Original subtitles

LIFE ON EARTH

"Dear father...

You will be surprised, perhaps even concerned...

at receiving a letter from me.

Let me start by saying I’m well...

and I hope you are too.

Despite the message I had Jiddou give you...

a change in me makes me want to come home to Sokolo.

The desire to film Sokolo.

The desire to leave, as Aimé Césaire said.

Especially because it is nearly the year 2000...

which I’m sure will bring no improvements.

As you must well know.

Is what I learn far from you worth what I forget about us?

Jiddou told me on the phone that the birds have gone.

This is good news."

1 ea ve.

My hear? was bursting with fire and arc/on

1 ea ve.

/’// arrive fresh and young in my country...

and tell this country Whose dust has penetrated my flesh:

"/ wandered fora long time.

/ no W return to your hideous open wounds.”

As / arrive, / ’// sa y to myself

"Beware my body, beware my soul

Do not fo/d your arms in the sterile stance of a spectator

For life is not spectacle.

For a screaming man is not a dancing bear ”

"I will try to film that desire.

To be with you, to be at Sokolo.

Far away from my life here...

and its mad rush.

Far away from ’that Europe’, as the poet said:

Europe con vu/sed in screams...

the silent currents ofdespair..

fearful/y pulling itself together and proudly o verestimating itself

I sent some books to Ma’l'ga for Radio Sokolo.

I hope he still does his on—the—air library."

This is Colonial Radio, voice of the rice fields.

Thanks for tuning into the on—the—air library.

As you know, it’s our last program this millennium.

Friends and brothers, I have chosen a book that a lot ofyou know...

and others will discover.

You all know the author:

our brother from Martinique, Aimé Césaire.

Here is a passage...

from "Discourse on C olonia/ism. "

"A frica ’s historic tragedy...

was less its coming in contact with the rest of the world too late...

than the wa y this contact occurred

/t was when Europe...

fell into the hands of industrial leaders...

entirely lacking in scrup/es...

that it expanded

Our misfortune meant it was that Europe we encountered..

that Europe which is responsible for the highest pile of corpses...

in history. ”

May Allah grant you long life.

Tell 33 that I got his New Year’s greetings.

His message reached me.

Tell him we plowed halfthe field yesterday.

We plowed halfofit.

Halfofit. A hectare.

I said a hectare!

Are you deaf?

Tell him Nana has arrived.

Nana! Tell Ha'I’da that Nana is here.

You nearly hit me. You’re not from here?

— Yes, I am. — You are not.

— You’re from here? — No, from Kourouma.

I knew it.

— Here for the New Year? — Yes.

Why not celebrate at home?

I prefer it here.

Welcome.

— |s Kourouma nice? —Very nice.

— Where do you live? — Next to the bridge.

Ask for Tahara’s house. She’s my mother.

— Staying a while? —Yes.

Length: 132 cm.

Chest: 44 cm.

Waist: 42 cm.

Hips: 52 cm.

Arms: 60 cm.

Friends ofSo/(o/o...

it is a pleasure to be with you this morning

Today is an exceptional day.

All over the world...

people are celebrating the year 2000...

and the party is in full swing.

We askyou to be with us in spirit during these celebrations.

Today’s main message comes from our guest.

Before we listen to him, let’s have some music.

Look, Koulou, isn’t she beautiful?

Not bad.

She’sJapanese.

It’s the latest model.

She’s powerful.

It’s a real powerhouse.

— Hi! — How are you?

— It’s been a while. — Yes.

— We’ve lost touch. — Yes.

I’m too busy.

— Been to Kourouma? — Not yet.

— Still here? — Yes.

— Where do you live? — | live at my aunts place.

— Where’s that? — I’ll tell you later.

Sokolo post office.

I’m Bina, the postmaster.

Marie. You want to speak to Dramane?

Call back in 10 minutes.

How are you?

Happy New Year.

Catch you later.

Don’t forget to call back.

This is Colonial Radio.

/ have to end ourprogram now

It’s time for me to return to my duties:

chasing birds.

For all your radio repairs...

Lassana Koné...

remains at your disposal.

My French—speaking colleague, Ma'l'ga...

will be taking over shortly.

The Diabaly camp, please.

Just a second.

/t is 70:00 in Paris. 9:00 Greenwich mean time.

The news with Valerie 0har

Hello. /n 74 hours, France will change seconds...

minutes, hours, months, years...

and what we’ve all been waiting for' the century and millennium.

Not all countries will change millenniums today...

because not all countries have the same calendar

But those who do will celebrate it in style.

In Paris, thousands are eXpected..

to attend local dances and fire wor/(s displays.

Huge crowds are eXpected at the Eiffel Tower

For 7,000 days, it has been counting down to the year2000.

No answer.

No wonder.

It’s ringing in England and I’m calling Paris.

— It’s difficult. — It won’t go through.

It’s hard to reach people.

It’s a question ofluck.

Okay, I’m ready.

Like this?

— Can I laugh? — Of course you can.

Don’t move.

Ready.

I was sent here...

by the people of Farabougou because of the birds.

They make our life hell.

We’re not allowed to kill them.

The rice is almost ready.

We’ll be harvesting soon.

Everyone knows only too well...

that working in the fields is hard.

It wears us down.

Ho w can the authorities just stand by with their arms crossed..

watching this disaster without doing anything?

The y promised to send someone.

Now they’re saying afl‘er the celebrations

What can we do?

I’ve heard what you have to say.

We’ll work something out.

Karaniara store? Hold the line.

Hello, how are you?

Hello, how are you?

How’s life, Samba?

|s Bouyé there?

Tell me the truth! Tell me really.

He’s not at Diadia’s?

He’s not? So where is he?

Where? In Ségou?

Liar! Bastard!

Idiot.

Call the Coulibaly station.

— The Coulibaly station. _ 35--

35—20, then what?

20-26.

0urpriority.‘ a phone for everyone

Coulibaly station?

Speak up! Cheikh Bouya wants to talk to you.

From Sokolo.

I’ll put him on.

Hello. I said hello!

Listen to me!

Can you put on one of the Moors from the store across the street?

Any of them will do!

I’m Cheikh Bouya.

Okay.

He’s not answering.

It’s very faint.

Who do you want?

I’m trying to find Ba'I’.

He’s a shopkeeper.

Next to the cinema.

Idon’t have his number. Idon’t know how to reach him.

I’ll call someone.

Maybe he knows him.

Hello. How are you?

I have someone here... in Sokolo.

I have someone here...

who wants to contact a person you may know.

Hold the line.

Hello.

— Go ahead. — Uncover your ear.

Say your name.

Your name. They can hear you.

It’s Nana. Tahara’s daughter in Kourouma.

— Tell him what you want. — I’m looking for Bar.

— Say where he is. — He’s next to the cinema.

He has a store there.

I’d like you to call him. I need him.

— Say you have five minutes. — I have five minutes.

— Call back. — I’ll call back.

— |s Mami there? — Ask him to come.

Tell Mami to get him for Nana.

Mami, the guy with three pockets.

Tell him to get Bar for me.

Five minutes. I’ll be waiting.

Danté. You’re still here?

— You haven’t left? — No.

— When do you leave? — After the fair.

Who’s she?

Tamini.

Coulibaly...

whites have houses in Abidjan.

When you enter, the doors open by themselves.

Once you’re inside, they close.

— Ke'I’ta, I don’t believe you. — Trust me.

Lots ofdoors are like that. It’s true.

They’re electric.

You walk up, and they open.

They close behind you.

— I saw it with my own eyes. — Bullshit.

It’s true. Don’t argue.

And here, at daybreak’s end..

is my man/y prayer

Ma y/ hear neither laughter norshouts

My eyes are fixed on this city whose beauty / foresee.

Give me the wildflaith of a witch doctor

Give my hands the strength to sculpt.

Make my soul a steely sword

/ will not slip away.

Make me a rebel to vanity...

yet docile to its genius...

like the fist of an outstretched arm.

Make of me the creator of high wor/(s.

The time has come to gird our loins, li/(e valiant men.

But in doing so, my heart...

keep me from hate.

Ma/(e not of me the spiteful man whom / despise.

/f/ confine myself to this unique race...

you know the tyranny of my lo ve.

You know it is not hatred of other races...

that makes me the plo wman of my 0 wn.

What / want...

is for universal hungering..

for universal thirsting

My ear to the ground, / heard tomorro w pass

Niono?

Hold the line. It’s Sokolo.

It’s Baba.

Like I was saying...

about the bicycle I want...

do everything you can to get it.

Sokolo is bigger. The fields are further away.

We go all the way to Farimana...

and Faman—Bougou on foot.

Even the weather is celebrating

The sun is shining again in France.

Despite an unprecedented cold spell..

and heavysno wfl7l/ all over Europe...

blocking roads and access to the cities...

the sun is back for the new millennium.

Nana, sit down.

You spend too much time at the tailor’s.

I’ll do you waist up.

Make sure you can see my scarf.

It’s time for the news

Before we begin this january 7st edition...

on behalf of the entire station...

/ wish you a happy New Year and a happy new millennium.

Army headquarters?

Wrong number.

This number is BDM—AT...

not army headquarters.

It’s the number he gave me.

The symbol of our arrival in the 2 7st century is the Eiffel Tower

For the last 7,000 days, the Eiffel To wer has displayed numbers...

counting the days lefl‘ until the new millennium.

last night, at midn/ght...

a zero appeared before thousands of people gathered..

around the Eiffel Tower

Sokolo post office.

Marie, how are you?

Fine, thanks.

We couldn’t get through to you this morning.

He was here, but he’s left.

Yes, it’s sunny.

You think it’s good for us.

In fact it’s our worst enemy.

Hello, G—Point?

It’s because you don’t care.

Hello, G—Point?

As you know, reaching people...

is a question of luck

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

|fyou want, I can go get him...

but you’ll have to wait a while.

Asia was the first to celebrate the new millennium.

In part one of our world New Year’s tour..

here’s Ryako Suketomo in Tokyo.

/t ’s probably a good thing..

that life goes on even if the centuries change.

Be Zen. Happy New Year

Ryako Suketomo in Tokyo.

— |s Nana’s photo ready? — There it is.

|didn’t know she was so sad.

I want a copy.

Wait till she comes back.

It’s been hard to get in touch with him...

so we’ll try something else.

What I’m about to tell you...

is a kind of secret among staff.

| tell you what we’ll do.

We’ll try cross—transferrin g.

What is cross—transferring?

It’s the repetition...

of part, or all of the message.

There are three kinds:

total compulsory cross—transferrin g...

partial compulsory cross—transferrin g...

and optional cross—transferring.

There’s also what’s called...

excessive or systematic cross—transferri n g...

which is to be avoided.

Which one do you want?

I’ll take the optional.

"Dear brother, I received your letter...

along with your gifts.

They made us very happy.

Dramane’s return...

is a good opportunity...

for me to write back to you.

This year has seen problems on the land and on the fields.

The price ofwater...

and upkeep has almost doubled.

It has been hard to bear.

|fyou send nothing, Idon’t know what will become of us.

Life in the bush is only possible with assistance."

From Sokolo.

Sokolo, behind Niono.

Tell him your name.

It’s Private Lamine Sow.

Sorry?

Lamine Sow, the Major’s guard.

The Major’s guard in Sokolo.

Sorry?

"There’s also the problem of medicine.

Life is not without its illnesses.

As head of the family, it’s my responsibility.

We send our gratitude.

Thanks again.

There’s nothing like being able to lend a hand.

|fwe don’t help each other...

the family cannot prosper."

And so / came.

Once again, this life hobbles before me.

No, not this life. This death.

This senseless, merciless death...

this death in which grandeur comes to naught.

The de vastating pettiness of this death...

hobbling from one pettiness to the neXt.

Sokolo post office.

I can hardly hear you.

It’s not for you.

"Just do what you can.

It would lighten our load.

These days, you are the only one...

who can help us.

Thanks again.

Thank you for helping your family.

We know it’s not easy.

Just a little help.

Believe me...

we know how hard it is for you.

I know that living in exile is difficult in itself...

but the difficulties are not the same.

May this New Year...

bring less hardship than the last.

May God ensure...

that it brings much less hardship...

much less pain than last year.

|fon|y for the children."

We are standing no w, my country and me...

our hair in the wind..

my tiny hand now in its enormous fist...

and strength is not in us...

but above us...

in a voice piercing the night...

like the sting of an apocalyptic wasp.

The voice proclaims...

that for centuries, Europe has fed us lies...

and sent us plagues.

For it is not true that man ’s work is done...

that we have no place in this world..

that we teach this world..

that we have to walk in step with the world

Man ’s work..

has only just begun.

Man has to conquer..

the forbidden stilled in the recesses of his fervor

No race has a monopoly on beauty...

on intelligence or on strength.

Everyone must find his place when the conquest comes

Now we know..

that the sun revolves around our Earth...

illuminating the area our will alone has chosen...

and that every star shoots from heaven to Earth...

at our command, without limits.

Subtitles By Captions, Inc. Los Angeles