Like Twenty Impossibles (2003) - full transcript
Occupied Palestine: A serene landscape now pockmarked by military checkpoints. When a Palestinian film crew decides to avert a closed checkpoint by taking a remote side road, the political landscape unravels, and the passengers are slowly taken apart by the mundane brutality of military occupation. Both a visual poem and a narrative about the fragmentation of a people, "like twenty impossibles", also questions the politics of filmmaking and the opportunism of artists.
When I was little,
I loved to sit in the back of the car.
I would lean my head
on the window and look out.
I really felt we were free
during those moments.
Like we were flying
and no one could stop us.
My father would ask
"Are you happy?"
I'd smile
and pretend I couldn't hear him.
I'd keep looking out
and watch everything
behind us get smaller and smaller.
I think about Jerusalem now. How we
went there every day, do theater work.
- You used to go there?
- Every day.
- I slept there, without any problems.
- Really?
What kind of life is this?
Nice, eh? Really nice.
We could have driven to Haifa
and back by now.
This isn't a checkpoint.
Another year or two, it'll be a border.
Makes me think
about my wedding day.
I wonder if I'll have to wait
this long at a checkpoint,
just so my bride and I
can be together.
- It can't be.
- Dream on.
You want someone to cross this
checkpoint so she can marry you?
Who would agree?
- The checkpoint is closed.
- What?
They're not letting
a single car in or out.
Here we go.
What do you think guys?
What shall we do?
We have to pass.
We're already behind schedule.
What's up? A closure?
I know a side road we can take.
What do you think?
Why not? Let's try it.
Sure, we have all day.
Don't worry guys,
we'll continue on the road.
Rami, what's wrong?
- When was the last time I saw you?
- I don't know.
- Try to remember.
- Five years ago?
Four.
I asked myself, where did she go?
Where? That's it?
It's hard to come and go.
And it's expensive.
But I would've liked to hear
what you're doing, what you're up to.
When you cam, I was so happy.
You were here. And making a film.
And I'm in the film.
I feel you're helping me.
I'll be in front of the camera and
do something I love.
That's important to me.
I love acting.
Why did you choose me
to act with you?
- You're really good looking.
- Really?
And this muscle here, on your face.
How it lifts when you speak.
But you haven't even
asked me to act yet.
"Stay there...
Stick your face out the window..."
Hello, hello...
What's up?
Beautiful.
Surprise checkpoint.
What a cursed day.
Stop before they shoot.
Be cool, guys.
They can't stop us.
Your ID.
Your ID.
Your ID. What's that?
- Where are you from?
- I don't speak Hebrew.
- Where are you from?
- Ramallah.
- Where are you going?
- I'm going with them.
Where to?
Jerusalem.
You have permission?
- What?
- Do you have permission?
No, I don't.
No filming please.
ID's. All of you.
No filming I said.
No filming!
Keep filming.
Watch him.
Where are you from?
Me? Jaffa.
What are you doing here?
- I'm the soundman.
- What?
Recordist, recordist.
You're Israeli. You're not supposed
to be here. - I'm working with them.
I understand. I am telling you
for your own security.
Mine? You serious? I'm Arab.
We protect the security
of all citizens of the State.
Nice, but I'm old enough
to protect my own security.
You have to pay
a 2,000 shekel fine.
2,000 what?
No one here has 2,000 shekels.
Why are you making a big deal
out of this? Let it go.
That's not my problem.
Stay here.
- Mohammed, what's up?
- This asshole wants 2,000 shekels.
Why?
I'm not allowed to be in the West Bank
because I have an Israeli ID.
Usually they let it pass.
But this fuck is being stubborn.
You're Palestinian and it's illegal
for you to be in the West Bank?
- Can you film them?
- I'm trying.
All of you wait here.
I'm screwed. I knew it.
"An actor", he said.
What a shitty day.
- What are you scared of?
- They're going to beat me.
I'll defend you.
We're all together.
They just want to scare us.
- We'll see.
- They're just playing with us.
Excuse me, come with me.
Me?
We have to talk to them.
Why are they messing with us?
They do what they want.
- But we didn't do anything!
- Get real!
The driver can pass.
His papers are good.
You, come.
You have to pay a fine.
You stay here until
we take you to headquarters.
Relax man, it's only a film.
We're just filming.
We're not doing any harm.
What's the big deal?
You have to pay the fine.
- Don't touch me. Leave me alone.
- Shhh.
Don't tell me to shhh.
This will not pass easily.
Great. You'll get a medal.
Sit here and don't move.
Shut down.
- Back off.
- Sit.
- What are you doing in the West Bank?
- I came to fish, ok?
You're smart, eh? Real smart.
You're forbidden from being here.
Why did you try
to go around the checkpoint?
Leave me alone.
You know your friend is wanted?
Enough of this bullshit.
He's an actor, in the theater.
An actor, eh?
How do you know?
Move, move. Get off my back.
I can't believe it.
That asshole is still filming.
Hey. Stop filming! Stop!
We asked you to stop filming!
Get in! Stop looking at me like that
and get in!
Get on with it! Come on!
I want to go back to work.
Can you hear me?
What's going on?
Don't interfere.
We'll be back, ok?
Ok, ok.
We'll get help.
What are you doing?
Are you recording?
Turn it off. Turn it...
I loved to sit in the back of the car.
I would lean my head
on the window and look out.
I really felt we were free
during those moments.
Like we were flying
and no one could stop us.
My father would ask
"Are you happy?"
I'd smile
and pretend I couldn't hear him.
I'd keep looking out
and watch everything
behind us get smaller and smaller.
I think about Jerusalem now. How we
went there every day, do theater work.
- You used to go there?
- Every day.
- I slept there, without any problems.
- Really?
What kind of life is this?
Nice, eh? Really nice.
We could have driven to Haifa
and back by now.
This isn't a checkpoint.
Another year or two, it'll be a border.
Makes me think
about my wedding day.
I wonder if I'll have to wait
this long at a checkpoint,
just so my bride and I
can be together.
- It can't be.
- Dream on.
You want someone to cross this
checkpoint so she can marry you?
Who would agree?
- The checkpoint is closed.
- What?
They're not letting
a single car in or out.
Here we go.
What do you think guys?
What shall we do?
We have to pass.
We're already behind schedule.
What's up? A closure?
I know a side road we can take.
What do you think?
Why not? Let's try it.
Sure, we have all day.
Don't worry guys,
we'll continue on the road.
Rami, what's wrong?
- When was the last time I saw you?
- I don't know.
- Try to remember.
- Five years ago?
Four.
I asked myself, where did she go?
Where? That's it?
It's hard to come and go.
And it's expensive.
But I would've liked to hear
what you're doing, what you're up to.
When you cam, I was so happy.
You were here. And making a film.
And I'm in the film.
I feel you're helping me.
I'll be in front of the camera and
do something I love.
That's important to me.
I love acting.
Why did you choose me
to act with you?
- You're really good looking.
- Really?
And this muscle here, on your face.
How it lifts when you speak.
But you haven't even
asked me to act yet.
"Stay there...
Stick your face out the window..."
Hello, hello...
What's up?
Beautiful.
Surprise checkpoint.
What a cursed day.
Stop before they shoot.
Be cool, guys.
They can't stop us.
Your ID.
Your ID.
Your ID. What's that?
- Where are you from?
- I don't speak Hebrew.
- Where are you from?
- Ramallah.
- Where are you going?
- I'm going with them.
Where to?
Jerusalem.
You have permission?
- What?
- Do you have permission?
No, I don't.
No filming please.
ID's. All of you.
No filming I said.
No filming!
Keep filming.
Watch him.
Where are you from?
Me? Jaffa.
What are you doing here?
- I'm the soundman.
- What?
Recordist, recordist.
You're Israeli. You're not supposed
to be here. - I'm working with them.
I understand. I am telling you
for your own security.
Mine? You serious? I'm Arab.
We protect the security
of all citizens of the State.
Nice, but I'm old enough
to protect my own security.
You have to pay
a 2,000 shekel fine.
2,000 what?
No one here has 2,000 shekels.
Why are you making a big deal
out of this? Let it go.
That's not my problem.
Stay here.
- Mohammed, what's up?
- This asshole wants 2,000 shekels.
Why?
I'm not allowed to be in the West Bank
because I have an Israeli ID.
Usually they let it pass.
But this fuck is being stubborn.
You're Palestinian and it's illegal
for you to be in the West Bank?
- Can you film them?
- I'm trying.
All of you wait here.
I'm screwed. I knew it.
"An actor", he said.
What a shitty day.
- What are you scared of?
- They're going to beat me.
I'll defend you.
We're all together.
They just want to scare us.
- We'll see.
- They're just playing with us.
Excuse me, come with me.
Me?
We have to talk to them.
Why are they messing with us?
They do what they want.
- But we didn't do anything!
- Get real!
The driver can pass.
His papers are good.
You, come.
You have to pay a fine.
You stay here until
we take you to headquarters.
Relax man, it's only a film.
We're just filming.
We're not doing any harm.
What's the big deal?
You have to pay the fine.
- Don't touch me. Leave me alone.
- Shhh.
Don't tell me to shhh.
This will not pass easily.
Great. You'll get a medal.
Sit here and don't move.
Shut down.
- Back off.
- Sit.
- What are you doing in the West Bank?
- I came to fish, ok?
You're smart, eh? Real smart.
You're forbidden from being here.
Why did you try
to go around the checkpoint?
Leave me alone.
You know your friend is wanted?
Enough of this bullshit.
He's an actor, in the theater.
An actor, eh?
How do you know?
Move, move. Get off my back.
I can't believe it.
That asshole is still filming.
Hey. Stop filming! Stop!
We asked you to stop filming!
Get in! Stop looking at me like that
and get in!
Get on with it! Come on!
I want to go back to work.
Can you hear me?
What's going on?
Don't interfere.
We'll be back, ok?
Ok, ok.
We'll get help.
What are you doing?
Are you recording?
Turn it off. Turn it...