These men have been worried for half a day already,
they are blocked at 3000 meters altitude, Right in the middle of eternal snow. Stop advancing! It's no use. The road collapsed there. Their fear, to be forced to spend the night
in the mountains by -10 degrees. Because the Lowari, renamed the road
from hell, just collapsed. Motorists have no other
choice but to rebuild it by themselves. This place is very dangerous and the road closes all the time. This morning, they had just opened it and already it is collapsing. So we fix it ourselves. And God willing, we can leave soon. Go ahead! Advance slowly. Go ahead. It took 7 hours for motorists to close the breach. The road is passable again but for how long? Located in the Northwest Tribal Areas of Pakistan,
the city of Dir and the starting point of the Lowari. 240 kilometers long, this road is the only
crossing point through the mountain, To supply the Chitral valley and its
small adjoining villages with Afghanistan. A road where the slightest careless mistake can prove fatal. The most dangerous, most vicious road is the Lowari. Serious accidents happen there. Drivers are killed. - Are you afraid of this road?
- Of course we're afraid. We are even afraid of dying there! God is great, he will help us to pass. It must ! But speed up! Go to one
speed, do you want to kill us or what? They are always very worried about going down this road. Worried about never seeing their home again,
never to find their children. On this road, an accident can happen at any time. Dir, the pious and her 20,000 souls
live mainly off the road. Throughout the day, tons of goods are loaded and unloaded from trucks, the only means of transport in the region. The truckers' district and the main source of employment. Driver, mechanic, assistant of all ages work there
every day in dust and pollution. At 23, Camara has done well in life.
He already owns two trucks. This morning he is worried. His truck is about to enter the Lowari. He must deliver two tons of sugar to the small village of Chitral. This perilous trip, he entrusted it to his best driver. Let me introduce you to Daoud, he's my driver.
I pay 40€ per month. He works with his little brother. It's a
good team, they are very brave. 40€ per month is the average salary in Pakistan. At this price,
few drivers are willing to risk their lives on this road, So, to find candidates, Camara offers a bonus of
risk of 60€ per trip. A bonus that motivates the youngest. This is Khalid, he's Daoud's little brother,
he acts as an assistant during the trip. But isn't fourteen too young? It is poverty that obliges him. There is no other activity here. What is the role of your little brother? He takes care of the difficult maneuvers by giving me directions. It warns me of problems on the
road and takes care of the mechanics. And does he work well? Yes, because if he does his job badly, I
won't teach him to drive the truck. 7am, Daoud rings the bell. Traveling on the Lowari is far from a piece of cake. For 240 kilometres, the road winds through
the mountain and its vertiginous cornices. Logically, it takes a day to get there
exhausted, but few drivers succeed. Daoud nevertheless wants to cross it the most
quickly as possible, regardless of the danger. Hi guy ! Its objective is to multiply round trips
in order to accumulate risk premiums. To achieve this, he never stops
and spends his life in his truck. Between the truck and me there is an extremely
strong. It's like my house, I eat, I sleep here, In fact, I spend more time on board than at home. Daoud has been driving for almost ten years.
The truck is no longer old. The counter is also stuck
over 776,000 kilometers for a very long time. Regardless, the two brothers decorated it as their own home. Benazir Bhutto's photos share space there with that of
of Indian pop star, idol of Pakistani youth. At an altitude of 2000 meters, the first difficulties arise. The melting snow forms torrents that cut, dig
and carry the road for hundreds of meters. To cross this torrent, we advance in first very
very gently, because of the holes at the bottom of the water. But what are the real risks? When you're loaded like today, you risk breaking the steering shaft. But worst of all, we risk falling over. At each dangerous passage, the tires are
deformed, cut by the rocks. So Khalid checks them one by one to avoid any bursting. On the Lowari, the problems never stop. So for
forget them, the drivers smoke the local drug. When I smoke ****, I no longer think about the road. To all the troubles I'll soon encounter
and besides, I don't even think about the dangers anymore. Head in the clouds, Daoud becomes
an additional hazard on the road. Many accidents are caused by this drug use. Faced with the growing number of injured on the Lowari, the Pakistani government has undertaken for four years, To dig a tunnel through the mountain. We will soon cross the mountain.
It will really change our lives. That way, we will have less difficulty in working. But for now, we gotta keep crossing
the pass at more than 3000 meters above sea level, And you never know if you'll make it through. Daoud, lives a few steps from this construction site. before attacking
the mountain, he always stops to kiss his children. Her life is on the road that she parades. - Do you see them often, your sons?
- Unfortunately not many. - And they will be drivers?
- Yes maybe. Daoud has two boys and a girl. In
this valley very straddling religion, Women are forced to hide from the gaze of men. Daoud will even prevent his mother, his
wife and daughter to meet us. How do you see your future? There is no future here. We work, that's all.
There is no future in this job. But wouldn't you like to buy a truck one day? I barely earn enough to feed my family.
So how do you want me to save for a truck? Me, I'm going to save €30,000 and I'm going to buy this truck. It will be covered with decorations, it will shine.
This will be the family's first truck. As soon as I have money, I buy it. After a 2-hour break, the two brothers hit the road again. They now attack the game
the hardest part of the climb. An area where snowmelt causes
avalanches and landslides. In less than an hour they will pass
from 2000 to 3000 meters above sea level. An ascent made the most seasoned drivers dizzy. Go ahead Khalid, get down. The road doesn't look good ahead. The truck struggles. On steep slopes, the speed drops to 10 km/h. 2800 meters. The lack of oxygen, accentuates
fatigue and diminished concentration. The slightest gesture then becomes an effort.
You have to fight to stay awake. Another 300 meters before the pass and its inn. That's it, we've reached the top! It's really cold here! Look over there, it's the 45-turn zone. The descent is terrible, it is really very dangerous.
You have to brake all the time and the brakes get hot. The road is so narrow that in the bends,
you can't even pass each other with other trucks. So you have to be careful and don't
never let go of the steering wheel. No never In front of the Auberge du Col, truckers check
that their goods are well secured. Inside, others vent the tensions
of the climb and getting ready for what's next, In front of a good dish of boiled mutton, the specialty of the valley. What are the essential qualities
to cross the mountain? - You have to have a strong heart.
- That's to say ? It takes courage and experience. Anyone who has never had an accident or mechanical problems will never make it out of this mountain. For Daoud and his brother, it's time
to attack the 45 bends zone. From here, everything becomes a problem. The road is extremely slippery. I hope there won't be too many
melted snow. Otherwise it will be hell. Crossing these bends is a test of strength. The challenge is simple: Descend without ever stopping and
pray not to meet another truck on the bends. The sleet made the road muddy. The slightest bit of braking a little too suddenly and the truck becomes uncontrollable. It is the straight assured in the ravine. When it slips, I can't do anything.
I have to wait for it to happen. I can't brake and if I do,
the truck can go anywhere. See I can't even turn
the steering wheel is useless! Yes, that's how life is here. His life, Daoud, owes it to perfect control of his truck.
But what he can't control is the wrath of nature, Like avalanches that tear everything in their path.
This high voltage pole recently paid the price. Look at this! The avalanches ripped off the electric pole.
And now we are very afraid of the hanging wires. But how dangerous is it? If we touch the wires with the roof of the truck, it makes
melt the tires but above all, it can electrocute us. One last bend and the two brothers
finally arrive in the valley of Chitral. The road there is rather good, it is
paved and protected by buttresses. Khalid will soon be able to have his driving lesson. But a few kilometers further down in the
valley, an unpleasant surprise awaits them. Part of the mountain has collapsed on
the road. Impossible to go further. It's serious ? Yes, look, the mountain is falling again. The road is completely blocked. It will take at least a whole day for this little tractor to clear everything. But isn't there another way? No, unfortunately it is the only one in the valley. The side of the mountain remains unstable and a
stream of rocks is continually falling away from it. Below, at the risk of their lives, the workers work
relentlessly to reopen the road as soon as possible. Be careful ! The machine is expensive! Come on, step back! I must work. A rock fell off and struck the front of the tractor. Why are you taking all these risks? Someone has to do this job. Come on, I'm going back. On either side of the landslide in single file, a
thirty trucks are waiting for the tractor to open the road. Some have been blocked for several days. So everyone takes their troubles patiently and passes the time as best they can. The road was already blocked last night.
Since then I have been waiting. It happens constantly. It is the fault of the government which does not maintain
not the roads in this area. However, we need it to work and when we
remains stuck like today, we lose a lot of money. A very small tractor for such a big mountain. Everyone awaits the arrival of the government bulldozer sent by the city of Drosh, located a few kilometers from the landslide. Drosh is known throughout Pakistan for the
beauty of its trucks. And it is not a hazard. The village is home to the most famous decoration workshop
of the valley, Samin and Co, a family business. People come from all over the country to
place an order or for the simple pleasure of the eyes. Samin's family gives a second life to these
trucks that mostly date from the 1960s. When the vehicle arrives, it is like this. And our
goal is to make it shine as much as this truck. How much does it cost to do this? It depends on how much decoration the owner
request. Prices range from 15 to 2500€. But the more it shines, the more expensive it is! What is the point ? It gives value to the owners.
It shows that business is going well. This morning, at the workshop, we are finishing the production of a
crown. A meticulous work that requires imagination. The colors and patterns, I find them
in my head. I do as I like. The important thing for the owner is that it is conspicuous. The Crown is ready, it can come to embellish
the top of the driver's cabin. Come on, let's get up! The wreath weighs more than a hundred kilos and
the whole family participates in its installation. Move a little to the right, raise a little there again. Before, we were asked for simple decorations
and only inside the cabin. But today, they want it everywhere. It's a lot of work. The little one will do this job? No, no, it's too difficult a job. He goes to school. The owner of the truck has just arrived. The tradition
wants him to put the finishing touches himself. He invested more than 350€ in decoration,
the equivalent of seven months' salary. Look, I put decorations everywhere! Look at my 1200 rupee speakers and my fan.
I also put in a brand new car radio. Decoration is very important for business.
It shows customers that the business is doing well. Look at this, it's very pretty, it moves when you drive. We are very proud to have spent
a lot of money for our truck. At the village of Drosh, a newly decorated truck only remains
never long unnoticed and everyone has their own commentary. It's not bad but for me it's in the
South they make the nicest trucks. Come on, put on some music! Put on some music
and show us that it works very well. He spends nothing on decoration. It's important to have a nice truck. It's like when you marry a woman, you
wants her to be beautiful. It's the same thing there. Who is more important, women or trucks? Women, of course. They are the most important women. So nothing better to seduce than
pose in front of his truck. The next morning, at the foot of the crumbling mountain,
the long-awaited bulldozer has arrived. In a few strokes of the shovel, it opens
a passage in the flow of stones. Well done, you did a good job! Don't drive so fast! It can still move! Go ahead! We've wasted enough time. - How long have you been waiting?
- Two, three days. The passage remains temporary as the mountain continues to crumble. The falling stones, the first trucks
engage one after the other. Daoud's turn arrives. His little brother passes in front to guide him. Everything went well. They can finally complete their journey. Daoud is proud of his little brother who helped him cross the mountain without breakage or accident. He decides to reward him. Come on, go ahead, take my place. The road is easy now so I put him behind the wheel. Why are you doing this ? He has to start learning the trade. It will be easy. Go ahead start. Come on, speed up. You seem worried. No no. As long as I stay near him, everything will be fine. Aren't you too young to drive? Yes, but that's the job I want to do. And are you afraid? No. In the region, no driving schools.
It is the elders who teach the younger ones. Come on, get involved, there's no one. Go a gear. Come on, roll, roll, pick up speed. Shift up now or you'll stall. Go ahead, change! Too late fool! Brake now! You listen to me or I'll give you one! Don't let go of your little jerk steering wheel! I tell you never to let go of your steering wheel, it's too dangerous. Come on, it's over, stop there now.
Go behind that truck. It's finish. But the handbrake. Go outside! Clear ! Clear ! Come down! - Does he drive well?
- Yeah, not bad. Will he become a driver then? If he stays with me another two or
three years, he will be able to do this job. Why are you hitting him? He lets go of the steering wheel. It's way too dangerous to do that.
We are risking our lives. He must remember this forever. Khalid and Daoud finally arrive in Chitral. To travel the 240 kilometers of the
Lowari, they took almost four days. It is now necessary to quickly unload the
goods and get back on the road as soon as possible, To try to make another round trip before the end of the month. Thank you for your courage. Come on, one more last bag and we're going home. We worked well. In his corner, Khalid buries his illusions.
The life of a truck driver, he had dreamed of it differently. Chitral is the largest town in the valley. All the basic necessities are there.
stored before leaving to supply the villagers, Installed on the mountainside, along
from the border with Afghanistan. The village of Parsan is located barely 35 kilometers from Chitral. Clinging to 2900 meters above sea level,
this small village is totally landlocked. Hunting, agriculture, breeding, the 1500 inhabitants live there
self-sufficient, completely isolated from the rest of Pakistan. To join Parsan, there is only one solution, Venture down this stone road
dug for barely ten years. Back to Chitral. From the early hours of the day,
passengers flock by the dozens to the central station. Everyone tries to find a place in one
vehicles to his village. Here is the 4x4 station. They are the only vehicles capable
to cross the mountain because the trucks do not pass. Hadji is 28 years old. He drives the jeep that leads to the village of Parsan. Like his father before him, he ensures several times a
week the heavy load of transporting the villagers. Today, he has to go up a family on
this road reputed to be one of the most dangerous. But his vehicle has a mechanical problem. It'll be OK ? It's leaking everywhere! They need me in the village.
I am the only means of transport. For example, if someone gets sick, it's
it's up to me to take care of it and transport it. So I have to get the jeep fixed the
faster and leave as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the problem is bigger than
intended. A part of the transmission is totally worn. Look, your room is ruined. You look worried. Yes, it is very difficult to find a piece like this. How will you do ? I do not know. Here I have a big problem. Find a precision part in a lost village in the
middle of the mountain is an obstacle course. Hello, I am looking for this part. We don't have that here. - Hello, do you have this?
- No, I don't have that kind of room. Let me sleep. No, no, I don't have this model. Stop looking, you'll never find. Salvation may come from this last shop. Two, four, six, eight. It's good for
you are the right part. It's 40€. 2 hours later, the Jeep is repaired, ready
to face the mountain again. Hadji loads almost a ton of
goods, but also passengers. Sofanna, ten months, and her parents are smiling. After fifteen days of hospitalization for a large
fever, their little girl can finally return to the village. Despite the dangers, we will go up this
road. There is no other access to the village. Are you worried about your family? Yes, I am especially afraid for my little one. - Good road.
- Thanks thanks. Due to lack of space, about ten people
are piled up in the back of the jeep. Privilege for the family, Hadji installed them at his side. We're going to put on some music. Before entering the mountain, you must cross
the river and ride over an ancient wooden bridge. This bridge is very old, it has been repaired several times,
but it remains fragile. We don't like crossing it. Listen to the noise it makes. Nobody takes the risk to stop there. After the bridge, the whole challenge of the trip is
to reach the village before dark. Sleeping in the mountains could prove fatal for the group. Temperatures often drop below zero
and rock avalanches are frequent. Many Jeeps have already been carried away. In honor of a friend killed by the road, Azam
returns to the village to take part in the feast of the dead. He died in an accident here on this road. It's the first time I'm going
see his son, his wife and his mother again. The road is terrible. She is really too dangerous. In places, you can slip and fall in the ravine. It happens. At this altitude, the heat is terrible. During the day, it is at least 40 degrees in the sun.
The co-pilot regularly tries to cool the engine. After 3 hours of driving, the passengers are exhausted.
They hadn't expected this heat. Solanna, my darling. Don't worry, we'll be there soon. We will arrive soon. She is thirsty, the little one. We have more water. Now this is the most dangerous place.
We have to go through the tunnel of death. May Allah protect us. God is great, he will help us to pass. It must ! The tunnel of death is a passage
about ten kilometers dug by hand. His vault is unstable. The landslides are there if
frequent that workers clear it every day. When the road was built, two workers died. They slipped down the ravine and now
everyone is afraid to come here. A smooth crossing, but a short-lived victory. At the exit of the Death Tunnel, the river
is in flood. Impossible to pass with the Jeep. You will have to spend the night there. Go down to the river, go look. We have a big problem, the current is too much
strong, it's impossible to cross now. I don't think we'll make it through today. Worried, Solanna's mother does not know what to think. Some intrepid passengers try all the same
to cross the river at their own risk. It's impossible, I will never succeed. It is impassable. - Really ?
- Yes, it is impassable. A young reckless insists in turn. An impassable river, a cold night that
close. Solanna's parents can't wait any longer. We leave on foot. We can't take
the risk of being stranded here tonight. We have a long walk to get to our house.
But we no longer have a choice. Now we have to go. Under a blazing sun, the family begins its ascent. Carry our daughter, please, I can't take it anymore. This secondary road only passable on foot,
date from the time when the road did not exist. Worried by the rising waters, the great
father came down to meet his family. Look honey, you can see the house up there. It takes at least 3 hours of walking to reach the family home. Okay okay. Take the little one. Lay down there, she's tired. When my family hits the road, I'm scared.
I never know if they'll make it alive. So I always come down to meet them
to wait for them by the side of the road, And help them if they have a problem like today.
And now everything is fine, I am reassured. Cover it, please
let her sleep she is very tired. Outside, the father of the family has
already taken up the weaving of wool. He uses an ancestral method that
hasn't changed for centuries. We weave the wool at home, then we go down to sell it in town. That's how you make some money. There is no other solution in the village. The wool will be sold for €2 per meter on the Chitral market. Just enough to buy some clothes
for the family and pay for jeep trips. In front of the ford, hope has returned. The water level
descends gradually and to facilitate the passage of Jeeps, The villagers line the river bed with pebbles. The current is still very strong. We can not
pass again. So we throw stones. Come on, come on, all together! Come on guys, come on, let's go! Come on, all together, push! Still ! PUSH ! It's good, we'll be able to pass. I am happy ! I got the passengers off. It's too dangerous. Come on, come on, let's go. After a few kilometers, the village of Parsan finally appears. Pass me the bag of sugar, please. Hadji took 10 hours to cover 35 kilometers. But he has the
smile because once again he managed to cheat death. I am happy. I joined my village, my friends, my family. God has been with us once again. Higher in the village, Azam joined
the house where the feast of the dead will take place. He is welcomed there by the son of the deceased. - Hello my friend how are you ? You're okay ?
- Yeah, not bad. - My condolences for your father.
- Thanks thanks. - And your mother, how is she?
- God rest her soul, she's dead. What happened ? A few months after dad's accident, she too left. Rest in peace. Surprisingly, it's in the most remote corners
of Pakistan that women are the freest. Here, religion is present, but it
is followed more flexibly. Look, these are my dad's last photos. I was in the jeep too that day. The driver did not engage four-wheel drive and the car overturned. That's how my father died. Have you been hurt? No, me and the other passengers, we got nothing. For the ceremony of the dead, Nawaz
sacrifices one of his most beautiful goats. Come on, come here. Here, we'll take this one. She is tall, Very plump. She's going to be perfect. I thank you Allah for accepting this sacrifice. We will sacrifice this goat in your name. Pass me the knife please. You really have to sharpen your
knife so that the goat does not suffer. And it is a sin to make her suffer. A sacrifice must honor the animal. Come help me, please. Hold his hind legs. Go, go, you can go. God is great. God is great. Skins are very important to us. Because with it we make drums. But also extremely warm blankets. And even when carrying heavy
loads, we put them on our shoulders, And she protects us. And we also make shoes for
Winter. Very good shoes too. Because thanks to them, you don't slip in the snow. We take care of our goats. Nawaz personally prepares the meal.
Thirty men are expected this evening. I will give you my soul. The musicians begin the first songs in honor of the deceased. An ode to their journey which, despite the dead,
connects them to the rest of the country. It's a long road, To reach the village. When we get there, It is a relief in our hearts.
