Kaboul Kitchen

"September 9, 2011"

"The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center collapse"

"George Bush's America goes to war"

"thousands of American soldiers fly away to Afghanistan"

"A few days later, Jacques Chirac brings France into the conflict"

"Facing the military deployment Bin Laden takes refuge in the mountains"

"and the Taliban's give up the capital city"

"As soon as Kabul was back in order"

"NGO and UN agencies organize to rebuild a ruined country"

"Thousands of Westerners fly to Kabul with only one goal"

"saving the country"

I'm a fool, I chose the wrong job Why did I do public relations?

Run a restaurant in Kabul then you'll talk

But, your Kabul Kitchen brings you a lot of money

It brings us a lot of money

By the way do you know Colonel Amanullah?

He wants to run for the parliamentary elections

and he wants me to manage his campaign

- Ask for the highest price - I'd rather refuse

Because he's a drug dealer and a war criminal

Wait, they had 20 years of war

and a third of their economy is based on the opium trade

What did you expect from a politician?

To be better than a thug in the parliament

What you say is beautiful Take that, Mother Teresa

Your share and good luck telling him no

As tactfully as possible!

- That's good - "Boss, the Ali brothers are here"

- Two minutes, Habib - Who's that?

My alcohol suppliers I was beginning to be scared stiff

Excuse me

"They're our treasure, let's help them"

Sorry, Jacky we don't have the goods

Maybe in two days

It's been two weeks you say two days

We can explain, you know

No, I don't care about your explanations

I want the alcohol tomorrow, deal?

I'm going to the NGO

Fight for the Afghan Dignity do you know it?

- Fight for the Afghan Dignity - No, no...

- The Kabul Kitchen? - Yeah, the Kabul Kitchen

Yes Ma'am, yes, yes, yes

You know Jacky? The owner of the Kabul Kitchen

- Yes, a little - It's normal

Jacky knows all the pretty western women

Please, ma'am

What have I told you, Habib?

You told me to wait for the Ali brothers

and to show them to your office

And does this lady look like the Ali brothers, Habib?

- No, but... - Go and wait for them outside

and be careful if you don't wanna end up homeless, Habib

Do you want something?

You don't recognize me?

- No, why, should I? - Eventually

I'm Sophie, your daughter

Don't worry, I haven't heard from you in years

I didn't expect an emotional welcome

Good evening miss is this old man annoying you?

Get out, Damien, where will you sleep? You got a place?

Of course, you did not think I would rely on you

I've learnt to live without you

Get inside

Put your scarf on

- How old are you now? 25? - 27

- And what do you do in Kabul? - Humanitarian work

- For whom? - Fight for the Afghan Dignity

Oh, you're gonna work for the Bovicourt Foundation

- So what? - No, nothing, good luck

I'm brave

- Where do I drop you? - At the NGO, the boss is awaiting me

- Are you sure? - Yes

Good

Hello Victor, it's me, Sophie I'm right in front of the NGO

There might be a misunderstanding Call me back...

I probably know where to find him

- Where? - Get in

Thanks!

After UNICEF, no, no don't count on me guys

Victor, let me introduce you to Sophie

I believe you had an appointment

Hello

Oh, damn it

I'm sorry, Sophie I completely forgot

Well, you found me on your own

Well... Welcome to Kabul

And where do I sleep?

Oh yeah, I had to deal with that too, today

Well, actually...

you had to get Jane's room who had to go to Boris' place

but Boris has got a girl now

so, what we can do is that you can sleep in Camille's room

- if she agrees - Forget it, Victor, we'll do otherwise

You'll take my room it'll be simpler, right?

Victor, this is my daughter

I'll be gone by tomorrow don't worry

I'm not worried Reza will show your room, Reza

Miss, follow me please I will show you to your room

- Good night - Good night, Sophie

We've just sold our last beer, boss

This is so bad

I'll settle this tomorrow deal, Habib?

- I hope so - Hope so too, okay

Thank you

- Hello - Jacky, hello, Jacky

We need to talk

So, will you tell Amanullah that I'd have loved to work for him

but unfortunately, we have a lot of work here in AFCOM now

Sorry

My boss says that he needs you

the Americans told him you were the best

That's very kind of them but I don't deserve such credit

we're just the only communication agency in Kabul, so...

Go!

Yes, Jacky It's funny you're calling

Guess who just left my office? Amanullah's right-hand man

Axel, I don't care about Amanullah

come right now to the restaurant we have a big problem

Those stupid Ali brothers want 20 percent of the restaurant

Just to supply us in alcohol They're completely out of their mind

All the contrary they've played their game very well

- and tomorrow I'll be out - You're exaggerating a little there

You'll find another alcohol supplier

May I remind you that alcohol is forbidden in this country...

and they're barely tolerating me just because I bribe them?

I'm telling you, we're in trouble and it'll be weeks

- before we get a stable supply - What do we do? Are we stuck?

Maybe not, There's another place where there is alcohol

The American embassy

- You want me to call them? - Yes, that'll be good

Remember, it's your restaurant too you must take interest

Okay, it's alright I'll call Karl right now

- How is your daughter? - Good, I don't know

I didn't see her this morning I don't know what she's doing

You didn't tell me she was pretty

Focus on our problem you hear me?

- She's got a man in France? - Alcohol, alcohol

Yeah

Yes, yes, Karl How do you do?

I'm calling you for a special business

You know I've got shares in the Kabul Kitchen restaurant?

Yes, and now we've got a small problem of supplies

And so, what we are thinking with my friend, Jacky

is that maybe you can give us a hand to find alcohol

just the time for us to find another solution, of course

And of course, we would owe you a favor in return

Let's have a look at things in a different perspective

Imagine that you have done us a favor

and that we, in return will find you the alcohol

Yea, yeah, it could work but the problem is that...

we haven't done you a favor

That's also what Colonel Amanullah says

I feel my partner is not really comfortable

with Colonel Amanullah's reputation

and the idea of being paid with drug money

Don't believe everything you hear man, you guys always look

- at the bottle half-empty - Especially right now

Look, my friend, we have a totally different take on the Colonel, okay?

Today, he's fighting against the Taliban

and he's maintaining peace in the region he controls

And that's why we want to give him hand, don't you?

- Totally - Okay, gentlemen

I'll let you think about this and just stay in touch, okay?

- Okay - Okay

- Keep cool, man - Yeah

- Bye - See you

- Don't tell me you're hesitating - Sorry for having some morals

What morals?

Those elections are going to be very bothersome

Because running a restaurant with a pool, cocktails, and women in bikinis

in the most Muslim country in the world is an easy job?

We share the earnings it's about time we share the troubles

Alright, alright

Good

We opened this maternity hospital a year ago

It remains one of the best projects of the foundation till this day

Yes, I know of about the project This is what made me want to come

- There was an article in Le Monde - Yes, about our chairwoman

Solange de Bovicourt

- Is that her? - Yes

- She's the wife of a Swiss billionaire - From Monaco, yeah, that's it

No, she's a very generous woman but, well...

Not always with the best ideas in the world

- What's that? - 300 pairs of skis

with boots and sticks

During a trip to Chamonix

she thought it'd be great to give skis to the Kabul children

there's snow in Kabul in winter and it's mountainous, so...

These are the donations from the Avoriaz and Megeve ski resorts

She also planned the slopes for beginners

There you go, the layout

so I must send her a report on the state of the project

and I need somebody to help me to write it

You must be joking

No, the project will be called Ski Without Borders

But I wanted to work on a school project

Yes, so you're going to work on a ski school project

But a ski school, here it's completely impossible

Yes, that's the idea they must get, right?