Bashu, the Little Stranger (1989) - full transcript

During the Iran-Iraq War, Bashu, a young boy loses his house and all his family. Scared, he sneaks into a truck that is leaving the area. He gets off the truck in the Northern part of the country, where everything from landscape to language is different. He meets Naii, who is trying to raise her two young children on a farm, while her husband is away. Despite cultural differences, and the fact that they do not speak the same language, Bashu and Naii slowly form a strong bond

CULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF YOUTH

BASHU, THE LITTLE STRANGER

A film by Bahram BEYZAI

Soussan TASLIMI

With Parviz Pourhosseini
Adnan OPHRAVIAN

Akhbar DOUDEKAR

Farokhlara and Reza HOUCHEMAND

Zabialah Salmani
Mohtaram KHOCHROU

Cinematographer:
Firouze MALAKZADEH

Produced by
Ali-Reza ZARRIN

Written and directed by
Bahram BEYZAI



It's called Death.

The crafty arrive without warning.

Are you afraid of following?

I'm surprised to be alive!

If she comes,
she will destroy us.

I'll eat on the way.
How much?

My dear, if you go,
I'm coming too.

| take no passengers.

Are you scared?
Take him.

Excuse me,
| don't carry contraband

or passengers,
because I'm being watched.

When do you open this tunnel?

Little by little, slowly.

If the materials get here
before the snow.



They say!

Mom! Come and see!

There's someone down there.

Wait!

Go away!

Shut up!

Boy, take it!

Hey, get out, you scared the child.

Who are you?

Laic?

Muslim?

I'm talking to you!

What are you doing in this mousehole?

Get out of here!

What did you use
to become so black and so dirty?

Speak now.
You don't answer?

As you say, poor dumb?

You don't go?

Too bad.

Well, stay in your hole!

Hello, God bless you.

Thanks, you too.

We can speak your language.

Don't make round eyes.

QOuchine, Golbesar, come clean.

What is your name?

Your mother, your father,
your sister, your brother,

what are their names?

What is your name?

Wash it first.
Him first of all.

Maybe you're a genius,
out of a coal mine.

You're black,

you're dumb,

you're without a name...

Every man has a name.

The only one who does not
is the giant of the desert.

Your brother did not flee.

He has courage.

He comes himself.
Did you see he didn't cry?

My father called me Naie.

| named my children
Golbesar and Ouchine.

What is your name to you?

What are you doing?
Where are you from?

He has abandoned you

or you ran away?

You're lost, perhaps?

If you want any seeds,
come and get it.

If | had wings,
| would be up above you.

You didn't fall from the sky.

Where do you come from?

Mom, Mom ...

| came from far away.

| don't know where | am.

Am | still in Iran?

| don't understand your language.

| exist too.

| have the protection of my parents.

Hamani, my sister, was your size.

What happened?

| woke up with a start one morning

| was hungry,
my father rose from the table,

the earth moved.
The noise was deafening.

Mom prayed but | did not hear,

smoke blinded me.

My sister Hamani was lost in the smoke.

Mom caught fire and burned.

My father raised his arms to heaven

and he fell to the ground.

I ran to school:
the teacher lay under the bricks.

My God, why didn't you take me?

They are now searching for me
in the other world.

I'm left alone.

Well, dear Naie, what's new?

Aunt, | am alone.

My husband's chasing after work.

He'll come home sooner or later.

These children need their father.

Where does this piece of coal come from?

It comes out of a mine?

Isn't there any mail for me?

A letter? No.

1,2,3,4,5..

It's been over twenty days.

Usually they came earlier?

No, more than twenty days.

Then what?

Have you any soap?

Two pieces.

Who is he, this swarthy man?

Go away,
why are you checking the dates?

What are you doing
about hospitality, Marhamat?

Clear!

He's with me.

A parent?

I have no family.
This is our guest.

When | have washed him,
he'll be white.

Then get more soap!

The rice will grow better
thanks to this music.

Mama!

It's called "chops".

And you, what are you called?

I'm Naie.

Bashu.

It seems you have a guest
who looks like a wild animal.

Where does he come from?

| don't know.

Does he have a language?

The poor man speaks
but | do not understand.

He looks at us
as if we were strange.

Hello. That's the boy?

What a surprise, step-sister!

Have you lost your way?

Look. One calls that
a smoke blackened lamp.

What's his name there?

Bashu.
| think he said Bashu.

Bashu, what does that mean?

Each beginning has an end.

He came, when will he leave?
Who will look for him?

Last year we had a guest
who ran away.

As if he was a thief?

He's not sick?

Show me your teeth.

Then look at his head.

Dear Naie, you haven't acted properly.

You do not have parents
but you should have consulted us.

He was lost, step-sister.

Stay here a few days.

It's fate that will decide.

There must be something wrong,
if he was abandoned.

This is the newcomer?

Why not say hello?

It's impolite.

All It takes is a bit of politeness.

Who are his parents?

And if he was bad luck?

Exactly.
What if he brought disaster,

the plague or something?

You should be ashamed.
Shut up.

You have done very well.
May God reward you.

You should still not leave him alone.

We have a roof to share.

But if something happens to him,

trouble will come.

Creating a host of expenses.

My brother went to look for work

and you bring a mouth to feed.

You drank your tea, and chatted.

Return to your homes.

Good wind!
You've told enough stories.

You've hurt me.
| made a mistake?

You scared him to death.

You'll regret it, dear Naie.

If | shake your hand,
spit on it and send me back!

Go away. So you're
not prevented from sleeping!

My wife is sick
and cannot work.

Lend him to me.
1 will put him to work in the field.

Give him to you for work?
He isn't an orphan.

I'll give you 10 tomans per day.

| am responsible
but he has relatives too.

You owe me a lot.

Rather than settle your debts,

you spend it on him?

When my husband comes back,
| will pay my debts.

Mom, I'm feeling ill.

Step-sister!
Bashu is sick, help me!

All right.
Come back soon!

Who are your friends?
Who are your enemies?

Shouldn't they spit on your hand?

What to do with the child of another?

Oh neighbor! Put on your shoes
and come here!

The child is dying.

The poor thing is delirious
in an unknown language.

| beg you to come.

You have already healed my children.

My medicines
are effective only for whites.

I do not know how
to cure people of that color.

It is a black boy

who is still very small.

It seems out of a ...

He speaks a foreign language.

Dear Naie,

you're mad.

You work from morning to night

and it's he who eats.

Hey boy,

take this bucket.

What does this laziness mean?

What have you written?

"To my dear husband,
Mr. Ghesmat Chanbeh Sarai.

"It is a long time
since we have had any news.

"L hope you are well

"And you come back with money,

"As soon as possible,
to help us with the harvest.

"A guest cametous ..."

Ah, very good!

Now, | understand.

You'll put him to work!

Is he a guest or a slave?

Write!

Now, if you'll allow me,

I'll keep him...

until his parents pick him up.

Come and wash.

You don't want to come?

| don't want to wash.

What are you doing up there?
Get down!

Swarthy type!

No!

He doesn't turn white!

What do you want?
Your clothes aren't dry.

Open your ears, my dear Naie.

Why don't you listen to us?

He should perform

before it is too late.

Someone else must keep him.

I don't mind.

Would you take him with you?

Here he is, take him!

It does not concern me,

let me go!

Take the other end of the ladder.

Rascal!

You lie, you lie!

The plane arrives!

What are you doing?

"Iran is our homeland."

"We belong to the same country."

"We are the children of Iran."

Hey, you went to school?

He reads badly.

He reads better than you.

Where are your parents?

He ran away.

Why did you leave school?

"L hope you watch out for the fig tree,

"And the home

"And the oven.

"Watch over the rice paddy.

"Maybe I'll be there
before the harvest.

"For my work, everything is better.

"Send the letters as usual,

"So they arrive.

"My greetings to the neighbors

"And the family.

"| think of you.

"Give my regards to Ouchine and Golbesar.

"L hope to see you
as soon as possible.

"And about Bashu:

"He is welcome.

"From what you write, he's a man.

"L can rest easy
that you are not alone.

"There is plenty of work.

"I'm not there,

"But for me it will help.

"So, I'm reassured.

"My greetings to Bashu."

Why do not you talk, Bashu?

Speak the language of the book.

Where are the palm trees?

And your boats?

And derricks, higher than the palm trees?

Your sun is shining.

| don't see anyone playing the flute.

Have you heard the sound of dates
cooking on the fire?

Why are not we talking here
of the oil companies?

The sun...

Palms...

Oil companies...

The fire...

| have garlic, good garlic...
And eggs...

Come and buy.

What is black!

If this is too expensive, you leave.

You can bring me some tea?

What fish do you want?

The large.

50 tomans.

The chicken is how much?

120 tomans.

No less?
- No!

How much do | owe you?

50 plus 120 tomans.

He gave you less.

How much did you give me?

He missed 20 tomans.

Here, buy what you want.

You understand, bravo.

God bless you!

God bless you!

Brother, show me this shirt.

- How much?
- 60 tomans.

40 toman... 41...

41 toman, | haven't any more.

Mom, | want a dress.

| bought you one the other day.

The coward hasn't even said goodbye.

Good, thank you God.
You can be alone.

Why aren't you happy?
You should be laughing.

I'm worried,
what may have happened to him?

What does he eat?
Where does he sleep?

He was not as strong as you.

He couldn't get used to this life.

Him, abroad, has not
deemed us worthy of him!

You're wrong not to go looking for him.

He is all alone.
Maybe that was the trouble.

Cousin, you didn't know how to keep
the child that was entrusted to you.

If | see him again,
| will give him a good lesson.

He was very smart.

He could count.

One less mouth to feed.

I'm not sorry for him,

but for myself.

We say:

You did not even manage

to keep a poor little child?

Well, now it's all over.

Yes, say no more.
It's over.

Listen!

Bashu, what are you doing?

Shhh, let the plants grow.

What did he say?

Hey, dear Naie, what's happening?

You're scaring our children
and you defend the stranger.

You want to fight?
Okay, but one by one!

Not all against him.

If | see him, I'll deal with him.

| know what bothers you, cousin.

It's that he can count.

And you can't get off the ground!

You buy on credit
and yet you talk?

You counted 8 rials too.

Who said that, him?
I'll settle his account.

Look at them,
they are reconciled!

Give me your hand.

"L bought this fabric for you.

"L hope you like it.

"About Bashu,

"l do not know what to say.

"About Bashu,

"l do not know what to say.

"I'll have another mouth to feed ...

How?

"Can we trust ...

"a stranger?"

Why are you sleeping here?

Do not you have a home?

Don't you have your place?

Get up and come to bed.

What do you want?

Mother is sick.

| want the doctor.

Loghman went to town.

Naie is sick!
Mother is sick!

Naie is sick.

To write the letter

| didn't go to the neighbor.

Who wrote this letter for me,

is my son Bashu.

He helps us

in all the work.

He eats little

for the work he does.

And the bread too...

| give him my share.

He is like all children,

a child of the sun and the earth.

Bit by bit...

| understand

half of what he says.

God give you strength.

Have you any water?

Why are you looking at me?

| see you are a foreigner.

Playing the flute?

Plants grow better with music.

You also have a scarecrow.

| made it.

Something's wrong?

His hands.

Once, | also played the flute.

His hands do not please you?

Sounds good.
It is a good idea.

Hey Bashu, where's dear Naie?

You have not seen her
return from school?

She went to enroll you there.

To register you?
We'll pass on the news.

Hey Bashu, did you know
that dear Naie's husband has returned?

When?

Instead of a letter, he came himself!

| told you no.

You do not understand anything...

He doesn't bring us anything.

Everyone rejected him,
and |, | loved him...

By losing your hand,
you and | lost everything, my joy.

You did not bring any money?

You did not give me
the life | expected.

There was nothing to do here?

There was no work there.

What am | going to do
with the land?

What to tell the children?

Who is this man?

Father.

Where were you?

| was looking for you.

Give me your hand.