The Train of Salt and Sugar (2016) - full transcript

The Train of Salt and Sugar

Northern Mozambique, 1988

The country has been at war
for almost ten years.

The government battles
against armed guerrillas.

Sugar is now a scarce
and precious commodity.

The railways are constantly sabotaged
and the trains attacked.

Few dare to travel to
neighbouring Malawi,

in the interior of the continent,
to exchange salt for sugar.

The wait for the train is long and silent.
Old beliefs are merged with new ones

aboard a train that has
no scheduled time of departure.

Careful.



Close it.

Lieutenant Taiar's in charge
of the land mines.

He'll take the front.
Ensign Salomon will take the middle.

I'll be at the back,
in the head conductor's carriage.

Shoot down any runaways.
That's an order!

Shoot the cowards in the back
and leave the bodies where they fall.

No burials.
We'll make an example out of them.

Go, go, go!
Move along, move along.

Careful with that baby.

Departure in 30 minutes.
Inform the Lieutenant and the Ensign.

Danger.

Inform Ensign Salomon
we depart in 30 minutes.

27 minutes, you mean.

It took you three
just to get here.



My name is Taiar,
Lieutenant Taiar.

I'm in charge of
escorting the train.

No one has been
forced to be here.

None of you paid for
a ticket, did you?

I'll protect your lives,
but you'll have to obey my orders.

When we stop,
if the train is not under attack

you only get off if
you're ordered to do so.

If it's under attack, jump down on
the opposite side from the gunshots.

Lie down on the tracks or look
for shelter under the carriages.

Those unable to jump off, it's OK.

Just lie on your bellies
until the fighting's over.

Never run off into the bush.
There are mines there.

The enemy may be
shooting from one side,

but they'll be waiting
for you on the other.

Waiting...

To capture you.

The most important thing is
not to be scared of the gunshot noise.

It won't kill you,

but fear will.

Have a safe trip, everyone.

Come on, son,
there's no time for tears.

You are a grown man.
Look after your brothers.

Pull away!

Hello, Namina.

Hello, Namina,
Nampula calling.

Over.

Hello, Ribau�.
Hello, Ribau�?

No one to see you off?

My family's far away,
in Maputo.

I've just graduated
as a nurse.

I've been placed
at the hospital in Cuamba.

Pleasure to meet you, my dear.

Nampula calling...

Over.

This is Calisto Confian�a,
Iapala station master, over.

^IThe train departed^I
^Ifrom Nampula this morning.^I

^II will send information^I
^Iregarding the train's cargo^I

^Iand military escort^I
^Ias soon as they arrive.^I

Again.

I shouldn't play.

A Muslim that drinks can play.
One more time.

Praying's not enough
for this trip, Commander.

The drink helps.

This helps more.

That's not fair, Commander.
The bird's not in the game.

Relax.

Commander,
we have to work on the tracks.

Rain damage.

Two or three hours
till we can move again.

Lieutenant,

the commander gave
orders not to advance.

But why don't they
turn off the engines?

So that the batteries
don't go dead.

The engine keeps us company.

The nights seem less
dangerous this way.

What time do they strike?
During the day or during the night?

At night, so that
it's a surprise.

They never strike at night.

They always strike early morning.

But why?

Maybe they want
to have breakfast with us.

Mrs. Mariamu...

With that belly you shouldn't
be going on this trip.

That's true.

It would be more
dangerous to stay at home.

I'm going to my parents.

And the father?

It's him I'm running
away from.

He says this belly
isn't his doing.

Once he holds the baby
in his arms,

you'll see he'll
get over it.

He will.

You don't know him...

When his mind is set on something,
he becomes bewitched.

Nothing's going to happen,
the nights are quiet.

- I was attacked at night once.
- What's all that?

Are you trying to scare Asc�nsio?

They used to attack,
but that was

a long time ago when
trains still ran in the night.

Yes, there was no escort
back then.

You know who
Asc�nsio reminds me of?

Soap.

Who's Soap?

Soap was a veteran driver.

Na�ve, pure.

I was with him,
next to the engine when

the first attack in
this area happened.

It was at night.
It was all very fast.

No one was ready for it.

And they said
there was no war,

just some thugs
running around.

We were going at about 50,
on a rotten track.

They started shooting,
Soap picked up speed...

We went off rail.

And Soap?

Became a martyr.

One of God's creatures.

He was lucky. He didn't
have to see what we've seen since.

What have you seen?

Once, we were ambushed.

They attacked the train
and chopped off

the heads of every single
passenger they could catch

and lined the tracks with them.

Just left them there,
staring at each other

without being able
to see anything.

Their eyes gouged out
by bayonets.

Was it him? The one that
can turn into a monkey?

Commander Xipoco (Ghost)?

Immediate departure.

No radio.

Why?
Are they listening in?

Not the enemy...
But the spirits protecting them.

Wake up.
Let's get to work.

Wait, I'll help you.

- Lieutenant, will there be an attack?
- No, there will be no attack.

If there's an attack,
what'll happen to us?

Don't worry, we're here
to protect the train, alright?

Everything will be fine.
Come here, I'll help you.

Why don't they
turn on the lights?

What for?

So we become an even
easier target?

We're moving so slowly.

The order's not to go over
five kilometres per hour.

The rules also state not to
travel during the night. Faster!

Right here.
Stop and turn on the light, now!

Commander's orders.

Get off, get off!

Get to work, come on.
Quickly.

We have to be fast.

Faster!

What are you waiting for?
Faster!

You?
Where are you going with that belly?

Back to your wagon.

Lazy asses get whipped!

Do you want me to pray out loud,
to keep you awake?

Do something.

I believe in
God the Father, Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth.

The only-begotten Son of God,

begotten of the Father
before all ages,

God of God,
Light of Light

true God from true God...

The train arrived
this morning at Namina

where it will stay
for the night.

I don't have the
other information yet.

You know, I don't know.
I'm not even sure my husband's dead.

He went missing during an
attack on his village.

He went there to visit his mother.
Two years without any news from him.

I chose to start calling him deceased.
I put my affairs in order.

Now I travel with the
military to Mozambique Island.

There I buy the salt and wait
for the train back to Nampula.

Do you realise that
with 15 bags of salt,

I get 20-something
bags of sugar in Malawi?

And I return to sell
the sugar in Nampula,

where you can't find
it even for tea.

But have you never
considered the risk?

Don't you think
it's worse like this?

The children being left without a mother?
Not knowing where she was buried?

My dear, thinking too much gives you a
headache and won't fill your belly.

I did the math.

You know how much a kilo of
sugar's going for in Nampula?

And salt?
It's almost free.

Pity you can't use it for tea.

You can't do that.
You're here to guard the train.

You're not supposed to
touch the cargo inside!

Careful old man.

The next time there's an attack,
the first bullet is for you.

I am the head conductor
of this train.

If there's any cargo missing, I'll state
in the report that you two stole it.

Your name, soldier?

Bayonet.

I asked for your name.

- I told you, Bayonet.
- Easy. Let the old man go.

He's with the commander.

This coach is ours.

The whole train is ours.

You, come here.

You'll cook for me.

Me?
Not me.

Women can't say no,
you hear me?

I won't cook for you.
I'm not your wife.

Get on, damn it!

Do you need help, Ensign?

I'll help you
if you need it.

Lieutenant, when it comes to women,
no one orders me around.

I earned my stripes in the war.

Ten years!
I have a right to any woman I want.

Women are not the enemy, Ensign.

They can't be taken captive.
Let go of her.

I didn't know you
wanted her for yourself.

By all means.
A lieutenant has priority.

You can have her.

There are others lying around.

Fuck her till she breaks!
That's what I was going to do!

Stay in your corner and
don't start any more trouble, OK?

Herculano,
get me some tea, a strong one.

No one had the guts
to intervene.

Only the lieutenant.

Look at this.
Now it won't close.

Well, what can you do
when you're facing a gun?

The soldiers are in charge.

Calm down, child. There's no point.
You'll only attract more problems.

- You were lucky, in fact.
- Lucky?

Not even a child is safe here.

Salomon is a thug.

He raped a 12-year-old girl,
right here in this station.

The mother heard her
screaming and she said,

No! My daughter doesn't
know how to do this!

She doesn't know
how to do that!

If you weigh 30 kilos
you're a woman, they say.

Soldiers...
They're like children.

Violent children.

But that Salomon is the boss.

Stay away from them
and don't look at them.

I'm not a child to have
to keep my head down.

They are the children, girl.
You're a plaything, don't you understand?

Hello, Mrs. Mariamu.

How are you?
I noticed you were here with us.

I haven't had the
opportunity to say hello.

It's OK.

There's so much to do...
So many problems to solve.

What are the troops
having for dinner tonight?

Dried fish and porridge,
same as always.

Rosa, I want to introduce
you to Lieutenant Taiar.

Lieutenant,
have you met nurse Rosa?

Yes...

We have porridge
with black-eyed peas.

It's almost ready.

Will the lieutenant
have supper with us?

I shouldn't,
but I'll take it.

I'm sick of eating
around men all the time.

This fucking lieutenant
doesn't even seem like military.

He's always against us.

A soldier like that can
compromise a mission.

That Lenin may just as well
be in cahoots with the enemy.

Infiltrated.
He just wants to lower our morale.

Imagine that.
Stopping us from mobilising women.

Our women!

Lieutenant, Lieutenant.

Just because he went to a
Russian academy in the Ukraine...

You learn war in the bush!

And in those Lenin's country,
above all.

Marxists with titles.

Ridiculous.

Down with academics.
Down with that Lenin.

Pass me the bottle.
It's prime stuff.

Pass it over?
Money.

Shut up, Danger. What money?
How much did you pay for it?

I paid in kicking his ass.

Can you imagine that
in the middle of all this shit,

the guy wanted money?

Damn.

Next week I'll be 40 years old.

I want a party.
A big party.

I have five more years to live.

My ancestors told me so.

Five more years.

Damn.

And we could be dead tomorrow.

I'll devour those five years.
War or no war.

Fucking hell.

He was born this way.
Always sick.

In Cuamba, there's a hospital
where I'll be working.

We can treat him there.

We're going back home.

We'll only be able to
take care of him there.

Why only there?

That's where we were born.

That's where he should have been born
to have the protection of his ancestors.

That's why he's always sick.

But the healer from our
land will take care of him.

The hospital can
take care of him as well.

The healer will
take care of him.

I understand.

My family has
good healers as well.

I was shot in the leg.

Ten kilometres, bleeding, lost in the
bush, do you know what that's like?

Nothing's going to happen.

I only got to the
hospital on day three.

And on the fourth
day you resurrected.

Caravel, I know that
story by heart, man.

Pray, I'd rather hear you pray.
Pray.

This is the commander.
Stop the train.

Stop immediately.

They screwed up the tracks.

Careful!

Careful!
Careful!

Hold your fire!

Hold your fire!

Motherfuckers!
Communists!

Don't waste ammo.
They're running away.

So, Adriano, how does it look?

It still works, Lieutenant.

700 metres of
destroyed tracks.

The tracks are out there,
spread out in the bush.

And the ties, Commander?

They set them on fire,
but many didn't burn.

We'll need three or
four days' work.

Two! I want it done in two.
Put everyone to work.

We can work in peace today.
They won't attack soon.

Herculano!

Bring nurse Rosa
to my carriage.

She can take better care
of the wounded there.

With Mrs. Mariamu's help,
of course.

Hello, Ribau�. Hello, Ribau�.
D67 calling, over.

D67 calling, over.

You.
Drop that.

You stay here.
You, carry on.

Is it because of the baby, boss?

I don't explain myself
to civilians.

And take the child.
He'll get in the way.

Go get a pan
to cook for me.

You, go.
Get lost.

Get lost or you'll
get a beating!

200 metres of tracks in one day.

We need to go faster.

If I find out that anyone
is in cahoots with the enemy,

holding up work on purpose,

I won't waste a bullet on him.

I'll have him gutted.

Tomorrow we start at five.
You hear me?

I'll say to God,
do not condemn me;

Let me know why you
contend against me.

- Comrade Commander.
- Yes, speak.

Since today is Sunday, may I ask you
to pray with the other believers?

- When the work is done.
- God bless you, Comrade Commander.

Commander.

The monkeys are very close.
I can smell them.

Alert!
Turn the piece around!

They're coming from the other side!

Take shelter!

Take aim!

Hurry! Hurry, Amelia!
Lie down.

You're OK.

I need more water.

I'll bring some of mine.

God is wise of heart,
And mighty in strength

He who removes mountains,
in surprise,

when he overturns them
in His anger.

He shakes the earth out of its place.
Its pillars tremble.

He commands the sun,
and it doesn't rise,

and seals up the stars.

He alone stretches out the heavens...

They abandoned the camp
they had erected to wait for us.

They pulled back?

I saw a lot of blood and
found a large ditch.

They pulled back, that's it.
They had a lot of casualties.

He changed tactics,
he'll be waiting further ahead.

We all know the commander
will get him.

Old monkeys
don't step on dry twigs.

It won't be easy
getting my hands on him.

Even for those who had powerful
ancestors who knew how to prepare

the spears so that they always hit
the lion in the heart? And who inherited...

Even for this one.

The lion cannot divert spears,
the man who transforms into a monkey can.

But he's still just a man.

He'll be waiting further ahead.

You can be sure of that.
It won't be as easy as it was here.

Today we can rest.
Tomorrow, Ribau�.

This is D67 head conductor Omar, over.

Hello, Ribau�. Hello, Ribau�.

This is D67 head conductor Omar, over.

I can't get through to them.

We're so close,
they should be able to hear us.

But I'll keep trying.

Good afternoon.

Seems like the comrade
lieutenant likes our food.

I'm not here for food.

I need your help.

Mariamu, where are you going?

There.

You spilled it,
you don't get any more.

It's your fault. Next.

There.

Nurse Rosa needs water
to tend to the wounded.

Look, there's no exceptions here.

There.

Next! Quickly.

Don't let it get dirty.

Why didn't you visit
the combat medic sooner?

There wasn't time.

You're like a child.
It could have gotten infected.

But it didn't.

Everything must seem
beautiful from up there.

Those are the Namuli Hills.

They reach about
2000 metres high.

They say the first Makua
came down from these hills.

Where I'm going, in Cuamba,
there's the Metucu� Hills.

Hundreds of people moved there

at the beginning
of World War Two.

My grandfather told me.
He lived there.

At that time, people thought
World War II was the end of the world.

So they took
shelter on high ground.

There's always water up there.
Anything that's sowed grows well.

I wanted to be an agriculturist.

When I finished high school,
they drafted me to the military.

It seems like the
country needed to be

defended more than
it needed to be fed.

I always wanted
to be a nurse.

I used to tell my father that I
wanted a beautiful white coat.

Metucu� Hills.

I'd like to live in a place like that.

One that has water and no war.

I thought soldiers liked war.

That's the same as saying that
all nurses like diseases.

Down with Communists

Commander Xipoco was here

Go, go, go!

It's getting cold.
I'm going to get a shawl.

Let's go.

Spy?

Spy!

Boss.
I need my wife.

It's nothing, boss.
Just, our son needs to eat.

I'm asking, boss.

Danger, Bayonet.
Whip his ass.

No! No!

Maybe he was just a
farmer returning

to his old farms to
search for food.

I'm sorry,
but I have to tend to this.

OK.
Go on, I'll handle it.

They take your wife and children,
and then what do you do?

Nothing.

You turn informer.

You pick apart tracks and do
whatever they tell you to do.

It's the same thing that
happens on our side.

Sometimes those defending us are
worse than the ones attacking.

Then it's the same as it was in the time
of my grandparents, with the colonialists.

It's not quite like that, child.

You're too young to
know how it was.

Maybe you wouldn't even have
been able to study to be a nurse.

Before, we didn't have a future.

Now we can think about having one.
If the war ever ends, of course.

The important thing
is to stay alive.

I'm right.
It doesn't have to be this way.

If you want to survive this trip,
you need to have your eyes wide open.

My eyes are wide open.

Then maybe you
need to close them.

I saw the commander kill
someone in cold blood.

He's worse than the
ones attacking us.

What does a nurse
from the city know?

You don't know anything.
You don't take prisoners.

If we let them loose, they will
go back and warn the enemy.

And is he the enemy
to be treated this way?

I don't know what
he did or did not do.

He didn't do anything.
They took his wife from him.

Then it's up to her
to press charges.

Against Ensign Salomon?
Why don't you do something?

It's not up to me to
denounce the ensign.

You protect each other.
You're all the same.

What do you know about war?
About those that lived through it?

Commander.

This stretch is tricky.

I'll go on ahead alone
on the second locomotive.

When I confirm that
everything is OK,

I'll give the order over
the radio to advance.

I didn't inform you before because
I just thought about it now.

I heard a bird singing.
It wasn't his time.

They only ever sing at dawn.

Better to take more men with you.
Commander?

What is this shit?
I don't want that on the train.

It has an owner,
even if he ran away.

Put it down, now.
Put it down, now!

Our commander's up ahead,
but he doesn't run the train.

My men are authorised to
take anything they find.

Is that so?

So that they don't leave
it behind for the enemy.

I want to see this in writing,
in the military rules.

In writing?

Out here you
write with bullets.

Excuse me, Lieutenant.

Careful, Salomon.
Careful.

This is the commander.
Answer. Over.

This is the commander.
Order to advance.

Greetings, comrade colleagues.

- So, how was the trip?
- The usual.

With God's help.

And maybe the devil's too?

Don't talk like that
about the commander.

Welcome, Commander.

We're so happy with the
train's arrival that

we'd like you to accept these
three chickens as a gift.

Go.
Quickly, quickly.

Go get the brandy
for the commander.

I'm forbidden to
take a stranger's gifts.

The chickens, one's for Taiar,
one's for Salomon,

and the other's for you.

I still have a little bit of sugar left
from the last train from Malawi.

Yes. But tell me, how are the
tracks between Iapala and Malema?

Well, one of the wire guards
saw some movement.

But that was days ago.

Nothing important.

Sorry, boss.
That wasn't days ago.

It was actually
just two days ago.

And there were a lot
of people, well-armed.

The day before yesterday?

The days last longer here.

But when was this, really?

Just before yesterday.

Before yesterday?

Think nothing of it.

Listen, Omar, you need
to understand that here,

in Iapala, we have a good
garrison, day and night.

These bandits can't come in.

Anyway, I'd still be
afraid of sleeping here.

- Why?
- In the same place? Always?

After what we saw in Ribau�?

Your commander?

Seven Ways.

That's his name?

No one knows his name.

Curious individual, isn't he?

He's so full of himself,
speaks of strange things,

doesn't he seem to you
to have a loose screw?

Nothing like that.
Nothing like that, please.

Careful.
He may be listening.

If he wants to he'll appear
out of thin air, just like that.

He might even already
be here as we speak.

How many spoons?

One and a half.

Good afternoon, old man.
How much for the chicken?

30 is too much!
And the corncob? How much is it?

Chicken drafted.

Now we'll find some
babes to pluck their feathers.

To raise the troops' morale.

Thank you.

At this rate, by the time you reach Malawi
you'll have nothing left to sell.

With water running out,
two kilos of salt for

40 litres of water
is nothing, honey.

Don't make a fuss,
that's worse.

Let me check the list.

Boss, mine was the last
cargo to be loaded.

Those were my
bags of salt in there.

But they're not there!

They didn't take anything else.

Just his bags, just that.

Now, don't gather around here.

Go away, there's
nothing else to see.

Commander,
there's been a serious

lack of discipline
on this escort.

Now there's even thieving.

The soldiers are threatening
and beating up civilians.

Civilians need to
respect the military.

Respect is good, my commander,
fear is not.

If he's against us,
he's an enemy.

- Even if he is against the enemy?
- Even so.

Whenever the enemy
attacks, he screams,

The military ruin your wives.

Isn't it true that we're
raping married women here?

A man is a man.
A woman is a woman.

It's normal that on a trip such as this,
these things happen.

It's normal that they
happen, my commander.

But always the same
people making it happen?

Salomon is a decorated soldier.

Is it normal for a soldier to
threaten a civilian with death,

just to take his wife?

Then the civilian loses all respect.
Only fear remains, Commander.

Back then, they used
to say that the people

were water, and the
military were the fish.

Now the water's dried up.

The people are against the enemy,

but also against us,
the ones that should defend them.

Threatening isn't good.

For every female, two men fight.

But when one has teeth,
claws and horns and the other doesn't,

that's not a fight,
Commander.

It's a massacre.

Excuse me.

So?

You can speak, I'm listening.
What's the complaint?

Nothing.

My wife's here.

She just went out
for a walk with him.

But she's here now.

You have nothing else to say?

No.

Then leave.

Excuse me.

Fuck.

I know it was you.

You fuck up and I'm to blame?

There was no point in saying anything.

I played the fool.

That man, he had very little left in him.
He was no longer a man.

You showed you were different.

You did your bit.

I also kill.

And I order beatings,
just like everyone else.

This country is incredible.

It has good people.

But the war turns the bad worse.

The weak get weaker.
The cowards more cowardly.

Brothers against brothers,
not knowing why they fight.

We got our independence,
but now we're trapped in an endless war.

It started by being something,
now it's something else entirely.

And the big leaders, them!
They're fighting for power.

The ones taking orders, like us,
all they do is gnaw the bush.

No time to do anything
of worth with their lives.

Comrade, don't discuss politics.

Our politics is to survive
until we reach our destination.

So, comrade?

Aren�t you going to
eat your chicken?

I made it myself.

I guarantee this chicken's innocent.

It's got no woman's
spell to capture a man.

The train departed at 6am.

50-man escort.

One anti-aircraft, two locomotives.

One water tank, one cargo container.

Commander Seven Ways.

Satan.

A head!

A monkey's head?

A man's head.
God be praised.

It's Florindo!

Xipoco did it...

Welcome to hell!

Let's inaugurate
a new train station

Hell Station.

It's him.
It's Commander Xipoco.

He turned into a monkey
to spy on us.

You're going crazy and you're
driving me nuts instead of helping me!

It's not one of God's creatures,
it's the devil.

Caravel, shut up!

In the name of every saint,

in the name of Christ who was
sacrificed for us, be gone!

Return to the bottom of hell, Satan!

Fuck the monkey.

Fuck it, you hear me?

Do you see?
Do you see that smoke up ahead?

That's the devil.
The fucking devil.

Commander,
this is Taiar, over.

Commander?
This is Taiar, over.

Work carefully.

This one will come soon.

He's changing his position.

You should have him at home.

This is no place for
a child to be born.

It wouldn't be any
good there either.

The important thing
is that he's born.

That's right, Amelia.

The important thing
is that he's born.

No place is perfect.

No moment.
No person.

Those that wait for
everything to be perfect,

wind up letting
opportunities go by.

The weapons I captured
from the dead enemy.

There are kilometres
of ruined tracks.

Their commander, Xipoco,
the one who's been writing

those signs, he's a fat man
with a black uniform.

He has two pistols and
grenades on his belt.

He has good boots.

The one who kills
him can keep them.

I need some new boots.

Spread the word.
I want that monkey truly dead.

We'll attack!
Before we're attacked.

If we go, we leave
the train unprotected.

Stuck here, we're in danger.

They're about 100, well-armed.

I counted five bazookas,
two 60 mortars, one 80.

Three pieces.

This is serious business.

So, gentlemen?
How's it going?

We lost a lot of water
from the radiator.

We'll have to add
about 300 litres.

Lieutenant.

They didn't fill it up in Iapala.
The cistern's empty.

They filled it. I saw it!

The fact is we're out of water.
That's the truth.

Sons of bitches.
Let's go.

None of this would have happened
if we had done what I said.

Commander,
let's go back and kill the traitors.

Is this always your solution?

To go back and kill everyone?

My commander,
our problem now is water.

We need to send the message:
Traitors die.

Starting with the station master.

I'm sorry, Commander...

Speak.

Malema is still very far away.

I think it's best to
go back and get water.

They're putting in a lot of work
trying to keep us here.

Tomorrow, at dawn,
when the enemy isn't expecting it,

you'll go back to
Iapala and bring water.

Without water, we're stuck here.

At your orders, Commander.

Request all the water you
can find on this train.

The enemy mustn't
know about our problem

so the locomotive
needs to keep moving.

At your orders, Commander.

Everything's ready.
You can go.

If you're late, you'll be stuck.

We're running out of ties so
we'll start removing them

from the back to place them
in front of the train.

At your orders, Commander.

Iapala calling, over.

67, over.

This is driver Asc�ncio.

Inform the commander
that we've restocked

and we're coming back.

What, are you under attack?

No. The ensign did not
identify the saboteur.

He's shooting everyone down!

This is the cistern car. Urgent!

This is D67, over.

Identify yourself.
Who's operating the radio?

Over.

This is Salomon.
Ensign Salomon.

We request immediate backup.

We request immediate backup.

That's not Salomon.

He wouldn't ask for help.

I didn't order you to stop!

The shooting is none of your concern.

Slackers and saboteurs get beaten.

Get to work!

You and your soldiers
take position at the front

under Lieutenant Taiar's orders.

Afterwards, make a report.

You there, move!
Quickly.

Come on, come on.

Commander,
I saw it on the map.

There's a lake near here.

Later when it's
dark I can send out

a group of people
to fetch water.

It might have dried
out by now though.

I don't think they'll attack again today.
Tomorrow they'll attack harder.

Get the water.

At your orders, Commander.

There!
You need to get it done faster.

The work ends there.
We'll rest in Malema!

It's almost done!

Land mine!

This water's good enough
for the locomotive.

Come on, fill up your buckets.

Fill up the buckets! Come on.

Hurry, hurry.

Let's finish it.

Faster, faster.

My ancestors forbade
me from entering

either sea or river water.

I want to wear my other uniform.

Miracle! Mira...

Push. Push!

Just a little bit more.
Push!

A chicken eats on the ground!

Shoot the ground!

Beautiful Amelia!

Come with me?

The other day I was nervous.

I shouldn't have
said what I said.

That was a lifetime ago.
Let's go to the river.

Taiar, let's stay here.

I'm scared.

You don't need to be scared, Rosa.

Let's go over there, where
the river runs deeper.

Are you ever afraid?

Of course, just like everyone else.

But never in combat.
We were trained for that.

When are you scared?

When I have a
nightmare I cannot recall.

Or when I think of a
future I cannot picture.

But you can't picture it
because you don't have a family.

You don't have children.

Children only with you.

Maybe you're
already getting the first.

Come here.

I want to believe in the future.

Hail, hail, hail Mary,

Hail, hail, hail Mary.

The little lieutenant's
feeding you chicken?

Let go of me.

You whore,
I'll feed you lamb if you want it.

You're not worth it,
but I'll give it to you!

Let go.

I'll take care of the lieutenant
and keep you all to myself.

For free!

You'll be Salomon's woman.

Before this journey's over,
you'll be my woman. You will.

Don't go near Rosa again.

Have a drink with us.

This is our brother,
the commander here.

That's Lieutenant Taiar.

A strategy and tactics type lieutenant.

He went to the military academy.

Next time you go near Rosa,
I will kill you.

Threats?

You're threatening me?

I'm not a man who takes threats.

Later I'll have
someone bring you the gun.

Get me another drink!

Careful!

They killed our Commander Xipoco.

- Victory!
- We killed the Commander Xipoco!

The lieutenant killed Xipoco!

Victory!

Amelia?

Rosa.

So the spirits lied to him after all.

It wasn't five years.

It was five days.

The gunshot didn't kill him.

Some fucker came by,
found him wounded

and finished the
job with a knife.

Go get a shovel.

Leave him there.

He doesn't deserve a grave.

I tried.
I tried.

Try not to move.

I'm here.

These belonged to the
commander the lieutenant killed.

He deserves them
for his bravery.

They are worth more
than some tin medal.

I dreamed of raising ox,

taking care of the farm.

But all I did was hunt men down.

I see mount Metucu�.

When the war's over
we'll go up there.

You will go alone.

I can't see anything.

I want to see mount Metucu�.

Help me.

I'm seeing it.

Go, my dear.

Courage.

- Thank you.
- Good luck.

Let's go.

The fight goes on.