The Source (La source des femmes)

THE SOURCE OF WOMEN

Is it a fairy tale or a true story?

A fairy tale, of course, what is true on earth?

This does not happen at the court of a sultan but in a small village.

Or elsewhere, where a spring gushes and love dries up.

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 okay? - 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 fulfill 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 honor 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, 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,

6 months previously.

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:

5 dead babies.

You, 8 times,

3 dead babies.

Yasmina, 6 isn't it?

3 dead babies!

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,

10 years ago.

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..."