White Material

---

It's the Boxer.

He's dead alright.

Pull over!

- Can I get in?

- No.

- No room?

- All full.

Climb up here.

I'll stay here, thanks.

Driver.

Papers.

- Where are you going?

- Home.

Where is your home?

The coffee plantation further down,

that way.

There used to be a roadblock here.

Did you ever pay them?

Yes, I think I did once.

- How much?

- I can't remember... 1 00 dollars.

To those thugs?

No wonder they act above the law!

I had to get through. Everyone pays.

That's what breeds corruption.

Because of people like you,

this country is filthy.

Can I sit down, sir?

To those ensconced

deep in the forest:

Wake up.

Leave your hideouts.

Herbs that tone your muscles...

and render you

invisible

and invulnerable.

Madame Vial!

This is your last warning!

You have to leave immediately!

Madame Vial!

The French army is pulling out!

We're leaving!

You'll be totally cut off!

Think it over, Madame Vial!

Think of your family!

We're pulling out!

You must leave immediately!

SURVIVAL KI:

These whites, these dirty whites.

They scorn us.

We risk our lives for them!

They're a bunch of upstarts!

Pretentious, arrogant, ignorant.

They don't deserve

this beautiful land.

They can't even appreciate it!

GOD DOESN'T GIVE UP

What are you doing?

Where are you going?

- Where are you going?

- No way to stay.

You can't leave. We just started!

Let's go back.

You know it too! You can't stay.

You heard it from above.

Just listen!

I just need one week.

Five days or the crop will be ruined.

Five days is nothing.

Things have been bad for months!

Your foremen...

They're also leaving.

Ange and Maurice? I doubt it.

They are! And so are we!

This is getting bad.

Let's go!

Before trouble catches up with us!

Hold on!

Stay here. Why are you leaving?

Suffering and war everywhere!

- One week! Just one week!

- No.

Ange!

You can't go, Maurice.

What will we do?

We need a week. You saw the crops.

One week at the most!

One short week.

All of a sudden you can't stay?

It's too dangerous?

It may be less dangerous...

In fact.

We don't have to be terrorized.

We can fight back.

That copter didn't come for fun.

It came for you and your family.

Not for us!

Andr is right.

Coffee's coffee.

Not worth dying for.

Where are your kids?

Out of harm's way.

Out of harm's way! Open your eyes!

You have a son.

Get him out of bed!

Let him go pick!

You have no right to criticize Manuel!

Get lost! Never come back again!

Never! You hear me, Maurice?

Understood?

Andr?

Andr isn't here.

Andr, Andr...

I knew it.

They can't take you down.

Not you, not the Boxer!

I used to say...

if ever I could meet the Boxer

and fight for him...

I'd ask God for nothing else.

Where is it from?

- Where?

- The plantation down there.

It's just white material.

Get up, Manuel, please. I need you.

Who's there?

What are you doing here?

Waiting for my uncle.

- Are you Jean-Marie's nephew?

- Yes.

Does he know you're here?

He'll be glad to see me.

Are you thirsty?

You want something to eat?

Lucie!

- Where are you going?

- To pick up Jos.

I'll go. I need to hire workers.

I'll get Jos after.

- You don't get it!

- You let them scare you!

- You take it.

- This is ridiculous.

Who opened the safe?

Why do you ask?

Look, it's a mess inside.

Ask Andr instead.

I don't have the keys.

Okay, man!

Leaving?

Just for the village.

It'll be 1 00 dollars.

You're my son's gym teacher.

I'm Maria Vial.

Never saw you. It's 1 00.

Whether you go or not.

Cut it out. It's 1 0 if I go,

zero if I don't.

You know who I am.

I know all of you.

Peter Nembo, Franois-Joseph.

Your father sells seeds.

Why mention his father?

You pay and you go.

Or else you die.

If she doesn't pay,

I'll waste her!

Hello, Bernard.

Hello, Christine.

That's serious protection!

I'm not so sure...

It's really not much.

Mr. Vial's medicine.

I checked. It's all there.

Except for the oxygen.

Andr will pick it up later.

Got a pen?

We prefer cash now. Dollars.

I see...

Take this.

Can you break these bills for me?

Many things are to be found

in Mama's and Papa's homes.

But go about it gently.

Everyone is entitled his share.

And don't ever forget...

what fate has in store for us,

no one can take away.

You should leave.

Beware of imposters,

smooth talkers and thieves.

As for the white material,

the party's over.

No more cocktails on shaded verandas

while we sweat water and blood.

They're deserting.

They're right to run scared.

Our rulers are already trembling,

their valises filled

with booty they amassed

while you were starving.

Hello. Is your Daddy here?

Daddy's not home.

Goodbye.

THE MAYOR KEEPS HIS WORD

She'll be stunned

that you tried selling the plantation.

You're betraying her.

I'm protecting her from herself.

We no longer turn a profit.

No use getting massacred

over some coffee.

The plantation isn't worth a thing.

I'm glad to hear

the plantation is worthless.

I keep you alive.

Without me,

you'd be rotting on the Garonne.

Come on, don't overdo it!

Andr...

It's falling apart. Beyond hope.

In six months it'll be raining inside.

It was already too late

when you built it.

That's when you should have left.

At least with your wife and Jos.

It's a nice piece of land.

But still...

If I add up everything you owe me,

I should, first of all,

seize the plantation.

And second,

kick you out.

And you'd still owe me

and the government.

Enough...

Get your father's signature.

Have your Fanta.

This is my Fanta.

Is this what you want?

These are my men.

They can take you to the frontier.

Pay them cash. Keep it between us.

Got any gas left?

Yeah, a little.

Where do they come from?

My personal militia.

Your personal militia...

Come on, spare me.

Is that how you intend

to stop the rebels?

- Everyone here?

- Yes!

- Anything to say?

- Yes!

- What is it?

- Knock down the rebels!

I have work to be done,

a harvest to finish.

Do you have any men?

To come and work at my place.

Wait here.

Wait.

So it's half up front,

the other half after.

Three meals a day... and cola nuts.

It's quiet. We've never had trouble.

It's for a few days.

Shall we go?

TAKE DOWN THE BOXER!

Why "take down"?

They say they killed him.

It's bad for us.

Now it will get even worse.

STAND FIRM:

Start running, now.

Things are getting dangerous.

Get going now. It's bad.

We can't get caught between

the army and the rebels.

How can he judge the danger?

If we start believing the radio...

After this job,

I'm buying a motorbike and I'm off.

My daughter is sick.

She's too young.

No choice but to stay.

What's wrong with her?

I don't know. She's in bed.

She doesn't move.

Did you try the clinic?

It's too late now.

I need to pick someone up.

Are you his mother?

- His stepmother?

- Not exactly.

You have to tell me who you are.

I'm his father's ex-wife.

Jos is my son's half-brother.

Listen, I'm in a rush.

Can you go get him?

Go yourself.

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