Original subtitles

BLACK JESUS

WARNING The Central Government...

following the A.N.C.L attempts against their troops...

and civilian population...

now wanting to restore calm and safeguard the lives...

and goods of the citizens...

orders the arrest of Maurice Lalubi...

chief and instigator of the fanatical criminal group...

A reward of 6,000 francs will be awarded...

to anyone giving information leading to his capture.

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

There, tomorrow I'm moving elsewhere.

Yesterday they looked for me in the East, before that the West.

That's what I want.

They'll know you're always with me.

Even in the most remote village, I'll take you with me.

When I'm told that a town has been burned or that my...

friends were killed...

I want only to close my eyes and never think again.

But is that possible? Is it right?

Please, don't answer with violence, because two wrongs...

don't make a right...

and there were times when destiny chose the weak to...

humiliate the strong.

Then again, are they truly strong?

Many of you ask to come with me, but your place is here.

When alone, a man is lost in a place this vast...

and they don't know my face.

Yesterday, a soldier pointed a gun at my chest...

but he only wanted to frighten me.

I bowed my head and got out of his way.

Take care, from now on they'll search villages, deport men.

So help each other.

Those with food will share it...

those with much will give to those with nothing.

And as they cannot exterminate an entire population...

they'll try to arm you one against the other.

This will be their worst crime...

but how can they commit it without your consent?

They cannot make you betray if you refuse.

I've known you for two years, all of you by name.

I don't think they'll succeed.

The time has come to leave you. It's become dangerous.

Thank you for risking your lives to be here.

Return to your homes.

I'll go into hiding for awhile, but they'll continue to hunt for me...

in many places.

I will not come among you again.

Don't worry, this is not goodbye.

I'll call on you again.

On that day, there will be no more fear.

Lower the gun, Commander, I'm here to be of use to you.

- You're alone? - Yes.

- What do you want to tell me? - You're looking for Lalubi.

He'll sleep tonight in the house I marked for you.

- How far is it? - 30 kilometers.

Who will reassure me it's not an ambush?

Let's hear that.

Send many men, one of yours is worth a hundred of theirs.

- Who gave you the information? - A trusted person.

How can you be sure?

I know them all, they were my companions.

What if you're lying?

You'll have to risk that, Commander.

I'll give you 100,000 francs when we've caught him.

I don't want it.

Why are you betraying him?

Has he done something wrong to you?

No.

- I don't understand then. - You don't need to.

This country is made of liars.

You lie while you baptize your children.

It could be...

I want to see your face.

Why?

Because if you've lied, I'll know and I'll kill you.

Advance over there! Advance on the left!

There it is, it must be that one.

Lalubi! Come out of there!

We know you're in that house!

Come out, you'd be an idiot to put up a fight!

Come out, Lalubi!

- Did you say something? - No.

I thought I heard you protest.

- No. I didn't protest. - Well done.

I didn't sell the truck! The rebels stole it!

What do you want me to tell you!

So, you want to be stubborn?

That's enough. Stop hitting me.

Sure. You just have to tell us what happened!

I told you how it happened!

They stopped me, pointed a machine gun and I got out!

- How did you escape? - I didn't escape!

You were in Somalia before you came here.

Get up!

In Lugh Ferrandi. Correct?

Yes.

How did you make your living?

My cousin has a restaurant. I worked for him.

Did you get along with him?

Did you get along?

Well... alright.

He reported you for theft.

There are a few other little charges against you.

They're more than enough for a few years in jail.

Buta, Yakoma, Lunyana, Pwato... Right?

Don't waste my time or things will be worse for you.

Who bought the truck from you?

I didn't sell the truck. How can I tell you, Sergeant!

I swear it to you. In the name of God.

I swear on my mother, on the Blessed Virgin!

I don't think you believe in any Virgins.

Even if you keep beating me until tomorrow, I can't tell...

you differently!

They stole the truck from me!

- Where? - In Lomela.

Before, you said it was in Lokambo.

I always said it was in Lomela!

No, that's not true!

Corporal, tell the Lieutenant you're replacing me here.

They've captured Lalubi!

Roll out the barbed wire! Double the patrols!

They captured Lalubi! They finally caught him!

The Commander should be told.

Wait.

We're back, Commander, mission accomplished.

Hurry up!

Lalubi, finally! You're here.

Come in.

Another recommended.

Go switch off with the guards.

There's to be no one in the courtyard!

Turn on the lights!

No...

We burned the village so we wouldn't risk any losses.

The information was correct. He didn't try to resist.

Untie him.

Leave.

What is your real name?

Lalubi means "The son of fate".

That's always been my name.

- Where are you from? - Wutundu, on the eastern front.

- What's your bloodline? - I don't know precisely.

I don't remember my parents.

I was told my father was a foreigner.

Sit down.

Sit down.

So, you're... invulnerable.

And if your men march singing against machine gunners...

the bullets don't have the power to stop them.

Did you invent those stories?

No, Commander. Common people have vivid imaginations.

Right... I see.

Let me go. I feel a bad thing is about to happen to me.

That depends on you, on your answers.

The government wants to know some things.

First: who are your closest collaborators?

I don't even know them myself. They're not collaborators.

They're only people who listen when I speak...

and maybe spread my ideas in all the villages.

"We're no longer your monkeys." Do you remember that phrase?

Yes, of course.

You wrote that to the King of Belgium.

I didn't write him personally.

I said that to Iaughen once because that's what I thought.

And I still think that. Later, a newspaper wrote it.

Where do the weapons you use against us come from?

I don't know. I've never used a weapon.

I'm not a man of war. I hate violence.

Your men tortured ten of my soldiers to death.

Two of them were impaled and skinned near their camp.

They ripped the eyes and testicles from a French recruit...

then they put them in his belly.

It will console their mothers to know that this was the work...

of peaceful men.

They did this in your name.

I never told them to do it.

- But you can say... - What?

Explain to the mothers that their sons died here.

They didn't die in Belgium.

We should have stayed home?

Is that civilization, Lalubi?

What happened in countries where whites left?

The Congo riverbed would be too small to hold such a vast... river of blood.

If Africa is still at that point...

or you haven't taught us anything...

or it would have been better not to do anything.

I'm neither French nor Belgian.

You're Dutch.

- How did you know? - It came to me just now.

And I thought you surely have a wife and children.

Two children who remember and admire you.

Are you a witchdoctor?

No.

At this hour the sun has sunk behind the houses in Amsterdam.

The water in the canals is calm and cold.

I'm very sorry that you cannot return.

Never again?

I fear not.

You're an outsider in everything, then.

A visionary saint who pleads for peace and equality.

Good. You're not the first and I want to believe you.

We won't hurt you, but we must exile you to a distant province...

and that's in your interest.

That's on the condition that you sign this document.

What is it?

- A proclamation. - Would you mind explaining it?

You know how to read, you're educated.

I educated myself as best as I could...

in a school where my skin color was not well accepted.

It says that you invite those who fight in your name to...

lay down their arms...

and from this time forward, whoever shoots a single...

shot is against you.

The government promises a general pardon in exchange.

What's wrong? It doesn't exactly reflect your thoughts?

Then you're a liar.

- No. - Why won't you sign it?

Sergeant, what's happening over there?

- It's the one with the truck! - Bring him here.

Don't be frightened, he just took a few punches.

He sold a truck to your men. Do you know him?

No.

Can you guarantee that he's not one of yours?

- I've never seen him. - Fine.

Take him over there.

And don't hit him anymore.

Just a minute.

- Is this Lalubi? - Yes.

- Tell him I'm not involved. - I believe you.

I don't care that you believe me!

I'm not involved with your people, you have to tell him.

Take him away.

Who knows that shit of a negro!

I have nothing to do with you.

I have nothing to do with your bastards either, tell him!

He won't be beaten anymore.

Thank you.

- He didn't say thank you. - He's suffering.

Do you have any idea of what you're going to suffer?

I need you to sign this paper by tomorrow morning.

I'll give you an hour to think about it.

And whatever it is that you can imagine, whatever it is...

will be nothing compared to what awaits you.

So think hard on it.

Does it hurt very badly?

- Do you have a cigarette? - No.

Look and see if...

There's always a bit of tobacco left in my pocket.

Abraham's life lasted 175 years...

and then giving up his spirit, Abraham died...

in good old age, content and satisfied.

- Would you like some? - No, thanks.

- Why didn't they beat you? - They gave me an hour.

Many things can happen in an hour.

- What did they do to you? - They beat me.

I lost two teeth and I can't hear in this ear.

And now, I'm in here.

No matter. I've gone through worse.

- Are you cold? - No.

It seemed to me...

- Are you afraid? - Yes, very.

- They'll torture me. - Don't worry.

They never go too hard on important people.

The first punch is the worst. Then the rest...

When it's my turn, I can't wait for them to start.

Has this happened before?

Sure it has.

Listen, maybe I let myself go too far before in the...

Commander's room...

but I couldn't take it anymore...

Of course, I understand.

Then, you're not angry with me?

No... I'm not angry.

You're strange. You're scared to death and you're smiling.

Because you're talking to me. Go on.

Tell me something.

I don't like silence.

But I don't have anything interesting to tell you.

- Where are you from? - I'm Italian.

- Do you know Italy? The Pope... - Of course.

- Have you been there? - I know it only from books.

Until a year ago I couldn't even leave a village...

without permission.

- Is that true? - Yes.

- Did you study? - As best I could.

Then again, what could you have done...?

Good for you.

What good was it if the result was walking into a jail...

I went to school up to the third grade.

They put me to work in a coffee bar when I was 9.

I broke my back scrubbing floors all day...

for 50 lire and a glass of milk.

What kind of work do you do now?

Nothing, I'm in jail like you.

I do whatever comes along, whatever pays a bit of money.

Once I worked in Somalia as a cook in a restaurant...

and no one ever complained.

You were in Somalia?

I've been everywhere! France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden...

I've gone all over your Africa from top to bottom...

No offense, right?

- Were you always a cook? - I've done everything.

I've done lots of other things...

it would take time to tell you the story of my life.

Mechanic, carpenter, dishwasher,

dancer, floor polisher,

I've sold statues of saints and I've run a bordello...

I've scammed people and various other things...

- Are you listening? - Excuse me. Just a moment.

- What's wrong? - I thought I heard footsteps.

- Didn't they give you an hour? - Maybe the hour is up.

Come on, there's time. Don't think, look at me.

Wait.

What do they want from you? You can tell me.

They want me to sign a paper.

What do you care? Sign it.

Everything will be there when you get out.

That would be too easy.

- Do you know what I did in Paris? - No.

I grabbed tourists and took them into a doorway...

and I whispered, "porno, porno"...

Or wham! I opened my raincoat with all the dirty photographs.

Wait, I think some of them are still in my pockets.

But I guess you wouldn't be interested.

It must be wonderful to have visited so many countries.

Right, many countries.

True, it is wonderful...

many, many countries.

What you mean is a lot of jails in many countries.

Were you in many prisons?

In many jails and with many accusations, true and false.

I went in and out of them...

and the only thing that changed was the language.

If there was a debt to be paid, I was always the one to pay it.

I thought at first that it was because I couldn't read...

but then I had to admit it was because I'm not intelligent.

No, you're wrong. You're not stupid!

I agree, it's also a question of luck.

But people like me don't have saints to guard them.

Saints you meet on the street who care for you... and make you secure forever.

No one ever said to me...

"This is honest work that won't kill you"

"and it will give you enough to live."

You just go ahead, you make the first mistake... and goodbye.

What mistake did you make?

That's private.

I got a girl into trouble.

Her brother came and waited for me at my house.

He beat the hell out of me and pointed a gun here.

He told me to marry her or he'd kill me.

I said yes immediately. Then I left town that night.

- Why didn't you marry her? - I didn't feel like it.

- What's your name? - Oreste.

- Don't you have any loved ones? - No

Haven't you ever had loved ones in your life?

Let me think about it.

No, never.

Maybe everything happened because of that!

Right.

Maybe.

But I want to say I'll change when you'll get out and...

be important.

I won't get out of here...

unless it's to go and die.

Don't talk like that.

You'll get out of here and become boss of the place.

Maybe I'll come and see you...

and you'll let me kick a guy in uniform off the place.

Tell me, seriously...

If you become important, will you remember me?

I promise you, Oreste, if we get out of here...

we'll meet again and we'll be a lot happier.

Will you invite me to dinner and let me sit at your right side?

Of course.

I promise you!

Come on, Lalubi, it's your turn.

Where are you taking him?

None of your business. Come on.

- What time is it? - Nine o'clock.

Thank you for making this hour so short for me.

Stay tough, shithead negro.

So, Lalubi, will you sign it?

No.

Come on!

Sit down.

What nice hands you have, leader!

God.

That's enough! Enough, enough...

That's enough.

Enough!

Oh, God!

Go in!

Be careful with this one.

"Be careful."

And who would you be?

What happened to you?

Political troubles or more common problems?

Leave me alone!

Bastards!

Christ, help me! You know I can't do it!

Help me!

God! What did they do to you?

Wait! I'll help you!

This will end soon, you'll see.

Guard!

Guard!

Guard!

What do you want?

A tin of oil.

- I'll pay you well for it. - With what?

Wait!

Take it.

This side.

- Do you like that? - Let me see the others.

No! I have ten more for later.

If you get me some oil you can have all of them.

Where am I going to find it at this hour?

You've made a good deal!

Does it hurt?

You'll see, it won't hurt ten minutes from now.

- I can't see. - What?

It's all dark.

Of course! It's the middle of the night!

No, my eyes don't see anymore.

Why didn't you sign? You mule of a negro!

Here, it's seed oil, come on.

Give me your shirt, I'll pay you for it.

When you get out of here, you can buy a hundred.

Maybe just a sleeve.

Give it to me!

Give it to me!

- Did he sign it? - No.

Is there any possibility that he will?

- There never was. - Very well, kill him.

How?

It's simple. Move him to the capital with other prisoners...

if we want the thing more plausible.

Obviously during the trip...

Lalubi will try to make a break for it.

He'd never do that.

Colonel, how old are you?

I feel very old, Excellence.

I wouldn't say that.

Let's not make any martyrs.

That's ridiculous, Commander.

A negro martyr. The only thing we may make him is a saint.

But that will take time.

For now, he's a dangerous leader and must be eliminated.

They will certainly protest in Europe...

a few strikes, a few marches, a few special editions and then...

And then silence will return...

and this whole affair will be forgotten.

That would surprise me.

Lalubi has a great fascination for many people.

Pardon?

I was just saying that Lalubi...

has a great fascination for many people.

I don't see the relationship...

We're not the white men.

Our people are much simpler and direct.

They accept what they see.

They believe a man who is here not a man who was here.

Believe me, Colonel...

getting rid of a negro leader is nothing but a child's game.

Excellence, this could happen to you as well.

Of course. Maybe that's already written in my destiny.

Would you like to read my palm?

If I were able, I would read my own.

Try it, Colonel. Look at what is written there.

See if there is a long career...

that is well paid, naturally here in Africa.

Or if there is a sad departure...

almost an escape toward... Where are you from?

I'm Dutch.

I'd have never said that.

You wouldn't?

Why would I have guessed that?

You wouldn't.

I said a voyage towards a native country...

that you have almost forgotten...

but which has certainly forgotten you.

Why are you telling me this?

You said you were feeling very tired.

No.

No, old, you said old.

Well, it's the same thing.

I'm still at the height of my strength, Excellence...

and I'm determined to remain at my post.

Ok, then. But this is not a thing for...

simple soldiers...

and no officer will want the responsibility.

There's no problem, Colonel. We will take care of it...

and supply someone responsible, if that will ease...

your conscience.

Pass me the flask!

How are your eyes?

I'm talking to you. Do they still hurt?

No, they feel better.

If they don't send a doctor soon, I'll cause trouble.

Listen, don't stay too close to me.

Why shouldn't I stay too close to you?

We're not going to the capital.

They don't have enough water or petrol for the entire trip.

What importance do you want it to have?

If they wanted to kill us, they'd have done it before.

They wouldn't have brought us for a drive.

And these are all good guys, right?

Of course.

Go!

Get out, Lalubi.

- Where are you taking him? - Inspection!

It's a formality that will take only a minute.

Help him.

- I'll go with him. - No, stay here.

Goodbye Lalubi, I'll see you later.

I'm going to get some water. I won't escape!

Now we'll see if you're invulnerable.

Get out.

Where are you going, idiot?

Stop!

Take it.

I didn't see anything.

Yes, but you heard.

Stop!

He's still a witness!

You, come here!

Come here.

Come here.

I said come here.

Shoot!