Original subtitles

Bié-Luanda. Tango 2-0-3 you are approved.

Bié-Luanda. Tango 2-0-3 you are approved.

Tango 2-0-3 requesting permission to start up engines.

You are cleared to Runway 26

via taxiway Alpha.

Roger. Tango 2-0-3, line up and take off from Runway 26

on heading Bié-Luanda.

HOLLOW CITY

Brother, wait!

Wait, brother!

Children!

Quiet, now!

Come on, let's begin.

Who's going to sing?

Go into the other room.

Who's doing the play?

Come down here.

Come on, let's get organized, then.

- What's the play we're going to do? - The Adventures of Ngunga!

Who's going to play Ngunga?

Only one of you can be Ngunga!

And we agreed last time that Zé would play Ngunga.

I told you, I'm Ngunga!

- Why are you crying, Ngunga? - My foot hurts.

Come on, stop crying and lift your leg.

You've got a bad wound.

- You'd better see the comrade doctor. - I don't want to.

The wound will get worse if you don't get it treated.

Your leg will swell up and you'll get a fever.

Listen, aren't you the comrade doctor? What are you waiting for?

You never learn, you lot. You only want to carry on.

What are you going to put on it? Will it burn?

No, don't be afraid.

A man must never be afraid.

I know you're only young

but you came from your village alone at night

and now you're scared of some medicine?

I'm not afraid. I just don't like when the medicine... Ow! It burns!

Ngunga, the warrior is always brave.

You are a real fighter.

Let's go... the day is ending. Soon it will be night.

Good evening, comrade. Your travel pass, please.

Thanks.

Give us a cigarette to pass the night, please.

Brother, stop, let me see.

There are so many of them, Sister.

What are you doing here?

What are you doing here?

Nothing...

I was just tired...I fell asleep.

Where are you from?

From Bié.

Where's your family?

They killed them...

- And how did you get here? - With the Sisters.

They told us we had to come here.

When the men came to kill us

and set our houses on fire

the Sisters came to get us.

They brought you here?

Yes.

So if you came with the Sisters, what are you doing here?

- I don't want to stay with them. - Ah, yes!

It's good to go for a stroll.

I'm not being bad...

I don't want to stay with them...

I want to go back to Bié.

I'm hungry.

Ok, fill in the form. We'll try to get it broadcast today.

Public service announcement:

Would whoever knows of the whereabouts of a child answering to the name N'dala,

aged about 11, from the province of Bié,

please contact the offices of this radio station.

Hey, boy!

Hey!

Yes, you! Come here!

Come on, show me your car.

Did you make it?

Yes.

How much? I want to buy it.

Don't you want to sell it?

What's up with you? I'll give you a good price.

You waste money on any old crap...

Crap?

It might be crap to you, but the foreigners buy them.

Foreigners, foreigners...

Public service announcement:

Would whoever knows of the whereabouts of a child answering to the name N'dala,

aged about 11, from the province of Bié,

please contact the offices of this radio station.

Yes... Yes, godmother...

No, no, I won't forget.

Yes, godmother, the clothes... the water...yes...

No!

Hello?

Hello!

He hung up on me!

That boy's a rogue! Always fun and games!

I'm fed up with him! He doesn't lift a finger in my house!

I am Ngunga.

I am not a child.

If there is an attack, I will neither cry nor run.

Ngunga, you are too young to be a warrior.

I have told you, you cannot stay here.

You should not travel alone as you do.

One day, something bad will happen to you.

And you are learning nothing.

Why do you say I am not learning?

I am seeing new lands, new rivers and meeting new people.

I am learning.

Oi!

What are you up to?

So it's you who's been stealing clothes from the terrace!

- No, I've never been here before. - Thief!

I'm not a thief, I'm N'dala.

Where do you think you're going?

I'm the one who gets thumped when the clothes disappear! Where are you going?

- I never stole anything, let me go. - No!

I'm not from here, I only got here yesterday.

From where? Where? Talk! Spit it out!

I came from Bié...

I ran away...

Ran away? You ran away from your family?

Yes.

And what now?

I'm just walking...

Alone like that...like Ngunga.

You're lucky!

You know who Ngunga is, don't you?

No.

Well, you can stay here if you want.

Look after the clothes. I've got a job to do downstairs, then I'll come back.

N'dala!

Did you get a fright?

Come with me, we're going to fetch water.

You know how kids are...

He's walking the street...

begging, eating what he's given...

Pray to God to protect him.

I'm terrified, he's so small.

Maybe we can find him...we have to try, for the grace of God, brother!

I understand but... he's not the only child in our care!

It's cruel! This child came from the bush, he'll never be able to survive.

He's walking around in the city! This city is a wild place!

Sister, calm down and pray. Have faith.

What's going on?

Are you trying to push in?

He doesn't care.

You see what you've done? You little shit!

You bastard!

Leave the buckets here. You can't come in. My godmother's pretty fierce.

- I'm going away. - Away where! No, wait!

Look, we'll go and see a film at the Miramar later.

Go downstairs and get washed, you can't come in dirty like that.

Wait...

Here.

N'dala, are you coming?

You can't take your things to the cinema, they'll just be a hassle.

No, I can't leave my things here.

You can't take them to the cinema...

Leave them here, and we'll come back for them later.

N'dala, we'll come back here.

I'll bring you back and you can pick up your stuff.

We'll hide it behind this.

Let's go.

You don't know where you're going, do you?

- Came to the cinema to sleep! - Scallywag!

- You're not going out with us again! - We should smack him one!

There's no cinema out in the sticks!

I want to go and get my stuff.

It's very late.

- You'd better sleep there. - No.

I want to go and get my stuff. Then I want to go away.

It's really late.

The soldiers will only pick you up. You want to end up in the army?

Don't you know what a curfew is? How will you manage?

I'm not afraid.

You're not afraid! And where are you going at this hour?

I'm going to walk.

Zé!

- Cousin Joka! - Kid Zé!

Cousin Joka, take me for a ride in your car!

You lot think I've got an easy life like you lot?

This is my friend, N'dala.

Alright?

Cousin Joka, take us for a ride in your car!

Come on then, but we're not going far, I've still got to go to cousin Rosita's.

Good, I haven't seen cousin Rosita for a long time.

You're still daft...still a character, this cousin of mine.

- So, how's the big god-mama, cool? - Yeah! The big god-mama's cool!

She's a real pain in the arse.

She's not in. And she didn't leave the key.

At this time of night...

- Hey, I know where she'll be. - We'll come too.

- You can't go into that place. - Cousin Joka, I need to talk to her...

No!

- Well, can you give us a lift back? - What about your pal?

He'll come with me.

Go on. I'll take you home then.

- He's a mechanic. - A mechanic?

I like making cars.

You go and sleep up on the terrace, it's better.

It's not worth starting again, I'm warning you.

Things are different here in Luanda, there's a curfew.

I told you, anybody seen on the street after midnight goes to prison.

It's dangerous for you to wander about alone like that.

I'll come with you, up to the terrace.

I've got an idea that will help you.

I know she'll feel sorry for you.

And, you know,

it's better that she helps you.

I'll have a serious talk with her.

- We'd be buddies, hang around... - But I don't want to stay here long.

- I want to go back. - Go back?

But there's war there!

- I have to go back to find them. - Find them?

- But what if they were killed? - I'll find them all.

They died but they're up in the sky.

That's what the Sister said, that they're in the sky.

Yes, they are, but you can't see them any more.

Not here. Only in the sky in Bié.

"No entry to armed or uniformed persons"

- How are you doing, alright? - What do you want? I have to go.

In a hurry, eh?

So what do you want?

I've got some stuff in the car.

- I passed by your house. - To put more stuff there?

Didn't you see the trouble with the police the other day?

What's the matter?

- Don't be in a huff. - Really! You lot run away.

We have to put up with them. They eat, drink and they don't pay!

Damn it, let me go! You still can't let go of me?

Give me the keys!

Give me the keys!

Wait for me here.

Scumbag.

Zé, is it good to go to school?

Well...

Don't you like it?

I like it a lot...

But I don't want to stay long. I want to be a cinema artist.

Like the one we saw? In that place?

In the cinema! Just exactly like that!

I'm already on the way. I play Ngunga in the school theatre.

I'll tell you a bit of the story.

"Once again, Ngunga put his bag on his back and set off.

He went up the Quembo River.

He passed through a few villages where they gave him food.

The people were surprised to see a 13-year-old boy travelling alone.

He continued up the Quembo River, without knowing where he was going.

When they asked him,

he said he wanted to find the source of the river,

he wanted to know the world.

He didn't tell them the truth.

So what was Ngunga's quest?

He wanted to know if men were the same everywhere,

only thinking of themselves."

She's never in. That woman gets around.

- We'd better go. - No.

You can't go on sleeping on the terrace,

my godmother's going to find out.

Hey, great groove!

Public service announcement:

would whoever knoWS of the whereabouts of a...

They don't even let the songs finish!

It's her!

Give me a hand!

- I'm off, I can't come in today. - Come back whenever you like.

I'll be back. I'll bring you some beer, make some fish.

What's this! You're very keen!

Go and get the bags!

Who's this?

Come on, then, let's help the sister...

He's a friend.

Sister Rosita...

When you call me 'sister'... It's money you want, isn't it?

No, not this time.

I want to talk to you...

- N'dala came with me... he's alone. - Why's he alone?

- They killed his family. - So what do you want?

Sister Rosita...

There's no point bringing me any more problems, alright?

You're just a bunch of strays and con-men.

Sister Rosita, please just let him stay...

He's really at a loose end, and even I've been looking after him.

No!

Me, worry about other people's kids? Go and get me a beer.

But sister, what about the war?

The war? Did I start the war?

He could stay here and help you...

- I'll come back later, sister. - Go, then!

It's not worth bringing me your problems.

- She won't agree. - Yes, she will, I know.

We need to go back there at night when she's drunk.

And you should bring your stuff along, that'll help to convince her.

I don't need to stay in her house.

I can stay just like this, it's not the first time.

Sure! And you think you can just wander about, do you?

This city is enormous.

Where is he?

- Sister Rosita... - Let me sit down...

Just a few days, sister..

Here at my house?

What can you do?

He's already worked in a few houses.

Say yes, sister...you're the only one that can help him.

Help him?

What do I need him for?

And who's going to help me?

How old are you?

Twelve.

What am I going to do with a 12-year-old?

- What use is he to me? - Sister Rosita, N'dala...

What's his name?

N'dala.

You see?

You see how easy it was?

Come on, mate. Let's go and have a bit of fun!

So here I'm going to be like you...

In that house where you are, are you a servant?

Not at all. They say I'm a godson, but it's all the same thing.

Godmothers are just a sham!

They give us bit of food, make us go to school and bring them water...

and still they come with things like 'Oh Zé, clean the fish!'

- Why don't you stay here? - Because my family won't let me.

This place isn't good enough for them.

And one of my aunts says I have to become a doctor!

Hey, kid! You're here too?

Wow, look at the motor!

Let's see that. Can I take it for a spin?

Look at this! Look!

Then he pulls up at the house... And then he does this...

Fantastic! What do you think?

You'll have to take the sister for a ride in it, alright?

Cousin Joka, he's got some more toys in his bag.

You could even give him a hand with the welding and stuff.

Hey, I'll fix whatever you like. Drop by the house one of these days.

That guy you told me about, in the story... where is he?

Ngunga? Nobody knows where he is.

- She a relation, too? - There's no family here, only whores.

That's why I can't stay here.

So when do you come here?

Whenever I can. I can't come all the time...

because my godmother doesn't let me go out much.

But you can come and meet me there.

I've forgotten the way.

Come, come and see.

My son, my son.

She doesn't want to buy nothing.

My son...

I'm looking for a boy. He's called N'dala, he's from Bié.

N'dala? Sorry lady, I don't know him. Never heard of him.

I don't know him.

She's looking for a kid called N'dala, from Bié.

Bié?

- Who is it? - Joka!

Mister Joka, come in.

How's it going, alright kid?

What's up?

Where's Rosita?

She went out.

So look, where are those boxes I left here?

I put them in her bedroom... she told me to tidy them away.

It's just that, Mr Joka... she said no-one could go in there.

- How's that? Those things are mine. - Mr Joka, I'll get into trouble.

No you won't. I just came to get a few of my things. You're faithful to the master?

Hey! What do think, kid? Fantastic, eh?

It's fine.

Hey! The chicks will be falling at my feet tonight!

Here, have a T-shirt!

- Mr Joka, are you a mechanic? - A mechanic?

I can be a mechanic too. I'm everything.

- When I grow up I want to be like you. - A mechanic?

No...strong, like you.

Jeez! Why do want to grow up?

Why do you want to be big?

If I could have, I'd have stayed like you, the young buck.

- So you didn't want to grow up? - No, I didn't. It would be cooler!

Hey, N'dala, I'm out of here.

One more shot...

... to smell good.

Mr Joka, if you see Zé, tell him to come.

Haven't you seen him?

No.

He promised he'd come...

I've been waiting all this time for him.

Where have you been?

And what have you got in the bag?

My stuff and sister Rosita's cigarettes.

It's where I'm staying.

I sell cigarettes and tidy up.

And where is she, for you to be walking over here at this hour?

There's no problem, mister.

She doesn't get angry...

We never see each other.

She's never at home.

Do you like being a fisherman?

Now that I'm old and tired

I serve the sea on the land,

until Kianda comes for me. - Who is Kianda?

Kianda is the mermaid.

- Is she a woman? - She can take the form of a woman.

Have you ever seen her?

She doesn't appear like that.

But we know when she is coming.

Then we prepare the offerings

and fulfil our promises

so that she does not punish us.

She must be like God.

The Sisters said that God is like that too.

N'dala!

Hey, look at the fish!

- How's it going? Alright, little brother? - Cool, Mr Joka.

I got these fish over on the beach.

Wow! What a feast!

Let's scoff them.

I also came to weld these things.

And what's it going to be? Let me see!

Whatever you want...

That's the way you do it?

Ah, that's how they do it in Bié?

Go and get the hammer.

It's there, behind that.

Here...

Now it's ready to put here.

You tighten this thing here

and put the counterweight here.

Now you'll see. Cover your eyes.

Go and get the mask... that mask there.

Pay attention, put it on and you can see everything up close.

Do you see?

Sister...

Do you know Zé?

The Zé who's also Ngunga?

Zé? Who's also Ngunga?

Sister, do you know Ngunga?

Ngunga? No, I don't.

- Do you know Zé? - Zé?

- Yes. The one who's also Ngunga. - Ngunga? Ngunga is a story.

He was a hero.

"The battle...

had been...

violent.

Surrender...

surrender

or they...

will kill you...

cried...

cried one warrior.

But the little warrior

was already wounded."

Full stop.

My friend N'dala,

If you can't read well ask sister Rosita.

I think she can read.

My godmother doesn't let me go out much.

I went looking for you but you weren't in.

The teacher says that the play is on here in the school tonight.

Wait for me. I'll come and get you.

N'dala!

- Do you know cousin Joka? - Yes.

- Is he out? - Yes, he went out a short while ago.

- Where are you going? - I'm just looking for...

There's no-one in there!

Didn't I just tell you there's no-one here?

You just came here to aggravate me! I'll knock you flying with this broom!

Hit him!

Hit him!

Hit him!

This place is ours!

If it's trouble you're after

come back here!

Lady!

Lady!

What do you want?

I came to talk to that uncle, from the other day.

What uncle, my husband?

What do want to talk to him about?

I need to find him, to talk about something.

He's usually at church in the morning. Go on, Go!

That's where you should do your begging!

Are you alright?

So...?

You know, I saw Kianda.

Don't talk nonsense, boy, have some respect!

I saw her!

Just a while ago. There in the church.

- What Kianda is that? - The one you talked about.

The Sister said so too.

I've got a photograph, I can bring you it.

Oh, son. Kianda is in the sea.

That saint you saw is someone else.

- But that one can help too, can't she? - Certainly, all saints are good!

Look, one day I'll tell you the true story of Kianda.

Later on, can I come?

To show you!

It's a beautiful photograph.

You could tell me the story too.

I'll come back later. I'll stay here with you.

You're going to leave the sister's house all because of some shitty cigarettes?

It's not just the cigarettes. I'll pay for them.

I don't like being in the sister's house.

I'm going to the beach. The beach is better, it's more like Bié.

Yeah, kid. Shitload of confusion in this neck of the woods.

Just ask Zé to look for me on the beach.

- How's it going, Joka, alright? - Yeah.

Everything's ready.

I've made the last reconnaissance, the guy's travelling tonight.

I've been waiting for you. Kid, get us two beers.

What do you think, Joka? Have you seen the way in to the place?

It would be easier for him to get in!

Hey, yeah...Great idea.

What do you say, N'dala?

- We are going to need your help. - Yes, Mr Joka, I can help.

Yeah, kid. You just have to come with us to the coast.

Afterwards, we'll take you to the beach, okay? I'll give you some money later.

- We'd better go right now. - Jeez, kid! Right now?

No, calm down, kid.

You're always in a hurry, that's why they knock you around.

So, they beat the kid up?

He stuck his nose into other people's business.

Calm down.

We have to wait until the city is empty.

May I go and get my things?

These chairs are ready. The rest, maybe next week.

What is it, Sister?

This car is his!

One of the masters bought it this morning.

From a child? Where is this child?

Yes, Sister. A child brought it to sell.

I need to find this child.

I understand he's living on the beach with the fishermen. But we can...

Come on! Help me!

We just came from the master's house.

He bought a little wire car from a boy this morning.

The Sister needs to find this boy.

The master's wife said that he's been here.

Yes, he's been here. Is there a problem?

No! I just want to see him!

- Have you come to take him back? - No. I only want to see him.

- He came from Bié with the Sister. - Where is he?

Tomorrow. Come back early tomorrow.

You'll find him here.

- Tomorrow, Sister? - Tomorrow, early in the morning.

N'dala,

you remember everything I told you?

- You mustn't make any noise. - You're wasting time, damn it!

Ok let's go.

Back here in 15 minutes.

Don't be afraid, it's quick.

Don't drop anything.

You mustn't make any noise.

Mr Joka, have you ever been inside?

Do everything like I told you!

You go in,

and take care on the other side as you go in.

The keys will definitely be in a drawer

in the table in the hall.

Yes, Mr Joka, I'll do everything like you say.

- Why are you crying, Ngunga? - My foot hurts.

Come on, stop crying and lift your leg!

Show me your foot, then.

You've got a bad wound!

- You'd better see the comrade doctor. - I don't want to.

The wound will get worse if you don't get it treated.

It doesn't matter. I don't like injections.

What are you going to put on it? Will it burn?

No, don't be afraid. A man must never be afraid.

Ngunga!

It's all over!

Surrender! Surrender or they'll kill you!

Hello?

Well, I'm waiting...

Nobody misses a Paris hop.

Ok, I'll get dressed.

Shoot, kid!

Subtitles by Stephen Cusack / Wordworks