Rosewater

When I was nine,

my sister took me to the Shrine of Masumeh.

It was beautiful.

But I'll never forget the smell.

A mix of sweat, and the rosewater

they showered down on the faithful.

I used to think only the most pious

carried that scent.

Mazi jaan...

Mazi jaan... Mmm.

Wake up.

These men want to talk with you.

Get up, sir. And get dressed.

We are here now.

Hi. Hi.

Would you like to come back tomorrow?

It is a bit of a mess. It is my childhood room so...

No?

No.

Take some.

We don't want to impose.

You come with the sunrise,

you go through my son's belongings,

and you say you don't want to impose?

Put on your scarf, madam.

Do I provoke you?

Mother, mother...

Uh...

Why do you have so many films?

Because I've always liked watching them.

I've been watching them since I was a kid.

What is this?

This is porno?

No. No, no. It is an Italian film.

Uh, an art film.

This is porno. No.

Do you know about this?

Sir, she doesn't know.

It is an art film from Italy.

What is this?

Next time you see my face,

show some respect.

I Will.

You motherfucker!

You shot my foot!

The Sopranos. Porno.

Sopranos.

Porno.

Leonard Cohen?

Amazing!

Right?

It's beautiful, but ominous.

Keep it. I got it for you.

It's just some music.

Jewish? Porno? Porno? Tintin-.

Porno?

Yes. Could be. Yes.

What... What does this say?

I don't know. You don't know?

No, it's in German. I don't know.

But it's from your room and you don't know?

Yeah, but it's my late father's.

God bless him.

Confiscate this.

Please.

You know if you can't reach me at the office,

you can always call my sister.

Yes.

And you have her work number?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And if I can't reach you?

Sorry.

I'm going to miss you.

We have to make the extra cash, no?

I know. Yeah.

With this guy coming in here.

It's crazy how, like, you're one month pregnant

and you're already like this. Go away.

Hey. Ah, I felt it.

Yeah?

I think so. Yes.

What do you want from us?

Do you come in peace?

It's just one week.

There is great anticipation

in the run-up to Iran's presidential election.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the hardline incumbent,

is no longer the guaranteed victor.

His opponent, the more moderate.

Mir-Hussein Mousavi, has been gaining quickly

and could be poised for an historic upset.

But Ahmadinejad's student organizer Alireza Abkar

still believes.

So-called Western democracy is corrupt

because it reflects only the will of the people.

Why the Iranian state is superior?

Well, where do I begin?

We have a big, huge backing of Ali Khamenei,

and he supports Ahmadinejad's motives.

He understands it's an Islamic state,

not a corrupt, Westernized environment

which Mousavi would like.

Kids today.

Right?

I'd love for you to reconnect with him

now that the elections are upon us.

You think he'll still want to talk?

Yes, I mean, if I bring him some Maltesers,

he will talk.

Allah is no match for London chocolates.

It's not funny.

I'm sorry?

It's pathetic.

Ahmadinejad or whoever,

they take these poor street kids,

who've got nothing,

give them food or sweets or whatever.

Indoctrinate them to spout this gibberish.

It's pathetic, and that's the real story

we should be doing.

He's from here.

Sorry?

Alireza, he's from here.

He's an Iranian Brit.

He was born and raised here. He's educated.

He doesn't need the chocolates.

He just misses them.

Well, off we go.

Yeah.

Let's go.

Thanks, Bobby.

Remember Lindsey Hilsum's out there

if you need anything from Channel 4.

Okay. Cool.

All right.

I was last in Iran three months ago

for my sister's funeral.

Her name was Maryam.

She was my heart.

I followed her

to every film, museum

and concert she would take me to.

In 1980,

she was arrested by the Ayatollah Khomeini.

Six years in prison for being a communist.

Six years!

Mazi...

Maryam was following the footsteps of my father.

My father Baba Akbar had been jailed by the Shah

for the same offense.

Of course, he gave them nothing.

I gave them nothing.

He never broke.

I never broke.

I miss them both.

Please turn off the computers.

Oh, yeah. Thank you very much.

See you later. See you later.

Ah! Ah! Welcome, sir. Hey, hey.

Come, come. Let me take this from you. Come. Come.

Thanks to God I came along,

you could have been stuck here for hours, huh?

Hey, hey. No, no, no.

He's a personal friend of mine.

I've come to get him.

Don't listen to him. A brand new car for you.

Freshly painted, huh!

You can relax. I'm from here.

It's fine. Ah.

Welcome home.

Okay-

I see you have a Mousavi poster.

Yes, it helps.

It doesn't let in the sunlight.

What do you like about him?

Uh, he isn't Ahmadinejad.

He's getting a lot of attention now.

Do you think it's only because of who he isn't?

Uh, may I ask,

are you here for, uh, business or pleasure?

Or perhaps pleasure's bitter rival, family?

No, I'm a journalist.

I'm covering the elections for Newsweek magazine.

Oh, yeah? Yeah.

And I'm also visiting my mother.

Uh, I meant no disrespect. No problem.

I think Mousavi is honest.

Well, maybe he's not.

Tell Newsweek, tell the whole world,

if Mousavi fails us,

it's okay, we will find someone who won't.

I see you're in the satellite business.

Sir, satellite dishes are illegal

and I shouldn't have to remind you

we live in a lawful and devout society.

Do you need one?

VPNs?

Information access here is very fragile.

No, I'm very happy with my satellite service.

But I am in the market for a responsible driver.