Rosewater Page #4

I am a journalist

That's it, nothing more.

Just a journalist?

Yes.

As a spy, I'm just trying

to figure out why your

country is so terrifying.

The first thing

to know about Iran

is that it is not evil.

Americans and Iranians have

a lot of things in common,

more than they

have differences.

What do I have

in common with you?

So can you tell me why...

just a journalist will meet

up with this American spy

on the eve of the unrest?

He's not a spy.

He's not a spy?

He's... No, it's a show.

It's a show?

A comedy show.

It's stupid...

It's very stupid, yes.

He's a comedian

pretending to be a spy.

So, can you tell me

why an American

pretending to be a spy had

chosen to interview you?

And why would a real spy

have a TV show'?

Why did you tell this man

that America and Iran has

something in common?

Was that funny, too?

You know, Khamenei said that

America is the Great Satan.

But maybe you don't

think that's right.

Maybe we have been hasty.

We kicked America

out of the door

and you will bring them

back through the windows.

No, sir.

I...

Speaking to a person from the

United States is not treason.

Revolutions, just like people,

they have to grow up.

Do they?

You little spy.

It's all a show, Mazi.

The blindfold.

The sh*t food.

"Your specialist

is here."

They are all putting on

a play for you, Mazi.

They say I am a spy.

A spy!

You're? A spy ?

Yes, I know. I know,

it sounds absurd.

Well, it doesn't matter

what they think.

You will tell them nothing.

There's nothing to tell.

So you'll say nothing.

I can't just say nothing.

You must. You will.

Well, this has been

very helpful.

Thank you for your counsel.

I have nothing to tell them.

Because I am not a spy.

You underestimate

them at your peril.

They have learned much

since the days of the Shah.

Oh, my God.

They thought they could

break us with fists and feet.

Belts and batons.

They didn't know our strength.

If they use sticks,

you must be stone.

If they use stone,

you must be steel.

And if they use steel,

I... I must

be titanium?

Yes, Fm sorry.

I forgot all those years

you spent in prison.

All that you've learned there.

You were always

smarter than everyone.

No one knows but you.

I am not being smart.

I don't know if I can do this.

You have to.

I am not you nor Maryam.

No, no, no. F*** 'em!

F*** 'em in the eye!

This is nothing, Maziar.

They're a paper tiger, Maziar.

Maziar...

Mazi, look at me.

Look a! me.

Tell them nothing.

Why did you ask

the traitor Khatami

if the election

could be rigged?

Who pays you

in America? The CIA?

How many Jews

work for Newsweek?

Who is Anton Chekhov?

Anton Chekov?

The playwright?

Hey, you tell me.

It is you who has listed an

interest of him on Facebook.

Confess.

Who else are you working for?

Why do you write

so much to Bashiff?

Three times you have visited

New Jersey, America,

in the time before the unrest.

Why?

Confess.

I have a very good

friend who lives there.

You have friends in New Jersey?

Yeah. My friend lives

there, what can I do?

He likes it there.

Apricot.

You want apricot?

Yes.

Thank you, sir.

Are we not friends?

Mmm-hmm. Yes.

So why do you insult me?

Insult you?

No, no, I would never...

Newsweek is an

internationally distributed

"weekly magazine headquartered

in New York City.

"It is privately owned and has

operated for over 70 years."

This is a schoolboy report.

Sir, that is the truth.

The truth is not an insult.

The truth is you are a spy,

working with the Americans

and the Zionists

to destroy our holy system.

I'm not a spy.

You are a spy.

Yes.

No, no, no.

The American

government doesn't

control Newsweek magazine.

To be honest, it's not even

worth controlling anymore.

Is it?

Yes.

Yes, it is. This weekly

model of magazines

is completely outdated.

Outdated?

There are better ways

of doing propaganda.

Through the Internet.

In the blogs.

Twitter. Uh...

There's many things. The

game has changed completely.

So this is just a crazy theory?

It is a little bit misinformed.

Are we paranoid?

You're not...

Paranoid?

I didn't say that.

Are we paranoid?

Are we paranoid?

Sir...

How are you feeling?

Like sh*t.

I apologize for my colleague.

He is enthusiastic,

but perhaps not

as understanding of

the intellectual nuances.

Your father was imprisoned

at one time, was he not'?

Yes.

When was this?

In 1953.

He was accused

of being a communist.

Yes.

Was he?

He was a communist back then.

On whose authority

was he detained?

Under the Shah.

Yes.

The Shah of Iran.

I'm sorry.

Thai must have been

difficult for your family.

Thank you, sir.

But I thought at that time,

Iran had a democratic leader.

Mossadegh.

Mohammad Mossadegh.

So there was a coup?

Yes.

Organized by?

The CIA. The

Americans, British...

Operation Ajax

I believe it was called.

The West wanted

the Iranian people's oil.

Yes.

And the journalists

and gangsters

that were paid by the CIA to

spread lies and violence,

and turn the Iranian people

against its government

so the Americans

and Zionists could deploy

their puppet the traitor,

Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi...

Yes, but that was

in those days, sir. I...

But I am not a spy!

Yes, Mr. Bahari,

this is history!

We are not crazy.

This is not paranoia!

Why did you meet

with these saboteurs

in the months

leading to the unrest?

Saboteurs'?

They... They are

normal people. They are not...

They are friends of mine.

They are not saboteurs.

You will tell me.

Or they will tell me.

- Oh, no.

- Seyyed!

You have

the wrong people, sir.

These are not...

You must not just take

his blood, Javadi,

you must take his hope.

Yes, sir.

Good morning, sir.

Sir?

I've been thinking,

and I wanted to know

your opinion about, uh,

how the Americans

do espionage these days.

Is it very different from how

it used to be in the '50s?

Is n?

Because I might have been

tricked as well. I...

I might have fallen into a trap.

I don't...

How is your beloved

mother Moloojoon?

She must be very worried.

I... I don't know.

I think she's fine...

Good.

I'm surprised.

She did not contact us.

Normally a prisoner's family

can be very persistent.

Visitors, lawyers...

But for you,

there has been none.

Is media espionage

a new field? Is it?

You should call her soon.

Poor woman.

To lose her husband,

God rest his soul

and to lose her daughter,

Maryam.

And now this.

Let's call her.

You want to call her?

Do you want to call her?

Yes.

Good.

Call her.

No answer?

Strange.

From now on, lam your mother.

And father.

Family!

It is time to do this

right, Mazi jaan.

You must sign your confession.

Hmm?

You know,

everything can be forgiven.

Everything.

Seyyed?

I had forgotten just how

f***ing boring this place was.

I used lo collect

small pieces of limestone

from the prison yard

and shape them

against the metal bars

and play chess with them

for hours and hours.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes