Dreams I Never Had (2018) - full transcript
An Egyptian girl is held captive in the home of a wealthy Arab American family. She is befriended by the family's young gardener, himself an illegal from Mexico. Their friendship carries both of them through their hopeless, sequestered lives and ultimately inspires them to break free.
- All rise.
Court is now in session.
The Honorable Judge Messner presiding.
- Sit down.
Mr. and Mrs. Sahal,
I understand you are waiving
your right to a jury.
Is that correct?
Yes, Your Honor.
And you understand the charges
against you, Mrs. Sahal?
Yes.
- You are charged with conspiracy,
holding a person in involuntary service.
How do you plead?
Not guilty, Your Honor.
- Right.
Let us proceed.
- You stay in here until I return.
- No.
No!
No, no!
- No college will take
you with a C in Calculus.
Or you wanna end up in a
community college, huh?
- Okay, I have four AP classes,
I'm working my ass off.
What more do you want from me?
- Do not use that
language with your father.
- Look, I want a son
that I can be proud of.
Why do think I came to American, huh?
So you can have a good
education and a good life.
- Well, I actually got all
As on my last report card.
Where's Zac?
Zac!
Always late.
Zac!
Thank you.
Do you Speak Spanish?
Hey.
Eyes up here
Oh my god!
What Dad?
This woman is rich but
very cheap!
It even scares me
Why are you doing this?
Layla can do it.
- Because I like to do it a certain way.
- So, show her how you like it done.
I spend all day showing
her how to do things.
- You spend all day showing
her how to do things, huh?
Sweetie, I think you are
a little hard on the girl.
- What do you mean?
She's here to help us.
- She's your niece.
You brought her to this country
because your sister wanted
a better life for her.
- This is a much better life
than anything she could
have had back home.
And it's just building her character.
- Still.
She is too young to be working this hard.
Oh my God.
I worked twice as hard when I was her age.
- You know where you were
when you were her age.
Accident?
- No.
- What are you doing?
I'm going to the market.
Don't answer the phone,
and don't open the door.
Layla!
Why are you not up?
You're not dying.
This is your period that started.
Here, you see this?
Put this in your underwear.
Change it every time
you go to the bathroom.
Do not flush it down the toilet.
Not get up and go wash your
clothes and your sheets.
Come on.
Hello!.
Do you speak English?
Hey, how come you don't go to school
like your brothers and sisters?
- Your Honor, I'd like to call
Suzanne Sahal to the stand.
Miss Sahal, you understand
that you're under oath?
Yes.
- Can you please describe how
you treated the defendant?
- We treated her like
one of our own children.
- And do your own children do chores?
Some.
- Such as?
- They had to do their school work.
- School work is not a chore.
- For some it is.
- And what about the victim?
What kind of chores did she have?
- Well, Layla cleaned our house
and she prepared our meals.
This is nothing more than
American housekeepers would do.
- American housekeepers
don't work 18 hours a day,
seven days a week, and they're
not 13-year old children.
- Objection.
The number of hours per week
has not been substantiated.
- Okay, fine.
For now we well say X hours per week,
but I think it's been well substantiated
that this happened over an 18 month period
when the victim was between
12 and 14 years old.
- In my country, it is customary
to employ children her age
to help the domestic help.
I was just following the
customs of my homeland.
- Notwithstanding U.S. child labor laws,
American housekeepers
get to leave their jobs
at the end of the day,
and, well, they can resign
if they feel so inclined.
Layla could have
left anytime she wanted.
- Oh really?
And done what?
Hopped on a plane and
go back to her family?
- Objection.
We are addressing the nature
of the alleged victim's
relationship to the Sahals,
not some hypothetical hardship
should she have separated
from their employ.
- Sustained.
- Whether the relationship
can be described as employ
is yet to be determined.
Oh, Miss Sahal, I do
have one last question.
Did you or any member of your
family ever strike the girl?
- Objection.
Questions must pertain
to the defendant only.
- Did you ever strike the alleged victim?
- Never.
- No further questions Your Honor.
Hello!.
How are you?
How are you?
My name is Emilio.
- Emilio?
- Emilio, yes.
What's your name?
- Layla.
- Layla.
Layla.
Hello Layla.
Hello Emilio.
- You're a fast learner.
- Hola means hello.
- Hey.
Talker
Come on.
Leave her alone
- You don't feel well?
- Just a little headache.
- Come on.
Turn, I'll give you a good massage.
You know you work so hard.
And that employer,
they don't appreciate
anything that you do.
How long have you worked there?
- It'll be five and a half years.
- There you go.
I think it's time for a promotion.
- We talked about this before.
I think I have to wait for the right time
to talk to Mr. Ibrahim.
Maybe after the next account.
- You know, sometimes you take so long
that I think you miss the opportunity.
Maybe you just need to be more
aggressive with Mr. Ibrahim.
- I am aggressive enough!
- I'm just looking out for you.
I'm looking out for the whole family.
- I am looking out for the whole family!
Hello.
Hola means hello.
- Yeah, yeah.
Today we're going to learn some new words.
Here, have a seat.
I got you a surprise.
A book.
It's an English book.
I'll teach you.
So...
We can start with the letter A.
That's the first letter, okay.
Okay.
Look.
A is ah.
- Ah?
- Ah.
Again.
- Presents for a family.
"Look what Santa Claus
brought," she exclaimed.
Who is Santa Claus?
- You don't know who Santa Claus is?
Okay, he's make belief,
like an elf or a dragon,
and he brings presents on Christmas
to all the good children in the world.
And he's jolly, and he says ho ho ho ho!
- He's the fat man in the red suit?
- Yes, but he is not real.
- I know that.
He is in cartoons.
- Do not look at her with those evil eyes.
She's your cousin.
- My cousin, huh?
Don't you think it's strange
she doesn't look like any of us?
What do you mean?
- Have you ever asked mother
which of her sisters is Layla's mother?
- Enough.
I do like your insinuations
about your mother.
The only thing that concerns me
is the impure thoughts in your heart.
Go.
The girl needs new clothes.
- I'll see if Maryam has any old clothes.
- I'm very tired.
Ai yai yai yai.
I can't do it any more Dad!
- When I was your age,
I went days without food, agua, no bed,
slept on the floor.
- What's the matter?
Is it your back again.
Yes, Yes.
I've been doing this a long time, Emilio.
It makes me an old man at 40.
- Yeah, but you still go it, eh?
Yeah.
For a grandfather!
Well!!!
Maybe soon. - Ai yai yai.
- No.
You have to be careful.
Have a seat.
- No.
- Papi, let me do it.
- No, just sit.
- What?
What?
- Who are you?
Where are your parents?
- My parents are in a
country very far away.
My family is very, very poor.
We were hungry all the time.
At least here I'm not hungry.
- But, do you ever miss them?
I have brothers and sisters,
and they live in Mexico.
I miss them all the time.
But, me and my Papi send them money.
- I barely remember my family.
- Look.
This is going to be beautiful.
Like you.
- They shout and they shout every night.
Someone is always
shouting about something.
Maryam, your clothes are like a whore.
Adam, you can not date an American girl.
Every night.
- What are you doing?
What?
- That.
Are you trying to shake
something out of your hair?
- No.
I saw the American woman do it on TV,
with her new hair.
- You don't have to do that.
Your hair is already beautiful.
- So, um...
How come you can read and do math,
but you don't go to school?
- When I was in Mexico I went to school?
Do you want
to go back to Mexico?
- No.
Never.
- You're still getting
bad grades in calculus.
- Look, Papa, what's
the big deal with calc?
I'm getting As in everything else.
- Mathematics is the foundation
of all technology and sciences.
Math is the key to every success.
- Well, why don't you ask him
about the numbers on his hand?
- It's nothing.
- What is it?
- Just a reminder.
Homework problems.
- Homework.
Yes.
- Written on your hand by
a beautiful American girl.
I mean, that looks like
a phone number to me.
- An American girl!
- We live in America.
What's the big deal if I
wanted an American girl?
- He can date?
- No, he cannot date.
Neither you do.
Suzanne, this is your son?
You raised him this way?
- Okay, and now you put all
the fault in this life on me.
- You won't get to raise
them the way you want!
You forget where we come from?
I want some rice.
- Okay, be nice to the girl.
The girl.
- I know, I don't want him to
date an American girl either.
Take away his car.
- No.
No, not that girl.
Talking about Layla.
- What about her?
- Which sister is her mother?
- What?
- Look at me.
When you went back home,
and you brought a girl
that I was not expecting,
and you told me she was your niece.
So, which niece is she?
- My sister Sarah.
- That's not what the document says.
- Document?
- I found the contract between
you and Layla's parents,
and there is no Sarah's name on it,
and since when do sister's
have to write a contract, huh?
Tell me!
- Okay, Sarah adopted her.
She begged me to bring her here,
just for a better life.
- After all I did for you,
you do this to me, huh?
I didn't do anything wrong.
There's nothing wrong with it.
- You lied to me!
This is what's wrong!
- Everything that I did
was motivated by the desire
to perform a charitable act
for an impoverished family in my country.
Don't you think that I could have hired
a Mexican housekeeper in
this country much easier?
- Really?
For 30 dollars a month?
- How much did she say?
- Really, for 30 dollar a month?
- My God, that's not very much is it?
Sorry.
Proceed.
- We paid Layla's family
more than 30 dollars a month.
She's lying if she says otherwise.
30 dollars is ridiculous.
- Excuse me, Your Honor.
I'd like to show you exhibit C.
This is a contract between
Miss Sahal and Layla's parents,
for 30 dollars a month
for the term of 10 years.
- Well, 30 dollars for
a poor family like that
is equivalent to 300 American dollars.
- Then why didn't you
just send them the money?
Why work the child to the bone?
- Objection.
"To the bone" is figurative language.
It's non quantifiable.
- Okay, fine, then let's try this.
Did the child come here willingly?
Yes.
She came very winningly.
No house, no food
My God
Americans, they
throw everything out.
Everything.
Everything is garbage to them.
- Can you fix it or what?
- If I can't fix it, no one can.
- Papi, can I ask you something?
Yes.
- Can I go to school?
- My back, Emilio.
If our employers see me struggle,
they will find someone
younger and stronger.
Understand?
Come on, screw them back in.
Yes, good.
Huh?
Got all the school you need right here.
You want math?
Get a lapiz, I'll show you math.
What else you want me to fix?
- If you tell anyone about this,
I'll let the police know that you're here
and they'll come and put you in jail.
Do you know what they do to
little girls like you in jail?
What's up?
Let's do this.
Let's go, let's go.
Look, there are
words that help us explain it.
We can read and figure it out.
- It doesn't matter.
Don't you want to find out
how Sherlock Holmes solved the mystery?
- No.
No.
Math is the key to every success.
- Where's your algebra book, Maryam?
- It was here, I don't...
I don't know, I, I,
I guess I don't have it.
- That's 10 participation points off.
- Hey Layla.
Hi.
- We're going out.
Adam and Maryam are coming with us.
Zac will be home though.
- Okay, be careful, okay.
Take care.
Zac, what's wrong?
- You wanna come with your brother?
- I can't.
I have to wait for the family.
Do you have
a phone number for them?
- I don't know it.
- Come on, we gotta go.
- All right, tell them we're
taking him to Scripps Memorial.
- Okay, I'm coming.
Layla.
They said he's going to be okay.
- You shouldn't be here where
everyone else can see you.
Who do you think you are, huh?
- Suzanne, calm down.
She did the right thing.
The doctor said he could have died
and his appendix would have burst.
He'll be home tomorrow.
- And what about the big vomit
that she left on the carpet?
Who's going to clean it?
Huh?
- Why don't you try to be
a human being for once?
- Your Honor, the defense
would like to call
Sam Sahal to the stand.
Mr. Sahal, could you please tell us
what life would be like
for Layla in her village
had you not hired her?
- Objection, Your Honor.
He did not hire her.
- Your Honor, when child actors
receive wages in the U.S.,
they don't get paid directly.
It goes to their parents.
This is a very comparable
situation where in which
Layla's wages were paid
directly to her parents.
- Objection overruled.
- Again, Mr. Sahal, can you tell us
what life would be like
in Layla's village?
- A girl like Layla would
live with her parents
and 10 other siblings
in a two bedroom house,
made of crumbling concrete in a slum.
The parents are most likely unemployed,
they wouldn't know where their
next meal is coming from.
The children would live in
a lice infected mattress
thrown on the floor.
Layla, as the oldest child,
was their only source of income.
So, if Layla were
still living in this village,
would she have any hope for
education, for a career?
- Layla would have been forced to marry
at age 16 or younger.
She would never get a chance
to go to school or get education.
- Objection, Your Honor.
Speculation.
- Sustained.
All right, Mr. Sahal.
What would life be like
for a girl like Layla
if she remained there?
Would she have any hope
for education or for a job?
- Only 15 percent of women in
Layla's village are literate.
Many families or parents prefer
that their kids work in carpet
factories or the fields.
The percentage of female circumcision
is as high as 90 percent of
villages and small towns.
Thank you.
So, what is life like now for
Layla in the United States?
- We live in a five bedroom,
one million dollar home
in Chino hills.
She had three balanced meals,
she had her own room, bed, and dresser.
- So, from what I can see,
you took Layla from a two room hovel
in an impoverished country,
and brought her to a California mansion.
I mean, I don't live as well as she does.
It sounds like the
Sahals here are on trial
for providing this young
girl with the American dream.
- Objection, Your Honor.
Layla was held in a rat infested garage.
- We do not have rats.
- She had no air conditioning, no heating,
she was held in domestic slavery.
She got no education,
she got no medical care.
Federal prisoners live
better than she lived,
and now you're gonna stand there
and call this the American dream?
- Objection sustained.
Counsel, refrain from
using figurative phrases
like "the American dream."
- Where do you think you're going?
I told you you can't go outside.
- I'm going to give them their lunch.
I can take their lunch bags.
- Wait, I accidentally forgot something.
Can you give me a minute?
- What did you forget?
- I, well, I gave the boy a
whole sandwich instead of half.
Let me take the half out
and I'll eat the rest for lunch.
- Fine.
Go change it.
What's that thing
Nothing Dad.
What do you want?
- I need to use the restroom.
You can't use our restroom.
- I need to go bad.
- Okay.
Fine.
It's back there.
Hey!
Take off your shoes.
Gracias.
Seniora.
Seniora, where do you
want me to put the shrubs?
- I can not.
I already
explained this to you.
- I cannot stay away from you.
- There is no other way.
If she catches me
outside this house again,
she'll take me to jail.
- That is a lie.
She won't take you to jail.
Who else would do the work?
- So what are you doing to do?
Visit me in a locked garage?
Are you super man?
- Next Wednesday before she leaves,
unlock the bathroom window.
- And what?
You will crawl in?
She will have figured it out.
She's like Sherlock Holmes.
- Please, just do it.
- You see this?
This is for dinner.
Three more people.
It's a very special occasion.
Mr. Sahal has invited his boss.
Okay, go.
Go get it done.
What are you doing?
- It was stuffy in here.
- What stuff?
Come on down.
Stuff.
Get in there.
Now!
No sound.
Family.
- I really enjoyed that.
Oh yeah, definitely.
That was funny.
- Well, Adam has 4.20 on his GPA now.
He's now taking three AP classes.
- Is that true.
Mm-hmm.
- What colleges have you applied to?
- Oh, we're waiting to
hear from Harvard, MIT,
BU and Stanford.
- Maya is also in the top 10
of her school graduating seniors,
and she received an early
acceptance to Radcliffe.
Impressive.
Although, we're waiting to
hear back from Columbia.
Wow.
- Adam and Maya have a lot in common.
- May I use the restroom please?
- Maryam can take you.
- It's right down the hall.
I'm sure she can find it on her own.
Hello.
Please.
I have to go to the bathroom.
- Who are you?
- Cigar?
Mini one.
- Thank you.
So, Ibrahim, do you
have anyone advising you
about your daughter?
- Advising me about my daughter?
I need any advice about my daughter?
- There are women that
arrange these things.
Arrange what things, Sam?
- You know, when you have a
daughter and I have a son,
they help us get together.
- You're not asking me
what I think you are, Sam?
Are you talking about
an arranged marriage?
So, this is what the dinner was about.
A match making exercise?
- No, no.
Of course not.
You are...
- I left my country 20 years ago.
I left it behind.
Do you understand?
I raised my daughter to be an intelligent,
independent young woman.
She makes her own choices.
If she never gets married, that's okay.
- But we do not have to leave
all the old ways behind us.
Some if it still makes sense.
Like parents knowing what's
good for their children.
I mean, is there anything wrong
with you wanting a good
son-in-law for your daughter?
Somebody she can share
heritage and tradition with,
and then they pass it to their children.
You know, shared values.
- Well, this one value we do not share.
- Come on, I'm getting you out of here.
Here, put the bag like this.
Stand up.
You see?
Beautiful.
Now, come on, get on.
Are you crazy?
I can't go anywhere with you.
- Oh, yes you can.
I broke into your house,
and now I'm kidnapping you.
We're almost there.
- We are in school, but
we can't go to school.
- Yes.
- We have to go to work.
- We can.
Just for today.
Wait.
- What is that?
- There.
Now you are just like an American student.
Only you're the most beautiful.
Come on.
Come on, Layla, come on.
- So natural selection is the ability
to adapt to an environment
in order to survive.
In other terms, the strongest
live, the weakest die.
The strongest eat the weakest.
Now, can you think of any
example of natural selection?
Yes?
- We are new students.
- Oh, welcome to biology class.
I'm Mr. Norman.
Do you have your class schedules?
Are you ELL?
English language learners.
- No, we speak English.
- All right, just print
your names on these cards.
Go get a biology textbook
from that shelf there,
and you can sit in those
two empty seats over there.
So, like I said, the strongest
lives, the weakest dies.
The strongest eats the weakest.
The strongest live, the weakest die.
The strongest eat the weakest.
Now, can you think of any
example of natural selection?
- And she was like, "we're tight, right?"
So I'm all, whatever.
You know, I'm like "chill out,"
and she's all in my face.
Like, WTF?
- Word up.
Hey, you guys lookin' sick today.
- I got a B on my geometry test.
Oh snap.
- So I'm like, hey, get over it.
That's just how I roll.
- What language are they speaking?
- That is English.
- That's English?
Me either.
I've never seen that before.
- Me either, it was crazy.
- It was really crazy.
Did you see the little piggy?
- Yeah, the green something, and then...
- I mean, I cannot believe this.
Oh, and you brought the gardener
with you to mow the lawn.
How nice.
- Hey, um, we're visiting
school for the day.
I finished all my housework.
- Does my mother know that
you're out of the house?
- No.
And you're not going to tell her.
- Oh, really?
Well, see, I would call
her right now and tell her,
but I wanna be home to
see what she does to you.
- If you tell your mother about this,
I will tell her about all the times
you snuck out of the house
with your American boyfriend.
It felt so good to say that.
- This is where I live.
- I don't see any houses in there.
- That's because we don't live in a house.
Me and my Papi live in
a shack that is hidden.
- You're American, aren't you?
Who are you hiding from?
- We are illegal too.
We are hiding from the migra.
If they find us, they will
send us back to Mexico.
- What?
If you got sent back to Mexico,
I would be lost.
- Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.
That does not happen.
Don't worry.
Me and my Papi, we're pretty good.
- They're in the back, luckily.
That was the best day of my life, Emilio.
Thank you.
- I know what you've been doing.
You've been meeting the
Mexican boy in secret.
- Please.
Stop.
Please.
No.
No, no no.
No.
No, please.
No.
No.
Hash.
- Yes.
- I would like to call my family, please.
- Come here.
Closer.
What happened to you?
- I fell down the stairs.
It was dark.
- Your family have no phone.
Layla.
Tomorrow I'll call
somebody from the village,
and they'll let your mother or father
know to call me collect.
Okay.
It's too late now.
Go sleep.
Layla.
This is for you.
- Hello?
Papa?
No, Papa, please.
No, Papa, please.
Please.
- It's okay, it's okay.
- So you're telling me you know of a girl
who was brought into
this country illegally
for domestic servitude?
By whom?
- Officer Sanderson, I
have a question first.
What will happen to this person,
the one who brought her into this country?
- Human trafficking is a
felony with severe penalties.
If convicted, we're talking
fines and imprisonment.
- Is the penalty for transporting the girl
more harsh than employing her?
- Providing that the
employment is not forced,
yes, the trafficking is far more serious.
- What will happen if they bring her back
to her family in her country.
There is no crime then, right?
- I would advise them to let
the government handle it.
And to hire a good attorney.
Emilio, go away.
- My God.
What happened to you?
What happened to you?
- Nothing, Emilio, okay.
I fell down the stairs.
- Who did this to you?
- Nobody.
I did it to myself.
- Maybe I should ask around then, eh.
Was it the father or the brother?
Who should I start with?
- No, don't say a word to anyone.
They will only deny it,
and then you'll lose your job.
- I don't care.
It will be worth it.
- Don't, Emilio.
They know you're illegal.
They'll turn you into
the, what do they call it.
La migra?
- I can't let them do this to you.
You can stay with me and my Papi.
You don't have to come back here.
- In what, Emilio?
A canyon.
At least here I have a
roof over my head.
Just go away.
I don't want to see you anymore.
- It was the father, wasn't it?
Must have been the father.
No.
- I'll start with him.
- It was the brother.
Stop.
- You touch her again, I'll kill you!
- Mr. Sahal, who transported
Layla to the United States
with a forged passport?
- It wasn't forged.
It was my daughter Maryam's passport.
- Let me rephrase that.
Who transported Layla to the United States
with a fraudulent passport?
I know this is difficult
for you, Mr. Sahal.
- Yes, it is.
It was my wife, Suzanne,
who brought this girl to this country.
- And she was transported
to the United States
for the purpose of domestic
labor in your home.
- Yes.
- And she was at times held,
locked against her will?
Yes.
- I'm sorry, Mr. Sahal,
you're going to have to speak
a little more loudly.
- Yes.
- Thank you, Mr. Sahal.
No further questions, Your Honor.
- Adam, what happened to your lip?
It was an accident.
- Why didn't you tell
us anything about this?
Did you report it to school?
- He does not need to report
everything to the school.
He's not a baby.
- You look like a hideous monster.
- Hey, hey!
Don't take this out on your sister.
You're a man now.
You can figure what to do.
- Everyone knows where
the Mexican camp is.
It's where you go to smoke pot.
And when he's gone, I will
do whatever I want with her.
- What are you doing?
Huh?
I'm getting out of here.
- You can't go anywhere.
Sam!
Sam, help me!
Sam!
What happened?
The kid ran out.
Where are you going?
Get down, get down,
get down, everyone down.
- Emilio.
Emilio!
- Layla.
No, we can't go back.
- No, we have to try.
- Looks about five-six, five-seven.
Layla.
Run.
Run.
- They're coming.
He's coming.
- Agent Hardy.
Right here, right here.
Right here.
- Okay.
You citizens?
No.
Have any sort of ID, green card?
Visa?
What about you, Miss?
- No, I have nothing.
I'm with him.
- Okay.
Call the task force.
You got it.
- You're taking her.
Come on bud.
- What?
No.
Emilio.
We're taking him to the border.
What?
We have some people
that need to speak to yas.
No.
Emilio.
No!
♪ That I'm livin' through ♪
♪ And I'm hopin' if I was meant for you ♪
♪ Give or take one or two ♪
♪ Maybe three days ♪
♪ And I'll admit I was waitin' for you ♪
♪ For a year or two ♪
- Mr. and Mrs. Ibrahim,
thank you so much for seeing me.
I wanna ask you to reconsider
your position that you had earlier.
Although we can prosecute the
Sahals without your testimony,
it'll be very difficult to convict them.
With all due respect
to your parents, Layla.
You're 18 now.
Therefore, it is your call to make.
All rise.
Court is now back in session.
- So, do you have any other
witnesses at this time?
- Yes, Your Honor.
I'd like to call Suzanne
Sahal to the stand.
Ms. Sahal, you understand
that you're still under oath?
Yes.
- I have one final question.
Looking back, do you have
any feelings of remorse
for the unconscionable acts
that you committed against
a defenseless child?
- Being orphaned at the
age of eight in a slum
is unconscionable.
Begging and stealing to feed yourself
and your younger sister
and watching her die from malnourishment,
that's unconscionable.
Then to consider yourself
as one of the lucky ones
if you're taken in by a wealthy family,
that is unconscionable.
When the family makes you to
sleep in a stall with animals,
beats you for any smallest infractions,
then forces you to wet nurse
someone else's infant child,
when you are just a kid yourself.
If you can even imagine
to be raped by different brothers
of this family every night,
you always want to slash your wrists.
But you fear offending God,
and the only thing, the
only one who saves you
from this hell on Earth,
is the youngest son of this rich family,
who sees past through dirt and misery,
who sees you.
Who offers you kindness
and even love.
You persecute me,
you even dare persecute the man
who sacrificed everything.
His family,
his birthright, his country,
all to give me a new life.
You judge me, but judging him,
that's unconscionable.
- No further questions, Your Honor.
Compelling.
Even if only half of it is true.
Your Honor.
I'd like to call Layla
Ibrahim to the stand, please.
Please state your name.
- Layla.
I've experience the pain...
There were also times
when I wanted to scream
at the top of my lungs.
- Back in 20 minutes.
All rise.
Court is now is session.
- Mr. and Mrs. Sahal,
you know I find it difficult to express
my total disgust that I feel
for the inhumanity that you committed
upon this young, innocent child,
by enslaving her within
the walls of your home.
You robbed her of a precious,
irreplaceable childhood.
You denied her an education, medical care,
and the one thing which I really appall.
You have really stopped her in her tracks
from having a family and their love.
We all need a family's love.
She, somehow, I'll never know how,
but she has flourished.
She's become a very vibrant
and intelligent young woman.
And believe, you can take it from me,
she will be a great asset to our society.
And as for you, you claimed to
know the pain of inhumanity,
but, I'm sorry, I have no
sympathy for you at all.
So,
Mrs. Suzanne Sahal,
I hereby sentence you to
five years imprisonment
to be interned at the Central
California Women's Facility,
and at this time I hand you over
to the Department of Corrections.
Bailiff.
Now, Mr. Saul.
As you obviously have no connection at all
with bringing this fine young lady
over to this country,
and you have cooperated
with the authorities,
I'm going to adhere to the agreement
that you had with the prosecutor's
office in a side letter.
So, I am sentencing you
to six months probation,
a hundred hours of community service,
and a fine of 10,000 dollars.
Thank you.
Oh, and in anticipation
of any civil action,
I have also written a brief
recommending that the victim be paid
for her servitude in your house.
I say, maybe just minimum
wage with accrued interest,
and in my calculation,
that comes out to
152,000 dollars.
Court is adjourned.
We're very happy to have
this victory today.
I'm sure Layla will answer some questions.
Congratulations, Ms. Ibrahim.
Can you tell us about your
hopes for your future?
- I would like to go to medical school.
That is, if I'm accepted.
Good afternoon, what can I get you today?
Can I get two falafels?
- Something to drink?
Just the rose ice
tea with two straws, please.
- Anything else?
Yes, I'd like to know
if you'd be my date for the prom?
- Emilio.
What are you doing here?
Where do you go?
- One question at a time.
I should have never taught you English.
I'm here on a student Visa.
I go to the university.
- But, what's the second drink for?
- It's for the girl who taught
me more than I could learn
than just to trim a tree.
♪ I want hear the words
you used to say to me ♪
♪ That the future was
brighter between you and I ♪
♪ And all the days seemed to pass by ♪
♪ Fast since you've been gone ♪
♪ I hope I can move on ♪
♪ And I wonder who stole
your heart tonight ♪
♪ I will lie and tell you
that I don't miss your smile ♪
♪ And everyday I wonder ♪
♪ If you see me through different eyes ♪
♪ And I hope the best for you ♪
♪ Every dream, I hope you see it through ♪
♪ Don't let yourself go ♪
♪ And I think we both agree ♪
♪ A little love, it never hurts to try ♪
♪ And I hope you try again ♪
♪ Forgive me, the mistakes I've made ♪
♪ Maybe then I can walk away ♪
♪ And we can both learn to love again ♪
Court is now in session.
The Honorable Judge Messner presiding.
- Sit down.
Mr. and Mrs. Sahal,
I understand you are waiving
your right to a jury.
Is that correct?
Yes, Your Honor.
And you understand the charges
against you, Mrs. Sahal?
Yes.
- You are charged with conspiracy,
holding a person in involuntary service.
How do you plead?
Not guilty, Your Honor.
- Right.
Let us proceed.
- You stay in here until I return.
- No.
No!
No, no!
- No college will take
you with a C in Calculus.
Or you wanna end up in a
community college, huh?
- Okay, I have four AP classes,
I'm working my ass off.
What more do you want from me?
- Do not use that
language with your father.
- Look, I want a son
that I can be proud of.
Why do think I came to American, huh?
So you can have a good
education and a good life.
- Well, I actually got all
As on my last report card.
Where's Zac?
Zac!
Always late.
Zac!
Thank you.
Do you Speak Spanish?
Hey.
Eyes up here
Oh my god!
What Dad?
This woman is rich but
very cheap!
It even scares me
Why are you doing this?
Layla can do it.
- Because I like to do it a certain way.
- So, show her how you like it done.
I spend all day showing
her how to do things.
- You spend all day showing
her how to do things, huh?
Sweetie, I think you are
a little hard on the girl.
- What do you mean?
She's here to help us.
- She's your niece.
You brought her to this country
because your sister wanted
a better life for her.
- This is a much better life
than anything she could
have had back home.
And it's just building her character.
- Still.
She is too young to be working this hard.
Oh my God.
I worked twice as hard when I was her age.
- You know where you were
when you were her age.
Accident?
- No.
- What are you doing?
I'm going to the market.
Don't answer the phone,
and don't open the door.
Layla!
Why are you not up?
You're not dying.
This is your period that started.
Here, you see this?
Put this in your underwear.
Change it every time
you go to the bathroom.
Do not flush it down the toilet.
Not get up and go wash your
clothes and your sheets.
Come on.
Hello!.
Do you speak English?
Hey, how come you don't go to school
like your brothers and sisters?
- Your Honor, I'd like to call
Suzanne Sahal to the stand.
Miss Sahal, you understand
that you're under oath?
Yes.
- Can you please describe how
you treated the defendant?
- We treated her like
one of our own children.
- And do your own children do chores?
Some.
- Such as?
- They had to do their school work.
- School work is not a chore.
- For some it is.
- And what about the victim?
What kind of chores did she have?
- Well, Layla cleaned our house
and she prepared our meals.
This is nothing more than
American housekeepers would do.
- American housekeepers
don't work 18 hours a day,
seven days a week, and they're
not 13-year old children.
- Objection.
The number of hours per week
has not been substantiated.
- Okay, fine.
For now we well say X hours per week,
but I think it's been well substantiated
that this happened over an 18 month period
when the victim was between
12 and 14 years old.
- In my country, it is customary
to employ children her age
to help the domestic help.
I was just following the
customs of my homeland.
- Notwithstanding U.S. child labor laws,
American housekeepers
get to leave their jobs
at the end of the day,
and, well, they can resign
if they feel so inclined.
Layla could have
left anytime she wanted.
- Oh really?
And done what?
Hopped on a plane and
go back to her family?
- Objection.
We are addressing the nature
of the alleged victim's
relationship to the Sahals,
not some hypothetical hardship
should she have separated
from their employ.
- Sustained.
- Whether the relationship
can be described as employ
is yet to be determined.
Oh, Miss Sahal, I do
have one last question.
Did you or any member of your
family ever strike the girl?
- Objection.
Questions must pertain
to the defendant only.
- Did you ever strike the alleged victim?
- Never.
- No further questions Your Honor.
Hello!.
How are you?
How are you?
My name is Emilio.
- Emilio?
- Emilio, yes.
What's your name?
- Layla.
- Layla.
Layla.
Hello Layla.
Hello Emilio.
- You're a fast learner.
- Hola means hello.
- Hey.
Talker
Come on.
Leave her alone
- You don't feel well?
- Just a little headache.
- Come on.
Turn, I'll give you a good massage.
You know you work so hard.
And that employer,
they don't appreciate
anything that you do.
How long have you worked there?
- It'll be five and a half years.
- There you go.
I think it's time for a promotion.
- We talked about this before.
I think I have to wait for the right time
to talk to Mr. Ibrahim.
Maybe after the next account.
- You know, sometimes you take so long
that I think you miss the opportunity.
Maybe you just need to be more
aggressive with Mr. Ibrahim.
- I am aggressive enough!
- I'm just looking out for you.
I'm looking out for the whole family.
- I am looking out for the whole family!
Hello.
Hola means hello.
- Yeah, yeah.
Today we're going to learn some new words.
Here, have a seat.
I got you a surprise.
A book.
It's an English book.
I'll teach you.
So...
We can start with the letter A.
That's the first letter, okay.
Okay.
Look.
A is ah.
- Ah?
- Ah.
Again.
- Presents for a family.
"Look what Santa Claus
brought," she exclaimed.
Who is Santa Claus?
- You don't know who Santa Claus is?
Okay, he's make belief,
like an elf or a dragon,
and he brings presents on Christmas
to all the good children in the world.
And he's jolly, and he says ho ho ho ho!
- He's the fat man in the red suit?
- Yes, but he is not real.
- I know that.
He is in cartoons.
- Do not look at her with those evil eyes.
She's your cousin.
- My cousin, huh?
Don't you think it's strange
she doesn't look like any of us?
What do you mean?
- Have you ever asked mother
which of her sisters is Layla's mother?
- Enough.
I do like your insinuations
about your mother.
The only thing that concerns me
is the impure thoughts in your heart.
Go.
The girl needs new clothes.
- I'll see if Maryam has any old clothes.
- I'm very tired.
Ai yai yai yai.
I can't do it any more Dad!
- When I was your age,
I went days without food, agua, no bed,
slept on the floor.
- What's the matter?
Is it your back again.
Yes, Yes.
I've been doing this a long time, Emilio.
It makes me an old man at 40.
- Yeah, but you still go it, eh?
Yeah.
For a grandfather!
Well!!!
Maybe soon. - Ai yai yai.
- No.
You have to be careful.
Have a seat.
- No.
- Papi, let me do it.
- No, just sit.
- What?
What?
- Who are you?
Where are your parents?
- My parents are in a
country very far away.
My family is very, very poor.
We were hungry all the time.
At least here I'm not hungry.
- But, do you ever miss them?
I have brothers and sisters,
and they live in Mexico.
I miss them all the time.
But, me and my Papi send them money.
- I barely remember my family.
- Look.
This is going to be beautiful.
Like you.
- They shout and they shout every night.
Someone is always
shouting about something.
Maryam, your clothes are like a whore.
Adam, you can not date an American girl.
Every night.
- What are you doing?
What?
- That.
Are you trying to shake
something out of your hair?
- No.
I saw the American woman do it on TV,
with her new hair.
- You don't have to do that.
Your hair is already beautiful.
- So, um...
How come you can read and do math,
but you don't go to school?
- When I was in Mexico I went to school?
Do you want
to go back to Mexico?
- No.
Never.
- You're still getting
bad grades in calculus.
- Look, Papa, what's
the big deal with calc?
I'm getting As in everything else.
- Mathematics is the foundation
of all technology and sciences.
Math is the key to every success.
- Well, why don't you ask him
about the numbers on his hand?
- It's nothing.
- What is it?
- Just a reminder.
Homework problems.
- Homework.
Yes.
- Written on your hand by
a beautiful American girl.
I mean, that looks like
a phone number to me.
- An American girl!
- We live in America.
What's the big deal if I
wanted an American girl?
- He can date?
- No, he cannot date.
Neither you do.
Suzanne, this is your son?
You raised him this way?
- Okay, and now you put all
the fault in this life on me.
- You won't get to raise
them the way you want!
You forget where we come from?
I want some rice.
- Okay, be nice to the girl.
The girl.
- I know, I don't want him to
date an American girl either.
Take away his car.
- No.
No, not that girl.
Talking about Layla.
- What about her?
- Which sister is her mother?
- What?
- Look at me.
When you went back home,
and you brought a girl
that I was not expecting,
and you told me she was your niece.
So, which niece is she?
- My sister Sarah.
- That's not what the document says.
- Document?
- I found the contract between
you and Layla's parents,
and there is no Sarah's name on it,
and since when do sister's
have to write a contract, huh?
Tell me!
- Okay, Sarah adopted her.
She begged me to bring her here,
just for a better life.
- After all I did for you,
you do this to me, huh?
I didn't do anything wrong.
There's nothing wrong with it.
- You lied to me!
This is what's wrong!
- Everything that I did
was motivated by the desire
to perform a charitable act
for an impoverished family in my country.
Don't you think that I could have hired
a Mexican housekeeper in
this country much easier?
- Really?
For 30 dollars a month?
- How much did she say?
- Really, for 30 dollar a month?
- My God, that's not very much is it?
Sorry.
Proceed.
- We paid Layla's family
more than 30 dollars a month.
She's lying if she says otherwise.
30 dollars is ridiculous.
- Excuse me, Your Honor.
I'd like to show you exhibit C.
This is a contract between
Miss Sahal and Layla's parents,
for 30 dollars a month
for the term of 10 years.
- Well, 30 dollars for
a poor family like that
is equivalent to 300 American dollars.
- Then why didn't you
just send them the money?
Why work the child to the bone?
- Objection.
"To the bone" is figurative language.
It's non quantifiable.
- Okay, fine, then let's try this.
Did the child come here willingly?
Yes.
She came very winningly.
No house, no food
My God
Americans, they
throw everything out.
Everything.
Everything is garbage to them.
- Can you fix it or what?
- If I can't fix it, no one can.
- Papi, can I ask you something?
Yes.
- Can I go to school?
- My back, Emilio.
If our employers see me struggle,
they will find someone
younger and stronger.
Understand?
Come on, screw them back in.
Yes, good.
Huh?
Got all the school you need right here.
You want math?
Get a lapiz, I'll show you math.
What else you want me to fix?
- If you tell anyone about this,
I'll let the police know that you're here
and they'll come and put you in jail.
Do you know what they do to
little girls like you in jail?
What's up?
Let's do this.
Let's go, let's go.
Look, there are
words that help us explain it.
We can read and figure it out.
- It doesn't matter.
Don't you want to find out
how Sherlock Holmes solved the mystery?
- No.
No.
Math is the key to every success.
- Where's your algebra book, Maryam?
- It was here, I don't...
I don't know, I, I,
I guess I don't have it.
- That's 10 participation points off.
- Hey Layla.
Hi.
- We're going out.
Adam and Maryam are coming with us.
Zac will be home though.
- Okay, be careful, okay.
Take care.
Zac, what's wrong?
- You wanna come with your brother?
- I can't.
I have to wait for the family.
Do you have
a phone number for them?
- I don't know it.
- Come on, we gotta go.
- All right, tell them we're
taking him to Scripps Memorial.
- Okay, I'm coming.
Layla.
They said he's going to be okay.
- You shouldn't be here where
everyone else can see you.
Who do you think you are, huh?
- Suzanne, calm down.
She did the right thing.
The doctor said he could have died
and his appendix would have burst.
He'll be home tomorrow.
- And what about the big vomit
that she left on the carpet?
Who's going to clean it?
Huh?
- Why don't you try to be
a human being for once?
- Your Honor, the defense
would like to call
Sam Sahal to the stand.
Mr. Sahal, could you please tell us
what life would be like
for Layla in her village
had you not hired her?
- Objection, Your Honor.
He did not hire her.
- Your Honor, when child actors
receive wages in the U.S.,
they don't get paid directly.
It goes to their parents.
This is a very comparable
situation where in which
Layla's wages were paid
directly to her parents.
- Objection overruled.
- Again, Mr. Sahal, can you tell us
what life would be like
in Layla's village?
- A girl like Layla would
live with her parents
and 10 other siblings
in a two bedroom house,
made of crumbling concrete in a slum.
The parents are most likely unemployed,
they wouldn't know where their
next meal is coming from.
The children would live in
a lice infected mattress
thrown on the floor.
Layla, as the oldest child,
was their only source of income.
So, if Layla were
still living in this village,
would she have any hope for
education, for a career?
- Layla would have been forced to marry
at age 16 or younger.
She would never get a chance
to go to school or get education.
- Objection, Your Honor.
Speculation.
- Sustained.
All right, Mr. Sahal.
What would life be like
for a girl like Layla
if she remained there?
Would she have any hope
for education or for a job?
- Only 15 percent of women in
Layla's village are literate.
Many families or parents prefer
that their kids work in carpet
factories or the fields.
The percentage of female circumcision
is as high as 90 percent of
villages and small towns.
Thank you.
So, what is life like now for
Layla in the United States?
- We live in a five bedroom,
one million dollar home
in Chino hills.
She had three balanced meals,
she had her own room, bed, and dresser.
- So, from what I can see,
you took Layla from a two room hovel
in an impoverished country,
and brought her to a California mansion.
I mean, I don't live as well as she does.
It sounds like the
Sahals here are on trial
for providing this young
girl with the American dream.
- Objection, Your Honor.
Layla was held in a rat infested garage.
- We do not have rats.
- She had no air conditioning, no heating,
she was held in domestic slavery.
She got no education,
she got no medical care.
Federal prisoners live
better than she lived,
and now you're gonna stand there
and call this the American dream?
- Objection sustained.
Counsel, refrain from
using figurative phrases
like "the American dream."
- Where do you think you're going?
I told you you can't go outside.
- I'm going to give them their lunch.
I can take their lunch bags.
- Wait, I accidentally forgot something.
Can you give me a minute?
- What did you forget?
- I, well, I gave the boy a
whole sandwich instead of half.
Let me take the half out
and I'll eat the rest for lunch.
- Fine.
Go change it.
What's that thing
Nothing Dad.
What do you want?
- I need to use the restroom.
You can't use our restroom.
- I need to go bad.
- Okay.
Fine.
It's back there.
Hey!
Take off your shoes.
Gracias.
Seniora.
Seniora, where do you
want me to put the shrubs?
- I can not.
I already
explained this to you.
- I cannot stay away from you.
- There is no other way.
If she catches me
outside this house again,
she'll take me to jail.
- That is a lie.
She won't take you to jail.
Who else would do the work?
- So what are you doing to do?
Visit me in a locked garage?
Are you super man?
- Next Wednesday before she leaves,
unlock the bathroom window.
- And what?
You will crawl in?
She will have figured it out.
She's like Sherlock Holmes.
- Please, just do it.
- You see this?
This is for dinner.
Three more people.
It's a very special occasion.
Mr. Sahal has invited his boss.
Okay, go.
Go get it done.
What are you doing?
- It was stuffy in here.
- What stuff?
Come on down.
Stuff.
Get in there.
Now!
No sound.
Family.
- I really enjoyed that.
Oh yeah, definitely.
That was funny.
- Well, Adam has 4.20 on his GPA now.
He's now taking three AP classes.
- Is that true.
Mm-hmm.
- What colleges have you applied to?
- Oh, we're waiting to
hear from Harvard, MIT,
BU and Stanford.
- Maya is also in the top 10
of her school graduating seniors,
and she received an early
acceptance to Radcliffe.
Impressive.
Although, we're waiting to
hear back from Columbia.
Wow.
- Adam and Maya have a lot in common.
- May I use the restroom please?
- Maryam can take you.
- It's right down the hall.
I'm sure she can find it on her own.
Hello.
Please.
I have to go to the bathroom.
- Who are you?
- Cigar?
Mini one.
- Thank you.
So, Ibrahim, do you
have anyone advising you
about your daughter?
- Advising me about my daughter?
I need any advice about my daughter?
- There are women that
arrange these things.
Arrange what things, Sam?
- You know, when you have a
daughter and I have a son,
they help us get together.
- You're not asking me
what I think you are, Sam?
Are you talking about
an arranged marriage?
So, this is what the dinner was about.
A match making exercise?
- No, no.
Of course not.
You are...
- I left my country 20 years ago.
I left it behind.
Do you understand?
I raised my daughter to be an intelligent,
independent young woman.
She makes her own choices.
If she never gets married, that's okay.
- But we do not have to leave
all the old ways behind us.
Some if it still makes sense.
Like parents knowing what's
good for their children.
I mean, is there anything wrong
with you wanting a good
son-in-law for your daughter?
Somebody she can share
heritage and tradition with,
and then they pass it to their children.
You know, shared values.
- Well, this one value we do not share.
- Come on, I'm getting you out of here.
Here, put the bag like this.
Stand up.
You see?
Beautiful.
Now, come on, get on.
Are you crazy?
I can't go anywhere with you.
- Oh, yes you can.
I broke into your house,
and now I'm kidnapping you.
We're almost there.
- We are in school, but
we can't go to school.
- Yes.
- We have to go to work.
- We can.
Just for today.
Wait.
- What is that?
- There.
Now you are just like an American student.
Only you're the most beautiful.
Come on.
Come on, Layla, come on.
- So natural selection is the ability
to adapt to an environment
in order to survive.
In other terms, the strongest
live, the weakest die.
The strongest eat the weakest.
Now, can you think of any
example of natural selection?
Yes?
- We are new students.
- Oh, welcome to biology class.
I'm Mr. Norman.
Do you have your class schedules?
Are you ELL?
English language learners.
- No, we speak English.
- All right, just print
your names on these cards.
Go get a biology textbook
from that shelf there,
and you can sit in those
two empty seats over there.
So, like I said, the strongest
lives, the weakest dies.
The strongest eats the weakest.
The strongest live, the weakest die.
The strongest eat the weakest.
Now, can you think of any
example of natural selection?
- And she was like, "we're tight, right?"
So I'm all, whatever.
You know, I'm like "chill out,"
and she's all in my face.
Like, WTF?
- Word up.
Hey, you guys lookin' sick today.
- I got a B on my geometry test.
Oh snap.
- So I'm like, hey, get over it.
That's just how I roll.
- What language are they speaking?
- That is English.
- That's English?
Me either.
I've never seen that before.
- Me either, it was crazy.
- It was really crazy.
Did you see the little piggy?
- Yeah, the green something, and then...
- I mean, I cannot believe this.
Oh, and you brought the gardener
with you to mow the lawn.
How nice.
- Hey, um, we're visiting
school for the day.
I finished all my housework.
- Does my mother know that
you're out of the house?
- No.
And you're not going to tell her.
- Oh, really?
Well, see, I would call
her right now and tell her,
but I wanna be home to
see what she does to you.
- If you tell your mother about this,
I will tell her about all the times
you snuck out of the house
with your American boyfriend.
It felt so good to say that.
- This is where I live.
- I don't see any houses in there.
- That's because we don't live in a house.
Me and my Papi live in
a shack that is hidden.
- You're American, aren't you?
Who are you hiding from?
- We are illegal too.
We are hiding from the migra.
If they find us, they will
send us back to Mexico.
- What?
If you got sent back to Mexico,
I would be lost.
- Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.
That does not happen.
Don't worry.
Me and my Papi, we're pretty good.
- They're in the back, luckily.
That was the best day of my life, Emilio.
Thank you.
- I know what you've been doing.
You've been meeting the
Mexican boy in secret.
- Please.
Stop.
Please.
No.
No, no no.
No.
No, please.
No.
No.
Hash.
- Yes.
- I would like to call my family, please.
- Come here.
Closer.
What happened to you?
- I fell down the stairs.
It was dark.
- Your family have no phone.
Layla.
Tomorrow I'll call
somebody from the village,
and they'll let your mother or father
know to call me collect.
Okay.
It's too late now.
Go sleep.
Layla.
This is for you.
- Hello?
Papa?
No, Papa, please.
No, Papa, please.
Please.
- It's okay, it's okay.
- So you're telling me you know of a girl
who was brought into
this country illegally
for domestic servitude?
By whom?
- Officer Sanderson, I
have a question first.
What will happen to this person,
the one who brought her into this country?
- Human trafficking is a
felony with severe penalties.
If convicted, we're talking
fines and imprisonment.
- Is the penalty for transporting the girl
more harsh than employing her?
- Providing that the
employment is not forced,
yes, the trafficking is far more serious.
- What will happen if they bring her back
to her family in her country.
There is no crime then, right?
- I would advise them to let
the government handle it.
And to hire a good attorney.
Emilio, go away.
- My God.
What happened to you?
What happened to you?
- Nothing, Emilio, okay.
I fell down the stairs.
- Who did this to you?
- Nobody.
I did it to myself.
- Maybe I should ask around then, eh.
Was it the father or the brother?
Who should I start with?
- No, don't say a word to anyone.
They will only deny it,
and then you'll lose your job.
- I don't care.
It will be worth it.
- Don't, Emilio.
They know you're illegal.
They'll turn you into
the, what do they call it.
La migra?
- I can't let them do this to you.
You can stay with me and my Papi.
You don't have to come back here.
- In what, Emilio?
A canyon.
At least here I have a
roof over my head.
Just go away.
I don't want to see you anymore.
- It was the father, wasn't it?
Must have been the father.
No.
- I'll start with him.
- It was the brother.
Stop.
- You touch her again, I'll kill you!
- Mr. Sahal, who transported
Layla to the United States
with a forged passport?
- It wasn't forged.
It was my daughter Maryam's passport.
- Let me rephrase that.
Who transported Layla to the United States
with a fraudulent passport?
I know this is difficult
for you, Mr. Sahal.
- Yes, it is.
It was my wife, Suzanne,
who brought this girl to this country.
- And she was transported
to the United States
for the purpose of domestic
labor in your home.
- Yes.
- And she was at times held,
locked against her will?
Yes.
- I'm sorry, Mr. Sahal,
you're going to have to speak
a little more loudly.
- Yes.
- Thank you, Mr. Sahal.
No further questions, Your Honor.
- Adam, what happened to your lip?
It was an accident.
- Why didn't you tell
us anything about this?
Did you report it to school?
- He does not need to report
everything to the school.
He's not a baby.
- You look like a hideous monster.
- Hey, hey!
Don't take this out on your sister.
You're a man now.
You can figure what to do.
- Everyone knows where
the Mexican camp is.
It's where you go to smoke pot.
And when he's gone, I will
do whatever I want with her.
- What are you doing?
Huh?
I'm getting out of here.
- You can't go anywhere.
Sam!
Sam, help me!
Sam!
What happened?
The kid ran out.
Where are you going?
Get down, get down,
get down, everyone down.
- Emilio.
Emilio!
- Layla.
No, we can't go back.
- No, we have to try.
- Looks about five-six, five-seven.
Layla.
Run.
Run.
- They're coming.
He's coming.
- Agent Hardy.
Right here, right here.
Right here.
- Okay.
You citizens?
No.
Have any sort of ID, green card?
Visa?
What about you, Miss?
- No, I have nothing.
I'm with him.
- Okay.
Call the task force.
You got it.
- You're taking her.
Come on bud.
- What?
No.
Emilio.
We're taking him to the border.
What?
We have some people
that need to speak to yas.
No.
Emilio.
No!
♪ That I'm livin' through ♪
♪ And I'm hopin' if I was meant for you ♪
♪ Give or take one or two ♪
♪ Maybe three days ♪
♪ And I'll admit I was waitin' for you ♪
♪ For a year or two ♪
- Mr. and Mrs. Ibrahim,
thank you so much for seeing me.
I wanna ask you to reconsider
your position that you had earlier.
Although we can prosecute the
Sahals without your testimony,
it'll be very difficult to convict them.
With all due respect
to your parents, Layla.
You're 18 now.
Therefore, it is your call to make.
All rise.
Court is now back in session.
- So, do you have any other
witnesses at this time?
- Yes, Your Honor.
I'd like to call Suzanne
Sahal to the stand.
Ms. Sahal, you understand
that you're still under oath?
Yes.
- I have one final question.
Looking back, do you have
any feelings of remorse
for the unconscionable acts
that you committed against
a defenseless child?
- Being orphaned at the
age of eight in a slum
is unconscionable.
Begging and stealing to feed yourself
and your younger sister
and watching her die from malnourishment,
that's unconscionable.
Then to consider yourself
as one of the lucky ones
if you're taken in by a wealthy family,
that is unconscionable.
When the family makes you to
sleep in a stall with animals,
beats you for any smallest infractions,
then forces you to wet nurse
someone else's infant child,
when you are just a kid yourself.
If you can even imagine
to be raped by different brothers
of this family every night,
you always want to slash your wrists.
But you fear offending God,
and the only thing, the
only one who saves you
from this hell on Earth,
is the youngest son of this rich family,
who sees past through dirt and misery,
who sees you.
Who offers you kindness
and even love.
You persecute me,
you even dare persecute the man
who sacrificed everything.
His family,
his birthright, his country,
all to give me a new life.
You judge me, but judging him,
that's unconscionable.
- No further questions, Your Honor.
Compelling.
Even if only half of it is true.
Your Honor.
I'd like to call Layla
Ibrahim to the stand, please.
Please state your name.
- Layla.
I've experience the pain...
There were also times
when I wanted to scream
at the top of my lungs.
- Back in 20 minutes.
All rise.
Court is now is session.
- Mr. and Mrs. Sahal,
you know I find it difficult to express
my total disgust that I feel
for the inhumanity that you committed
upon this young, innocent child,
by enslaving her within
the walls of your home.
You robbed her of a precious,
irreplaceable childhood.
You denied her an education, medical care,
and the one thing which I really appall.
You have really stopped her in her tracks
from having a family and their love.
We all need a family's love.
She, somehow, I'll never know how,
but she has flourished.
She's become a very vibrant
and intelligent young woman.
And believe, you can take it from me,
she will be a great asset to our society.
And as for you, you claimed to
know the pain of inhumanity,
but, I'm sorry, I have no
sympathy for you at all.
So,
Mrs. Suzanne Sahal,
I hereby sentence you to
five years imprisonment
to be interned at the Central
California Women's Facility,
and at this time I hand you over
to the Department of Corrections.
Bailiff.
Now, Mr. Saul.
As you obviously have no connection at all
with bringing this fine young lady
over to this country,
and you have cooperated
with the authorities,
I'm going to adhere to the agreement
that you had with the prosecutor's
office in a side letter.
So, I am sentencing you
to six months probation,
a hundred hours of community service,
and a fine of 10,000 dollars.
Thank you.
Oh, and in anticipation
of any civil action,
I have also written a brief
recommending that the victim be paid
for her servitude in your house.
I say, maybe just minimum
wage with accrued interest,
and in my calculation,
that comes out to
152,000 dollars.
Court is adjourned.
We're very happy to have
this victory today.
I'm sure Layla will answer some questions.
Congratulations, Ms. Ibrahim.
Can you tell us about your
hopes for your future?
- I would like to go to medical school.
That is, if I'm accepted.
Good afternoon, what can I get you today?
Can I get two falafels?
- Something to drink?
Just the rose ice
tea with two straws, please.
- Anything else?
Yes, I'd like to know
if you'd be my date for the prom?
- Emilio.
What are you doing here?
Where do you go?
- One question at a time.
I should have never taught you English.
I'm here on a student Visa.
I go to the university.
- But, what's the second drink for?
- It's for the girl who taught
me more than I could learn
than just to trim a tree.
♪ I want hear the words
you used to say to me ♪
♪ That the future was
brighter between you and I ♪
♪ And all the days seemed to pass by ♪
♪ Fast since you've been gone ♪
♪ I hope I can move on ♪
♪ And I wonder who stole
your heart tonight ♪
♪ I will lie and tell you
that I don't miss your smile ♪
♪ And everyday I wonder ♪
♪ If you see me through different eyes ♪
♪ And I hope the best for you ♪
♪ Every dream, I hope you see it through ♪
♪ Don't let yourself go ♪
♪ And I think we both agree ♪
♪ A little love, it never hurts to try ♪
♪ And I hope you try again ♪
♪ Forgive me, the mistakes I've made ♪
♪ Maybe then I can walk away ♪
♪ And we can both learn to love again ♪