-- MUSIC: Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja by Parvati Khan
So, are we going to do this or what?
You were going to tell me about Fizza.
-- Right, uh, yeah. Fizza.
She's into music.
She loves dancing.
Loves her dad.
She won't stand for anyone judging him or her.
That's why she moved out of her mum's to go and live with him.
And she'd do anything for her little sister, Zara.
Even if it means breaking the rules.
-- SINGING ALONG
Gorgeous, darling!
But your big sister was very naughty bringing you here.
-- Well, she wanted to see where you work.
-- And what's Mummy going to say when she finds out?
-- Mummy's not going to find out.
Cos no-one's going to tell her.
-- Is that what you thought?
-- I'm proud of my dad for coming out - even if his family did disown him.
But the people that mattered truly stayed in his life.
I hope one day my mum will accept him for who he is.
And now he's made a new family.
He taught me to be brave, that there's no point living a lie,
and that's why I chose to live with him.
As he says, "Always be fabulous."
-- APPLAUSE
SCHOOL BELL RINGS
Off you go! -- I want that jacket.
-- You'd look like an ostrich, bro.
-- So it were a good tip-off about her sister.
I'm great with kids.
She won't be able to resist once she's seen me with her.
-- Isolation, now. --What? For quoting Rumi?!
-- I said I'd take her and Zara horse riding.
You're coming too, right?
-- No, I don't want to cramp your style.
-- Come on. Hey, you're my wingman.
-- Miss Carter. Ah, sorry, Mr Evershed...
-- Just a minute, please, Mrs Paracha...
-- No, you have to come now. Quick. Very serious. -- TBC.
-- CHANTING: -- Our kids, our choice! Our kids, our choice!
Our kids, our choice!
-- Right, can you stop filming, please. --What's going on?
-- There's nothing to see...
Fizza, come back!
-- CHANTING CONTINUES
Going a bit far, isn't it? Even for your Taliban coven.
Is this all because I brought Zara to Dad's drag night?
-- Keep your bloody voice down.
What were you thinking - sneaking her into a bar?
You're underage yourself!
This is why Zara lives with me and not your dad.
-- It weren't his fault.
-- It never is.
I meant what I said.
You can both forget seeing her.
-- No, I promised I'd take her horse riding later!
-- Horse riding? Are you insane? No!
-- Miriam, Miriam, what's all this about?
-- We've a right to a say in our kids' education.
-- Yes, and as I stated in the letter I sent out,
the RSE curriculum is now compulsory for all students.
-- Shall we talk about this inside?
-- What's to discuss?
We don't want our kids taught explicitly about sex.
-- Gay sex. -- Any!
It's not our culture.
-- You don't speak for all Muslims!
MAN: -- They're our kids, you know!
-- "Seek knowledge." That's what it says in the Koran.
You lot are denying knowledge.
-- Fizza, just let us handle this, please.
-- They're the ones being un-Islamic!
-- Fizza, leave it.
-- MAN: -- They're our kids and it's our choice.
-- CHANTING: -- Our kids, our choice! Our kids, our choice!
-- That is an amazing jacket.
-- Oh, yeah, well, the head tried to give me a detention,
but I flew away.
Nice nails.
CHANTING CONTINUES
You're not with...?
-- With that lot? No way.
I'm with the counterprotest.
We came here as soon as we saw the posts.
Spoken word night I'm organising at The Lantern.
It's a gay bar.
It's open mic if you want to...
You look like the performing type.
-- They won't stop me doing my job.
-- You don't have to see them in the Lidl.
Whispering in middle aisles. Psst, psst, psst.
-- What do they think - if they don't mention sex, their kids won't do it?
-- That's exactly what they think!
-- That's ridiculous.
I mean Saleem's not dating, but you've had the chat, right?
-- He's still a little baby.
-- Kaneez! My mother told me the facts of life when I was six.
SHE GASPS
-- Your mother's a little bit easy and free for my liking.
-- No, it's...
CHANTING: -- Our kids, our choice!
-- MUFFLED TV PLAYS
Dad?
-- I thought I'd make a roast, but...
-- Don't worry, I'll make it.
Guess who turned up at school today?
Protesting at us for learning same-sex relationships in RSE.
-- Not your mum!
With the coven?
-- Yep.
She's serious about us not seeing Zara you know.
-- Joan Collins! The answer is Joan Collins!
Idiot. -- Dad.
You've got to call Mum. Convince her we can be trusted.
-- I'll do it tomorrow.
River Euphrates!
-- Dad, I promised I'd take Zara out today.
Look, just call Mum now.
-- No.
-- Zara's waiting for me!
-- Don't hassle me, Fizz! I'm not in the mood.
Fizza!
-- All right, trouble.
-- Salaam, Faiza.
-- Salaam, Auntie. Did Miriam call you?
-- No. She's working late.
-- Ah, right. All right.
I'm taking this one to the dentist.
-- She never said.
-- Honestly! She'd forget her head if it weren't screwed on.
Between you and me?
It's becoming a problem.
Come on.
See you later.
Last one to the bus stop's a stinky fart!
-- Hey.
Do you think she'll come?
-- I doubt it.
Her mum's even more stubborn than she is.
Miriam never forgave Asif for leaving.
Got properly religious after that.
Her and Fizza argued so much, Fizza had to go and live with him.
-- Can't ever imagine walking out.
-- Yeah. Fizza acts like she doesn't care, but deep down...
-- Nah. Family comes first.
Can't just do what you want.
-- If me and Fizza did what my dad and her mum wanted,
we'd be married off by now.
I just wonder how different things would be if my mum wasn't white
or her dad hadn't come out.
You know, we're like outcasts in some ways,
but at least we don't have to follow the same rules as everyone else.
-- Yeah, but - outcasts?
That can't feel right.
-- Hm. It's OK.
Not sure I want to be part of it anyway.
-- But think of what you'll miss out on.
You know? Big gatherings, all your cousins and that.
-- You haven't met my cousins.
-- They're your blood.
-- Fizza's my blood.
Care more about her than I do Marina.
-- That's messed up, that.
-- How is it messed up?
I chose my mates cos I like 'em.
I didn't choose my family.
-- Your family will be there for you when your mates have gone.
-- No. I'll never not be there for Fizza.
Or her, me.
Aw! Hello, gorgeous.
-- SHE CHUCKLES
-- Oh, she's friendly, isn't she?
-- Hm, only if she likes you.
Yeah. She's a good judge of character, eh?
So, what if I asked her out? You know, like...
..go to a gig or something?
-- You don't have to try that hard.
Just let it happen. Play it cool.
-- Like, erm...
"All right?"
-- Oh, that's...too keen.
-- OK, well...
"All right."
-- Oh, still way too much.
-- Well, any less enthusiastic and I'll be dead.
LAUGHING: -- That's how she likes 'em.
I'm joking. --THEY LAUGH
MUFFLED VOICES
Hey! You all right?
A-All right.
FIZZA: -- If you ask nicely, he might let you ride his pony.
-- JOHNNY: That's it, girl.
-- He's sweet with her, isn't he? -- Yeah.
-- You all right up there, yeah?
-- It's hot, isn't it? Guys who are good with kids.
-- SHE SCOFFS AND RETCHES
-- What? It's true!
-- All right.
-- Oh, my God, speaking of hot guys...
-- Why do I have a feeling this is going to end badly?
-- I saw the fittest boy today. I met him at the school gates.
-- Oh, not Sajid from Mosque?
-- No. Not unless Sajid is an activist with painted nails and knows poetry.
-- HORSE NEIGHS THUD!
WAILING Fizza!
-- My leg! I can't move it! --It's OK, it's OK!
It's OK, it's OK, it's OK! --SHE WAILS
-- We need to call someone!
-- No! -- We-We'll call Daddy, yeah?
Daddy will know what to do.
-- CRYING: -- No, I want Mummy.
-- PHONE LINE RINGS --Oh, he's not picking up!
I know his phone's on! --WAILING: -- I want Mummy.
-- Look, call your mum.
-- No way! No!
-- Come on, Fizza! -- No! --ZARA CRIES
-- All right, Zara, all right.
-- Mummy!
-- You're such a brave girl.
Let's get you home, shall we?
Watch Greatest Showman?
-- I'm sorry.
-- Don't come anywhere near us again.
MOUTHING: -- I'm sorry.
-- Look at him. Like a zombie.
And he's such an articulate young man.
We had such a good discussion earlier.
Children are like plants, Kaneez, they need nourishing.
I used to set aside one hour
every evening to discuss with Rashid whatever he was reading.
-- Change your load out!
-- I'd better go home. I need the lavatory. -- I've got a toilet.
-- I prefer to use the one at home, thank you. I'll call Rashid.
-- And that's why all the girls love me, bro! Ha!
-- Ahem... Son, look...
I know you don't want to hear this from me, but I have to be
Ammi and Abbu, you know, since Daddy left.
What it is...
maybe soon, you gonna start dating,
you know, like, sitting in the back of a cinema...
-- I know all about the birds and bees, Mum...
Behind you!
Zainab told me.
-- Rashid's mother tell you about the facts of life?!
-- So, what did your dad say? --Not much. He were watching Bake Off.
-- Did you tell him what happened? --That Miriam had another hissy fit
over nothing? Hardly worth it.
Ah, here we are.
Up for it?
-- Gay poetry? --You two are so heteronormative.
-- Oh, my God, you are so ridiculous!
-- Kayla, wait.
Look, I, erm...
I get a little anxious in social places.
I just don't know what the rules are. And I'd like to get Fizza
on her own, but I worry she'll bite my head off.
Don't suppose you fancy coming round later for a few more pointers?
-- OK.
-- Bloody hell, love, we're not made of money! What's this for?
-- Reckon you'll come down, Mrs P? --Don't be thinking you can shock me,
I've been to the Canal Street. I taught them some moves as well.
Ha! -- Oh, yeah?
You should talk to Miriam.
-- Oh, she's not the most broad-minded, is she?
-- No, just a rabid homophobe.
-- You know, it wasn't easy for her when your Abba left, and...
like when my Nasreen, when she come out,
our community can be very hard.
-- Well, maybe she should tell them where to stick it.
What's more important - her kids, or her stupid neighbours?
-- You do know that your mother loves you, Fizza?
-- It's fine. Don't need her.
Got another family now.
-- What is that?
What is that?! -- Oh, no! I said she could put
a couple of flyers up, I didn't... --She's pushing every boundary,
and we're letting her get away with it.
We need to get tough with her. --Why don't you let me handle this?
-- Why don't you just back off and stop undermining me,
and stick to just teaching?!
You took your sister pony-riding on the moors?!
-- I don't see what it's got to do with you, sir. -- Oh, really?
Because your mum called and she was going to get
Social Services involved. --Well, she's ridiculous. -- You could
have been charged with abduction!
-- SHE KNOCKS --Only me.
I just thought I might, erm, come and sit in.
Fizza, look, I get that you want to spend time
with your sister, but... --Not without adult supervision.
You do not... --..what you did was reckless.
-- She took her to a flipping nightclub last week!
-- It were a bar! -- We understand it must be difficult for you,
the way things are between your mum and dad.
-- We could have suspended you, you know that? -- What?
-- Well, yeah. What you did was abduction, Fizza.
Mr Evershed's right. You're lucky we don't suspend you.
-- Look, we understand that it's difficult, so why don't we...
I don't know, arrange some sort of mediation with you and your mum?
-- You're wasting your time, trust me.
She don't want to know.
-- Oh... She's a very good girl, eh? Ha-ha!
-- Not like her big sister, which I'm guessing
is why you've called me in?
-- I think Fizza really missing you.
-- She's got her dad. She's made it quite clear whose side she's on.
-- Maybe she don't want to take the sides, huh?
Maybe she feel forced to do it
and now she don't know how to back down. Huh?
-- It broke our hearts when he left.
She kicked off at home, angry.
It's not fair. -- No.
But you have to put your anger for him to the side. Right?
This about mother and daughter.
-- I just want my little girl back. --You know,
you have to accept who they become, Miriam.
You know, Fizza, she going to this tonight. -- Haye Allah!
-- I think you should go? --It's haram, Kaneez!
-- No, it's just poetry, it's not a bloody sex show! I...
I think you should go. --It's haram, Kaneez!
-- It's your daughter expressing herself.
Maybe if you go,
you'll understand her better.
Huh...
-- I'm sorry, by the way, for interfering. -- No.
-- Job's a bit harder to give up than I thought.
-- Well, I've not been at my best lately, so... -- No, you've been doing
really well. You have. Honestly.
-- Er...
Gaynor's left me.
Married to the job, apparently.
-- Oh, I... -- Please, don't say anything nice.
It's...
-- TV IN BACKGROUND
-- Are you going out? -- I told you.
The open mic night?
I were thinking about reading this poem.
-- Not those dreary little snowflakes,
moaning on about micro-aggressions?!
Put some glitter on and rise above it, that's what we did.
We didn't sit around being gluten-intolerant, in bad trousers.
-- Bye, Dad.
-- Love you!
-- MUSIC: Teenage Headache Dreams by Mura Masa, Ellie Rowsell, Wolf Alice
# Sit at home and dream
# Stare at each other like TV... #
MESSAGE ALERT
# ..Teenage headache dreams
# Come back to me at night
# And try as though I might to live for now
# I don't know how
# I just feel down
# Teenage headache dreams
# Seems like the good time's over
# But nothing's really over any more... #
LIVELY CHATTER
-- Hey. You made it.
Want a drink? -- Er...
No, no, I'm good.
-- Ooh, what's that? Are you gonna read? -- Oh, this.
Oh, it's just a, er, shopping list. --Huh! Don't be scared.
It's a nice crowd. I'm exactly the same,
I just channel Tyler Joseph and go for it.
-- From Twenty One Pilots?
Oh, my God, I had such a crush on him! -- Ha-ha! Me too.
I'm more into Billie Eilish now. -- Oh.
-- I'm a sucker for tough girls.
Those are great, by the way.
-- Thanks.
-- I don't get why she ain't gone for me yet.
-- What, cos you're THAT irresistible? --THEY LAUGH
-- Laugh all you like, once you've had the Cooper treatment...
-- "Cooper Treatment"?! That is cringe! --Ha-ha! There isn't a woman alive
that can resist my signature moves.
-- Go on, then.
What are they?
-- BACKGROUND CHATTER
Ahem... This is a poem about my mum.
If me and you had our own reality TV show
It would be called Mothers and Daughters At War
Edited to show the verbal jabs and punches
But what about all the times my mum put my hair in bunches?
And the producers would leave out how I'd wake up in a fright
You'd come hold me and comfort me, hold me tight
I guess that they'd say those details weren't relevant
But I'd say there were a hell of a lot...
..I'd like to edit our story differently...
..But I don't know how.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
SHE MOUTHS
CROWD CHANTS: -- Our choice, our kids!
Our choice, our kids... -- Sajid?
What are you doing here?! --Same as you, I should think.
Our kids came home from school with this filth,
said it got handed out!
-- I didn't know, Fizz, I promise! --"Live and let live" is our motto,
but when it seeps into our children's education...!
-- Just leave! -- Shut up, mate!
-- You heard me! Take your pathetic little followers and go!
This woman is a case study in prejudice. So unloved that
she has to spread hate just to make herself feel better.
That's why she's leading this protest.
You will never stop us, no matter how hard you try.
-- Stay out of our kids' lives!
-- Do you know her? -- No.
Just some local Ackley crank.
I have zero tolerance with people like her.
-- Are you OK?
-- MUSIC BLARES
I love this song.
SHE GASPS
-- So, then, I'll go for the hand...
..and then...
Yeah. You get the idea. Ahem...
It's pretty textbook.
You know? -- Yeah. Huh!
-- Subtitles by Red Bee Media