Three Songs for Benazir (2021) - full transcript

Don't stand so close to me

My heart is too delicate for that

There is no such thing as love

I made one mistake

And she kicked me out of town

Shut up.

She is crazy

Benazir! Come here.

This time, I will sing you a better one.

Come here, wifey.

I'll sacrifice my life

For her hashish-smoking eyes

At night, she comes to me with red eyes

If I don't go insane in your love

I will at least become half-witted

I am holding a flower for you.

Either take it or dismiss me.

THREE SONGS FOR BENAZIR

CAMP FOR PEOPLE DISPLACED BY WAR

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

Who wants to buy some bricks?

- Someone will buy them from you.

- Yeah? Who?

Lay the bricks and someone will buy them.

I hate this.

What can I do with you, Afghanistan?

You will be regretful

But it will be too late

My love, eat some almonds

With these mulberries

I have brought them to you with love

Shut that off, Benazir.

- You see that, Benazir?

- What is it?

That balloon has been sent by

the Americans and foreigners to watch us.

It's full of cameras recording us.

- What do they do with it?

- They film this entire camp.

In case something happens here.

We'll either be bombed by the foreigners

or killed by the Taliban.

I want to get educated, Father.

Let me learn something.

So you want to become educated now?

None of us have seen a school or anything.

How could I send you to school?

Then will you let me join

the National Army?

You are uneducated.

They will hand you

a machine gun and a satellite.

Because you're uneducated,

someone will steal them from you.

They will come after me

and hold me responsible.

They will teach us.

There is no teaching there!

Instead of joining the army,

go poppy harvesting.

You can go opium harvesting in a month.

Stop shouting, boys!

Knock it off!

Let me check our child.

Hey, kid, what's up?

Our baby is fine.

Do not touch my belly, okay?

- How is he?

- Touch your own belly!

- Say something to our son.

- How can I do that?

- Remove your hands.

- See, they're off!

- Is he making any noises?

- He does.

I won't come back.

You said, "Hello."

So he doesn't talk?

We're leaving for opium harvesting.

Aren't you coming too?

No, I'm not going this year.

I decided to find some work here.

It is good money. We should go.

Stop following money, brother.

Opium is where death waits for us.

I am not going to harvest this year.

Don't let me go on my own.

- Hey, Benazir, what are you cooking?

- Okra, all right?

Okra? Sounds good.

Come on, let's eat.

Don't make me mad.

I'll just help you with this…

Put that down!

Let's break our fast.

I will carry out

a suicide attack on this food.

I will join the army, Benazir.

You will be proud when I visit you.

I will have a real job and be happy.

Back up. Wait over there.

I want to join the army

and serve my country.

- Do you have a national ID card?

- I do.

Give me your ID.

Remove your shawl.

Search him.

You may go!

Our army needs young people like yourself.

I will be very happy to join.

Are you literate?

Well, I've studied until third grade.

Then we had to flee Helmand.

I want to go back to school.

I only have a third-grade education.

All right, I see.

Take this form.

Find an elder or an educated person,

whether your brother or a relative.

He needs to fill out your biography form.

So that we know

who you are, where you're from.

What kind of jobs have you done?

I know you're Afghan,

but which groups are you linked to?

Who are you really?

You know that our country

is facing a crisis.

There are Taliban,

Pakistani insurgents, and so on.

That's why we require guarantors.

And when, God forbid,

you commit a crime

during your army service and flee,

your guarantors are responsible

for handing you over to us.

As soon as you bring the signatures,

we'll process your registration

and send you for training.

Congrats. Good to meet you.

Happy that you are joining the army.

Shaista has enlisted with the army!

Bravo!

Go on. Dance!

Okay, enough!

It's not hard, big brother.

We both will benefit from it.

Listen, if I don't prove you wrong,

then I'll never ask you to trust me again.

It's not easy, little brother.

No matter how hard,

he can do it in six months.

He has a wife, a home.

If he didn't, I would let him go.

It's a job, big brother.

I won't hurt anyone or steal.

I won't defect from the army.

I'll do it right.

I know that you won't do that,

but poor people like us

aren't meant for the army.

- Everyone in the army is poor!

- Their families support them!

Kids who can't wipe their snot

are serving their country.

Don't I have arms and legs

to serve my country?

You can't leave your wife behind!

He didn't ask any of us!

You decided without us!

I want to be the first

from our tribe to join the army.

I'd be the first

in this entire camp to serve.

We won't be responsible

for your wife if you join.

I'm not happy, son. Understood?

If you join, the Taliban

will chop us into pieces.

We won't sign. You can't join.

They are such cowards!

I swear to God, I have never seen

bigger cowards than these people.

They think I won't join. I will.

I disown my father!

I will never accept that he is my father.

Bring her black tea.

O sleep come to Ibrahim's eyes…

Ibrahim.

FOUR YEARS LATER

ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTER

Thank you, God. I am happy…

Are they barefoot?

Thank God.

- How are you?

- All right. You?

I adore you, Benazir.

- Why are they barefoot?

- I can't afford shoes.

If you wake up in the middle of the night

You will hear the screams

Of my wounded heart

Come and visit me

I have swept the hall for you

It is raining slowly

Next Monday, it will be

one month since I arrived.

- I'd like to spend 45 days.

- No, two months.

Two? Okay, I will stay

the two months for you.

If you ask me,

I will spend the two months here.

- All right?

- All right.

I am so happy that you came to see me.

I really missed my children.

Last night, I dreamed

about you the whole night.

And now my restless heart is at peace.