Peace by Chocolate (2021) - full transcript
After the bombing of his father's chocolate factory, a charming young Syrian refugee struggles to settle into his new small-town life, caught between following his dream and preserving his family's legacy.
- Issam...
- You must be Tareq.
The name's Zariah.
This is Heather.
Oh!
Oh...
- Welcome to Halifax.
- Is it that cold?
- It's Canada, hon.
But you should be set.
- This is my husband, Frank.
Um... And we'll
be right back, OK?
Come on.
- : Uh...
How is your English?
- My English is very good.
- Oh! Great.
- Are we far from
where we're going?
- No, no, it's a quick two,
maybe three-hour drive.
- Hmm.
- You were in, uh... in
Lebanon. Is that right?
- Yes. We were in
a refugee camp.
I was volunteered
as a paramedic.
It wasn't, uh... sustainable?
- Here we go.
- Frank, what are you doing?
- Well, gotta give
him the grand tour,
show him what he's up against.
Welcome to Antigonish,
your new home.
- Where's the town?
- This is the town, bud.
- Well, don't look
too hard, now.
- Your real house will be ready
when the rest of you get here.
Hang on to him, honey.
- Yeah, yeah, I got him.
- This is a wonderful night.
We get to show the world
how to open our hearts
and welcome in people
who are fleeing extraordinarily
difficult situations.
- Tareq, my visa
still hasn't arrived,
and Mama's saying she
won't go without me.
- I'll call Pierre
in the morning.
- How's she going by, eh?
- Habibi! Ah, it's
good to see you!
Did you make it to Canada OK?
- A few bumps.
I know you are busy.
Alaa's visa hasn't arrived.
- Hold on, habibi, let me check.
Looks like her visa was flagged.
- What? Their
flight's in two days!
- Ah, probably a mistake.
I'll petition. Don't worry.
Errors like this happen a lot.
- One more thing.
Please, Pierre, I want you to
move our sponsorship to Toronto.
- What? If you leave, you'll
forfeit your sponsorship.
- Damascus is 5 million.
This place is 5,000.
They don't know what
to do with themselves.
- Hey, brother,
you're a smart guy.
It's this or a camp in Lebanon.
It's your call.
Talk to you soon.
- Tareq! There you are.
Oh!
You can take your
jacket off, you know.
Well, maybe your hat.
Oh, you're in some luck.
It's a week to deadline.
You need an MCAT,
a letter of recommendation
and your degree.
- My transcript.
- It's a mess.
- I was so close to finishing
medical school in Damascus.
This is my second chance.
- I'm not sure you'll
be eligible with this.
- I went to classes when
Damascus was being bombed.
I think I can find my way
around some rules on a website.
- It's not that simple.
- If I have to do some
dishonourable work
so I might do an
honourable work,
what's the harm?
- How about this:
Let me introduce you
to our local surgeon.
He's a Dalhousie grad,
kind of reminds me of you.
- That's perfect,
yeah. One more thing.
- Yes.
- What's this saying:
"How's she going by, eh?"
- How's she going by, eh?
I'll go slower.
How's... she...
going... by... eh?
Eh...
That's tougher to explain.
- Alaa, make sure they come.
We only have one chance
to make this happen.
- Hey, hey, hey!
Hey, don't just
stand there, guys.
Come on in!
- Right, so your
sponsorship provides
$2,000 per month for a year.
And we'll do whatever
we can to help,
but in 12 months' time,
you're gonna be on your own.
Here, Tareq,
could you... could you
sign there, please? Thanks.
- Don't worry about the house.
You're good here for a while.
- Look at this. Yeah. We're
born in the same year.
You and me... 53.
53, exactly.
- Thank you.
Welcome home.
- Thank you. Thanks.
- Oh, uh, one more thing.
All right, so what
you're gonna want to do
is you want to
bend at the knees.
At the knees. Not at the back.
OK? At the knees. Good.
So you scoop. All
right? Grab it...
Esposito over to Henderson...
scores! All right?
All right, that's it. Yep.
Grab a good chunk of it,
good, and throw it over there.
Nice shot, bud. It's OK.
Good shot.
It's just snow.
- Are you Arab?
- Nadim?
- There's two of us
now. Come with me.
- Medicine I eat?
- Yeah, my parents are Lebanese,
but, you know, you
don't inherit language.
You said you study medicine?
- Yes. Family medicine.
You are a surgeon?
- Oh yeah, the best.
And the only one in Antigonish.
Let me grab my coat.
- I have the qualifications,
not the paperwork.
This game is hockey, huh?
- Hockey's a lot less fun.
You know what I tell
people about Canada?
Paramedics drive the ambulances,
and doctors drive cabs.
Listen, if you need advice
or something, don't be shy.
Just, uh, let me know.
Hmm?
- Aren't you Muslim?
- If you ask my parents.
- Look, I need a letter
of recommendation.
- This is why you're here?
Arabs, you guys don't
know how to socialize?
- No, no, I'm sorry...
- It's all about the
hustling, business?
What happened to friendship?
- I'm sorry, I didn't mean...
- Dude, I'm kidding.
Of course I'll do it.
Oh, man...
- Tareq! Tareq!
- Good morning.
- Sample?
Hmm.
- OK.
- Um...
- Excuse me?
- Hmm...
- Yes, that's a chocolate wheel.
Sorry, sir, no, no! You
cannot come back here.
- Excuse me, sir, you need
to leave. Ah! No, no, no.
- You need to leave.
- Baba?
- No, no, no, no, no.
- What is going on?
- I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
- There are no
openings available
that don't require at
least basic English.
Excuse me. Sorry, gentlemen.
Is there anything else
that I can help you with?
- No, thank you.
I'll continue studying medicine
at Dalhousie University.
- Wow! That's a great school.
- Thank you.
- Pierre?
- It's late. Is everything OK?
- Alaa's visa was denied.
- What?
Hold on a sec.
Looks like we can't
locate her husband.
- What are our options?
- For now, nothing. I'm sorry.
You need Fadi's consent,
or Alaa's visa
won't get approved.
- I understand.
Just let me know if
you think of anything.
- I will. Talk to
you soon, my friend.
- That's $22.60.
- Mmm!
Mmm!
- These chocolates are amazing.
- Oh my God! They're so good.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait
a minute. Wait a minute.
He did all that from in here?
- He was the best
chocolatier in Syria.
Until the factory, you know...
- Yeah.
Tell Papa I have an idea.
- Thank you. Thanks.
- Look at you fellows! Oh!
- I hope you like
Syrian chocolate.
- Oh, chocolate! Oh!
Hey, gals! This is the fellow
that I was talking about.
- See these people?
They make the best chocolate,
all right? Mark my words.
- I hope you mean...
- I'm still waiting.
I'll let you know
the minute I know.
- Half dozen here.
A half dozen. Uh, six?
- I got you.
- Enjoy it.
Tareq!
- I recommend every single
one of these. On my life.
- A suicide attack in Hermel
in Lebanon has killed 4 people.
Now, this is the fourth time...
The cause of the explosion,
a suicide bomber...
- High five!
I got this, Tareq.
- Thank you.
- Interesting place for the
town's second chocolatier.
I don't think we were ever
introduced officially.
The name's Kelly.
- How's she going by, eh?
- You and your father
came by my chocolate
emporium the other day.
The one on Main Street.
- Yeah, I remember, yeah.
What can we help you with?
- Well, I know that
you're new to town.
And I would be
willing to showcase
some of your exotic
chocolates in my shop.
Of course, if you had
the right experience.
- He's the expert. I just help.
I'm actually, uh,
studying to be a doctor.
- Well, we're getting
busy for the holidays.
There's no better way to
introduce the customer
to your product.
Just talk to him about
it and let me know.
Here's my card.
There you go.
- He no eat! Never!
- What's going on?
- He doesn't want
to work with Kelly.
- Yeah, well, the thing is,
you guys don't know
what you have here.
- She has equipment and money.
We have no equipment
and no money.
- Frank?
- Oh! I'm not gonna be
able to fit into my pants!
- No, no, eat, eat.
- Thank you, Shahnaz.
Oh, that's good.
- Delicious. Mmm!
- Look at this.
- Is this all you have left?
You're gonna run out of money.
- He only works with
premium ingredients.
- It's gonna be hard to
make ends meet with this.
- We have 11 months.
You are an accountant.
What would you do?
Just a sec.
I'll be back.
- Here. Come here, come here.
- Thank you, Frank.
Thank you very much.
- OK.
Look at this. Sea
salt chocolate.
- No, no, no!
- No, it's really good!
It's very popular here.
- Bad!
Here. Better.
- Come on, Barry, is this
really the best you can do?
- Without an established
history, I...
Look, I love what you're
trying to do, huh?
But this is all we can offer.
My hands are tied, Frank.
- Yeah, good!
- I don't know, Frank.
He seems to like it.
- Do you even know what this is?
- No, no, no!
I can't ask him to sign this!
- Why, Frank? We
will pay it off!
- 12% interest, Tareq!
It's gonna kill you guys!
- I think we'll be
fine. We'll be fine.
- Issam, interest? Very high.
- Interest?
- Yes.
- No. No!
No. No.
- We cannot take
loan with interest.
It's against our faith.
- Huh?
- What?
- There's no interest on
loans in Islamic banks.
- No interest?
- I didn't even know
that was a thing.
I don't suppose you offer
interest-free loans here?
- This isn't a charity, Frank.
Hey, Dan, you wanna
hear something great?
- All right, come on. Let's go.
- Come on!
No interest? Do you know how
crazy that sounds, Frank?
- It was a lousy
deal anyway, bud.
Thanks, Barry.
- A little to your left.
Little more to your left.
- In a way, I'm making
people's life worse.
You know how bad sugar is.
- Do you know how many
surgeons love sugar?
- Back home, they all smoke.
- Here.
Merry Christmas. It'll
help you with your aim.
- Thank you.
- Apply to more schools.
- My father told me not to.
- So?
Look, I left my
family to move here.
Of course they didn't
like it, but I did.
- It doesn't feel right.
- Your choice, bro.
- People really
do this in Canada?
- Nope. Literally just me.
And you know what?
You need to be hustling
right now, networking.
I'll do you another solid.
I want you to come speak at
a conference I'm chairing
in the new year.
- What would I speak about?
- The war, the struggle,
your story, man.
- No, I'm not much
of a public speaker.
I'll pass. No.
- You have to hustle. Hustle.
Hmm.
- Oh, yummy! Mm-hmm?
- Hmm? That's why I
asked for the meeting.
- He wants your money.
- Issam might be a stranger
to you, but he's my friend.
His business is going faster
than we could've anticipated.
- Well, I hear they're
running Kelly out of business.
- She's just sook about not
being the flavour of the week.
- Well, she says
it's the Syrians.
- Her shop's slower
than molasses.
- At least she's got space.
If Issam's production grows,
he won't even have
place for the product.
- So you want us to build
him a factory or something?
- $2,000, from you,
me and Heather.
- I'm in.
'Tis the giving
season, after all.
- Great.
- Frank, you know I'm
always happy to help,
but you're asking Pete
and I for $4,000...
- No, no. I'm
asking for $12,000.
I have two more meetings
this morning. Here's Dan.
He's my next one.
- We can't just give loans
to every come from away!
There's, what, 50,000?
- These people left their
lives behind, their families!
I can't even imagine!
If we can't help our friends,
then, well, fuck!
It's better than church.
- You know he'd do
the same for yous.
- Frank!
- Hey.
- What a surprise!
- Yeah. Hey, the
place looks great.
- Thanks.
- I'll, uh, have a coffee.
- One cup of Ethiopian
dark roast coming right up.
- How's business?
- Well, you're my 5th
customer this week.
- Sorry to hear that.
But, you know,
it's only Tuesday.
- Everyone's getting their fill
off your friends at church, hey?
- Oh, come on. You don't
only sell chocolate.
You sell coffee and, uh...
high-quality vegan baking goods.
- Why are you here, Frank?
- Well, word around town is that
you're blaming my friends
for your lack of business.
I wouldn't be a good neighbour
if I didn't come over here
and collect your thoughts.
- How long we known each other?
- Since you were a kid.
- Long time.
I've worked real hard
for this business, Frank.
- The way I see it,
there's room enough in
town for both of you.
- Look outside! It's two
days before Christmas.
Does Main Street
look busy to you?
Rent's going up.
Tourists are going down.
And the way I see it,
one of my 5 customers
is trying to tell me
how to run my business.
I offered your friends a
part. They didn't want it.
In fact, they didn't even call.
- I'm just saying,
more refugees, more
people in town,
maybe more customers for you.
What do I owe you?
- It's on the house.
- Sorry to take your time.
- Frank!
Shouldn't it be neighbours
before newcomers?
- Hey, hey, hey!
Huh? What do you think?
- What is it?
- For you. For the chocolate.
A factory.
- A what?
- I know she's small,
but at least Shahnaz
gets her kitchen back.
- Yes! Yes, yes, exactly!
And... we all pitched in
and got a community loan.
I don't think he'll allow it.
- Look, look, look.
It's not a handout.
It's a loan, OK? No interest.
- Interest, no!
- No! No interest, no, no.
It's like a... like a belated
Christmas gift. Right?
I'll take my interest in kibbeh.
- Issam! Tareq! Come!
- He's a bright entrepreneur,
a doctor to be...
and my friend.
Tareq Hadhad.
- Thank you for having me.
I almost didn't come today.
I'm not used to
speaking to crowds.
It makes me nervous.
That's not why I
almost didn't come.
A week ago...
we found out my brother-in-law
was killed in Syria.
My family has endured
many hardships.
But we are one of
the lucky ones.
That's why I came today.
If you looked at
the comments online,
you would think
refugees were like rats.
The truth is simple.
We have families
like everyone else.
We love like everyone else.
We seek peace like
everyone else.
But we don't die
like everyone else.
We lost my sister's
husband to the war.
If that makes us lucky,
what is it like for
the unlucky ones?
Becoming a refugee means
you lose everything.
Your home...
your history...
your family.
I'm here to say to you:
thank you for your kindness.
But there's many
of us suffering.
- : The parents,
the older people here,
tell me they've not
been able to find work.
- heard that Canada is
taking some refugees.
- Just over those
mountains there,
that's Syria, not very far.
- Hmm?
- so that they can go home.
- Hmm! Who came up with that?
- Neil, a friend of
Frank's who does marketing.
- Imagine! You got
a marketing guy!
- Uh-huh.
- You could've asked me.
- How's she going by, Tareq?
- Hey, how 'bout you, eh?
- Got a bunch of
mail for you, bud.
Your sign's got a typo.
It's P-I-E-C-E.
- Hey, Papa!
- Hi, Papa!
- Whoa! Look at this place!
Hey, fancy! That's
better than a ladle, huh?
Wow! Mmm.
Oh! Mmm!
Ah!
- Salt.
- Mmm!
Wow.
- Uh, Frank...
- Mmm?
"All I have, gone.
"No job...
"no home, no help.
"But now...
you help."
You good.
Thank you.
- Yeah.
- Thank you. Thank you all
for your incredible support.
This factory will not
just bring chocolate
to the people of Antigonish.
It will also inspire
more refugees
to keep the faith and
contribute to their new home.
Making chocolate is
my father's dream.
He started because he knew
that chocolate could
make people happy,
and if chocolate
made people happy,
then he was the
maker of happiness.
My father adds he wish you
all to eat with health.
- And he was doing this
from his kitchen before,
like a ladle and a pot,
and he would use a knife to
scrape it off in ice cubes,
ice cube trays.
It was unbelievable.
This is like a dream, trust us.
Oh, oh! Excuse me for a second.
Thank you, Shahnaz.
Oh! Oh, that's so good!
- We're live in
Antigonish, Nova Scotia,
and I'm joined now by
Syrian refugee Tareq Hadhad.
- Hello, Canada! Thank
you for having us.
- Now that you're
a local celebrity,
how does all the attention feel?
- We are honoured. It
left us speechless.
- All right, let's see
how the magic happens.
- Can I say something to
the people of Canada first?
I know there's a shortage
of doctors in Canada.
Refugees who come to
this country can help.
Medical school won't
accept my credits.
So if anybody watching
this can assist,
this is how I can help,
the way Canada helped us.
- All right, now back
to the chocolate.
- I never did you wrong, Frank.
- Hey, Kelly.
- You know, I didn't have one
problem until they showed up.
- Ah, come on, you
know that's not true.
And they've had a hard life.
- And people here haven't?
- I'm not saying they haven't!
I'm just helping out my friends.
- Yeah. I guess
we're not friends.
You have a permit for
that thing, right?
- Mr. Hadhad, can
I have a moment?
- Yes, of course.
- Jim MacDonald.
I'm a regional executive
at Sobeys grocery.
We're a family business as well,
one of the biggest in Canada,
and I wanted to
congratulate your family.
- Thank you.
- You're the talk of
the province, you know?
Your story is the
new Canadian dream.
There's a lot of
opportunity for you folks
beyond Antigonish, maybe
even beyond Nova Scotia.
Here.
Let's talk about the future.
- I didn't have superheroes
growing up in Syria.
I had doctors.
They saved lives,
command respect, success.
They don't make sweets.
- Look, it's a good start.
People liked your speech.
- It seems they did.
Someone from Sobeys
approached me.
- To buy you guys out?
- They want to
make an investment.
- Ah, but your dad will
never go for that, though.
- He needs me too much already.
- Look, more money
means more employees,
which means more time for you.
I'm booking you to speak
at a class at Dalhousie.
Maybe someone will notice you.
But, you know, only if you want.
- Our small business,
our loving community,
means we can build a new home.
We can empower other
people's dreams and our own.
For me, that dream
is to be a doctor.
Someday, I will be.
- Tareq? Hello. I'm Laura.
I work in graduate studies
here. Wonderful speech.
I'd like to offer you an
opportunity to join us.
- Yes, of course.
- We always ask
the best speakers
to join us to speak
at convocation.
Thank you so much.
We'll be in touch
with you tomorrow, OK?
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- And this is where
the signature goes.
You follow me? Good.
You have to date it
properly, 'cause...
How'd it go?
- Can I have a
moment with my dad?
- Sure. Bye-bye, Papa.
- Bye-bye, Papa.
- Hey, Frank. How's it going?
- Hey, Liam. What are you...
what are you doing here?
- So, why do you
want to work here?
- Um...
I love chocolate. I
saw you on the news.
I got excited when
you were hiring, so...
- Do you work hard?
- Sure do, man.
- And you show up on time?
- Yes.
- You're hired.
- That's it?
- Yeah.
You start tomorrow
morning, 8:30.
- Sweet, man! I like you!
See you, Frank.
- Yeah, see you, Liam.
Really?
- What?
- Liam! Hang on, I'll
introduce you to Issam.
- Oh, cool!
- And this is where
the magic happens.
Hello, Papa!
- Hello, Papa.
- Uh, this is Liam,
your new employee.
- I'm really excited
to work here.
- Chocolate. For you.
- Oh, thank you so much!
You shouldn't have!
- $10.
- Uh, no, no, no. Uh...
Uh, Liam help.
- Help buy.
- No, no. Help.
- Help buy.
- Oh God...
- $10.
- OK, all right. $10.
- He thought Liam
was a customer.
- He had 50 people
working for him in Syria.
He'll be fine.
- Why don't you tell him?
You're the one he wants
to work with, nobody else.
- It's too late now.
Besides, he trusts me.
- Exactly.
But Liam's the one who's gonna
be working with him all day.
- I'm very busy, Frank.
I don't want to make
chocolate much longer.
- Yeah, no shit!
You came right out and said
that on national television.
You and your dad have a
good thing going here, bud.
Can't you see that?
- When you gave us
your loan, Frank,
I thought it would be
an opportunity for us
to hire even more Liams!
To give me the freedom I needed!
It didn't!
We're gonna wake up my mom.
Listen, we really
appreciate your help,
but this is not your business.
- Wow.
Damascus or Delaware,
kids are all the same.
And you're acting like one.
- Tareq!
- Tareq!
- Tareq! A friend of
Nadim's is a friend of mine.
- Liam! Come.
- Hey, boss.
Yeah... boom.
Everything good?
- Yes.
- Everything OK?
- Yes.
- Everything fine?
- What?
- Did you see this notice?
It was taped on the front door.
It means, uh, the
factory is no good.
- Factory no good?
- Factory no good.
- Factory no good?!
- Yeah, it's no good.
I don't... I'm
sorry, I don't...
- Liam! Stop!
Stop! Stop!
- OK. I stopped.
- Call Tareq.
- Call Tareq.
- Call Tareq.
- Call Tareq on my phone. OK.
- Our total research funding
last year was over $100 million.
- Wow! That must have
helped a lot of people.
- Yet never enough.
That's why we need
people like you.
- Yes, Liam?
- We got a building
issue from the town,
and I can't explain
it to the old man.
He's kind of freaking
out, you know?
- Can't Frank do it?
- I can't reach him, dude.
- I'll deal with it.
- We just really need you
to come back here so we...
Bye, boss.
- Bye, boss.
- Boom!
- Baba!
- Building permits now?
You just couldn't leave
them alone, could you?
- I had to play by the rules.
Where's my loan, Frank?
- Don't you wish you had help
when you first started out?
- People never did help.
- I would've helped you.
You never asked.
I would've helped.
You know what, Kelly?
Neighbours, newcomers,
they're all the same to me.
- Tareq! Tareq!
Come on! Come on!
- Tareq!
- Still working.
- by giving back
what they could.
Last month, just months
after arriving in Canada,
the family realized their dream
and opened a small chocolate
factory in their new hometown.
It's called Peace by Chocolate.
- Peace by Chocolate.
- Thank you so much.
- Tareq.
You're everywhere
these days, huh?
- Thank you.
- We still want
to work with you.
- Welcome.
- I hope you don't mind,
but I got my guys to
cook something up.
- Habibi! Come here, come here.
- Take a look at
your new factory.
- Bye-bye.
- Your family must
have dreamt of this
when you came here, right?
- Rahim has been
asking about you.
- Come on, Tareq.
I got the means,
you got the goods.
Let's make this happen.
- They're not gonna hold
the spot much longer.
- Let's move this, and
let's move it fast. OK?
- Thank you.
- Wow!
- Now all I need to know
is when can I meet Issam?
- Friday?
- Wonderful. It's a
date! I'll see you then.
- No touch!
- I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry.
I need a sample.
Please step back.
- Out. Out!
- I'm not getting out.
- How can I help you, sir?
- Finally, someone
I can understand.
We received a tip about
food quality control.
Do you have a food
establishment permit?
- Uh... just a second.
- I don't understand what...
- I believe everything is here.
- You don't want me to
look through all of this?
- English, uh...
no good. No good.
- I'm sorry.
We need to talk.
- Jim wants to break ground on a
new factory as soon as possible.
- Great.
- But he wants to meet
my dad on Friday first.
Can you be there?
- Sure. I'd love to meet him.
- Thank you.
- I'm glad Issam's finally
come around on the offer.
What the hell, Tareq?
- I'll be speaking at the
Governor Mansion in Vermont.
I cannot be there.
- And you're springing this
little surprise on me now?
You all right?
- No.
I'm afraid, Frank.
- Sorry, bud. I'm not
gonna do this for you.
If you're not gonna
do it for yourself,
I'm not doing it for you.
Talk to Issam and
grow a damn spine.
- Ah!
- Kelly?
- What are you doing here?
- Have you tried our new
maple flavoured chocolate?
- No.
- Consider this as a gift.
My family's factory in Damascus,
did you know it was bombed?
Did you know my
brother-in-law was killed?
That countless friends were
taken 15 floors underground
and killed?
All this so we can come here
and do the exact same
thing we did there.
- I'm so sorry.
- My father's
factory wasn't bombed
because of a food
permitting issue.
- Right.
- Just take them.
- Tareq.
Just so you know,
it wasn't me who called the
food inspector or the city.
There are other people who
feel a certain way about this.
- Ah, hey! Oh!
Watch out...
- Where's that thing? Tray.
- Oh! Hey... All right.
Do you need some help there?
- Go back to work.
- OK.
- I'm going to Vermont.
Yes, Frank?
- Is everything OK with Issam?
- I just told him
about the meeting.
- Today? What is
wrong with you, bud?
- I already have
a father, Frank.
I don't need another.
- Tareq...
- I have to go.
- Wait, don't...
- Oh! Oh, I'm so
sorry! I'm so sorry!
- Bad mistake.
- I'll take care of this.
- Oh!
- Oh my God. Are you OK?
Are you OK, boss?
- Out. Out.
- What do you mean? We
have so many orders.
- Out! OUT!
- Passports, please.
Sir, you need a valid passport
to enter the United
States of America.
- This is a letter from
the Governor of Vermont,
an official invitation.
I have a speech to do tonight.
- You're from Syria, sir?
- My family and I,
we have a chocolate
factory in Nova Scotia.
I have some in my trunk.
If you want, I can show you.
- No, sir, you will
stay in your vehicle.
You will place your
hands on the wheel.
- I can't...
- Place your hands on the wheel!
Now, we're gonna need to
ask you some questions.
You're gonna pull up slowly
and go and park on the left.
- Hello, Issam?
Jim.
Wow! This is...
this is impressive.
This is all you?
Oh, you don't speak
English, do you?
- English, no.
- No. Um...
Can I, uh... What is...
- Order no complete.
Me, tonight, alone.
- What, you... All
of this tonight?
- Ah...
- Wow!
Um... Hmm.
Um...
You're an interesting
guy, Mr. Hadhad.
- Who is this?
- My father, Issam.
- OK. Where was he born?
- Damascus, like me.
- Do you have any contacts of
Syrian associates on this phone?
- Yes. I have friends.
- Just answer the question.
- Why don't you
call the governor?
You will see for yourself.
- Have it your way.
Are there any Canadian citizens
that can vouch for you?
- Justin Trudeau.
- All right. Justin Trudeau.
I'll tell you what.
I will call him myself,
but I'm pretty sure
he's a busy man,
so you tuck in.
- What time is it?
- It's about 6:00 a.m.
- I missed my speech.
- Mm-hmm.
And I just worked a double.
That sucks, don't it?
Believe it or not, we did manage
to get ahold of the governor.
But, because you attempted
to cross the border
without a passport,
and, uh, let's just say
a host of other reasons,
your access to the United
States is being denied
for the next five years.
So don't book any more
speeches in the US.
You have yourself a nice
rest of the day, Mr. Hadhad.
- Yes, Frank. Sorry,
my phone was off.
I was detained at the US border.
They thought I'm a terrorist.
Nora, why do you want
to make chocolate?
- I'm a huge fan of chocolate.
I'm a hard worker.
I'd like to work hard
and make chocolate.
You're hired.
- Hey, Tareq.
- Hi.
Have a seat.
- Thanks.
- I realized we need to
formalize something, Frank.
We never put anything
into writing, so...
we would like to offer you
an executive position here.
- Wow!
Thank you.
But, um...
I don't think I can accept.
- Is everything all right?
- Yeah, yeah, no, it's, uh...
It's been a hell of a ride.
But I've already committed
more time than I've got.
And this thing has just
gotten way bigger than me.
I just think it's time
I take a step back.
- What would we do
without you, Frank?
- Ah, you got Jim now, you know?
He'll take it from here.
Um... I better get going.
- Frank...
Thank you.
- You got a great family, Tareq.
Take care of them.
- : Three, two, one...
- Before I let you go...
I'd like to say something.
We came to Canada
to create jobs,
not to take jobs.
And I'd like to
express gratitude
to the man making this happen.
He believes in a vision
of Peace by Chocolate
and helping us to
make this community
even more prosperous.
Jim MacDonald of Sobeys grocery!
- Tareq.
- Boom!
- Mr. Issam...
- Well, your dad looks happy.
- He loves it.
- Hmm.
- You know what?
I think I would make it if
we didn't get out of Syria.
But my dad...
- Still disappointed
you said no to my bro.
How do you feel?
- I feel like...
it's never too late.
- Hmm.
- Hello?
- Frank! Come, come!
- Hey, Papa!
Where is everyone?
- Uh...
Tareq, away.
Ladies, out.
Issam rest.
- I know the feeling.
Um...
- Um, I have a question.
- Sure.
- Now, you, uh...
no work with the factory.
- I know.
- But I no want you go.
- Papa, where do
you think I'm going?
- Today no work.
I alone.
In Syria?
Many friends.
Here...
no friend.
- You and me,
we're not friends.
- Brothers.
- Brothers.
- I'm looking forward to this.
OK.
Enjoy the weekend.
Bye.
- Zaha.
- Milk chocolate.
- These are exactly the
memories that I have of my home.
- You must be Tareq.
The name's Zariah.
This is Heather.
Oh!
Oh...
- Welcome to Halifax.
- Is it that cold?
- It's Canada, hon.
But you should be set.
- This is my husband, Frank.
Um... And we'll
be right back, OK?
Come on.
- : Uh...
How is your English?
- My English is very good.
- Oh! Great.
- Are we far from
where we're going?
- No, no, it's a quick two,
maybe three-hour drive.
- Hmm.
- You were in, uh... in
Lebanon. Is that right?
- Yes. We were in
a refugee camp.
I was volunteered
as a paramedic.
It wasn't, uh... sustainable?
- Here we go.
- Frank, what are you doing?
- Well, gotta give
him the grand tour,
show him what he's up against.
Welcome to Antigonish,
your new home.
- Where's the town?
- This is the town, bud.
- Well, don't look
too hard, now.
- Your real house will be ready
when the rest of you get here.
Hang on to him, honey.
- Yeah, yeah, I got him.
- This is a wonderful night.
We get to show the world
how to open our hearts
and welcome in people
who are fleeing extraordinarily
difficult situations.
- Tareq, my visa
still hasn't arrived,
and Mama's saying she
won't go without me.
- I'll call Pierre
in the morning.
- How's she going by, eh?
- Habibi! Ah, it's
good to see you!
Did you make it to Canada OK?
- A few bumps.
I know you are busy.
Alaa's visa hasn't arrived.
- Hold on, habibi, let me check.
Looks like her visa was flagged.
- What? Their
flight's in two days!
- Ah, probably a mistake.
I'll petition. Don't worry.
Errors like this happen a lot.
- One more thing.
Please, Pierre, I want you to
move our sponsorship to Toronto.
- What? If you leave, you'll
forfeit your sponsorship.
- Damascus is 5 million.
This place is 5,000.
They don't know what
to do with themselves.
- Hey, brother,
you're a smart guy.
It's this or a camp in Lebanon.
It's your call.
Talk to you soon.
- Tareq! There you are.
Oh!
You can take your
jacket off, you know.
Well, maybe your hat.
Oh, you're in some luck.
It's a week to deadline.
You need an MCAT,
a letter of recommendation
and your degree.
- My transcript.
- It's a mess.
- I was so close to finishing
medical school in Damascus.
This is my second chance.
- I'm not sure you'll
be eligible with this.
- I went to classes when
Damascus was being bombed.
I think I can find my way
around some rules on a website.
- It's not that simple.
- If I have to do some
dishonourable work
so I might do an
honourable work,
what's the harm?
- How about this:
Let me introduce you
to our local surgeon.
He's a Dalhousie grad,
kind of reminds me of you.
- That's perfect,
yeah. One more thing.
- Yes.
- What's this saying:
"How's she going by, eh?"
- How's she going by, eh?
I'll go slower.
How's... she...
going... by... eh?
Eh...
That's tougher to explain.
- Alaa, make sure they come.
We only have one chance
to make this happen.
- Hey, hey, hey!
Hey, don't just
stand there, guys.
Come on in!
- Right, so your
sponsorship provides
$2,000 per month for a year.
And we'll do whatever
we can to help,
but in 12 months' time,
you're gonna be on your own.
Here, Tareq,
could you... could you
sign there, please? Thanks.
- Don't worry about the house.
You're good here for a while.
- Look at this. Yeah. We're
born in the same year.
You and me... 53.
53, exactly.
- Thank you.
Welcome home.
- Thank you. Thanks.
- Oh, uh, one more thing.
All right, so what
you're gonna want to do
is you want to
bend at the knees.
At the knees. Not at the back.
OK? At the knees. Good.
So you scoop. All
right? Grab it...
Esposito over to Henderson...
scores! All right?
All right, that's it. Yep.
Grab a good chunk of it,
good, and throw it over there.
Nice shot, bud. It's OK.
Good shot.
It's just snow.
- Are you Arab?
- Nadim?
- There's two of us
now. Come with me.
- Medicine I eat?
- Yeah, my parents are Lebanese,
but, you know, you
don't inherit language.
You said you study medicine?
- Yes. Family medicine.
You are a surgeon?
- Oh yeah, the best.
And the only one in Antigonish.
Let me grab my coat.
- I have the qualifications,
not the paperwork.
This game is hockey, huh?
- Hockey's a lot less fun.
You know what I tell
people about Canada?
Paramedics drive the ambulances,
and doctors drive cabs.
Listen, if you need advice
or something, don't be shy.
Just, uh, let me know.
Hmm?
- Aren't you Muslim?
- If you ask my parents.
- Look, I need a letter
of recommendation.
- This is why you're here?
Arabs, you guys don't
know how to socialize?
- No, no, I'm sorry...
- It's all about the
hustling, business?
What happened to friendship?
- I'm sorry, I didn't mean...
- Dude, I'm kidding.
Of course I'll do it.
Oh, man...
- Tareq! Tareq!
- Good morning.
- Sample?
Hmm.
- OK.
- Um...
- Excuse me?
- Hmm...
- Yes, that's a chocolate wheel.
Sorry, sir, no, no! You
cannot come back here.
- Excuse me, sir, you need
to leave. Ah! No, no, no.
- You need to leave.
- Baba?
- No, no, no, no, no.
- What is going on?
- I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
- There are no
openings available
that don't require at
least basic English.
Excuse me. Sorry, gentlemen.
Is there anything else
that I can help you with?
- No, thank you.
I'll continue studying medicine
at Dalhousie University.
- Wow! That's a great school.
- Thank you.
- Pierre?
- It's late. Is everything OK?
- Alaa's visa was denied.
- What?
Hold on a sec.
Looks like we can't
locate her husband.
- What are our options?
- For now, nothing. I'm sorry.
You need Fadi's consent,
or Alaa's visa
won't get approved.
- I understand.
Just let me know if
you think of anything.
- I will. Talk to
you soon, my friend.
- That's $22.60.
- Mmm!
Mmm!
- These chocolates are amazing.
- Oh my God! They're so good.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait
a minute. Wait a minute.
He did all that from in here?
- He was the best
chocolatier in Syria.
Until the factory, you know...
- Yeah.
Tell Papa I have an idea.
- Thank you. Thanks.
- Look at you fellows! Oh!
- I hope you like
Syrian chocolate.
- Oh, chocolate! Oh!
Hey, gals! This is the fellow
that I was talking about.
- See these people?
They make the best chocolate,
all right? Mark my words.
- I hope you mean...
- I'm still waiting.
I'll let you know
the minute I know.
- Half dozen here.
A half dozen. Uh, six?
- I got you.
- Enjoy it.
Tareq!
- I recommend every single
one of these. On my life.
- A suicide attack in Hermel
in Lebanon has killed 4 people.
Now, this is the fourth time...
The cause of the explosion,
a suicide bomber...
- High five!
I got this, Tareq.
- Thank you.
- Interesting place for the
town's second chocolatier.
I don't think we were ever
introduced officially.
The name's Kelly.
- How's she going by, eh?
- You and your father
came by my chocolate
emporium the other day.
The one on Main Street.
- Yeah, I remember, yeah.
What can we help you with?
- Well, I know that
you're new to town.
And I would be
willing to showcase
some of your exotic
chocolates in my shop.
Of course, if you had
the right experience.
- He's the expert. I just help.
I'm actually, uh,
studying to be a doctor.
- Well, we're getting
busy for the holidays.
There's no better way to
introduce the customer
to your product.
Just talk to him about
it and let me know.
Here's my card.
There you go.
- He no eat! Never!
- What's going on?
- He doesn't want
to work with Kelly.
- Yeah, well, the thing is,
you guys don't know
what you have here.
- She has equipment and money.
We have no equipment
and no money.
- Frank?
- Oh! I'm not gonna be
able to fit into my pants!
- No, no, eat, eat.
- Thank you, Shahnaz.
Oh, that's good.
- Delicious. Mmm!
- Look at this.
- Is this all you have left?
You're gonna run out of money.
- He only works with
premium ingredients.
- It's gonna be hard to
make ends meet with this.
- We have 11 months.
You are an accountant.
What would you do?
Just a sec.
I'll be back.
- Here. Come here, come here.
- Thank you, Frank.
Thank you very much.
- OK.
Look at this. Sea
salt chocolate.
- No, no, no!
- No, it's really good!
It's very popular here.
- Bad!
Here. Better.
- Come on, Barry, is this
really the best you can do?
- Without an established
history, I...
Look, I love what you're
trying to do, huh?
But this is all we can offer.
My hands are tied, Frank.
- Yeah, good!
- I don't know, Frank.
He seems to like it.
- Do you even know what this is?
- No, no, no!
I can't ask him to sign this!
- Why, Frank? We
will pay it off!
- 12% interest, Tareq!
It's gonna kill you guys!
- I think we'll be
fine. We'll be fine.
- Issam, interest? Very high.
- Interest?
- Yes.
- No. No!
No. No.
- We cannot take
loan with interest.
It's against our faith.
- Huh?
- What?
- There's no interest on
loans in Islamic banks.
- No interest?
- I didn't even know
that was a thing.
I don't suppose you offer
interest-free loans here?
- This isn't a charity, Frank.
Hey, Dan, you wanna
hear something great?
- All right, come on. Let's go.
- Come on!
No interest? Do you know how
crazy that sounds, Frank?
- It was a lousy
deal anyway, bud.
Thanks, Barry.
- A little to your left.
Little more to your left.
- In a way, I'm making
people's life worse.
You know how bad sugar is.
- Do you know how many
surgeons love sugar?
- Back home, they all smoke.
- Here.
Merry Christmas. It'll
help you with your aim.
- Thank you.
- Apply to more schools.
- My father told me not to.
- So?
Look, I left my
family to move here.
Of course they didn't
like it, but I did.
- It doesn't feel right.
- Your choice, bro.
- People really
do this in Canada?
- Nope. Literally just me.
And you know what?
You need to be hustling
right now, networking.
I'll do you another solid.
I want you to come speak at
a conference I'm chairing
in the new year.
- What would I speak about?
- The war, the struggle,
your story, man.
- No, I'm not much
of a public speaker.
I'll pass. No.
- You have to hustle. Hustle.
Hmm.
- Oh, yummy! Mm-hmm?
- Hmm? That's why I
asked for the meeting.
- He wants your money.
- Issam might be a stranger
to you, but he's my friend.
His business is going faster
than we could've anticipated.
- Well, I hear they're
running Kelly out of business.
- She's just sook about not
being the flavour of the week.
- Well, she says
it's the Syrians.
- Her shop's slower
than molasses.
- At least she's got space.
If Issam's production grows,
he won't even have
place for the product.
- So you want us to build
him a factory or something?
- $2,000, from you,
me and Heather.
- I'm in.
'Tis the giving
season, after all.
- Great.
- Frank, you know I'm
always happy to help,
but you're asking Pete
and I for $4,000...
- No, no. I'm
asking for $12,000.
I have two more meetings
this morning. Here's Dan.
He's my next one.
- We can't just give loans
to every come from away!
There's, what, 50,000?
- These people left their
lives behind, their families!
I can't even imagine!
If we can't help our friends,
then, well, fuck!
It's better than church.
- You know he'd do
the same for yous.
- Frank!
- Hey.
- What a surprise!
- Yeah. Hey, the
place looks great.
- Thanks.
- I'll, uh, have a coffee.
- One cup of Ethiopian
dark roast coming right up.
- How's business?
- Well, you're my 5th
customer this week.
- Sorry to hear that.
But, you know,
it's only Tuesday.
- Everyone's getting their fill
off your friends at church, hey?
- Oh, come on. You don't
only sell chocolate.
You sell coffee and, uh...
high-quality vegan baking goods.
- Why are you here, Frank?
- Well, word around town is that
you're blaming my friends
for your lack of business.
I wouldn't be a good neighbour
if I didn't come over here
and collect your thoughts.
- How long we known each other?
- Since you were a kid.
- Long time.
I've worked real hard
for this business, Frank.
- The way I see it,
there's room enough in
town for both of you.
- Look outside! It's two
days before Christmas.
Does Main Street
look busy to you?
Rent's going up.
Tourists are going down.
And the way I see it,
one of my 5 customers
is trying to tell me
how to run my business.
I offered your friends a
part. They didn't want it.
In fact, they didn't even call.
- I'm just saying,
more refugees, more
people in town,
maybe more customers for you.
What do I owe you?
- It's on the house.
- Sorry to take your time.
- Frank!
Shouldn't it be neighbours
before newcomers?
- Hey, hey, hey!
Huh? What do you think?
- What is it?
- For you. For the chocolate.
A factory.
- A what?
- I know she's small,
but at least Shahnaz
gets her kitchen back.
- Yes! Yes, yes, exactly!
And... we all pitched in
and got a community loan.
I don't think he'll allow it.
- Look, look, look.
It's not a handout.
It's a loan, OK? No interest.
- Interest, no!
- No! No interest, no, no.
It's like a... like a belated
Christmas gift. Right?
I'll take my interest in kibbeh.
- Issam! Tareq! Come!
- He's a bright entrepreneur,
a doctor to be...
and my friend.
Tareq Hadhad.
- Thank you for having me.
I almost didn't come today.
I'm not used to
speaking to crowds.
It makes me nervous.
That's not why I
almost didn't come.
A week ago...
we found out my brother-in-law
was killed in Syria.
My family has endured
many hardships.
But we are one of
the lucky ones.
That's why I came today.
If you looked at
the comments online,
you would think
refugees were like rats.
The truth is simple.
We have families
like everyone else.
We love like everyone else.
We seek peace like
everyone else.
But we don't die
like everyone else.
We lost my sister's
husband to the war.
If that makes us lucky,
what is it like for
the unlucky ones?
Becoming a refugee means
you lose everything.
Your home...
your history...
your family.
I'm here to say to you:
thank you for your kindness.
But there's many
of us suffering.
- : The parents,
the older people here,
tell me they've not
been able to find work.
- heard that Canada is
taking some refugees.
- Just over those
mountains there,
that's Syria, not very far.
- Hmm?
- so that they can go home.
- Hmm! Who came up with that?
- Neil, a friend of
Frank's who does marketing.
- Imagine! You got
a marketing guy!
- Uh-huh.
- You could've asked me.
- How's she going by, Tareq?
- Hey, how 'bout you, eh?
- Got a bunch of
mail for you, bud.
Your sign's got a typo.
It's P-I-E-C-E.
- Hey, Papa!
- Hi, Papa!
- Whoa! Look at this place!
Hey, fancy! That's
better than a ladle, huh?
Wow! Mmm.
Oh! Mmm!
Ah!
- Salt.
- Mmm!
Wow.
- Uh, Frank...
- Mmm?
"All I have, gone.
"No job...
"no home, no help.
"But now...
you help."
You good.
Thank you.
- Yeah.
- Thank you. Thank you all
for your incredible support.
This factory will not
just bring chocolate
to the people of Antigonish.
It will also inspire
more refugees
to keep the faith and
contribute to their new home.
Making chocolate is
my father's dream.
He started because he knew
that chocolate could
make people happy,
and if chocolate
made people happy,
then he was the
maker of happiness.
My father adds he wish you
all to eat with health.
- And he was doing this
from his kitchen before,
like a ladle and a pot,
and he would use a knife to
scrape it off in ice cubes,
ice cube trays.
It was unbelievable.
This is like a dream, trust us.
Oh, oh! Excuse me for a second.
Thank you, Shahnaz.
Oh! Oh, that's so good!
- We're live in
Antigonish, Nova Scotia,
and I'm joined now by
Syrian refugee Tareq Hadhad.
- Hello, Canada! Thank
you for having us.
- Now that you're
a local celebrity,
how does all the attention feel?
- We are honoured. It
left us speechless.
- All right, let's see
how the magic happens.
- Can I say something to
the people of Canada first?
I know there's a shortage
of doctors in Canada.
Refugees who come to
this country can help.
Medical school won't
accept my credits.
So if anybody watching
this can assist,
this is how I can help,
the way Canada helped us.
- All right, now back
to the chocolate.
- I never did you wrong, Frank.
- Hey, Kelly.
- You know, I didn't have one
problem until they showed up.
- Ah, come on, you
know that's not true.
And they've had a hard life.
- And people here haven't?
- I'm not saying they haven't!
I'm just helping out my friends.
- Yeah. I guess
we're not friends.
You have a permit for
that thing, right?
- Mr. Hadhad, can
I have a moment?
- Yes, of course.
- Jim MacDonald.
I'm a regional executive
at Sobeys grocery.
We're a family business as well,
one of the biggest in Canada,
and I wanted to
congratulate your family.
- Thank you.
- You're the talk of
the province, you know?
Your story is the
new Canadian dream.
There's a lot of
opportunity for you folks
beyond Antigonish, maybe
even beyond Nova Scotia.
Here.
Let's talk about the future.
- I didn't have superheroes
growing up in Syria.
I had doctors.
They saved lives,
command respect, success.
They don't make sweets.
- Look, it's a good start.
People liked your speech.
- It seems they did.
Someone from Sobeys
approached me.
- To buy you guys out?
- They want to
make an investment.
- Ah, but your dad will
never go for that, though.
- He needs me too much already.
- Look, more money
means more employees,
which means more time for you.
I'm booking you to speak
at a class at Dalhousie.
Maybe someone will notice you.
But, you know, only if you want.
- Our small business,
our loving community,
means we can build a new home.
We can empower other
people's dreams and our own.
For me, that dream
is to be a doctor.
Someday, I will be.
- Tareq? Hello. I'm Laura.
I work in graduate studies
here. Wonderful speech.
I'd like to offer you an
opportunity to join us.
- Yes, of course.
- We always ask
the best speakers
to join us to speak
at convocation.
Thank you so much.
We'll be in touch
with you tomorrow, OK?
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- And this is where
the signature goes.
You follow me? Good.
You have to date it
properly, 'cause...
How'd it go?
- Can I have a
moment with my dad?
- Sure. Bye-bye, Papa.
- Bye-bye, Papa.
- Hey, Frank. How's it going?
- Hey, Liam. What are you...
what are you doing here?
- So, why do you
want to work here?
- Um...
I love chocolate. I
saw you on the news.
I got excited when
you were hiring, so...
- Do you work hard?
- Sure do, man.
- And you show up on time?
- Yes.
- You're hired.
- That's it?
- Yeah.
You start tomorrow
morning, 8:30.
- Sweet, man! I like you!
See you, Frank.
- Yeah, see you, Liam.
Really?
- What?
- Liam! Hang on, I'll
introduce you to Issam.
- Oh, cool!
- And this is where
the magic happens.
Hello, Papa!
- Hello, Papa.
- Uh, this is Liam,
your new employee.
- I'm really excited
to work here.
- Chocolate. For you.
- Oh, thank you so much!
You shouldn't have!
- $10.
- Uh, no, no, no. Uh...
Uh, Liam help.
- Help buy.
- No, no. Help.
- Help buy.
- Oh God...
- $10.
- OK, all right. $10.
- He thought Liam
was a customer.
- He had 50 people
working for him in Syria.
He'll be fine.
- Why don't you tell him?
You're the one he wants
to work with, nobody else.
- It's too late now.
Besides, he trusts me.
- Exactly.
But Liam's the one who's gonna
be working with him all day.
- I'm very busy, Frank.
I don't want to make
chocolate much longer.
- Yeah, no shit!
You came right out and said
that on national television.
You and your dad have a
good thing going here, bud.
Can't you see that?
- When you gave us
your loan, Frank,
I thought it would be
an opportunity for us
to hire even more Liams!
To give me the freedom I needed!
It didn't!
We're gonna wake up my mom.
Listen, we really
appreciate your help,
but this is not your business.
- Wow.
Damascus or Delaware,
kids are all the same.
And you're acting like one.
- Tareq!
- Tareq!
- Tareq! A friend of
Nadim's is a friend of mine.
- Liam! Come.
- Hey, boss.
Yeah... boom.
Everything good?
- Yes.
- Everything OK?
- Yes.
- Everything fine?
- What?
- Did you see this notice?
It was taped on the front door.
It means, uh, the
factory is no good.
- Factory no good?
- Factory no good.
- Factory no good?!
- Yeah, it's no good.
I don't... I'm
sorry, I don't...
- Liam! Stop!
Stop! Stop!
- OK. I stopped.
- Call Tareq.
- Call Tareq.
- Call Tareq.
- Call Tareq on my phone. OK.
- Our total research funding
last year was over $100 million.
- Wow! That must have
helped a lot of people.
- Yet never enough.
That's why we need
people like you.
- Yes, Liam?
- We got a building
issue from the town,
and I can't explain
it to the old man.
He's kind of freaking
out, you know?
- Can't Frank do it?
- I can't reach him, dude.
- I'll deal with it.
- We just really need you
to come back here so we...
Bye, boss.
- Bye, boss.
- Boom!
- Baba!
- Building permits now?
You just couldn't leave
them alone, could you?
- I had to play by the rules.
Where's my loan, Frank?
- Don't you wish you had help
when you first started out?
- People never did help.
- I would've helped you.
You never asked.
I would've helped.
You know what, Kelly?
Neighbours, newcomers,
they're all the same to me.
- Tareq! Tareq!
Come on! Come on!
- Tareq!
- Still working.
- by giving back
what they could.
Last month, just months
after arriving in Canada,
the family realized their dream
and opened a small chocolate
factory in their new hometown.
It's called Peace by Chocolate.
- Peace by Chocolate.
- Thank you so much.
- Tareq.
You're everywhere
these days, huh?
- Thank you.
- We still want
to work with you.
- Welcome.
- I hope you don't mind,
but I got my guys to
cook something up.
- Habibi! Come here, come here.
- Take a look at
your new factory.
- Bye-bye.
- Your family must
have dreamt of this
when you came here, right?
- Rahim has been
asking about you.
- Come on, Tareq.
I got the means,
you got the goods.
Let's make this happen.
- They're not gonna hold
the spot much longer.
- Let's move this, and
let's move it fast. OK?
- Thank you.
- Wow!
- Now all I need to know
is when can I meet Issam?
- Friday?
- Wonderful. It's a
date! I'll see you then.
- No touch!
- I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry.
I need a sample.
Please step back.
- Out. Out!
- I'm not getting out.
- How can I help you, sir?
- Finally, someone
I can understand.
We received a tip about
food quality control.
Do you have a food
establishment permit?
- Uh... just a second.
- I don't understand what...
- I believe everything is here.
- You don't want me to
look through all of this?
- English, uh...
no good. No good.
- I'm sorry.
We need to talk.
- Jim wants to break ground on a
new factory as soon as possible.
- Great.
- But he wants to meet
my dad on Friday first.
Can you be there?
- Sure. I'd love to meet him.
- Thank you.
- I'm glad Issam's finally
come around on the offer.
What the hell, Tareq?
- I'll be speaking at the
Governor Mansion in Vermont.
I cannot be there.
- And you're springing this
little surprise on me now?
You all right?
- No.
I'm afraid, Frank.
- Sorry, bud. I'm not
gonna do this for you.
If you're not gonna
do it for yourself,
I'm not doing it for you.
Talk to Issam and
grow a damn spine.
- Ah!
- Kelly?
- What are you doing here?
- Have you tried our new
maple flavoured chocolate?
- No.
- Consider this as a gift.
My family's factory in Damascus,
did you know it was bombed?
Did you know my
brother-in-law was killed?
That countless friends were
taken 15 floors underground
and killed?
All this so we can come here
and do the exact same
thing we did there.
- I'm so sorry.
- My father's
factory wasn't bombed
because of a food
permitting issue.
- Right.
- Just take them.
- Tareq.
Just so you know,
it wasn't me who called the
food inspector or the city.
There are other people who
feel a certain way about this.
- Ah, hey! Oh!
Watch out...
- Where's that thing? Tray.
- Oh! Hey... All right.
Do you need some help there?
- Go back to work.
- OK.
- I'm going to Vermont.
Yes, Frank?
- Is everything OK with Issam?
- I just told him
about the meeting.
- Today? What is
wrong with you, bud?
- I already have
a father, Frank.
I don't need another.
- Tareq...
- I have to go.
- Wait, don't...
- Oh! Oh, I'm so
sorry! I'm so sorry!
- Bad mistake.
- I'll take care of this.
- Oh!
- Oh my God. Are you OK?
Are you OK, boss?
- Out. Out.
- What do you mean? We
have so many orders.
- Out! OUT!
- Passports, please.
Sir, you need a valid passport
to enter the United
States of America.
- This is a letter from
the Governor of Vermont,
an official invitation.
I have a speech to do tonight.
- You're from Syria, sir?
- My family and I,
we have a chocolate
factory in Nova Scotia.
I have some in my trunk.
If you want, I can show you.
- No, sir, you will
stay in your vehicle.
You will place your
hands on the wheel.
- I can't...
- Place your hands on the wheel!
Now, we're gonna need to
ask you some questions.
You're gonna pull up slowly
and go and park on the left.
- Hello, Issam?
Jim.
Wow! This is...
this is impressive.
This is all you?
Oh, you don't speak
English, do you?
- English, no.
- No. Um...
Can I, uh... What is...
- Order no complete.
Me, tonight, alone.
- What, you... All
of this tonight?
- Ah...
- Wow!
Um... Hmm.
Um...
You're an interesting
guy, Mr. Hadhad.
- Who is this?
- My father, Issam.
- OK. Where was he born?
- Damascus, like me.
- Do you have any contacts of
Syrian associates on this phone?
- Yes. I have friends.
- Just answer the question.
- Why don't you
call the governor?
You will see for yourself.
- Have it your way.
Are there any Canadian citizens
that can vouch for you?
- Justin Trudeau.
- All right. Justin Trudeau.
I'll tell you what.
I will call him myself,
but I'm pretty sure
he's a busy man,
so you tuck in.
- What time is it?
- It's about 6:00 a.m.
- I missed my speech.
- Mm-hmm.
And I just worked a double.
That sucks, don't it?
Believe it or not, we did manage
to get ahold of the governor.
But, because you attempted
to cross the border
without a passport,
and, uh, let's just say
a host of other reasons,
your access to the United
States is being denied
for the next five years.
So don't book any more
speeches in the US.
You have yourself a nice
rest of the day, Mr. Hadhad.
- Yes, Frank. Sorry,
my phone was off.
I was detained at the US border.
They thought I'm a terrorist.
Nora, why do you want
to make chocolate?
- I'm a huge fan of chocolate.
I'm a hard worker.
I'd like to work hard
and make chocolate.
You're hired.
- Hey, Tareq.
- Hi.
Have a seat.
- Thanks.
- I realized we need to
formalize something, Frank.
We never put anything
into writing, so...
we would like to offer you
an executive position here.
- Wow!
Thank you.
But, um...
I don't think I can accept.
- Is everything all right?
- Yeah, yeah, no, it's, uh...
It's been a hell of a ride.
But I've already committed
more time than I've got.
And this thing has just
gotten way bigger than me.
I just think it's time
I take a step back.
- What would we do
without you, Frank?
- Ah, you got Jim now, you know?
He'll take it from here.
Um... I better get going.
- Frank...
Thank you.
- You got a great family, Tareq.
Take care of them.
- : Three, two, one...
- Before I let you go...
I'd like to say something.
We came to Canada
to create jobs,
not to take jobs.
And I'd like to
express gratitude
to the man making this happen.
He believes in a vision
of Peace by Chocolate
and helping us to
make this community
even more prosperous.
Jim MacDonald of Sobeys grocery!
- Tareq.
- Boom!
- Mr. Issam...
- Well, your dad looks happy.
- He loves it.
- Hmm.
- You know what?
I think I would make it if
we didn't get out of Syria.
But my dad...
- Still disappointed
you said no to my bro.
How do you feel?
- I feel like...
it's never too late.
- Hmm.
- Hello?
- Frank! Come, come!
- Hey, Papa!
Where is everyone?
- Uh...
Tareq, away.
Ladies, out.
Issam rest.
- I know the feeling.
Um...
- Um, I have a question.
- Sure.
- Now, you, uh...
no work with the factory.
- I know.
- But I no want you go.
- Papa, where do
you think I'm going?
- Today no work.
I alone.
In Syria?
Many friends.
Here...
no friend.
- You and me,
we're not friends.
- Brothers.
- Brothers.
- I'm looking forward to this.
OK.
Enjoy the weekend.
Bye.
- Zaha.
- Milk chocolate.
- These are exactly the
memories that I have of my home.