We (Nous)

A bat.

- Here comes an animal. - There's an animal.

There, it's a stag.

I thought I saw something move.

Here, have a look.

Adjust them to your eyes.

- You see? Over there. - Yes.

He really doesn't want to come out. He's right on the edge.

He's too cautious.

He's not moving.

He's going from left to right.

No, he's not moving at all.

He's off to the right.

He's bellowing.

Listen, listen.

WE

Hello, a be ka sonner.

How's it going?

All good?

You're OK?

A be ka sonner.

Where are you?

Yeah, I'm fine. How about you?

Are you at the depot?

At the depot?

I'm done soon.

You're done soon?

Soon.

I went ahead and fitted the engine.

I fitted the cylinder head.

But the red thing, I took off the lower case,

pulled out the wires, then tried it.

But it's still flashing, you see?

You said you found a scanner system.

So the battery was dead.

Damn!

I had to take the battery off Tanti's Ford.

I put that in.

Then I tried to take out the chip

but it's not a battery problem, it's an indicator problem.

Indicator?

The anti-start indicator.

That's the problem.

What a crap car.

I'm telling you, it's a piece of shit.

I've never seen such a wreck.

A total wreck.

Alright.

- Why've I got no internet? - Maybe you're out of credit?

Shouldn't be. It's not the end of the month.

I bought some in the middle of the month.

I don't get it.

Is it the network?

No, the network's good.

Here we go.

You were right, it's Zoumana.

There, that's a good one.

With his tie.

Play that guy, Séko Bouaré.

Sékou Bouaré.

Right, Sékou Bouaré.

Check that out, Zoumana!

Alright!

She hasn't seen him.

He can dance, too.

Mocking laughter's good for you.

It's not warm yet.

The heater takes a long time to warm this truck.

Petrol engines are better for that.

As soon as you start them, they give off heat.

Hello.

Let me put my earbuds in.

I'm just doing it.

Hello, Mama.

How are you?

Is everything OK?

How's things in Mali?

Everything fine?

Good.

It's been a while.

Yes, we're doing well.

We're all good.

He's doing fine.

Mama, I gave all that up.

You only know what they're like once you're here.

They're mean to us, when we've only come here to work.

To earn a living.

We don't like it when they're mean to us.

Apart from that, I'm doing just fine.

Amen!

No problem.

OK, Mama.

I have to sort out the paperwork first.

Then I'll come home.

I can't stay here.

Keep saying your prayers for me.

Anyway, I'll get everything ready.

I'll get the paperwork together.

I wanted to send the car over

but my bag was stolen and the vehicle's papers were inside.

I have to get a new document.

But I'll get my papers first.

Then I'll do the necessary for the car.

I was told it takes 8 months to get the papers.

Amen.

So they couldn't pay 15,000 francs to fix the phone?

Don't worry, Mama, I'll send you a good phone.

Inshallah.

I've got a cold.

I'm fixing a car outside and I'm cold.

It's cold here right now.

Too cold for me.

If Mamadou is with you, tell him I'll call him back when I'm done.

I'm under the hood right now.

I'm under the hood, Mama. I'll call you back.

I'll call you back, Mama.

Amen.

Amen.

May God grant your wishes.

Bye bye.

Bye, Mama.

That was my mother.

- Is she OK? - She's fine.

She told me that she misses me.

She hasn't got a decent phone.

I've got a nephew,

and he calls me on WhatsApp and hands it to her.

- Where is your mother? - Back home.

- Where's that? - In Kati.

Near Bamako, 15km away.

It's like here, you've got Marseille.

Marseille, the military camp, you've got that there.

Marseille?

The base camp here is...

It's Normandy.

Like Normandy here, right?

When did you last return to Mali?

In 2000, 2001.

You haven't been back since?

Since then, I haven't been home.

When my mother caught the first train to go to work,

I was still fast asleep.

She was a cleaner.

She died 25 years ago.

Her name was Rokhaya.

I knew that there were tapes with images of her.

But I had never wanted to watch them.

I was afraid of what I might see.

And even more of what I might not see.

Maybe you should do it later.

I'm doing it on the part...

The TV?

- Wait, it says... - You don't press play?

My elder sister bought a little Hi-8 camera,

which she used to film our family life.

I found only 18 minutes of footage.

18 minutes during which my mother only appears fleetingly.

A tour of the house. There's no light.

That's bad.

Go down.

Take it easy.

I can't see a thing.

What can you see?

My Van Goghs hanging up on the wall.

Can you see me?

A scene from everyday life.

Wait, Mimi, I can't see clearly. I hope it will be in focus.

Wait, wait.

Don't worry about your hair. It's a test.

Wait, wait.

She's filming you.

Miss Eva Dramé, is that how you revise?

Her father will get to see the tape.

Today, there's no class.

What? You don't have class today?

Mama, you did your hair.

Look how beautiful Mama is!

I'm recording. Later we'll see what we've got.

Most frustrating was finding the tape of that last Christmas.

My mother didn't know she was ill.

I imagined our father proudly presenting the turkey.

I imagined my mother wearing her best boubou,

and how she sat graciously by my father, laughing and chatting.

We missing someone?

Is everyone here?

Where's Fama?

Fama!

She's on her way.

Here she comes.

You not going to sit, Eva?

There's a chair here.

Françoise is going to say a few words.

None of this exists.

All that remains are people whose name I cannot remember.

I search for traces of my mother.

I'm sorry that she only appears fleetingly.

She's always a silhouette on the edge of the frame,

ready to disappear.

I'm old, so I can't always do it.

Everyone, clean up! Let's go!