White Material (2009) - full transcript

It's the Boxer.

He's dead all right.

Pull over!

Can I get in?

No room?
- All full.

Climb up here.

I'll stay here, thanks.

Driver, papers.

- Where are you going?
- Home.

Where's your home?

The coffee plantation
further down that way.



There used to be a roadblock here.
Did you ever pay them?

Yes, I think I did once.

How much?

I can't remember.
A hundred dollars.

To those thugs?

No wonder they act above the law!

I had to get through.
Everyone pays.

That's what breeds corruption.

Because of people like you,
this country is filthy.

Can I sit down, sir?

To those ensconced
deep in the forest:

Wake up.
Leave your hideouts.

Herbs to tone
those flabby muscles...

and render you



invisible

and invulnerable.

Madame Vial!

This is your last warning!

You must leave immediately!

Madame Vial!

The French army is pulling out!
We're leaving!

You'll be completely cut off!

Think it over, Madame Vial!

Think of your family!

We're pulling out!

You must leave immediately!

SURVIVAL KIT

"These whites,
these dirty whites.

They look down on us,

and we risk our lives for them.

They're a bunch
of nouveaux riches,

pretentious, arrogant, ignorant.

They don't deserve
this beautiful land.

They can't even appreciate it!"

GOD DOESN'T GIVE UP

Where are you going?

Where are you going?
- No way to stay.

You can't leave.
We just started.

Let's go back.

You know it too! You can't stay.
You heard it from above.

Just listen!

I just need one week.
Five days or the crop will be ruined.

Five days is nothing.
Things have been bad for months.

Your foremen are leaving too.

Ange and Maurice? I doubt it.

They are, and so are we.

This is getting bad.

Let's go, before trouble
catches up with us.

Hold on.

Stay here.
Why are you leaving?

Suffering and war everywhere!

One week!

Ange!

You can't go, Maurice.
What will we do?

We need a week.
You saw the crops.

One week at the most.

Not even a week.

All of a sudden you can't stay?
It's too dangerous?

Actually,
it might be less dangerous.

We don't have to be terrorized.
We can fight back.

That copter didn't come for fun.

It came for you and your family,
not for us.

Andre is right.

Coffee's coffee.
Not worth dying for.

Where are your kids?

Out of harm's way.

Out of harm's way.
Open your eyes!

You have a son.

Get him out of bed.

Let him go pick.

You have no right to criticize Manuel!

Get lost!
Never come back again!

Never! You hear me, Maurice?

Andre?

Andre isn't here.

Andre, Andre...

I knew it.
They can't take you down.

Not you, not the Boxer.

I always said...

if I could meet the Boxer

and fight for him...

I'd ask God for nothing else.

NO K.O.'S

Where is this from?

Where?
- The plantation down there.

It's just white material.

Get up, Manuel, please.
I need you.

Who's there?

What are you doing here?

Waiting for my uncle.

Are you Jean-Marie's nephew?

Does he know you're here?

He'll be glad to see me.

Are you thirsty?

You want something to eat?

Lucie!

Where are you going?
- To pick up Jose.

I'll go. I need to hire workers.

I'll get Jose after.

- You don't get it!
- You let them scare you!

- You take it.
- This is ridiculous.

Who opened the safe?

Why ask me?

Look, it's a mess inside.

Ask Andre.

I don't have the keys.

Okay, man.

Leaving?

Just for the village.

It'll be $100.

You're my son's gym teacher.

I'm Maria Vial.

Never saw you before.
$100, whether you go or not.

Cut it out. It's $10 if I go,
zero if I don't.

You know who I am.

I know all of you.

Peter Nembo, Francois-Joseph.
Your father sells seeds.

Why bring his father into this?
Pay and you get through.

Or else you die.

If she doesn't pay,

I'll waste her!

Hello, Bernard.

Hello, Christine.

You have serious protection!

I'm not so sure.
It's really not much.

Mr. Vial's medicine.
I checked. It's all there.

Except the oxygen.

Andre will pick it up later.
Got a pen?

Maria, we prefer cash now.
Dollars.

I see.

Take this.

Can you break these bills for me?

Many things are to be found
in Mama's and Papa's homes.

But go about it gently.

Everyone is entitled to his share.

And don't ever forget:

What fate has in store for us

no one can take away.

You should leave.

Beware of impostors,
smooth talkers, and thieves.

As for the white material,
the party's over.

No more cocktails
on shaded verandas

while we sweat water and blood.

They're getting out...

and they're right to run scared.

Our rulers are already trembling,

their suitcases
stuffed with booty

they amassed
while you starved.

Is your Daddy here?

Daddy's not home.

THE MAYOR KEEPS HIS WORD

She'll be stunned that you tried
to sell me the plantation.

You're betraying her.

I'm protecting her from herself.

We no longer turn a profit.

No use getting massacred
over some coffee.

The plantation isn't worth a thing.

I'm glad to hear
the plantation is worthless.

I keep you alive.

Without me,
you'd be rotting on the Garonne.

Come on,
don't get carried away.

Andre...

it's falling apart, beyond hope.

In six months it'll be raining inside.

It was already too late
when you built it.

That's when you should have left.

At least with your wife and Jose.

It's a nice piece of land,

but still...

if I add up everything you owe me,

I should, first of all,
seize the plantation,

and second,

kick you out.

And you'd still owe me
and the government.

Enough.

Get your father's signature.

Have your Fanta.

This is my Fanta.

Is this what you want?

Those are my men.

They can take you to the border.

Pay them cash.
Keep it between us.

Got any gas left?

Yeah, a little.

Where do they come from?

My personal militia.

Your personal militia!
Come on, spare me.

That's how you plan
to stop the rebels?

- Everyone here?
- Yes!

- Anything to say?
- Yes!

- What is it?
- Knock down the rebels!

I have work to be done,
a harvest to finish.

Do you have any men

to come work at my place?

Wait here.

Wait.

So it's half up front,

the other half after.

Three meals a day... and cola nuts.

It's quiet. We've never had trouble.
And it's just a few days.

Shall we go?

TAKE DOWN THE BOXER!

Why "take down"?

They say they killed him.
It's bad for us.

Now it will get even worse.

STAND FIRM

Start running now.

Things are getting dangerous.

Get going now. It's bad.

We can't get caught
between the army and the rebels.

How can he judge the danger?

If we start believing the radio...

After this job,
I'm buying a motorbike and I'm off.

My daughter is sick.

She's too young.

No choice but to stay.

What's wrong with her?

I don't know. She's in bed.

She doesn't move.

Did you try the clinic?

It's too late now.

I need to pick someone up.
I'll be right back.

Are you his mother?

His stepmother?
- Not exactly.

You have to tell me who you are.

I'm his father's ex-wife.
Jose is my son's half brother.

Listen, I'm in a hurry.
Can you go get him?

Go yourself.

I should go?

Thank you.

Jose, I'm taking you home.

Gather your belongings.

Hurry up.

Soon it will be empty here.

Have many kids left already?

Your mother wants you at home.

No one cares about the school.
Why would they come here?

I don't know, Jose. I really don't.

I just hired some workers.

They're in the truck.

Will you help out too?

No problem.

No problem...

With you there's never any problem.

You make it all seem easy.

- Why are you here?
- I came to pick up Jose.

I didn't know you'd be here.

You had to hire workers.

Everyone left, even Ange and Maurice.
There's no one.

And I found the gate open.

Ange and Maurice are gone?
Damn.

You don't seem too upset.
I wonder if you already knew.

Lucie said you could get gas.

That's right.
I'll have some tomorrow.

- Your son?
- Not him, but I have a son too.

Are you the boss?

Yes. I mean... in a way.

Nothing's mine, but I'm in charge.

When it's not yours,
it's just hot air.

You scared me.

I thought I'd die last night.

Don't say that.

Tomorrow we'll put you
in Andre's room.

It's air-conditioned.

Maria...

I was born here.

That old place of yours
is my home.

That's where I feel best.

The plantation is yours.

It's all yours.

See? I didn't need it.

Did Manuel come and help?

Your Manuel? He's a good kid.

A little sluggish.

A lousy picker.

Ripe or not, he doesn't care.

Please don't badmouth
my son, Lucie.

I don't talk about yours.
You do the same, okay?

Mine is a different story.

Manuel, get up.
How can you spend all day in bed?

Get up!
- Lay off!

Watch your mouth!

I don't know what to do.
You disappoint me.

School's closed anyway.

Nothing interests you.
You loaf around all day.

We can't even talk.
It's like we don't exist.

No need to talk.
I'm sick of this blah-blah.

I'll send you to France.
You'll see the difference.

Move it, Manuel! Get up!

I don't know what happened.

I can't believe you're my son.

I feel like a total failure.

If I met a woman
with a son like you, I'd think...

"Lousy upbringing.
What a waste."

Okay, I'll get up.

Leave so I can get dressed.
Where's the fire?

Losing a crop
is worse than a fire.

And letting yourself go

is the vilest thing a boy can do.
It's loathsome.

Come on, get up.

Okay, I'm coming.

I'm coming.

Why did you yell?

I thought I saw something.

It'll be fine, son.
You'll see.

It'll be fine.

Listen up, rascals,
wherever you are.

Listen to my words.

Fearless young rascals...

the Boxer is back.
He's in hiding.

Go find him.

Get out there and find him.

Go on, Manuel. Get dressed.

We need to crack down.
He does nothing all day.

School's out of the question now.

They're all closed, and for good.

You know what I just saw?

Two kids with a machete
and a spear.

I'll tell Jean-Marie tonight.

Where is Jean-Marie?

I'm sure he hasn't left.

Help me down?

Those two kids were strange,
threatening.

I thought they'd...
- What?

I don't know. Attack Manuel.

I'm going.

We won't even be able
to sell the coffee now.

You're becoming defeatist.

If we harvest it,
its value will increase.

What if we all
went back to France?

Why did you see the mayor?
I saw your motorbike.

He's formed a militia.

I asked him for protection.

Why not tell me?

Tell me these things first.

And you can't take the money
without telling me.

Yellow dog.

Shit.

Yellow dog.

Manuel?

It came from here. Follow me!

Look.

We never check here.
It's been like this for months.

- There are footprints right there.
- Here?

Left by kids.

It must be young shepherds...

who wanted to...

run off with a sheep.

Armed young shepherds.

It's nothing. I hurt my foot.

Show me.

Ride on the tractor with me.

We'll get the trailer.

We'll manage. It's nothing.

Climb up.

Don't stand there, Jose.

What did you do to your hair?

Your father says happiness
isn't enough for me.

I have nowhere to go.
I won't give this up.

You're my son.
I can't let you drift away.

You know I won't let you go.

Manuel?

From Sylvie S., for her parents
and her sister-in-law:

"Leaving devil's lair.
Will send new address."

From Francois and Vincent N.
For their sister, Elisabeth:

"We'll pry you
from their filthy grip.

Get ready.
We're on our way."

Drop the rifle.
What are you doing?

Drop it!

You're crazy!

Go away! Beat it, filthy dog!

This isn't your home.
Your father sold it!

Get lost, you little shit!

Get lost.

You're sick.

The patriots will kill you all!

All of you!

Shut it off when it's full.

- Is Manuel back?
- Yes.

What are you hiding?

Let go!

You're insane!

Totally insane!

You know what this means?
You have any idea?

We'll all die.

Push it all to the center.

Keep it out of the corners.

Not a good sign.

The power goes out often.
That's why we have a generator.

This always gets stuck.

You crank this...

Don't worry. I'll manage.

There's not much gas left.

We know everyone here.
Getting gasoline won't be hard.

We've been rooted here for years.

Here we go.

They're dangerous, very dangerous,
because they're hungry.

I saw the army of child soldiers.

Not just boys. Girls too.

They're orphans.
They saw their parents killed.

Some have walked a hundred miles
in search of the Boxer.

Why did you lie to me? Why?

Manuel never came home.

He did something awful.

He hurt Elisabeth.

Did she say that?
What a liar.

She ran off.

She's not a liar.

He took my rifle.
He's gone crazy.

Shut up. I won't discuss
my son with anyone.

The wires were cut.

So I'm keeping
the gas for the truck.

To leave.

Cherif will help us.

In exchange for what?

He's our friend.

Manuel?

There's everything you need.
You can...

You can cook.
There are beds.

You'll be safe here.

That's for us to decide.

Here's the flashlight.

See you tomorrow.

The water pump's over there.

Okay?

We have lots of old bones here.

You won't abandon me?
- I've always looked after you.

Sign here.

And here.

And the money?

What about it?

Who's paying?

Cherif's very smart, you know.

Much smarter than you.

You okay, Jean-Marie?
Everything okay?

Fine.

Glad to hear it.

You won't leave?

I'm too old to start all over.

I couldn't get used
to anywhere else either.

For you, it's not the same thing.

Not at all.

You don't want anyone
taking what you have.

Maybe you're right.

I cooked some rice.

Shall I turn on the generator?

We need gasoline.

I saw a relative of yours today.
Your nephew.

He needs some time.

Have you seen Manuel around?

Well, I'm going in.

Your son...

I can see he's changed.

It's hard to get through to him.

He's grown up.

It's not just that.

His mind runs all over the place.

He's become a dog.

Insane?

You botched it with him.

You didn't finish the job.

You botched it with him...

Manuel?

You're here?

You're wounded.

What can we do?

Give me that bottle of water.

It's no longer safe here
for someone like you.

For someone like you either.

This is my son's room.

Why didn't you leave
with your son?

I'm a good fighter too.

How could I show courage
in France?

It would be absurd,
no rhyme or reason.

I'd slack off, get too comfortable.

You're burning up.

I'll get some medicine tomorrow.

We now have
the situation under control.

The rebels no longer
control the area.

The northern sector has been purged,

and we'll continue to clean house.

A reliable source has informed us

that the rebel soldier, the Boxer,

is hiding out amidst foreigners

who rip us off and use our land

to grow mediocre coffee
that we'd never drink.

Their accomplices will be eliminated.

What good is money if you're dead?

I paid in advance!

Yes, but you bewitched us
with your words.

I hear you hide rebels.

It's not safe.
We want our money.

- Plus a bonus.
- I didn't make you come.

We must finish!

Give us our money!

We want our money!

Hand it over!

- The money's gone.
- No way!

Look, the safe's empty.

Someone stole all our money!

Rotten luck!

Can't you see?

- I'll get more. Here's 200.
- Is that all?

- Give it to us!
- You'll have the rest tomorrow.

Take us home.
We won't wait any longer.

Everyone out! Out!

Get out!

No money. We're poor.

Empty your pockets.

Everything!

You can't! We're poor!

You're crazy! You're crazy!

Christine! Bernard!

Go away! He's dead now!

I know where the Boxer is!

He's at my place!

Wait for me!

I know where the Boxer is!

Please, sir,
can you pull over?

This is where I get off.

Driver, white lady wants to get off.

I'm not stopping here.

That's where I'm going.
Please pull over.

I'm not stopping here.

It's dangerous here now.

Are you going that way?

Are you heading back?

How long till you leave?

I have to go home.
Tell me how to get home!

- Where do you live?
- The Vial coffee plantation.

I know it.

Marida.

- My son is there!
- This way.

- Take her to the Vial plantation.
- The old white guy's place?

Can't you take me?

I'm tired.

Manuel took my motorbike
and disappeared.

Help me find him.
He can't cope.

He's defenseless without me.

Extreme blondness brings bad luck.

It cries out to be pillaged.

Blue eyes are troublesome.

This is his country.
He was born here.

But it doesn't like him.

The Boxer is hiding at my place.

I know.

Stop the car.
I want to go home alone.

For the fearless young rascals
For Marie