Shelter (2017) - full transcript

[woman] Life is an island
in the ocean of loneliness,

an island whose rocks are hope,

whose trees are dreams,

whose brooks are thirst,

and whose flowers are solitude.

[mystical music playing]

[music intensifying]

[beeping]

Long time.

[intense music playing]

Nice touch.



[car engine starts]

[lift door opens]

Hello?

I am Claudia Weber.

Pleased to meet you.

[Mona] Did you lock the door?

Of course.

Where are you from, Claudia?

I"m from Wolfsburg.

My husband worked there
for five years

but was wounded,
and can"t work anymore.

This is my first time
serving as companion.

Well, my name is Mona.

But that"s not my real name,
just as yours is not Claudia.



We are together in this
for two weeks,

and we both know
our parts by heart.

So all you have you do
is to be nice to me,

and you can start by
making me coffee.

Here are the rules, Mona:

You never leave the apartment
unless I tell you to.

You never open the door
to anyone no matter what.

And you stay away
from the windows
at all times.

Easy.

[soft background music playing]

[bell tolling]

What about breakfast?

We have nothing here expect
disgusting frozen food.

I"ll see what I can do.

So obvious a man has
bought it all.

[siren blaring]

[reporter] In Beirut,
more than 20 people

were killed in last night"s
failed assassination attempt

on Naim Ayash,

Chief of Staff of the Lebanese
organization Hezbollah.

Both Israel and the US

hold Ayash responsible
for terror attacks

on Israeli and American
targets worldwide,

including the attack
on the Israeli Embassy in Kenya

two years ago.

Israeli sources denied
any involvement,

but a Hezbollah spokesman
vowed revenge.

Our enemy has blood on its han,

the blood of innocent
women and children,

but the enemy will never
reach our prince, Naim Ayash.

They cannot touch him.

My father always told me
to never trust you.

"Never trust the Jews," he said.

"Suspect them. Respect if you
have to, but always suspect."

Sure you made the right choice.

No, I totally messed up.

I put everything I had on you

because I believed
you"re different,

I don"t even know why.

It"s madness.

[phone rings]

Is it your people?

[phone rings]

Don"t answer.

It"s nothing. Wrong number.

[phone rings]

They know I am here.

No one knows you"re here.

They know, and they know
that I am afraid,
and fear is a weapon.

I will never make
it out of here.

We are going to have
a wonderful breakfast,

and you"ll be just
fine. Trust me.

Trust you?

Why should I trust you?

I don"t trust anyone.

[orchestral music playing]

We say to the countries
that are participating

in the crusaders campaign,

I swear to God, just like
what your friends went through,

you will go through.

I swear to God.

One day, all Europe
will be like that.

You will see.

We are the only people
who can do something.

We are culture, we are hope,

we have a responsibility
towards humanity.

You think I would
be where I am now

looking like a monster
if I did not believe in this?

Damn stitches.

The doctor told me to put
this stinky cream every day.

I will need you to help me.

I wish I could just go already,

and not have to wait
these two weeks.

[narrator on TV] In 1944,
Asmahan, second only
to the king,

was found dead near
Alexandria, Egypt.

She was only 26.

Numerous conspiracy theories
surrounded her death...

Everybody wanted her dead.

The ones she loved,
and the ones she hated.

They left her out there to die
like a dog on the street,

just like I will.

I won"t let that happen.

You really think it"s
up to you and me?

[song continues on TV]

[suspenseful music playing]

I have news for you.

Good news.

We all know where
your package is,

and we"ll see you in Germany.

Mona?

Mona?

[phone rings]

[suspenseful music playing]

[lift clangs]

What"s wrong with you?

What happened?

Where did you go?

What"s he doing here?

I just went to look for
this fine gentleman

because the water was flooding.

It"s the water pipes.
Should have been
replaced a long time ago,

but Frau Hermann is cheap,
and it"s her building now.

Before the war,
it belonged to a Jewish family.

They hid in this apartment.
I think right here.

What can you do?

This apartment is cursed.

Don"t do it again.

Understood?

Give me your keys.

I am not your prisoner.

I go wherever I want.

No. There are rules,
and you will respect them.

You do not go anywhere,

you do not talk to anyone,
and you do as I say, understood?

I"m alone in this, anyway.

No, you"re not.

We"re in this together,
now give me your keys.

[door opens]

- [door closes]
- Mona.

[door opens]

You want the keys, take them.

I don"t care.

[door closes]

[suspenseful music playing]

I hope you are ready for me.

Who knows what I will look like?

Did they show you my old face?

No.

I had such beautiful hair.

They cut it all off.

Your hair feels nice.

I feel blonde today.

Do you feel blonde sometimes?

Never.

[exhales heavily]

[phone rings]

[doorbell ringing]

[doorbell ringing]

Frau Hermann,
so nice to see you.

Who are you?

I don"t know you.

Let me make you a cup of tea.

Poor woman.

Loneliness is the worst curse
you can suffer from.

Only love can cure it,
and love is so hard to find.

I had love once.

It was beautiful.

No one touched me like he did.

No one.

He was married, of course,

but I didn"t care.

He was a Muslim,
still I didn"t care.

I did everything for him.

I felt I found
the love of my life.

But love turns into hate.

And now, he"s the
reason I"m here.

Show me your hand.

It"s all about bluffing
and deception.

I am sure you can teach
me about those.

God plays poker with us.
The problem is we always lose.

[indistinct announcements
over P.A.]

[suspenseful music playing]

[children laughing,
indistinct conversations]

[siren wailing]

[traffic sounds,
distorted conversations]

[doorbell ringing]

Let them take me, save yourself!

[door slams]

[Mona] Claudia!

[intense music playing]

[gun shot]

Are you OK?

I"m trying to have a baby.

My husband and I tried to
have a baby many times,

but it didn"t work.

This is the first time
I"m trying since he...

Since he what?

Since he left you?

I married young.

We had an
exciting life together.

Lots of memories.

But what are memories worth?
You can"t touch them.

What do you mean?

I lost him.

Micky.

I lost him.

We were stationed in Africa.

Kenya was a battlefield
between us and Hezbollah.

One morning, I took Micky
to his work at the embassy.

He kissed me, he said,

"I"ll see you later, honey."

And then a car showed
up from nowhere,

and I tried to reach for my gun,

but I froze.

They tried to shoot me.

Micky took the hit,

didn"t have a chance.

Three days later,
I gave up on trying.

Became a memory.

God knows how much
you deserve a child.

I am sure you will succeed.

I don"t know what God knows.

Stand up.

Come on. Stand up.

Who will be the father?

Someone I"ll never see.

A donor, number 749.

Brown hair, brown eyes, normal.

You know her deep desire
for a child.

A little one to love
and to hold,
to care for, to cherish.

Grant that her body
make her receive

a beautiful, healthy baby.

Amen.

There.

My mother would cook
Salad du Jour once a week.

We say, "Ant tamla
kabdaa bifarh."

Means "you fill my
liver with joy."

But my mother would always
add a lot of chili

just to make sure I remember
that love burns you.

She was a great cook.

But she died young
and left me with a father

who could not cope with me.

I was too wild for him.

He really hates me.

I had to play my cards right
every single day of my life,

with my father, my brothers,
my lovers...

they all try to cheat me.

And us... why did you trust us?

Who says I did?

Maybe I should ask
why did we trust you?

Simple.

Your people knew
which buttons to push,

and they understood
what I am worth for them

and what I expect in return.

And I don"t mean money.

So what do you mean?

[banging on door]

[car engine starts]

I miss my son so much.

You have a son?

Did you tell us?

Anyone?

They didn"t tell you?

There was no time.

We had to leave in a rush,
and it was too dangerous

for your people to
reach him in time.

I had no choice but to
leave him behind.

They promised they will
bring him to me.

But where is he?

Who is he with?

Come on, you know
you can trust me.

He"s safe... for now.

Do you have a photo of him?

Ziad...

No.

It was not allowed to
take any photos.

[Claudia] And where"s
his father?

- Who is he?
- You don"t want to know.

- Why?
- You just don"t.

All I can say is that
he betrayed him...
and me.

I will have him kidnapped
and brought to me.

I have my connections,
you will see.

I"ll go myself if I have to.

[melancholy music playing]

Claudia.

Yes?

Do you ever get scared?

Scared of what?

Of everything...

Yes.

Sometimes, yes.

Me, too.

I am terrified.
I just want my son.

[indistinct conversations,
light jazz music playing]

The point is this:

we know there are at least two,
if not three, cells

moving around Europe
ready to strike at any moment.

Unfortunately, we don"t have
enough intelligence

coming in or through
the Americans.

We share the same problem.

We always share the same
problems, my friend.

I don"t have to tell you
how things work these days.

The Americans have one thing
in mind now, and that"s ISIS.

To fight them, they need Iran,
Iran stands behind Hezbollah,

so America has to deliver
a present,

a present that the Hezbollah
are desperate to have.

You know who that present is.

I am not giving presents
to anyone.

I am sure my boss is feeling
the same way. I"m
serious, Bernard.

I know you are.

And I don"t like it
either, but...

this is beyond both of us.

Come on. I stopped buying
these things a long time ago,

and I thought you did, too.

I should be going now.

No, just the check, please.

My treat.

Gad, there is no need
to be upset.

The enemy of my enemy
is my worst enemy,

and his worst enemy
is getting closer,

it"s getting out of control,

a real threat to all of us.

So now you can see
why the Americans are inviting

new partners to bed for
a big, wide orgy.

Tomorrow, it could be different.
Nothing is carved in stone,

nothing is signed with blood.

We don"t work this way.

We take care of our people.

She is not one of your people.

[reporter] They beat
and demand revenge
as the man accused of spying

for Israel was executed
on the streets of Beirut.

If I could, I would
put two bullets
into the head of the man

who betrayed me.

Two bullets.

Betrayal cannot be forgiven.

You will never betray me, right?

I am here to protect you.

Those were exactly his words.

"I am here to protect you.

You are the love of my life."

I should have known.
A man who betrays his wife

cannot be loyal to anyone,
not even his son.

We never learn, do we?

I know what you"re thinking.

"This woman betrayed her people,

and she"s talking
about betrayal."

No.

Of course you are.

I have no regrets.

I did the right thing.

[alarm blaring]

[suspenseful music playing]

Mona, we have to go.

It"s a trap.

It"s always a trap.

No, it"s not. It"s OK.
Come on, let"s go.

I can shoot you, run away,
they will never find me.

What"s wrong with you?
Give it to me.

I can use it right now
and put an end to
all this misery.

[firefighter vehicle siren]

Do you know how many times
I thought of doing it?

[pounding on door]

We will go from here.

Come on, come on.

We will wait.

Claudia, I want to tell
you something.

If anything bad happens,
if you feel you can"t
trust anyone,

not even your own people...

I don"t think I...

Listen to me, there
is only one man
in this world we can go to,

his name is Ahmet Kayam.

He"s at the Kurdish
Cultural Center
in Cologne.

He will recognize
me immediately.

He is one of the Israeli people

we can trust
with closed eyes, really.

It will be over soon.

Tomorrow is Ziad"s birthday.

He will be eight.

My little angel.

Thank you.

This one is from you.

It"s so cute.

Should give it a name, I call
him, Fareed, Fareed the bear.

He talks, you know, in German.

Why are you hiding them?

You"re so beautiful.

I just don"t understand
why you don"t wear makeup?

I can show you how to do it
like a Lebanese princess.

You are getting ready
for the night clubs.

I"m not the clubbing type.

With this body and this
pretty face...

Come on.

Perfect.

You could have been a top model.

Claudia Sabesta!

If I was a man,
I would go crazy about you.

Luckily, you are not a man.

Even as a woman.

I wish we could take a photo,

just so we can remember
each other.

Smile.

When I was 12,
we lived in Germany

because my father worked
here at the Embassy.

My parents sent me
to Catholic school

because they were told it is
better than the Jewish one.

I had to pray to Jesus
every morning,

and to confess my sins,
of course.

Then my father met
a German woman,

and in no time, he was gone.

My mother never stopped
loving him.

I never spoke to him again.

[doorbell ringing]

[door closes]

Mona?

I"m so happy to see you.
I am ready.

I have been waiting
for this all night.

Good luck.

[reporter] German authorities
have raised
the terror alert level

to its highest, level 4.

The news comes in
response to what
officials called a serious

and eminent threat
to Germany"s major cities.

Authorities did not say
what specifically prompted

raising the threat level,
but sources say

at least four terrorist cells
are out and about Germany

and might strike at
any given moment.

I have to get the last
injection tomorrow

to avoid swelling during
the flight.

I hate my face, it looks fake.

It"s a sin to change your face.

It"s not a sin to save yourself.

You really think so?

I do.

And I also think
you must be starving,

and we have to celebrate
our last night together.

Getting drunk is exactly
what I need.

Mona Rice, Canada.

Better to hide these.
I will give them to you tomorrow

before you leave.

My ticket to freedom... or hell.

Business class.

See, we take care of you.

Now let"s eat.

I don"t know what I
will do tomorrow.

I hope I won"t go crazy
and do something stupid.

Claudia,

tell me your real name.

Come on. Just so that
I know, that"s all.

I"m Lina.

Lina Haddad.

I was Lina Haddad.

Naomi.

Nice to finally meet you, Naomi.

I am sorry. I just had to do it

to remember your taste.

Now you will stay
with me forever...

and maybe I will stay with you.

[man] Who is it?

A friend.

Naim.

- Hi. Hello.
- Hello.

Please, join us.

[clock chiming]

Morning.

You"re up early.

I know, but I"m ready,

I just don"t want to think
about anything anymore.

You look great.

You"re just saying this
to make me happy.

You hungry? You want me to
make you some breakfast?

No, nothing.

OK, so while you"re
at the doctor,

I"m going to get something
for my mom.

Hmm.

[doorbell ringing]

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

[melancholy music playing]

[music continues]

[horn honking]

Mona, are you back?

[phone ringing]

Mona?

[phone ringing]

- Fuck. Mona!
- [gun shots]

[gun shot]

[gun shot]

[horn honking]

[ambulance siren]

- [phone ringing]
- [ambulance siren]

[phone ringing]

[phone ringing]

Avner.

First time here?

Your first time, try the lamb.
It"s the best.

Lina told me to try the chicken.

Lina?

Lina.

She said you would help me
if I"m in trouble.

There"s a war out there,
and we"re losing it.

We?

The Kurds are the Jews
of the Arab world,

that is why we bonded
with your people
a long time ago.

We have common enemies,

and latest one is brutal
and frightening.

How do I know we are
on the same side?

Look at my face,
do you trust it?

Faces can be deceiving.

True. But for now, I am your
best option, Mrs. Rimon.

And Avner is a friend.

He had to go underground
for a while,

I am on your side,

just like I was on Lina"s side.

But Lina was out of this game.

She was done.

You are never done,
you are never out.

Her son?

What can be done to save him?

Ziad... on life support.

His father probably reached him
before anyone else could.

His father is who I think he is?

His father is not
a very good man,
that"s all I can say.

I can"t get Ziad out of my mind.

I owe her at least that.

You are a very generous
and kind person.

And I can see people"s hearts
through their eyes.

I can see yours.

Your eyes do not lie.

I don"t know, I never
look into my eyes.

You should, you will
learn a lot...

and you will see that
life is an island

in an ocean of loneliness.

It"s Gibran Khalil Gibran,
not me.

Yes.

You should follow your heart.

Meanwhile, you are safe with me.

So you will have a
good night sleep,

and tomorrow, you will
know what to do.

Then I can help you,

and I"ll organize everything
you need.

[Lina] Naomi, would you
promise me something?

In case anything goes wrong...

Why would anything go wrong?

Just in case,

promise me you will
take him out.

Just promise me.

Tell me where he is.

What is the purpose
of your visit?

Business, I"m a computer
engineer.

Take a step back and wait here.

[phone ringing]

Welcome to Lebanon, Mrs. Rice.

[knocking on door]

Mrs. Rice, I have a
package for you.

[crying]

[gun shot]

[no audible dialogue]

[woman on P.A.]
Welcome to Toronto Pearson
International Airport.

Please have all documents
ready for inspection.

Canadian citizens,
follow the green line.

All visitors,
follow the red line.

[Lina] My dear...

[sighs] I don"t even
know what to say.

God always wins in poker,

but sometimes,
only sometimes,
we have the upper hand.

Thank you.

Take care.

[sighs]