Rosewater

1

When I was nine,

my sister took me

to the Shrine of Masumeh.

It was beautiful.

But I'll never forget

the smell.

A mix of sweat,

and the rosewater

they showered down

on the faithful.

I used to think

only the most pious

carried that seem.

Mazi jaan...

Mazi jaan...

Mmm.

Wake up.

These men want

to talk with you.

Get up, sir.

And get dressed.

We are here now.

Hi. Hi.

Would you like

to come back tomorrow?

It is a bit of a mess.

It is my childhood room so...

No?

No.

Take some.

We don't want to impose.

You come with the sunrise,

you go through

my son's belongings,

and you say you

don't want to impose?

Put on your scarf, madam.

Do I provoke you?

Mother, mother...

Uh...

Why do you have so many films?

Because I've always

liked watching them.

I've been watching them

since I was a kid.

What is this?

This is porno?

No. No, no.

It is an Italian film.

Uh, an art film.

This is porno.

No.

Do you know about this?

Sir,

she doesn't know.

It is an art film from Italy.

What is this?

Next time you see my face,

show some respect.

I will.

You motherf***er!

You shot my foot!

The Sopranos.

Porno.

Sopranos.

Porno.

Leonard Cohen?

Amazing!

Right?

It's beautiful, but ominous.

Keep it.

I got it for you.

It's just some music.

Jewish? Porno? Porno?

Tintin.

Porno?

Yes. Could be. Yes.

What...

What does this say?

I don't know.

You don't know?

No, it's in German.

I don't know.

But it's from your room

and you don't know?

Yeah, but it's

my late father's.

God bless him.

Confiscate this.

Please.

You know if you can't

reach me at the office,

you can always call my sister.

Yes.

And you have

her work number?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And if I can't

reach you?

Sorry.

I'm going to miss you.

We have to make

the extra cash, no?

I know.

Yeah.

With this guy coming in here.

It's crazy how, like,

you're one month pregnant

and you're already like this.

Go away.

Hey. Ah, I felt it.

Yeah?

I think so. Yes.

What do you want from us?

Do you come in peace?

It's just one week.

There is great anticipation

in the run-up to

Iran's presidential election

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,

the hardline incumbent,

is no longer

the guaranteed victor.

His opponent, the more moderate

Mir-Hussein Mousavi,

has been gaining quickly

and could be poised

for an historic upset.

But Ahmadinejad's student

organizer Alireza Abkar

still believes.

So-called Western

democracy is corrupt

because it reflects

only the will of the people.

Why the Iranian state

is superior?

Well, where do I begin?

We have a big, huge backing

of Ali Khamenei,

and he supports

Ahmadinejad's motives.

He understands

it's an Islamic state,

not a corrupt,

Westernized environment

which Mousavi would like.

Kids today.

Right?

I'd love for you

to reconnect with him

now that the elections

are upon us.

You think he'll still

want to talk?

Yes, I mean, if I bring

him some Maltesers,

he will talk.

Allah is no match

for London chocolates.

It's not funny.

I'm sorry?

It's pathetic.

Ahmadinejad or whoever,

they take these

poor street kids,

who've got nothing,

give them food

or sweets or whatever.

Indoctrinate them

to spout this gibberish.

It's pathetic,

and that's the real story

we should be doing.

He's from here.

Sorry?

Alireza, he's from here.

He's an Iranian Brit.

He was born and raised here.

He's educated.

He doesn't need the chocolates.

He just misses them.

Well, off we go.

Yeah.

Let's go.

Thanks, Bobby.

Remember Lindsey Hilsum's

out there

if you need anything

from Channel 4.

Okay.

Cool.

All right.

I was last in Iran

three months ago

for my sister's funeral.

Her name was Maryam.

She was my heart.

I followed her

to every film, museum

and concert

she would take me to.

In 1980,

she was arrested

by the Ayatollah Khomeini.

Six years in prison

for being a communist.

Six years!

MARY AM'. Mali...

Maryam was following

the footsteps of my father.

My father Baba Akbar

had been jailed by the Shah

for the same offense.

Of course,

he gave them nothing;.

I gave them nothing.

He never broke.

I never broke.

I miss them both.

Please turn off the computers.

Oh, yeah.

Thank you very much.

See you later.

See you later.

Ah! Ah! Welcome, sir.

Hey, hey.

Come, come. Let me take this from you.

Come. Come.

Thanks to God I came along,

you could have been stuck

here for hours, huh'?

Hey, hey.

No, no, no.

He's a personal friend of mine.

I've come to get him.

Don't listen to him.

A brand new car for you.

Freshly painted, huh!

You can relax.

I'm from here.

It's fine.

Ah.

Welcome home.

Okay.

I see you have

a Mousavi poster.

Yes, it helps.

It doesn't let in the sunlight.

What do you like about him?

Uh, he isn't Ahmadinejad.

He's getting a lot

of attention now.

Do you think it's only

because of who he isn't?

Uh, may I ask,

are you here for, uh,

business or pleasure?

Or perhaps pleasure's

bitter rival, family?

No, I'm a journalist

I'm covering the elections

for Newsweek magazine.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

And I'm also

visiting my mother.

Uh, I meant no disrespect.

No problem.

I think

Mousavi is honest.

Well,

maybe he's not.

Tell Newsweek,

tell the whole world,

if Mousavi fails us,

it's okay, we will find

someone who won't.

I see you're in

the satellite business.

Sir, satellite dishes

are illegal

and I shouldn't have

to remind you

we live in a lawful

and devout society.

Do you need one?

VPNs?

Information access here

is very fragile.

No' I'm very happy

with my satellite service.

But I am in the market

for a responsible driver.

What kind of, uh,

vacation benefits package

are you offering

with this position?

Absolutely none.

Okay.

Yeah, I'll do it.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Great.

You sold it to me.

Davood.

Davood.

Mazijoon!

How are you, Moloojoon?

Good, good.

Did you sleep on the plane?

Well, relatively.

I'll make you baghali

ghatogh for your lunch.

You'll need to eat

as much as you can

before reporting

on all this ashghal.

Moloojoon, come on.

You can't be this cynical.

What?

Mom, tomorrow is the election.

Surely you'll be standing

with the people.

Don't tease me.

Yeah.

I had a very persuasive cabbie.

He is very excited about this

"not Ahmadinejad."

Who knows, maybe this time

it will be different, right?

Garbage doesn't pick itself up.

If the people don't,

then who will?

You sound like Maryam.

And you sound like Babe.

It's good to see you.

Have you washed your hands?

In the plane.

Go wash it.

Go wash your hands.

Go, go, go. Go.

You slept well, huh?

Yep.

Come. Would the

kind gentleman

like the window

or the aisle seat?

Oh, no. No. No. What is this'?

Where is your cab?

I don't have a cab.

What did we ride

in this morning?

Oh, yeah, that. Oh, that

was my friend's cab.

He was sick.

He said I could use it.

I never said I had a cab.

Okay. Are you sure?

Yeah. This...

Even if I had a cab,

it's not the way to get around this city.

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