Septembers of Shiraz Page #2

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- I wrote about foreign places.

- You touted

the virtues of alcohol

and gushed about cathedrals.

Your articles

were pieces of propaganda

for an indecent life.

- Why am I being interrogated?

I am not charged with anything.

Please, brother,

tell me where my husband is.

- It's time you understood,

sister amin,

that the times

when people like you

could demand things from us

are over.

Now...

It is our turn.

Get out.

- Did they say anything to you?

- They asked me

whether I like being a servant.

- What does that have to do

with anything?

You're not letting these people

put ideas into your head,

are you, habibeh?

- No. No, khanoum,

of course not.

- Good.

- But I don't know.

My son says there's a lot

that needs to be set right.

- What? Morteza has become

a revolutionary?

- He has joined the guards.

I didn't want to tell you,

because I thought

you might get upset with me.

But when I listen to him,

he makes a lot of sense.

- What does he say

that makes so much sense?

- He says, "why should

some people live like kings,

and the rest like rats?

And why should the wealthy,

so crazy for the west

and Europe,

decide how the whole country

should dress, talk, live?"

What if we want our mullahs

to rule us and not that Saint?

Morteza told me

he's worshipped in Europe.

I know. Saint-Laurent?

Or something like that.

- Yves Saint-Laurent?

- Yes, that's him.

- He's not a Saint,

he's a designer.

That is his actual name.

- You see, khanoum?

You put me down

every chance you get.

- No, habibeh,

I'm not putting you down,

but you don't know

what you're talking about.

You're just repeating

some nonsense that you heard.

- Khanoum,

you're doing it again.

- Sorry.

Habibeh, you're entitled

to your feelings,

but what I ask of you

is that you don't forget

the friendship that we've shared

for so many years.

- No, khanoum, I don't forget.

But am I a friend to you,

as Mr. sofoyan is to you,

and amin?

You dine all together.

You go to the theatre.

But in 20 years,

I have not even shared table

with you.

- Get used to it.

If they don't say your name,

thank god.

If they do, say a prayer.

He knew his end was near.

- How did he know?

- He just did.

One develops a sense

for these things.

You can smell it

on your interrogator's breath.

You know when he's had enough

to deal with you.

- Your father gave it to me

when parviz was born.

He cut the stone himself.

- Okay,

when were you last wearing it?

- For parviz,

at the farewell party.

- You're going to be late

getting shirin to school.

- Habibeh, have you seen

my sapphire ring?

The one with the small diamonds

around the centre stone?

- I'm afraid not, khanoum.

- It was just here.

It did not walk out on its own.

- I'll keep an eye out for it.

- Thank you.

- Tell me about your brother,

Navid.

- I'm not really

all that close to him.

- Well, it may interest you

to know that he has a new job...

Smuggling vodka

into the country.

Well, if... in fact my brother

is involved

with smuggling vodka,

I have nothing to do with it.

- You know, I like you,

for some reason,

and I want to help you,

but I can't do it alone.

You have to help me.

You think

he'll get away with it?

You and your family

of libertines,

you think

you can protect each other?

- Perhaps there has been

some mistake.

- The mistake, brother,

is yours.

You seem to think

this is some kind of game.

- No, no, no.

- Then you will tell me

where I can find your brother.

- Look, brother,

i am a simple man. I...

My preoccupations are my work,

and my wife, my daughter--

- simple?

I suppose figuring out all

your bank accounts is simple.

I, for one,

had trouble following it all.

I'd say it takes

a pretty sophisticated mind

to carry out

all these transactions.

- Sophisticated in business,

yes, but--

- listen to me, listen to me!

We know everything about you.

What you stock in your pantry!

Even the kind of cognac

your wife likes to drink!

How sad it should come to this.

Here.

Help yourself.

We may be here a long time.

What's the matter?

- I... I need a light.

- Well, then, brother, just ask.

And I'd like the same from you.

When I ask you for something,

I'd like to get it without

too much difficulty. Come.

You can make it stop.

You can make it stop!

- Ah!

- Hello.

- Mama, it's me.

- Parviz.

- I'm just, uh... I'm checking

to see how you are.

- It is so good

to hear your voice.

- And how is shirin doing?

- She's fine.

- And baba?

- He's...

He's still at the office,

working late.

Listen, sweetheart,

would it be alright

if I call you back later?

I am expecting a call.

- Okay, sure.

- We love you.

- I love you, too.

- Good morning, khanoum.

- Good morning.

- Are you alright?

- Yeah...

I'm getting up.

- This practice, khanoum,

will have to stop.

- Oh, I only had one glass.

- One glass or 10,

it makes no difference.

It is illegal now.

- Is that a threat?

- It's just a fact, khanoum.

- The fact

is that this is my house.

And today is Wednesday...

So don't forget

to wash the windows.

- Yes, khanoum.

- Isaac.

- Barton.

Vartan sofoyan.

My god.

Three weeks ago,

you were teaching shirin

to play the violin.

I wish...

All prisoners

go back to your cells.

- Farnaz, please take it easy,

okay? Please!

- Sorry, but nobody's picking up

the phone in this place.

Why is that for?

- Just calm down.

- I don't understand

what's going on.

Talia, what is happening?

What are you doing?

- Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Everything's okay, don't worry.

- Morteza,

what is going on here?

- Nothing, we're just trying

to move the equipment and stones

to a more secure location.

- The stones?

- To protect them

from the revolutionaries.

We think they may want

to seize them.

- Is that so?

- Yes.

- And how do you know?

- Now listen to me,

trust me, okay?

I just want to help you.

Wait, wait, please.

- We would like to go in.

- No, you cannot go in now.

Just leave.

- Where are you taking

everything?

- To a safe place. Now go home.

You must have more important

things to take care of.

- I'm going in.

- No.

You're not going in.

I'm asking you nicely.

Don't let this get nasty.

I'm telling you--

- farnaz!

Farnaz!

Whoa, let me go, let me go.

Farnaz, be careful!

- What is going on here?

Farhanika...

...can you explain this?

- I'm sorry, khanoum,

things have gotten out of hand.

I tried to talk sense into them,

but there was no use.

They said... I was blind

to all the exploitation

that's been going on for years.

- Exploitation?

- They said--

- these people

were all unemployed gypsies

when my husband hired them.

He took them in,

paid for their education.

Is this what you call

exploitation?!

- They weren't exactly gypsies,

khanoum.

They might have lacked

education, but we weren't...

- I'm sorry,

i did not mean it that way,

especially not about you.

It's just that I...

I don't understand.

Why are they doing this?

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