02x06 - If I Could Do It All Again...

[bunniefuu]

[solemn music playing]

METROPOLITAN COURTHOUSE
CRIMINAL COURT

[judge's gavel bangs]

[judge's gavel bangs]

[music fades out]

["Soma [Arabic Language Version]"
by The Invisible Hands playing]

I KNOW THE CHOREOGRAPHY
WE HAVE TWO DAYS

SO I'M THE ONLY ONE
WHO CAN PLAY IT WELL. PLEASE!

[phone pings]

OKAY, I'LL ASK THE GIRLS

BUT ARE YOU SURE
YOU CAN PLAY SARAH'S PART???

[softly] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

OF COURSE I CAN

I ALREADY KNOW MOST OF IT!
THANK YOU, TASNEEM!

[horn beeps]

Sorry. Sorry!

-Hi.
-[Luma] Hi!

-[Farah] How are you?
-Good, you?

-Okay. I have some great news, yeah.
-What?

-You won't believe what happened.
-Tell me!

I was at rehearsals all night long.
And Tasneem practically said yes!

-Wow, I can't believe it!
-Yes.

You're actually gonna be
one of the leads in the performance?

[music gradually fading out]

I mean... I mean that...

you definitely deserve the part!

But I do feel guilty
about taking the role from Sarah.

You know, after everything
that happened to her.

[tuts] No, don't worry about it.

If you hadn't taken it, it would have gone
to someone else anyway. So that's that.

[horn beeps]

-[girl 1 groans] It's so bad.
-[girl 2] I hope Sarah's not coming back.

-[girl 3] She embarrassed the school.
-[horn beeps]

I'm sure she'll be too ashamed
after what she's done.

If I was her,
I wouldn't come out either, you know?

-[girl 4] Well, she disgraced us all.
-She has no shame.

-Shame on her anyway.
-Yeah.

[horn beeps]

[engine rumbling]

[rumbling fades away]

Sarah! You missed the bus!

I'm not feeling very well, Mum.

[groans]

Get up! You're fine.
Come on, get up! I'll drive you.

-Come on!
-[sighs]

Mum?

[sighs] Can I just have my mobile
so I can message Jawad?

None of this is his fault.

Do you think your brother
is in a five-star hotel?

And you can talk to him whenever you want?

How can you have the nerve
to ask for your phone after what you did?

Up!

Get up and get ready
and stop talking so much!

I can't take this, Sarah!

I don't know what I've done
in my life to deserve all of this!

I don't understand!

[tense piano music playing]

[car horn beeps]

[chuckles softly]

[music fades out]

[inhales sharply] Tasneem.

Who was that?

[gasps softly]

It's nothing to do with you.

I thought that
you and I were friends, Hiba.

-[poignant music playing]
-Do you know what, Tasneem?

I also thought we were friends.

[school bell rings]

[scoffs softly]

[Hiba] Let's go.

[car door shuts]

[music ends]

[Rand] Did you see that message?

[Leen] It said Farah
will be part of our show.

Hiba, you have to tell her.
There's no way.

What? What's up?

We were discussing
the message that you sent to us all.

Your suggestion just isn't going to work.
Farah doesn't fit this role at all.

What do you want me to do about it?

I wasn't the one
who kicked Sarah out. You were.

-[Hiba laughs]
-That's really easy.

We split her part between us, Tasneem.
No one will know the difference.

[door opens]

-[door shuts]
-[Rand sighs]

Hi, ladies!

-[Hiba scoffs]
-Excited about rehearsals?

Uh...

Uh...

[sighs] So are you
going to tell her or am I?

Uh... listen, Farah.

Uh, the girls and I have been talking

and it might be too late
for you to join the show at this point.

You won't have time to learn the part,
and we have... two days left to prepare.

But I know it all already, Tasneem.

So it will be okay.

But it's not okay for me.

The costume... it's Sarah's size.
There's no way it will fit.

[girls chuckling]

Um... you know what I'm saying. No offence.

-[tense music playing]
-[Farah] Hmm.

-My mum, she does dressmaking, yeah?
-[Hadeel groans]

So I'm sure she could adjust it in time.

[Rand sighs]

It would be too much pressure
on you at short notice.

Plus, we need you for light and sound!

[moans softly] But I can help Luma
to do light and sound.

She's a fast learner,
and she would love to do it.

Farah, are you for real?!
Can't you take a hint, or what?

Tasneem's being gentle with you,
so she doesn't hurt your poor feelings,

but basically, you do not fit this role!

And that's the end of it.

That's why, full stop.

Think of it this way.

There's no one better than you
that we can rely on for light and sound.

Yeah?

[sighs] Okay. All right, girls,
let's take it from the top.

Everyone, take your positions, please.

Okay. So, we're going do the first count,

the Barbie move, one count of eight, okay?

One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight.

[Rand] Wait.

[Tasneem] Now we go
into the next sequence.

[Hiba] Okay.

Farah, are you ready?

[dark electronic music playing]

[music fading out]

[breathes emotionally]

[Sarah exhales]

[softly] Hi.

Hi.

Are you okay?

You weren't on the bus this mornin'.

I didn't want to come in.

[exhales] But Mum can barely stand
to look at me.

So obviously she sent me to school.

[tense music fading in]

He's gonna be all right.

I mean Jawad.

I can't believe I did this to him.

Of all people.

[music becomes poignant]

Listen, Sarah. I know that recently
you and I have grown apart...

but if there's anything
that I can do for you...

[Sarah sighs]

...or any way I can help,
please, let me know.

Can you turn the clock back?

[music fades out]

That was so stressful.
I wanna go and eat outside. [chuckles]

Hiba.

[Hiba sighs]

Can I have a word?

Uh, I'll come in a bit
if you want to go on out.

[music ends]

[sighs softly]

What is it with you? Hmm?

-You're in my face all the time.
-I'm in your face?

You can't see the way
that you've been behaving?

You've been acting really mean, Hiba.
And I've done nothing to you.

I'm the one
who should be angry with you here!

Give it a break, Princess Tasneem.

I've had enough of you always complaining.

You're never the one
who's in the wrong, are you?

You never stop to think
that you could be the one at fault, yeah?

What do you mean by that?

[scoffs softly] Well, you say that
I am your best friend,

but then the moment someone comes along

who serves your interests
and agenda better,

you switch sides just like that.

[tense music playing]

Believe it or not, Tasneem,
I also have feelings.

[quavers] And I have a heart.

Well, that's why
I came to speak to you this morning.

I'm worried about you.
Because you're my friend.

And I have no idea what kind of problems
you've found you're in.

[inhales sharply]

You just came to talk to me
because you always like to feel superior.

[quavers] But you're really full of sh*t.

You think I don't know about your binging
and how you keep your body so perfect.

Go and sort our your own problems first

before you preach at me
and give me advice, yeah?

Hmm.

[school bell rings]

[teacher] In the introduction to her book,
Equality, the author raises

a number of questions about equality.

This book is available to read as part
of the collection at the Book Club.

Who would like to read out the quote
that's written on the board?

Mmm?

Yep, go ahead.

"Whether man or woman,
a person's honour is truthfulness."

"Truthfulness in thought,
truthfulness in feeling,

and truthfulness in actions."

[echoing] "An honest person
doesn't lead a double life,

one in public and another in secret."

Now, I would like to know
your opinions on this quote.

What do you think about it?

Also, I would like you to see
how this particular passage

-can be applied to real-life situations...
-Sarah.

...and events.

After you've read the book,
we'll discuss it next week.

[tense music playing]

[teacher] That's for this course,
before or after class.

As you know,
all of the books for this term

have equality as a central theme
that connects them.

And to sum up,

this final book
in the sequence brings together

all of the different aspects
of this theme that we explored so far.

[music intensifies]

[teacher] I'd like you
to think about what these are.

[school bell rings]

[indistinct chatter]

[Shams] Sarah.

just think about it, will you?

Okay?

You can trust me.

[music fades out]

[toilet flushes]

[coughing]

[gasps]

[scoffs softly] Nadeen! You made me jump.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Have you still not
talked to your mum about it?

Tasneem. You'd better talk to her
about seeing a therapist.

Uh, listen, um...
It's getting better, so don't worry, yeah?

Obviously, it's not getting any better.

Come on, Nadeen!

I was only using the bathroom
like everyone else does!

You're unbelievable!

God! I knew this is how you'd behave!

I wish I'd never told you to start with.

I only wanna help you.

-So how come that's bad?
-No, Nadeen!

You're interfering in my business!
Sticking your nose into personal things!

The same old Nadeen.

So, worrying about my friends' problems,

you're saying that's not my business?

I mean, between you, Sarah,
and Shams, it's a bit of a nightmare!

All right! Just chill out!

Stop acting like you have to
go around saving everyone, will you?

Stay out of it! It's not your fight!

And can you, just once,
let everyone deal with their own problems?

That was the reason
we stopped being friends, remember?

-[melancholy music playing]
-[door opens]

[indistinct chatter]

[Tasneem sighs]

[Luma] So, how was rehearsal?

-It was really good!
-Great!

["Aleb" by Yasmine Hamdan playing]

[music intensifies]

SHAMS

I'M SORRY IF I HURT YOU

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT...

IT'S ABOUT SARAH AND THAT FILM...

HI, SARAH... I'M WORRIED ABOUT YOU...
WHAT WERE YOU DOING WITH SHAMS!???

LISTEN. THERE'S SOMETHING
I NEED TO TELL YOU

[music abates]

[sniffs] Uh, Mum? [whimpers]

Tasneem, sweetie, what's wrong?

-I have something that I have to say.
-Oh, sweetie!

-[Tasneem sobbing]
-[music intensifies]

[sighs]

[indistinct chatter]

[music ends]

Shams, we have to talk.

Why? I don't want to.

-[groans]
-Let me talk, then.

-[sighs]
-I saw you on the bus with Sarah.

Stalking doesn't really suit you.

Listen to me.

I don't know what you're planning,
but you can't carry on and show that film.

She'll end up completely destroyed.

But wasn't that
what you wanted, Ms. Nadeen?

For Sarah to open her eyes
and see that it was all worthless.

You know that's not
what I wanted to happen, yeah?

Then, what exactly did you want, Nadeen?

From me, from Sarah, from my brother,
from Tasneem, and from everybody else?

At least if I do something really shitty,
I know exactly what I'm doing it for.

[school bell rings]

[Tasneem] So, everyone,
finally, the show's tomorrow.

Rest your voices and sleep well, right?

Yeah?

Uh, Farah? Can you lock up
the equipment room before you go?

Thank you.

[Rand laughing]

[Hiba] Oh, okay.

[microphone feeds back]

♪ If I could close my eyes ♪

♪ And the dreams take me by the hand ♪

♪ I would rise and fly in a new sky ♪

♪ And I would forget my sorrows ♪

♪ If I could travel in my imagination ♪

♪ I would plant
And build palaces and nights ♪

♪ Where love and my hopes can grow ♪

♪ And we would erase the pain ♪

♪ A world where people's faces ♪

♪ Are clouded by oppression
Misery and suffering ♪

♪ From a bitter reality that destroys ♪

♪ Everything we build ♪

♪ A world where you see
Rising walls of tyranny ♪

♪ That crushes in us dreams and dreams ♪

♪ While darkness and greed ♪

♪ Reign in all hearts ♪

♪ If I could close my eyes ♪

♪ And the dreams take me by the hand ♪

♪ I would rise and fly in a new sky ♪

♪ And I would forget my sorrows ♪

[metallic clatter]

[softly] Uh...

I left my water.

I was just, um, putting some stuff away,

and I just thought I'd have a go.

Honestly, you're an incredible singer.

[quavers] You're much better than we are.

[scoffs] You never even let me
have an audition for a role.

I have one thing I have to ask.

Why do you hate me, Hiba?

Why do you treat me like that?

I suppose...

perhaps... there's times I can be a b*tch.

But I never meant to say
that you're not talented at all

because that's obviously not the case,
Your voice is like an angel.

But that's a whole different story.

Whether you like it or not, it's not just
about whether you are talented.

Farah, there are other... things you need.

Status matters.

So do looks.

Your presence.

What I mean is,

the image that you paint for yourself,

is sometimes
way more important than talent.

[scoffs softly]

It's only a silly school show
we're presenting!

[laughs] Yeah, it is.

But let's not lie to each other, Farah.

We know that
if you weren't Tasneem's cousin,

then you wouldn't even be here.

-Don't we?
-[gasps softly]

-[whimpers]
-Don't get me wrong.

I mean, I know what I'm saying
sounds awful, Farah. Hey, that's life.

[sad music playing]

Some people are born lucky
and some aren't.

You know that I don't make up the rules,

but I'm saying all this
to make you feel better.

Things go much easier
when you accept it all.

Your place.

[whimpers]

And believe me,
I learnt that the hard way.

What you mean is
you feel better than other people

when you're putting them down,
don't you, Hiba?

Farah, if you don't look out for yourself,
no one's gonna look out for you, are they?

Wait! I'll tell you just one more thing.

You were in a position where you
could change those rules you said, yeah?

And you're the one
who chose not to change them.

That's your fault. It's on you.

Always remember that, Hiba.

[swallows]

[door shuts]

[exhales]

[exhales shakily]

[school bell rings]

Nadeen!

Nadeen!

Listen, I'm so sorry.
Basically, I should never have said that.

What's the matter?

Tell me.

You look like sh*t, by the way.

Thanks.

[suspenseful music playing]

Nadeen, just say it? What's going on?

I think that
I ruined Sarah's life, Tasneem.

That's what's goin' on.

Me and Shams
were making a film about Sarah.

I gave Shams
all the information about her.

I know I should never have done that
because clearly Shams... mustn't be trusted.

You think she's still going to work on
that video after what happened to Sarah?

Who knows?

But it's Shams.

Mmm. Yeah. It's Shams!

I know what we can do about it.

[music fading out]

[Mum anxiously]
What did he say to you? Tell me!

When is my son coming back home?

[Ibrahim] The lawyer says

he could be facing
up to ten months in prison.

Are you sure?

Ten months?!

[suspenseful music fades in]

[Mum] But he's just a child!

[Ibrahim quietly] I dunno what to do.

[Mum sobbing]

[music intensifies]

[music ends]

Tasneem, are you sure about this?

This is the only way
that we're going to be able to help Sarah.

Thanks, yeah. Really.

[pats Nadeen] Come on, then!

Hi.

Hi.

You're supposed to be here?

I didn't get any message from you
to say you were coming.

Uh... No... I didn't message you.

Uh... um, listen,
I really need to talk to you.

Have I done something?

Nothing.You've done nothing!
Just tell me, is Shams home?

You're here to see Shams?

No, I'm not here to see Shams.
I'm here to see if Shams is home.

You what?

No, Shams isn't at home.

Okay, so we need you
to let us into her room.

-Nadeen?!
-[clock ticking]

Where were you hiding?
You two are hitting me with a guy attack?

Because... me and Nadeen,
we're just friends.

We are! We're just friends! Tell her!

God! Omar!

It's not always about you.
Get over yourself, yeah?

We just need you
to let us into Shams' room

so she doesn't ruin everything
and make it worse.

Ruin everything?

-[tense music playing]
-What are you talking about, you two?

-[Nadeen sighs]
-[sighs] We need to go into her room.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! I don't think so.

I mean, I'm sorry, but Shams is my sister.

I can't do that.
I have to look out for her.

Ha! So now you're looking out for her?

-Better get outta my way, Omar.
-[Omar grunts]

[ticking continues]

Listen, I'm not comfortable
with you doing this in her room.

She'll be back here any minute, you know.

Your sister's quite something!

We only just started speaking
to each other after the birthday party.

[menacing cymbal plays]

By the way,

what was is that made you two friends?

Since when did you start
hanging out together?

[Tasneem inhales, exhales deeply]

[music intensifies]

[keyboard tapping]

Uh... how's it going?

I think this is the one.

This is it.

[phone trills]

We're done for! Shams is here!
She's already parked her bike!

So what do we do, Omar?

No, no, no! We don't want
the same thing to happen again!

-Come on, get out! Come on!
-Go on. Just delete it all. Hurry!

All?

-All of it! Do it!
-What you deleting?

It's our only option! Go on, do it.

[ticking, music fade out]

-[Omar] Come on! Quick!
-[Tasneem] Yeah.

They come in all sizes, and the shape
they give to your body is great.

They're very practical and very resistant.

They're also
extremely comfortable to wear.

-So you can imagine how useful they'll be...
-Hi.

-Is Mum home yet?
-[quickly] Mmm? Nah.

...nice and warm.

You can see how nice and practical
they are, and they feel great.

-Leggings?
-Sh! I'm watching!

These leggings are the star buy for today.

We have them
in a range of sizes and colours.

They give a great shape.

They're very practical,
and they will never tear.

[door opens, closes]

-[tense music plays]
-They also have a high waist.

Our special offer on these leggings...

-Thank you.
-[Omar] Sh!

I'd better not regret it.

I'm sure you will.

-Enjoy the leggings!
-We have next-day delivery.

-Bye!
-So you receive them within 24 hours.

[music intensifies]

[TV presenter continues]

[sighs]

[sighs]

[music intensifies, fades out]

[inhales shakily]

[inhales sharply, exhales shakily]

[poignant music playing]

[inhales snottily]

[exhales shakily]

[pages rustling]

[whimpers]

[writing stops]

[music fades out]

[uplifting pop music fading in]

OUR FUTURE
ALRAWABI GIRLS' SPECIAL EVENT

[indistinct chatter]

[music intensifies]

[excitable chatter]

I love your hair.

[camera clicks]

Here, let's see.

[music fading out]

-[Rand] Take the feather off me! [laughs]
-[Tasneem] Yeah!

-[girl 1] It's perfect!
-[girl 2] Wait for me! I wanna get in!

[loud hum of chatter]

Coach Firas!

Coach Firas! Here!

Come!

[clears throat quietly]

[poignant music playing]

Hmm. Hi.

Hi.

Wow! Thank you, Omar.
I didn't expect you to show.

It's all good.
Of course I'd be here for you.

[chatter dies down]

I would like to welcome you all
to this event, Our Future.

At the beginning of the year,
I asked our students,

in five years' time,
where they thought they'd be.

And I gave them the chance
to let their imagination run wild

with no restrictions.

And I feel proud when I say
that I've seen the girls' passion

as they took on that challenge,

as well as the dedication
and hard work they put into it,

to learn who they'll become
in a special and very unique way.

So now, the stage is theirs.
Enjoy the show. Thank you.

[upbeat music playing]

This piece of clothing
is called the Ocean Paradox.

Its style and its colours
were inspired by the ocean.

And to me,
it symbolises the ocean's beauty,

as well as the effects
of pollution on our oceans.

This building was designed
to rely entirely on solar energy.

Our aim is to show that
we can come up with a viable alternative

that will allow us
to bring down our carbon footprint

and help to save the planet without
having a negative impact on business.

In fact,
it would be really good for business.

-Does my hair look okay?
-[Rand] I'm so nervous!

-My eyeliner isn't showing enough.
-No.

-No, I'm just gonna...
-It's good. Really.

-That looks fine now.
-[Rand] Okay. Who's next?

Okay, girls. Ready? We're up soon.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-Farah, you need to keep up with us.

You know your cues, right?

Okay.

-[blows] Okay. How do I look?
-[Leen] Stunning.

-Amazing.
-Gorgeous.

-[Tasneem] Good?
-[Rand] Oh my God, yes.

-We're doing it!
-[girl] Let's do this!

-[Tasneem] Three, two, one... AlRawabi!
-[all] AlRawabi!

And here we have a model
of the solar panels

that we designed for this building,
which shows you how they work.

These panels are the basis of our design.

Thank you. Thank you for listening.

[indistinct chatter]

[chatter dies down]

[audience cheering]

♪ Lower your voice, soften your touch ♪

♪ Wake up, girl, everyone can see you ♪

♪ Fix your hair, your make up is a mess ♪

♪ Your look is not up to you ♪

♪ Don't push your luck, just shut up ♪

♪ We've had enough of your empty chatter ♪

♪ See, if a girl wants to find a man ♪

♪ She has to be elegant and stylish ♪

♪ Everybody wants us to look like Barbie ♪

♪ All in plastic, yes, Grandpa ♪

♪ Sure, Auntie, well, seriously ♪

♪ No! ♪

[music intensifies]

♪ New times, new generation ♪

♪ It's time to change the system! ♪

♪ Yeah! Let's go, girls! ♪

♪ Who called us queens
And shining pioneers? ♪

♪ Relics of the past, gone years ago ♪

♪ You want us to follow orders blindly? ♪

♪ Are we going back to the Stone Age? ♪

-♪ Out with the old, in with the new ♪
-♪ Na, na, na, na ♪

♪ I'm not asking for freedom
I'm asking for what's mine ♪

♪ I won't entertain any guests ♪

♪ I won't eat mulukhiyah
I want a sushi platter ♪

♪ Everyone wants us to look like Barbie ♪

♪ All in plastic, yes, Grandpa ♪

♪ Sure, Auntie, well, seriously? ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! ♪

♪ It's time for us to break out
What's ours won't be taken away ♪

♪ And whoever stands in our way ♪

♪ Will be crushed by our team ♪

Whoo!

Come on! Get up!

[sung to AlRawabi anthem]
♪ We used to be AlRawabi girls ♪

♪ We were restrained
We were being watched ♪

♪ AlRawabi girls ♪

♪ We're the new Rawabis, babe! ♪

[solemn drumbeat fading in]

[cheering becomes muted]

[drumbeat intensifies]

[drumbeat echoes]

[drumbeat fades out]

-Tasneem was incredible! She was so great!
-Totally! She absolutely k*lled it!

-Mm-mm... Yes! I love it! I love it!
-With the gloves... Oh my God!

-Oh my God!
-They're so good. So good!

-I know!
-She was amazing! Hi, Farah!

Yeah, oh my God, the song. And her dress?

-What the hell, that was so good.
-[Luma] Incredible.

Ah, God. No, can't believe it really.

Farah, wasn't that performance incredible?

It was amazing, right?

-Oh my God! No way!
-[Luma] It was so good.

[excitable chatter, laughter]

How was it?

-That was awesome! [laughing]
-Really?!

-I loved doing it. It was cool.
-It was awesome.

[exhales deeply]

[audience becomes quiet]

Hello, everyone.

I'm Shams.

What you're about to watch
is the documentary I've been working on.

And it's about the reality
behind the virtual life we create online,

compared to the reality that we live in.

And I would like to thank

Nadeen

for helping me produce part of the film.

She also allowed me to see things
from a very different perspective.

Thank you.

[dynamic music playing]

-Baby! Whoo!
-[girls] Whoo!

When we look at these girls,
we see that they're like

any other teenage girls in any school.

They don't have any worries.
They just want to enjoy life and have fun.

And it seems as if
they don't have a care in the world.

[music stops]

But what happens if we go
below the surface and take a closer look?

[girl 1] Hey, that's Farah!

-[girl 2] Oh my God!
-[girl 3] That's so embarrassing.

[girl 1] So weird!

-Oh my God, that's so embarrassing.
-[girl 4] She's a joke.

-[Shams] What can we notice and discover?
-[Farah laughs onscreen]

-[Shams] Do we still see the same thing?
-[girl 5] So weird.

[girl 6] You'll go viral.

You'll go viral!

-Don't you think so?
-Yeah!

Or instead are we going to see girls

who are willing to do
anything at all for a few likes

of a few followers

and some validation
to make them feel like they exist?

[slick electronic music playing]

Now, if we take a look at these girls,
they actually seem perfect.

They seem to have it all, right?

-[Hadeel] Go for it!
-[Tasneem] Yeah!

[girls whooping, laughing]

And everyone is willing
to do whatever it takes

just to be a part of this group.

Or this... life.

Once, Tasneem said to me
that my jacket was really nice.

-So now I wear it all the time.
-[laughter]

Who's she? Right!

I'm definitely gonna vote for Tasneem.
Look at her. She's perfect.

-Go, Tasneem!
-She's my idol.

How do I look?

I'm going to be the campaign manager
for Tasneem because Tasneem is my cousin!

[laughing onscreen]

-Stop laughing!
-[audience laughing]

[laughing] You're full of sh*t!

No way!

Look, it's her!

[solemn drumbeat playing]

-[girl 7] Oh my God!
- Hilarious!

[girl 7] Yeah!

[solemn drumbeat playing]

[inaudible dialogue]

[whimpering]

[drumbeat fades out]

[musical box playing]

[Shams] But the truth is,

this whole perfect life
that you see online,

these perfect girls with perfect lives...

[retching]

...it's not the reality.

[coughing onscreen]

It's all about hiding the truth.

[music ends]

[tense music fades in]

[sniffs]

[sluicing water, spitting]

[Shams] We all go through things
that are difficult.

-[coughing onscreen]
-[audience whispering]

Everyone's going through something.

[laughing onscreen]

-[Tasneem] Take another one!
-[Sarah] Okay.

-But they're just trying to hide it.
-[Tasneem] Okay, now let's look serious.

Everyone is too scared to admit that
they don't always know what they're doing.

But still,

they hide their true selves
and show the opposite.

[breathes shakily]

Because when it comes down to it,

everyone wants the same thing.

Everybody wants to find themselves

and feel like they exist.

[upbeat synthesiser music playing]

And that's all that Sarah wanted, as well.

[Sarah] Have you ever noticed the
different types of girl in your school?

Well, now I'll tell you about
the types of girls at my school.

She just followed the formula.

And it worked.

She was on top of the world...

Wow. Wow. Wow!

...and what she'd wished for

came true.

-[Ali singing]
-[girls whooping]

[girls laughing onscreen]

[Nadeen] There are a lot of things
I could believe of you, Sarah,

but I never thought you would be capable
of doing something like this.

Until she fell.

-Get out of our school.
-Get out of our school, Sarah.

-Get lost.
-I thought we were friends.

-Get lost.
-Look at you.

[Sarah] I used to feel invisible.

Like no one could see me.

All I ever wanted
was to feel like I existed.

And to be part of something.

Part of a group... a group of friends.

To be popular.

To be invited to things
like everyone else.

[inhales shakily, sighs]

And I thought that social media
was the answer.

And that I could create this world

where I could have everything I wanted.

All that I needed was likes

and followers.

[scoffs]

[inhales shakily] I always thought

if they just... saw me...

and loved me...

then my life would mean something.

[whimpering]

[musical box playing]

And for a while there,

I felt like all of my dreams
had come true.

[inhales shakily, sighs]

Suddenly, everyone was talking to me
and wanting to be my friend

and looking out for me.

I was invited to everything.

[singing, screaming]

I wasn't invisible now.

[inhales shakily] But all of that

wasn't enough.

[music stops]

Because I couldn't keep up
with my new status any more,

no matter how I tried.

[inhales shakily]

All I knew was that

I didn't want things
to go back to how they were.

And that's when it went wrong.

-[loud chatter]
-[musical box playing]

[man 1] What are you showing us?

What is all thi... thi...
Are we watching this?

-[man 2] It's outrageous.
-[man 1] Who's...

-Turn this off!
-Go upstairs now and stop the film.

[man 2] It's an outrage, Ms. Farida!
It's a disgrace!

I hurt everyone that I cared about.
My family and my friends...

[man 2] Turn this off.

...not only myself...

[man 1] That's what I pay you for.
Turn it off!

-No, they cannot do this. You can't show...
-If you please.

[man 1] I don't care. I don't...

[Farida] Please!
Ladies and gentlemen, will you calm down!

-[man 2] These are children!
-[Farida] Please, let's calm down now.

Silence!

[shouting stops]

Silence, everybody!

[Farida] Thank you, Ms. Abeer.

This event is about the girls

and their projects.
I understand how you feel.

There may have been some breach of privacy
in the making of this film.

And I assure you,

I'm going to take the necessary measures
regarding this matter.

But, at the same time,
this film is shedding light

on an issue that is extremely important.

So I'm asking all of you to calm down

and give the girls a chance
to finish their presentations.

Farida, don't turn that film back on.

[Ms. Abeer clears throat]

[indistinct chatter]

[ambient music fading in]

I know that most of you were

outraged by what you just saw.

[inhales shakily]

And you're probably wondering
why I agreed to let those images be shown.

Sh... Shouldn't I be ashamed?

Haven't I caused enough scandal?

Well, the truth is
that I can't change the past.

Because what's done

is done.

But perhaps the only thing
that's left for me to do

is to share my story.

And I might be able to stop another girl
from making the same mistakes

that I have made.

I'm sure that right now,

there's another girl somewhere
who's feeling exactly like I did

and comparing herself to an illusion,

not a truth.

[Farah sobbing]

A girl who thinks the answer's online.

[solemn drumbeat fading in]

Or that she's not good enough.

She just wants to fit in.

I just want to say to her...

"You're not alone."

Even if right now
you find that hard to believe.

[sighs]

I wanted to be like those girls.

They're not perfect.

And I wish I had known sooner
how much they are suffering too.

And then, I might not have ruined my life,

and this wouldn't have to happen.

But actually, all I knew about them

was what they posted on social media.

And I fell for everything that I saw.

I even thought that it was all real,

that there was something wrong

with my life.

[drumbeat fades out]

But if I could do everything
all over again...

I would look around me,

and I would realise that I wasn't alone...

and that all the things
that I thought I wanted...

were never real.

Because I already had everything I needed.

Well, thank you.

[Farida inhales, exhales deeply]

["Black Blood [Arabic Language Version]"
by The Invisible Hands playing]

TO THE ONE WHO'S ABSENT IN BODY
YET PRESENT IN SPIRIT

YOU ARE FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS

[breathing rapidly]

[Hiba screams]

Hiba? What's the matter?

Farah!

[softly] Farah.

[music ends]

[mic feeds back]

♪ If I could close my eyes ♪

♪ And let dreams take me by the hand ♪

♪ I would rise and fly in a new sky ♪

♪ And I would forget my sorrows ♪

♪ If I could travel in my imagination ♪

♪ I would plant and build
Palaces and nights ♪

♪ Where my love and hopes grow ♪

♪ And we would erase the pain ♪

♪ A world where people's faces ♪

♪ Are clouded by oppression
Misery and suffering ♪

♪ From a bitter reality that destroys ♪

♪ Everything we build ♪

♪ A world where you see
Rising walls of tyranny ♪

♪ That crushes in us dreams and dreams ♪

♪ While darkness and greed ♪

♪ Reign in all hearts ♪

♪ If I could close my eyes ♪

♪ And let dreams take me by the hand ♪

♪ I would rise and fly in a new sky ♪

♪ And I would forget my sorrows ♪

[rapturous applause]

[all whooping]

[girl] Yes, Farah!

[chuckling] Whoo!

Farah!

Farah! Farah! Farah!
Farah! Farah! Farah! Farah!

Farah! Farah! Farah!
Farah! Farah! Farah! Farah!

Farah! Farah! Farah!

-[Farah chuckles]
-[girls applauding, whooping]

-[Shams] Farah!
-[Farah chuckles]

[applause and whooping continues]

ALRAWABI SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

[poignant piano music playing]

♪ We, AlRawabi girls ♪

♪ To the peaks, we are soaring ♪

♪ AlRawabi girls ♪

♪ In the horizons, we are shining ♪

♪ We are forerunners and innovators ♪

♪ In science, we trust ♪

♪ We are promising and inspiring ♪

♪ And we have supreme ethics ♪

♪ We, AlRawabi girls ♪

♪ To the peaks, we are soaring ♪

♪ AlRawabi girls ♪

♪ In the horizons, we are shining ♪

♪ We, AlRawabi girls ♪

♪ To the peaks, we are soaring ♪

♪ AlRawabi girls ♪

♪ In the horizons, we are shining ♪

[anthem ends]

["Picking up Broken Pieces"
by Dylan Parsons & Dan Cassady playing]

[music fades out]