The Wooden Camera

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My brother, Madiba, | was always a loner.

His job was to sell tripe | in the market

every day, after school.

When he was not | selling tripe,

he would lie | on his back in solitude

and stare at the clouds | for hours and hours.

Sometimes he would | just lie there

and watch the way the wind | blew a piece of paper.

One day as he was roaming around looking | for things to stare at

he saw this boat | on the riverbank.

There was a boy in it, | very sick and weak from hunger.

His name was Sipho, | and he had no parents.

Madiba gave him food to eat

and a blanket | that kept him warm.

Since that day,

Madiba and Sipho became | very, very close friends.

Sh*t!

Is he dead?

Hey, man, he's saying | hello to God.

Gimme that.

Yes!

Hello.

Check it out.

Check this out, bro!

Take it.

Please, let me see.

No, I'm fine on my own. | Stop it.

You are so stingy.

Yeah.

- Holla. | - Benny, my man.

- How you doing, man? | - Fine, man.

- Hi, Louise. | - Hello, Benny.

- Madiba. | - How is it?

It's fine, man.

That looks cool.

Where'd you get it?

Secret, bro. | Stop it!

It's nice, man.

Is that for real?

As real as me | and you, bro.

Check it out.

Jeez, it's heavy, man.

I know. | Check this out!

Jeez.

One bullet? What are you | gonna do with one bullet, Sipho?

Show you what | I'll do with one bullet.

Sit down, Benny.

Sit down, man, and relax. | Sit down.

See this bullet?

See it?

I'm just gonna put it in here.

There's five holes | in here-- five.

Come on, then. | And go like this--

First bullet.

Second.

Sipho! | Stop it, man.

- Three! | - Are you mad?

Four. We're getting there, Benny!

Last one. | It's coming, coming!

See? Only thing | you need is a gun,

bullet or no bullet.

You're crazy.

Let's get out of here.

I can get used to this.

So, Madiba, | what do you think?

It looks great, bro.

Okay.

- Can I try, then? | - Yeah, yeah. No problem.

This is gonna work.

- It's perfect, man. | - Okay. There you go.

Madiba, please | film me, please!

Hello!

- Hello! | - Stop it, Louise.

Hello!

Please, Madiba, | just shoot me!

Louise.

- Is everything okay? | - Cool, man.

It's good. Good.

That's what I'm talking about.

That is great.

- Hello! | - I've got to find a job here.

It's good, good.

Hey, why aren't you at school?

It's school holidays, papa.

You forgot.

But school keeps | you away from mischief.

You're on TV, dad.

That's a toy, man.

Tell the camera | where you come from.

I come from Port Elizabeth, | in New Brighton.

Why did you | become an actor?

I became an actor...

because I loved it,

I wanted to be an actor,

I wanted to appear

as the Richard Burtons

and the Roger Moores | and you name them.

You name them.

I've arrived, yes, yes!

Whenever Mr. Shawn | came to the township,

everyone ran after him

and wanted to show him | their talent.

He taught music | and other things, as well.

But he made everyone | feel special.

Hey, filmmaker!

People liked him | very, very much.

- Right here. | - Hello.

Madiba, doesn't this | wooden camera look great?

Hey, man, I love it.

It's cool.

Hey, look at me. | Don't I look so fabulous?

Look at me, Benny.

Yeah, whatever.

At least I'm in the picture. | Not like you.

Listen, if it wasn't for me,

you wouldn't be here, | so I wouldn't talk.

Actually, talk to the hand,

the face is busy.

That's great.

Anyway, guys, | where's this place?

This is our township, man.

Check.

That's Tembiso's house.

Isn't that his grandmother?

No, it's his mother.

The township?

How can you film | the township?

What is there to film?

Madiba, man, film me!

I give you a story, man!

No, man, | I'm happy with what I've got.

Man, I promise you | a masterpiece!

Masterpiece!

Man, the battery's low. | And there's no tape left.

Erase that sh*t.

No, man. | I don't want to.

Madiba, man.

Okay, let's make a deal.

What?

You film me now | and then we'll go to Cape Town.

I get you new tapes, | new batteries.

Ya, let's go | to Cape Town, please, guys?

Please, please?

Let the games begin!

This is my home!

Cape Independent for 2.80. | Cape Independent for 2.80.

Cape Independent for 2.80.

Get your Cape Independent | for 2.80!

Is that a little Chinese-- | Oh, okay.

Really? Fascinating!

Let me have a look.

You can wrap it.

- No chips on it whatsoever. | - I see, perfect.

- I'll take it. | - Will that be cash?

- There we go. | - Bye, bye.

Estelle, we don't | throw money away.

I wasn't throwing it away! | I was giving it to him.

- Just get into the car. | - I wasn't doing anything wrong.

Why do you | always have to argue?

- I'm not arguing with you. | - Get into the car.

Okay, Benny, slow down.

- Slow down. | - Okay.

- Yeah. | - Good, I like this, man.

- Okay, okay. | - Okay, I got it.

- It's too bumpy here. | - Where, here?

Okay, hold on, hold on.

Yeah. Careful.

Push, Benny! Push!

Whatever I do, don't stop.

Madiba didn't tell | anybody about Estelle.

I guess he thought

people would start | talking about them.

He didn 't tell me, | of all people.

I guess he thought | I had a big mouth.

But I love my brother

and I'll do anything for him.

Guys, guys-- | Come here.

Come here, come here.

Have you got a pin?

No.

Benny, have you got a pin?

Benny, have you got a pin?

Yah, yah. Wait.

Boy, Benny Boy.

Always quick | with the your hands.

I'm fine.

With a gun in your hand,

you and me can kick | this city around.

No, no, no.

Don't even think about it.

Benny, if you're afraid to die,

you're afraid to live, boy.

Give that, give that, | give that!

What about this?

Holla.

That's our share | you got there.

Says who? | Baby, come on.

The BX-5.

Sure.

All right.

50-50.

Sure, sure.

My new partners.

Sure, sure.

I share business with you.

Pass it to your pals.

Ah, man. They're a bunch | of priests, man.

They don't touch this thing.

Hey, it's bad, hey. | Hey, some bad sh*t.

It's a nice thing, | you've got there.

Can I see it?

Don't you ever | do that again, man.

Don't you ever!

Let's go, guys.

Someone left his book here.

If the object was | to humiliate me,

you've done a damn, good job.

What did I do wrong?

You can't put | a dead bird on the table.

- We were having lunch. | - We were having lunch!

I was just trying | to make a point--

that we all live once, | but die twice.

The first time you die | is physical.

The second time is, | when you're forgotten.

What's wrong with that?

I wasn't trying | to humiliate anybody.

- Benny, you're hurting, man. | - Ow, Benny.

Calm down. Calm down.

Madiba.

You must come clean now.

What the f*** have you | brought us here for?

Watch my camera, man!

I'm tired now

and I can't walk any farther.

We've been walking all day! | What have you brought us here for?

I'm just looking.

Just looking?

Yeah...for things.

What things?

Interesting things to film.

- And what about that book? | - What book?

You've been hiding that book | for the whole day!

It's nothing. | It's just a book.

- Let me have a look. | - No.

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