Not Without My Daughter Page #2

don't have to wear Islamic dress.

Yeah, I know. I made a mistake.

It's all changed.

Anyway, it's only when you leave

the house or when you go outside.

You saw the women. I didn't recognise

half my family. They were all covered.

Last time only half of them wore chadors.

It's all new.

- What would happen if I didn't wear this?

- Ameh Bozorg?

She says you'd get arrested.

- I have to go to the bathroom.

- Wait. We're almost there.

Hi.

No! They're hurting him, Mommy!

They're hurting him!

They're hurting him, Mommy!

It's a way of saying welcome.

They give the meat to the poor.

Honey, we have to step over it.

It's expected.

Just hang on to me.

Mahtob...

It's the Friday prayer.

From Tehran University.

Mahmood...

Prayers.

Don't forget we've got

to get some things for your mom and dad.

Thank you, honey. Let me do you.

All right?

Fix your scarf!

Fix your hair! Cover your hair!

They didn't know you were foreign.

They wouldn't have been so harsh.

- It was a little bit of hair.

- You gotta be careful. They're very strict.

You must cover all.

You must not be careless!

Every hair that is not covered is like a

dagger aimed at the heart of our martyrs!

Come on.

Just give it time, sweetheart. It's OK.

Look at these hands.

Sshh!

- Mom...

- Sshh!

I guess that means we can eat.

Come on, sit up straight.

Is it because I didn't wear a chador?

Honey, you misinterpreted.

She wasn't looking at you.

You didn't see. She looked at me...

It was the same feeling today

when the police stopped me.

It was with such dislike.

It just seems so primitive sometimes.

All religious beliefs seem primitive

when they're not your own.

But to cover them up

and hide them away?

- Are they afraid of women's sexuality?

- No, that's not the reason.

Iranian women like to wear the chador.

It's a mark of respect.

When the Shah tried to ban them

they had demonstrations in the streets.

Most women wanted to bring it back.

Sorry. I know it's a different culture.

I guess I... just don't understand it.

Why is Mammal angry at you,

and the others?

They seem to be going at you all the time.

My family... they're very religious.

They're not sophisticated.

They're basically country people.

It's all changed so much.

It's all back to the Koran.

It's been that way since the Revolution.

When they moved into this house,

they got rid of all the furniture -

all of it.

Now they see me and...

I seem so Americanised.

And you have an American wife.

- Yeah.

- I'm sorry.

The last thing I wanted

was to insult them...

I know.

Honey, it's going

to seem strange for a while,

but, believe me, they want to love you.

They will. I promise.

OK.

- What?

- Nothing.

- Nothing.

- What's so funny?

You know they think

we make love all the time?

- Who?

- The family.

Why?

After they make love

they have to take a shower.

They can't pray unless they do.

It's considered unclean.

We're taking two or three showers a day!

Oh, God! What, they think

we're two rabbits?

I'm not taking another shower.

You knew the whole time!

- I didn't know you were such a swinger!

- You knew that all along!

- You were out in the hall giggling!

- Don't get mad.

- Don't go.

- I have to.

- Please stay.

- I can't.

You've been getting up early

every morning. Don't go.

What's the matter with you?

We're with my family.

They're Sayyeds -

direct descendants of Mohammed.

Of course, to a sophisticated American

that must seem primitive.

- Betty?

- Oh, God, you scared me.

I wondered where you were.

- I got the most beautiful picture.

- Light's gone. Coming in?

Yeah.

- Betty?

- What?

Something happened

before we came out here.

What?

I didn't want to tell you about it.

We were coming out here, so...

Moody, what happened?

I got fired from the hospital.

You got fired?

It happened just before we left.

Literally, two days.

I can't believe it. They can't do that.

Yes, they can. If they can find someone

who can do the job for less money.

Oh, no.

And who isn't an Iranian.

Oh... Moody, I can't believe that.

- Your work was going so well.

- You think they like Iranians in Michigan?

It's always there... just under the surface.

Not one of my colleagues

has ever stood up for me

whenever there was trouble.

Honey, that's not true.

We're talking

about the medical profession.

They're supposed to be

an educated group of people.

What are we gonna do?

Well... I'll tell you what we're gonna do.

We're gonna go home tomorrow

and find out how this happened.

We'll appeal. It's America. We've got laws.

We've got friends.

You've got lots of friends.

And this just can't happen.

Hey!

Stop that. Look at you

messing everything up.

Get your own stuff together.

- I don't think they'll let this through.

- Maybe Mammal can ship it.

Do you wanna pack Toby Bunny

or carry him? It's gonna be hot.

- Pack him.

- OK.

Sit down and fold up

all those clothes you messed up.

- Can I put them in the suitcase?

- Yes.

Sweetheart, you haven't packed.

Do you want me to do it?

No.

You must take passport to the airport

three days before to get approval.

- Approval? What approval?

- You must get stamp.

- You cannot leave today.

- When's the next flight?

I don't know.

- Moody, what is this?

- I don't know.

We'll have to wait

for the next available flight, I guess.

How could you not

take care of the passports?

- Didn't somebody tell you about this?

- Nobody thought about it.

We'll go to the airport

and tell them we didn't know about it.

Maybe they'll let us through. If not,

we'll sit and wait for the next flight.

I don't know how to say this to you.

We're not going back. We're staying here.

What do you mean? How long?

I want to get a job here. In a hospital.

- What?

- I want us to live in Iran.

No. No.

- There's nothing for me in America.

- No.

Are you crazy? We're Americans.

Your daughter's an American.

Moody, honey,

you're upset about your job.

I understand that. We're gonna fix it.

- I want Mahtob to grow up here.

- No!

- I think she should become a Muslim.

- No! No.

You lied to me.

You lied to me. You held the Koran

and swore nothing was gonna happen.

- Mommy.

- You were planning this all the time.

- Aren't we going home today?

- Yes, we are.

- Go downstairs and say goodbye.

- All right.

Moody, I know what's been going on.

They've got no right.

You've got to resist it.

I know how much you miss your family,

how guilty they make you feel.

I know the pressure

they're putting on you.

I promise we'll come back.

We'll spend time here.

But we can't stay here.

This is a backward, primitive country.

I won't live here

or bring up my daughter here.

How can you consider raising

Mahtob here with how they treat women?

- I know it's the right decision.

- No.

- For all of us. For you and for Mahtob.

- You can't mean this.

I'm a doctor. They're desperate

for doctors. I could do a lot of good here.

- Please...

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