Hadewijch (2009) - full transcript

The aspirant nun Céline vel Hadewijch is invited to leave the convent where she studies and she returns to the house of her mother in Paris. Céline meets her outcast Muslim teenage friend Yassine Chikh on the streets and they hang around together. The Céline tells that he is only his friend since she is committed with God and will stay virgin since her body belongs to God. Yassine introduces Céline to his older brother and religious leader Nassir Chikh and he invites the teenage girl to participate in his religious seminars. However, Nassir is actually a terrorist and the confused Céline is the perfect tool for his cell.

Hadewijch

Then I heard a terrible voice
speaking to me like a ghost

"Behold who I am!"

And I saw him whom I sought.

His Countenance revealed itself
with such clarity

that I recognized in it all the countenances
and all the forms that ever existed

wherefrom he received honor and service in all right

I saw why each one must receive his part
in damnation and in blessing

I saw how each one must
be set in his place

why some wander away from him
and return to him again

and why others wander and never return



and how some remained standing entirely still

and almost devoid of consolation at all times.

And others have remained in their
place since childhood

have known themselves at their worth,
and have held out to the end.

I recognized all these beings
there in that Countenance.

In his right hand I saw
the gifts of his blessing

and I saw in this hand Heaven opened,
and all those who will be with him eternally.

In his left hand I saw the sword of the fearful stroke
with which he strikes all down to death.

In this hand I saw Hell
and all its eternal company.

I have to speak to you for a moment

Come.

You no longer eat?

I am abstaining, Mother.

Abstinence, but not martyrdom.



Here, eat this. Go on.

I noticed a few weeks ago and I tried to
moderate her excessive behavior, but

you've seen, she deprives herself of food

and protection from the cold

is she keeps this up she is going to die.

She is strongly bound to
this behavior

and I think it is a certain,
manifestation of His love

It is necessary, for her sake

to rediscover the outside world

the world will give her more opportunities
than the monastery, to prove her love to God.

Opportunities not of her choosing.

Events

It isn't necessary

to be detached from the world.

in order to be with God.

Go get her.

- Hello.
- Hi.

You don't obey.

you reject the rules,

but the rules protect us

and guide us.

You have no humility.

For the moment, for me,
you are a caricature of religion.

God is not there.

It is out of the question right now

for you to speak your vows,
and for you to stay here.

Return to the world.

Who knows?

in the practice of everyday life

your real life

your true desires, your true self
could perhaps be revealed.

Go on, the convent doors will
never be closed to you.

Winter has come

the unknown mother

pushes me even more the sadness of her face

that you are well loved, and close to us

there is no reason for your sadness.

Doing well, I told you it is complete

We are always here

also the richness of your word.

it is perfect, and perhaps
you have it yourself.

Ah you're back?

How's it going?

What's up?

- How much?
- Three months at least, I don't know...

Your sentencing

- hasn't been signed?
- Bitch!

Yeah

Not there

listen, have a great day

Thanks, Dad.

Doggie

Doggie

Doggie

Come here, dog!

Come

Good. Come!

Do you want some?

Such a good dog..

Drink some water.
Yes.

Ok dog.

Stay there.

Everything alright?

Just well, my darling.

- Thank you Miss.
- Oh no thanks.

Thank you very much.

Hello

- Are you alone?
- Yes.

Then I invite you to have a drink with us

Yeah

We are nice.
Ah, how kind, thanks.

- This is Yassine.
- A pleasure.

This is Mahmoud, and
I am Mahmet, And you?

C?line.

C?line, ah okay.

- Are you from Paris?
- Yes.

You are cute, it's normal.

Apart from that,
what do you do here?

- I'm a student.
- Cool.

- What are you studying?
- Theology.

That's Religion right?

- Yes
- Oh, okay.

- So you're a believer then?
- Yes.

But no cross?

- Pardon.
- But no cross?

No.

What the heck are you talking about.

Ah, I don't know.
It's all good.

She has impressed you

It doesn't worry you, three guys...?

Anyway, don't worry, we are nice.

Yes, yes.

Your little pendant, it's nice

In fact, you are really into religion.

Ah yes.

You don't talk much, eh?

- No, I just didn't respond.. In fact
- Is it too personal? You don't want to talk about it.

No, not at all.

- You are faithful and all that?
- Yes

- Yes, in life you have to believe in things, have faith.
- Yes

And other than that,
you have fun, listen to music?

- Yes
- It makes you happy right?

- Yes.
- That's cool.

We're on vacation now?

Ah, yes yes.

Okay.

Not in every case.

If you are interested, there's a concert there.
By the port there.

- Yeah.
- Tonight if you want.

It would be a pleasure if you would join us.
Saturday.

If you want, sure.

How cool, she doesn't know you and
she says yes right away.

- Frankly she's cool.
- Shes cool, yeah.

- That's rare in Paris.
- Oh yeah?

- Yes.

No cooking or cleaning

Do you want to go somewhere else
because we know a place a little...

a little nicer than here.

Would you like?
We can take a little walk over there.

Yeah, if you want.

- Friendly - Cool.
- Alright.

Let's go.

Good bye.

Good bye.

God be with you my love.

What are you doing today?

Praying.

And your exams?

Waiting for the results.

Will you have lunch with us on Saturday?

Imbued with love.
I salute you, love.

I am impertinent and a fool

Your power behind me,
the risk of succumbing to death.

Hello

Good morning, Who is it?

Ah, yes, yes.

How are you?

Good, and you?

Alright? Yes.

If you want you can come eat at my house.

If you want you can come eat at my house.

Yes.

I live on 17 St. Louis Island

Do you know where that is?

Okay, OK.

See you later.

You could do that one day.

Then another day we get called for something else.
I'm a technocrat.

Where do you live Yassine?

I live in the suburbs.

What is it?

Nothing.

Tell me, Yasin.
Do you have a job right now?

No

I haven't.

Do you have some professional training perhaps?

No.

Ah, ok.

Perhaps you live with someone, maybe

whom could advise you?

In fact yes, I have my brother.

- Ah, that's good.
- Dad, there's no need for this talk.

- Ah listen
- Ah, OK.

I'm just asking your friend some questions.

You told me that you would drop me off.

Excuse me.

Well there it is.

No big deal.

Wait.

The light is green, isn't it?

Go on, get fucked!
Pay attention you assholes!

Crazy people.

It's...

Looking for shit or what?

Frankly, it was magnificent
there at your house.

Yes, I ate really well.

Wait.
Give me a second.

- You've seen where I come from.
- Frankly its royal, you see.

Ah, yeah

And above all your father is a minister.

Thats pretty crazy.

- That's good.
- He's a jerk.

What do you mean he's your father right?

He is your father.

Why do you say such things?

What's wrong?

- Hey?
- It's nothing.

Sorry, what are you looking for.

No it's nothing, really

- No no it was stupid on my part.

It's nothing, trust me. It's nothing. See?

Quiet. See no problem.

... No problem.

A spell of love or what?

What are you looking at?

You see how he was looking at me?

Yassine!

Didn't you see the look he gave?

What are you doing?

Come on sweetie.

He's there.

Come, let's get a coffee.

I did it...

Because that guy looked at me funny, you know?

As I am an Arab. I got carried away.

I understand, why you did that and everything.

Sorry. Frankly that..

No, truly, I understand.
I agree with you.

Well, do you...

do you have a boyfriend?

I don't have a boyfriend.

I...

I love...

I love Christ.

I love Christ.

But we all have a
religion that we love.

Yes but,

I don't want to have a boyfriend, because...

Why?

I am here for Him.

But we are all here for...

for a cause.

Yes, but...

I am a virgin, and I want
to stay a virgin.

I don't want to have sex with a guy
and everything.

Why did I say that?

It's not serious.
I appreciate that you told me.

No, but it's just that I can't...

Frankly i'm impressed by what you are.

But I really like you.

I like you too.

and also, I'm impressed by what you are
and what you've told me.

Please don't get the wrong...

... at the concert there, I got carried away.

- I hope you don't mind.
- No, it's not serious.

Don't worry about it.

- I can't stay here
- Oh really?

- You can't stay, are you sure?
- No, I can't.

You know what,

if you feel like coming over to my brother's house.

- Yes, if you want. Send me a text
- Okay

- Thank you
- Later.

Is that your new friend, Yassine?

Ah, yes...

She's cute.

Good luck.

Thanks.

What are you doing?

Nothing.

Seen your mother?

No.

Ok, I have to go, see you tomorrow.

Hello.

Do you know Yassine?

Yassine? Yassine who?

Yassine Shire

- Yassine Shire?
- He lives here.

- Ah, yeah, he's not here.
- He's not here.

- Do you where I can find him?
- At the mosque.

Take the stairs and turn left.

Thank you.

Come on.

Excuse me, is that your dog?

He's not bad.

No.

Come.

- Yassine.
- What are you doing here?

- They told me you were here in the mosque.
- Don't come here.

Come on, let's go.

Don't lie.

This is the mosque not my home.

Yes, I live here
But it's not my place.

Peace be upon you.

Come on let's go.

Come in.

I want you to meet a friend.

Hello

Hi.

- Do you drink tea?
- Yes.

- Bring two glasses.
- Okay.

- Please sit down.

Aren't you going to serve.

Pour me a little bit too.

- So, is this the first time you've come here?
- Yes, yes, yes.

- Do you like it?
- Yes.

- It's pretty.

- Have you seen our view?
- Yes, it's cool.

- We can see Paris.

- How do you find it?

- Well, its different, but...
- Different? Than what?

Then...

...what I know.

You are from Paris?

Yes.

Yassine told me that you
study theology?

Yes.

I am a Christian.

Christian?
Do you know about Islam, a bit?

No really.

Not really?

Well if you are interested, I teach a class
on religious reflection. Yes.

Tomorrow.
Tomorrow evening.

If you are interested, you can come.

You can laugh, that's my brother.

Baa!

Yes!

Are you interested?

Yes, of course. Its...

Where? What, what do you do?

Tomorrow we will cover a topic that
you'd like to know,

the notion of invisibility.

That's right.

A very important concept, I think for
all religions

but I'll talk about it particularly as it regards to Islam.

- You will be welcome.
- Well, thank you.

Will you bring her?

Will you bring her?

- When? - Tomorrow
- Yes of course, tomorrow then.

But right now I must go...

- ... I have a meeting. - Yes
- I'll see you tomorrow.

- Peace.
- Peace.

So I thought that

- I would introduce you like I said last time
- Yeah.

He has a passion just like you.

A love for Islam.

and at the same time he is a good
friend you can trust.

- Do you like him?
- Yes.

Yeah me too,
I'm happy.

- I'll call you tomorrow, to take you to my brother's.
- Okay.

See you later.

Wait there.

- Hello.
- Hello.

- Is this the place where Nassir's class meets?
- Yes back there.

- In there?

Well, what good is a notion if you forget
it one week to another?

Surah 6: Cattle.

Because it contains the key to mystery.

Surah 72: The Jinn

Pardon me.

Ah, hello miss.

Come in.

We have a guest today.
She is not a Muslim but is welcome.

Have a seat there.

Perfect.

Then I will continue:

I will read Surah 72,
verses 26 and 27.

He knows the unseen, nor does he make anyone
acquainted with his secrets, except a messenger

Thus, "al-ghaib" comes from the
verb "al-ghaiba", "ghaiba"

which means "not here", "absent"

We can translate it
many ways into French:

Absence, unknown, hidden, unseen.

The invisible,

what is this? God is both what is obvious
and also what is hidden.

More visible and more invisible.

How can we think that these
attributes are contradicting?

God is present in his absence, it is when
he is retired that he is manifested the most.

And this is faith. To have confidence in what is not seen.

What is happening here?

Are you okay or what?

Keep yourself silent please.

I'm talking about something else that
distracts your eyes.

- Okay.

How does God manifest himself?

What's wrong?

- I wasn't comfortable in there.
- Why?

Sit.

Please tell me.

Did I say something wrong?

Don't cry.

Is it because of that young man?

I can't bear to look at another.

Another to whom?

Who?

Other than Christ.

It's nice what you say.

I miss him.

What do you mean?

If you love him.

Yes I love him.

I love him and I know that he loves me.

He has come to me often

and made me understand
what is love.

That's what put you in this state?

You should be happy.

Yes, but then

the world full of suffering.

My heart... it makes me ill.

I don't understand very well

What's missing?

His heart, his...

It's not his heart that you love.

It's everything.

Him.

You'll be fine.

No.

If you love him, he is there.

Yes, he is there, I know.

He is not absent.

Yes.

He is invisible.

You know what I said earlier?

He manifests where you are.

If you have faith, if you love,

then he is there, he is in you.

It's happening here, now.

We must do something.

You must act if you have faith.

you have to continue the Creator's work.

He doesnt appear by staying still and suffering

but from action in the world.

Hey its red.

Yassine!

So what are you going to do now?

I'll see your brother, because
I think it will help me.

Help you with what?

To live with God.

I don't understand.

I am in love with God Yassine,
you know, you undertand.

I need him

I need to feel him close to me.

Are you crazy or what?
God is there.

No, he is not there.

He isn't there Yassine.

I need his love.

It's like when you are in love with someone,
you need to be with them.

I have no girl.

You can't live without love.

Do you love me or not?

I just said, I don't need a man
what i need is God.

I think you are nuts.

I'm leaving.

The struggle is important.

The struggle?

Political action.

Not violent.

Nassir, why didn't you answer?

And what do you want me to tell you?

The truth.

The truth?

Violence is natural, that
is the order of things.

And, we respond with
our violence.

What about the innocents and all that?

What innocents? Do you think
there are truly innocents

in a democratic world where people
elect their representatives?

You as well, you are responsible
for the humiliations inflicted on the world.

And of love for God?

God is truth and justice, Celine.

It is the sword against justice.

It's our struggle.

But love?

It's our faith,

our aspiration to him

That is the struggle, Celine.

We are his soldiers.

Why not be a martyr?

It's here.

Your shelter?

Where I was born.

Hadewijch.

Hadewijch.

It's pretty.

Come on.

It's a beautiful place here

I'm with you Nassir.

I'm ready.

Come on.
We have a long way back.

One final tour?

Okay, the last.

Then we go,
we have nothing to do here.

Yes

I will go make the food.

I'll come help you my sister.

In fact, there isn't much to do.

- Ok
- Thank you. It's very kind.

- Can you look for the ticket in my room.
- I will.

Its not there.

How long for the food?

- Three minutes
- Ok.

I'm getting hungry.

You ok?

- Yeah
- Ok.

You seem a little weird, eh?

It looks like you are hiding something.

No no no no no.

What's wrong?

I don't know.

Go on. I'll bring it to the table.

he just said there was a bombing.

You'll see it

So, my son...

On Monday, Mom
I go back to work.

We'll see

We'll see how it goes.

There's no reason why
it all goes wrong.

Yes

- Yes
- Good

Anyway, now you look after yourself, okay.

I hope.

Anyway you're not the first
or the last.

Well thats it.

- After all you haven't killed anyone.
- No.

Good.

Celine, don't cry.

Don't cry.

They've killed a little boy.

Now have you seen what I told you?

With your eyes, the humiliation.

This is it.

- Want some tea?
- Yes.

Thank you.

I've told him about you.

Do you want anything?

God,

our God,

who has guided me to you.

I am ready.

In the vision of my life and my faults

hiding in the action, close to my sisters and brothers.

God can be wine.

Acting in God and for Him.

In the struggle,

combat.

So that He may live for us all.

I believe there is a light

that guides us,

and in my action,

the weapons

of love, for Him

He chose me

and delighted me.

so i will do so.

I am His.

and subject to the mystery of his love
and our union,

He is my beloved.

Hadewijch.

Well, young sisters?

We are soaked.

We came to take shelter.

Someone wants to talk to you.

Love

by your unnamed power,

have mercy on me.

You are the light of the day
and my days are nights.

Why?

Why?

You force me

to pursue you without end?

Why run away from me?

Being further and further away.

You make me pay,
Love, a price too high

Woe is me to be a human being.