Sounds of Sand (Si le vent soulève les sables)

Rahne, your wife's just had a baby.

You already have two sons. What will you do with a daughter?

Her mother wants to keep her.

Another mouth to feed isn't going to help you.

Nobody knowsif it will rain in the next few years,

or if we'll be able to feed our children.

That's what I'm saying.

If you smother her,

you must do it tonight.

Mouna?

Mouna?

What shall we call her?

Shasha.

Sounds of sand

Come on, Pouzzi! Dance with us!

Come on, Pouzzi, dance! Dance!

How many times do I have to tell you? Stop calling me Pouzzi.

Shasha, that's enough.

Go and play. Go on.

I didn't find water in the north.

In the east, the local clans have sworn

they'll kill anyone going near the wells, they're almost dry already.

I found a spring four hours from here.

But the bucket scraped the bottom.

This morning, I saw the body of a dead camel

The scavengers had already eaten part of it.

The tracks came from the south.

The nearest wells are now over six hours from the village.

We must leave now.

Leave?

To go where?

The further south we go, the more cracked the earth.

Our only hope is to go east.

All you'll find in the east is poverty and pillagers.

Perhaps, but we can cross the desert in 10 or 12 days

and settle over the border, near the lakes.

That route is much shorter than the southern one.

Only God knows where there is water,

but I think Rahne is right.

I will go with you Rahne.

You will all die.

There is war over there.

Where is Shasha?

Shasha? Yes

I have no idea.

Shasha!

Here I am, Pouzzi!

Look, mummy, I've put on my prettiest party dress

for the journey.

The trees are very green here.

There will be water.

Peace be with you and your family.

My name is Janja.

I'm from the Mahe clan. I raise cattle.

Where are you headed?

To the north, towards the black deserts.

There, we"ll try to reach the white lands.

I see you have cattle.

The route is unsure, too much poverty.

We could travel together guard against thieves in turns.

Because of the famine, even lambs have grown fangs.

For over ten years, those living behind the white sands

have wanted to annex our territory.

The whole region is in rebellion against the two heathen governments.

There is hate between clans, pillaging, starving soldiers,

refugees who killffor no reason.

When I was studying in the city,

many factions fought each other.

But our president always ended up having the last word.

He massacred everybody.

It was simpler that way.

Well travel together.

We leave tomorrow at dawn, while it's still cool.

Alright.

We must wait for daybreak to approach, otherwise they'll steal our animals.

A few of my cows are missing.

It's God's will.

Hello Hello

Here. How are you?

Fine, and you?

Ravil

Ravil

Come on, wake up.

Wake up.

Here

Do you know what youill find when you get there?

Water.

Yes, for you and your family, but not for the cattle.

There's no water for them here. - Who says I have cattle?

We saw you arrive yesterday.

And you have...

pretty women, too.

Give us one animal a day and you'll get what you need.

One animal a day!

And protection as well.

My name is Lassong.

I'll come by this levening to hear your answer.

Four goats should be enough.

We leave in four days.

I'll give each of you the equivalent of a goat in money.

My cattle are too valuable.

Agreed.

Agreed.

You're hurting me.

Shasha, that's enough. Sit still.

Well?

It's agreed.

One animal a day, for enough water and your protection.

You made the right decision.

In a day or two, those starving people would have killed you.

Ravil

All round, all naked.

That's enough, Shasha.

The well is drying up.

You should leave.

Yes, but which way should we go?

We're here.

To get to the white lands, you must head north

There.

There and there.

Three deep wells. For sure.

Three or four days between each.

Never leave the track. Never.

The surrounding areas

are riddled with mines.

I'll never keep up with my cattle.

If I could sell them, I could buy a camel.

I'll find a military vehicle to drive you to the other side of the sands.

In less than a day and a night you'll be in the lake region.

No mone need for a camel.

But it's dangerous.

You drive for hours in the open.

There are soldiers, mines.

You have to cross the border.

It's expensive.

How expensive?

Your whole herd.

Some scoundrels

might offer to do it for less, but they'll abandon you in the middle of the sands.

Alright.

We'll come for you tomorrow.

Goodbye, my friend.

Hurry. We have to be back in two days.

Come on.

Are you afraid? No

You're a brave girl.

Look

Watch over their eyes.

Here, bandits sometimes steal children's eyes.

Then they sell them to the whites.

Nobody will steal my children's eyes.

Shasha.

That's why I tell you to be careful.

Have you got a compass you could sell me?

Yes, for 3000.

3000 or nothing. Alrignt.

Thank you

Assambo.

I've found one.

They got rid of Janja.

Tomorrow, Lassong will kill us. We're all going to die.

We must leave tonight.

Come on.

Quickly, Rahne, we only have a few hours' lead.

- Ravil - Yes daddy?

Take over from me

We're going to get the goats.

The track goes in the right direction

I think Lassong's map must be right.

Everybody was rushing to the other well. Here, there's no-one.

A car!

Come here, Imi. Come.

Make no noise.

I'm sure it's Lassong.

Well have to wait for it to come back.

We cant risk crossing.

Pouzzi, thirsty! Thirsty!

You, go and see to the goats.

That boy will die.

They spirits will chase us.

Take the lead.

Soon we'll arrive at the first well on the map.

How do you know?

He lied.

Yes, Lassong lied.

The border is much further south.

Mouna is exhausted. She's bleeding.

We must stop

We must go on.

She can't do it anymore.

We must go on.

We have no choice. If we don't, well all die.

Go on ahead, then.

I'll join you as soon as I can.

God be with you, my friend.

And with you.

Mouna!

Wake up.

Put the lid on the dish,

so the water doesn't evaporate.