The Source

Esmeralda,

Move !...

you've got a big bum !

O Prophet, protect her !

Courage, my daughter.

By the holy forefathers !

May God deliver you safe and sound !

God protect her !

Push! Push!

O Prophet, help her !

- That OK ?

- Yes thanks.

Not too heavy ?

Karima!

You alright ?

Easy...

There we are !

Glory to Allah !

You're blessed, it's a boy !

Go tell Hicham

it's a boy.

It's a boy !

Thank you God,

praise be to Allah!

Congratulations.

Thank you.

I'm back.

Congratulations !

God have pity on me and my fellow creatures

Glory to all that's beautiful !

I put my love in the balance of life

Glory to all that's beautiful !

We all jostle each other

but who sees my passion ?

Glory to all that's beautiful !

The feet of my throne of joy,

my children fulfil me.

Glory to all that's beautiful !

When my shoulders sag,

my children will support me.

If you've given birth

you've nothing to fear.

The man is the pillar of the house

and I'm ...

A baby's born from the womb of the day !

A baby dies in the bowels of the night.

Life...I spit on you !

A baby shouldn't die

while I'm still living !

It's your right my child,

you shouldn't die.

Water gives life.

Water takes life.

Shame silences tongues.

If you hide the tragedy...

black tears flood

the thirsty ground.

Our earth is parched...

that is the tragedy.

In joy I have given birth...

delivered of a boy.

The midwife tours the village

to spread the good news.

Here's a bouquet of flowers

Here is a mirror, see the girl

for whom you make your braids.

Leila, make us laugh.

Is this a funeral dinner ?

Sorry, father-in-law.

I'm out of ideas just now.

Get off to bed !

Right away !

Come on!

You still defend her.

What do you mean ?

Not tonight...I can't.

Do you still want

to have a child ?

Forgive me.

Stop lying !

As if he could honour you

every night !

I've got a hot oven...

...and he knows how

to stoke it up.

My man's not a wimp

like you lot have.

You've got a brazier

between your legs.

My oven needs bread every day,

I can't do anything about it.

If it's too hot,

your bread'll get burnt !

Then I'll give it to you to eat !

So another woman's miscarried

on the water-trek up the mountain !

We don't talk about

that sort of thing in here.

YES, we DO talk about it !

It's not as though

it's the first time.

Everyone knows, and nobody does anything.

Especially the men !

Leila...

please leave.

You say that

because you're barren.

That's not true !

Leila's also lost a child

on the mountain.

I'm not the only one.

Yasmina, Rachida,

aren't you saying anything? Moufida?

You got "the plague" too.

And afterwards we're accused

of being sterile ?

If God gives me a girl,

she won't go through that.

Shut up, you foreigner !

Men should fetch the water.

It happens in other villages.

Water's used in the home,

it's up to the woman

to fetch it.

It's been like that

since the beginning of time.

It's our tradition.

You aren't the one

to change it !

Men used to work in the fields,

go to war.

Today, most are in the towns,

and what do the rest do ?

They sleep, drink tea,

and play cards in the cafe.

They can carry water !

My husband's weight

has doubled.

Carrying water

would muscle him up.

I'll teach you how

to get muscled !

I'd sure give yours

some muscle.

Sit down !

This is none of your business,

Flintlock.

That's quite enough

from you, Fatima.

You talk too much.

Sit down.

Leila isn't a foreigner.

She married your son,

you've received her in your house,

We welcomed her

into our village.

One day a Frenchman asked me:

"What were the happiest moments

of your life? '

I replied:

"All up to the age of 14."

You know why.

I was married off at 14.

I found out about "it" on my wedding night.

Not before.

And like you all,

I didn't see him

until next morning

when he opened the shutters.

I didn't see it during the night.

He made it all dark

and just raped me.

I believed that a husband

sat on the bed

besides his wife,

and held her hand...

and that it was good...

that it was good...

He was 40

and already had 2 children,

one 10,

the other 11 years old.

Their mother had died

after a long illness,

At 14 I became mother,

of children almost my own age.

Then, I gave birth 19 times.

Twelve dead,

of which two up there

near the spring.

Moufida,

you've had 12:

You, 8 times,

Yasmina, 6 isn't it ?

Our TRADITION is:

Half the babies we have

are dead, or die.

For a long time, I was treated

like I had the plague.

My husband wanted to reject me,

he said I was barren.

Today I have 7 children,

all in good health,

thanks to God.

So, how could I have been happy

after the age of 14 ?

When could I ?

Leila's right.

It's true she comes from far away,

from the south.

But she blows like

the desert wind...

...while we just

hold our breath.

The men should transport

the water !

So tell me how

you're going to persuade them ?

We'll go on strike...

...no more love !

Yes, why not ?

A love-strike !

Satan's seized you.

This is a sin !

I'd rather bring water

than do without my man.

If Karim didn't touch me

for 2 days,

I'd run screaming

to the top of the mountain.

When he starts throwing peanuts

at my head,

that's the storm warning. I don't like it !

We not talking about

calming down children.

It's our only weapon

against the men:

We'll refuse sex while

there's no water in the village !

Enough talk !

Are you ready to strike ?

Anyway,

This doesn't concern them...

...their oven hasn't

been lit for ages.

Doesn't concern me either.

I buried my husband,

and trampled all over his grave,

So who are

the brave ones ?

You've never felt any pleasure ?

Never?

Why did you get married at 14

if you didn't love him?

I'll get married to my lover.

We'll make love

twice a day.

We'll only have 2 kids.

I'll go travelling

while he minds them.

For sure !

I'll give you my donkey,

he'll have a cap on his head

like the tourists,

and he'll carry your

beautiful luggage.

"Love strike" !

They're saying:

"Doors and windows shut...

"the naughty rooster's

not allowed back in !"

"The hen'll get

a good night's sleep !"

I didn't hear anything.

Yesterday, she offered me an egg.

They've got a bit

of sunstroke.

Why've aren't they getting the water

all of a sudden ?

They want to make

a song and dance about it.

It's the modern generation.

They see running water

in houses on TV,

and they want to have it.

Howdy, Hussein ?

Come and have a cup of tea !

Later, thanks.

I'm going

to pick some flowers.

You're joking !...

And we're laughing !

I suspect Leila's behind this.

It's absurd.

You know the proverb :

"Sow and you will reap...

the earth cannot stop you."

Except when there's no rain.

Like that 15-year

drought we had.

You must marry another woman

and get rid of Leila.

She's no good !

Your sisters are

ten times better.

You should have married

the one I'd chosen for you.

I told you :

Love brings bad luck.

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