A NETFLIX SERIES
- [liquid dripping] - [siren wailing in distance]
[gentle music playing]
[ringing]
YOUNES MISSED CALL
[continues ringing]
[sounds reversing]
- [screams] - [phone continues ringing]
[continues ringing]
[mellow hip-hop instrumental music playing]
[sighs] I admit, I really hope I don't live that long.
[rapid guitar strumming and drumbeat]
[intriguing music plays]
- [Ismael] Did you scan it? - [JB] See for yourself.
What's that there? Is that a spot on the leaflet?
[Ismael] No, it's all right. We're almost done.
Establishing a business model is always the most difficult part.
Especially in the funeral sector.
A business with too little ambition and too much respect for tradition.
A business where everyone does their best to color by the numbers.
Nice and neat, never dares to change a thing.
Well, a good entrepreneur knows those preassigned colors
aren't written in stone.
Just the opposite.
They show you where you should change the palette.
I was finally ready to bring Insurance Omar into the 21st century.
We were gonna do something good for the community.
Uh-uh, sorry. No way, I will not carry the bag.
[both] Play! Play!
Alizée, peace.
[Ismael] And make a pile of money doing it.
And JB was with me on it.
I just had to convince my father, Rachid, and the rest of the world, of course.
How? Simple.
Bring in new customers as fast as we could.
Wow, this is gonna be a goldmine, bro. Sweet!
GERIATRICS
Think of it.
Anyone here will live no more than two months.
Am I right?
- Hello? - Yo, JB, what are you doing?
I'm just checking to see if anyone's there.
If anyone asks, we're here to see Grandma Tineke.
Hey!
Arun Rahmanzai. Our first client.
Salaam alaikum.
Sorry, bro.
I don't know what that was, but...
Here, your Moroccan friends need that.
- Bro, we can't hang around here all day. - Relax.
Hey, here, here.
Ah, no, no, no. No way, bro.
- That's Ben Allal, man. - Yeah.
That guy's, like, famous around here. He's the Jeff Bezos of Molenbeek.
Well, that's perfect. That's exactly what we need.
Come on, let's go, chicken.
- Salaam alaikum. - Alaikum salaam.
- Salaam alaikum, Mr. Ben Allal. - Yes, peace be with you. Yes, yes.
I'm a great fan of yours. I'm very glad to, um...
Excuse me, my name is Ismael Boulasmoum, and this is my business partner.
- JB. - Nice to meet you.
Pleasure.
Uh, well, could you spare a few minutes because...
Sure. Go ahead.
[suspenseful music plays]
BURIED HERE IN MOROCCAN SOIL MUCH CHEAPER!
Bro, flyer.
Now, take a peak.
That right there is pure, 100% Moroccan soil.
Everything is laid out here. Give that to your children.
Is there a hidden camera or are you pulling old folks' legs here?
[JB] Hmm?
Nah. I... I mean, there's no camera.
Uh, just wait a minute. Wait.
This is our calling card.
You can always reach us here if you need me for anything.
What is this? How dare you, you scum?!
I... I'm not dead yet.
I'm alive, and I will stay...
[coughing]
Get the guy a glass of water or something. Dude's gonna die.
What? What the hell do I...
- [nurse] Excuse me. - [Ben coughing]
- [nurse] Are you family? - Uh...
No, ma'am. We're... I'm Ismael Boulasmoum, Insurance Omar.
[Ben continues coughing]
Okay. But no one checked your ID when you came in?
- Oh. Well, Grandma Tineke, she said... - We were just about to check in.
Fine, well, I'll take you to the front and make sure, all right?
Follow me.
Your brother is sick in the head. Your brother is sick.
He doesn't have COVID in the lungs. In his brain, he has COVID.
Rachid, my brother doesn't have COVID in the brain.
Darling,
I watch documentaries.
It could just be that certain connections in his head have a malfunction
and he's gone haywire.
You're talking about my brother.
But your brother is our partner in this business.
He owns half of this.
Not a half of half of it like I do, theoretically.
And, actually, he stole a crate of tiles belonging to me.
Rachid, you're lucky you got 500 euros for it.
Darling, it's the principle. It's theft.
In Saudi Arabia, they'd hack off his hand.
Rachid.
It was a one-time thing what Smile did.
There was a thorny family situation, and he got us out of it, okay?
He's not gonna make it into a business.
He just needs time if he's going to help run this business,
like I wanted.
Perhaps with your experience,
you could guide him.
I could?
- Yeah, well, that's a pretty hard task. - Not for a man of your talent.
- Rachid, do you love me? - Oh, yes, you know I do.
So do this for me.
- Give me a kiss? - No.
[cell phone ringing]
- Come on, one kiss. - Wait.
Insurance Omar, Nadia speaking.
Man...
- Whoa! - Hey, I got places to be.
- I'm trying to work here. - Time is money, you shit.
[Ismael] Nadia.
Here. Look.
You two, come with me. This will never happen again.
- Now. - Hey!
- Get your hand off me, you son of a bitch. - Hey, watch it!
First you load a trailer with a body,
and now you go to a hospital looking for clients?
Nadia, my idea is good. What's your problem, anyway?
Well, here's mine. You either work with us, or you don't.
If you don't work with us,
then you can bother somebody else with your big ideas.
Ugh!
[Ismael] I never said when you change the colors,
you make a masterpiece on your first try.
Picasso didn't come right after Da Vinci.
It was time for me and JB to switch to Plan B.
We needed to be patient. That's not our strong suit.
Nadia. Nadia!
My father was at a safe distance in Mecca,
and if we didn't want him to have a heart attack when he got back,
this was our only option.
The operation will take place under general anesthesia
and is estimated to last around four hours.
[chuckles softly] The heart really is a delicate organ.
Have I been clear?
Yeah, yeah.
But, uh, what are her chances?
We've had patients who were in worse shape than her
and who survived without complications.
But we can never be 100% certain.
I appreciate that.
[door opens]
Well? What did she say? Tell me.
That everything will be great. It's a simple operation.
They have excellent specialists here.
It'll go all right, God willing.
Inshallah.
[mellow hip-hop instrumental music playing]
Before we start, I just want to say,
Smile, concerning what you did with that soil, I forgive you.
All is forgiven, but not forgotten.
But hey, I understand. I mean, you're a sick person.
You have certain brain connections that are malfunctioning.
But anyway, I must say, you have a good heart.
So I want to start over with a clean slate, okay?
- You understand me, right? - Yeah, yeah.
[imam] If you really want to do something for our community,
why not go see your new neighbors?
- Insurance Omar? - Yes. Go see Rachid.
Because Omar has just retired.
Hey, perhaps you could lend a hand.
- Yes, but... - Just give it a try.
It says here that you give scholarships to study classical Arabic over in Egypt.
- Is that right? - Yes.
- We have scholarships. - Praise Allah. That's my dream.
Dreams are very good, yes, especially in your case.
Because getting out of prison, you live with your past.
- That's true. - But listen.
Inshallah, by the grace of God,
you may one day make your dreams come true.
- Right. Right. - But for that, you must be very patient.
- Allah will smile on he who is patient. - ...who is patient.
[chuckles]
But what if I really want that scholarship?
Listen to me. Start by going to see Rachid.
Salaam alaikum.
Alaikum salaam.
Ismael? Ismael?
We all make mistakes. After all, you're just a beginner in this.
Even I, after four years, I make errors still.
Just ask your sister.
It's not difficult at all, but the main thing is to be discreet.
Right? Just stick with me now.
Watch.
Listen and learn. Eyes always open.
Because when you look at a canary full-on,
you realize it only takes one eye to see him.
Just one eye, man.
Go ahead.
Unfasten it.
Easy.
- [imam] Salaam alaikum. - Alaikum salaam.
Ismael.
How are you? Following in your father's footsteps?
No, no, I'm training him.
Nadia and I are running Insurance Omar.
So, um, we'll have occasion to meet.
Oh, that's good.
- [Ismael] God willing. - Give me a hand.
- Help me here. - [Ismael grunts] Here.
- God bless you. - [Ismael] Got it?
- Praise be to Allah. - [Ismael] Thank you. God bless.
Allah protect you.
- Salaam alaikum. - Alaikum salaam.
- Allahu Akbar. - [all] Allahu Akbar.
Salaam alaikum, my brothers.
[men reciting salat prayer]
[imam] Come with me. One moment.
Over here.
Peace be with you, and may Allah bless you.
- Peace be with you. - Thank you very much.
- Peace be with you. Allah bless you. - Thanks.
Peace be with you.
- [Rachid] It's so good to see you. - May Allah bless you.
- Peace be with you, yes. - Thank you.
May Allah have mercy.
[tense music plays]
Look, Smile, it isn't just a business.
It's about people more than money.
I understand that.
Uh, you gonna help me carry the coffin?
Nadia?
- Let's go, okay? - Yeah, coming.
Sébastien, don't start with me about your feelings.
[JB chuckles]
[Alizée sighs]
What am I supposed to do with it? I don't even have a car.
You know what, Sébastien? That's rich coming from you.
[sighs]
- Asshole! Ugh! - Yeah, but he's an asshole who has money.
So what?
Wait. Okay, now I got it finished, dude.
Life gets more and more expensive every year.
Food, energy, healthcare, education for your children,
a car or a house.
But the cost of dying has gone up too.
It can cost from 3,000 to 5,000 euros, if not more.
Yo!
Not to mention the carbon footprint
- involved in repatriation. - [chuckling] That one...
And those are prices many families simply can't afford.
Insurance Omar can now offer you
a more efficient and less costly alternative.
Forget about expensive air transportation.
You can be buried right here in authentic, pure Moroccan soil.
Call in the next 24 hours and you'll get a 50% discount.
Insurance Omar.
We can't spare you the grief, but we can spare you the distance.
Insurance Omar.
Oh, yeah! That is brilliant! Mwah!
Oh, please, are you serious?
What?
Oh, yeah, you don't get it because you're not even Muslim.
[scoffs] What?
[chuckles softly]
Pa and Ma are going to be so glad.
Jean-Baptiste has finally found his true calling.
He's burying Muslims in Moroccan soil.
At least I'm doing something.
It won't win an Oscar. Hey, so what? You can relate to it.
It's brilliant. Mwah!
My goodness!
Following in your father's footsteps. Well, well.
[Rachid] In the name of Allah.
That's our third auto accident this week.
Driving and texting don't go together.
She had a ten-year-old son.
Allah have mercy.
Come.
[cell phone chimes]
[cash register dings in video]
[JB in video] Life gets more expensive...
[raps counter]
Here. You were not included.
It's half for your wife and half for your brother-in-law.
No, no, it's half for my brother-in-law, but the other half for me and Nadia.
Meaning that half of it is mine.
No, wait a minute. Half of half is only 25%, Rachid.
This is just Omar's desperate attempt
to bring home the prodigal son and get him back on track.
If you paint a pigeon yellow, it doesn't make him a canary, right?
- Ah. - Yes, that's right. That's right.
I give that guy one week.
One week?
[scoffs] That's what we said about Idriss, and he's still here.
Yeah, and I've been here eight years.
[women chuckling]
[JB in video] You could be buried here in authentic, pure Moroccan soil.
Call in the next 24 hours and you'll get a 50% discount.
[child] Where is she going?
[Ismael] Oh, uh...
Um...
Well, people, when they die, they go to paradise.
God willing.
No, but the plane, where are they taking her to?
Uh, uh, to Morocco.
But, why?
I, uh... Uh...
I'm not sure.
I guess, because she's from there.
I've never even been there.
Why can't she be buried closer to here?
[solemn music plays]
Um...
Do you, um... Do you want to talk to her?
Hmm?
Go ahead.
♪ Sleep, little baby ♪
♪ Dinner's almost ready ♪
[both] ♪ And if there's no dinner ♪
♪ The neighbors will be coming ♪
♪ Sleep, little baby ♪
♪ Your mama will be home soon ♪
♪ Bread is on the table ♪
♪ The cakes are on the tray ♪
[solemn music continues]
[kisses]
[birds chirping]
[imperceptible]
Hey.
[kisses]
[chuckles softly] Thank you.
[music continues]
Yeah, JB.
Look, uh, yeah, that video's pretty nice,
but I got a better idea.
Come on over to the cemetery.
See ya later. Bye.
[music continues]
That's it.
That's the whole place.
Not much, but it's all I need.
- You got everything under control, huh? - Absolutely.
I won't go back to what I used to do.
Good, Brahim.
And your lease? Remember? I need a copy of that.
Great. Very good.
Have you thought about how to use your time constructively?
- Yes. - And?
The imam spoke to me about a course in classical Arabic.
- Okay. - Especially for converts.
In Egypt, just south of Cairo.
And I thought...
Brahim, I gotta say, for a Muslim parolee,
the idea of going to Egypt won't go over with the judge.
Really?
I mean, your ankle monitor. You can't even leave Brussels.
You're supposed to get integrated here in the city,
not go visit the pyramids.
Can't the imam help you find a job here?
It could be anything, even if it's unpaid.
So long as you've got some kind of employment.
Yeah, or else I'll get locked up.
Yeah, you got it right.
Yeah. Yeah.
Well, the imam mentioned this other thing too, um...
The funeral home that's right here down the street.
- Mm-hmm. - He said they might need someone.
- Right here? - Yeah.
Oh.
- Yeah. - There.
Okay, super.
Yeah, give that a try.
Go over there, explain your situation.
Okay.
Is that it until next week?
Yeah. And, Brahim, go for it.
[upbeat traditional music plays]
ISLAMIC BUTCHER
Rachid, keep your cool, man.
Hey, Rachid.
- You again? - May I ask you a question?
Yeah, the mosque is right down near Flanders, then make a right.
No, brother, brother.
It's about something else.
What?
Salaam alaikum, my beautiful sweet cake.
Alaikum salaam.
Come here, let me kiss you. Mm.
You're in a good mood today.
This is a great day. We have beautiful weather.
Oh, yeah, you know the guy who just moved in?
The convert down the block?
Yeah, the weird guy?
Hey, easy. You're such a racist.
I am not. He's just weird.
I don't agree. I don't see him as weird.
He's a completely pleasant guy with a great heart.
He's very polite.
We got to talking, and you know what he suggested?
He said he'd be willing to come help us.
- Oh. - But I...
- No. - But I already said he could.
Rachid.
But your father's not here, your brother can't be trusted.
I can't do everything.
- How would we pay him? - That's the thing. It's volunteer work.
You won't pay him anything. He's the one who brought it up.
Honey! Volunteer work!
Well, in that case, you can both empty the soil in the garage
and then you can take it down to the dump together.
Okay?
[music stops]
Salaam alaikum.
My name is Ismael Boulasmoum for Insurance Omar.
For years, we've done repatriations, mostly to Morocco.
Today I planned the repatriation of a young mother.
Her son, Youssef, looked me in the eyes, and I saw myself 15 years ago.
Youssef's mother will not be buried here.
We think it can be done differently.
We can bring you a piece of Morocco right here.
[dirt rattling]
Do you want to keep your loved ones close?
Well, today, thanks to Insurance Omar,
you have the possibility of burying them in pure, authentic Moroccan soil
right here.
Salaam alaikum.
[JB blows raspberry] What is that?
- What do you mean? - Are you serious?
You think that's better than the one I made?
- At least it's got impact. - [scoffs]
Let's put it up. Bro?
You can put it up, it's good,
but once it's online, you know there's no going back, right?
What? I thought you said it was good.
Yeah, um...
But...
- What? - There are certain consequences.
Huh?
What do you mean? What consequences?
Repercussions.
[groans]
Do it.
- [upbeat music plays] - [computer beeps]
[Ismael] Salaam alaikum.
- [JB] Life gets more expensive... - My name's Ismael Boulasmoum...
[chuckles] Holy cow. He's crazy. What is he thinking?
[Ismael]...mostly to Morocco.
- [JB] The cost of dying has gone up too. - [Ismael] ...repatriation of a young mother.
Her son, Youssef, looked me in the eyes, and I saw myself 15 years ago.
Youssef's mother will not...
[JB] And those are prices many families simply can't afford.
[Ismael] We think it can be done differently.
Thanks to Insurance Omar,
you have the possibility of burying them in pure, authentic Moroccan soil
right here.
- Salaam alaikum. - Nadia!
First reaction. Here.
"Maybe you should bury your idea and yourself
and take it and bury it all in Moroccan soil."
"You will burn in hell. Infidels."
Ah! "Or else, uh, I might rip your head off
and shit right down your neck, you fuckin' cunt."
Oh! Oh!
Look at this.
"The whole Muslim community is angry. We are bound to find you."
[tense music playing]
This is a fucking prank, am I right? Look, another one.
"We're going to slit your throat and hang you upside down,
so you can choke on your own blood."
Shit is crazy, bro. What is this?
"I'll slice your kidneys and rip them out."
"...and rip them out, you fuckin' idiot."
"I'll fucking slice you from nape to neck."
- What are they saying? - Nothing, man, forget it.
Hey, barking dogs never bark, scaredy-cat.
These dogs are already biting.
Holy shit, they might already be here, bro.
It's like the Ku Klux Klan, but Moroccan.
[Mario sighs] Sweetums, look,
I gotta wonder if this is the right place for the pool. I've been at it for hours.
Yeah, right, as always, you see the problems,
and I see the potential.
Yeah, well, this... This is...
This is something that's really very difficult.
I mean, look, it's all full of these pebbles,
and it's just i... impossible.
Look at this here.
Well, it's an opportunity to do something you're good at, Mario.
- What? - Putting holes in stuff.
- But, honey... - [footsteps passing]
- Hi, there. - [Vanessa] Hello.
She's going in there?
- How many of them are there? - Huh?
- I mean, I think I've lost count. - That's just Ismael's sister.
Ah.
- We better raise the rent. - Raise the...
[sputters] For an apartment where the shower's in need of repair?
Then repair it, already!
- [grunts] - Ah!
You sucked all the color from my life, you know.
Oh, Vanessa... Pookie-pie!
- What's that? - Paperwork to buy you out.
Just like you wanted. Sign it and bring it back.
Come on, Nadia, I said I would work for the business, all right?
What's the problem?
[Nadia] You posted that video online without even talking to me.
It's just this idea JB had...
You used Mom's story so you could make a little money.
Sign the papers and never talk to me again.
He buried Mom against her wishes far away in Morocco.
She wanted to be right here. Did you forget that?
What is your problem? You're gonna hold that against him?
We buried Mom 15 years ago in Tangiers. It's over and there's no going back.
If we could have used this soil to bury Mom here 15 years ago...
- [sighs] - ...would you have done it?
Answer me. Wouldn't you want that?
[sighs] Nadia.
Smile!
We're in business, bro.
[door closes]
Yo, Smile.
[door opens]
Nadia. This is not a bad idea. Nadia!
- Smile! Smile! Yo, you all right? - See for yourself, brother?
- I got big news for you, bro. - What?
Guess who's going to give us three big ones to bury his father.
- Who you talkin' about? - From the hospital, Ben Allal's sons.
Ben? Is he fuckin' dead?
[laughs] Yeah. Nice, right? We're gonna fuckin' bury him, man.
- Are you serious? - Here, look. Dead as a doornail, dude.
Incredible. How much did you say?
Three thousand beans. Volkswagen Polo money.
You said 3,000?
He's got enough dough to bury all of Morocco and all...
Ah! You still got a lot to learn, bro.
This calls for a little party.
'Cause I'm a businessman.
- [door slams] - [Ismael] None of them get it.
[Alizée] You haven't changed one bit.
Meaning what?
Well, I know you got your sister angry at you.
Ismael, why you gotta lie?
Alizée, omission is not at all like lying.
- Okay? - [scoffs]
I am not a fucking liar, all right?
Sorry, dude, but I can cite, like, hundreds of your little lies.
Like what?
Here's one. You remember that "Channel N° 5"?
[chuckles]
You came into my room that night and gave me a bottle.
I don't remember that.
- See? Right there, you're lying. - I don't remember. That's ancient history.
Dude, it was Chanel spelled with two Ns.
Two Ns?
[chuckles]
I spent a week in bed with a severe rash after that.
Okay, sorry. Okay?
I sincerely forgot, but, I mean, your memory for this shit is great.
[scoffs] Maybe.
Two fucking Ns, really?
[chuckles]
Oh, shit.
Ah...
Yeah, so...
Smile and his funeral directing business...
Is that your dream now?
What's your dream? A career sitting on the couch?
No.
No, I... I... I'm planning my trip around the world.
Is that the same trip you were going on ten years ago? Hmm?
- [scoffs] Fuck off. - Hey, kids. Daddy's home.
I got some pizza here and plenty to drink, you guys.
I brought, uh, these assholes too. They were free with the pizza.
Hey, guys, one rule.
That is my sister. Get it? Touch her, you're dead. That's it.
But that pile of crap over there,
- you do what you want. - [all laugh]
- Hey, hey, this is a rooftop fiesta! - [men shouting excitedly]
[mellow hip-hop plays]
My brother has a client.
[Rachid] What? You promised it was just the one time.
I know, but the client is Taoufik Ben Allal.
What?
Ben Allal? You mean, Taoufik Ben Allal with 16 businesses?
Yeah.
Buried here with Moroccan soil?
You're messing with me.
He has an appointment tomorrow at 10:00.
Huh.
How'd he finagle it?
Oh, we'll ask him tomorrow.
Let's get some sleep.
Ben Allal, huh?
I'm really disappointed in him.
Imbecile.
[hip-hop music playing over stereo]
[Vanessa] Do you hear that loud music they're playing up there?
The cops are gonna ask us for permits, and we don't have them.
- Yeah, yeah. - And if it's such hard work,
you should have just used a power shovel.
- Yeah, you know how much they cost? - Wait, are those your brand-new shoes?
- Yes, God damn it! So sick of this shit! - You idiot! You stupid, stingy prick!
Look at it! Look how much clay is in there!
Look at it! Look at the shit you make me do!
There he is, Mr. "Oh, I can do that myself" over there.
Christ! All you ever do is complain, complain, and complain some more.
[mellow hip-hop music playing]
[imperceptible]
[clangs]
[imperceptible]
[music fades]
[gentle music plays]
I'm totally wrecked, brother. I've had enough.
- Here, man. - Yeah. Thanks.
Mm-mm.
Mm?
Alizée, when I look at you...
I see a really hot babe.
- What? - Nothing.
- [music stops] - [snoring softly]
[pensive music plays]
[Nadia sighs]
[packaging crinkling]
[water runs]
[glass clinks]
[Rachid] Nadia.
[tool whirring]
[tool buzzing loudly]
[tool continues buzzing]
What the fuck are you doing here?
This situation has gotten completely out of hand.
I mean, look at this. You never told me you'd be three.
[sputters] And who are all these guys?
Look, there's another one in the bed.
Did Vanessa send you again, huh? Is that it?
Uh, listen, uh, now, about your rent,
I'm... I'm going to have to raise it, obviously.
On an apartment with a fucking shower that's broken? Are you crazy?
The shower has been fixed.
The shower has been fixed? Come here.
[water running]
You see, the hole is gone, and I'm gonna come plug that.
Yeah.
Well, if it's all right with the housing inspector,
then, uh, at that point, we can talk about raising the rent.
[chuckling] The housing inspector?
You're not... You're not going to call the Gestapo on me, are you, friend?
Hmm, let me see.
Yep, it's time.
- Wait, where are you going? - Going to work.
You got a job now?
Mr. Titty.
[Souad] Omar.
Don't forget to give them some flower food.
[Omar] But, sweetie,
they'll open anyway as soon as they see you.
[both chuckle]
Omar the poet.
They'll stay pretty if you give them some fresh soil.
Hmm. Whatever you say.
[cell phone buzzes]
One minute.
Uh, hello.
Salaam alaikum, Dad. I hope everything's going well.
Oh, it's very hot here and... and busy, of course.
Well, drink plenty of water, okay?
I'll be fine. Don't worry.
What about you? Are you okay? Tell me.
It's good. Things are pretty quiet at the moment.
Oh? And Ismael?
It's complicated, but, uh, nothing I can't handle.
He's really trying.
I hope he's finally learning to use some common sense for once.
You tell him, ya hear? Tell him I told you to.
Oh, and you'll never guess who was on the same flight as you.
It was Mourade's father. You know, Mourade, who works for the city?
Really?
Oh, yeah, yeah,
I saw his father a few rows away.
I saw him in the back, yeah, yeah.
[chuckles] I completely forgot that.
Oh, Mourade asked me.
He wanted to know what hotel you were staying at while you were there.
Hotel?
[hesitates] I forgot the name... the name of the hotel.
Sorry. The hotel...
[sighs] With this heat... Uh, the hotel...
Uh... Uh, well, I'm sorry, but in this heat...
Uh, the hotel... Uh... Oh! I have it here.
Almasara Palace,
with fantastic views and real gourmet dining.
- [chuckles] Well, alhamdulillah. - Yeah, so, alhamdulillah.
Almasara Palace?
That sounds fancy.
- Yeah, well, it's a bit... a bit fancy. - How wonderful.
Hello?
- I'll let you go, Pop. I miss you. - Uh, right.
Goodbye, my darling. Goodbye. Talk to you later, dear.
What Almasara Palace?
No, it was for a friend. [chuckles nervously]
Uh, he wanted to book a good hotel for his pilgrimage.
so I... I recommended...
You told your children you're on a pilgrimage?
Um...
Get away from me. Go.
[hip-hop music plays]
[cars honking]
[music intensifies]
Salaam alaikum.
Ben Allal, huh? Wow. That's amazing.
Did you know he won the award for Best Moroccan Entrepreneur?
- You listening to me? - Yeah, I heard you.
I'm only allowing you to do this because Nadia said I should.
And, uh, did they put in a call to you or what?
Yes, they called me.
Wow, man. Huh.
They are very upscale.
Don't embarrass us.
They're here. Showtime.
You're on. You're on now. Showtime. Showtime. Showtime.
- Salaam alaikum. Take a seat. - [man] Alaikum salaam.
Good. Thanks.
We need another seat. Wanna sit?
[bag thuds]
Praise Allah.
Well, first of all, welcome.
Taoufik, uh, has always been sort of a role model for me.
I actually voted for him at the Diwan Awards.
Rachid.
As I always say, it's the best who leave us first...
[Ismael] Rachid.
Oh, go ahead.
God bless.
We saw your flyer, and, uh, we prefer to have him close to us.
Inshallah.
We didn't even know this kind of thing existed.
Yes, it's a new thing we're doing here.
It's wonderful.
Uh, excuse me.
I didn't know your father was ill.
Yeah, he was sick.
When I think of all he gave us, it's... He was a great man.
- Yes, God bless him. - [man] God bless him.
[sniffing]
Do you smell that?
No.
Excuse me, uh... when would you like to plan for the burial?
- As soon as possible. - [Ismael] Praise Allah. Let me see.
- Look, it's right there. - Yeah, tomorrow, the fourth...
Right here.
- It stinks in here. - Yeah. [sniffs]
- Okay. - There's an odor in here.
- [Rachid sniffs] - I don't think so.
No, I don't smell it.
Corine just came in to clean too.
[Ismael] Um...
Where do we collect the body?
[man] Nowhere.
Huh?
[thuds loudly]
[tense music playing]
Oh, right, of course. That's that shitty smell.
Oh, fuck.
There.
- This is what stinks like shit. - No, hey! What is this?
Shut up! The fucked-up bullshit you've been talking?
Keep your mouth shut.
- That shit about your mother? Don't care. - I'm trying...
No, don't talk!
If our father dies, are you kidding me? Like I would call these two morons.
The only thing you're going to bury is this dog.
And the community?
You believe the community will side with you?
The community will spit on you! And I'll take a shit on you.
You motherfuckers! Hope I don't come back.
You, Rachid, you're not ashamed? We're Moroccans and we're proud of it.
[spits]
And Molenbeek is our home, motherfuckers. Ha!
- Hey, you can't... You can't... - [man] We'll fuck you up.
- What is this? What is this? - [door slams]
Nadia, didn't I tell you this was a bad idea?
[clapping slowly] Great. What an entrepreneur.
Allah, protect me from these satanic...
Get that away!
[sighs] Allah, protect me from these satanic things. A dog!
[dramatic music playing]
[somber music plays]
[tense music plays]
Oh, fuck.
[knocks]
- Good morning, Federal Police. - [Nadia] How can I help you?
[officer] Yeah, Ismael Boulasmoum?
- You can't just barge in. - Miss, you just sit down.
Couple of questions for you.
Is that you?
[chuckles]
[clears throat] I'm guessing you don't know who the other guy is?
- Nope. - Nope?
[scoffs] Look.
You broke into that junkyard
in the middle of the night with your buddy.
I honestly don't give a shit.
What I'm interested in is according to my report,
the suspects were seen carrying a large, heavy object
wrapped in a white cloth.
Tell us, you had a body, who was it?
- It wasn't a body. - Oh, so it is you in the picture.
For some reason, you went to get a body out of that trailer,
and I want to know why, and I especially want to know who it was.
Hmm, okay, you got nothing to say?
Then, I'm gonna book you on suspicion of murder.
We'll have you arraigned, tossed into prison.
Hey, look, it could be something innocent that wasn't your fault,
and you couldn't help it.
I'll take that into account. So I'm asking you one more time.
Ismael,
the object wrapped in the white cloth you were carrying, what was it?
Smile, just tell him.
It's a dog.
A dog?
We do repatriations. A client wanted his dog repatriated.
We put it in the trailer but the trailer got stolen.
Do you think we're playing a game?
As you might imagine, we have better things to do.
He just went to the depot to get the dog back.
- [Alex] Mm. - Alex.
Come and see this.
[suspenseful music plays]
[Alex sighs]
I tried to tell you. You never let me finish.
[Alex clicks tongue, inhales]
[exhales deeply]
- [officer] Enjoy your day. - [Ismael] Bye.
- What the fuck, Smile? - Yeah, I'll explain later.
Finding a client as fast as possible to convince my father about my idea?
It didn't quite work out exactly as I had planned.
Especially as far as the client was concerned.
What the fuck, Smile, you gotta start somewhere.
Here's how I see it.
If you're in training to become a lifeguard,
you don't start out trying to save real people.
First you get practice with a dummy, right?
Yeah, I know.
A funeral director getting a lot of death threats.
How ironic.
A normal person getting threatened and humiliated like that,
you know what he's gonna think?
"Hey, forget about this. Enough is enough."
In other words, most people run away from a fight.
That's how people react to these types of situations.
But not me.
No.
Instead, I got tunnel vision.
And hey, tunnel vision is still vision, right?
I was faced with a choice. How would I be remembered?
As the guy with an incredibly stupid idea that never panned out?
Or as the guy who persevered, even at the risk of his own life?
What would you do if you were me?
[in video] I planned the repatriation of a young mother.
Her son Youssef looked me in the eyes, and I saw myself 15 years ago.
Youssef's mother will not be buried here.
[dramatic music plays]