Our Lady of the Nile (Notre-Dame du Nil)

Grandmother said that when she died,

her spirit would return to the volcanos,

and her memory would dissolve into the lake.

I can still hear her voice...

Our Earth is tired,

weary of the disorder

left by the wandering colonists.

Unaware of their destination,

in search of their lost innocence.

They conquered the world this way, by losing themselves.

They went wherever they heard a child's laughter:

the breath of peace.

A mother's lullaby:

the song of dignity.

Bewildered, they came from all over.

They came through the Land of a Thousand and One Hills,

celebrating their ignorance.

What arrogance!

Can you tell me,

did they find their lost innocence?

Silence...

I hear something...

Don't you?

Come,

let me take you where ingenuous hearts once lived.

Come on, girls, get up!

I said get up!

Wake up!

Wake up.

Godelive.

Come on, wake up.

Innocence

You just let her, Modesta?

She's crazy, that girl.

In the name of the Father,

the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Bless this meal, Lord,

and give bread to those who have none.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

You may sit.

This afternoon will be devoted to our monthly tasks.

Listen carefully for your group. I won't say it twice.

Virginia.

Goretti.

Godelive.

Gloriosa.

You will dust and straighten up the archives.

Frida.

Veronica.

Dorothée.

Immaculée and Modesta.

You will clean the statue by the river source.

Louise.

Rose.

Odile. Jeanne.

Natasha.

Gisčle.

You will plant vegetables with Brother Auxille.

The Virgin that was unveiled

resembled a Virgin from Lourdes,

but she was different.

Her face was black,

her feet were black,

and her hands were black.

The Virgin is happy.

I wish I had someone to wash me every morning!

Maybe when you're old and ugly.

Quiet, you're here to work.

Dorothée, what did you do?

She'd be prettier white.

Modesta.

- My God... - Give me some mud.

For once, we had an African virgin.

Rwandan like us, besides.

Look who's coming.

Him again?

He's looking for a girl for sure.

They say that he's...

impotent.

Mr. Fontenaille, we weren't expecting you.

I came to pay my respects.

Like you, I honor the mother of the Nile.

Our statue.

Mr. Fontenaille, please do not disturb the girls while they work.

Yes, Sister.

Of course.

Thank you.

Ladies...

May the Virgin protect you.

Hey, girls!

Oh, how pretty!

Look what I found.

Show us.

It's Veronica!

It's beautiful.

No way!

Show me.

Godelive, isn't this the inauguration of Our Lady?

Yes.

It's the ceremony. Too bad we weren't there.

Hey girls, look.

It's us when the Queen of Belgium visited the institute.

She's beautiful.

Yes.

She's beautiful.

But not as beautiful as the Tutsi queen Gicanda.

Her beauty didn't keep her in power.

You look awestruck by the queen anyhow.

Who's that?

Our former leaders, I think.

Why are their faces crossed out?

They're "on holiday."

Otherwise, they'd have pillaged the country.

Even the sugar.

Gloriosa, wait.

What do you want?

I'm not a thief.

The sugar... is for my little sisters.

- There is none where I live. - It's not my problem.

For the next math exam...

I can help you.

Frida's not back?

She's sleeping over in the guesthouse with her fiancé,

Jean-Baptiste Balimba, Ambassador of Zaire!

He came from the capital to see her.

Again? That's the second time this month.

Yeah, I know.

This is beautiful.

Did you see?

Veronica thinks she's a star!

Hon, you're wrong.

In this portrait, I'm not a star, I'm a goddess.

Good Lord!

Where'd she get it?

- What? - The portrait.

- It was Mr. Fontenaille... - The white man?

Yes. It's a good drawing, isn't it?

- Natasha, no! - "My love..."

- Don't read it! - The institute is torture,

I'm dying without you!

Save me! Free me!

Let's run away from here!

I dream of living adventures with you, my love!"

We'll see next year, ma'am.

This year the institute has already reached

it's 10% quota for Tutsis.

Thank you, Reverend Mother.

Thank you, Mother.

I'm waiting.

Virginia copied my work.

No, it's Gloriosa...

I want the truth.

Virginia is a thief.

She steals sugar from the refectory to sell it in her hills.

Is that true, Virginia?

Yes, Reverend Mother.

I took a tiny bit of sugar,

but not to sell.

I will tolerate neither lies nor theft.

When will you two stop quarreling?

This is an institute for the elite.

You are expected to become good citizens.

And good Christians.

The two go together.

One more incident, and you'll both be severely punished.

The sister-in-charge will see to you.

Yes, Mother.

You may go.

Fontenaille Estate Coffee Plantation

The white man scares me. He's crazy.

Don't be stupid, Modesta. Come on.

I'll wait out here.

Then don't bother.

I want to see Mr. Fontenaille.

I want to see the white man who lives here.

Follow me.

Easy does it.

That's good.

Oh, what a nice surprise.

What brings you to my humble home?

I want a portrait like Veronica's.

Veronica...

- So that's her name? - Yes.

With her long neck.

Yes.

Where is she from?

I don't know.

And her friend, with the tiny nose.

What's her name?

Virginia?

Ah, Virginia.

You, you're different.

What's your name?

Modesta.

Who fears blood?

Gods or men?

Both, you might say.

But if that's so,