Very Big Shot (2015) - full transcript

Brothers Ziad (Alain Saadeh) and Joe (Tarek Yaacoub) run a small but lucrative drug dealing business out of their takeout pizzeria in one of Beirut's working class districts. With their youngest brother Jad (Wissam Fares) about to be released from prison - where he was serving a sentence for a crime that Ziad had committed - Ziad plans to go straight by using their coke-peddling profits to open a restaurant. But Ziad's supplier, a powerful drug lord who is none too keen to see his dealers retire, convinces the brothers to take on one last job.

Beat him up, Ziad!

Smash his fucking face!

I'll show you motherfuckers...

You little fuck.

Move!

Open the warehouse. Open it now!

There's a car coming!

Go home!

What happened?

Help me move him.

Help me move him.



Son of a bitch.

Drag him in, quickly!

That is not true.

You're lying. Tell me the truth!

-I am telling you the truth.
-No, you're not.

People are saying
your brothers were there.

-No, I was alone.
-They helped you kill him.

If anyone was there,
they would have helped me.

Your brothers helped you.
Who shot the guy?

He was killed by accident,
while we fought over the gun.

No!

You're lying.

Tell me the truth... I can help you.

-Who killed him?
-I told you what happened.



Jad had no intention of killing him.

-Was it an accident?
-The guy threatened him with a gun.

Then what happened?

I'm sure the trigger
was pulled by accident.

You are lying.

-I'm telling you the truth.
-Tell me the truth.

Admit it.

What you are saying is a lie.

You are not telling me the truth.
Who killed the man?

-Jad killed him.
-No, you did.

-No, I did not.
-Your brothers said that you killed him.

Admit to it, so we can get this over with.

-This is what happened.
-Your brother Ziad has a record.

He has issues with this man. Right?

You had nothing to do with this.

-I had nothing to do with this.
-I know!

-Are you threatening me?
-No, I'm not.

You have no right to do that.

-Shut up.
-I don't want to shut up.

-But you will!
-You don't have the right...

You were present at the crime scene,
and your brothers said you killed him.

Save yourself
and your brothers the beating...

When Ziad rushed out of the house,
I knew Jad was in trouble.

I joined them later on.
By then, the guy was already dead.

It seems Jad was trying
to defend himself...

-Do you have any guns at home?
-No way. Dad forbids it.

-Who killed the man?
-Fine...

-Who killed him?
-Hit me again.

Keep hitting me!
You don't have the right to hit me!

-Shut up!
-I won't.

-Stop talking!
-Hit me some more!

More!

Tell me the truth. Who killed the man?

It was an accident.

I want the truth!

Do you hear me?

Morning!

Is this Charbel's order?

Yes.

-You're leaving now?
-Yes, I have to be there at one.

Tell him I said hi.

Here's the invoice for the vegetables
and I filled the minivan's tank.

If a supplier asks for money...

tell him we'll pay next week.

Here are the keys to the bike.
I need it washed.

-How are you, Ziad?
-Fine. You?

-How's your shoulder?
-Feeling better, recovering.

-Is Abu Ali here?
-He's waiting for you.

Let's go.

Hello.

Hello, hello!

Welcome, my son.

-Hey!
-All is good?

I miss you...

-Take a cucumber for yourself.
-No, thank you.

I insist! I plant them myself.
No chemicals...

-You want one, too?
-No, I'm good.

-Tell me, what have you been up to?
-Not much... The usual.

-How are the guys doing?
-Jad will be released next week.

An Italian production company
came to Lebanon to film a movie.

They began preparing...
It was a big production!

With army tanks and everything.

We knew... Actually, we heard...

They were smuggling hashish
and opium in their film canisters,

because film canisters should only
be opened in a laboratory.

You remove the film from the canister,
or you get an empty one.

You stuff it with drugs.

And you wind a tape around it,
so no one opens it!

That's brilliant, Mr. George.

Can you tell us about your participation
in Cannes Film Festival?

What good did it do
for Lebanese cinema?

I'm very sorry.
The pizza delivery guy is here...

So what? We're filming.

-He wants to hand them to you...
-Tell him I'm filming!

He's insisting!

Okay...

Mr. George, excuse me for five minutes.
I need to see to this...

Thank you.

-Can you carry more?
-Yes, sure.

-Don't you want me to pay?
-I'll take care of it.

Thanks a lot.

You've got mine, right?

-This is the "special" one for you.
-How much do I owe you?

Let me hold them for you.

71 Lebanese pounds,
and 150 for the "special" one.

71 Lebanese pounds, okay.

This is 30.

50.

60.

70...

And that's 71.

I'll pay Joe later on
for the "special" one.

That won't be possible.

No one told me about this.

Yes, I know...
Don't worry, I'll call him tomorrow.

I can't just hand it to you
with no prior instructions.

-I'll call Joe tomorrow. I'm a regular.
-Call him now to confirm.

I can't call him now.
We're shooting inside!

Don't worry about it.
I'll pay for them later on.

What are you doing?

Here you go. Call him now.

How did it go with Abu Ali?

Not good. He didn't accept.

Did you tell him it's for Jad?

No, I told him it's for Aunt Josephine!

I meant did you made it clear
that we don't want to do this anymore?

Throw this away for me.

Are you serious?
You want to keep doing this?

Come on. Lock me in.

-What's the occasion?
-Can we talk in private?

What do you want?

How are you? Is everything okay?

Everything is fine. What do you want?

I'm here to inform you that a new shipment
should arrive in Syria by tomorrow.

So...?

You're supposed to do the transportation.

Me?

But when I talked to Abu Ali,

I told him that
I don't want to do this anymore.

That is why Abu Ali said to tell you

to do this for him,
and he will help you with the restaurant.

He told you about the restaurant?

No, actually, Hussam did.
I'm not in touch with him.

Excuse me.

Hello.

-I'm right in front of the bakery.
-Is that Hussam?

No, it's the guy driving me to Syria.

Stay straight...
You'll find us on your left.

Can I trust you with something?

Tell me...

You should go unarmed.

"Both parties
first began collaborating in Tehran.

Discussions on nuclear strategy..."

Hello.

I'm here at the Lebanese-Syrian border.

Okay.

-Good morning.
-Hello.

Your documents, please.

Step out of the truck, please.

Proceed for check-in and registration.

Yes, it's done.
I've crossed the border's checkpoint.

Yes, I can see you now.

-All good?
-Great.

-How was the drive?
-Perfect.

I need you to ride with this guy,
on his motorcycle.

Why? Where's the car?

Something came up and...

He'll take me back to Beirut
on this thing?

We're not going back to Beirut today.

We've had a small change of plan.
I'll explain later.

Let's just move now.

-Tell me exactly what's happened.
-We don't have time.

-They want me to deliver the shipment.
-I'll come, too.

-Hussam said I should do the delivery.
-Oh, really? Hussam said so?

He said they want to see me driving alone.

Please, let's move.

I don't get it.
Since when do you go alone?

Ask Hussam... I guess it's related
to what happened last time.

-It was your fault!
-I know...

You screwed up last time.
Why is he sending you and not me?

-I know for a fact...
-We have to follow you?

No, don't follow me.
These are Hussam's orders, not mine.

Are you carrying any weapons?

Of course not.

-I told you to come unarmed.
-Don't worry, I'm unarmed.

Okay, Ziad, listen to me.

-You need to stay calm.
-I'm calm.

I'll explain all the details later.

-How long are we staying here?
-Hussam will decide.

-But we are safe.
-Fine, fine.

We've worked it all out
with the people you're staying with.

-I should take all my stuff, right?
-Yes, it's better if you do.

-I'll see you there.
-Okay.

Hello.

Hey!

Wait...

Move it back.
I need to put on my shirt.

Move further back.

Ziad!

What the hell?

-Calm down, calm down!
-I'm calm. You calm down!

We said no guns!

Motherfuckers!

Joe!

Joe?

Can you hear me?

Listen...

I'm on my way back from Syria now.
Make sure no one is in the bakery.

I don't want to see anyone there,
you hear me?

What's up, guys?

Come on in.

-Abul Zouz!
-I missed you like hell, buddy!

I really missed you, man.

-How are you?
-Bilal, this is Jad.

Oh! It's you, Bilal.

Nice to finally meet you!

Doesn't he look like Joe?

No way! Joe looks like the devil.
This one is a saint!

-Kiss my ass!
-Careful. You'll burn your pretty hair.

-You smell like a real man!
-What do you want to drink?

You've lost some weight.

Hi.

-My man!
-Hey, how are you?

Come on, we're hungry!

Hello, Ziad.

Listen to me.
I don't run a charity house.

When you order something, you pay for it!

No cash, no delivery. You hear me?

I hear you. I was short on cash.
I'll pay by the end of the week.

Go have fun.

He kicks his face and says,
"Where's that red hat?"

The red hat!

That reminds me of a joke
about the Syrian secret services.

You know, the tough guys!

Once, they handed flyers to people saying
they could ask anything they wanted.

Of course,
most people ignored the flyers,

except for one big jerk!

He stopped to look at the flyer,

then looked at
the intelligence officer and said,

"I can ask you anything I want
without getting beaten up?"

The officer answered, "Just try it!"

Are you okay?

He said, "What's the government good for?"
and quickly stepped back, scared.

But the officer didn't react.

-The jerk continues...
-Where's the bathroom?

"Where's the President?
Why doesn't he care about his people?"

Where are you going, man?
I'm telling a joke.

I'm listening. Keep going.

He gets excited. "Where's the President?

"Where are you taking me?
Where's the light? Where am I?"

You get it?

What happened?

In the end, they caught him.
They took him away!

Good one.

So, Jad, tell us something funny
about your time in jail.

Why don't you tell us about the other day
when you were filming? What was it for?

We were shooting

a documentary.

It's about an old Lebanese filmmaker.

Are there any stars in it?

No, it's not fictional.

It's about his career.

He's the first Lebanese filmmaker
that made it to Cannes...

You know about
the Cannes Film Festival, right?

-No.
-It's a well-known film festival.

Imagine, the first Lebanese movie
shown there was his.

He's old. He's almost 86 now.

Babe, how old is George Nasr?
Around 86, right?

Yes.

You should hear him talk about
the film industry in Lebanon.

What film industry?
What are you talking about?

The industry here is very rich...

We have a lot of talent
but few opportunities to explore...

We have talented actors
who don't get the right opportunities.

Name one actor here
who compares to Sylvester Stallone.

Sylvester Stallone.

There are many talented actors...

The problem is they stay in the shadows.

That's funny. But still...

For example, I'm writing a movie
that is quite promising.

-I told you about it, right?
-What is this movie about?

Listen, it's about...

A Muslim guy and a Christian girl.

They meet each other,
but come from two different worlds.

In this movie, they meet,
and this is where...

Yes, I see. The war... The usual...

No, it's not a cliché.
It's not your usual story at all!

In this movie, you won't see a "war".

You'll see the consequences of war
without seeing the actual war.

What happens in the movie
is what happens in times of war.

But there's no war, and still...
It's happening! Get it?

Yes, the kind of movie
you need a PhD to go watch.

-No, come on!
-You don't need a PhD to watch it.

-Taxi drivers can enjoy it, too.
-These movies are made for everyone.

You only have to go in and watch it,
without prejudging it.

We go to the movies to have fun,
not to feel depressed.

Movies don't always have to be...

No, he's not here. Is something wrong?

Okay.

What are you saying?

There are some good movies.

These movies
have great success in Europe.

That's true.

I'm sorry to say,
but Lebanon is not a European country.

It's all a matter of taste.

Right. Some people have good taste
and others need to taste my balls.

Cheers to that!

To Jad! Cheers!

To Jad!

Why didn't Abu Ali show up to the party?

Jado, go sit over there.

You didn't answer me.
Why didn't Abu Ali show up?

Why would he come?

I don't know.
I thought I would meet him...

You don't want to meet him, trust me.

Hello, baby.

Hello.

You...

Bring two girls.
A blonde and a brunette.

You like that? You like it?

Fancy, right?

Listen, we'll get a brand new bar.

The kitchen is fully equipped.

One, two...

three tables.

We get rid of this and that,

and place three more tables here.

We replace this painting and choose
something with a European style.

Do you get what I mean?

So, do you like it?

It's not bad. It's nice.

-I imagined it differently.
-What don't you like about it?

I imagined it being bigger.

Bigger? These can open...

Don't worry, we have the terrace.

We can put four tables outside.
Don't worry about it.

A mirror! We can add a mirror.
It will make it look bigger.

It's too dark.

Is it still dark?

-Do you like it or not?
-Yes, I do.

But it needs a lot of work.

Don't worry. We'll call the owner.

What about the money?

We'll sell Dad's house.

Don't worry.

And Joe?

Forget about Joe.
He's doing fine at the bakery.

He doesn't want to sell anything.
He only wants to make things harder.

It's not up to him to decide.
You're the owner of the house.

You can sell it,
and this will all be yours!

Did you talk to Abu Ali about this?

Yes, I did.

What matters now
is that you like the place.

And I want you to make the decision.

So...?

I don't know.

I don't know.

Fine.

This one here...

Are you okay?

There he is, the big guy!

Aboul Zouz, my man!

Let's have some coffee with the guys.

No, we'll have coffee later. Follow me.

Still celebrating?

Indeed!

Are you hungry? Want something to eat?

No, I'm fine. We already ate.

This way...

I'm coming with you.

Lock the door!

Ziad, what's all this?

What did you do to the place?

Wait and see.

Come in.

You like it?

This is fancy!

This is the royal suite!

This is what Abu Ali can do for us...

Take a look.

-What's all this?
-Captagon.

-What does he want you to do with this?
-He'll be a good boy and return them.

I'm talking to your brother.
Stay out of it.

I didn't pick you up from prison
because I was in Syria.

They sent me there
to supposedly deliver this shipment.

But I knew they were setting me up.
Abdel Sater even asked me to go unarmed.

That's how you're telling the story?

Let's hear your version.
Maybe you know better...

-Tell him that Abu Ali...
-Enough! I'm talking here!

Before you were released,
I asked Abu Ali to lend me some money.

I told him
I didn't want to work for him anymore.

He didn't like that at all.
I sensed he was up to something fishy.

Then, why did you go to Syria alone?

So they don't come fuck us here!
Your brother just got out!

-So, we're safe now?
-Calm down, both of you.

What matters now
is what we do with all this.

We take them back to Abu Ali immediately!

Can you shut the fuck up and go outside?
Play with some pizza dough.

How smart... This time we all go to jail!
Jad, do you like what's going on here?

-Joe, go play outside!
-Answer me, Jad.

Joe, don't fucking talk to him!
Get the fuck out!

Do what you want. Just keep me out of it.
And get this shit out of my bakery.

Go get lost, and make us some coffee
while you're there.

Sit down.

This is my right! They wanted to kill me.
This is my property now.

Did anyone come by to ask for this?

No, they only just called now.

We should move them out of here.
They will come to search the place.

Let them come.
They won't find anything here.

Do you know how many pills
we have here?

I'm not sure.
Maybe 600,000 or 700,000 pills.

-What's their market price today?
-Jad...

I don't want you to worry about this.
I was just showing you...

I want you to focus on the restaurant,
and everything will be just fine.

Leave this to me.

You start a new chapter...

Do you want me to be honest with you?

To hell with the bakery
and the restaurant!

We have 600,000 to 700,000 pills here.

Let's take them out of the country
and make us a real living!

Enough with this misery!

I get your point,
but don't worry about it.

I'm considering talking to Roger about
this, and I might ship them to Erbil.

I just don't want you to get involved...

-Don't you want what's best for me?
-You know I do.

Then do what's best for me
and involve me in this...

I just want what's best for you.

You say you want what's best for me...

Then, let's do this together!

I don't want to live like dogs again...

Counting how many pizzas we've sold,
like dad used to do.

Let's do this and move on with our lives!

-What are these? "Special" or regular?
-Four "special".

-Who for?
-Charbel.

Take them back.

Give them to me.

Who's this delivery for?

Charbel.

Who placed the order?
Him, or your little princess?

Didn't I tell you not to send him anything
before he pays me what he owes?

Why do you care?

You have bigger plans now...

Don't worry about the bakery.
We can manage without you.

Go get me four regular ones.

Never mind. Close the bag instead.

Jad, go inside and start packing.

Abul Zouz,
can you open the warehouse?

-Do you want me to go with you?
-No, it's fine.

Ziad, hi.

-Hello.
-How are you?

-Okay? Thanks a lot.
-Is Charbel here?

Yes, he is. How much do I owe you?

I'll get it from Charbel. Where is he?

He's inside.
Do you want me to call him?

No, I'd rather come in.

Is everything okay?

An Italian production company
came to Lebanon to film a movie.

They began preparing...
It was a big production!

With army tanks and everything.

As soon as filming started...

Where's my money, asshole?

What the fuck, Ziad?

-Ziad, please!
-What the fuck did I tell you?

I swear to God, I'll pay you
by the end of the week!

-Where's the watch?
-What watch?

-The one you were wearing.
-I swear, it's not mine.

Why did you order four at once?

-I swear, it's just...
-Do you think I'm a fool?

They were smuggling hashish and opium...

Shut the fuck up.

You open the film canister,
stuff it with drugs...

I swear...

Don't play games with me.
I'm not your friend, Joe. Do you hear me?

I swear...

Sit down.

Put your glasses on.

This is what you want?

Here you go!

-Now you owe me $500.
-I swear, I'll pay by the end of the week!

Just let me deliver this project.
I swear to God...

Who's he?

George Nasr.

What is he talking about?

-He's talking about what's happened...
-Answer the fucking question!

He's talking about a company
that filmed an Italian movie in Lebanon.

You told him what to say?

No, this is a true story.
His friend worked with the Italians.

-Is this a true story?
-Yes, it is.

-It's a real movie?
-Yes, it's real.

Play it back. Play it back now!

An Italian production company
came to Lebanon to film a movie.

This is it.

This is where we put the drugs?

Not exactly,
but this is what the Italians did.

As Mr. George explained, they removed
the film and replaced it with hashish.

It's cool, right?

-These are the ones they don't open?
-Yes, exactly.

Actually, this one is different
because the film is processed.

But when the film is not processed,
they don't open, nor scan it.

And do you have any of those here?

Yeah, it's similar to this one,
but it's not processed.

Do you have them here?

-Yes, they're the same.
-Show me.

What about the big one over there?

Forget about it.
This one is for screenings.

This is it. Exactly the same.

But we can only open it
in a specific laboratory,

so we don't harm the film.

Ziad...

Ziad, you will get me into trouble.
It's the same. Why open it?

Look, it's exactly the same.

The same, huh? Are you blind?
Come take a closer look...

It's the same, it's just the wrap...
It's the same on the inside.

It's fucked up now!

-They all smell like this?
-Yes.

Fine.

Pack me up four of these.

Jado, come help me out here.

-Jado?
-I'm here.

Give me a hand.

Come.

I'll take care of it.

-Take it out.
-Okay, done.

Put everything in the closet
and the Captagon inside the couch.

In Dad's closet?

Put this junk in Dad's closet,
and the Captagon inside the couch.

I'll go get the rest.

Hello.

-You take it from here?
-Yes, sure.

Hey, buddy...

Can you dump this guy with the truck?

How funny!
Get your ass over here. Let's move!

You don't want to go for one last ride?

-Good morning.
-Hello.

I can't put these in the scanner.

I can't let you pass if you don't.

But these are film reels,
for the cinema...

-Yes, I can see.
-They will get damaged if we scan them.

-Do you have a permit for this?
-A permit? What kind of permit?

A permit from the General Security
to transport these.

A permit from the General Security...

What's wrong? Why the delay?

Nothing's wrong.
I'm just carrying film reels...

And they will be ruined if we scan them.

-What's your destination?
-Erbil.

Put everything in the scanner
and come this way.

Do as I say.

-Hello.
-Hello.

Is Ziad here?

No, he's not.

-You're Jad, right?
-Correct.

Nice to meet you.
I'm Hussam. I work for Abu Ali.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

How can we get hold of Ziad?

What for?

We need to talk to him...

It's something regarding Abu Ali.

I'm the one who should be asking
how we can get hold of Ziad.

We haven't heard from him
since he last went to Syria.

Ziad is not in Syria.

Then please ask Abu Ali to let us know
once he hears from Ziad.

We're both very worried...

Okay, then.

Let's keep in touch.

And if you run into Ziad,
tell him to contact us.

Abu Ali is waiting for him.

Send him my regards.

What's this all about?

Nothing... Just stay here for now.

Don't do any deliveries.

Babe, come check this out.

Babe, it looks amazing.

Oh, Ziad!

-How are you?
-I'm fine. You?

Have a seat.

Do you want a drink? Coffee or tea?

-No, I'm good.
-How about some juice?

-Something to freshen up?
-Sit down.

How are you?

I'm good. You?

Some water?

No, thanks.
What do I need to make a movie?

-Excuse me?
-What do I need to make a movie?

What do you mean?

I want to make a movie.
What do I need?

You want to make a movie?

Well...

I don't know!

You need a script...

You need money...
A production crew...

A director, actors,
and many more things...

The money part.
What's the minimum I need?

It depends...

It depends on the script.

Give me an estimate.

How can I explain this to you...
I can't give an estimate.

It depends on the script, the locations...

-What camera we're using...
-What's the minimum amount?

There is no minimum.

I don't know...

-Think of a number!
-I don't know. $300,000, maybe.

But you can also make a movie
with a $100 million budget!

You see?
There is no average estimation.

$300,000, including film reels?
And everything else...

I don't get it. You want film reels,
or you want to make a movie?

I want to make a movie
and I want film reels.

You? You want to make a movie?

What word aren't you getting?

It's just that I'm confused...

Don't you want to make a movie, as well?

Yes... But this is what I do.

I want to make a movie, too.
I'll pay you, and you make your movie.

But I take the film reels...

Ziad...

How can I say this?
That's not how it happens...

You can't make a movie like that!

What the fuck?

What the fuck, man?

What the hell?

I'm just trying to understand.

I want film reels and a permit.

Deal.

I want to pretend I'm making a movie,
so no one suspects a thing.

Hello.

I've been trying to call you for an hour.

Ziad is here talking to Charbel again.

What do you mean "So what?"

You look scared.

I'm not.

Who were you talking to?

Rita.

Why did you hang up?

The call is over.

Ziad dropped by...

Yes, I saw him. What did he want?

He's got some funds.

What for?

For the movie.

Your movie?

Our movie, yes. My movie.

Where from?

I don't know...

He came in, offered the funds,
and told me to start making the movie.

Don't you care about
the source of this money?

Babe, you know how Ziad is...
You can't ask him too many questions.

-That's weird.
-I'm sure he has his reasons.

Maybe he liked the story
when I told it over dinner.

-Are you serious?
-Yes, I am.

Why not? The story is nice and it sells.
It has a good script...

I know, but this is weird... Ziad
doesn't know a thing about filmmaking.

-What's in the microwave?
-This is really weird. I don't like it.

Babe, who cares where the money is coming
from? Don't you want to make this movie?

Of course I want to make this movie,
but I'd rather that things were clear!

What's not clear?
He wants to make a movie.

And he has the money for it.
Was I supposed to say no?

You said yes?

What did you want me to say?

-What do you want from this room?
-Why is Jad alone in the bakery?

-Is he taking orders, too?
-I made pizza.

I'm not feeling very well.
What do you want from here?

Don't make decisions on your own.

I don't want him in the bakery!

Tell me, what are you looking for?

-Why do you need these documents?
-Move your hands.

Put them back!

Cut the bullshit now!

Move away.

Son of a bitch.

-Put the documents back!
-Open the door!

I'm not opening the door
until you do as I say.

Open the door, Joe.

I don't want to!

I won't let you throw me in the streets.

Where do you want me to live?
In the bakery?

-Stop acting like a child. Open up.
-You're acting like a child!

Jad is no longer underage.
This time, we will all end up in jail!

Open the door, Joe!

Ziad, for Dad's sake!
Imagine he was still alive...

Open the door, damn it!

Open the fucking door, right now!

How can you be this stupid?

You think you're a tough guy?

I'm not leaving this house,
no matter what!

Charbel will get 100 film canisters...

Films are usually processed
either in France or in Europe.

We are supposedly shooting
a movie in Lebanon and Erbil,

to be processed in France.

Wait a minute. I'm not following you.

Focus.

We're shooting a movie?

Just focus.

We can no longer smuggle the drugs
through Syrian soils.

We have to do it by plane.

-Is that clear?
-It's clear.

Film reels are not scanned at the airport
if we have the required permits.

To have such permits,
we must be shooting a movie.

A real movie?

As real as it can get.

Your name...

Age and profession?

My name is Issam. I'm 24 years old.

-I work in a flower shop.
-Can you leave the shop to shoot?

Yes, I can arrange that.

Your turn.
Read the first page of the script.

Ok, let's try one sentence.

Address the camera
as if it were your girlfriend.

Tell her, "Babe, listen to me..."

These...

Half of the reels will be shot in Lebanon.

And this is how they should look.

The other half, the new ones,
are to be shot in Erbil.

Anyway, all the film canisters

will be opened and filled with Captagon.

Abul Zouz,
we need some kids to play soccer here.

But no one plays soccer in alleys anymore.

We've always played soccer in alleys.

Why do you want to shoot here?

Ask any kid here where they play soccer.
He'll tell you: in a soccer field.

Yes, but the scene will look cool here,
with kids in the alley...

It will look real!

Come on, let him do what he wants.

I'm just saying,
for the sake of the movie.

Charbel!

Charbel.

Look what I found here...

Ask him if he plays soccer in the alley.

Show him your teeth.

Soccer did this to him.

Can't we just pretend we're filming?

They all look the same.
We just remove the tapes.

The Italians made that same mistake!

They pretended to film a movie,
and people thought it was fishy.

We already have
Abu Ali and Hussam suspecting us.

We have to film a real movie,
so no one doubts a thing!

-Fine?
-Fine.

Can you show me a sad face?

With no words...

Do it. Go.

Okay!

Thank you.

-You will call me back?
-Yes, for sure.

-We will call you back.
-Okay, great.

"If you see it, then it's there."

No, that's not it.

"If you don't see it..."

You should understand the meaning.

-Yes, I do...
-"If you don't see it..."

"It doesn't mean it's not there."

"If you see it, then it's there."

No.

"If you don't see it,
it doesn't mean it's not there."

-"If you don't see it, then it's there!"
-Okay, that's it! Thank you.

Next.

Movies usually cost a lot more.

For the editing, and all the other stuff.

For now, we need $300,000 to kick it off.

That will cover film reels
and initial expenses.

Where do we get the money from?

We sell the house.
Dad's house, of course.

Who is it?

It's me, Joe!

What the fuck, man!

What's wrong with you?

Nothing at all.

Your brother is a fucking stupid moron!

Calm down, man.

-You want a war with Abou Ali?
-Calm down, Joe.

-Don't tell me to calm down!
-Lower your voice now!

-We don't want the neighbors to hear us.
-I don't care!

-Stop defending him.
-Keep it down!

-Five years in jail wasn't enough?
-Calm down, calm down!

You call Abou Ali immediately,
and you give him back his Captagon!

And you ask for mercy!

-This is not how we solve things...
-Go play somewhere else.

Calm down.

If you don't resolve this now,
I'll take action.

-Go fuck yourself!
-What do you mean "take action"?

This is not how we resolve things
between the three of us!

For the last time,
keep it the fuck down!

Just calm down!

Did you enjoy your stay in jail?
Don't you get that he's a retard?

You think you're a tough guy?

What will you do about it,
you little faggot?

Do you want to call Abu Ali
and tell him where his pills are?

Do it!

-How clever.
-Be a fucking hero!

You think you can handle Abu Ali?

Go, get lost!

Don't forget to ask Abu Ali
if he can fucking handle my ass!

Fadi, for God's sake, why are you smiling?

How many times have I told you
that you're under pressure here?

Things are going the wrong way...

Give me one good reason
why you would be smiling!

You want me to be mad?

It's not about being mad,
just keep it real.

-I can be mad if you want me to.
-Just listen to me!

I want real feelings from you!

You have a camera in front of you.
You are addressing both of your parents.

You're faking the whole thing!

You can look at me
when you say your line.

This is a key scene, before you're
kidnapped. Do it like your audition!

Come on!

-Babe, let's take it from the beginning.
-Okay. Ready?

My name is Stephany.
I am a Christian married to a Muslim.

We came here because
we can't stand living with you anymore.

"My name is Mustafa. I am a..."

Cut, cut! Listen,
it's been a long day, and we're tired.

Put the script aside. We'll resume this
tomorrow. I'll call you later tonight.

Put the script away. We'll talk later.

Thank you...

What the hell, man?
How can someone be that bad?

Stop laughing and give me a cigarette.

-Since when do you smoke?
-Just give me one.

Do you need a PhD
to say one sentence?

-He's bad, I agree.
-He's a disaster!

He's a really bad actor.
It's not that hard.

"My name is Mustafa, I am a Muslim
married to a Christian."

Piece of cake.

Alia, love, come here.

Joe, take off your apron.

Listen to me.
Can you say it just like you did outside?

No over acting, no nothing.
Can you try it?

Yes, sure.

Let me explain it to you.
You are in love with Alia, okay?

Stephany.

Yes, babe... Stephany.

You're addressing your parents
through a camera

and telling them you're leaving
because you're fed up with them.

All I want is for you to say it
just like you did outside.

Babe, please give him the script.

Keep it real. Just like you did now.
It was very good.

-Okay.
-Can we try it?

Listen, you love Alia. Focus on that.

Help him out, babe.

Come on. Let's do it.

I start in French to make fun of her,
then I continue in Arabic?

Exactly.

Come on, let's do it. With the umbrella...

My name is Stephany.
I'm a Christian married to a Muslim.

We came here because
we can't stand living with you anymore.

My name is Mustafa.
I am a Muslim married to...

Stop it, Tofi. Say it in Arabic.

My name is Mustafa.
I am a Muslim married to a Christian.

We... We decided to move here because
we can't stand living with you anymore.

Our relationship is stronger
than your stupid traditions.

I love her so much.
And I want her to be with me.

What was that?

Seriously?

I didn't say it correctly?

It's okay, this is your first time.

It was perfect!

You're a born actor!
What are you doing in a bakery?

It was fucking brilliant!

Did you feel it? Did you feel the vibe?

It was amazing!

No, it won't work.

But, Ziad, you have to see him.
He's a great actor. He's so talented!

Why don't you shoot a scene here

of him making pizza!

I thought we could also save some money.
We won't need to pay him anything.

It works for all of us.

And he's just perfect!

Take Jad instead. He's good!

-Jad?
-Yes, Jad can act.

-Plus he looks like Joe.
-Yes, he does.

As if they were brothers, right?

Good one.

Fine, I'll check with Alia...

And if Jad isn't good enough,
we go back to Joe, okay?

Don't ask nothing about nothing.

Go with Jad.

Hey, Ziad.

-Gilo, my man.
-How are you?

-Good evening.
-Hello.

-How's everything?
-Great. How are you?

Okay, then, it's settled...

Everything else is going great!

-Jad.
-Yes sure, sure.

-It was a pleasure meeting you.
-The pleasure is all mine.

So?

My man!

-All is good?
-Great, you?

Who's the dude?

-All the way to the plane...
-Perfect.

Who are you sending the goods to?

It's for my cousin Roger.
You know him, the lawyer.

-In Erbil?
-Exactly.

Okay, that's easy.

I thought there was a bigger issue.

No, it's just that
the goods are sensitive.

What do you mean by "sensitive"?

I mean...

My name is Stephany.
I'm a Christian married to a Muslim.

We came here because
we can't stand living with you anymore.

Jad, this is where
you should say your line.

-Did you forget it?
-No, not at all.

Forget about everyone here.

Focus on the camera, just like Alia
is doing and feel the moment.

Just feel the moment.

You can do it!

Okay, let's go.

My name is Stephany.
I'm a Christian married to a Muslim.

We came here because
we can't stand living with you anymore.

Jad, listen to me. Tell me what's wrong.

If anything's wrong,
we can fix it immediately.

Just tell me what you want.

Give me a second.

-Tell me, what do you need?
-Wait a minute!

-Help him a bit, love.
-What am I supposed to do?

Say, "This is my Muslim husband.
He will talk to you now."

He has only one sentence to say.

-Sweetie, motivate him a bit...
-You motivate him.

Abul Zouz, is that okay?

What's the matter?

What's wrong?

I'm not going to say I'm Muslim.

Why not?

Everyone here is looking at me.
I will not say I'm Muslim in a movie.

What if someone saw it... I'm not Muslim.

-Charbel?
-Yes?

Come here.

Tell me.

Jad is not going to say he's Muslim.

-Why not? It suits you very well.
-Listen to me...

I gave in to being dressed like a faggot,
but that's it!

Why are you doing this?
It's just acting. It's not for real.

I hear you,
but he won't say he's Muslim.

So what? Let him skip it.

I wish he could, but it's not that simple.

It's all about a Muslim guy
who loves a Christian girl.

Change it to a Christian guy
who loves a Muslim girl.

We'll have to change
the whole script.

It will be the total opposite,
you understand?

We'll have to change many scenes
to make it work this way...

-We don't have the time to do that.
-I'm sure you can do it.

Wait...

Look, let me show you something...

If we skip it...

This whole scene
won't make sense anymore,

since we're talking about this subject...

As for this one,

I'll have to delete this whole part.

-This one, as well.
-Show me. Where?

-Show me the script.
-I'll have to change everything.

-Why are you complicating it?
-This one here?

Yes, this will need rewriting.

Come on, we can rehearse it together.

-This one, as well?
-Yes.

This is better for you. It's like...

This is done.

Does this work?
We're done with these scenes.

Let's go. Action!

Ziad, this was not our deal.
We agreed that I...

Yes, this was our deal!

Go make the changes, and give me
a modified version of the script.

I'm in charge of the shoot now!

Take ten guys!

Come here, Alia.

-What the hell just happened?
-Son of a bitch!

What happened?

-You want a cigarette?
-No.

I have no other choice.
Do you want me to stop filming?

He is financing the film.
What can I do about it?

I don't want you to stop filming.

-But you'll let him do whatever he wants?
-What can I do about it?

-Put yourself in my shoes.
-Find another actor.

-No, I can't replace the actor now.
-Why not? We haven't filmed anything yet!

No, I can't!
Plus the idea is not that bad.

The problem is the way he talked to me.
But his idea is not that bad.

After all, I'm Christian
and you are Muslim. Let's keep it real!

Charbel, you spent two years
writing this script!

It's okay. We can change it.
I didn't like it in the first place.

So, now if we get the permits...

Everything is good, right?

Gilo is still checking a few things,
but most probably, yes.

Look who's here.

Hello, guys.

Hello.

Ziad, get in the car. We need to talk.

We can talk here.

We want to talk about Abu Ali's goods,
so I prefer to do it in private.

We can talk in front of the guys.
I have nothing to hide.

I'd rather talk to Abu Ali in person.

Don't get smart with me.

Where are Abu Ali's goods?

They're in Syria.
Ask your friend Abdul Sater.

Stop beating around the bush.

Abdul Sater is dead
and the goods have disappeared.

We want to know what happened.

May his soul rest in peace.
What can I say?

Where are the goods?

I did my part as a favor to Abu Ali,

even though I told him
I didn't want to do this anymore.

So, ask your late friend, Abdul Sater,
what he did to the goods in Syria!

Ziad...

Let's stay friends...
Don't make us search the whole place!

Please, be my guest!
My guys can help you search, if you want.

Abul Zouz, open the warehouse.
Let's go, search the place.

Open the warehouse.

My advice is to spare yourself
the trouble. You won't find anything here.

We're here to find solutions,
not to further complicate the situation.

This is not how you find solutions...

Let me talk to Abu Ali,
and we'll find the right solution.

Cut, cut!

Abul Zouz, cut! I said cut, Abul Zouz!

Tun it off, Bilal.

Go, give him some towels.

We said the rain should stop
as soon as he opens the umbrella!

I can't hear you. The water pump is on.

Plus, the water keeps draining...

Don't wait for my signal. Look at Jad.

Once he opens the umbrella,
just stop the water.

It's impossible to stop the water
immediately! It will keep on draining.

Abul Zouz, you should start turning it off
as soon as he raises his arm...

This way, when he opens the umbrella,
the water stops. Got it?

Have you ever seen rain stopping suddenly?
It keeps raining for a while...

How about you direct this movie?

Come down and take my place!

I told you, this is a dream!

After they kidnap him,
she starts having nightmares!

In dreams, we can do whatever we want!

I totally understand,
but at least make it look logical.

Abul Zouz, what do you want?
I beg you, please!

Abul Zouz!

Keep the water going. Don't turn it off.

Exactly, that's it! As Ziad said,
keep the water pump going.

Let's go, come on!

Start the smoking machine. I need smoke.

Let's go. I need more smoke!

Abul Zouz! Make it rain.

-What an asshole. Turn it on, bro.
-He's really something.

Action, Abul Zouz! Keep it raining.

-He's a good actor, right?
-Yes, he is.

Alia, keep going towards the stairs.

Stop shooting, now!

Cut it now! Cut!

What the hell is this horse doing here?

I mean, she was saying she loves me...

I should have at least said something.

Abul Zouz kept it raining on top of that.

Bro, he just wouldn't get it!
I tried my best, believe me...

See what a great idea it was
to bring the white horse?

Hello.

-Speaking of stupidity...
-Who's winning?

Your Mama.

Ziad, where should I park?

Park it inside, next to the oven.

Be careful, though. The floor's wet!

No, seriously?

In the parking space, man!

Oh, yeah!

Look at this now!

-Take your time, bro.
-I don't know what's wrong...

Maybe you should ride a baby walker.

Fuck it.

I bet he did something stupid now.

The film reels are in the trunk
and on the backseat.

-Don't you know we close at 10?
-Thank you, Abul Zouz.

Listen, I got them all...

The ones we already filmed are in
an icebox and the new ones in a paper box.

Perfect.

I only replaced the ones we shot
with some old used film reels.

Didn't I tell you?

-What?
-Why did you do that?

It's nothing. I kept them
so we can process them later on.

I replaced them with old ones.
It's nothing.

What's your problem?
Are you stupid or what?

I swear, nothing has changed.
The film canisters are the same.

What stupidness are you up to now?

I swear, I'm not trying to do anything.

-Are we going on a picnic?
-Put them in the back.

Listen, the ones we shot
are with me now.

I only replaced them with old ones.

-That's all! Nothing more.
-Why did you do it?

So we can process what we shot.

Fine.

I swear, just trust me. Trust me!

-Don't get all excited now.
-So that you don't end up like the...

You do what you have to do,
and don't worry about nothing.

-Need anything else from me?
-No, thanks.

Guys, can I play?

Okay, then. We'll keep in touch.

Only if you wish to play with my balls.

Joe.

Come in for some coffee.

Cut, cut!

Jad, no matter what happens,
don't look at us. Just keep acting.

But, she didn't show.
Isn't she supposed to be here?

She's preparing something outside,
and when she enters, you should go crazy.

While waiting, make the cross sign.

Yeah, to say I'm Christian
and she's Muslim.

You're visiting your parents
and you feel stressed.

Walk around,
and maybe check your watch...

-But I don't have a watch.
-No problem, we can't tell.

Make the cross sign obvious!

Listen, whatever happens,
you keep on acting, okay?

-Whatever happens?
-I've arranged some surprises for you.

-Okay, fine.
-Play along.

Keep on acting!

I will put my hand in my hair
and pretend I'm angry.

Give it to me, and take care of Mr. Ziad.

Babe, can you hold this, please?

Wait, what's that on your head?

Is my hair showing?

What's that on your head?

-You don't like the color?
-Make her take it off.

-Who's talking about the color?
-Remove it now.

-Since when do you wear a veil?
-Why would I not?

We're visiting my parents. That's why.

So what? Come on. Let's go.

-You're not going up like that!
-Don't touch me!

Get out of here!
You can't enter with this on your head!

Get out, and remove it, now!

-Don't touch me.
-Remove it!

-What were you thinking?
-I'll do what I want!

-Lower your voice when you talk to me!
-You lower your voice!

-This is none of your business.
-Yes, it is.

-It's between me and my fiancée.
-You can't ask her to remove her veil.

-I can!
-I won't remove it.

Who's this guy?

-He's not part of the scene?
-No, he's not!

-How can you ask her to remove it?
-Don't touch me!

Alia, play along!

She won't remove it.
It's against her religion.

-She will remove it now.
-You don't have the right!

This is not right!

Remove this now!

What the fuck?

-What the fuck is your problem?
-Back off!

Cut, cut!

We are filming. We're filming a scene.

So what?

It's just a scene for a movie.

So what? He removed her veil.

-He's acting.
-Even if he's acting, it's wrong.

He can't ask her to remove her veil!

Abul Zouz, go take care of this.

Even if he's acting, this is wrong.

What's the matter? Don't you get it?

How about I remove his rosary
off his chest?

How about I do that?

You want to remove the rosary off
my chest? Come show me how you'll do it!

Do it, if you're man enough!

Guys, please!

No, the shooter has not been arrested yet
because when he fired the gun,

everybody ran away...

-I'm sure the police will find him.
-Do you remember his face clearly?

Yes, we described him to the police,
and they are following the case closely.

Were there any injuries?

No, no one was hurt from the shots.

Will this affect the rest of the shooting?
Will you even dare film such scenes again?

"Nothing will stop us".
This is our slogan. And we are not afraid!

The film says that...

This slogan came after the clash, right?

No, since day one...
And now we are stronger.

Tell us more about your movie.
What is it about? What's the message?

Hello?

I'm glad to hear that.

When we arrived there...

A group of armed, bearded men
attacked us...

Abdul Sater went out of the truck
and told me to stay put.

Suddenly, they started shooting.

They shot Abdul Sater and his friend.
Then, they aimed at the truck.

I fired back a few shots and ran away.

Abu Ali, I didn't look back.
I just ran away...

It was very dangerous for me to go back.

I'm sure they took them.
I'm sure they have everything now.

I had to leave the truck there
and run for my life.

Now Jado is out...
And we're working on something new.

We're doing a movie!

Yes, I'm a filmmaker now.
Your men are on the lookout 24/7.

I'm very sorry Abu Ali,
but I really can't.

We've been shooting all day long,
and we barely get to sleep.

I can't. I'm very sorry.

-Good evening.
-Hello!

You shouldn't have!

This is what you get when you're famous.

Come on in. What are these?

-Lebanese sweets.
-Delicious!

What are you cooking? It smells good!

I'm just reheating leftovers.
Do you want to eat?

Sure, why not?

Come on in! I'll join you in a second.

When I was a kid...

my friend's mom
used to make this dish all the time.

What's interesting is,
she used to stuff some with meat,

and others...

with potato!

Is it good?

Yes, eat.

So, every time I ate this,

I wished some were stuffed with chocolate.

You know?

With each bite, you get a different taste.

I always wished to get something sweet.

We can try it with the Lebanese sweets.

We'll do that later.

Charbel...

I honestly like what you're doing.

I'm so happy.
I hope the result will be satisfying.

For me,
the fight scene with Alia in the veil...

-It's nice, right?
-Yeah.

We should take a picture of Alia
with the veil

and Jad with his shirt wide open, showing
the rosary tattooed on his chest...

and make it a seven-meter poster.

Then, we'll put it up at the box office.

Jad is...

amazing!

It suits him,
and he's happy doing it.

-Really?
-He always talks about it.

-Good. I'm happy he does.
-Let me ask you a question...

Alia...

Does it bother you that
she kisses other guys, and stuff?

It's all acting. She's an actress.

Better that she do it on camera
than behind my back, right?

But of course it bothers me a bit.

I try to be open-minded
and support her acting career.

The fight wasn't bad, after all.

-You told me to keep the camera rolling.
-It created a good buzz.

You should see now...

You should see
the new movie I'm writing...

Isn't it weird it's raining today?

-Yes, summer rain.
-And it's damn hot.

-How did you come here?
-In the minivan.

Okay, good.

I need you to do something for me.

I want you to do a scene,
similar to the fight...

But ten times bigger!

What do you mean?
You want a serious fight?

Yes. You saw how everyone talked about us.

You were on TV, talking about the movie.

This time I want something bigger.
I want the whole nation talking about us.

I get you.

-What do you think?
-I get you.

-There's this one scene...
-Tell me...

It's when they go to meet
the girl's parents...

The guy decides to take revenge...

He goes dressed up like a priest.

-That's nice.
-Her father gets angry.

The mother starts yelling.
It's a very powerful scene.

But I want you to amplify it.

Because it's a bit small,
if you know what I mean.

I want something bigger.
Do you understand?

If you want, we can do it on the balcony.

No, I mean,
I want it to go beyond the small family.

I want the entire neighborhood
to be involved.

Then, there's this other scene

when they go out of the building,
and her cousin sees them...

And he hits Jad.

If you want,
we can get more people involved.

He's angry.
"Get your hands off my cousin!"

And he goes to hit Jad.
This is where everybody gets in...

Can you add some action to it,
maybe gunshots?

We can start with the fight
and it gets bigger and bigger.

Do you have a street
where we can gather a big crowd?

In front of the bakery.

That's it.

-In front of the bakery...
-Pass the sweets.

A big fight. A big crowd.

Gunshots. Something big...

The more the buzz...

the more the publicity!

-What do you think?
-I like it.

-I can gather all my guys.
-You know everybody. I bet you can.

I like it!

-Let's do it.
-Done.

Eat some sweets. Try it with cucumber.

-Cucumber?
-Yes, it's very tasty.

-Charbel.
-Yes?

-Can I swear, since I get angry?
-No, it would be better if you didn't.

How many are there this time?

-Two guys and their women.
-Did you talk to them about the fight?

Because I might hit them for real.

-Don't worry. Do what you have to do.
-Great.

Put on your veils...

So, I hit him for real?

Yes, sure.
I want the scene to look real!

He knows I'm going to?

I told him.
He's an actor. He'll play along.

Just hit him, so it looks real!

Lea, please come here.

Lea, let's go!

Abul Zouz, Abul Zouz. Are you ready?

No, we're rehearsing with Mr. Stallone.

I want you to be as loud as possible.
Make everybody notice what's going on.

Mind your own business.
I know what my job is.

Let's do it, Abul Zouz.

Are you ready?

Let's go!

Are you crazy?

-I won't take you to my parents' again!
-Are you mad?

You really think I won't baptize my kids?

Yes, dunk them in some water

so they turn out
to be criminals like their dad!

-What the hell is wrong with you?
-Don't touch me!

Mind your own business, asshole!

Cut it! Cut it now!

Abul Zouz, where are you?

Guys, we had a technical issue.
Let's taking it from the top.

-Charbel?
-Yes?

My position is not right. I should...

Good evening. Tonight,
a cinematic blast outshines politics.

Their camera captured the moment,
and they became the scene.

They were filming Lebanon
to reflect its bold spirit.

But instead,
Lebanon reflected its harsh reality

and stained their lenses
with blood and violence.

Did cinema become yet another victim
of corruption and destruction?

Listen up. When he starts, no one talks,
no one moves, not even a single breath!

In the studio in the first part of
tonight's episode, the young producer,

Ziad Haddad,
who witnessed the explosion.

Good evening, Sir. It's a pleasure to
have you with us. Thank God you're safe.

Good evening Mr. Marcel.

Good evening.

The explosion resulted in material
damages, right? No one was hurt?

Yes, thank God for that.

Of course, but who do you think is behind
this explosion? Who is responsible for it?

Someone that doesn't want us to talk
about the subjects we are tackling.

Some people just don't want
to see us making this movie.

Yes, but you are aware of the situation...

An explosion every once in a while...

Why should we believe that
this explosion was targeting you

and not related to a political matter,
in the context of current regional events?

What makes you say
that you are the target?

It's just too much of a coincidence
to be a coincidence.

Plus, we have already been attacked,
but in a different way...

This wasn't the first incident
you encountered?

We never thought it would come
to this... We didn't take it seriously.

We never thought we had enemies... We
don't know anyone capable of such a crime.

Who is after Ziad Haddad and his crew,
making you consider yourselves the target?

Just explain this to me.

If I'm not convinced, how can you convince
the viewers watching us tonight?

The movie revolves around a Christian man
who loves a Muslim girl.

They are trying to be together
but face many obstacles.

This is how it is in our country.

So, they imagine a place to meet.

And...?

This is where they find themselves
facing social problems and obstacles.

We started filming,

and it looks like these problems
and obstacles are haunting us.

It's as if this movie
has become a reality.

You think you're being targeted by someone
who doesn't want you to talk about this?

Is it a political party that opposes
the message of the movie?

I think this movie is
a once-in-a-lifetime, golden opportunity!

-Oh, a golden opportunity?
-Indeed.

A golden opportunity for what?

For fame. Because here we are making
our first steps in the art sector...

And maybe some people want to stop us,
but we'll be famous thanks to this movie.

You don't want to produce movies?
You just want to be famous!

Cinema is fame. Cinema is reality.

You want to produce a movie with
a message, or you want to be famous?

I want both!

I want to shake the country by talking
about issues and problems I've faced.

And I will not allow terrorism
to stand in our way.

So now it's about terrorism?

Of course, it is.
These are crimes against cinema.

The only real revolution in our country
is cinema, and they want to stop it!

I hope our viewers were convinced. Thank
you, Mr. Ziad Haddad, for this interview.

I just have one final word.

-You want to wrap this up?
-No.

Maybe to convince the viewers...

I want to tell everyone we're shooting
in two days, at the Port of Beirut.

I want to invite the press, and you,
and I want to invite the security forces.

Do you see what he's doing?

What now?

Look.

...to see what we are doing.

And I want to invite the criminal to join.

Whoever he is,
let him join us on this day,

to witness how cinema
will defeat terrorism!

Yes, that's it! That's my man!

If the film doesn't do well,
will you go back to the bakery?

-The bakery will always be there.
-Thank you, Ziad Haddad.

What a great party!

Did you talk to Joe? I'm trying
to call him, but I can't reach him.

Do you know when he'll arrive?

Don't worry, he'll be here soon.

So, the permit was good for nothing?

Dude...

Just listen to me.

We have secured the security permit.

It guaranteed the goods won't be scanned.

No scanning at all!

If they suspect anything,
they might ask for a manual inspection.

And I can't say no!

They will manually search every box?

I don't know...

They might open some of the canisters
to check the contents.

I have a solution for you...

Don't you have some
useless film canisters?

Disposable ones?

-Sure, I do.
-Great.

Hand them to me.
I'll put them on top.

In case they want to open some...

I'll show them the useless ones, and let
them inspect these as much as they want.

Trust me. It will work.

You already have your ticket, right?

-Yes.
-Perfect.

Don't go onboard until I've called you.

Deal?

-Deal.
-Is everything clear?

-Crystal clear.
-Can I go back to sleep now?

-Go to sleep.
-Thank you!

Jado.

Jado...

Did you talk to Joe?

I still can't reach him.
Is there something wrong?

No, go back to sleep.
Go sleep inside.

No, I'm good here.
You need anything?

Hello?

Did Ziad show up?

Fine.

Thank you.

-Hello. How are you?
-I'm fine. You?

What a day!

There he is, the tough guy!

A living legend.

Hello.

The director is here!

It's the director!

-What happened?
-Aren't you afraid to shoot today?

How can I know...?
How can you know who the terrorist is?

Who is threatening you?

My guess is as good as yours.

Show me the scene we're shooting today.

Rumor has it that a crew member
was kidnapped.

That's not true. Today, we're filming
a scene where the hero is kidnapped.

-Where is the producer?
-Ziad is on his way.

The scene we're shooting today
is a key scene.

It's when the hero finds out
that his girlfriend cheated on him.

Just before he is kidnapped...

-Any news on the investigation?
-Who are the suspects?

-I don't know, I don't know.
-What are the police reports saying?

Even if I knew, I couldn't say anything.

A quick word in French.
Who is targeting you?

We are targeted by...

By... by someone
who doesn't want the film...

...to be in theaters.

-But why?
-This is Lebanon. I don't know why.

Gilo, talk to me.

What can I say? They fucked us over!
They opened every single box.

What, did you faint?

I'm just kidding, dude!
Never doubt the great Gilo.

It's Ziad. Hello?

Abul Zouz, did Joe show up?

No, not yet.

Yes, Charbel's here.
He was talking to the press.

Yes, the police are all over the place.

Hussam's men
have been keeping an eye on us.

Okay, then... Action!

Lea, follow me.

What a lovely surprise!
You're traveling now?

Who am I supposed to talk to?

Your brother.

Wait, stop weeping. Where are you?

That's enough.

Listen to me carefully, Ziad.
You have two options.

Either we have a sad ending, or
you choose to make it a pleasant ending.

It's up to you now.

Either you come with us now to Erbil and
things go back to how they used to be,

and you know how precious you are to me,

or you keep this war going, and this will
be the last time you hear Joe's voice.

Let's sit and talk.

We'll talk on the plane.

I don't have your goods.

Abu Ali, you're leaving for nothing.

You'll be going to Erbil for no reason.

Everybody, stop.

Guys...

Come here!

I want you to explain to him what happened
and what you want from him now.

Ziad...

"When you work..."

"... you fulfill a part of earth's
furthest dream."

"When you work
you fulfill a part of earth's..."

Mr. Ziad?

-Just a moment.
-We're starting now.

Back to the last part of our show.

We end tonight's episode with
something that started a while ago.

Ziad Haddad,
shifts from cinema to politics.

After his first interview, where he talked
about being targeted by an explosion,

another of his filming sites was attacked.

What's interesting about Ziad Haddad's
return to our show tonight,

and after all the events that occurred
during his first Lebanese feature film,

is that he is back to announce his
candidacy for the parliamentary elections.

-Good evening, Mr. Ziad.
-Good evening, Mr. Marcel.