Achoura (2018) - full transcript

Achoura is a religious celebration.

In Morocco,
children splash water on each other

and gather around a bonfire.

It is also called Child's Night.

A LONG TIME AGO
IN MOROCCO

I can't stay too long
I'm afraid he'll learn I'm gone.

I hate him, he doesn't have the right
to treat you like this.

I hate him too... But he's my husband,
and he provides for my family.

I'll never let him hurt you again.

What if we ran away together ?

Where ?



I don't know,
we could go to the city...

And I would be your husband,
if you like.

Here, I made this whistle for you.
Each time you think of me, blow it.

If I did that,
I'd never stop blowing it.

Bashira !

Bashira !

I'll find you,
and slice you into little pieces !

Wake up !
Please wake up !

Look at me !

Please, wake up !

Open your eyes !

ACHOURA

Nowadays

Mom !



Wake up !

- What is it honey ?
- We have to go. We're late !

Why'd you let me sleep so long ?

Hello.

How are you doing Stephen ?

I'm fine.

I'm really late for work.
Can I call you back during lunch ?

Are you coming
to my opening tonight ?

- Yes, I am, of course.
- What about Ali ?

I don't know. Just a second.

Youssef,
can you call the elevator ?

I really need to go.
I'll call you back later.

- Okay.
- Bye for now.

Youssef !

Are you okay ? Come closer.

Move closer.

Are you okay ? Come closer.

Move closer.

If I showed you a few pictures,
you think you'd recognize him ?

I'm here to help you.

Talk to me.

There was a man,
with big eyes, big black eyes...

His eyes were big and black !

You've been watching those recordings
for 24 hours straight.

The devil's in the details...
They're hiding something.

Ali...

I'm talking to you as your friend,
not your boss.

Go home.
Spend time with your kid.

You're wasting your time,
this case is closed.

It's my fault. By saving this kid,
I passed sentence on the rest of them.

You know it's true !

I'd have done the same thing.

Go home now,
take today off.

Just let me work.

Okay...

But I'm warning you. You better
not still be here when I get back.

His eyes were big and black !

Hi !

You wanna come play with me ?

What are you doing here ?

You'll never leave this place !

Daddy !

- How are you ? How was school ?
- Fine. It was okay.

You staying here with us tonight ?

No need to panic, I'm just here
to pick up some stuff...

You should have called first.

- It's your home, too !
- Youssef !

She doesn't have
the right to say that !

You're talking about your mother.

She's a bitch !

He'll get over it.

You think it's fair that
I'm the one who punishes ?

He's your son, too !

Are you coming
to Stephen's opening ?

Do it for Stephen.

Let me tell you a story.

For years,
I had the same dream.

In the dream I am a child.

And I'm lying in my bed... all alone.

I'm awake but can't move.

My eyes won't shut.
I stare at the ceiling.

A terrifying man approaches me.

He's staring at me...

Then he chokes me.

I feel burning fingers
crushing my throat.

And I wake up...

All of a sudden...

I can't remember his face.

A shadow...

a nightmare.

I still feel...

Like I'm dying.

One day I decided to confront him.

That night as he choked me,
I looked up and saw his face.

He had big eyes...

Dark as night.

I was mesmerized by his strangeness.

This creature was the most
beautiful thing I had ever seen.

That day,
I realized I had lost my innocence.

I stopped dreaming.

I started painting.

But don't be afraid, dear guests.

What you see here
is not that frightening.

And if what you see frightens you,
then you are fooling yourselves.

Monsters...

Monsters
are a reflection of our society.

They are real.
They are among us !

I have decided to break my silence.

To share with you my nightmare,
to better confront it.

But I can't do it alone.

I need your help, Nadia.

I know what abducted Samir.

Nadia, it's time for you
to face the monster.

It's time for you to remember.

I'm glad you're here, Nadia.

We saw something, Nadia !
It wasn't made of flesh and blood !

20 years ago

It's my turn now !

There's only one left
and you already used five !

But my father paid for these !

You think you can do anything
because you're a girl ?

You filthy rich kid !

I Love You Nadia, Ali

What ? You want my picture ?

Ali ! Ali ! Look at this !

A beetle in a bottle, amazing.

You know what I named it ?
I named it Ali !

If I put a firecracker inside
of the bottle, you think it will die ?

No that's disgusting ! Set it free !

Hey, that's neat !
Where did you find it ?

Over there, there's plenty of them !

What ?
You were close to the French House ?

- What's the French House ?
- You never heard about it ?

My father used to tell me
that story to scare me...

The other side of the cornfield,
there's an old manor. They call it...

The French House !

Come on get in, hurry, hurry !

It was built by French soldiers.

It is said that
they did many horrible things.

And that one day something
really strange appeared to them.

Like a demon or something,

And it started eating kids
in villages around here.

Once, I saw something weird.

I came on holidays with my dad.
As soon as I saw the field,

I remembered the story
about the house.

- What happened next ?
- Well, my father came to get me.

Of course, he didn't see anything.
I was the only one to see.

I never knew if what I saw was real,
or if it was just my imagination.

Nadia, you were just trying
to scare us, right ?

Maybe I was...

I was looking for my ball.

Why are you chained up ?

My name is Hakim.
Remember me ?

Go away ! Go away !

You like the smell of piss,
don't you ?

The missing person's name
is Hakim Lahlou.

He's eleven, only son.

Last time he was seen,
he was playing here.

Witnesses told us
about an old man living here.

An old man ?

The old man wasn't living
here alone.

Majd ! Check this out.

What is it ?

This looks familiar to me...

Following up
on a series of missing children

and the recent disappearance
of young Hakim Lahlou.

We are instating a nation-wide
missing children alert protocol.

We ask families
to be very careful with their children,

especially during Ashura's night.

Crazy things are happening outside.

Alright sweetheart,
it's time to go to bed.

Wait mommy,
I haven't built my castle yet.

- It'll have to wait until tomorrow.
- No, no ! It's too important.

When the castle is finished,
it can protected from the monsters.

Protect you from monsters ?

Look at me.

- You are my biggest monster.
- Stop it !

Come on.

What is it ?

On TV they talked about
a bad person who takes little kids.

Nobody is going
to take you away from us sweetheart.

Maybe there's a monster
under the bed.

- Oh my God, there is something !
- What is it ?

I am your monster !

And I am hungry.
What will I eat tonight ?

Anis's belly, it looks so good.

Anis's cheeks, very nice...

- Time's up, get some sleep now.
- Maybe there's a monster in my closet?

Ok, let's take a look.

You see, the closet is empty.

Good night sweetheart,
mommy loves you.

Who is it ?

Who was it ?

You could have gone yourself.

Call the police, quick !

I'll be right there.

Ali, what's going on ?

Is it the same case ?

I have no idea, we've never
arrested this man before.

He hasn't said a word
since he arrived.

He has no name, no identity.

He's like a ghost.

- Any witnesses ?
- Besides his parents, no one.

They've also mentioned
an old man, that vanished.

We don't understand
how the child disappeared.

The parents are crushed.

Oh, I almost forgot.

We found this on him.

Funny, your name
is written on the necklace.

Get up !

Look at me !

Look at me !

Who are you ?

Who are you ?

Samir ?

Samir ?

Ali ?

Stephen ?

Your memory.

Tell me, what happened to you ?

You have to get me out of here.

Where can I find the man
who kidnapped you, Samir.

I must stop him.

No...

My fault.

Listen to me.
You're not like him.

I'll help you, but first
we must save those children.

I must stop him.

He won't hurt you again,
I swear.

Bougatate !

Bougatate ?

Is that the man's name ?

Is it ?

I must stop him now.
Now !

I will. I promise
and I will get you out of here.

Your memory.

Samir...

Samir...

What's your name ?

My name is Bashira.

What are you doing here ?

I am lost...

Are you alone ?

Come with me, I'll introduce you
to my friends. You'll see they're cool.

Where have you been ?
We've been looking for you everywhere !

I was looking for the cornfield
you told us about.

- Who are you ?
- Her name is Bashira.

Bashira, this is...

Ali my brother.
Here's Stephen, and Nadia.

We are here for the holidays.

Come play with us !

There's a house through the cornfield.
My friend's there. He needs our help.

The French House ?

We can't leave her like that.
We have to help her !

We don't know she is.
Let's wait for our parents !

Come on, let's go !

Why are you here Nadia ?

I wanted to see you
and apologize for last night.

Are you listening to me ?

No !

You don't care
about what I have to say ?

The Keeper warned us. He said that when
we grow up we would forget everything.

Sorry but I don't understand.

You're not the only one
who suffered.

It's not about that !

I also blamed myself
for what happened to Samir.

But we were kids,
we couldn't have done anything.

And Ali was there for me...
But you, you left.

You're kidding me ?
I was 12, I had no choice !

I was alone after that. You were
together and you forgot everything.

No, we haven't forgotten.
We were attacked by a pervert !

What attacked us was no pervert,
nor anything human !

It's about time
you got some help and grew up.

- So you don't remember anything.
- I remember I was in love with you.

You were in love with me ?

We made a pact.

And it was your own idea.

We swore we would never
forget what happened that day.

I figured it out early...
I had to draw,

so I wouldn't forget.

Who told you
that I wanted to remember ?

Stephen ?

Guys ? !

Where are you ?

Let me go !

Ali !

Come on, run.
Hurry, hurry, come on !

- Yeah.
- Ali ?

I remember...
I remember everything.

- What are you talking about ?
- I remember Samir's abduction.

And I also remembered
that you've always been there for me.

I remember too.

- Miss, miss.
- Please hold the line.

Why are you still here, Zineb ?

I'm waiting for my father to come
and I really need to pee !

Wait a minute.

Come by pick me up at school.

I'll be right there.

Okay, bye !

Wait for me please,
don't leave me alone.

Don't worry, I'll be right here.

On happy Ashura night,
Their joy burns too bright

He's woken from his slumber,
famished by a hunger

Their joy he wants to eat,
Those children young and sweet

The children scream so loudly.
His name is Bougatate

Zineb, hurry up !

I'm coming !

Run !

Follow me ! This way !

The ladder !

- Climb up the ladder.
- No, I'm scared.

- You can do it.
- I can't.

- Don't move !
- Ali !

I said, don't move !

Don't move !

Stay here, don't move.

Don't move, Samir.

- Ali, what are you doing ?
- I don't have time to explain...

- They'll blame you for everything.
- I don't have a choice.

- Let me help you. I'll find a way...
- He's my brother.

This is Samir !

Forgive me, Khalid.

Keep moving.

Where's daddy ?

He went to get your uncle,
sweetheart.

My uncle ?

Wait.

Go in.

Nadia !

Youssef.
This is your uncle, Samir.

What going on ?
The kindergarten was closed ?

What ?

What's the matter ?

It's for you.

It was for you.

That day...

I wanted to give it to you.

Nadia, take a look.

Where the hell are we ?

I'm not sure,
but it sure looks old.

This house is awesome !

Hey Stephen,
he looks like your mother !

No, he looks like Nadia
when she gets out of bed !

- Guys...
- I'm here.

My friend is stuck upstairs.

There's someone here !

Who is it ?

Bashira's friend ?

Where is she, by the way ?

Do you think he's alive ?

What's that disgusting thing
he has on his belly ?

It's ok, it's ok.

Don't be scared, I'll help you.

Run... run !

Let us out !

Stephen !

Samir !

What did you do to him ?

One day, when you grow up,
you will forget everything.

Did the old man hurt you ?

- No, it's my fault.
- Samir, it's not your fault !

How do we kill it ?

- I swallow it.
- No.

There must be another way.

Where can we find it ?

The French House.

On happy Ashura night,
Their joy burns too bright

He's woken from his slumber,
famished by a hunger

Their joy he wants to eat,

Those children young and sweet,
The children having fun

His name is Bougatate

Like other demons, it goes by various
names depending on the civilization.

To the Muslim, it is
a thousand-year-old malicious Djinn.

And like every demon, he feels
a firece hatred towards humans.

Still, he needs to possess a human
being in order to take material form.

He feeds on children.

Gathering strength
from their joy and their innocence.

Ashura is the perfect moment
for it to feed.

The youth celebration.

It's all our fault.

When we entered that house,
we woke it up.

The old man kept it locked up.

He meant to protect us...

Mommy !

Do it !

Do it !

Ali, over here !

Don't be afraid.

Samir, what are you doing ?

I die...

- It dies.
- Samir...

Run !

Mommy...

He's woken from his slumber,
famished by a hunger

Youssef !

Calm down, honey.

He's alive,
we must go to the French House.

We're almost there.

- We have to get him.
- Get some rest.

Nadia !

Wait !

Nadia !

Youssef !

This way.

Down there.

Youssef !

Youssef !

What are we walking on ?

He ate them.

Shit !

He ate them all.

Ali ! Ali !

Youssef !

I'm here for you !

It's going to be alright.

Go get Nadia !

Youssef !

Bashira ?

I beg you, spare my son.

He didn't do anything.

I know that's not you. It's that
thing that controls your body.

We have to make a pact.

- What are you talking about ?
- A pact to never forget Samir.

I don't believe what the old man said,
we must look for him and find him.

I agree,
I swear to never forget him.

I swear to never forget him.

I swear to find him,
we will never forget.

Any sign of Inspector Ali ?

We found tire marks
on the other side.

Do you think we can
catch up with them ?

You can run from anything,
but the past.

ACHOURA