MALALAI
TRANSCRIPT ENGLISH VERSION
DURATION: 42min20secs

00:00:00 COLOUR BARS
00:00:50 BLACK
00:01:00 TEXT
Mal’a’lai
n. sad, melancholic heroine of the famous ninteenth century Anglo – Afghan war
00:01:13 Fade to intro film
00:01:37 Malalai subtitle
Let me brush your hair
00:02:02 Subtitle
Go!
00:02:09 Subtitle
My father is a policeman.
He’s 65 years old and teaches at the police academy.
My father loves his job and I joined the police because of him.
00:02:32 Subtitle
I don’t feel like a woman.
At work I am like a man.
I am brave honest and strong.
00:03:05 Subtitle
20 years ago, Malalai and I lived in the same district of Kandahar.
We were both educated and because of this
We fell in love and got married
00:03:32 Subtitle
Is your brother Torialay still not here?
00:03:34 Subtitle
He’s on his way
00:03:38 Subtitle
I am proud that Malalai works for her country
Our country needs her
00:03:50 Subtitle
Let’s go, Torialay !
Torialay !
00:03:55 Subtitle
Let’s go to work !
00:03:58 Subtitle
I need to put my veil down. Take my gun!
00:04:20 BLACK
00:04:21 TITLE ‘Malalai’
00:04:30
00:04:54 TEXT
Kandahar Police Headquarters
00:05:00 TEXT
Monday
00:05:19 Subtitles
I’m going in
Shall I go with you?
No, wait here
00:05:32
I’m going in
00:05:36 Subtitles
Malalai is a very special woman. She works like a man.
She can work anywhere and she doesn’t even worry about it
00:06:08 Subtitles
I have a problem with this man and I want to make a complaint
They throw stones at us and swear at my wife!
And they also swear at me
I knocked on his door and told him not to swear at us
And that its not good to talk like that
I told him not to use bad words, I rented this house
If I hadn’t rented this house, then someone else would have
If you think this house is yours, then prove it !
Go to the high court and bring an order from the judge
If you do own this house, then I will take back my $6500 in rent
00:06:43 Subtitles
Do you like making problems ?
What do you want to do?
Do you want to make up with him?
00:06:51 Subtitles
Whatever he wants
00:06:58 Subtitles
I am going to write this;
“I am not going to fight or argue with anyone anymore
I won’t do anything else to them”
Okay?
00:07:11
I willl read this and you should listen;
“In the future I won’t fight with my neighbours
I promise that my brothers will not disturb anyone either
I will have nothing to do with them
And if I do it again then I will be considered a criminal
00:07:28
Okay?
Yes, okay
00:07:33
Give is your left thumb
00:07:44
I have written it down and this problem is resolved!
00:07:56
Promise him and kiss his hand
00:08:02
Go and kiss him!
00:08:06
There’s no need for him to kiss me!
He has promised not to disturb us
That’s what I wanted!
Do you remember when you swore at me?
I have a mother, a sister, a brother. Just like you. And a son
00:08:25
Tell him you won’t do it again. Apologise!
00:08:28
I made a mistake. I’m sorry
00:08:34
He won’t do it again. This case is closed.
00:08:36
I’m happy he has apologised.
00:08:41
Come with me!
00:08:48
Come and sit here!
What’s the matter?
00:08:57
Do you speak Farsi? Pashtu…oh sorry.
00:09:01
On our first night my husband couldn’t do anything with me
He is not able to keep a wife
00:09:16
Speak up!
00:09:18
I want a divorce!
00:09:20
How long have you been married?
Two years.
00:09:23
For the last six days, her husband has allowed her to stay with us.
I will bring that mother fucker here!
00:09:33
Write an application and give it to the General
00:09:44
He’s not fit to have a wife !
I swear by God and the holy Quran that he has cheated us!
00:09:53
My life is more difficult than anyone else!
00:09:57
She didn’t even break her fast, he didn’t give her any food!
00:10:00
I wouldn’t mind if he was a good man…
00:10:05
Everyone has problems but this is too much for us !
00:10:12
You should go
00:10:15
Is your brother here?
Yes.
00:10:19
Give him my regards
00:10:36 TEXT
Tuesday
00:10:58
This is the order to bring your husband to the police station
00:11:09
How long have you been a virgin for in your husband’s house?
00:11:13
What can I say? On our first night he was very cruel to me
And destroyed my virginity with his finger
00:11:19
He destroyed it with his finger?
Yes.
00:11:23
If you don’t agree with what I have written, then I will write it again
00:11:27
You already know where you are from and I wrote that first
On my wedding night my husband was not able to have sex with me
And he destroyed my virginity with his finger
One year ago I complained about this to my mother
00:11:50
My father was sick and wasn’t able to defend me
So the village elders sent me back to my husband
They said the problem was with me and not my husband
I am a Pashtun girl and I haven’t done anything wrong with anyone
I want to remarry and have a child and a good family
00:12:26
Weren’t you here last year?
00:12:29
No, that was someone else
00:12:31
That was someone else? Let me see your face.
00:12:38
Okay…put your thumb print here and it’s done
00:12:44
Let me help you
00:12:53
What can I do if he says I am lying?
Why would you lie? You know the truth.
00:13:00
If you need to go to hospital then we will take you there
00:13:09
God bless you!
00:13:15
Is my brother here?
Yes.
00:13:21
Give this to the district police and tell them to bring her husband here.
You can’t bring him here yourself!
00:13:31
If her husband can not look after her or have sex with her
Then she can divorce him
She said that no one is earning in her household
And her husband is more like a woman than a man
Her husband blames her for not getting pregnant
And she blames him for being impotent!
00:14:04
Some strong Afghan women are chained and starved
By their husbands but they can not get a divorce
This woman has a bigger problem and is entitled to a divorce
00:14:36
Kandahar was the strong hold of the Taliban regime
Mullah Omar lived here and there was a lot of terrorism
There are still terrorists hiding in this region
That’s why we need so many police
00:15:01
Malalai is the first police woman in Kandahar
She works in the criminal investigations department
And when there are cases involving women, she is in charge
00:15:17
Come on, Torialay !
Give me the gun!
00:15:47
I think some men are far more feminine than me.
I’m not boasting but I am stronger than a lot of men!
Anything men can do I can do better!
I can go to the mountians, the desert. I can go anywhere
I’m not scared of anything
The only thing that scares me is God!
00:16:39
Go on!
Torialay…Torialay
Channel one…are you on the same frequency?
00:16:49
Torialay…Torialay
Why is it like this?
Torialay…Torialay
Keep trying !
00:16:56
Torialay…Torialay
Can you hear me?
No !
00:17:17
Hello Ismari! How are you?
00:17:20
Where is the body?
Over there, they burnt it.
00:17:26
So, when are we searching the house?
We are going to search it now.
Let’s go!
00:17:33
Where are the men?
00:17:40
Why are there so many armed men here?
They’ve been here all night.
00:18:12
Is there only one house?
No, four.
00:18:26
Go with them!
00:18:50
Tell the women to go in one room
00:18:52
You first, keep to one side!
Stay in the room!
Wait in that room!
00:19:05
Let’s go!
Let’s go!
00:19:20
A man was murdered in the next village
And the car tracks came here so we are searching this village
00:19:40
Come here !
00:19:45
What’s this?
I swear I don’t know!
Can you open this box?
I’m going to search the women’s boxes. Don’t look.
00:20:05
Hello, how are you?
Do you know what happened?
00:20:10
No, what happened?
Someone has been murdered.
I don’t know anything about it!
00:20:15
I swear we don’t know! We’ve been in the mountains for a long time.
00:20:21
Do you have a doctor or a shop here?
No, there is nothing here.
What do you do when you are sick?
We have a car
00:20:32
Is there a school for your children?
No, there is nothing.
00:20:38
There is no future for the children. The people are uneducated. There are no schools or hospitals here. They are nomads.
00:20:50
I am sorry but I am going to search you now.
Yes, you can.
Don’t be upset.
You can search us, we haven’t got anything.
00:21:00
Don’t be scared
Search us, we don’t have anything.
00:21:08
It’s okay, it’s a woman searching us.
00:21:11
There’s no problem
00:21:13
You can search me
God is not lost!
00:21:21
I am not here to upset you
00:21:28
Thank you , you are like my mother.
I hope you are not upset withme. It is my duty.
God bless you!
I am not upset
00:21:34
You are welcome here as a police woman and a freedom fighter
I am at your service
00:21:40
What do you want for the future of our country?
Freedom? Peace?
00:21:46
I want the same as you
00:21:48
Do you want a school here?
The men should decide, not us
00:21:55
Do you want a hospital here?
Yes, of course!
00:22:00
Do you want a girl’s school here?
The men should decide, not us.
00:22:09
Can’t you decide?
No, we can’t!
00:22:14
Good bye ! God bless you !
God bless you! I swear we don’t know anything.
00:22:34
We’re leaving now
Let’s go!
00:22:42
We suspected that the murderer and the weapons
Were in this village but we didn’t find anything
00:23:27 TEXT
Wednesday
00:23:36
Is her husband here?
No, he didn’t come.
00:23:39
Where is he?
I spoke to the General
What did he say?
He said that he would send someone to get him.
00:24:03
This is your application for a divorce.
Let me know if you want to make any changes.
00:24:14
Go and ask if they have brought her husband here for questioning!
Out there?
Yes, is he here yet?
00:24:27
What will you do if he gives you a divorce?
Do you want to marry again or live with your parents?
00:24:36
I will do as I please! I am wiser now and I won’t listen to my mother or father anymore. They created this problem for me.
00:24:46
Who gave you to him?
My mother and father.
00:24:53
Aren’t you happy with him?
No, I’m not happy!
00:24:57
Did they give you for money?
Yes, $4000
00:25:00
Let me see your face.
00:25:12
Does he hit you?
Who?
Your husband.
Yes, he hits me and he tells his mother to hit me too. It wouldn’t matter if he hit me if he was a man!
00:25:27
What does your husband say?
He says I should sleep with his brother. They tell me to sleep with him all the time.
With his brother?
Yes.
00:25:38
Does your mother-in-law tell you to do that as well?
Yes! The whole village knows her son is impotent! A wife should be closer to her husband than his mother and sister. Isn’t that right?
Yes.
00:25:55
In that family animals are more important than women! We married her when she was 16 years old. Her husband hasn’t even slept with her sixteen times! She is pure and honest and hasn’t slept with anyone. I am very upset about this!
00:26:17
Malalai, if you fail in this case then my daughter will not survive. Life is very difficult for her in that house.
00:26:28
If I am forced to go back to his house and they make me do this, then the only option is to kill myself!

00:26:41
My father told me that if I can’t find any prostitutes for him then he will throw me out!
Who said that?
My father.
00:26:53
Does he hit you?
00:26:57
Let’s sit down. Tell me what happened.
00:27:03
My mother told me to come to the police station.
00:27:11
Does he hit you a lot?
Yes and tells me to find him women.
00:27:14
Does he hit your mother?
How can I find women for him?
00:27:24
It’s good that you came here. We will call him in for questioning.
00:27:28
Don’t give me back to him!
No, we won’t.
00:27:31
Look at my arm! He hit me and asked why I didn’t find any women.
Did he do this to you?
Yes, look at it!
00:27:57
He is a pimp and makes me find women for his business
He hits me…
00:28:29
Don’t give me back to him!
00:28:57
Your thumb…
00:29:04
It’s very sad that a father tells his 13 year old daughter to do this. She is an innocent girl who is being forced to find prostitutes.
00:29:27
I am very worried about this case!
00:29:47
I can’t stand this type of behaviour. I am mother, a daughter and also a wife. From a police point of view, we need to verify the information. We will ask the neighbours what they have seen then we will tell her father what we have heard but we won’t mention that his daughter told us. She could be in danger if he found out.
00:30:29 TEXT
Thursday
00:31:58
Let’s go!
00:32:35
There is no one here! You can go in.
00:32:50
What’s going on? This is a scandal!
00:32:59
You first…
In there?
00:33:06
It’s dark in here!
00:13:14
What’s this?
00:33:20
There is nothing in that box, check the other one.
00:33:28
These belong to my wives.
00:33:30
We’re just checking!
It’s not your job to look at them but you can.
00:33:55
Just take what you need. If you don’t need it, then leave it.
00:34:03
This is what happens to a man with three wives!
Three wives is nothing, five or six wives is real trouble!
00:34:09
Mullah tolerates four wives and you can’t even cope with three!
00:34:15
I have tried everything but they are never happy!
00:34:51
You have lots of papers.
00:34:59
This is for a gun
00:35:15
If there are any photos then let Malalai look at them!
00:35:22
There are some photos in here.
In here?
00:35:37
Women.
00:35:52
This is heroin.
00:36:01
We received some information about this man. He behaves badly and dresses in a police uniform. He is a thief and steals from the villagers, people thought the police were doing it! We have found heroin and police uniforms here. He doesn’t work for the government, he’s unemployed. He’s just a villager.
00:36:35
We are taking him to the police station and then we will decide what happens to him. He’s also the father of the young girl.
00:36:45
Malalai, go and move the women into one room!
00:37:05
Look what I’ve done! I gave him to the police!
00:37:10
Come and show us where those things are.
They were hidden in the corner…father has been taken away!
Do you swear?
He’s gone! Come with us.
00:37:27
Did he take the gun?
I put it here but he must have taken it!
Did he do anything before we got here?
Like what?
Did he hide it? Was he sleeping or awake?
00:37:48
No, we were having lunch.
00:37:54
Could it be under the carpet?
00:38:04
Has he really gone?
00:38:40 TEXT
Friday
00:38:46
Take this with you! You can get out.
00:38:54
Go to my office…
00:38:59
Take my gun
00:39:02
I am glad her father has been arrested. We are still investigating this case. He will go to court and they will decide what happens. He will go to prison.
00:39:14
I am happy that my father has been arrested. His wives are also happy. He’s a bad man and deserves to be in prison!
00:39:50
These are the women who filed for divorce; mother and daughter. They have been coming here for the last four days. We ordered for her husband to come here but he hasn’t. They want to know what we are going to do.
00:40:05
Which one is the wife?
This one. Tell him your problem.
00:40:09
I have been coming here for four days. The police ordered for my husband to come but he hasn’t. He won’t come.
00:40:21
Her problem is that she is being treated unfairly. She married two years ago and says her husband is impotent. She wants a divorce. We don’t know the truth about her husband because he hasn’t come. They have been here for four days.
00:40:49
Let’s send another order to the district police and the soldiers will bring him here!
00:41:01
I hope we can find him. Let’s go!
00:41:16
He is hiding because in our culture divorce is very shameful. If he is healthy and doesn’t have any sexual problems then he should bring a doctor’s letter to prove it and they will be reunited as husband and wife. In this case, the husband is to blame. He hasn’t shown his face to the police and now he is a criminal!
00:41:57 TEXT
Her husband did not consult a doctor and refused to divorce. She has returned to her marital home and they continue to live together as husband and wife.
00:42:12
Her father is in prison awaiting his court hearing. She is now fourteen years old and engaged to be married.
00:42:29
They have not returned to the police station but continue to disturb each other.
00:42:46 CLOSING CREDITS
Produced, Directed and Filmed by Polly Hyman
00:42:57
Edited by Silje Vik Pedersen
00:43:08
Translators
Khalid Sameen
Khatera Jan
Yusuf
00:43:20 END

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