You Will Die at 20 (2019) - full transcript

Oh, Prophet, I feel the love.

Oh, Mustafa, oh, Muzamil,
I feel the love.

Oh, Prophet, I feel the love.

Oh, Mustafa, oh, Muzamil,
I feel the love.

Oh, Prophet, I feel the love.

Oh, Mustafa, oh, Muzamil,
I feel the love.

Sakina, wait.

Hello, Sheikh.

It is a blessing that you came to us.
This is my son, Muzamil.

God blessed me with him.
Sheikh Al Shafee came to me in a vision.

It's as if it was fate.



I brought him
for you to bless him.

By God's will
there is light in his face.

You named him Muzamil
after the Prophet.

Peace be upon him.

Praise be to God. 12.

Praise be to God. 16.

A person on God's earth knows not
where his steps will take him

and wherever he goes,
he will look for Allah.

Praise be to God. 17.

Praise be to God. 18.

Take your child.

I ask God to see
he makes his parents proud.

Praise be to God. 19.

And may he live....



Twenty!

God is all-powerful.

Poor Sakina's broken heart.

Sheikh, what is the meaning of this?

Say, before the curse befalls him.

Sheikh, tell me he did not mean this.

Please, before the curse befalls him.

People, the prophesy is from God.

And everything is fated.

In the name of the Prophet, Sheikh.

The Prophet is sacred.

God's command is inevitable.

God is all-powerful.

God's command is inevitable.

God's command is inevitable.

God's command is inevitable.

God's command is inevitable.

I can't do this.

Death, and the word "death"...

...have come to scare me
a great deal, Sakina.

I'll travel to Addis Ababa
for a year or two.

I'll find work and send you money.

Money?

I don't need money,
I need you here beside me.

You remember my brother, Abbas?

I still dream of him drowning in the Nile

with me just standing there, helpless.

You are strong, Sakina.

I can't do this.

Muzamil, son of death.

Muzamil, son of death.

Muzamil?

Eat.

I'm not hungry.

I want to go and play
with the other boys.

Can I go with Gaiballah
to the river?

The river? No.

Eat up and have your shower.

Muzamil?

Are you going to drown?

You waited till I fell asleep
and went out?

How did Al Khalifa say I will die?

He did not say how.

By drowning?

Death is all the same.

I want my father.

I want my father.

I want my father.

Aunt Nafisa, how are you?

Still alive, thank God.

Eissa Fageri, how are you?

Hello. Hello, Sakina.

I need oil, lentils and beans.

Oil. Right.

No news from Alnoor?

Not much.
He writes every now and then.

Shame on him, son of Amna.

Leaving you to your heavy burden.

Here are the beans.

And here's some soap.

- Put these on my tab.
- OK.

- Peace be with you.
- Go in peace.

Peace be upon you.
Sakina, how are you?

Hello, Imam.

Praise be to God.

Muzamil has grown.

But his face looks pale.

I tell you what,

keeping him inside
all the time is not right.

Let the child go out and play.
Bring him to me to learn and read.

What's the good of knowledge
with such a short life span?

A man who dies at 20,

is he a responsible man
or a boy who is not accountable?

A responsible man.

Shouldn't that responsible man
learn to read the Quran?

And pray?

And serve God's house?

What have you got to lose?

- Let's see.
- She's got nothing to lose.

Well said.

"In the name of God,
the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy."

"Competing for more distracts you."

"Until you go into your graves."

Great truth of God.

Muzamil. Come and sit down.

It's all right, Sakina.
You can go now.

Read your board, boy.

"Competing for more distracts you

"until you go into your graves.

"You will come to know.

"No, indeed,
in the end you will come to know.

"If only you knew for certain.
You will most definitely see Hellfire."

Mum!

What?

Does the time I was in your belly
count towards my life span?

My son has been in Saudi Arabia
for so long. I miss him.

Why do they stay away so long?
What does that life offer them?

Work, sister.

How are you, Muzamil?

Is that the stuff from Fageri's shop?

Put it in the kitchen.

First at the mosque
and now at home?

Easy, so he doesn't get scared.

Do you know
what that is over there?

No.

The Kambo.

A singer lives there.
Her name is Set Alnesea.

I wish I had a voice like hers.

But the people there are bad.
They do immoral things.

They do filthy stuff.

Filthy how?

The women there kiss men.

What's wrong with that?

Are you crazy?

It's wrong for a woman
to kiss a man she doesn't know.

What if she knows him?

If she knows him
and loves him, it's fine.

Better ask Sheikh Abdelgader.

"Until you go into your graves.

"No, indeed!
You will come to know."

"No, indeed!
You will come to know."

"No, indeed!
You will come to know.

"No, indeed!
In the end you will come to know."

Praise be to God, son.
Continue memorising.

I'm going to Eissa's
but I will return.

Son of death,
let's play a fun game.

If you don't die today,
you won't die at all.

No!

Let me go!

No!

Let me go!

No!

No!

Let me go!

I don't want to die!

I don't want to die! Let me go!

Let me go!

I don't want to die!

Muzamil.

Get up.

These years spent without you
have been hard, Sakina.

All that running
and those demeaning trials.

Whenever I intend to come back,

I get dragged to another country.

I arrived in Libya
at the beginning of the month.

I hope it will be better than
Addis Ababa, Kenya and Senegal.

Years have passed
and I wish you'd reply.

I only hear about you
from other people.

Take your boy and find Al Khalifa.

Maybe he can intercede
with the Prophets that watch over us

and beg them
to have mercy on us.

And if the boy asks about me,

don't say anything.

Is the Sheikh here?

- Peace be with you.
- And also with you.

Say what you wish.

I am Sakina, daughter of Gadeen,
from Sheikh Al Shafee's village.

They told me the Sheikh sits here
at this time of year.

The Sheikh went to the Hajj
three years ago.

He has not returned.
He visits us in our dreams and visions.

For years

I did my ablutions and prayed daily

for him to visit me in my dreams.

But it's been so long.

Al Khalifa is our messenger
in God's land

and God's land is his.

Tell me your wish.

This is my son, Muzamil.

Al Khalifa said he will die
the day he turns 20.

I came to ask you, Al Khalifa and
all God's righteous friends to intercede.

So that he may live
and escape his fate.

Wait outside.

OK.

Come.

Al Khalifa never says a wrong thing,

but let us ask God,
the almighty planner.

Take off your robe.

Praise be to God.

A beautiful boy.

You hold the light of righteous saints
and the Prophets' burdens.

Listen, boy.

There isn't much time left in life for sins

so, until the Lord reclaims His soul,

come and stay here with me.

Serve the people of the house
and its guests.

Aunt Nafisa, how are you?

Alive.

Still.

The usual.

- Let's go.
- OK.

My God, how old am I now?

The angel of death has passed me by,
son of Sakina.

He roams around the village
and leaves me behind.

I worry that if I die
before this poor creature,

he won't find anyone
to feed him and care for him.

Who are you looking for?

Leave me be, crazy!

Where have you been?
It's been two days.

I've been a bit busy and...

Busy?

Muzamil, son of Sakina,
daughter of Gadeen,

either you are scared of me
or you love me, one of the two.

I changed my haircut.
Is it better?

It's good.

Just good?

I have nothing to do after school.
Take me to the river.

If the job at Eissa's shop
exhausts you, leave it.

Working at the mosque is enough.

Eissa Fageri wants me
to go with him to the city

to get some things
for the shop.

No, you're not leaving this village.

Muzamil, come with me.

Deliver this to the English house,
the one that used to be shut up.

And don't let anyone see you.

Is anyone here?

I'm Eissa's messenger.

I only asked for one thing.
Did you bring it?

- I brought this.
- Give it to me.

Pass me the ashtray.

Over there.

What is this shit?

This is bad Aragy.

What are you waiting for?
The money's there.

Alcohol? It's forbidden
to sell alcohol.

Work. It's just work.

And God is forgiving.

- Did you get the money?
- Forbidden money.

- Imam Abdelgader said...
- What?

Do you think your soul leaves this world
as pure as when Sakina gave birth to it?

Go away. Go to your Imam.

Say some prayers to calm you down.

Go.

"Lord, do not take us to task
if we forget or make mistakes.

"Lord, do not burden us
as You burdened those before us.

"Lord, do not burden us with more
than we have strength to bear.

"Pardon us, forgive us,
and have mercy on us.

"You are our Protector,
so help us against the disbelievers."

God speaks the truth.

- Naima. How are you?
- Hello, Altaib.

- How are you?
- Fine.

Muzamil. How are you?

Fine.

Won't you come
and hang out with the boys?

I'm sorry, I'm busy.

You still seem upset
about what happened back then.

We were kids
and we apologised many times.

Not now.

Gaiballah, be careful.

Don't worry, he's used to it.

I swear, I wish for nothing more

than to be calm like Gaiballah,
living in a peaceful world of his own.

Actually, I wish for a big house,

a space from here
to the edge of the village.

We will build many rooms.

Our kids will play in the water.

We'll have a whole village of kids
and call it Sakina's son's village.

Did you like the food?

It's tasty.

Tie my hair up for me.

And each child
will have their own room

but ours will be the biggest.

- Let me do it.
- Wait.

- You haven't tied it very well either.
- Let's swim.

- No, the Nile is full of crocodiles.
- Nonsense. Want to try?

No, no, no.

No.

- I said no, Naima.
- There are no crocodiles.

No, Naima!

Let me live
for the time I have left.

I'm full.

"He has made me blessed
wherever I may be.

"He commanded me to pray,
to give alms as long as I live,

"to cherish my mother.

"He did not make me
domineering or graceless.

"Peace was on me
the day I was born

"and will be on me the day I die
and the day I am raised to life again.

"Such was Jesus, son of Mary.

"This is a statement of the Truth
about which they are in doubt.

"It would not befit God
to have a child.

"He is far above that.

"When He decrees something,
He says only, 'Be',

"and it is."

Who is your father?

Alnoor.

Is he alive?

He's been travelling
for a long time.

What are the villagers
saying about me?

Me and your father were friends
back in the day.

We used to play all day long
next to Saleh's yard.

Then they told us
the place was haunted by demons.

Do you believe in demons...?

What's your name?

Muzamil.

And demons are mentioned
in the Quran.

Eissa Fageri said the payment is...

Did he not teach you to count?

No.

But I have memorised the Quran
in Hafs and Al-Duri reading styles.

A long time ago they sent me
to Quran school to memorise it.

It was impossible for me.

I asked my father,
"Why should I memorise it all?

"A book of that size,
why should I memorise it?"

He gave me a heck of a beating.

We started fighting.

A few years later I left.

I left the village to him.

The money is in the room.

Boy.

Come.

I can't find the key to this room.

You try.

- OK?
- Yes.

Do you know about cinema?

No.

The only good thing about my dad
is that he loved cinema.

Is this real?

She is from another world.

Samia Gamal.

One of the best dancers
in the world.

After I finish at the shop
I could come and clean up this mess.

Mess?

These are films from the time
of my father and the English.

Get out. Out.

Muzamil, how are you?

- How are you?
- Fine. And you?

Aisha, Fatma, tell your neighbours.
Tomorrow is Muzamil's Quran recital.

- Sure. God willing, it will go well.
- May God bless him.

How are you, Sakina?

- Hello, Ehsan.
- Are you OK?

- I'm fine.
- God bless.

Thank you.

Muzamil's recital is tomorrow?

Yes, God willing.

May God empower him and bless him.

Amen.

Yes, Naima told me.

They are always together.

She's like a sister to him.
They've grown up together.

Anyway, Ehsan, he has no time left.

May God make his life
longer than yours.

You know I don't believe
in such things.

So, what are you up to?

I'm heading to the shop
to buy provisions.

Where did you live before?

All over the world.

Cairo, Paris,
Berlin, South Africa.

I travelled a lot.

They say my father is in Africa.

And where are we now?
Aren't we in Africa?

I used to travel around,
taking pictures of people in the streets.

People for the government,
people against the government.

The war, the parties.

Khartoum girls

and European girls.

It's all on this device.

Why did you return?

You've never left this shitty village,

not even to go to Khartoum.

I'll show it to you.
I filmed every inch of it.

I'll show it to you on this screen.

- Here?
- Yes.

What do you think?

Another time.

I need to study
for the recital tomorrow.

At the village mosque?

Yes.

Do you want to come?

Come.

"Yasine.

"By the decisive Quran,

"you are truly one of the messengers
sent on a straight path,

"with a revelation from the Almighty,
the Lord of Mercy."

And now read from his words.

"Like those who went before them,

"they have tasted
the result of their conduct

"and a painful punishment awaits them."

"I seek refuge with Allah
from the accursed Satan.

"Like those who went before them,

"they have tasted
the result of their conduct

"and a painful punishment awaits them.

"Like Satan, who says to man,
'Do not believe!'

"but when man disbelieves says,

"'I disown you. I fear God,
the Lord of the Worlds.'"

God speaks the truth.

- God bless him.
- God bless him.

Today our son Muzamil
has memorised the whole Quran.

He is the first one in this village

to memorise the Quran
in both reading styles,

Hafs and Al-Duri.

God bless him.

This boy could have become
a great scholar

but nothing lasts in this world.

Come.

Today you made your mother happy.

Your father sent another letter.

I haven't opened it.

Peace be upon you.

Aunt Sakina, how are you?

- Welcome, dear.
- How is your health?

- I hope all is well.
- It's fine.

It's been so long.

You don't pass by very often.

What's on your mind?

I've been busy reading.

Are you thinking
of getting married?

We'll see about that
when the time comes.

May God favour you with a partner
to accompany and uplift you.

Muzamil is at the shop.
I don't think he'll be back anytime soon.

I came to check on you
and have some tea.

Fine.

I'll make some tea for you.

You take great footage.

If I were you,
I'd just follow the Nile.

It goes from here to Egypt.

Then to the Mediterranean
and Europe.

Travel?

You think your village
is the whole world?

You haven't even been to Khartoum.

Here it is,
when it was still a fine city.

Would you teach me maths?

I'll make some food.

You must be hungry
from travelling.

Your father has returned.

It was a life worse than death.

You should have come back.

Insults, feelings of worthlessness,
humiliation.

You said a year or two at most.

I couldn't do it, Sakina.

How old is he now?

As old as your absence.

Count the years if you can.

Is this your first time
watching a movie?

Yes.

Does the devil's daughter
visit your dreams?

Sometimes.

Does she look like Hanouma?

No, she's Sudanese.

You know,

if I was in your shoes,

a guy comes and tells me,
"You'll die at 20,"

I swear I'd sit back like a king.

I'd make everyone
do everything for me.

Food, alcohol and women.

I'd have them
marry me to Hanouma.

And when I turned 20,
I'd stick my tongue out at them.

My father has returned.

Welcome back.

It's the first time I've ever seen him.

One day you plant some wheat

and struggle until you get
a harvest of 36 bags.

Six of your friends
and relatives pass by

and you distribute the bags
equally among them.

How many bags
do you give each one?

Each one...

Six.

Then you're stupid.

Fuck them all.

You're giving away
the fruits of your labour.

Smack all six of them
with a shoe.

This is my Hanouma. Come.

- Muzamil, how are you?
- Good.

Is Sakina all right?

She's OK.

I love this place.

We haven't been here for a while.

Not since we were kids.

I'm still convinced.
And I remember what I said.

If a girl kisses the one she loves
and he loves her back,

it's not wrong.

Let's hope the one she loves
feels the same and says, "I love you."

I love you.

Muzamil.

Go to Aunt Nafisa's
and fetch some sandalwood.

Oh, God.

Sakina has gathered the women
to prepare incense for your farewell.

God does as he sees fit.

I was keeping it for myself
for when I die.

But your mother is dear to me.

Sandalwood incense
for your burial, poor boy.

Pass the salt.

Can you tell me
how you got to know this foreigner?

Uncle Sulaiman?

What about him?

He's a harmful drunk
with a bad reputation.

He's good to me.

He teaches me things
I've never heard about.

He's a good man.

He's like a father to me.

That's enough, Muzamil.

I don't want you
going to his place again.

There's no time left
for sins or filthy people.

Hello. Welcome.

- Welcome.
- Thank you.

- Thank you for coming.
- God bless.

- Welcome.
- Thank you. God bless.

Thank you. How are you?

- Thank God. Thank you.
- God bless.

- God bless.
- Welcome. Come on in.

You want to change God's will?

If the angels command it,
the devils may show mercy.

You are playing
a dangerous game, Sakina.

But fine, let's visit
Set Alnesea at the Kambo

and do the exorcism ritual
for your devils.

You're wearing black
when he is still alive.

Well, you always wear white.

I wear white
to mourn my dead son.

You wear black
to mourn your living son.

Or has sadness become a habit?

What's wrong?

I think my mother
is preparing for something.

A husband.

Altaib.

Just come and talk to her

and leave the rest to me.

The problem is,
I'm just like you.

I like to cheat myself.

Every time I ask
when you will come,

you say tomorrow

and I say fine.

It seems I like hearing you say
the word "tomorrow".

Why are you imprisoning yourself
with me?

Because I'm an idiot.

And you're scared
of everything, even me.

Muzamil hasn't come
for two weeks.

Very strange.

You know, Sulaiman,
that boy's story is so weird.

Even the women
of the Kambo know it.

The women of the Kambo
now know the unseen?

Not just in the Kambo.

Al Khalifa too,
Sheikh Al Shafee's successor.

I was singing at his naming ceremony
when it all happened.

What's that on your hand? Henna?

What henna, Sulaiman?

Since when did women apply henna
when they are not married?

Whose grave is that?

Gubbara's, son of Nafisa.

Let's bury him here.

Next to my father.

No.

We'll bury him here
next to my father's grave.

Where have you been?

I've been waiting for you.

Where else would a man
who is near death go?

He means to live and die here?

This is my place until I turn 20,

serving the house of God,
ready for his mercy when I need it.

You're speaking like them now.

The Sheikh doesn't lie.
Nor does my mother.

They are all dervishes.

This.

You don't use this to think,
only to memorise words?

We don't know
more than the Sheikh.

He knows God's words
and how to interpret them.

And if you don't like us,
go back to where you came from.

What colour is this?

White.

And now?

It's still white.

The splash of ink
made it even whiter.

You ask for forgiveness for your sins
and yet you've never sinned.

Try sinning.

Maybe then you'll know the difference
between whiteness and ink.

Peace be upon you.

And upon you, Auntie Ehsan.
How are you?

Good, thank God.
How are you?

Good, thank God.

God bless you.

Listen, I want a pound of tea,

a bag of sugar
and two cases of Pepsi.

Two cases?
Are you having a celebration?

We'll see, God willing.

Fine.

Muzamil.

Muzamil.

Gaiballah, go back.

Enough.

That's enough, Gaiballah.
Don't follow me.

She got engaged.

I heard the chants.

It felt like knife wounds
all over my body.

And?

How can Naima
have agreed to this?

To hell with you.

To hell with you both.

What were you expecting?

She only loved you
because she's crazy.

Even lunatics follow their instinct.

They choose life
and you are the walking dead.

Everything about you
reminds me of death.

Your walk, your kindness, your smell.

The look in your eye is dead, kid.

I want those around me to be alive.

I don't know
how I got stuck with you anyway.

Tonight I'll drink to Naima,
the goddess of life.

Listen, the maths lessons are over.

And as for this bad Aragy
of yours, I quit.

Leave.

Stand up.

Go now and don't come
crying to me again.

You were harsh on him, Sulaiman.

To hell with you too, Set Alnesea.

I don't know
why you are still with me.

Why don't you go
and live your life?

Live my life?

Live my life, Sulaiman?

If I wanted to live my life,
I'd have done so years ago.

When you abandoned me.

- Or have you forgotten?
- It's your fault.

You should have followed
your instinct, like Naima,

and married one of the men
who sleeps with you and had his child.

Do you think saying this bullshit to me
will make me leave?

No, I'm not like you, nobleman.

You lecture the boy
on life and death.

It's you who reeks of death,
not Muzamil.

Naima.

It's all your fault. It's all your fault.

It's all your fault.

It's all your fault. It's all your fault.

It's all your fault.

Let me count.
I've learned how.

Sulaiman was buried in my grave.

I saw the Sheikh's dervishes.

Where did you see them?

Where did you see them?

Where did you see the dervishes?

Muzamil?

Did you talk to them?

Did they talk to you?

Where did you see them?

Where did you see the dervishes?

Muzamil.

Maybe they came with good news.

Twenty.

Maybe you miscounted?

Maybe you miscounted?

Muzamil.

Maybe you miscounted?

Maybe they came with good news.

Maybe they came
with forgiveness.

Maybe they came
with forgiveness.

Maybe you miscounted.

Where did you see them?

Where did you see the dervishes?

Muzamil.

Muzamil.

Muzamil. What's wrong?

Sulaiman's gone.

Sulaiman's gone, Muzamil.

Sulaiman's gone.

He's left us both.

I'm not here to pay my respects.

I came for you.

I want what men want.

All right, I'll call a girl your age.
She'll share the experience with you.

I don't have time.
I only have tonight.

And I want you.

His grave is still wet.

Keep your money.

He told me to try sinning.

He convinced me.

Don't you all want me
to be a man?

Don't you all want me
to do something?

Muzamil...

No, boy.

Muzamil, calm down.

Don't you all want me to be a man?

Don't you all want me to be a man?

Muzamil, calm down.

Not this way, Muzamil.

Calm down, Muzamil.

No, boy.

Muzamil, calm.

Muzamil!

Muzamil!

The boy has turned 20,

which means
God's command has been fulfilled.

Honouring the dead
is to bury them.

We must find his corpse.

He must have drowned.

All our boys die in the Nile.

Take the boat and search for him.

It will take at least three days
for him to reappear.

The Lord is our guide.

The Lord is our guide.

You know that money
that I came with?

It's all from my work at the mosque.

But I'm done with it.

I memorised the Quran.

All of it.

They all witnessed it.

They all applauded.

My mum was happy.

What is she going to do now?

Naima.

Since you are not dead,
he left these for you.