The Wild Frontier (2017) - full transcript

This is the winter of 2016

We are in France

Not very far from Paris

Even if everyone knew
where the Jungle was

Even if we didn't know
where the Jungle was

this territory and its hybrid community,
was there, so close to us

but its opacity made it furtive

Forests, places of
disappearance and camouflage

can grow in the heart of a ghetto

or in transit-generated interzones

THE WILD FRONTIER



Birth of a Nation

That's police checking, at the Lidl

and gas spray

France police

and hitting

14 years

London police, good

In France, they gas and dogs

Iran, Turkey

Bulgaria

Serbia

Romania

Hungary

Austria



Germany

Calais

My name is Maeregue Awede

I was born in Eritrea,
in the city of Assab

I grew up in Ethiopia

Which is why I speak Ahmaric

I've been through so much

I've learned some lessons

I had to change my life several times

looking for the way to freedom

deciding on where to go

I crossed Sudan, Libya, Italy

to get here and face my future

Nothing happened as planned

In Sudan, it was alright

In Libya, it was horrible

I almost took my own life

committed suicide

I was arrested by fake policemen

detained in prison for three months

I've lost a lot of friends

The Almighty saved me

because in theses places
no one else would have saved me

In Libya, there is no State,
there are no laws

I'm here thanks to prayers
and by the grace of God

I've seen death with my own eyes,
people getting murdred

I've been through experiences
that I don't even know how to describe

He's dead

He's dead

He's dead

He's dead, I know him

I'm here

Look

I'm here

I'm here

You see that?

I'm waking up

If we're all here today

it's to find freedom and justice

There are many people like me here

that's why exile never stops

Elisabeth, what does it mean, 23...?

Everyone from England say 23, 23...

The other day, we left the Jungle

Five of us went to the Lidl supermarket

to buy some groceries

On the way back

A police car stopped us

The policemen were shouting:
Go Jungle!

We answered:
OK we go Jungle!

Further down the road,
they caught up with us

and screamed, again:
Go Jungle!

We answer:
OK we are going!

Ten yards further,
the car drives by us again

and gases us

When you get gassed,
you can't move

You can't breathe

Your eyes, your nose, your mouth

It's very painful

You fall on the floor

We blew air on each other's faces
to ease the burning pain

Then we went back to the Jungle

At the entrance, the police shouted again:
Go Jungle!

The policemen are always provoking us

and if we react, they gas us

He said 3 euros for 2 yogurts

I told him, No, 4 euros

It's hot!

How can you go to England
without hot bread?

Throw that one away, it doesn't work

How about this one?

You need to top it up

What's the number?

It's on the receipt

Where are the numbers?

You must put in those numbers

They must be on the Lycacard

It works!...
There are 2 euros on it

If it doesn't work, it doesn't work

Zizou, don't put that much money
I want to keep 10 euros to call the family

Hello? Ferieh?
How are you, darling?

I want to call Francesca!

Did you sleep well?

We just wanted to test the card
Why are you calling for real?

Ferieh?

Who's SIM card is it?

It's running!

Is it your SIM card?

Call me back, Zeid

No, it doesn't work

Go ahead

Well done

Ok, give it back to me now

I think it's the network

Did you just call me?

She's prison in Libya, 6 months

She pay money

After she's out of prison,
she's working in Libya

After working she came here

In prison, she was hurt by knife

By knife, and with the butt of a gun

She pay 4000 dollars

- Give money, give money...

Family sent money, from Ethiopia

- Can you telephone?

They kick, kick!

- Call, call, kick, kick, call...

She said to God
Only she speaks to God

- Please, help me, I'm dying here

By week, two days food to eat

No water

Not some shower, not clothes

Like this house, 15 people inside

The door is always closed, not opening

She says that now
she wants to go to England

My name is Zeid

I'm from Ethiopia

I am just 18 years old

I left Ethiopia, before one year

Ethiopia, Sudan, I'm coming by leg

Two days, I am walking

From Sudan, Libya

Ten day

by car, by foot

In Libya, in prison for five months

In prison some kick my teeth

with gun

Kick me here

- When he was in prison in Libya
lot of time they hit him

- his teeth, his legs...

Some by knife, my back

My hair by...

a mirror....

- He says with a piece of mirror

To clean my hair

Not some water

no shampoo, by mirror

- He was afraid to die

- When he was in prison,
too much friends dying

Me, I am sleeping here,
he sleeping here, and here...

Get up in the morning,
he has died...

No chance

- He lost friends
They die

But now, in my...

- when he remember his friends...

I am crying

I am not communicate my family

I am communicate only God

The same

Outside maybe you can take
another Libyan people

He takes you inside house
and closes the door

Give money! He says

And again, more money

- After five months in prison
he gives them some money

Then he free

- After Libya, journey to Italy, by boat

Inside boat, some my friends

Maybe 42, 43 people

died in the boat

- Is the first time?

It's the first time I have tent

One guy from UK come here,
in my tent, look

Everyday I'm trying England

- What is the most difficult?

Police! Too much police!

- He's right, police, too much!

Only police!

Come dance with us...

Afghanistan

Syria

Iraq

Ethiopia

5 000 pounds to go to England

Sudanese

Eritrean

Ethiopians

Somalis

No money

We are in Calais
Life is hard

We are naked,
our clothes are dirty

My name is Raja

I live in Calais

Calais is dirty
Fleas are everywhere

We live in dust, we have bites

Why don't they let us go to England?

We have a tent there,
come with us

"Don't argue with the poor!"

"Don't argue with Momaud, Afrirdi,
Machiali, Bajawari..."

I learned English a long time ago

Speak in turkish, say something...

What should I say?

Calais is a big problem

We want to go to England

OK, OK...
Come on, let's go to England!

Hello, my name is Nadji Bullah,
son of Hadji Sahaib Gulmalok

I am from Deshteskagawi,
in the province of Logar

I'v been here for 15 days

"I am nothing, I lost everything,
I wander, dust on my head"

We live in tents
or in containers

Thank you!

We came out to play cricket
on the field... Bye!

I've been in the Jungle for 3 months

I still haven't seen the air
on the other side of the bridge

We're living like animals

I live in those containers

There's no bathroom in there

no toilets, no water, no food

Living like this is difficult

They say 5000 persons are
coming to those containers

But there are only 200 containers

You can't fit 5000 people
in 200 containers

They'll destroy the Jungle
and where will we go next?

Where do we go?

Tell us where?

We'll go where you tell us

There's a lot of police

We're sick of policemen

They gas us like ennemies

We fled Afghanistan
because of our ennemies

and here, the police use gas against us

There's a big problem...

Look...

They do better for us

I heard about some information

If you want to go back to school
they can do that for us

We don't want to die
that is why we came here

He said
- I have like 2 weeks here

He passed through Libya

He passed through the Sahara desert

He said
- When I reached in Italy

I was so confused
I don't even know where I am

I was searching but I couldn't find out

I like England!

Since we've lost our liberty
we struggle so much

The freedom we have here,
is lost in your country

If I disagreed with you,
you would hit me!

He said
- I don’t know where I am even

but the place when I reach here

I know the place is France

Open the door!

Open!
It's the door, Ferieh!

Open it, open it!

It's locked from the outside

Why?

I don't know, Dawitt locked me in

What about the shoes?
Where are they?

I told you, it was just a jacket!

What kind of jacket?

Like the one the girl brought

She didn't think of me?

Of course she did, she said:
- Bring the jacket to Dawitt...

What's the problem?

Did she tell you to give it to me?
- Wait!

No, I want to talk, Almaz!

I swear!

Listen, listen...

Kiss your ring

Kiss it...

Now tell me the truth,
did she give it to you?

What's your mother's first name?

Skat Tadila

Swear on Skat Tadila!

Wait,
Francesca came

Swear on Skat Tadila!

Wait, goddamn!

I love your mother more than you!

Francesca gave them to Zeid

A jacket and a pair of shoes, OK?

For Johnny and Dzezma

And a tracksuit

A larger one, to wear inside

They have three

You already have them

She said they were for Dawitt

so you can see if you like them...

There was only one jacket

Zeid took it

Is it for you or for him?
Where is the one for Zeid?

Why'd you give the shoes?
I'm out of shoes!

She brought us nothing tonight,
only for Johnny

Why only for Johnny?

I don't know!

That's enough, I'm leaving!
I'll settle that with her

OK, stop

Isn't this your house?

Listen!

She said they're for Johnny!

What do you want me to do?!

Listen to me, listen...

Is this your house, or not?

You must choose between Francesca and me!

Only one of us can step into your house

I'm leaving, I'll be back
Meanwhile, you think about it

Why? Fuck!

Why must I think
and choose while you're gone?

You must choose between Francesca and me

How come?

If you choose Francesca,
you are an opportunist

If you choose her...

Understand me! Understand me!...

Fuck off!...

Please understand me!

OK, I understand you

I've never said that to a girl before

Sit down...
- I'm listening to you

Be quiet, they're filming us

This is why I'm leaving
I'll come back later

Stay still...

I'd better leave, my love...

Be quiet!

They're working...

Dawitt, Dawitt...
Sit down

Francesca brought some shoes,
one pair

She didn't bring Johnny any clothes

Just a pair of shoes

A jacket!

Why did you say I hid it?

No, my love!
I never said you hid it

Francesca got mixed up

Francesca got mixed up?

She brought me the ugly one

Ugly?! It's magnificent

I'm leaving

I don't want our families to see us
fighting on television

I swear! ... And when you come back....

Here, take...

I swear, one more time

When Francesca comes back, call me

I want to give her a kiss

Give me one too, kiss me

How many do you want?

Kiss me....

Kiss me...

Sit down...

Sit down...

Behave yourself...

What's this?

Almaz is a criminal

Almaz is agressive

She wants to fight with me

He's killed me, that one

I'm sorry, no camera...

I came here by car...
no safe camera

Eli

I’m going to the train

Zizou

Almaz!

Almaz!

Zeid!

Zeid!

Johnny!

The first fire was at
1.30 o'clock in the last night

It was in the litter
the fire was starting

I come out from my house
and I see there is a fire in the litter

If they have not take out
the bottle of gas

maybe the fire is coming inside
to this restaurant

No change, see over there

No change?

The judgement decided...
They said to the government party

Because there was 2 parties:
one human rights, one government party

They spoke with the government party

They not speak with
those who support us

like our lawyer, the human rights side

The judge told to the police :
- You can't broke...

or finishing any house with
people living in them at the moment

Because to all the country
it's not allowed anybody living

in any place they broke or is destroyed

Yesterday, me, Almaz, Johnny, Dawitt

We go to the train, the boat

Inside the truck,
me and Almaz and Dawitt

They three, me, and Johnny

Scan, police, check inside the car

Three guys: Outside!

Dawitt in the car

Maybe he go to England

The security catch us,
all three people

Still no news about Dawitt

Maybe, we wish, he is in UK

Maybe tonight or morning,
we know where is Dawitt

Maybe somewhere to prison
or in UK

She says that if Dawitt
go to UK, I will so happy

She’s right, we’ll so happy
because it's a big hope for us

So maybe we’ll try again

Tomorrow, maybe we’ll go to UK

It's a chance

A new hope

We try our best

By truck or by train?

He want to try it by bicycle

For you...

Give it to me, I’ll read it!

Tomorrow, the French government
is coming to the Jungle...

Since there are a many migrants

all the migrants must come out
and stand in front of their houses

Everybody out tomorrow
for the demonstration!

Come and join us on the road...

near the bridge
and the Salaam Centre

Will they destroy everything?

No, they won't

They’re coming to count us

Everybody must come tomorrow
You, him, everyone, everyone

It was really a strange feeling

because everybody
were waiting for the judge

Because she will judge,
it's gonna destroy their lives

And they have second problem that night

First of all, they’re waiting
to cross the border to England

And they are waiting for the judge,
maybe they will destroy their dreams

And they're impatient

The wind smells like smoke

It's coming this way

The loonies are making a barbecue!

Someone opened the gas can
I left over there

I can smell the smoke

The smell of smoke had been here a while

Lieutenant!

Volunteers...

But I don’t see any volunteers

Because before
she never go to Isbergues

Because she has not have money

Now she happy

Me too, I am happy

Almaz she go Isbergues

She can not get a chance
from here to England

Because for men no different from here

but for women, very different

She can't jump over the fence...

You see one car, police car?

You see...
I don’t know by English

That, after cut...
And if no police arriving

We climb inside truck

It's really strange

Where I am standing now

by the sea

is the perfect place to cross the border

But now, it's very busy

It's too hard

We don't really know
how to do it

A lucky one can pull it off

Another one can’t

It’s cold

but the warm weather is coming back

The seasons are mixing

We can’t change the climate

We must deal with it

There will be better days ahead

There, in the distance, is the port

It’s the main gateway to get in

We’ll see if I can

I’ve been here for three months

It’s hard to cross over

It’s hard to get into England

I don’t know how

but I won’t give up

England is my only hope

My only way out

I must be brave

I have no choice

Uncertainty prevails

Anyway...

I’ll keep trying

I have no choice

I have to keep going

Everybody tries to cross
the same way

But it’s not the easiest passage

Possibilities arise thanks to dockers

But even that is too crowded

One could almost say it’s closed

It’s hard and it’s still cold

Nobody would want to live like this

I can’t give up

A Christian doesn’t give up

But it’s weird

I hate everything here

I can’t take it anymore

We’re prisoners

Our families don’t know where we are

We don’t know what to do

It’s going to be alright

We’ve been through
so much hardship in Libya

Good times will follow bad ones

It’s going to be OK

We’ll see what the future holds

That’s my answer

The border is burning

Rain...

Welcome inside

The fire truck

The sports car

The golf cart

The parachute

The oil tanker

The submarine, the tank

The tramway

The yacht

What TV channel today?

Fuck you!

In Eritrea,
the government is very dictator

The army is obligatory

If you want to learn

you can’t learn there

The government teach you for army

If you can't accept that

the government,
they try to kill you

Maybe the police catches you

they send you somewhere
to teach you be a soldier

And if you don't want
to be taught the army

you have to leave Eritrea

The police maybe catches up to you

Exactly you're dead

In army, they change exactly your mind

You think like a dictator

You change your mind

You don't have mercy for another person

On YouTube...

you see a lot of people like this

You wanted to ask him a question?

Yes, did it happen to him last winter?

You come here,
I will talk to you now

Maybe that time you come
I don't know who you are

I didn't talk to you...

Yeah, but now, this time,
I know who am I

And I know you are friends

- So he had bouts of dementia, like that?
- Yes, he did

Because the priest
said the Bible words

the devil is very angry, understand?

The devil... I'm not

Look at that cop, staring at us

Son of a bitch...

What does he think?
Where was he born?

What are they gonna do?

Don’t worry... You’ll get in

I just need them to give me the thing

But the dude's speaking
about a 20 euro phone!

For tomorrow?

He’s smart, he goes through us
to not get beaten up

Do you know these guys?
I don’t trust them

We have no choice, may God hear us

We never know whether
they’re up to good or bad

Do you know what they did to Wodiema?

They told him to dress up
and they took pictures

Do you understand?

They asked to take his picture
and said nothing bad would happen

Hi Almaz...

Are you alright?

Yes, I’m fine, my Dawitt

I’ve missed you, honey

Me too, me too...

I’m with you, 100 %

I’m good, but England’s no good
How about you?

I’m alright, but
I really miss you and Zeid

Yes, yes, yes, sorry, sorry

You went and left me behind

No, no, no, my Dawitt,
it was just so difficult to leave

We couldn’t wait for you

Don’t worry, there is a God

How about you, how are you doing?

I’m good

Everything’s fine, I miss you though...

How about you, honey, how are you?

We’re doing good but it’s hard

Don’t worry, there is a God, sister

There is a God, but it’s different here

We are really alone

It’s our fault, we shouldn’t have left

Before leaving, it was 100 euros,
then 200, after, 400

and big promises!

It’s OK, honey, don’t be afraid

Did you call your family for money?

No, there’s no money, no money

Don’t forget me

Don’t forget me

How could I forget you?

I’ll send you your SIM card

No, you don’t have to

Are you sure?

Of course, you’ve done enough

I wonder what’s in store for us

Thank you so much, my Dawitt

Honestly, I don’t know

There’s no more hope here, nothing

Nothing?

No, nothing

We can’t do anything for you
from where we are

But we won’t let you down

But where can I go?

Just wait,
you’ll catch your break, Dawitt

Hold on, just be patient

He says there are no possibilities
for the moment

I’m so sorry, my Dawitt