- It's me.
That's daddy.
Yes, that's dad.
Midyooni !
It's baby Midyooni.
Mama, show the one where he's dancing.
- Put it there.
- No, here.
Everybody can see but me.
No, you all can see. Sit back down.
Everyone's in my way.
Get back to your spot.
Yes, you need to stay where you are too.
All of you can see.
He was an angel. Wasn't he ?
There's you, Ahmad.
He's coming to the camera.
Don't cross this line.
I'll be back in 10 minutes.
I won't be long.
Yes, darling.
I'll call you back in a few.
But my husband is in Germany.
How can he be in one country
and we get asylum in another ?
Since her husband is at German, she
can apply for asylum here in Greece,
and then tell the people
from asylum service,
that she wants family reunification.
She can go and pre-register.
Until the day of the interview,
her husband must have sent her
a copy of the travel documents,
and an invitation
because he must be a recognized
refugee. At German. Ok ?
How long is her husband there ?
Ten months.
He doesn't have his refugee papers yet.
Does she live here at the port ?
- Yes, two months here at the port.
- Two months.
Do they have kids also,
or are there the two of them ?
Do you have children ?
- I have four children.
- She have four kids.
How old are your kids ?
Nine, seven, six, and five.
Nine, seven, six, five.
- Girls or boys ?
- Girls or boys ?
The eldest is a girl.
The others are boys.
The eldest one are girl,
and the others, they are boys.
Probably because she's a single woman
with four kids, for example, kids...
maybe she has a chance to find a place.
Of course, she has to know
that we don't have a lot of shelters,
and they are already overcrowded.
You can ask about housing shelters.
Because you're a single
mother with four children.
It might be hard to find,
but you have the right.
It's Ok ?
- What does she think ?
- Thank you.
This is giving me a headache.
Eventually, I'll just go back to Syria.
There's no war there.
And no airstrikes.
- Didn't he tell you that ?
- Yes.
Where does dad live in Germany ?
Your dad lives in a very big house.
- With who ?
- He lives with other guys.
They cook together and eat together.
And they sit and spend time together.
If we go there, will we live with them ?
No.
We'll get a house and live on our own.
How many times did dad try
until he made it ?
Your dad made it on his first try.
But he went in summer.
There was no rain or wind.
Did they have children with them ?
Yes, but not many.
There were 19 children on our boat.
How many times did we try
to get on the boat ?
Seven times.
We succeeded on our seventh try.
I only remember the last time.
I don't want to go to Germany,
because we let my brother
slip from our hands,
Come on, that's enough.
Do you want to leave
your dad there alone ?
Yes.
But he loves all of you.
He should come to us.
We shouldn't have to go to him.
We'll get a house
and you'll go back to school.
And when it's safe at home,
we'll go back.
Right ?
Yes !
Follow your siblings.
Go ahead.
Be brave. Yes.
Go in there.
Go further in. Yes, more.
Yes, go in.
Jump like this.
Take it off.
It's cold.
Scrub, scrub.
Quickly.
It's Ok. We're almost done.
Come !
How are you ?
How was your day ?
I can hear you.
Where are you ?
I didn't hear from you today.
I'm calling you now.
Did you ask about your residency ?
I asked, but they said I have to wait.
Things are more difficult now.
So you've checked with them ?
Yes, I have, but I don't know
when I'll get my papers.
God willing.
If you receive residency,
which papers would we need ?
For residency, you need to go
to the German Embassy there
and see which papers they need.
I don't know what the procedures are.
Hopefully, you'll receive it.
If I receive the papers,
it might take two or three months
until you can come here.
They said here that reunification
takes from six months to a year.
- So there's nothing new ?
- Not at the moment.
- I'm worried about you.
- I'm fine. Faten wants to say hello.
Hello, Dad.
Hey baby, how are you ?
Faten is speaking.
How are you, daughter ?
I'm good. How are you ?
Hope you're doing well.
- Hello, dad.
- Hi, Hammoudi, how are you ?
I'm good, praise be to God.
What did you eat today ?
Rice.
Was it tasty ?
No, it wasn't.
- You didn't like it ?
- No.
Hang in there.
Hopefully you'll come to me soon.
Hopefully.
And soon, all of this
will be just a memory.
It only has 9%.
We'll see what happens
when he gets residency.
God willing.
His residency papers...
laid eggs.
It's going to take a while.
SAMRA REYHANLI, TURKEY
Welcome. Tell me about your situation.
I have five children,
and I'm here to register them
at the orphanage.
But my eldest son doesn't want to.
So you have five children.
Your eldest son...
- Fayez.
- Fayez, how old is he ?
- 12 years old.
- 12 years old.
Tell me about your family's situation
before you came to Turkey ?
We had a little shop to earn a living.
My husband
did business with the regime.
And ultimately,
they took him.
They arrested him.
And we haven't seen him ever since.
We had a happy life before then.
Every time...
I look at my kids, I remember
the good life they had.
I'm afraid for them.
Why do you think it's best
to register them here now ?
Because I can't support them.
I can't do it, there are five of them.
It's a big responsibility.
Especially because I have twins.
And my son Moussa,
who's five years old, doesn't speak yet.
I have to go to work each morning.
Do you work in a factory
or in the fields ?
No, I work in the fields.
I leave at 4:30.
- 4:30am ?
- Yes.
So you're not home when they wake up ?
I'm not, but Fayez is there.
When I come home from work,
they run to me,
kiss me, and start taking
off my gloves and socks.
So they take care of you,
and attend to you.
Yes. Then Fayez comes...
Tell me about Fayez.
He says, "Mom, sit with us a while.
We don't see you enough."
I tell them, "I'm exhausted
and need to sleep."
So then he leaves me.
He understands that you're tired,
but at the same time,
he wants to be with you.
He follows me around
and asks for my blessing.
Fayez does that ?
Yes, he keeps saying
the same sentence:
''Mother, I want you to be
pleased with me."
He keeps following me around saying,
''Kind mother, I want you
to be pleased with me."
Did you ask Fayez to be responsible
for his siblings,
or did he start that on his own ?
No.
That's how his dad was.
He was good to his family.
He loved his family.
Affection is very good.
The fact that he takes care
of his brothers,
and that he's a friend to you
is very good.
But at the same time,
Fayez is a child now.
- He should live his childhood.
- That's true.
If he takes the role of an adult,
he's carrying a responsibility
beyond his age.
I'm really uncertain. I'm...
- Hesitant.
- Hesitant.
Until this very second,
I've been hesitant.
And I have a fear inside,
that's hindering
me from registering them.
Fayez is everything to me.
After his father was taken,
he became everything to me.
They're not on.
Give it to me.
Do this.
Here.
Here ?
Keep going.
No.
You put it on.
You put it on.
Good job.
Take this.
Well done.
Fayez !
I'm coming.
Want to come with me ?
That's enough.
Moussa, Hammoudi doesn't like that.
Not nice !
Hammoudi, tell him it's not nice.
That's not nice.
See, Hammoudi is telling
you it's not nice. Stop it.
Hammoudi feels like wrestling
like John Cena.
Fayez ? Fayez,
has he been sleeping long ?
Are you hungry ?
Hungry ?
Blood.
Where ?
Did he bleed ?
When ?
Did his nose bleed ?
When ?
Did he fall ?
Leave him alone. Here you go.
Fayez...
- That's enough Hammoudi.
- Sit. Sit.
Fayez...
What's going on inside you ?
You don't want to go ?
Should I ?
This is Bayti. This is the living room.
Here you can sit
and watch soccer matches.
We'll now go to your peers
who are Messi fans.
This might be one of the
classrooms you study in.
Who likes Messi ?
They all like Messi.
Fayez likes Messi too.
Who cheers for Messi's rival team ?
- Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Cristiano Ronaldo.
Who's a better player,
Cristiano or Messi ?
Should I introduce you to
the Messi fans or the others ?
With Messi.
Then these are the peers
you should be with.
Meet Fayez, he might join our family.
He loved me the most.
My brothers used to hit me
because he loved me so much.
Your brothers were jealous
that your dad loved you so much ?
What do you remember about him ?
Come visit. I want to see you.
I miss you.
I miss you.
Yeah.
This way.
We'll see the bedrooms now.
These mountains are in Syria.
Can you see the Atme camp ?
- We stayed there.
- Oh, you stayed there ?
Can you see the blue tents ?
You can see it from here.
It's very close.
I work around there.
- Oh, so you work close by ?
- Yes.
This way.
One of these beds will be yours.
Tell me why this room has six beds.
Because it's a corner room.
- What else is special about it ?
- It's big.
Would you like to be in a room
where you'd have five mates
and you'll be the sixth,
or to be in a room where you'll have
three friends and you're the fourth ?
Miss, I don't wish to be here.
Why don't you want to be here ?
I don't want to, Miss.
It's better at home.
Your mother can visit all the time,
and your brothers will be here with you.
You can really feel at home here.
Sit down.
What makes you say that,
when this could be like your home ?
Home is better for my soul.
My mother is there.
I understand you want
to be with your mother,
but don't you want to go to school ?
It's too much, Miss. I lost my father,
I don't want to lose my mother, too.
But what if your mother is close by,
and can give you all her love,
warmth and attention ?
Miss, it's better for us
to stay with our mother.
When your mother is away at work,
during those hours, do you feel burdened
taking care of your younger siblings ?
Don't you want someone
to help you with this task ?
- No.
- Why ?
I can manage alone.
I want to be their father.
I want to be everything to them.
If you want to be their father
and everything to them,
shouldn't you be
well prepared for that ?
- Yes, Miss, but...
- Right ?
Miss, I don't want them
to feel they've lost our dad.
So tell me, Fayez,
would you accept our invitation ?
Miss, I can't look at these children.
Which children, your brothers ?
No, at those children.
My heart breaks for them.
You feel bad for them ?
Give me a kiss.
Kiss, kiss, kiss.
Come on.
Who made you fall ?
- I fell.
- Who ?
By yourself ?
Give me a kiss.
What do you want ?
What do you want ?
What do you want ?
A candy ?
I can't be away from my home.
I don't want you to leave me.
I wish you could stay with me,
but, I have to...
and you're not willing to accept it.
Didn't you see how the kids
in the orphanage were living ?
It's a life of humiliation.
- Humiliation.
- Why is it a life of humiliation ?
They're far from
their mothers and families.
I need to stay with you.
OMAR PENNSYLVANIA, USA
Hello. Here you are.
- Have a nice one.
- Thanks, you too.
Hello
Can you hear me ? We got disconnected.
Yeah, he plays video games a lot,
but there's no way around it.
He's living his life,
and that's all I want.
I'll figure something out, God willing.
I don't want him to worry.
You know, he's happy.
I'm not going to let him down.
He's been to other schools
and he's been successful
but the fact that we have to move,
it just cuts him off
and he has to start
all over but you know,
doing so great in this school year,
I really don't want him to lose it.
You know, my main goal for him this year
was just to connect
and feel a sense
of belonging at the school
and I really think like he
has achieved that.
So it's not straight A's, but
considering he's had a transition
to several different schools
and he's learning the language
and learning the culture.
And he's taking one of the more
advanced math classes for the 9th grade
and he was the one
that wanted to take that class.
And so I think he pushed himself to do
it and I admire him for doing that.
This is good. I mean I don't
expect him to just kind of be
the best of the best,
even though I wish.
But he moved himself up a lot,
and that's great itself.
It's not... I mean he knows, that you...
I don't know,
I don't know if it's pressure,
but he knows
that he needs to be successful.
Like he knows that's important to you,
and that he wants to make you proud.
I'm grateful for everything.
I'm grateful for the fact that he's,
he's trying.
That he's not stuck with the past
though of what happened with him.
This covers for everything else.
You know, the fact that he's happy,
he's making it.
It covers for the little bit of slack
that he's doing but that's great.
Did you hear what the barber told you ?
- What ?
- What he told you about your mustache.
So you've been shaving it
alone at home ?
Yes, the mustache.
- He is brother ?
- Yes.
- He's got nice hair, right ?
- You have a different mother ?
- No.
- Why do you have a different hair ?
- What ?
- Really, you're gonna say that ?
When I was in university,
I had spiky hair.
Why ?
- It looked nice.
- That's silly.
No, like you don't know.
It really looked nice on me.
I tried it once. I tried that style
like myself when I was in college.
I'll show you my friends.
All Syrian guys had spiky
hairstyles a few years ago.
I don't like it.
You don't know the hairstyle
I'm talking about.
You think that it just
spikes up, but no,
they smooth it and then flip it around.
1 It's really nice.
And it's not too high, it's light.
If you don't wear it too high,
it'll be nice.
- I don't like it.
- Your loss.
I'm still gonna chase
you wherever you go.
I'm good.
If you leave it right there,
it's gonna die.
Just don't touch it.
You gotta protect it.
There were fighter planes.
A rocket came down near our house.
I went to see what was going on.
Mom woke me up. Stand up immediately.
What's, what's happening ?
She said, Abdulrahman went out and the
airplane is roaming, circulating above
and you need to get him
back to the house.
Once he saw me, he shouted, Omar.
Shouted with all his strength.
I saw his leg and he just yelled.
I was crying.
I couldn't also console myself.
He said, please don't cry.
If you love me, don't cry.
He had nightmares.
And sometimes day dreams,
bad day dreams.
And he kept saying to me, when are
we going ? When are we leaving ?
Yeah because once every time
the firing jet comes,
he says, when are we leaving ?
We should leave.
You know how far they can go ?
They can go maybe all the way up to...
They, I think they travel international.
I am not sure.
This river is long.
Sneak on one ?
...into the international water, huh ?
Want to sneak on one ?
Luckiest shot in the world.
Luckiest shot in the world.
One.
Do you already... do you
have your grade for the year ?
- Yeah.
- And can you show me ?
I am passing.
- No, I want to see.
- No.
- Let me see.
- See what ?
- Your grades.
- They're not here.
I can go on a parent, what
do you call ? Parent portal ?
Yeah. Okay, one second. I'll show my
grades. Let me just change this.
Look how many zeroes
you got there. You did not submit ?
Yeah, but it's a 90.
So don't worry about it.
- Still, you should have been seeing...
- 98 in (inaudible) class.
And 79 in Health.
Where is math ?
Told you this is 78, right ?
- 78 only ?
- Yeah, right here.
So, do they have college planning ?
Not for freshmen.
- When do they start ?
- I don't know. Some other grade.
You know, I haven't gotten a good job.
Why do you think that ?
- I don't know.
- Because I lack credentials.
I don't have any credentials even though
I may be good at things but I still.
If you don't have a bachelor's degree
to present for someone,
they are not going to
take you regardless, you know.
Okay ? I'm gonna wake you up
before I go to work.
Okay.
- So you don't miss your bus.
- Okay.
- Hello ?
- Hello.
You're sleeping now ? You sleeping ?
Are you sleeping ?
Yeah, it's Omar with Gerhards.
I tried to look up your address.
It's coming under,
you know, in Philadelphia.
And it says, Flourtown. So, do you mind
telling me what the actual address is ?
I shut it off. Alright ? Can I meet
you upstairs, get a signature ?
- Yep, you're a good man.
- Thank you.
- You just need a signature ?
- Ah yes, there and there, please.
- Do you want to lean...
- Let me just get my glasses.
Sit down. Relax, guys.
You go ahead. Do you wanna use
this book ? Put the paper on ?
Yeah. Boy !
Hello.
Thanks.
Hello ?
Which exam ?
Biology test.
I didn't know you started studying.
Take a picture. I want to
see your name on the board.
All right.
Smart boy !
- Omar, how are you, my friend ?
- Steve, how're you doing ?
A few things I wanted
to go over with you today.
We've had this decision
from the asylum office
that has decided
not to grant your application.
Okay.
So, one of the things that they noted
is that you're barred
from asylum because they say,
you have engaged in terrorist activity
because you fought
with the Free Syrian Army.
That's not labelling you.
It's not something I want you to
carry around,
and think of yourself as, my goodness,
the government's called me a terrorist.
If they thought you were terrorist, you
wouldn't be sitting here with me today.
- And then there's Abudi's case.
- Yes.
As you know, your applications are
independent of each other.
At the end of the day, he gets asylum
and you have to get asylum separately.
And there maybe ways that we could,
especially given
his injury and his profile,
that we could somehow
if you were granted asylum,
get you to stay as his caretaker,
as his guardian.
And especially,
as long as he's under 18.
So it's one thing we should explore.
If Abudi's granted asylum,
how to use that in a way to get
you to stay here for him.
And as long as I can just
be next to him,
supporting him at least here because
even if I don't have a status,
I can still be around and work
and support him until he can
you know, be on his own.
- He doesn't talk about it like at all.
- Right.
He's trying to just stay away from
the things that he cannot handle.
- Yeah, it's very healthy.
- Yeah.
- Just be a normal 16-year old.
- Yes, yes.
But you've done a really
good job with him.
And I, I also wanted to tell you that,
we've been considering traveling to
Canada trying to apply for asylum.
But I wanted to ask you,
what do you think ?
So I think that's not an unreasonable
option at this point to explore.
I do think given where
we are with Abudi's application,
it would be premature to go to Canada.
But I think your application
in particular
would be stronger in Canada than here.
So the one thing, you know as we finish
here that I want you to understand
is that you have lot of process between
here and anything happening to you.
You'll be able to work, you'll be able
to support Abudi
but we'll focus first on Abudi's case,
then on your case.
And we should continue discussing
and looking at whether there are other
options like Canada as well.
If that... I don't I don't think that's
an unreasonable option.
At this point though, I think if
we can get Abudi asylum here,
that could solve a lot of the issues.
- You alright ?
- Yeah.
Yeah, well, we'll try
another avenue maybe.
Yes.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
5, 6, 7,
- Alright, I got to 21.
- 8, 9...
- 22.
- No.
- 23, stop.
- No.
- 22.
- No.
- 23.
- Try again.
- I already won. I already won.
- No.
I'm so good.
What are you doing ?
I got you.
DIAA MASYAF, SYRIA
They kept waking each other up.
May God protect them.
Raising children is not easy.
So, Rasha...
What does your heart tell you ?
Are the people ISIS took still alive ?
Are Mohammed and Samar Ok ?
My heart is telling me they're fine.
My heart tells me
it's only a matter of time.
My heart is telling me...
There is hope. There is hope.
I swear I want to go there.
We can go.
I can go.
It's risky, Auntie.
The people in control
now aren't any better.
For my son, I'm willing to travel
to the end of the world.
Even if it's for nothing.
I will not accept it.
SDF forces battling ISIS
have secured 70% of the city of Raqqa.
Please leave a message.
Hello, dear. Hello.
I heard that as a mother
I can go to Raqqa
and ask about my son...
in hopes of finding
out some information.
So I wanted to ask you
about it before I go.
We haven't found anything.
You found nothing.
Did you get any news ?
No, we haven't.
But I think the Syrian Democratic
Forces might have them.
If SDF had any detainees
they liberated from ISIS,
if they had them, they would've said so.
So that's your opinion.
I have a good relationship
with SDF, and I asked them.
But they didn't have answers.
They don't have answers.
Yes, they don't know.
Because the prisons were mostly empty.
So we don't know where they went.
Right.
I haven't lost hope yet.
I haven't either.
Some people have lost hope.
Some people have, true.
What nice hair you have.
You want cologne ?
That's it my Yazan.
Yazan.
Come dear, come.
It's too sunny for him.
Today is sunny. It's Ok, leave him.
Enjoy your tea. Relax.
With rising fighting between
SDF and ISIS forces,
civilians are fleeing Raqqa.
Are they still finding bodies ?
Yes, of course.
They might have taken him.
Faten told me there
were still prisoners.
She said there were still prisoners.
Then where are they ?
No one knows.
No one knows.
I want to check on the walnut tree.
Come this way.
- For what ?
- I want to check on the walnut tree.
If there are walnuts on it.
Are you having fun, Yazzouni ?
Do you remember when we sent
some to Mohammed and Moayad ?
Did you forget ?
Hopefully next spring Mohammed
will be back here with us.
Take it. Take it.
My dear, is it good ?
How beautiful.
Come here.
So beautiful.
Let's take it home with us.
Let your dad smell it too.
Let dad smell it too.
I don't know why it's doing this.
You should transfer it.
He used to take good care
of his teeth. They were so white.
Transfer these pictures
and get it over with.
If you don't have a flash drive,
I'll bring you one.
It's not about the flash drive.
Should I go get you a flash drive ?
Look at his smile, his face.
The Jawzars' kid knows how to do it.
Yes, Ok.
The black fish is Sharky.
The lighter one is George.
Here we are at Khaled's
house with his fish.
Today we'll teach you
how to catch Sharky.
Who is considered the hardest.
Of course, there are
two methods to hunt.
Like this. You have 3 milliseconds
to snatch the fish.
Or the sneaky method.
You come up slowly from behind.
I will use the sneaky method.
Come on sharky.
Call me once they're gone.
Please write to me.
Is it true there's a prisoner exchange
between SDF and ISIS in Hasakah ?
Like you posted on Facebook ?
Is it reliable news ?
You remind us of Mohammed.
Do you know what I mean ?
That's what I think.
His father thinks so, too.
We've missed you, Moayad.
I miss you more, Auntie.
Honestly, here in France
I try and forget about home.
It's like a black hole in
Syria swallowed all my friends.
But I never stop thinking
about Mohammed.
He lived in this house like a breeze.
We're going to get old, Moayad.
I don't know if we're going
to grow old gracefully,
but he'll always remain young
in our minds.
No matter how old we'll be,
his image will stay in our minds...
In case he doesn't come back.
Put your head here, my dear.
Yazan, do you know that
you and Mohammed look alike ?
You look like Hammoudi.
Don't you look like your brother ?
Yes my son, you look like Mohammed.
Yes my dear, when he was your age.
He came back from Egypt after we sent
him there. Without even telling us.
I made him go away.
That's how the mothers are nowadays.
I forced him to leave,
he didn't want to.
I told him, "Mohammed, you have
to leave. That's how I can protect you.
Nothing is left in Syria
except death and devastation, my son."
But he didn't listen.
Mohammed used to say, "Mom,
don't be afraid all the time.
What is meant to happen will happen."
And I would answer him,
"How can I not be afraid ?"
When you came home from the
intelligence prison to Masyaf,
I made you tasty food.
And you slept on this couch next
to me, like Yazan is sleeping now.
You slept on my arm just like this.
I helped you put your socks
on with these hands.
You never showed your pain.
When you said ouch,
I asked you what happened.
I looked at the bottom of your leg
and found burn marks all over your legs,
from the beating and torture.
I asked you, "What did they do to you,
Mohammed ?
What happened to you ?"
You said, "It's Ok."
I remember that you said,
"I was lucky, Mom.
You should see what happened
to other people."
After everything that happened to you,
you still thought you were lucky.
Mohammed, you left Egypt and came
back without even telling me.
You were so close with me
and I didn't even know.
He loved you so much, Yazan,
but he used to pinch
you and tease you, right ?
There's so much to remember.
There's so much to remember,
Mohammed.
It's been five years
and I'm still waiting.
Waiting for you every single moment.
I'm waiting for you my sweetheart.
SAFWAN BUTZBACH, GERMANY
Yes.
Ok.
Is it a sunny day there ?
Is it sunny ?
I just finished work and I'm going home.
Fine, I'll call you when I get home.
Ok, bye.
Can you see me ?
Hi Dad. How are you ?
- How are you ?
- I'm good, how are you ?
- When are you going to visit us ?
- No, you're going to come here.
When can we come to you ?
Soon, baby, soon.
I wish you could bring
us there to be with you.
I want to show you something. Look.
It has horses !
- Hi Dad.
- Where are your teeth ?
- I can't see them.
- Here they are.
Dad, mom said she'll
get me a gold tooth.
- Don't lie !
- You did.
Dad, he wants a gold tooth,
but I told him they're for old people.
I'll get him a gold tooth
when he comes here.
Where's Mom ? Yasmin ?
Smile, I want to see your teeth.
You look lovely.
My teeth ?
Have you seen Mohammad's ?
When are you going to the agency ?
- I think next week.
- Why ?
- They've closed the booking for now.
- What ?
The refugee authority told them
not to process any bookings.
When I get home,
I'm going to call you again, Ok ?
- Ok.
- Ok, goodbye.
It's my youngest son
Hammoud's birthday.
He told me he wanted a piano.
- Happy Birthday to him.
- Thank you. He wanted a piano.
I saw that my co-worker had one,
and I offered to buy it.
Show it to me.
Does it work ?
If he comes here, I'll
give it to him, but if he doesn't...
Hopefully, I'll see him again.
I tested it for him.
I tested it today.
If I see him...
- It works.
- Who did you buy it from ?
A guy I work with.
Stop it.
So if the kid ever comes here,
God sent this to him.
May God bring your family
to you safe and sound.
I'm going to call Abu Faris.
He's supposed to be getting off
work now. Would he fix my hair ?
We'll see.
I'll tell him to bring his tools.
- Yes, have him come.
- Have you seen my phone ?
Where's my phone ?
Hey Abu Faris,
close your eyes and open them,
and your wife and kids will be here.
God willing. Hopefully, you're next.
Did you ask your wife if
she's arriving in Frankfurt ?
Yes, in Frankfurt.
- To Frankfurt.
- Yes.
And they'll take her to the camp ?
No, they said she can come to her
husband, if I find a house.
- Right away ?
- Yes.
And if you don't have a house ?
Then she has to go to a camp.
Where else ?
So when your family arrives, Abu Faris,
they can come straight to you ?
That's what they said,
but I don't know exactly...
I told Safwan,
I need someone with a huge brain,
a political expert, to analyze my case.
I just need him to give me a solution.
He's won.
Bashar al-Assad has won.
Our people won't be able to lift
their heads for a hundred years.
We've hit rock bottom.
- What ?
- We've hit rock bottom.
He humiliated us.
And the whole world saw it.
Still, you need to be patient.
More than this ?
This country can help you.
What else can you do ?
Thank you, Abu Faris.
Really nice work.
I looked in the mirror.
- It looks good, Safwan.
- Why, thank you.
How are things in Syria now ?
My wife now...
she's in a lot of pain,
and my seven-year-old son said,
"Please, mother, don't die
and leave me now."
- The kid is talking about death.
- He said, "Don't die on me."
My son Mohammad
He threatens his mother.
He asks to go to school,
and she tells him he's not allowed
to go to school in Greece.
So he goes to the window
and threatens to kill himself.
A ten-year-old is threatening
to kill himself.
Two years is like a lifetime.
Hammoud told me I'm all talk.
You can't do anything about it,
but he doesn't know that.
Hopefully, things will work out for you,
and God will provide.
and your family will come here,
and you'll be with them.
All safe and sound.
I don't know.
They said, "When is your dad
coming back ?"
What did you say ?
In about a month, or so.
But you're coming here.
I'll throw you a birthday party
when I see you.
I want to celebrate with you.
How are you, sweetheart ?
I really miss you. Don't you miss me ?
- Hi, Dad.
- Hi Farouq, how are you ?
- Praise be to God. How are you ?
- Praise be to God. I miss you.
I miss you a lot, Farouq.
- I miss you more.
- You miss me more ?
When are we coming ?
I really don't know, Farouq.
I've been waiting and waiting.
I'm tired of waiting.
Why didn't you fix
the gas problem today ?
Your mother told you to.
Why didn't you fix it ?
Why didn't you ?
I wasn't at home.
You weren't at home.
And, why do you stay out late ?
Why do you keep playing outside ?
Mother is sick.
All I do is bring her medicine.
That's Ok. There's no one
but you to stay with Mom.
Our 8-year-old son has to carry the
responsibility of a 40- year-old man.
You can't come here,
and we can't come to you.
Please, stop.
You're sick. This isn't good for you.
I wish I was there.
When you got sick and had the surgery,
and went through chemo,
I wish I'd been with you.
I'll make it up to you.
You know I love you.
What has your love done for me ?
It makes me suffer more.
Ok, Bayyouni. Take care of yourself,
and take care of the children.
We'll talk tomorrow.
I heard you speaking to your family.
It's the same every day.
Arguing, arguing.
The problem is she got sick.
She's in Syria, during the war,
she's sick and scared,
Of course you're going to
have problems when you call.
What can I do ?
Everyone left. We had no choice.
I feel ashamed.
How could you tie the fate
of an entire family to that unknown ?
When you got on the boat, how could
you know what would happen ?
I lost a son that way.
It's going to be the five of them.
One, two, three, four, five,
and four suitcases.
- What ?
- How's it going ?
I'm a little stressed. I don't know.
That's normal.
Stay with the car.
Thank God you're safe.
How are you ?
- Praise be to God.
- Thank God for your safety.
How are you ?
I'm so happy to see you.
Was the trip alright ?
- Everything was fine.
- Thank God you're safe.
Come, let's take the bags.
- How are you ?
- Look at my new bag.
Ok, bring it and let's go.
How are you ? Wow, you're so big now.
Come on.
Oh, Germany is so much sunnier now.
Baby, go to that van parked over there.
You got prettier.
Wait here.
I want to sleep next to him.
Dad has cute dimples.
Really ?
- Yes.
- Give me a kiss.
Faten.
Mohammad.
- Ahmad.
- I want to sit next to you.
Don't worry, I'm going to be sitting
with you for the rest of your life.
Here, Madame.
I'm going to sit in the back
seat with my family, ok ?
This is a selfie and everybody look.
Do the victory sign.
The "V" sign.
One more. Everyone look here.
You're the best.
Welcome, welcome.
So do you like the city, Ahmad ?
See these two ?
They teach German to foreigners.
- This is my family.
- Hello.
- Yasmin.
- Yasmin.
- Tomas.
- Tomas. Yasmin.
- Faten, say hello.
- Hello.
Faten ? Hello, Faten.
- Mohammad.
- Hello, Mohammad.
Hello, Mohammad.
- How are you ?
- Good.
- And you are finally all together.
- Yes. This is my family.
Great.
One.
Two.
Three.
- Faten
- Faten.
Faten.
It's only for one month.
Just one month, then it will get better.
Wake up, Mohammad.
Do you see it ?
Our house ?
I will take you to the door,
and then you will enter.
But first, I got you presents.
I'm going to give you presents,
and then you'll go inside, Ok ?
Here are the presents.
- It's for you Faten. Open it.
- Thanks, Daddy.
You can open it.
The biggest one is for Ahmad.
The biggest for Ahmad !
Open it. I'll help you. It might
be too big to open by yourself.
Oh, Daddy. Why don't you
sleep here in the camp ?
I'm not allowed. But I'm going to come
tomorrow morning to be with you.
Ok, let's put everything in a bag.
Put it in my bag.
So you're going to go in now.
I cannot go in with you.
Because I can't stay here, Faten, Ok ?
But I'll come and see you tomorrow
morning. Ok, give me a kiss.
Take care of yourself and your
brothers. Give me a kiss.
Give me a kiss.
Take care of the children.
Faten, take care of yourself
and your brothers.