Original subtitles

Subtitle by Manvagtoo on www.subscene.com.

THE MERCY OF THE JUNGLE

Kivu, at the border of Rwanda and the democratic republic Congo,

is the theater of one of the most deadliest wars of the last 25 years.

Out of sight, in one of the densest jungle in the world.

Several militia and the regular army merciless oppose each other.

Soldiers and militants fight for regional and international powers

for unmeasured mineral wealth of the region's basements.

The main victims of this endless and absurd conflict

is the local population, forced to enlist, being raped, murdered.

1998. SERGEANT XAVIER AND HIS RWANDESE BATTALION

PURSUING HUTUS GENOCIDIARES.

HIDING AT THE BORDERS OF THE JUNGLE.

Paul! Hold on.

Xavier, the jungle has won. Leave me.

Faustin, come here!

Paul!

Xaviers... You have done miracles.

Now our men feel themselves invincible.

Major... How old was this kid after your opinion?

The boy?

With a gun, you are not a boy anymore.

Both of you know it.

It's a child I killed today.

He chose the wrong camp. It's good to ask oneself why.

Stop! Who's there?

Kibindankoyi, it's me! Soldier Faustin!

Thank you.

Has nobody at the village found out that you were a soldier?

A peasant woman sold it to me. First mission! Yes!

Is this your first assignment?

My first mission.

I'll give you another one. I'm gonna sleep right there.

You'll wake me up when they get up.

Alright, Sir.

Sir...

I didn't know Paul, but I hope to have the same courage like his.

You have at least killed his murderer.

Alert! 23e battalion, answer! Over!

Here 23e battalion. Over

Gather together immediately, attack on Kalémie!

Understood. Over

Let's leave!

Move!

Get up. Let's leave.

Faustin! Get up!

West...

I swear before the eyes of God, Sir! They didn't wake me up.

Sir...

Are we lost?

Wait for me!

Xavier!

Get up! Up! Drink!

You're not a soldier, just dead weight!

Congolese!

Civilians.

Rebels.

What are you doing?

Take your uniform off.

We will tell them that we are Congolese refugees.

That will never work.

Why?

They'll see you're a soldier.

I have the air of some peasant and you... Let's say like Muhammad Ali...

Let's go through the jungle.

The jungle, that is Death.

Don't stop.

Why?

Shit!

Stay calm. Don't run.

Rebels!

Rebels!

We can pass through this village. Sounds good to me.

We can't stay on this road. No, no, we can't continue.

We will go thru the jungle.

The jungle? The smoke will help us find our way.

What smoke? Are we not waiting for the night and continuing on the road?

Shut up.

Give me the water.

I don't have anymore.

I have seen you drinking it.

No, no.

I did have some water, Sir.

That's only what I could drink today, Sir.

And I have to drink your piss? You let me drink your piss?

Is that normal? Imbecile!

Bastard!

Are we going to Kasai?

The major went to west.

That's half the country!

Always West.

We have to cross the swamps. Let's go.

If you drink that, you'll die.

How can it get so cold in this jungle?

We are in Africa, isn't it?

There are elephants here.

You will break the skull.

And you, you are going to be trampled.

I try anyway.

Sleep well with the lions.

What?

Good night.

There are no lions in this jungle, Sir.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

You see that mountain over there? The high one?

Yes, yes, Sir.

Do you know why it reaches the clouds?

It can talk to God.

Do you know how it talks to God?

No, Sir.

It speaks by spitting fire.

Do you think I'm joking? This mountain, she spits fire.

If you say so.

I believe you.

That will not work.

When I was a child, my uncle constructed a trap like that.

Anglers came in the night to eat Cassava.

So... you are Rambo.

No, Sir. Just a farmer.

We will see from here.

What have I told you?

You have done it, brother.

Little rabbit!

I got it!

Why does a peasant want to join the army?

I don't know, Sir.

Doing justice, just like you.

The genocide.

I lost my parents and brothers.

And you believe, you're gonna do justice?

Maybe. It's a better life than working at the farm.

With a miserable salary.

If you... If you can make career...

I will grow cereals. Then I will be old and rich.

Are you married?

She is pregnant. She will give birth when I return home.

The young married ones.

She is very beautiful, Faustin.

And you? Do you have a wife?

I have to take you home.

She died during the first war, when I was in Kinshasa.

I'm sorry, Sir.

No... It was long ago.

Do you count on staying in the army?

You see... I have always been in the army.

Since I was a little boy, refugee in the camps.

Did you grow up in the camp?

You have liberated our country, Sir!

You are a patriot!

You deserve a promotion.

When we return, I will quote you.

Of course!

When we can eat, who is gonna stop us?

We will overcome this jungle.

At your orders, general Faustin!

We can take this road, isn't it?

Maybe not.

But it is a road! One can move on a road.

It can also leads to a Congolese regiment.

It's West.

Always to the West.

Sir!

You are very hot. It's the fever. Yes...

It had to happen one day or another.

So we have to rest there.

Get up.

We have to leave.

Faustin!

Your wife. How did you meet her?

My wife and I, we were children.

My wife was in the camp.

The most beautiful one.

I swear that everything I have done was for offering her the best.

She was expecting a baby. I did not tell you this.

She died with my child at his birth.

When I came back from the first war, do you know what I have thought?

I knew it was the verdict of God...

For all the atrocities I have committed in this forest.

Xavier! Leave it!

Now I know, He is not finished. There is a next.

That I will die in this jungle.

You are not gonna die.

I can't leave without you.

You will. And you have to leave quickly.

If not... He is gonna judge you too.

ILLEGAL GOLD MINE, SOUTHERN KIWU

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF KONGO.

It are the rebels.

How can they arrived before us?

There must be a road.

Stand up!

Don't move!

Let's go.

Stop!

We could have been leaving there.

We could have... finding a road.

For sure.

Now...

They will hunt us.

We are forced to stay in the jungle.

Do you remember...

The last time you saw your father?

Your family?

I have seen them taking the men and boys from my village.

I was hidden in the bush.

I have not really understand what had happened.

My father was a patriot too.

He died during the liberation.

And I was afraid...

that his death would remain unpunished.

Are you always scared, Sergeant?

The murderers of our families.

I have trampled the bodies of the most vulnerable ones.

The women... the children...

the babies...

The weak, the starving ones...

the sick ones...

Not capable anymore to distinct the innocent from the guilty one.

That's why the children will always have reason to hate us. And...

That can not end.

You see, that's what scares me.

Who has done that to you?

Stand up!

Companions, all together, we are going forward.

Xavier, rest with me!

Sergeant, rest calm. I will talk with them.

Now we say we are Congolese.

Good day.

Medicines.

Medicines for malaria.

I am very sorry, but we have none.

Please. I am a soldier of the Congolese army.

I have lost my unit, I need medicines.

We have given everything to soldiers.

We have no medicines.

Get off your bikes!

You think I'm kidding?

We don't have drugs. We come back from Kasai.

We don't do nothing else than business.

What?

We do nothing else but cultivate our food.

No, no, no, no.

Kasai... How far is it?

Two... Two weeks on the bike.

You'll take us.

That is impossible, we have to return.

That's an order, not a service!

Then you have to kill us, soldier!

So it will be.

Faustin?

Sir!

Help me!

Come on!

Help!

Sergeant!

Drink, brother.

How much time?

Two days.

It's good, you are awaken.

The boss is tired of us.

Drink.

EASTERN KASAI VILLAGE

CENTER OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC CONGO

Where are we here?

In a village at the Lomami.

The Lomami...?

Your uniform?

We are Congolese.

Of course.

It's for months that I have seen Congolese soldiers here.

Yeah? We were separated from our battalion. That's all.

You are only a little dog. Why do you worry?

The militias burned the fields.

Hutus?

Rebels, Hutu, Tutsi... What's the difference?

Everyone kills each other in this land.

And have you seen the army of Rwanda?

What I have seen, soldier... What I have seen is...

Whoever arrives, it's the people which suffers.

What do you think?

All the soldiers who passes by, think they are strong.

I think they are weak ones.

They don't stand a the day in the fields.

I grew up between the plants.

A peasant?

That's what they call me.

With that allure, it's difficult te become what you are.

Maybe there is a thing that the village could do for you.

I can help you to get back to the army, Sergeant Xavier, but...

You have to say that we have welcomed you.

Say we support the Congolese army against those bastards invaders.

And leave us please some of our harvest.

Also spare our girls from the ravages of war.

Of course. My superiors will be informed about your loyalty.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

When you are rested and satisfied, we will take you

to your army which combats now against the Rwandese.

The Rwandese? The regular army?

They have siege Kabinda.

But our president has formed a coalition with Angola and Zimbabwe.

They fought on that mountain for two months because of the diamonds.

We'll leave in the morning. Well.

Chief... You ignore the best what we have taken with us.

Please... Is there something else we can do for you?

You might take a bath?

We have made it, brother.

And... Do you regret the jungle?

No.

But that place, I can live without.

Maybe we can stay, isn't it?

No. You have a family that awaits you,.

She will never believe this story.

Me too, I can't believe it.

General Faustin!

You have saved my life, you are a great soldier.

I had nearly killed people, Sir.

From this site, the Congolese, the Angolans and Zimbabweans.

At the other site, the Rwandese.

Thanks.

Good luck.

Wait a minute.

You know... Everything must end someday.

Thanks. Thanks, soldier.

Amina!

CAMP OF THE ARMY OF RWANDA

MOUNTAIN CLOSE TO KABINDA. CONGOLESE TERRITORIAL.

I don't see the flag.

Do you think they gonna shoot us?

Maybe... they are deserters.

No.

Let's go. Are you sure?

You got a better idea?

Are you sure? Do you want to play a soldier again?

It's too late to think about that, brother.

Kibindankoyi. What?

Kibindankoyi. He was with us.

I don't know.

I am going to call him. No!

Yes, yes!

Kibindankoyi!

It's Xavier! We are Rwandese. Don't shoot!

Who's there?

Don't shoot! Don't shoot!

The 23e battalion has won at Kalemie.

I have told you, we were separated before the attack.

Before the attack!

All the time, in the jungle, alone.

No man in this war can do a thing like that, without treating his country.

Who is protecting you and your companion?

I have sacrificed my life for this army.

My life!

To prison!

Faustin?

That's a Rwandese!

They rape ours wives in the East!

And stealing our minerals.

How are you, sergeant?

It's good to see you, Sir.

Three days at the hole... will retain the lesson. Okay?

You did well, Major.

But first, Sir...

I have arrived in the company of a man.

Soldier Faustin... Yes...

The source of your troubles.

Where is he?

They have beaten him...

Badly beaten up. Sorry.

Is he dead?

No, not dead, not now.

When we have pushed back the coalition...

we will send him to the hospital in Kabina...

Sending him back? To his home.

If he dies, you can just as well shoot me.

My God, sergeant, what has come into you?

So...

I guess a lieutenant should know how to be a pain in the ass...

And this time, I let it pass.

My brother...

Now.... I will go back.

They will take you home.

When you go back, you can embrace your wife and give name to your child.

Take good care of him. That man is a war-hero.

Yes, Sir.

What did he do?

I have heard he has killed a lion.

Salut, lieutenant! How does the night pass?

Aah. The monkeys are busy with fucking!

Have courage.

Thank you, lieutenant.

Papa!

Give me your hand.