Les Engagés: XAOC (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Nous Rassembler - full transcript

What?

The guy behind me
is one of the guys who attacked me.

Go to the café across the way.
Wait for me inside.

Go on, go.

Excuse me,
where is the subway for Fourvière?

I don't speak French.

I'm looking for the Basilica.

-Go away!
-That's very kind, thank you.

I'm talking to you!

-Hello?
-It's Anzor.

-They've found me.
-What?



I recognized one of the guys
who attacked me.

-Where are you?
-I'm scared.

-Yes?
-Anzor is in trouble.

-They found him.
-What?

The Russians found him.

I'm in Brussels.

He is in a bar at Saint-Paul Station.

Police are on their way.

I just want to leave in peace.

I work for the chief of police.
He's wanted.

The guy, there, in the street.

It's OK. It's me.

I'm sorry for leaving you.

How did they find you?



Only three of us knew you were
on that train. Thibaut, you, and I.

Actually, four.

I sent JB a message.

Who are those guys?

Any news?

It's all right. Anzor is safe.

Delighted to hear it.

It wasn't our fault.

Amaury thinks they
were monitoring his phone.

Good news.
I picked this up from your mailbox.

I KNOW WHO HAS IT IN
FOR THE CHECHNYAN REFUGEES.

I CAN TALK
IF I AM GIVEN PROTECTION.

Its author wants us to find him.
So I swung by the security computer

and got the video files.
Guess what?

We've got him.

THE ACTIVISTS
XAOC

GATHERING TOGETHER

In the wake
of Marwen Benkhadra's death,

riots continued last night
in Saint-Étienne.

RIOTS IN THE PROJECTS

The police station was attacked
with Molotov cocktails.

The police are actively
searching for suspects.

We're looking for the guy
Marwen defended.

They'll listen to him.

Hicham, we've been looking
for days. We can't find him.

I'll come.
We can look together.

It won't change anything. All
they're talking about is the fire.

And someone on our end
could've really done that.

What does the city hall e-mail say?

They're suspending our funding.

Huh? Why?

They're asking for explanations.
I don't get it.

Have you seen
the center's social media?

No. Claude handles that.

You're going to like this.

What?

Here. LGBTDictatorship.

They're really going hard:
"The head of the LGBT+ center,

"a leftist Islamist
who burns French flags."

He's being blamed
for the police station fire.

And that's not all. They've called
for demonstrations outside our HQ.

What? When?

In half an hour.

Did you give them the addresses?

Yes. I had no choice.
They blackmailed me.

BAR IN ONE HOUR

How?

They funded my career.

I'm not the only one.
They've got all of Europe covered.

By giving those three addresses away,
you could have gotten them killed.

Those people expect
a return on investment.

For the ones who refuse,
a video comes out,

you see them accepting money.

If they save you,
what are one or two deaths?

Do you know who runs this group?

An oligarch, Dmitri Straczynski.

The Russians go
through private companies.

If it all goes to hell, the Kremlin
will say they didn't know.

I want to meet him.

He'll be at the European-Russian
friendship gala. Sveta invited you.

The translator?

She is their agent in Parliament.

I can introduce you,
but my name mustn't get out.

No one can know I was involved.

So easy.

He'll take months to trust you
if it doesn't happen through me.

I'm not sure you have all that time.

I'll help him out a bit.

What are you doing?
I'm not totally bedridden either.

I'm just not hungry anymore.

Quit your grumbling. Eat a little.

That how you talk to me now?

She's always right.

I hope she whooped your ass
when you came back.

Giving up
on a golden girl like that...

Eat.

There's my little Brussel sprout.

-Hey.
-How are you?

-You scared us.
-You shouldn't have been worried.

My will is clear:
my naughty magazines go to you.

News from the center?

Yes, but don't worry.

Yes, but about that?

We got it involved
in some rotten business.

We should never have gone
to Saint-Étienne.

You know them. They're freaking out.

They're scared
we'll lose the funding.

It's not that.

Claude...

-No.
-Now is not the time.

It's more serious than that.

-Claude...
-Listen. It's important.

That account, "LGBTDictatorship."

It's too well-organized.

Let me handle it.
You take care of yourself.

Yes, all right.
But that's not what matters most.

Hey! I have a present for you.
Do you want it or not?

Well, yeah.

No way!

Yes, way.

-Where did you find it?
-In Brussels.

Here, take a look.

Is that my father?

Yes.

He'd come to see me
on the night of Pride.

I sometimes feel
there's nothing left of him.

Don't say that. Civil unions,
marriage, everything we've obtained,

we got them thanks to those
who died of AIDS.

No one ever talks about it, now,
but as for us,

we have to live with those ghosts.

You know, I loved you working here?

I would spend my days reading,

so I could understand what
you were all talking about.

All right. Could you tell me
why you're here, now?

Well, that's just why.

Brussels isn't going to be temporary.

Really?

What about your boyfriend?

So, I've been thinking...

about what will become of this place.

Think you know anyone
who might be interested?

You're nuts.

No, no.

-How much would your shop even cost?
-It's not a matter of money.

No, no. There is no way.
Absolutely not.

I've read that book.

It tells the story of Act-Up Paris.

Wait, there was a chapter

about the people from the center
who were dying

and the meaning
they wanted to give that.

There was this idea:

a political burial,

to confront the State
with its responsibilities.

That's what we need to do for Marwen.

Hicham, you have to think
about something else a little.

Think of yourself...

-Yes.
-Don't burden yourself with it all.

That's easy to say.

The guy Marwen defended
can't have just happened to be there.

Even if he doesn't live here,
someone must know him.

-I have no idea at this point.
-We have to be methodical.

We'll start
with the first floor of building A.

If that doesn't work, we'll knock
on every door in the projects.

That'll be great.

Hicham, how will the three of you
make this work?

We'll find another mattress.

No, there is no need.

It's all right. We'll figure it out.

-Thanks.
-OK.

We're looking for the person
who was attacked.

Did your daughter or son
hear about it?

It's about the attack that happened
the other day around here...

Could you open up?

I just have a few questions.

I didn't get one answer.

Me neither.

They've been pissed since the fire.
They don't want to hear it anymore.

We need to talk to these people.

The political funeral
could do that, too.

Otherwise, it's the cops' version
that is here to stay.

-You can't decide on your own.
-You can't commit for the whole org.

Let's get one thing clear. I'm going.
Got it?

I understand personally attending
Marwen's funeral,

but why do so in the center's name?

-Wasn't the last protest enough?
-Believe me.

-That burned flag was fake.
-I believe you.

-What is it then?
-It's not that.

Kenza, the org can't survive
without the city's funding.

What will become of Anzor
if we have no money?

I get it. You're all against it.

-Great.
-No! It's not that!

-Yes!
-No!

It's not about that!

You have to understand.
We're with Hicham. Of course we are.

But people believe the media.

I represent Marwen's family,
but I'm thinking of the center, too.

Why get the org involved in all this?

Is it worth losing everything?

It's precisely when we risk
losing everything

that it matters.

We can't just do easy
or comfortable things.

Thanks, kid.

-Shouldn't you get some rest, Claude?
-"Get some rest"?

While the org's social media
is being run by LGBTDictatorship?

You can't say that.

We stand with Hicham.

We're an LGBT center.
It's a different struggle.

Really? And why do we march
in June every year?

Do the Stonewall riots
not ring any bells?

Well, yes, of course.

Not for me.

Straight or not, they should.

The Stonewall Inn
was a bar in New York

in the '60s

where gays and trans people
would meet up,

would get together at a time
when we weren't allowed to.

In fact, we weren't really allowed
to exist.

The cops would carry out raids

to put everyone back in their place.

Bam! Smack you with a billy club.

Bam! You're spending the night
in the slammer.

It went on that way for years.

Until one day in June of '69,

1969,

when Judy Garland died,

the one who played little Dorothy
in The Wizard of Oz.

Judy Garland was an icon for gays.

She was more than that.
She was a sister, a friend.

So, that night, at Stonewall Inn,
the gays were in mourning.

You didn't want to piss them off.

That night's cop raid was the one
that broke the camel's back.

They didn't let themselves get
pushed around. They threw bricks.

Every year, we come together,
we march in June,

to celebrate that riot.

The LGBT movement was,
originally,

a struggle against police violence.

So if you think
the committee for Marwen

is involved in a different struggle
from ours,

then you've forgotten
where you came from.

Anzor, you have a visitor.

We figured you'd be happy to see us.

And him even more.

Oh! you're here.

-I missed you, you bastard!
-I did too.

We'll leave you for a few hours.
Don't go anywhere.

Amaury, you got any condoms?

The two of us can go and get some,
if you want.

All right. Good job, you didn't
forget you have to wear protection!

Yeah, yeah.

So?

How are things with Virginie?

Coming along.

What does that mean?

We found out who is behind the leaks.

Did you stop him?

Not exactly.

Good evening.

Thanks.

We negotiated with him.

He'd going to help us
find the backer.

We have to connect Straczynski
with the rest of the group.

Don't worry, I'm meeting him tonight.

Will you introduce me?

So, Virginie, can I introduce
my friend, Dmitri Straczynski.

Nice to meet you.

The trouble is he communicates
with others using encryption.

You being near won't be enough.

It's a reception.
There will be dozens of phones on.

Figure out a way to get his phone
into your hands.

A whiskey on the rocks?

Same for me.

I'd be delighted to go, thank you.

I don't have my business card,
unfortunately.

Don't worry, you can just
input it into my phone.

With pleasure.

CONNECTION ESTABLISHED

Can I ask you a question?

Go on.

When you were defending your old boss
and acting homophobic...

We ran that campaign to out you.

Oh, boy.
You're pulling out the old files.

Wait, you said
you didn't want people to know

because your mother was old.

Do you remember?

Was that true?

All right, listen.
My mother died ten years ago.

Motherfucker...

-Wait.
-I knew it.

You motherfucker!
You were hitting like mad!

You know what, I should throw
my drink in your face,

but I like gin and tonics too much.

You think they're almost done yet?

What about us?

You think we're done?

Are you all right?

What are you doing?

Looking at an article
about Marwen and his arrest.

The articles are always the same.

Kind of, but here, the journalist
interviewed the victim.

He doesn't know the terminology
or what he's talking about.

He writes "transvestite" here,
then other things.

He doesn't know how to talk
about the person who was attacked.

What are you telling me now?

Ilhem is looking for a gay guy.

The cops, the journalists said

it was a gay guy who got attacked.

They didn't get it.

They misgendered them.

-Marwen defended a trans woman?
-Yeah.

I hope you don't regret it.

Why would I regret it?

I don't know.

We've always been a little bit...

Well, you know.

We don't always agree,
but at least, when you insist,

you do so with words.

I don't understand.

I know.

I have to go.

Hicham is putting together
a funeral for his cousin.

You have to watch out.

For what?

The Loire police chief
is out of control.

I don't want things to end badly.

So did the three of you sleep well?

Badrou found her.
Her name is Fanélie.

Was it really you
who got attacked that day?

Yes. Marwen defended me.

Would you mind telling us about it?

I was coming home from class.
I'm working towards a nursing degree.

I ran into those two guys.
It wasn't the first time.

It was some stupid shit,
something about territory.

They didn't want me
to go by the basketball court

where they always hang out.

Has this been going on a long time?

Yeah.

I was hoping to be left
in peace here,

but they spotted me not too long
after we moved in.

Marwen was very brave.

The cops took a long time to come.

If he hadn't been there...

Thanks for telling me this.

You're not alone anymore, OK?

If you run into trouble, you call me.

There is one thing
we still don't know,

which is what happened
right after.

The cops say he was wounded
during the fight.

Is that true?

They tried to bury him far
from the country where he was born.

Even in death, they wanted to render
Marwen invisible. We refuse.

Tonight, we wanted to make it known
who Marwen really was.

How do I tell you, I'm not used
to public speaking,

I'm pissed so I don't want it
to turn to imploring

Tonight, even the quietest
are shouting...

Excuse me.

How do I tell you, I'm not used
to public speaking,

I'm pissed so I don't want it
to turn to imploring

Tonight, even the quietest
are shouting their grief

Demand justice and revenge for Marwen

And you, what do you think?

I imagine looking down
with your magnanimity

You aren't even mad at the stupidity
of those who bruised you up

At those who conscientiously chose

To fix the hands of time
for you at 17 years forever

At the age when people screw around,
one of your hobbies

Was blowing up the type of prejudice
that ends in phobias

It's tough on those of us who are
still here, believe me

When there is injustice,
which saint do we turn to?

It was behind their tinted windows
that your life ended

Should Ilhem
file a complaint with them?

I'd like to tell you before...

I'd like to tell you
before I end this aside

How much the projects,
your close ones and parents love you

That as a testament to your legacy
in the face of injustice

That in your image we will now
all be crazy fighters too.

Thank you.

We demand an end to police violence.

We demand the end to lies
from people meant to protect us.

We just want justice.

We want the truth.

For... For three weeks now,
every day, I've been wondering.

What happened exactly?

How did my brother die?

But now, I have answers.

I was there when Marwen was arrested.

I was there because it was me
he had come to protect.

And then...
And then, the cops showed up.

Four of them turned up.

I tried to explain
what Marwen had done for me.

Marwen was furious they were
arresting him with the other two.

He struggled.

So they pinned him to the ground.

Three of them stood on his back.

He shouted out that he was in pain,
that he couldn't breathe.

They seized their chance to cuff him
and took him away.

He was already really worn down then.
You could tell.

But I was there. I saw it all.

He was doing just fine before
the cops all got on top of him.

They've told us he was a homophobe.

They've told us he was sick.

They're lying to us.

And it is making me so angry

because I believed them.

As some of you know,
I even left this place

because he'd told me
we wouldn't understand each other.

But now, I know.

I know everything we can do together.

Yes, Mercoeur?
Make it fast. Now is not the time.

Tellier has succeeded.

Bogdan Lissov and Yégor Kholod

are the two mercenaries
who attacked Anzor.

Lissov has been arrested.
They're interrogating him.

OK, I'm on my way.

Hicham. Hicham Alaoui.

Don't move.

Don't worry. It's going to be OK.

Why are you arresting them?

Were you here when he died?

He was in the throes of it
on this hall floor.

You watched him die.

Didn't it bother you,
not having done anything? Huh? Hey!

You bunch of sadists!
Guardians of peace, oh, sure...

Why was he still in handcuffs
when the firemen showed up?

You're coming with me.

When the fire broke out, there were
people working at the station.

Someone could've died.
Do you not care about that?

Of course I do.

Yes, you're clearly devastated.

It's like with my brother's death.
You're clearly devastated by it.

I never said there was no fire.

Oh, well then!
I thought we had made it all up.

And when we've proven
that you threw Molotov cocktails?

We had nothing to do with that.

All for some little thug.

Marwen had no criminal record.

Yet another innocent arrested,
is that it?

Talk to us and we'll let you go.

I know nothing about what happened
at the station.

Where is all this going?

All I want is justice.

And justice is beating up cops?

And saying we're all murderers?

Don't you think people
are sick of your bullshit?

Of their cars burning?

So they talk, you know.

I know who set it on fire.

He was with you this morning.

I'm not against the police.

But you think we're all fascists?

I know what you do is hard.

I know how much you get paid.

And that's the problem.

To accept these working conditions,

you have to have no choice.

I think that...

If you don't want everyone
lumping you together,

the good cops need to bear witness
against the rotten ones.

I want you to tell me where he is.

I don't know whom
you're talking about.

This should refresh your memory.

POLICE FILE

Is that Virginie's driver?

-She's expecting us.
-Why here?

If you think she explained that
to me...

I'll let you keep watch.
Keep me updated.

-Got it.
-Thank you.

I had Rakel come to try
and decrypt the files.

"POINT G" RENAMED "LGBT+ CENTER,"
"IT WAS TIME TO MODERNIZE"

What is this, the Russian hideout?

They took an interest in the center

as soon as they learned
Anzor came to it.

It's been over two months.

They figured if they stirred shit up,

it would draw less attention to him.

What are you talking about?

They're behind everything.
LGBTDictatorship, that's them!

The guy on social media?
What's he got to do with it?

For Russians, this kind
of operation is fairly banal.

XAOC is a program
the Russians designed

after the Arab Springs.

They saw how the internet
and social media

were contributing to the emergence
of these democratic revolutions.

The Russian population
was increasingly online.

They needed to react.

XAOC started with the creation
of the "Web Research Institute."

To sum up,
it's a big trolling agency.

They started flooding
the Russian internet

in an ocean of slander and nonsense.

Thousands of fake profiles
were created on social media

to comment on news websites.
Fake blogs, too.

They realized by using that stuff,
they could go even further.

All those fake profiles would relay
whatever suited those in power.

After 2015, their system
became so perfected

that they expanded internationally,

starting with the American election.

XAOC, "Khaos" in Russian,
means "chaos."

You might say it worked
beyond their expectations.

Hang on, fake news
about Clinton or Macron, sure.

What does it have to do with us?

Where did that story

of a French flag being burned
in Saint-Étienne come from?

It's the classic blueprint plan.

That's how it happened in the USA.

Always in small towns.

Through social media targeting,
they could infiltrate opposed groups,

for instance
the local Black Lives Matter

and a police support organization.

They would pit them
against each other with fake news.

By the end, the right
had been radicalized,

they voted for Trump, and the left
was put off and abstained.

It's also a way to get rid of you,
Thibaut.

That night, at Anzor's,
you prevented them from killing him.

I realized the only way
to bring them down was you.

The whole system is designed

to intercept communications
from the locale downstairs.

They've infiltrated your phones.

17% of your phone's memory

was being taken up by stuff
they had downloaded onto it.

I needed Rakel
to be able to access your phone.

We just traced things
from the other way

to track the Russian group.

Right, so you've
just been fucking with me!

Don't take it like that.
I hold you in high regard.

I did the only thing I could do,
trace my way back to Straczynski.

Wouldn't you have done the same?

There is one more thing.

You are wanted
by the Saint-Étienne police.

They are basing themselves
on blogs and posts

that accuse you of setting fire
to the police station.

Hicham and his cousin were taken
into custody this morning.

It's a way of getting to you.
We'll sort it out.

Listen,
you're going to go to Saint-Étienne,

you're going to explain all this,
and get Hicham out of there.

I'm telling you,

you have fallen prey
to a misinformation campaign.

The investigation will clarify that.

Don't pull
the investigation number on me.

I helped track down
a Russian influence network.

Ma'am, I've listened to you.
We will check what you say.

You don't work for me
but for my colleague from the Rhône.

You have no business here.

Excuse me.

Hello, Mr. Minister.

I understand.

See, being part of the majority
has its benefits.

Are you OK?

Mostly. Are you?

Yes, I'm OK.

You have been invited to join
the private group "Police 42."

ACCEPT/REFUSE

NO WAY WE'RE CHANGING POSITIONS,
WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED ALL THE WAY.

-DAMN KIDS STARTING SHIT...
-THEY WANT TO END THE POLICE!

PLAYING THE VICTIM ONLINE.
MAKES YOU WANT TO VOMIT.

UNIONS SHOULD SPEAK UP!

THUG'S SISTER NEEDS A HAIRCUT

All right, I'm going to ask you
to keep it moving.

Let's go celebrate elsewhere.

TRUTH FOR MARWEN

I would like you to stay here.
I want to train you.

I'm sure you'd have
a great political career.

You've just been fucking with me!

Don't take it like that.

I hold you in high regard.

Hello?

Virginie, that asshole Demy
was screwing with us.

He handed over more addresses.

I don't know how many.
Only he can say.

I have an agreement with Tellier.

This won't happen like this.
Let me go!

-Where is Amaury?
-In Saint-Étienne.

What's going on?

We had three more addresses leak.

The soldier who helped you,

who can bear witness
against the Chechnyan government,

is he in here?

There is one 200 miles from here.
Is that him?

Yes. It was better
for him not to be too far from me.

You lock yourself in here.
Open for no one but Amaury.

-But...
-No one.

Not even JB. When Amaury gets here,
you make sure he's alone.

What will you do about Zelim?

ZELIM IS IN DANGER!
THIBAUT HAS GONE TO TRY TO SAVE HIM.

Zelim, come with me.
They know where you are.

-Sorry, no French.
-Wait, wait!

Anzor, I'm with Zelim.
Tell him to come with me.

It's Anzor.

Thibaut is a friend. Go with him.

They know where you are.
You're in danger.

All right, all right.

Get down.

Shit!

Thibaut...

Thibaut.

Shit...

Thibaut, can you hear me?
Thibaut?

Thibaut, look at me.
Look at me!

Open your eyes, Thibaut!

An ambulance, damnit!
Right now!

The European democratic model
is under an unprecedented attack.

Our societies are being torn apart
from the inside.

How can we be so vulnerable?

The Marwen affair offers an answer

that must push us
to a profound reassessment.

Using a police chief as a mouthpiece,
the French authorities claimed

that Marwen Benkhadra
had been guilty

of a homophobic attack.

They knew that wasn't true.

But they were scared,

scared it would fire people up,
that there would be riots.

What's a little lie
if it helps you avoid violence?

Once the lie's poison has started
flowing through our veins,

nothing can stop it.

And if there is no more trust,
all of society collapses.

This threat is deadly.

But we have a weapon:

dialogue, goodwill.

And we have a shield:

the insistence upon truth.

We have to go, or we'll miss Mom.

Don't leave us hanging
with no news. Promise?

I promise.

Thanks for saying yes.

No pressure, eh?

But it's good for you to talk,
even if only a little.

Where is she?

She's coming.

Yeah?

Oh, you came. How nice.

How are you?

You're the one who's asking?

This is nothing.
In two weeks, it'll be old news.

"It's nothing"?

This has been waiting for you
for a week.

SALES CONTRACT

MR. THIBAUT GIACCHERINI
COMMITS TO THE HANDOVER

OF THE COMMERCIAL PREMISES,
"LA NOUVELLE TAUPE."

I told you no.

You can't refuse a present.

I started the bookshop
when my brother died.

It's not going to just anyone.

Damien still lives at your place.

He says you left.
Are you on the streets?

Where did you get that idea?

Are you kidding me?

You're paying the rent of the guy
who hits you and not saying a thing?

I left. It's over.

Yeah, it's over.

You'll see. Nice evolution, anyway.
Just gets better and better.

What do you want?

When are you going to stop
hurting yourself?

I want you to tell me everything,
Thibaut.

Or when I leave here,
you'll never see me again.

I should've...
I should've come to see you before...

but...

I can't stop...

I kept thinking back
to the first time we met.

I hit you, that day.

Me and...

-And Damien, we both hit you--
-You're nothing like Damien. Nothing.

Dude, you gave me so much.

I just tried to do for him
what you did for me.

Damien is a tormented soul.
He's unhappy.

He's like me, really.

I love you.

It didn't happen very long ago,
you know.

I woke up one morning
and thought to myself,

"All right, it's over.

"I'm up."

When was this?

You should talk to Amaury.

-Amaury?
-Yeah.

What does he have to do with this?

No...

You sure did get banged up.

Want a beer?

No, thanks.
Maybe later.

Here, Hicham.

-You know me too well.
-The usual.

With all this, we didn't even
celebrate the center's 25th birthday.

True.

Why don't we celebrate it now?

-Good point.
-I'm fine with that. Let's do it.

Say, Claude, you know, Lucie and I
have a little problem

with us wanting a kid.

You going to start up ART again?

No, we had another idea.

Do you think your little sperms
are vigorous?

-Oh, yes!
-No...

Oh, all right.

Whew, boy.

No investigation procedure for now.

The other two cops
weren't even suspended.

This stuff takes time, you know.

I know that sometimes we fight
for nothing.

It's never enough.

Well, that's why things get shaken up

when you're around.

We'll see what this all leads to.

Hey, did you see?

-Hey.
-Hey.

Are you looking for the LGBT+ Center?

Yes.

Well, you came at the right time.
We're having a party, tonight.

-Want to come?
-Yes.

I'll take your bag.

This is Thibaut. He's a pain,
but you wind up loving him.

-Hey.
-Hey.

-Do you want something to drink?
-Yes, please.

What's your name?

What?

Baran.

Welcome, Baran.

Thank you.

MEP