Golchehreh (2011) Movie Script
1
To All Hatami for his
endless passion to Cinema
And to all the people who value
the Cinema of Afghanistan.
Golchehreh
Golchehreh
Written by Vahid Mousaian
Masoud Raygan
Ladan Mostofi
Hedayat Hashemi
Afshin Hashemi
Issa Hosseini
Alireza Zaree
Hojatalloah Alipour, Zeinab Dehqan
Hasan Hossein Zadeh
And Hossein Moheb Ahari
Script supervisor
Mona Ahadi
Second assistant director
Afshin Karam Rezaee
Unit production manager
Afshin Soleiman Pour
Supplies manager
Amrollah Tajrobeh
First assistant cameraman
Rasoul Tanhayi
First assistant director and programmer
Masoud Mayyami
Special effects
Davoud Rasoulian
Photographer
Mahour Mosaian
Make up designer
Alireza Khorshid
Costume designer and decorator
Behzad Adineh
Sound and mix
Amirhossein Sadeqi
Sound engineer
Maziar Sheikh Mahboubi
Music by
Fereidoun Shahbazian
Edited by Nazanin Mofkham
Director of photography
Houman Behmanesh
Production and executive manager
Mohammad Hasan
Najm Production consultant
Hossein Saberi
Produced, written and directed by
Vahid Mousaian
In the name of God
This is about Molla Khan
Rahman Zadeh
and Rokhsareh who is
Abdolaziz's daughter.
The Mahr would be
a house and 2 cows.
Will you accept it?
Congratulations.
Ashraf Khan?
Yes? What's the problem?
The car is ready.
Go and watch the car.
OK.
Shirmorad? Where is Shirmorad?
Hello Ashraf Khan.
Hello, tell your
children to be quiet.
OK.
Is your mother OK, Ra'ana?
Hello, Thank God. She's fine.
Hello, please help me.
- What's the problem?
- She's sick.
Don't cry. She has fever.
We must take her to the hospital.
I did, they didn't accept her.
They did a wrong thing.
Let's get into the car.
Shirmorad?
Yes?
Shirmorad?
Yes?
Yes?
Where were you?
I was around here.
I told you 100 times that don't
bring your sheep and cows here.
I told them, they didn't obey.
They did a wrong thing.
Gather all the animals and take
them behind the building.
If I see even 1 animal here again,
I'll send you out.
OK.
They must clean here.
I'll do it, you go.
These things are
the causes of sickness.
Take the tents to the behind
of the building too.
I told them, they didn't obey.
You go please. I'll do everything.
You keep saying "I told them".
You don't pay attention
to what I say.
I told you 100 times to take
your sheep and cows out of here.
You may get sick this way.
Take your sheep and cows out of here.
Clean here.
This is what Ashraf Khan has ordered.
Why are you staring at that, old man?
I am not done yet.
What are you doing here? Go.
Wait!
Get into the car!
What are you doing?
- I switched on the car.
- Who said that you can switch it on?
Go inside. Go and help Shirmorad.
Take the tents.
May I sit?
Go away.
Go away.
Hello.
Come.
Come.
Come.
Lift up your shirt,
I must check you up.
Don't you see how busy we are?
Lift up your shirt.
- Hello Doctor.
- Hello Ashraf Khan.
Can you see? He doesn't
let me to check him up.
She can't touch me,
she's stranger.
It's OK. Doctors are not stranger.
Let me check you up,
don't be stubborn.
No, a male doctor must come.
There is no male doctor.
Can Ashraf Khan check you up?
It's OK, let him check me up.
Stand up.
Lift up his shirt.
Put this on his back.
Where?
Lower please. Very good!
Breathe.
Breathe!
Deeper!
Deeper please!
Lower!
Breathe!
All right. Thank you.
- Is it painful?
- Yes.
- Is it very painful?
- Yes.
Don't work hard again!
- I will.
- You will?
Be careful!
Tuberculosis is very dangerous.
Doctor! There is a new patient
in the boss's office.
Add these 2 ampoules in his serum.
Excuse me Ashraf Khan, I have to go.
Please.
- Sir?
- Yes?
Lay down.
We have no more.
We can't do surgery
without anesthesia.
What should we do, sir? He may die!
Minister? Hello?
Hello? Sir?
Hello, hope you're not tired.
Hello. Can you see our situation?
The minister doesn't understand
the requirements of a surgery.
Because he's a warlord!
This shall pass. Don't be upset.
When shall it pass?
I can't stand it.
The communistic Najibollah
could bring safety at least.
- Anyway! What's up?
- I want to rebuild the cinema.
Under these conditions!
Have you gone insane?
This people must have joy.
They must not see only blood.
Come here doctor.
He's dead.
He's dead, doctor.
Come and take this dead body, Mirza.
This is the destiny
of this country's youth.
Oh God!
You didn't say,
why did you come here?
There is a baby with high fever.
Help her.
- Where is she?
- Right here.
Take her. We have an empty bed now.
Hurry up.
Be careful! Watch the walls.
Come, Ashraf Khan.
Please.
- Hello Ashraf Khan.
- Hello, how are you?
Please be seated.
Do you know for how long
I haven't had a TV? About 10 years!
I was fighting in the mountains
for 10 years.
Once we attacked some Russian people
and took a TV from them.
But we couldn't turn it on.
Yes.
It's for the Soviet Union!
They started to disintegrate when
they lost the war in Afghanistan.
What's wrong with you?
You're upset!
The people are sick of war.
It's so bad!
They are hungry but they
need peace more than food.
These people need theatre,
music and cinema.
You can see our situation!
There is a civil war in Afghanistan.
It's not many years that
communists have gone from here.
General Dosdom is in the west of Kabul,
Hekmatyar is on the other side.
Mazari opposes them both. Rabani
and Ahmad Shah Masoud are among these.
Can't you hear
the sound of rockets?
They promised us peace,
but we can't rely on them.
And you want to rebuild
the cinema when we are on fire?
Yes, culture minister!
It's right that culture is
very important, but...
you must have a good economy
and safety before having that!
I saw a young man died
in the hospital.
I am sure that he hadn't have joy
even for a moment in his life.
I must rebuild the cinema.
I agree, but we have
no money and no safety.
I don't want money,
I want your support.
Some fanatical leaders have said
that cinema is illegal.
I don't know for how long I am going to
work as a culture minister...
But I'll do my best.
Hello? Tell them that I'll come.
- Hope you're not tired!
- Hello, thanks.
I've heard that you're going
to rebuild your cinema.
They spread the news so fast!
It's not a trivial thing in Afghanistan.
Tell me! Is it going well?
We need an apparatus
after preparing the building.
I had a little amount of money
and I spent it on the building.
I can't buy a new apparatus.
Buying a new apparatus is hard
in this situation. People are so poor.
I'll do something about it tomorrow.
We'll have a new era in Afghanistan.
We will support it!
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.
Hello Salar!
Hello Shirmorad! How are you?
Why don't you give me a ride?
OK, get into the car!
Shirmorad! Goodbye.
Take this money, Shirmorad.
Go and buy some bread and eggs
for these people.
OK.
They are going to bring me
a new leg from Red Cross.
- Can you run with your new leg?
- Yes, I can.
- What are you doing here?
- Hello.
Go to your mother, Ra'ana.
Tell the people that I want
to display a movie tonight.
OK.
Are you in love?
Go! Rude!
Where were you my old friend?
[Reciting a poem]
Be quiet!
What's going on? Be quiet.
Otherwise I'll close the cinema.
Shirmorad?
Shirmorad? What are you doing?
Why are you shouting, Shirmorad?
Women can't go inside!
Don't talk nonsense.
Women may go to the end of salon.
Go.
This is what Norouz has said!
What's wrong?
Cinema is illegal for women.
The movie is useful for women.
They can learn how to train
their children and how to cook.
They don't understand!
They do, the movie can teach them
how to understand better.
No! Never!
What is this you are saying!
- I trust you, Ashraf Khan.
- Thank you.
Women may go to the end of salon.
Come on!
Men must sit over there!
Go over there, Raqib!
Come on!
Come here Shirmorad!
- Yes?
- Plug this.
Plug this, Qand Aqa.
I order you and you order him!
- OK!
- You keep saying "OK".
You don't pay attention
to what I say.
Go!
May God forgive me.
Let me watch!
I've brought you raisins, Ra'ana!
- Take it!
- No!
Please!
Molla Qader is here, Ashraf Khan!
He wants to talk to you.
- Molla Qader?
- Yes.
- Is he at the door?
- Yes.
OK, when the woman appears,
put your hand in here.
- After that you may take your hand.
- OK.
- Got it?
- Yes.
Be careful. I'll be right back.
Hello, Saeb! Welcome.
Come in please.
What are you doing in here?
Shame on you!
Are you spreading immorality?
You've let the women too!
We fought with Soviet Union
to avoid this!
Now we ourselves must
spread the immorality?
No! We want to train
people well by cinema.
Cinema doesn't lead to immorality.
A corrupted mind
may cause immorality.
Is this an uncorrupted mind?
It may put you in trouble. End it!
No! The Government
are OK with this.
They want to work on culture.
Government did a wrong thing!
We will work on culture!
I can guess what he said.
Thank you for coming.
I came here to see your cinema.
I'll make a good cinema, just wait!
Are you sure you can
bear its hardship?
I have nothing in my life except cinema!
I have to do it.
What are you doing, Shirmorad?
What's happened?
Can you fix it?
Many parts of it are broken,
I can't fix it.
You can't?
I'll figure it out!
Why are you scared?
You are a soldier!
Tell them to bring us all the things
that we had lent them!
Thank you, goodbye.
- Bring that list, Jahan.
- OK.
It must be here.
What is number 108?
It s the coronation of king Zaher Shah.
Who has borrowed it?
The embassy of Italy
borrowed it 2 years ago.
- Call them.
- OK.
"Where Is the Friend's Home?"
Thank God that we have it!
It's complete.
Number 097, reconstruction
of the tomb of Buddha!
This is the only movie from Bamian
that we have! See where it is.
OK.
- Hello Salar.
- Hello Ashraf Khan.
- Hello.
- Hello.
What's new about apparatus?
No one in here can do it.
The president took
the number 079 four years ago.
Your apparatus is not
the only thing that is broken!
The history of this country
is lost too!
- Call them, they may have it still.
- OK.
We must make everything
alright again.
Don't be sad about the apparatus. I have
a friend in Mashhad who can fix it.
His name is Goudarz. He works
in the Institute for the intellectual
development of children
and young adults.
You must go for him,
I'll write you his address.
Are you sure that he can fix it?
He used to fix everything
in every cinema of Mashhad.
I'll supervise the building
while you are away.
Be careful! Molla Qader
has threatened me!
He said:
"I'll destroy the cinema."
He came here too!
He said: "Burn all these movies."
He doesn't know
about the power of art.
I said that we are different
with the previous government!
We are Moslem,
they were communist.
You couldn't negotiate with them,
but you surely can do it with us!
They are against art and movie.
It is fundamentally inconsistent
with their beliefs.
I am sure that even government
can't overcome them.
But I am sure that if cinema
shows cultural movies...
they will use it
to spread their beliefs too.
For example we can use
Iranian movies!
Oh my God!
The Chess Players!
This movie is my beloved one.
We'll display it
when Golchehreh is ready.
Let me write the address for you
before it gets late.
Let's go.
Hello Ashraf Khan,
hope you're not tired.
Hello, where is Rokhsareh?
She's there.
Thank you.
Today was a difficult day for you,
wasn't it?
Hello, what has brought you here?
- I am here to see you.
- Welcome.
What a peace!
Yes. It hardly happens.
What's new about the hospital?
- You mean medicines?
- Yes.
Ahmad Masoud has sent some medicines,
but it's not enough.
Ahmad Shah Masoud is so kind.
Yes, I know him.
- Really?
- Yes, I am from Panj Shir.
Doust Mohammad Khan
helped my father and me
that I could go to university.
I have seen
Doust Mohammad Khan.
He came to my father's cinema once.
My husband was one of his soldiers,
but he died.
I am so sorry.
I forgot the reason
that I came here for!
I want to go to Iran tomorrow.
Don't you need anything?
Very good!
Why do you want to go?
I am going to bring someone
to fix the apparatus.
Can you bring some medicines?
OK, sure.
So I'll write what I need.
Were you looking at the moon?
Yes, this was a vow
between Golzar and me.
- Golzar?
- My husband.
Somebody needs you, doctor!
I'm coming.
By your leave.
Hope you're not tired.
- Shirmorad?
- Yes?
Where are you?
You are going to Mashhad.
Pray on my behalf too.
OK.
- Shirmorad?
- Yes.
- Take care of Golchehreh!
- OK.
- Please.
- Rest assured.
- Don't forget about it!
- OK.
Thank you so much.
Don't forget to bring souvenir!
OK.
Hello brother!
Give me your passport.
Hello brother.
Don't you want to get
out of your car?
OK. I'll get out.
Come!
Come!
- Where are you going?
- Iran.
Here you are.
Read it.
What is written in it?
It's from the interior ministry.
- Who has signed it?
- Minister of the Interior.
Go!
Thank you.
I said go!
OK.
You may leave,
but you can't take your car.
Why?
Because Iranians won't let you!
I'll talk to them!
Go!
Car key!
Thank you.
Take care of my car please.
Rest assured.
- Hello brother!
- Hello.
Your passport!
Give me your bag.
Wait here.
- What are these?
- It's the lens of apparatus.
I want to take them
to Mashhad to fix them.
- Why do you need them?
- For cinema!
Is there any cinema
in Afghanistan?
Yes, we'll make one,
God willing.
You don't need to have cinema,
you must stop planting opium.
We'll stop it by using cinema!
You mean by displaying
vulgar Indian movies?
You must provide money
and job for people.
We'll do it, God willing.
Take your stuff and go.
- Sir?
- Yes?
- Are you going to Mashhad?
- Yes, do you have Iranian Rial?
- Yes.
- Get into the car.
Thank you.
- Hello.
- Hello.
- Who do you want to talk to?
- I am looking for Goudarz.
Yes?
I am looking for Goudarz.
He's not here, he has gone
for a trip as a mission.
When will he come back?
It takes several days.
Several days!
Where has he gone?
He goes to villages
to display movies.
You're not from around here?
I came from Kabul.
Kabul? It's interesting!
Can you find him
if I write you the address?
Yes, thank you.
You're welcome.
A moment please!
Where is Goudarz?
The one who displays movies!
There he is.
- There?
- Yes.
May I help you?
- Hello.
- Hello.
- I am looking for Goudarz.
- Why do you want to talk to him?
I am coming from Kabul.
I have brought a letter
from Salar Qaznavi.
- Salar?
- Yes.
Is he still alive?
Are you his friend? Wait!
Welcome! How is my friend?
- He's OK, he sent his regards.
- Thank you.
I went to your office,
they said you went for a trip.
Yes, I come to beautiful places
for my missions.
Look! Look at this view!
Yes, it's beautiful.
Please be seated.
Let's drink tea.
Is Kabul beautiful too?
- Kabul?
- Yes.
Kabul is beautiful too.
Why have you come here?
What's up?
This is Salar's letter.
Thank you.
Here is sugar!
So you have a cinema,
Ashraf Khan!
Yes, I have a cinema in Kabul,
its name is Golchehreh.
We're reconstructing its building,
but the apparatus isn't working.
We can't fix it. Can you please
come to Kabul and fix it?
Kabul is not near!
We are neighbors!
Yes! Ismael?
Be careful with the screen!
Put it near the square.
Good job.
I am going to display a movie
for children tonight.
It's a cartoon named
"The stingy man."
Yes.
The more a man has,
the more he desires.
Very good!
How could you build
a cinema in Kabul?
My grandpa was a tea trader.
He used to bring tea from India.
An English merchant
owed him some money.
He gave him an apparatus
instead of money.
Then my grandpa
displayed movies in his village.
People came to see
what is moving picture!
After that my grandpa
built a cinema.
He loved my grandma,
so he named it Golchehreh.
After him,
my father inherited the cinema.
And after him, I inherited it.
I grew up in cinema.
Golchehreh cinema is my everything.
I love cinema. I wanted to become
a director, but now I display movies.
I am happy now,
display movies for children.
I make them familiar
with cinema and dreaming.
Very good!
Is your apparatus Russian?
No, it's an old German one.
- It's so old!
- Yes.
What else do you have?
The manager of a cinema
in Mashhad gave me a lens.
Very good, so we can find
kind people still.
Yes. He was kind.
OK, we'll rebuild your cinema.
First, I have to call my office
and take a mission support letter.
- Then I can go for Golchehreh!
- Thank you.
Watch the movie.
Thank you.
Hello! The moving cinema!
Hello!
How are you?
- Hope you're not tired!
- What has brought you here?
It's a mission! And this is
its support letter for taking the car.
- There is a man in your car!
- Yes, he's Afghani.
- Won't he get out of the car?
- He will!
Get out of the car, Ashraf Khan.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
- Is everything OK?
- Yes, thanks.
Here you are.
- Wow! Ashraf Khan!
- Do you know my friend?
Yes, he was here
a couple of days ago.
He has a cinema!
Where are you going?
I'm going to display a movie for them
and also fix their apparatus.
Where is your passport?
Come here once
and display a movie for us too!
OK, I will I'll do it
when I come back.
Afghanistan is in a bad situation.
Come back soon.
We have to go to Kabul
Don't trust these people.
Take this. Go. Take care.
Thank you.
Go.
- Hello brother.
- Hello.
- How are you?
- Fine, thank you.
Here you are.
- Who's that man?
- He's my guest.
- Can I go and take my car?
- Yes.
Thank you.
Would you please
get out of the car?
What are you saying! Go!
It's my car.
No! I left my car here.
- Which one?
- This one.
This car is for smugglers!
Are you a smuggler?
No, I had a letter
from the interior ministry.
Lower your voice.
Go, otherwise I'll imprison
you and your guest.
You can't! I'll report this.
- Are you threatening me?
- Yes.
Are you threatening me?
Bring that man too!
I'll imprison you both.
OK, I had no car and I had
no letter from the interior ministry.
- Go!
- OK.
Let's go.
What's going on?
Let's go.
Welcome.
They bombarded here!
We have a guest, Shirmorad!
Go and take out my stuff from the car.
- Hello.
- Hello.
What's happened?
It's nothing.
The wall is ruined.
Here you are.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Aren't you done yet?
Here you are.
- Hello.
- Hello, hope you're not tired.
This is my Golchehreh.
Yes.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Watch the walls.
Hello.
Let's go to the projection room.
- Please.
- Please.
Please.
This is the projection room.
Please.
It's so old! It won't work.
It's from my grandpa.
[Reciting a poem]
Here is Salar!
- Hello.
- Hello.
Finally you forced me
to come to Kabul.
I knew that you would come!
I can't disobey you!
How are you?
- Fine, how is your mother?
- She died.
When?
Her death anniversary
was 2 weeks ago.
- You didn't call me at all.
- I didn't know.
I didn't know that it's so old!
I could bring my equipment if I knew.
I have nothing now.
- Can you fix it?
- I'll do my best.
It's an important thing
for the people of Afghanistan.
I am the man
of important things.
Let's go to my house.
You can rest there.
No, I want to start my job.
I have many things to do.
My wife has cooked you
a delicious food.
- How is your wife, by the way?
- She's fine, thanks.
- You come too, Ashraf Khan.
- Thank you.
Please.
Breathe.
Breathe deeply please.
Good.
- What's your name?
- Parvin.
Hello, Rokhsareh.
Hello, Ashraf Khan, welcome back.
Please come in.
Thank you.
Come here again
when you take your medicines.
Help your mother.
These are what you ordered.
Thank you so much.
This gift is yours.
You had bought many things.
You shouldn't have bought this.
- Don't mention it, please.
- Thank you.
It's beautiful.
Thank you so much.
Can you remember the foods
that Goudarz's mother used to cook?
We can't forget about the foods
that your mother used to cook.
May she rest in peace.
You cook well too. My mother
couldn't forget about you too.
We want to build
the cinema of Afghanistan.
We have found many movies
about the history of Afghanistan.
We have many Iranian movies.
Movies of after and before
the revolution!
Farokh Qafari!
They sent us the "Bicycle Run"
from Mazar Sharif yesterday.
I had watched it in Mashhad.
We'll display it when
the apparatus gets fixed.
I'll do it.
You have not brought water.
Excuse me.
Here you are.
How is your daughter?
She's fine, thanks.
Hello, Goudarz.
Was that Golab's voice?
She is grown up now.
Yes, children grow up fast.
- Haven't you got married?
- No!
So you're like Ashraf Khan.
You can't live during the war.
I wish it doesn't happen again.
We must support
the new government.
They have different beliefs.
I think it doesn't go well.
Don't be hopeless! You've brought him
from far away to give hope to people.
No, I am not hopeless.
I am worried.
It will go well, God willing.
Help yourself, Goudarz.
Thank you, I am eating.
Bring a plate of meat, please.
OK.
- OK, what was this?
- Marc!
No, arc.
- What is this?
- Alaska!
No!
You will learn, don't worry.
Take that screwdriver.
Screw it when I tell you.
Ashraf Khan?
Hello, doctor. Ashraf Khan
is not here but he'll be right back.
OK, keep doing your job.
Hello.
Hello. Have you come from Iran?
Yes. He took me here.
Excuse me.
Can you fix the apparatus?
I have to do many things,
but I'll do my best.
Ashraf Khan has told me
good things about your skills.
It's kind of him.
Hello, Ashraf Khan. How are you?
You're most welcome.
I came here to see
what's new about cinema.
- He is Goudarz.
- Yes, we got acquainted.
Rokhsareh is a doctor
in the hospital.
So we both fix patients!
- What's your idea about our progress?
- It's very good.
- Don't you need anything?
- No, not now.
Don't leave here, Shirmorad.
Help Goudarz.
OK, sure.
Please come and see
the salon too.
- It was nice to meet you.
- It was nice to meet you, too.
Please.
What was this, Goudarz?
- What was this?
- Alaska.
Oh God! Forget about it. Take this
and wash all these cogwheels.
Clean them completely.
Hope you're not tired.
- Hello Ashraf Khan.
- Hello minister.
Welcome.
Your progress is good.
Yes, thank God.
We must install the chairs too.
I can give you some money
for fixing the walls.
Thank you so much.
I'll order it. What's new
about the projecting room?
My Iranian friend is working on it.
God willing, he can fix it.
I am just worried about one thing.
We have many things
to be worried about in Afghanistan.
Molla Qader has threatened me.
He said that he'll destroy the cinema.
I know, he has left
a message for me too.
He'll threaten you
under any conditions.
We must do well, it will be OK
when they see that
we don't spread immorality in here.
I've told about this to my friends.
It's a war. Keep this in your mind.
Yes, you're right.
Wash them well,
the oil must penetrate in them.
It smells bad! I got headache.
We have to do so many things.
Don't nag. Do your job.
It will be OK!
Just the beginning is hard.
- My mother wants to take me to Herat.
- Why?
We want to go to our uncle.
Where has been
your uncle till now?
He was in Pakistan, he has come
back now and we must go to him.
- I can't bear it if you go.
- I don't want to go too.
But there is no way.
We can run away.
I want to marry you.
I know why my uncle
wants us to go to him.
He wants to marry my mom,
and his son wants to marry me.
He can't! We will run away.
My mother may die if I do this.
Shirmorad?
Shirmorad?
- Are you asleep?
- No, I am not.
Why didn't the doctor
come here today?
Why should she come?
I don't know,
for supervising or something.
She comes here to meet Ashraf Khan
not for seeing the cinema.
- What do you mean?
- It's clear.
- Is she married?
- Her husband is martyred.
He died in the communists wars.
May he rest in peace.
- Can I sleep now?
- Yes, sleep.
No! Wake up! Help me.
Come and help us, Qand Aqa!
Why are you calling him?
Wake up.
Take it. Slowly!
- Be careful about your backbones!
- OK.
Who's that?
Let's go!
He's here to destroy the cinema.
Let's go.
Don't go.
What are you doing?
Traitor!
Qand Aqa?
Qand Aqa?
Qand Aqa?
- What was this sound?
- It was bullet!
Hurry up.
What's happened?
- Ashraf Khan!
- Dear Ra'ana?
Qand Aqa!
Dear?
Go call them to bring
an ambulance.
Dear?
Qand Aqa!
What's happened, dear?
Wake up.
Dear?
Wake up.
- He's dead.
- Dead? - Yes.
Wake up, my dear.
What happened?
Wake up, my dear!
Wake up, my dear!
May Qand Aqa rest in peace.
There is no one
that I can order anymore.
Give me a brick!
Why are you sleeping?
Oh my God! I ate the pin!
No, it's here.
Goudarz?
- Hope you're not tired.
- Thank you.
- Is it fixed?
- Yes.
I fixed and cleaned everything,
I put coals in there too.
There are some more coals here.
You just need to have
speakers and amplifier.
I donate the speakers and amplifier
from my office to your cinema.
Thank you.
But I have to come back.
Don't be upset,
I'll take you back.
All right, I go and bring the speakers.
Thank you, Goudarz.
You're welcome.
I trust in you, God!
God! Fulfill my wish, please!
Come on!
Well done!
Thank you so much!
Wait! I have to test
the main part.
Be careful about your eyes.
Hello.
Hello, doctor.
Are you going back to Iran?
Yes, I am done here,
I leave after displaying the movie.
You did an important
thing for us.
No, Ashraf Khan did the main part.
I just helped him.
No, what you did
was more than helping.
Ashraf Khan loves his cinema.
Did you see how passionately
he started it up?
What are you passionate about?
Me?
This is a small gift for you.
Thank you, it's so beautiful.
You're most welcome.
Hello.
Welcome, please come in.
I think I must see the opening
of cinema from here.
No woman is invited.
Talk until I come back, Salar.
This is a successful movie
in cinema of Iran.
We'll show many other movies
like "Captain Khorshid" in future.
Goudarz?
Hello Ashraf Khan!
Hope you're not tired.
You're most welcome, Rokhsareh.
- Is everything OK, Goudarz?
- Yes.
You can see me from here,
start it up when I tell you.
OK.
- A moment please, Rokhsareh.
- Yes?
- I have to say something to you.
- What?
Yes.
I'll say it tonight. By your leave.
What are you doing, Shirmorad?
Go outside, they need you there.
Come and watch, Rokhsareh.
Run!
This is Shirmorad!
- Shirmorad!
- Wake up.
Shirmorad!
- Shirmorad!
- Calm clown.
Shirmorad!
He's breathing.
He's alive. Shirmorad!
He's dead.
- Shirmorad?
- He's dead!
Shirmorad?
Ashraf Khan?
Doctor? He doesn't move.
Ashraf Khan?
He's shocked.
Take him out.
- Take care of him.
- Help me!
Take care of him.
Cinema, movies, TV
and taking photos are illegal.
You'll be punished if you disobey us.
Women must stay at home.
If you want to get out of your house,
one Mahram male must be with you.
Otherwise, you'll be punished.
You must cover your face
and you must wear hijab.
You'll be punished
if you disobey us.
Education is illegal for girls.
You'll be punished if you disobey us.
The president has run away,
Taliban is controlling the city now.
This is what we deserve.
The people who fought
with Soviet Union
started to fight with each other
for power for 4 years!
No one did anything
for the country in these 4 years.
No one devoted himself
to our country.
They killed people, now Taliban
is controlling the country!
We can't have happiness.
This is our destiny.
[Reciting a poem]
What do you say? Who are these?
They are a very religious militia.
They have been trained
in the religious schools of Pakistan.
They occupied Kandahar in 1994.
CIA and Pakistanis support them.
- I have to get back.
- They'll kill you if you get out.
They love to kill Iranian people.
I came here to rebuild your cinema,
I did my best.
Besides, it's your war, not mine!
There is no difference between
Iranian and Afghani people for them.
- Ashraf Khan went out of the house?
- Where is he?
- I don't know.
- Where did he go?
What's happened?
I think Ashraf Khan
has gone to the cinema.
Let me go too.
Where do you want
to go in this situation?
What should I do? I can't leave
him alone, besides my car is there.
Alright, but let me give you clothes.
They must not understand
that you're Iranian.
You all put yourself in trouble.
What are you doing in here?
They'll punish you if they
find you here. Let's go.
Let's go.
Ashraf Khan?
He's right. My situation is worse
than yours, but we must go.
Don't be stubborn, they will kill you.
Let's go.
My grandpa loved Golchehreh
more than his life.
Golchehreh will remain,
take care of Rokhsareh.
She went to the hospital last night.
You go inside,
somebody may see you.
No! I can't. I've never
seen burying a TV!
Yes, a disaster makes you laugh.
It reminded me "Fahrenheit 451".
I have a copy of it in my office.
Can you remember
that I told you "It's impossible"
when we watched it in Mashhad.
Everything is possible
in this universe.
- I am going to the hospital.
- No, you can't go.
Sit down, they know you.
I can't let you.
He's right, nobody knows me
but I can't go outside too.
Everybody knows you.
I am sorry, Goudarz!
I didn't know this would happen.
It's not a good time for saying this.
I myself will go to the hospital.
I go and put my clothes on.
Salar?
Salar?
Ashraf Khan?
Didn't you find Rokhsareh?
Taliban has occupied the hospital.
They couldn't find any woman there,
she has run away. She's safe.
- Let's go in.
- We have to go to her!
We'll go to her after midnight.
It's dangerous now.
Goudarz?
Are you OK, Rokhsareh?
We were worried about you.
I am fine, how is Ashraf Khan?
Does he feel better?
He's fine, he's safe.
He's in Salar's house.
We wanted to come to you last night,
but we couldn't.
Lots of Talibs are in the city.
Ashraf Khan wanted to come today,
but I didn't let him, I came myself.
- You must burn all the movies.
- Sit down.
I bring the children to see
that you're burning them
You are my relative,
that's why you're alive now.
So watch your behaviour.
I'll find Ashraf Khan
and that Iranian man so soon.
He's gone.
- Can we go now?
- No.
We have to wait until midnight.
They are everywhere.
Don't be scared
but they are looking for you.
Oh God!
If we stay here for some days,
then we all can go to Panj Shir.
No, we must go to my house,
it's not safe here anymore.
They want to burn all the movies.
No! These are your history.
It's their order!
Go and talk to their commander.
Figure it out yourself,
they just don't get it.
They have burnt family photos.
They won't talk to me
because of these movies.
We can take them out at night.
I can't take you out!
How can I take out all these movies?
There are so many of them
behind the wall.
What should we do now?
I don't know.
How many movies do you have?
You don't put yourself
in trouble more than this.
How many?
2676 movies,
most of them are negatives.
Do they know the difference
between negative and positive?
No, they don't.
Otherwise they wouldn't burn them.
It's good,
we may gather all negatives.
- Do you have positives?
- Yes.
We give those to them.
We may uncover them to show them
that these are all we have.
And what should we do
with the rest of them?
- Wall.
- Wall?
We build a wall
on the door of storehouse.
Yes, this is a good idea. We build
a wall on the door of storehouse.
- They'll come in the morning.
- We have time until then.
This is dangerous,
you may leave now if you're scared.
Let's start.
I will do everything
to save these movies.
Let's separate the movies.
- Keep it.
- Alright.
- "The game's protocol"!
- That's the only copy!
- So what should we give them?
- Number 420!
Bring that list, please.
Uncover these, Rokhsareh.
These ones occupy so much space!
Keep this, Ashraf Khan loves it.
The Chess Players!
Wow! The Chess Players!
Satyajit Ray!
- Here you are.
- Thank you.
Heat it so it dries quickly.
Your idea was so good!
Hurry up.
Come on!
The sun will rise soon.
You go, I'll finish it.
Take them out
through the back door.
You did an important thing.
- Thank you.
- Be careful.
Hello, Molla Saeb.
You understood what I told you?
Yes.
If I find even one movie here,
I'll burn you with it.
I gave you all the movies.
I urge you to repent!
This place will be
a school for our children.
We have brought a teacher too.
You can cooperate with him
or you may leave.
They didn't understand!
They didn't?
Thank God!
- Didn't they see the wall?
- No.
- Thank you so much.
- You're welcome.
We have to leave here fast,
or I'll put you into trouble.
Where do you want to go?
First I have to take Goudarz
to the embassy of Iran.
I can go to Iran from there.
You don't know about
our situation yet!
What about you and the doctor?
This is our country.
We can go to Ahmad Shah Masoud.
They'll do something for you
if we go the embassy.
I am a doctor! I have to be here.
They need me here.
The problem is that I don't know
how to take you to the embassy.
I am sure they have occupied there too.
There is Iran culture house
near your building.
I have an Iranian friend there.
OK, we'll go there together tomorrow.
- I will come too!
- No.
You must stay here
until we find his friend.
I'll go first tomorrow,
check everything then you may come.
Ashraf Khan?
Rokhsareh?
Where are you going to go?
They won't be suspicious
if I am with you.
No, I won't let you come.
It's dangerous.
I can't stay.
I can't wait.
Ashraf Khan?
What did you want to tell me
on the opening day of cinema?
I wanted to say that...
Salar said
"It's safe, you can go".
I'll tell it tonight.
- Do you want to go too?
- Yes.
I go with them too.
- Hello, Zargol.
- Hello, Salar.
Give me a small amount
of turmeric and hollyhocks.
- OK.
- Come inside.
You stay here, Rokhsareh. I go.
- We can go there later.
- It's better if I go alone.
Don't be sad, I'll come back.
It's dangerous.
- Take care of yourself.
- OK.
Where?
I am going to Mr. Nabavi.
You can't go!
I worked for him,
I want to take my money.
- What's your name?
- Nazar Jan Mohabat.
You can't go.
I want to take my money from him.
I'll give some of it to you.
Go but come back soon.
Thank you.
- Yes?
- I want to talk to Mr. Nabavi.
Who?
I am Golchehreh's grandpa.
- Come in.
- Thank you.
Go and find Molla Saeb.
What are you doing here,
Ashraf Khan?
I have a request, Mr. Nabavi.
I didn't know that you're alive.
How did you dare to come here?
I brought an Iranian man here.
He is stuck here now.
Help him to get back to Iran.
We ourselves can't go outside!
I know, but he's not safe!
Take him to Iran.
There is important news!
Hurry up.
- What's going on?
- It's about Mazar Sharif.
There are some Talibs
in the yard of the embassy.
They are going
inside the building.
Oh my God!
They may have killed
all of them!
- Are you sure it was him?
- Yes, it was Ashraf Khan.
- Do something!
- No, it's not logical.
Put him into the car!
- Please do something!
- Take that woman too.
Oh my God!
What happened?
- They caught both of them.
- What?
They caught both of them.
Oh God!
Ashraf Khan Kabuli!
You will be executed
for spreading immorality.
I told you "Close the cinema".
Didn't I?
What are you doing?
You're killing your child.
My dear! My rival lady!
Your child is innocent.
I don't want it.
Let it be born,
you understand that it's so sweet.
It's a boy.
It's a girl!
Yes, it's a girl.
It s a girl, congratulations.
Molla Saeb wanted a boy,
if he understands that it's a girl,
he will marry another woman.
She's so beautiful.
What name are you going
to choose for her?
Golchehreh!
They'll kill us if they understand.
Don't worry.
We'll hide it tomorrow.
Plug it.
Father Goudarz?
Don't be scared, dear.
I am here.
Goudarz?
Who is this lady?
Goudarz?
Who is this lady?
Where were you?
Where were you?
Around here!
What is the name of this kid?
This is my daughter.
Golchehreh.
Golchehreh!
Ashraf Khan!
The Chess Players!
To All Hatami for his
endless passion to Cinema
And to all the people who value
the Cinema of Afghanistan.
Golchehreh
Golchehreh
Written by Vahid Mousaian
Masoud Raygan
Ladan Mostofi
Hedayat Hashemi
Afshin Hashemi
Issa Hosseini
Alireza Zaree
Hojatalloah Alipour, Zeinab Dehqan
Hasan Hossein Zadeh
And Hossein Moheb Ahari
Script supervisor
Mona Ahadi
Second assistant director
Afshin Karam Rezaee
Unit production manager
Afshin Soleiman Pour
Supplies manager
Amrollah Tajrobeh
First assistant cameraman
Rasoul Tanhayi
First assistant director and programmer
Masoud Mayyami
Special effects
Davoud Rasoulian
Photographer
Mahour Mosaian
Make up designer
Alireza Khorshid
Costume designer and decorator
Behzad Adineh
Sound and mix
Amirhossein Sadeqi
Sound engineer
Maziar Sheikh Mahboubi
Music by
Fereidoun Shahbazian
Edited by Nazanin Mofkham
Director of photography
Houman Behmanesh
Production and executive manager
Mohammad Hasan
Najm Production consultant
Hossein Saberi
Produced, written and directed by
Vahid Mousaian
In the name of God
This is about Molla Khan
Rahman Zadeh
and Rokhsareh who is
Abdolaziz's daughter.
The Mahr would be
a house and 2 cows.
Will you accept it?
Congratulations.
Ashraf Khan?
Yes? What's the problem?
The car is ready.
Go and watch the car.
OK.
Shirmorad? Where is Shirmorad?
Hello Ashraf Khan.
Hello, tell your
children to be quiet.
OK.
Is your mother OK, Ra'ana?
Hello, Thank God. She's fine.
Hello, please help me.
- What's the problem?
- She's sick.
Don't cry. She has fever.
We must take her to the hospital.
I did, they didn't accept her.
They did a wrong thing.
Let's get into the car.
Shirmorad?
Yes?
Shirmorad?
Yes?
Yes?
Where were you?
I was around here.
I told you 100 times that don't
bring your sheep and cows here.
I told them, they didn't obey.
They did a wrong thing.
Gather all the animals and take
them behind the building.
If I see even 1 animal here again,
I'll send you out.
OK.
They must clean here.
I'll do it, you go.
These things are
the causes of sickness.
Take the tents to the behind
of the building too.
I told them, they didn't obey.
You go please. I'll do everything.
You keep saying "I told them".
You don't pay attention
to what I say.
I told you 100 times to take
your sheep and cows out of here.
You may get sick this way.
Take your sheep and cows out of here.
Clean here.
This is what Ashraf Khan has ordered.
Why are you staring at that, old man?
I am not done yet.
What are you doing here? Go.
Wait!
Get into the car!
What are you doing?
- I switched on the car.
- Who said that you can switch it on?
Go inside. Go and help Shirmorad.
Take the tents.
May I sit?
Go away.
Go away.
Hello.
Come.
Come.
Come.
Lift up your shirt,
I must check you up.
Don't you see how busy we are?
Lift up your shirt.
- Hello Doctor.
- Hello Ashraf Khan.
Can you see? He doesn't
let me to check him up.
She can't touch me,
she's stranger.
It's OK. Doctors are not stranger.
Let me check you up,
don't be stubborn.
No, a male doctor must come.
There is no male doctor.
Can Ashraf Khan check you up?
It's OK, let him check me up.
Stand up.
Lift up his shirt.
Put this on his back.
Where?
Lower please. Very good!
Breathe.
Breathe!
Deeper!
Deeper please!
Lower!
Breathe!
All right. Thank you.
- Is it painful?
- Yes.
- Is it very painful?
- Yes.
Don't work hard again!
- I will.
- You will?
Be careful!
Tuberculosis is very dangerous.
Doctor! There is a new patient
in the boss's office.
Add these 2 ampoules in his serum.
Excuse me Ashraf Khan, I have to go.
Please.
- Sir?
- Yes?
Lay down.
We have no more.
We can't do surgery
without anesthesia.
What should we do, sir? He may die!
Minister? Hello?
Hello? Sir?
Hello, hope you're not tired.
Hello. Can you see our situation?
The minister doesn't understand
the requirements of a surgery.
Because he's a warlord!
This shall pass. Don't be upset.
When shall it pass?
I can't stand it.
The communistic Najibollah
could bring safety at least.
- Anyway! What's up?
- I want to rebuild the cinema.
Under these conditions!
Have you gone insane?
This people must have joy.
They must not see only blood.
Come here doctor.
He's dead.
He's dead, doctor.
Come and take this dead body, Mirza.
This is the destiny
of this country's youth.
Oh God!
You didn't say,
why did you come here?
There is a baby with high fever.
Help her.
- Where is she?
- Right here.
Take her. We have an empty bed now.
Hurry up.
Be careful! Watch the walls.
Come, Ashraf Khan.
Please.
- Hello Ashraf Khan.
- Hello, how are you?
Please be seated.
Do you know for how long
I haven't had a TV? About 10 years!
I was fighting in the mountains
for 10 years.
Once we attacked some Russian people
and took a TV from them.
But we couldn't turn it on.
Yes.
It's for the Soviet Union!
They started to disintegrate when
they lost the war in Afghanistan.
What's wrong with you?
You're upset!
The people are sick of war.
It's so bad!
They are hungry but they
need peace more than food.
These people need theatre,
music and cinema.
You can see our situation!
There is a civil war in Afghanistan.
It's not many years that
communists have gone from here.
General Dosdom is in the west of Kabul,
Hekmatyar is on the other side.
Mazari opposes them both. Rabani
and Ahmad Shah Masoud are among these.
Can't you hear
the sound of rockets?
They promised us peace,
but we can't rely on them.
And you want to rebuild
the cinema when we are on fire?
Yes, culture minister!
It's right that culture is
very important, but...
you must have a good economy
and safety before having that!
I saw a young man died
in the hospital.
I am sure that he hadn't have joy
even for a moment in his life.
I must rebuild the cinema.
I agree, but we have
no money and no safety.
I don't want money,
I want your support.
Some fanatical leaders have said
that cinema is illegal.
I don't know for how long I am going to
work as a culture minister...
But I'll do my best.
Hello? Tell them that I'll come.
- Hope you're not tired!
- Hello, thanks.
I've heard that you're going
to rebuild your cinema.
They spread the news so fast!
It's not a trivial thing in Afghanistan.
Tell me! Is it going well?
We need an apparatus
after preparing the building.
I had a little amount of money
and I spent it on the building.
I can't buy a new apparatus.
Buying a new apparatus is hard
in this situation. People are so poor.
I'll do something about it tomorrow.
We'll have a new era in Afghanistan.
We will support it!
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.
Hello Salar!
Hello Shirmorad! How are you?
Why don't you give me a ride?
OK, get into the car!
Shirmorad! Goodbye.
Take this money, Shirmorad.
Go and buy some bread and eggs
for these people.
OK.
They are going to bring me
a new leg from Red Cross.
- Can you run with your new leg?
- Yes, I can.
- What are you doing here?
- Hello.
Go to your mother, Ra'ana.
Tell the people that I want
to display a movie tonight.
OK.
Are you in love?
Go! Rude!
Where were you my old friend?
[Reciting a poem]
Be quiet!
What's going on? Be quiet.
Otherwise I'll close the cinema.
Shirmorad?
Shirmorad? What are you doing?
Why are you shouting, Shirmorad?
Women can't go inside!
Don't talk nonsense.
Women may go to the end of salon.
Go.
This is what Norouz has said!
What's wrong?
Cinema is illegal for women.
The movie is useful for women.
They can learn how to train
their children and how to cook.
They don't understand!
They do, the movie can teach them
how to understand better.
No! Never!
What is this you are saying!
- I trust you, Ashraf Khan.
- Thank you.
Women may go to the end of salon.
Come on!
Men must sit over there!
Go over there, Raqib!
Come on!
Come here Shirmorad!
- Yes?
- Plug this.
Plug this, Qand Aqa.
I order you and you order him!
- OK!
- You keep saying "OK".
You don't pay attention
to what I say.
Go!
May God forgive me.
Let me watch!
I've brought you raisins, Ra'ana!
- Take it!
- No!
Please!
Molla Qader is here, Ashraf Khan!
He wants to talk to you.
- Molla Qader?
- Yes.
- Is he at the door?
- Yes.
OK, when the woman appears,
put your hand in here.
- After that you may take your hand.
- OK.
- Got it?
- Yes.
Be careful. I'll be right back.
Hello, Saeb! Welcome.
Come in please.
What are you doing in here?
Shame on you!
Are you spreading immorality?
You've let the women too!
We fought with Soviet Union
to avoid this!
Now we ourselves must
spread the immorality?
No! We want to train
people well by cinema.
Cinema doesn't lead to immorality.
A corrupted mind
may cause immorality.
Is this an uncorrupted mind?
It may put you in trouble. End it!
No! The Government
are OK with this.
They want to work on culture.
Government did a wrong thing!
We will work on culture!
I can guess what he said.
Thank you for coming.
I came here to see your cinema.
I'll make a good cinema, just wait!
Are you sure you can
bear its hardship?
I have nothing in my life except cinema!
I have to do it.
What are you doing, Shirmorad?
What's happened?
Can you fix it?
Many parts of it are broken,
I can't fix it.
You can't?
I'll figure it out!
Why are you scared?
You are a soldier!
Tell them to bring us all the things
that we had lent them!
Thank you, goodbye.
- Bring that list, Jahan.
- OK.
It must be here.
What is number 108?
It s the coronation of king Zaher Shah.
Who has borrowed it?
The embassy of Italy
borrowed it 2 years ago.
- Call them.
- OK.
"Where Is the Friend's Home?"
Thank God that we have it!
It's complete.
Number 097, reconstruction
of the tomb of Buddha!
This is the only movie from Bamian
that we have! See where it is.
OK.
- Hello Salar.
- Hello Ashraf Khan.
- Hello.
- Hello.
What's new about apparatus?
No one in here can do it.
The president took
the number 079 four years ago.
Your apparatus is not
the only thing that is broken!
The history of this country
is lost too!
- Call them, they may have it still.
- OK.
We must make everything
alright again.
Don't be sad about the apparatus. I have
a friend in Mashhad who can fix it.
His name is Goudarz. He works
in the Institute for the intellectual
development of children
and young adults.
You must go for him,
I'll write you his address.
Are you sure that he can fix it?
He used to fix everything
in every cinema of Mashhad.
I'll supervise the building
while you are away.
Be careful! Molla Qader
has threatened me!
He said:
"I'll destroy the cinema."
He came here too!
He said: "Burn all these movies."
He doesn't know
about the power of art.
I said that we are different
with the previous government!
We are Moslem,
they were communist.
You couldn't negotiate with them,
but you surely can do it with us!
They are against art and movie.
It is fundamentally inconsistent
with their beliefs.
I am sure that even government
can't overcome them.
But I am sure that if cinema
shows cultural movies...
they will use it
to spread their beliefs too.
For example we can use
Iranian movies!
Oh my God!
The Chess Players!
This movie is my beloved one.
We'll display it
when Golchehreh is ready.
Let me write the address for you
before it gets late.
Let's go.
Hello Ashraf Khan,
hope you're not tired.
Hello, where is Rokhsareh?
She's there.
Thank you.
Today was a difficult day for you,
wasn't it?
Hello, what has brought you here?
- I am here to see you.
- Welcome.
What a peace!
Yes. It hardly happens.
What's new about the hospital?
- You mean medicines?
- Yes.
Ahmad Masoud has sent some medicines,
but it's not enough.
Ahmad Shah Masoud is so kind.
Yes, I know him.
- Really?
- Yes, I am from Panj Shir.
Doust Mohammad Khan
helped my father and me
that I could go to university.
I have seen
Doust Mohammad Khan.
He came to my father's cinema once.
My husband was one of his soldiers,
but he died.
I am so sorry.
I forgot the reason
that I came here for!
I want to go to Iran tomorrow.
Don't you need anything?
Very good!
Why do you want to go?
I am going to bring someone
to fix the apparatus.
Can you bring some medicines?
OK, sure.
So I'll write what I need.
Were you looking at the moon?
Yes, this was a vow
between Golzar and me.
- Golzar?
- My husband.
Somebody needs you, doctor!
I'm coming.
By your leave.
Hope you're not tired.
- Shirmorad?
- Yes?
Where are you?
You are going to Mashhad.
Pray on my behalf too.
OK.
- Shirmorad?
- Yes.
- Take care of Golchehreh!
- OK.
- Please.
- Rest assured.
- Don't forget about it!
- OK.
Thank you so much.
Don't forget to bring souvenir!
OK.
Hello brother!
Give me your passport.
Hello brother.
Don't you want to get
out of your car?
OK. I'll get out.
Come!
Come!
- Where are you going?
- Iran.
Here you are.
Read it.
What is written in it?
It's from the interior ministry.
- Who has signed it?
- Minister of the Interior.
Go!
Thank you.
I said go!
OK.
You may leave,
but you can't take your car.
Why?
Because Iranians won't let you!
I'll talk to them!
Go!
Car key!
Thank you.
Take care of my car please.
Rest assured.
- Hello brother!
- Hello.
Your passport!
Give me your bag.
Wait here.
- What are these?
- It's the lens of apparatus.
I want to take them
to Mashhad to fix them.
- Why do you need them?
- For cinema!
Is there any cinema
in Afghanistan?
Yes, we'll make one,
God willing.
You don't need to have cinema,
you must stop planting opium.
We'll stop it by using cinema!
You mean by displaying
vulgar Indian movies?
You must provide money
and job for people.
We'll do it, God willing.
Take your stuff and go.
- Sir?
- Yes?
- Are you going to Mashhad?
- Yes, do you have Iranian Rial?
- Yes.
- Get into the car.
Thank you.
- Hello.
- Hello.
- Who do you want to talk to?
- I am looking for Goudarz.
Yes?
I am looking for Goudarz.
He's not here, he has gone
for a trip as a mission.
When will he come back?
It takes several days.
Several days!
Where has he gone?
He goes to villages
to display movies.
You're not from around here?
I came from Kabul.
Kabul? It's interesting!
Can you find him
if I write you the address?
Yes, thank you.
You're welcome.
A moment please!
Where is Goudarz?
The one who displays movies!
There he is.
- There?
- Yes.
May I help you?
- Hello.
- Hello.
- I am looking for Goudarz.
- Why do you want to talk to him?
I am coming from Kabul.
I have brought a letter
from Salar Qaznavi.
- Salar?
- Yes.
Is he still alive?
Are you his friend? Wait!
Welcome! How is my friend?
- He's OK, he sent his regards.
- Thank you.
I went to your office,
they said you went for a trip.
Yes, I come to beautiful places
for my missions.
Look! Look at this view!
Yes, it's beautiful.
Please be seated.
Let's drink tea.
Is Kabul beautiful too?
- Kabul?
- Yes.
Kabul is beautiful too.
Why have you come here?
What's up?
This is Salar's letter.
Thank you.
Here is sugar!
So you have a cinema,
Ashraf Khan!
Yes, I have a cinema in Kabul,
its name is Golchehreh.
We're reconstructing its building,
but the apparatus isn't working.
We can't fix it. Can you please
come to Kabul and fix it?
Kabul is not near!
We are neighbors!
Yes! Ismael?
Be careful with the screen!
Put it near the square.
Good job.
I am going to display a movie
for children tonight.
It's a cartoon named
"The stingy man."
Yes.
The more a man has,
the more he desires.
Very good!
How could you build
a cinema in Kabul?
My grandpa was a tea trader.
He used to bring tea from India.
An English merchant
owed him some money.
He gave him an apparatus
instead of money.
Then my grandpa
displayed movies in his village.
People came to see
what is moving picture!
After that my grandpa
built a cinema.
He loved my grandma,
so he named it Golchehreh.
After him,
my father inherited the cinema.
And after him, I inherited it.
I grew up in cinema.
Golchehreh cinema is my everything.
I love cinema. I wanted to become
a director, but now I display movies.
I am happy now,
display movies for children.
I make them familiar
with cinema and dreaming.
Very good!
Is your apparatus Russian?
No, it's an old German one.
- It's so old!
- Yes.
What else do you have?
The manager of a cinema
in Mashhad gave me a lens.
Very good, so we can find
kind people still.
Yes. He was kind.
OK, we'll rebuild your cinema.
First, I have to call my office
and take a mission support letter.
- Then I can go for Golchehreh!
- Thank you.
Watch the movie.
Thank you.
Hello! The moving cinema!
Hello!
How are you?
- Hope you're not tired!
- What has brought you here?
It's a mission! And this is
its support letter for taking the car.
- There is a man in your car!
- Yes, he's Afghani.
- Won't he get out of the car?
- He will!
Get out of the car, Ashraf Khan.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
- Is everything OK?
- Yes, thanks.
Here you are.
- Wow! Ashraf Khan!
- Do you know my friend?
Yes, he was here
a couple of days ago.
He has a cinema!
Where are you going?
I'm going to display a movie for them
and also fix their apparatus.
Where is your passport?
Come here once
and display a movie for us too!
OK, I will I'll do it
when I come back.
Afghanistan is in a bad situation.
Come back soon.
We have to go to Kabul
Don't trust these people.
Take this. Go. Take care.
Thank you.
Go.
- Hello brother.
- Hello.
- How are you?
- Fine, thank you.
Here you are.
- Who's that man?
- He's my guest.
- Can I go and take my car?
- Yes.
Thank you.
Would you please
get out of the car?
What are you saying! Go!
It's my car.
No! I left my car here.
- Which one?
- This one.
This car is for smugglers!
Are you a smuggler?
No, I had a letter
from the interior ministry.
Lower your voice.
Go, otherwise I'll imprison
you and your guest.
You can't! I'll report this.
- Are you threatening me?
- Yes.
Are you threatening me?
Bring that man too!
I'll imprison you both.
OK, I had no car and I had
no letter from the interior ministry.
- Go!
- OK.
Let's go.
What's going on?
Let's go.
Welcome.
They bombarded here!
We have a guest, Shirmorad!
Go and take out my stuff from the car.
- Hello.
- Hello.
What's happened?
It's nothing.
The wall is ruined.
Here you are.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Aren't you done yet?
Here you are.
- Hello.
- Hello, hope you're not tired.
This is my Golchehreh.
Yes.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Watch the walls.
Hello.
Let's go to the projection room.
- Please.
- Please.
Please.
This is the projection room.
Please.
It's so old! It won't work.
It's from my grandpa.
[Reciting a poem]
Here is Salar!
- Hello.
- Hello.
Finally you forced me
to come to Kabul.
I knew that you would come!
I can't disobey you!
How are you?
- Fine, how is your mother?
- She died.
When?
Her death anniversary
was 2 weeks ago.
- You didn't call me at all.
- I didn't know.
I didn't know that it's so old!
I could bring my equipment if I knew.
I have nothing now.
- Can you fix it?
- I'll do my best.
It's an important thing
for the people of Afghanistan.
I am the man
of important things.
Let's go to my house.
You can rest there.
No, I want to start my job.
I have many things to do.
My wife has cooked you
a delicious food.
- How is your wife, by the way?
- She's fine, thanks.
- You come too, Ashraf Khan.
- Thank you.
Please.
Breathe.
Breathe deeply please.
Good.
- What's your name?
- Parvin.
Hello, Rokhsareh.
Hello, Ashraf Khan, welcome back.
Please come in.
Thank you.
Come here again
when you take your medicines.
Help your mother.
These are what you ordered.
Thank you so much.
This gift is yours.
You had bought many things.
You shouldn't have bought this.
- Don't mention it, please.
- Thank you.
It's beautiful.
Thank you so much.
Can you remember the foods
that Goudarz's mother used to cook?
We can't forget about the foods
that your mother used to cook.
May she rest in peace.
You cook well too. My mother
couldn't forget about you too.
We want to build
the cinema of Afghanistan.
We have found many movies
about the history of Afghanistan.
We have many Iranian movies.
Movies of after and before
the revolution!
Farokh Qafari!
They sent us the "Bicycle Run"
from Mazar Sharif yesterday.
I had watched it in Mashhad.
We'll display it when
the apparatus gets fixed.
I'll do it.
You have not brought water.
Excuse me.
Here you are.
How is your daughter?
She's fine, thanks.
Hello, Goudarz.
Was that Golab's voice?
She is grown up now.
Yes, children grow up fast.
- Haven't you got married?
- No!
So you're like Ashraf Khan.
You can't live during the war.
I wish it doesn't happen again.
We must support
the new government.
They have different beliefs.
I think it doesn't go well.
Don't be hopeless! You've brought him
from far away to give hope to people.
No, I am not hopeless.
I am worried.
It will go well, God willing.
Help yourself, Goudarz.
Thank you, I am eating.
Bring a plate of meat, please.
OK.
- OK, what was this?
- Marc!
No, arc.
- What is this?
- Alaska!
No!
You will learn, don't worry.
Take that screwdriver.
Screw it when I tell you.
Ashraf Khan?
Hello, doctor. Ashraf Khan
is not here but he'll be right back.
OK, keep doing your job.
Hello.
Hello. Have you come from Iran?
Yes. He took me here.
Excuse me.
Can you fix the apparatus?
I have to do many things,
but I'll do my best.
Ashraf Khan has told me
good things about your skills.
It's kind of him.
Hello, Ashraf Khan. How are you?
You're most welcome.
I came here to see
what's new about cinema.
- He is Goudarz.
- Yes, we got acquainted.
Rokhsareh is a doctor
in the hospital.
So we both fix patients!
- What's your idea about our progress?
- It's very good.
- Don't you need anything?
- No, not now.
Don't leave here, Shirmorad.
Help Goudarz.
OK, sure.
Please come and see
the salon too.
- It was nice to meet you.
- It was nice to meet you, too.
Please.
What was this, Goudarz?
- What was this?
- Alaska.
Oh God! Forget about it. Take this
and wash all these cogwheels.
Clean them completely.
Hope you're not tired.
- Hello Ashraf Khan.
- Hello minister.
Welcome.
Your progress is good.
Yes, thank God.
We must install the chairs too.
I can give you some money
for fixing the walls.
Thank you so much.
I'll order it. What's new
about the projecting room?
My Iranian friend is working on it.
God willing, he can fix it.
I am just worried about one thing.
We have many things
to be worried about in Afghanistan.
Molla Qader has threatened me.
He said that he'll destroy the cinema.
I know, he has left
a message for me too.
He'll threaten you
under any conditions.
We must do well, it will be OK
when they see that
we don't spread immorality in here.
I've told about this to my friends.
It's a war. Keep this in your mind.
Yes, you're right.
Wash them well,
the oil must penetrate in them.
It smells bad! I got headache.
We have to do so many things.
Don't nag. Do your job.
It will be OK!
Just the beginning is hard.
- My mother wants to take me to Herat.
- Why?
We want to go to our uncle.
Where has been
your uncle till now?
He was in Pakistan, he has come
back now and we must go to him.
- I can't bear it if you go.
- I don't want to go too.
But there is no way.
We can run away.
I want to marry you.
I know why my uncle
wants us to go to him.
He wants to marry my mom,
and his son wants to marry me.
He can't! We will run away.
My mother may die if I do this.
Shirmorad?
Shirmorad?
- Are you asleep?
- No, I am not.
Why didn't the doctor
come here today?
Why should she come?
I don't know,
for supervising or something.
She comes here to meet Ashraf Khan
not for seeing the cinema.
- What do you mean?
- It's clear.
- Is she married?
- Her husband is martyred.
He died in the communists wars.
May he rest in peace.
- Can I sleep now?
- Yes, sleep.
No! Wake up! Help me.
Come and help us, Qand Aqa!
Why are you calling him?
Wake up.
Take it. Slowly!
- Be careful about your backbones!
- OK.
Who's that?
Let's go!
He's here to destroy the cinema.
Let's go.
Don't go.
What are you doing?
Traitor!
Qand Aqa?
Qand Aqa?
Qand Aqa?
- What was this sound?
- It was bullet!
Hurry up.
What's happened?
- Ashraf Khan!
- Dear Ra'ana?
Qand Aqa!
Dear?
Go call them to bring
an ambulance.
Dear?
Qand Aqa!
What's happened, dear?
Wake up.
Dear?
Wake up.
- He's dead.
- Dead? - Yes.
Wake up, my dear.
What happened?
Wake up, my dear!
Wake up, my dear!
May Qand Aqa rest in peace.
There is no one
that I can order anymore.
Give me a brick!
Why are you sleeping?
Oh my God! I ate the pin!
No, it's here.
Goudarz?
- Hope you're not tired.
- Thank you.
- Is it fixed?
- Yes.
I fixed and cleaned everything,
I put coals in there too.
There are some more coals here.
You just need to have
speakers and amplifier.
I donate the speakers and amplifier
from my office to your cinema.
Thank you.
But I have to come back.
Don't be upset,
I'll take you back.
All right, I go and bring the speakers.
Thank you, Goudarz.
You're welcome.
I trust in you, God!
God! Fulfill my wish, please!
Come on!
Well done!
Thank you so much!
Wait! I have to test
the main part.
Be careful about your eyes.
Hello.
Hello, doctor.
Are you going back to Iran?
Yes, I am done here,
I leave after displaying the movie.
You did an important
thing for us.
No, Ashraf Khan did the main part.
I just helped him.
No, what you did
was more than helping.
Ashraf Khan loves his cinema.
Did you see how passionately
he started it up?
What are you passionate about?
Me?
This is a small gift for you.
Thank you, it's so beautiful.
You're most welcome.
Hello.
Welcome, please come in.
I think I must see the opening
of cinema from here.
No woman is invited.
Talk until I come back, Salar.
This is a successful movie
in cinema of Iran.
We'll show many other movies
like "Captain Khorshid" in future.
Goudarz?
Hello Ashraf Khan!
Hope you're not tired.
You're most welcome, Rokhsareh.
- Is everything OK, Goudarz?
- Yes.
You can see me from here,
start it up when I tell you.
OK.
- A moment please, Rokhsareh.
- Yes?
- I have to say something to you.
- What?
Yes.
I'll say it tonight. By your leave.
What are you doing, Shirmorad?
Go outside, they need you there.
Come and watch, Rokhsareh.
Run!
This is Shirmorad!
- Shirmorad!
- Wake up.
Shirmorad!
- Shirmorad!
- Calm clown.
Shirmorad!
He's breathing.
He's alive. Shirmorad!
He's dead.
- Shirmorad?
- He's dead!
Shirmorad?
Ashraf Khan?
Doctor? He doesn't move.
Ashraf Khan?
He's shocked.
Take him out.
- Take care of him.
- Help me!
Take care of him.
Cinema, movies, TV
and taking photos are illegal.
You'll be punished if you disobey us.
Women must stay at home.
If you want to get out of your house,
one Mahram male must be with you.
Otherwise, you'll be punished.
You must cover your face
and you must wear hijab.
You'll be punished
if you disobey us.
Education is illegal for girls.
You'll be punished if you disobey us.
The president has run away,
Taliban is controlling the city now.
This is what we deserve.
The people who fought
with Soviet Union
started to fight with each other
for power for 4 years!
No one did anything
for the country in these 4 years.
No one devoted himself
to our country.
They killed people, now Taliban
is controlling the country!
We can't have happiness.
This is our destiny.
[Reciting a poem]
What do you say? Who are these?
They are a very religious militia.
They have been trained
in the religious schools of Pakistan.
They occupied Kandahar in 1994.
CIA and Pakistanis support them.
- I have to get back.
- They'll kill you if you get out.
They love to kill Iranian people.
I came here to rebuild your cinema,
I did my best.
Besides, it's your war, not mine!
There is no difference between
Iranian and Afghani people for them.
- Ashraf Khan went out of the house?
- Where is he?
- I don't know.
- Where did he go?
What's happened?
I think Ashraf Khan
has gone to the cinema.
Let me go too.
Where do you want
to go in this situation?
What should I do? I can't leave
him alone, besides my car is there.
Alright, but let me give you clothes.
They must not understand
that you're Iranian.
You all put yourself in trouble.
What are you doing in here?
They'll punish you if they
find you here. Let's go.
Let's go.
Ashraf Khan?
He's right. My situation is worse
than yours, but we must go.
Don't be stubborn, they will kill you.
Let's go.
My grandpa loved Golchehreh
more than his life.
Golchehreh will remain,
take care of Rokhsareh.
She went to the hospital last night.
You go inside,
somebody may see you.
No! I can't. I've never
seen burying a TV!
Yes, a disaster makes you laugh.
It reminded me "Fahrenheit 451".
I have a copy of it in my office.
Can you remember
that I told you "It's impossible"
when we watched it in Mashhad.
Everything is possible
in this universe.
- I am going to the hospital.
- No, you can't go.
Sit down, they know you.
I can't let you.
He's right, nobody knows me
but I can't go outside too.
Everybody knows you.
I am sorry, Goudarz!
I didn't know this would happen.
It's not a good time for saying this.
I myself will go to the hospital.
I go and put my clothes on.
Salar?
Salar?
Ashraf Khan?
Didn't you find Rokhsareh?
Taliban has occupied the hospital.
They couldn't find any woman there,
she has run away. She's safe.
- Let's go in.
- We have to go to her!
We'll go to her after midnight.
It's dangerous now.
Goudarz?
Are you OK, Rokhsareh?
We were worried about you.
I am fine, how is Ashraf Khan?
Does he feel better?
He's fine, he's safe.
He's in Salar's house.
We wanted to come to you last night,
but we couldn't.
Lots of Talibs are in the city.
Ashraf Khan wanted to come today,
but I didn't let him, I came myself.
- You must burn all the movies.
- Sit down.
I bring the children to see
that you're burning them
You are my relative,
that's why you're alive now.
So watch your behaviour.
I'll find Ashraf Khan
and that Iranian man so soon.
He's gone.
- Can we go now?
- No.
We have to wait until midnight.
They are everywhere.
Don't be scared
but they are looking for you.
Oh God!
If we stay here for some days,
then we all can go to Panj Shir.
No, we must go to my house,
it's not safe here anymore.
They want to burn all the movies.
No! These are your history.
It's their order!
Go and talk to their commander.
Figure it out yourself,
they just don't get it.
They have burnt family photos.
They won't talk to me
because of these movies.
We can take them out at night.
I can't take you out!
How can I take out all these movies?
There are so many of them
behind the wall.
What should we do now?
I don't know.
How many movies do you have?
You don't put yourself
in trouble more than this.
How many?
2676 movies,
most of them are negatives.
Do they know the difference
between negative and positive?
No, they don't.
Otherwise they wouldn't burn them.
It's good,
we may gather all negatives.
- Do you have positives?
- Yes.
We give those to them.
We may uncover them to show them
that these are all we have.
And what should we do
with the rest of them?
- Wall.
- Wall?
We build a wall
on the door of storehouse.
Yes, this is a good idea. We build
a wall on the door of storehouse.
- They'll come in the morning.
- We have time until then.
This is dangerous,
you may leave now if you're scared.
Let's start.
I will do everything
to save these movies.
Let's separate the movies.
- Keep it.
- Alright.
- "The game's protocol"!
- That's the only copy!
- So what should we give them?
- Number 420!
Bring that list, please.
Uncover these, Rokhsareh.
These ones occupy so much space!
Keep this, Ashraf Khan loves it.
The Chess Players!
Wow! The Chess Players!
Satyajit Ray!
- Here you are.
- Thank you.
Heat it so it dries quickly.
Your idea was so good!
Hurry up.
Come on!
The sun will rise soon.
You go, I'll finish it.
Take them out
through the back door.
You did an important thing.
- Thank you.
- Be careful.
Hello, Molla Saeb.
You understood what I told you?
Yes.
If I find even one movie here,
I'll burn you with it.
I gave you all the movies.
I urge you to repent!
This place will be
a school for our children.
We have brought a teacher too.
You can cooperate with him
or you may leave.
They didn't understand!
They didn't?
Thank God!
- Didn't they see the wall?
- No.
- Thank you so much.
- You're welcome.
We have to leave here fast,
or I'll put you into trouble.
Where do you want to go?
First I have to take Goudarz
to the embassy of Iran.
I can go to Iran from there.
You don't know about
our situation yet!
What about you and the doctor?
This is our country.
We can go to Ahmad Shah Masoud.
They'll do something for you
if we go the embassy.
I am a doctor! I have to be here.
They need me here.
The problem is that I don't know
how to take you to the embassy.
I am sure they have occupied there too.
There is Iran culture house
near your building.
I have an Iranian friend there.
OK, we'll go there together tomorrow.
- I will come too!
- No.
You must stay here
until we find his friend.
I'll go first tomorrow,
check everything then you may come.
Ashraf Khan?
Rokhsareh?
Where are you going to go?
They won't be suspicious
if I am with you.
No, I won't let you come.
It's dangerous.
I can't stay.
I can't wait.
Ashraf Khan?
What did you want to tell me
on the opening day of cinema?
I wanted to say that...
Salar said
"It's safe, you can go".
I'll tell it tonight.
- Do you want to go too?
- Yes.
I go with them too.
- Hello, Zargol.
- Hello, Salar.
Give me a small amount
of turmeric and hollyhocks.
- OK.
- Come inside.
You stay here, Rokhsareh. I go.
- We can go there later.
- It's better if I go alone.
Don't be sad, I'll come back.
It's dangerous.
- Take care of yourself.
- OK.
Where?
I am going to Mr. Nabavi.
You can't go!
I worked for him,
I want to take my money.
- What's your name?
- Nazar Jan Mohabat.
You can't go.
I want to take my money from him.
I'll give some of it to you.
Go but come back soon.
Thank you.
- Yes?
- I want to talk to Mr. Nabavi.
Who?
I am Golchehreh's grandpa.
- Come in.
- Thank you.
Go and find Molla Saeb.
What are you doing here,
Ashraf Khan?
I have a request, Mr. Nabavi.
I didn't know that you're alive.
How did you dare to come here?
I brought an Iranian man here.
He is stuck here now.
Help him to get back to Iran.
We ourselves can't go outside!
I know, but he's not safe!
Take him to Iran.
There is important news!
Hurry up.
- What's going on?
- It's about Mazar Sharif.
There are some Talibs
in the yard of the embassy.
They are going
inside the building.
Oh my God!
They may have killed
all of them!
- Are you sure it was him?
- Yes, it was Ashraf Khan.
- Do something!
- No, it's not logical.
Put him into the car!
- Please do something!
- Take that woman too.
Oh my God!
What happened?
- They caught both of them.
- What?
They caught both of them.
Oh God!
Ashraf Khan Kabuli!
You will be executed
for spreading immorality.
I told you "Close the cinema".
Didn't I?
What are you doing?
You're killing your child.
My dear! My rival lady!
Your child is innocent.
I don't want it.
Let it be born,
you understand that it's so sweet.
It's a boy.
It's a girl!
Yes, it's a girl.
It s a girl, congratulations.
Molla Saeb wanted a boy,
if he understands that it's a girl,
he will marry another woman.
She's so beautiful.
What name are you going
to choose for her?
Golchehreh!
They'll kill us if they understand.
Don't worry.
We'll hide it tomorrow.
Plug it.
Father Goudarz?
Don't be scared, dear.
I am here.
Goudarz?
Who is this lady?
Goudarz?
Who is this lady?
Where were you?
Where were you?
Around here!
What is the name of this kid?
This is my daughter.
Golchehreh.
Golchehreh!
Ashraf Khan!
The Chess Players!