Tunisia's Fields of Resilience | Journeyman Pictures

Transcript

Time Code

(10:00:00:00)

Description of Scene

Audio

Contributor

10:00:00

At home in their house in the

village of Dahra

Reem is practicing her

exercises to improve her jaw

and breathing but it’s not

working.

She is with her sister Insaf who

is consoling her.

00:00:24:01-- 00:00:25:18

Did she give you three candles?

00:00:25:18-- 00:00:26:14

Yes

00:00:27:12-- 00:00:29:03

Why couldn’t you blow it off?

00:00:29:03-- 00:00:32:17

I could blow out the first one but the second one

was hard

00:00:32:17-- 00:00:33:17

Did your head hurt?

00:00:33:17-- 00:00:34:22

Yes

00:00:39,800 -- 00:00:41,520

Did your head hurt?

Keep trying you will get it done

00:00:41,520 -- 00:00:44,000

I really can’t do it

00:00:44,000 -- 00:00:46,720

How will you improve?

00:00:45:01-- 00:00:47:18

I am tired of this

Insaf

Reem

Insaf

Reem

Insaf

Reem

Insaf

Reem

Insaf

Reem

10:00:59

Noura tries to wake her two daughters up before leaving her house very early in the morning.

October 2022

4AM

00:00:59:10 --00:01:02:10

Reem, Reem

00:01:03:01-- 00:01:05:00

Insaf, Insaf

00:01:05:00-- 00:01:11:20

I made some coffee, It’s 4am.

Wake up before you miss the bus.

00:01:12:22 --00:01:15:13

You’ll miss it, come on wake up

Noura

Noura

10:01:37

Noura sitting by the side of the road in the dark waiting for the bus to pick her up.

00:01:41:24-- 00:01:44:00

Hello, good morning

00:01:44:23 -- 00:01:47:23

Where are you? I'm here waiting,

aren't you coming?

00:01:48:22 -- 00:01:49:18

Where?

00:01:50:06 -- 00:01:52:07

Noura, did you forget about me?

Noura

Rafik

Noura

10:01:57:14

The women are loaded like cattle on the back of the truck and chit chat together.

Noura complains about having to wake up before the sun in order to catch the bus.

00:01:57:14--00:02:00:12

I woke up at 2am in order to not miss this truck

00:02:01:19 à00:02:05:15

To catch this truck I have to leave my daughters alone

00:02:06:18 à00:02:09:03

They may miss their bus

00:02:12:22--00:02:16:22

When do I cook lunch for my daughter?

00:02:16:22 à00:02:20:13

I walk through the wolves and boars

on the way to the pick up location

Noura

10:02:21

Beautiful GVs as the sunrises. The truck drivers are chatting and describe what they do as well as the challenges they face.

00:02:58:14 -- 00:03:04:09

My business consists of using my truck

to get workers to the fields

00:03:04:09 -- 00:03:07:13

The farm owners request workers

and I deliver them to the farms

00:03:07:13 --00:03:11:09

Women are the backbone of the economy,

without them there is no economy

00:03:11:09 -- 00:03:13:06

They work for ($5)/ day

00:03:13:06 -- 00:03:15:13

Men won’t work for that little money

00:03:15:13 -- 00:03:18:12

They’d rather go to coffee shops, sip on their

coffee,

smoke their cigarettes

00:03:24:05 -- 00:03:29:17

But women are ungrateful, even if you go above

and beyond

to accommodate them

00:03:29:17 -- 00:03:35:00

They always think that it is the driver

who tries to take advantage of them

00:03:40:22 -- 00:03:45:00

Look at these roads

00:03:45:18 -- 00:03:52:12

These roads damage my truck,

my fees have to include wear &tear

00:03:52:12 --00:03:54:23

Can we even call these roads?

00:03:54:23 -- 00:04:00:12

Just recently a truck flipped over

killing a woman and her daughter

00:04:00:12 -- 00:04:04:01

That were loaded in its bed

on their way to the field

Abdelhak

10:04:12

04:21

Location Strap

TUNISIA

BIZERTE

DAHRA VILLAGE

50KM

GHAZELA VILLAGE

10:04:27

04 :31

Name Strap

HOUCINE

NOURA’S HUSBAND

10:05:19

The women get off the truck and onto the field.

6 AM

00:05:15:07 -- 00:05:19:15

Grab on to the bar, sorry

00:05:19:19 -- 00:05:21:21

I almost fell

Noura

10:05:28

Noura is sitting down with the other farmers. She describes her daughter’s condition!

00:05:31:22 -- 00:05:34:24

I birthed twins, a girl and a boy

00:05:35:03 -- 00:05:41:12

The boy didn’t live on, and the girl had a

deformation, a birth defect

00:05:41:18 -- 00:05:43:18

I couldn’t just let her live like that

00:05:44:02 -- 00:05:47:14

My family told me to do it but I couldn’t, I can’t

00:05:51:04 -- 00:05:51:02

I must fight for her

00:05:51:07 --00:05:51:02

I’m thankful that she made it this far

00:05:54:23 -- 00:05:56:19

She’s 15, in high school

00:06:00:05 -- 00:06:06:05

I work day and night, summer, winter and year

around

00:06:06:10 -- 00:06:11:23

To collect money to get her the surgeries she

needs

00:06:11:23-- 00:06:15:06

Let’s go, it’s time to work

Noura

Abdelhak

10:06:30

Noura planting seedlings. Her VO gives a bit more background about her daughter Reem and the difficulties Noura faced.

7 AM

00:06:30:04 -- 00:06:31:23

When I gave birth to her in Tunis

00:06:32:02 --00:06:34:19

I had nothing, not even what to feed her

00:06:35:00 -- 00:06:39:07

The midwife suggested giving her up for adoption

00:06:39:12 --00:06:43:01

But I couldn’t, whatever it takes,

I won’t give up my own child.

Noura

10:06:45

The foreman shouts orders. He is making sure the farmhands continue to work.

00:06:45:24 -- 00:06:49:06

Don’t even talk to them, Mondher

00:06:49:14 -- 00:06:52:14

Just put a tray in front of each one of them and

keep going

00:06:53:23 --00:06:55:06

These women always want to talk

Abdelhak

10:07:04

Coffee Shop

00:07:04:18 -- 00:07:07:10

Express 0.3 dollars, Latte 0.4 dollars, Espresso 0.3

dollars

00:07:08:12-- 00:07:13:08

How does it go? Kids are good?

00:07:15:07-- 00:07:19:01

This grocer always keeps the change

00:07:20:23 -- 00:07:25:05

Whether you pay 10 or 20 Dinars, you never get your money back.

Houssin

10:07:45

The women eat lunch in silence. And continue their work. At the end of their shift they head home in the bus.

12AM

10:08:27

Noura returns home and

washes up after a long day in

the field.

She has had enough of working

in the fields.

4PM

00:08:42:01-- 00:08:43:17

God help me

00:08:48:08 -- 00:08:49:12

Insaf!

00:08:50:00 --00:08:51:00

Are you sleeping?

00:08:51:04 -- 00:08:51:23

Insaf!

00:08:53:09 --00:08:55:11

I hate this life

00:08:55:24 -- 00:08:59:14

The truck is full of problems, screw this.

00:08:59:22 --00:09:03:21

I won’t work there until the day I die I swear.

00:09:05:07 --00:09:13:05

Come here Reem.

Come on I’m doing all this for you.

Noura

10:09:31

Tensions rise in the house.

Noura is frustrated and tired of

her husband who is not willing

to contribute and help his

daughter.

00:09:31:17à00:09:33:12

This guy is killing me!

00:09:33:12--00:09:36:10

“Complaining about husbands lack of

involvement”

00:09:37:13 -- 00:09:40:23

He didn’t even try to help his mother with her

sight problems, now she’s blind

00:09:43:15 -- 00:09:45:24

Just be quiet Houssin be quiet!

00:09:46:07 -- 00:09:48:24

I can’t help you with this,

nothing can be solved in Sejnen anyways

00:09:49:07 -- 00:09:51:22

Then leave your mom with her blindness,

and your daughter with her sickness...

00:09:52:05 -- 00:09:55:16

All you do is complain about the little help the

Officials are offering but you’re no better than them

00:09:55:22 --00:10:01:04

I’m not giving up on my daughter,

Dead or alive I’m going to fix her, God willing!

00:10:03:16 - 00:10:07:10

I can’t be like you, so detached, nonchalant!

00:10:11:03 - 00:10:15:11

I’m going to try and get her an appointment

at the speech therapist

00:10:28:02 --00:10:17:20

Do it and leave me alone

00:10:17:24 - 00:10:22:12

Then what are you doing here,

you are supposed to help out

00:10:23:20 -- 00:10:28:02

This surgery business never stops,

there is always one more doctor to visit

00:10:28:10 -- 00:10:33:19

How can anyone ask her hand like this?

00:10:33:23 -- 00:10:35:19

Maybe I have some real estate that I can sell?

(sarcastic)

00:10:36:00 -- 00:10:38:00

I’m done talking; I’m going to bring water.

00:10:38:04 --00:10:41:05

I can’t help you, only God is in a position to do so

00:10:41:11 --00:10:47:11

People in power couldn’t help you and you’re giving me a hard time?

00:11:05:01 -- 00:11:08:01

Let’s go Reem

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

10:11:02

Noura and Reem go and get the water.

Noura describes what she has been through in trying to fix her daughters jaw.

You get a sense of how rural their village is and how far they are from the city.

00:11:12:22 --00:11:17:02

I REMEMBER THIS ONE TIME

I STEPPED ON HER MOUTH DEVICE BY MISTAKE

00:11:17:07 -- 00:11:22:06

SHE WAS A BABY HUNGRY AND THIRSTY

SHE DIDN'T STOP CRYING ALL NIGHT LONG 00:11:22:14 -- 00:11:25:07

WITHOUT THE DEVICE I STOMPED ON,

SHE COULDN'T EAT OR DRINK

00:11:25:13 --00:11:31:02

I TOOK HER TO CHARLES NICOLLE HOSPITAL

00:11:31:05 --00:11:34:09

They got her a replacement that helped

00:11:41:02 -- 00:11:44:24

But in order to do that I had to sell

all the jewelry that I had for $800

00:11:45:05 -- 00:11:51:15

After one check up, I asked the doctor if she’s

getting better

00:11:51:21 -- 00:11:57:24

She said yes and that she could have that device

Removed in order to get the surgery

00:12:05:22 -- 00:12:09:12

But that’s when the jewelry money ran out

00:12:09:13 -- 00:12:10:22

Her dad

00:12:11:03 -- 00:12:12:01

Her uncles

00:12:12:04 -- 00:12:13:17

the family members, no one helped her

00:12:13:20 --00:12:15:02

I have to work and collect the money on my own

00:12:15:03 -- 00:12:17:08

I’d do and that’s how I got her this far

00:12:17:11 -- 00:12:19:02

She’s in high school now

Noura

10:12:28

Noura and her daughters are up early so that the girls can catch the morning bus to school.

It’s cold and dark.

TWO MONTHS LATER

DAHRA “NOURA’S VILLAGE”

6AM

00:12:38:21 --00:12:42:13

I pray that we will be able to get you your surgery

00:12:42:14 -- 00:12:45:13

But you need to be good at school.

00:12:48:20 -- 00:12:50:19

Good morning

00:12:50:21-- 00:12:52:09

-How are you Reem?

- I'm ok

00:12:56:01-- 00:12:57:04

-What classes do you have today?

00:13:06:14-- 00:13:08:20

-Good morning

-Morning

00:13:10:12--00:13:12:12

Back up Reem, Insaf

00:13:13:11--00:13:15:17

Come on in, let's go.

00:13:16:18--00:13:17:24

-Good morning

-Morning

13:32

DAHRA “NOURA’S HOME”

45KM

SANJEN “Reem’s School”

Noura

Reem

Noura

10:13:46

At school in Sejnen Reem finds it hard to read in class because of her speech impediment.

Location: School

8 Am

00:13:47:08-->00:13:51:13

(Tunisian anthem)

00:13:56:04--00:14:02:00

SHE SAID THE OTHER KIDS WOULD MOCK THE WAY SHE SPEAKS,

THEY MIMIC HER

00:14:02:02--00:14:04:07

I TOLD HER TO IGNORE THEM,

IT'S THE WILL OF GOD

00:14:07:14-->00:14:10:02

Teacher: would you remind us the lesson title?

00:14:13:13-->00:14:16:11

Reem: Light reflection

Noura

Reem

10:14:25

Noura and her husband discuss Reem’s situation.

Noura is insisting that Reem needs a speech therapist.

00:14:26:19-- 00:14:31:17

The doctor at Charles Nicolle told us

that she needed a speech therapist doctor

00:14:36,600 -- 00:14:35:12

May god help

00:14:36:17--00:14:39:16

We both need to unite to help her

00:14:39:20--00:14:46:01

Only god can help, I won’t be helping, I don’t have

Noura

Houssin

10:15:05

Noura travels to Sejen to find a therapist. But strikes out

DAHRA “NOURA’S HOME”

30KM

SANJEN Hospital

00:15:07:15--00:15:12:03

I want to ask her about speech therapists,

are there any in there?

00:15:12:06-- 00:15:17:15

Not in there; but in Menzel Bourguiba.

You have the letter from the doctor?

00:15:17:18--00:15:19:02

Okay come with me.

00:15:27:04--00:15:31:16

There is no speech therapists in here

00:15:31:20-- 00:15:35:01

My luck as usual

00:15:40:21--00:15:44:03

I'M TIRED, AFTER GOING TO SEJNANE

AND NOT FINDING A SPEECH THERAPIST

00:15:44:10--00:15:46:22

I CAME ACROSS A RELATIVE WHO'S WILLING TO HELP

00:15:47:04--00:15:49:14

I HAVE TO MEET HIM IN BIZERTE TO TAKE ME TO A SPEECH THERAPIST

Noura

10:16:00

Reem with the speech therapist.

DAHRA NOURA’S HOME

80KM

BIZERTE “SPEECH THERAPIST”

8AM

00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:28,560

Look there are letters that you can’t pronounce,

00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:32,640

You speak it out of your nose rather than your tongue.

00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:34,640

You need speech therapy sessions

00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:41,320

This NGO is for the deaf, do you know what that means?

00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:44,560

- But you can hear fine, right?

- Yes

00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:49,920

Whoever made this recommendation is wrong because you can hear clearly but can’t speak correctly

00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,840

You must go to a speech therapist, there is no way around it

00:16:53:00-->00:16:58:14

I'll give you some exercises to practice on your own,

but that will not be enough

00:16:59:16-->00:17:04:05

By blowing this way onto a candle, and by blowing a balloon

00:17:04:13-->00:17:08:00

You'll get your tongue and jaw muscles activated

00:17:10:10-->00:17:17:24

I couldn’t do that, It’s hard for me

00:17:18:12-->00:17:26:01

Little by little you can do it.

It’s a daily commitment, don't skip any days.

00:17:27:03--00:17:33:21

-Thank you so much sister.

-You’re welcome, best of luck

Speech Therapist

Reem

Speech Therapist

Reem

Noura

Speech Therapist

10:18:33

00:18:39:18--00:18:42:06

(singing)

00:18:55:16--00:18:59:04

MAY GOD HELP ME, I WAS ABLE TO GET A JOB

TRIMMING OLIVE TREES

00:19:00:13--00:19:02:12

WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS MAKING CHAROAL,

I HELPED HIM AS WELL

00:19:03:08--00:19:05:24

SO I COULD MAKE SOME MONEY

TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO THE DOCTOR

00:19:13:07--00:19:20:16

We're almost done here,

will you pay me for helping you out?

00:19:21:11--00:19:27:12

If I don't get paid my self, we'll have to make some charcoal

so we can sell it and make money

00:19:27:24--00:19:30:13

And don't ask me for the full amount

00:19:31:03--00:19:34:04

What if you won't be able to get money?

will I not take my daughter to the doctor?

00:19:34:14--00:19:42:03

I don't care, do you know it costs $25

to get to Tunis nowadays, $25!

00:19:51:10--00:19:56:06

-Here you go, pay me now for this charcoal I made

so I can leave before missing my bus

00:19:56:16--00:20:02:07

-Here you go, you'll need to add some of your own

00:20:05:21--00:20:07:05

And try to come back home early

00:20:07:13--00:20:09:14

And the doctor's fee?

00:20:09:14--00:20:15:20

I already gave you the transportation fee,

what else do you want?

00:20:15:20--00:20:19:09

Two days in Tunis, two days for this doctor,

two days for that doctor

00:20:19:09--00:20:24:16

And the entire year is spent in Tunis for no good reason

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

10:20:32

20:32

April 2023

Location Strap

TUNISIA

TUNIS

A disappointing visit to the doctor reveals that Reem needs further surgery + a new device to fix her speech impediment.

It will cost an additional 1000USD that Noura has not budgeted for.

Location: Hospital

00:21:13:14-- 00:21:16:08

-Last I saw you was in September?

00:21:16:08-- 00:21:19:03

-I had sent you to speech therapy. Correct?

00:21:19:03-- 00:21:20:20

- Yes

00:21:20:20-- 00:21:28:13

-I couldn’t keep up with the blowing exercises,

I would blow it until my head starts spinning,

then stop. It’s useless

00:21:28:13-- 00:21:33:10

-What do you mean?

It didn’t help with your pronunciation?

00:21:33:10-- 00:21:37:06

-Nothing changed, no improvements

00:21:42:24-- 00:21:45:15

The last surgery went well

00:21:45:15-- 00:21:49:04

However, it was performed when you were

already grown up which limits its effect

00:21:49:04--00:21:53:08

We will need another one

That’s appropriate for this age

00:21:55:09-- 00:21:57:12

-What’s still missing?

00:21:57:12-- 00:22:02:07

-Plastic surgery for my mouth

00:22:02:07--00:22:07:22

-And the nose?

That’s even more important in your case

00:22:07:22-- 00:22:11:04

-Your mouth deformation is actually a little better

than your nose’s. How old are you?

00:22:11:04-- 00:22:12:02

-16

00:22:12:02--00:22:16:22

We can’t wait beyond 18

00:22:16:22--00:22:19:13

-She needs another surgery as well to fix

the aesthetics of her mouth, especially her lips

00:22:19:13-- 00:22:22:12

That’s the plastic side,

we need to fix what’s under the hood first

00:22:22:12-- 00:22:25:02

-When should you get the plastic surgery?

00:22:26:04-- 00:22:26:21

-18

00:22:26:21-- 00:22:32:08

-There you go, it’s all connected but leave the

plastic for after 18, once she’s fully grown.

00:22:32:08-- 00:22:35:23

-Now your priority is to get an orthodontist as

soon as possible

00:22:35:23-- 00:22:41:12

-Unfortunately, the government will not help with

this, It’s in the private practices

00:22:41:12-- 00:22:43:09

-No way around it?

00:22:43:09-- 00:22:45:16

No, she’s going to need a mouth device

00:22:45:16-- 00:22:52:06

Actually she needed it right around her teenage

start but there’s still time now at 16 to do it

00:22:52:06-- 00:22:56:21

Does the money I put to the side for her surgery

suffice? Can this device save her?

00:22:56:21-- 00:23:07:02

The device is essential to prepare for the surgery

but it costs upwards of 3 or 4 thousand dinars

(over $1K)

Dr.Issam

Dr Issam

Reem

Dr.issam

Reem

Dr.issam

Reem

Dr.issam

Reem

Dr.issam

Noura

Dr.issam

Reem

Dr.issam

Noura

Dr.issam

Noura

Dr.issam

10:23:21

Back at home the disappointment is palpable .Noura and her husband argue again about cost and expenses.

00:23:31:05-- 00:23:35:13

I said I can’t help, this is too much

00:23:35:13-- 00:23:37:22

God will help her

00:23:37:22-- 00:23:41:19

We’ve come too far to give up now

00:23:41:19-- 00:23:44:00

I will not give up

00:23:44:00-- 00:23:49:01

I said I don’t have money, should I steal?

00:23:49:01-- 00:23:53:14

- I’ll sacrifice it all to get her the surgery

- Do it, I cannot

00:23:53:14-- 00:23:58:21

-She can go work in the factories or focus in her

studies,

otherwise, I cannot help her

00:23:58:21-- 00:24:02:10

-I’ll make more charcoal working in the mountain

00:24:02:10 -- 00:24:04:16

-You cannot, it’s an entire forest

00:24:04:16-- 00:24:07:18

-For my daughter, I’ll move forests.

I’ll do it in one week

00:24:07:18-- 00:24:11:15

-Do your thing and leave me alone.

I told you can’t.

00:24:11:15-- 00:24:15:22

-I need a dentist then the doctor at Charles

Nicolle for the surgery

00:24:15:22-- 00:24:23:07

The first for her nose, then the plastic surgery,

and before all of that we need a speech therapist

00:24:23:07-- 00:24:25:15

-How the hell will you pay for this?

00:24:25:15-- 00:24:28:02

By going in the trucks to the fields

00:24:28:02--00:24:33:22

-You’ll be able to do all of that with 15 TND ($5) a

day?

00:24:33:22--00:24:36:22

-Why are you holding me back?

00:24:36:22--00:24:38:14

-Because we cannot afford it

00:24:39:08--00:24:45:22

-I will work the mountain

like no one’s business to make some money…

00:24:45:22--00:24:48:22

(More arguing)

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

Houssin

Noura

00:25:07:02--00:25:09:03

God I'm tired

00:25:10:22--00:25:17:23

ALL I WISH FOR IS TO SEE MY DAUGHTER'S BEAUTIFUL SMILE,

ONCE SHE GETS HER SURGERY

00:25:19:13--00:25:25:05

SHE’S GROWING UP, WILL MEET NEW FRIENDS

00:25:25:05--00:25:28:10

LIKE A TREE PUSHING OFF THE SOIL

Noura

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Film: Tunisia's Fields of Resilience

http://www.journeyman.tv/film/8634

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