Production company TOR presents
based on a novel "Zmory" by Emil Zegadłowicz
The heart of Jesus, our blessed escape
Have mercy on us, your people..
It's true, oh Lord, that we've sinned..
[religious song continues]
executive producer
director of photography
directed by
The heart of Jesus, our blessed escape
Have mercy on us, your people..
Have a look at this magnificent nature.
You think it's impossible to find in it
a system of everlasting obedience to the same rule.
The rule of endless wisdom of our Lord,
God who rules the world.
Even an ordinary fly serves the same idea
of the endless happiness and harmony.
That's how it is, my dear dummies.
Praise the Lord whether it's sunny or raining.
Everything's up to Him,
everything depends on His will and consent.
What are you laughing at, you idiot?!
THE NIGHTMARES
Tośka is giving them a scare.
Bad sign.
Come out.
I'm putting it out and lighting it again...
Come out, ghost!
I'm putting it out and lighting it again...
Come out, ghost!
It's here!
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe...
You had a bad dream?
It's alright now. It was just a nightmare.
Daddy...
Why doesn't mummy live with us?
She's always preferred being alone.
The two of us just happened to her by accident.
It's not her fault.
But we're both alike.
Here you go.
An apple is a beautiful fruit.
It has a smell when it's alive and after death.
Can you feel the smell of the peelings?
Have you already put your spell on it?
Mhm.
Mummy!
You're so dirty.
I feel sorrow and pain I must sail away
I feel sad and wronged Where does the magic belong?
How did you picture it? You want me to go and say:
Dear colleague, enrol him to school, his my son?
What's wrong about that?
I thought you've got that after all these years.
What if he doesn't get enrolled?
Fine, I'll go with him.
Well...
Where are we?
At school.
Very well.
Although you should remember it's not a school
but an Imperial and Royal Gymnasium.
I see.
Where is it then?
In Wołkowice.
What kind of town is it?
Polish.
You mean Galician. Repeat.
Galician.
- And Galicia is a part of... - Austria.
Of Austro-Hungarian Monarchy! Dear Lord! My boy...
Come closer.
- Who's the Emperor? - Franz Joseph.
By the Grace of God Emperor Franz Joseph I.
What does your father do?
- He's retired. - Who was he then?
- A professor. - I can't believe it.
He was Imperial and Royal professor.
What's your name?
- Mikołaj Srebrny. - Srebrny...
Srebrny?
Aren't you the son of Michał who used to teach with me in Cracow?
That's right. He lives in Poręba now.
He had to retire.
No wonder.
Some of his lectures at school were...
Forgive me.
Tell your father to stop by.
We could talk about the old times.
You can go now. You're on the list.
Are you glad?
No.
Fucking...
- I've brought Mikołaj. - What?
- I've brought Mikołaj. - My Mikołaj!
You should've said that, you cow.
Come to uncle, Mikołaj!
He came to see his uncle!
Jesus Christ!
Leave the girl alone, you...
Some decent people, I'll say.
Stop staring!
- You're going to live here. - What about mum?
She'll stay at grandma's.
Keep quiet. The boy doesn't have to know what adults do.
Fucking...
Give me some vodka!
Everything's the result of the original sin.
Don't sleep, Marecki!
If there had been no forbidden fruit
which had been tasted by our parents,
we would all have live in paradise.
Unfortunately it happened and since that day
devil is among us.
He's whispering all the worst to us.
He wants to lead us to the gates of hell in no time.
Everyone has his own devil.
Each and every one of us...
Srebrny, what did I say about the devil?
Every man has his own devil.
There are no devils.
Sit down. What?
- What did you say? - There are no devils.
There are no devils, you say. What about hell?
There's no hell either?
Who told you that?
My daddy.
Great. Your daddy.
Old pantheist!
Your daddy... So you're not afraid of the devil?
No.
Then you'll be afraid of me!
If your daddy thinks he can go on and deprave...
Say Hail Mary!
Not a word!
Janas, you swine!
Wrong!
Another swine...
You spelled your surname wrong!
Wrong!
Rzepecki, you swine...
Very bad!
Srebrny, you swine...
Swine Srebrny is an absolute idiot.
A complete retard!
It would be better if he gave up school and became a shoemaker.
Grab a last!
Promise you won't write any hogwash ever again.
Promise me...
You won't, right?!
Slap him right in the neck.
Here you go.
Hit his fingers.
Go on then!
Well?
Why aren't you laughing?
You riff-raff!
That's what I'm talking about!
Laugh!
You dirty pigs!
Go on - laugh!
The headmaster is calling pupil Srebrny.
He's a good boy but he's lost in his thoughts all the time.
But the worst thing is he's independent. We need to be careful.
Very careful.
All the time.
- Above all - be careful. - You couldn't be more right.
How can an old father bring up a child?
And the mother... no need to hide it - as you know, she's crazy.
Everybody knows that.
He's listening inwards. In school, however, one should listen outwards.
One needs to listen at school.
Of course you should listen everywhere and all the time.
The condition of the state depends on it.
I'll pull out your arms, you rascals!
Look what they did!
I beg your pardon.
Well, you swines...
Who's job is it?
I'm asking you, who was throwing, you riff-raff's?!
Confess, swines!
Who was it?!
You?
Or you?
Maybe you?
- What's your name? - Johnny Clatter.
Here's your clatter then.
- Was it you? - No.
So it was you!
Don't get drunk.
If the professor offers you a drink, tell him you've got heartburn.
Are you listening?
It's partially your fault, professor.
I know.
Thank you but... I've got a heartburn.
Just one glass.
You should be firm with the boy.
I was going to.
That's great.
Come closer, Mikołaj. Your father...
I'd like to do it when we're alone.
That's my method.
We're in trouble, son.
- I don't want to go back there. - You have to.
The most wonderful thing in the world is ahead of you.
Getting out of chaos.
You'll save yourself and others as well.
There won't be many of them but they're the best ones.
Fear and lies are all around us.
I've been trying to protect you.
Was I right?
I think so.
I hope the time we've spent together and my ideas...
are a help and shelter to you.
One day you'll develop them on your own.
You'll face many disappointment.
I hope my love is never going to let you down,
although it has to end so soon...
Have a drink, Mikołaj.
What about that priest?
Don't take it too seriously. That's how the system works.
- Do you know that? - I do.
- What if he's... - Shut up! He's alive!
I hope so. But remember the manor and the land are ours.
The hen pecks to find a grain, as Jesus said.
Mummy...
Mikołaj?
Mikołaj!
At last you'll be together as good Christians.
You don't have to support the old beggar anymore.
- Mum, please. - Mum...
What about you? You're leaving with Wacław to the country?
If you let me, I'll stay with you and Mikołaj.
If she lets you...
I'm to decide!
- How much did Wacław pay you? - 6 zlotys.
A month?
A week.
I'll give you 2.
Mikołaj, show me your hands.
Bend the fingers...
You won't become a musician.
But that's nothing.
You loved your daddy, didn't you?
I did.
I know.
Mikołaj...
I'm sick.
You'll be on your own.
I hope your life is better than mine.
I thought you could stay in here...
but you should run away from this house, this street, from Wołkowice...
Death is all there is!
I'm not able to love you.
Forgive me.
Don't listen to the things people will tell you about me.
Maybe you'll forgive me one day?
Maybe God will forgive me?
Look...
Nothing but debt...
We need to save some money.
From now on you have to give all the money you earned to me.
But I wanted to save some money for Mikołaj...
You think I don't want to?!
Maybe I could give lessons in here not in student's houses?
I could earn a lot more.
In here... yes...
But you know, all the strangers...
They bring in so much dirt.
Don't keep the lights on too long! Who's to pay for all that?!
She's drunk.
I know.
Mummy...
Yes?
Have you ever been to a theatre?
- No. - What about a circus?
I've been to circus.
Show me what you saw in there.
Grandma would get angry.
Maybe some other time. Go to sleep.
Mum!
Mummy!
Come on.
This is Mikołaj.
Nod your head.
He's a pretty boy.
A bit ill-looking.
What about you?
Are your hands clean? Not yours!
They're clean.
You can go now.
Do you know what a harlot is?
Sure. It's from Latin.
Idiot! It's not what I meant.
What did you mean then?
It's a woman who gets naked and you can ride her.
What do you mean?
You ride - what can't you understand?
I'll ask Baśka to ride her.
She's your sister.
What of it? I can do whatever I like with her.
Baśka!
What do you want?
Nothing.
- I just wanted to ask if we could... - Stop it!
Suit yourself.
Your children are like angels, dear engineer.
I told them to behave when we're visiting someone.
- There's plenty of time for education. - Can I give them some cherries?
That's enough.
My dear children, if you eat all that, you'll be healthy as horses!
Cherries make kids grow like the rain makes mushrooms grow!
Mikołaj, get us some tea.
Mikołaj...
Get Basia some tea.
I'm supposed to fetch some tea.
Get lost.
You're still up?
Have a beautiful dream.
- Have you got fever? - No.
Pigs! You pigs!
Mikołaj?
My darling.
You had a bed dream.
That was only a nightmare.
- Can I get you anything? - An apple.
There are no apples at this time of year.
SIN OF IMPURITY!
Beware of it!
Otherwise you'll burn in hell.
Devils will pull you apart and your body will grow together again...
so that your torture has no end.
However there is a way to evade hell.
Expiating one's sins by acts of penance.
One mustn't hold secrets. Satan is just waiting for it!
A lie is a great sin, my boys!
All the sins have their origins in lie!
What now, you idiot?
Marecki's lying all the time.
Why are you telling me that, my child?
You don't know.
It's your soul revolting against evil.
And Marecki will be dangling in hell!
For all eternity!
Examination of conscience...
There's more.
And now...
One mustn't show the naked body. Satan is just waiting for the moment!
It's like you opened the door and said: 'welcome!'.
Look, how the tears of repentance are washing his sins.
Satan and all the evil are leaving him.
Look at the snakes coming out of his mouth.
Frogs and earwigs...
Look! Now there's a beast coming out...
What a monstrosity! It's like a crocodile!
A small dragon with a huge muzzle! It's teeth are sharp as nails!
You can feel the stench of the dragon's breath.
I know what it is.
It's a sin of impurity!
That's it!
- Why so late? - There's no hurry.
You have to pay me, too.
Just a second...
Shoosh!
But in this brothel...
God will comfort you, my son.
I'd like to serve him.
That's good.
But remember Satan will be tempting you.
Tomorrow you can be an altar server.
- Do you want to? - Very much.
Give me back that notebook, Karol.
The biggest dreamer of us all, decadent.
A poet!
Full of womanly virtues...
Still a virgin!
Mikołaj Srebrny!
Notes of Life by Mikołaj Srebrny.
Into the world... Poetry - be at my side!
I love life!
Damned by God and people, I'm dying out of love! My father...
I am walking as I used to live, the whole world is falling apart...
I envy you your regained freedom, I'm still no one!
I'm useless... I'm glad you know that already.
Give it to me!
Death, death all around me!
Life is unnecessary. And death is meaningless.
As far as I know all's the same!
Farewell, my father. Goodbye, mother.
My love to Balbina is pure.
Until yesterday, you were my everything, o Lord!
I had faith against the hope and reason.
Today I can see you died on the cross for nothing.
Maybe you were lying to yourself, my good man.
Maybe you'll return, Christ, my heart will be healed by your word...
and the great and eternal matters will be reminded by you...
Not a God but a son of man.
May I introduce you professor Chwostek.
He'll teach you science and biology.
- All the patience, my colleague. - Thank you.
Physics is a great science, you know.
You should know biology, sociology...
You know, the capitalism... Down with it!
Human thought and socialism!
But that's between us.
Sit down.
He's been transferred here for disciplinary reasons.
Why?
He got on well with students.
In physics, gentleman, the statements are not dogmatic.
Experiment is what really counts, gentleman.
The practice.
You need to smell it, taste it... hear it...
I'll prove it to you by carrying out that simple experiment.
That ball can be easily put through that ring.
That's one of many rules in physics, the queen of all sciences!
Here you go...
I must have heated the ball, I'm sorry. I'm going to cool it.
The objects immersed in fluids...
Here you go...
It's the wrong set.
We'll return to that experiment during next classes, gentleman.
I also wanted to say that the second part of the lesson
is for your questions.
Is that compulsory?
No, nothing is.
One more thing - your questions don't have to concern physics.
On the contrary - ask me about life.
About what interests you the most.
We'll return to that experiment.
Nothing in nature is ever lost!
The priest says otherwise: 'creatio ex nihilo'.
Religion is one thing and science - the other.
- But religion can't be wrong. - You think so?
Science is powerful!
You won't understand it, you moron!
Retard!
- Masturbator! - Speak for yourself!
You bigot!
Sure you want this?
WORKING CLASS
You can get expelled for that.
And it is red in colour
bathed in workers blood...
No money? How would people live?
You enter the shop and you ask for 2 pounds of flour, butter and cheese...
- And a bottle of vodka. - That's right.
Instead of paying...
And?
Karol, it's not like that. I just don't go to church anymore.
That's not true.
You stopped praying. Seeking comfort in God.
Leave me alone!
You have to understand I need to believe.
- In God? - What other choice do I have?
What about this?
Come, the future of the nation!
Mikołaj!
Come on!
It's freezing!
Mikołaj!
Meet our guests.
- What about auntie? - She's left. Come on!
I've read Hamlet as well and I know that life is worth shit!
Come on! Let's screw them. Come, Mikołaj.
Come on!
Say hello to the ladies. Take a bow.
- Good afternoon. - You see?
Hello.
We've got some champagne.
Here you go.
Take it, Mikołaj. Have a drink.
Have a sit next to me.
No, thank you.
Please...
I'm alright, really.
You're scared of me.
- No, why? - Sit down then.
You know...
Once we had a canary but someone left the cage open and the bird...
It flew away?
No, the cat ate it.
I don't feel like it today. Maybe some other time.
Let's have a drink then.
Here's to you!
Have a look!
See, what a misery's upon us?
That's God's will.
- If someone's crazy... - Mum!
Fucking laments...
Tomorrow I'll get her to the doctor in Cracow.
In Cracow? Have you got any idea how much would that cost?!
Alright, not a word...
Fucking laments...
Give it to me.
I've got nothing.
What's that then?
These are just my notes.
Read it out loud.
- That's nothing to be proud of. - Don't waste our time. Read it.
The reality is a nightmare.
It's a torment and poverty and dreaming is life and freedom.
Good reality should prolong the dreaming, be a dream come true...
Bad reality is a sleepless fear not worth living for.
Repeat the last sentence, loud and clear.
Bad reality is a sleepless fear not worth living for.
No, there is no soul.
The brain is all there is
and at the moment of death simply stops working.
When a man dies, all his feelings and thoughts disappear with him?
What about dreams?
What did you say?
Maybe life is a kind of dream and we wake up after death?
Believing in immortal soul makes surviving this horrible life easier.
But we must lead to revolution, end the exploitation.
You don't understand me.
I'm not talking about manipulating one's beliefs.
You never felt that there's more to you
than what can be described with definitions from physics?
It's utter rubbish! You know it too well.
You know who made that all up?
Priests!
They want to distract our attention from what really matters.
You know what that is? That people are starving.
I can see you don't believe me.
Forgive me.
But remember - there's no soul. Only God exists.
I wanted to say 'the brain'.
You know what? I'm not a real physician.
Thank you.
6 kreutzers?
Can you tell me what you need it for?
There's this actress coming from Cracow, Wysocka. She'll be reciting poems.
Poems!
You're no different than your father.
Reading books, not a penny in your pocket.
- But at school... - At school!
You should learn some trade.
That's what pays the bills nowadays.
An artist! Wysocka!
After Zofia died, we mustn't be wasteful.
Was it any different before?
If mum hadn't had to give you all her money, she could've been treated.
- The doctor said... - What?
You're blaming me for the death of my daughter?!
Is that right? Don't you know what we spent it all on?!
To support you, to educate you...
Welcome, professor.
One ticket, please.
You're not coming?
Good morning, professor.
Why? It's worth it.
There's something I need to do.
- One more ticket, please. - The name of the student?
- Why? - We were instructed to do so.
Mikołaj Srebrny.
Suddenly I heard two eagles flying above me against the clouds
like Greek army against Persians.
And I'm in frenzy, my sword is rusty I throw it in my lover's heart -
I ran into the forest although I heard the moan.
I was cursed by God. I cursed God.
Since then my heart knows no fear
and all it can hear is the sound of dark waves.
Is the list complete?
Two eagles above me,
I, the man - all alone.
If I was not a druid out of stone, a mortal god, a king with no crown -
if I was more than a bird in amok - if I was not tired with torment,
if I was more than a song at the grave -
I would lead my army - to Thermopylae!
Golden kingcups in the snow, lilac saffron, pale sorrel -
they all bow to the sun: we're lost, you can make us reincarnate as roses.
And the sun is laughing in the sky: roses will wilt, lilac will, too.
I will avenge you though, make a lightning of your tears.
Roar, o storm!
O wind, pull the ropes which serve the miserable dwarf - the earth
and throw it where the spirit turns into a cabalistic poem of nature.
The secret fire is crushing my heart, like a glacier crushes the granite.
Pile Pelion on Ossa, raging seas and volcanos...
And what have I gained?
The flower of blue fields -
silent, boundless - inconceivable pain.
Proffesor Chwost's been dismissed.
No allegations.
Why was he dismissed?
Well...
he was an individual.
That's always inconvenient and dangerous.
I'm in the middle of the lesson here.
There are more important things.
Andrzej Druski, Adolf Świostek, Michał Zylski...
The police officer wants to have a word with you.
Sit down.
You need to understand, my beloved young man,
that some matters make me very anxious and concern.
As it turns out, your friends are suspected
of affiliation with a secret society
which aim is to overthrow the Emperor and lead to anarchy!
I wasn't aware our pedagogical effort was going to waste.
Sit down.
Can you remember the two luminous characters
created by our timeless great bard - Adam Mickiewicz?
Gerwazy and Protazy.
The bard must've anticipated the future of the country.
Those are impersonations of Austria and Poland.
When Austria says: 'that's how it is, Mr Protazy',
Poland replies: 'indeed, Mr Gerwazy'.
Unfortunately not everyone learned the lesson reading Sir Thaddeus.
They don't understand that hitting Gerwazy they're also hitting Protazy.
Your friends proved themselves to be bad Poles!
LONG LIVE THE POLISH SOCIALIST PARTY!
KISS MY ASS!
TOGETHER WITH YOUR POLICE AND GROTESQUE EMPEROR!
You're accused of giving our three friends away to the police.
Get up!
That's not all. You're also to blame for professor's Chwostek death.
- That's not true. - Why did you do it?
- I'll prove it to you. - Well?
It's all fraud and you know it!
You don't believe me...
Give me a cigarette.
He's looking for someone to blame. Next time it will be one of you.
I wouldn't give anybody away. Honest!
We all smoke.
Let me go.
You pissed yourself!
You pig!
Revolution needs to be forced.
A group like ours has to indoctrinate masses.
Introduce its own rules, beliefs...
Who gave you the right?
Stay, Staś!
Bugger off!
You can lie in bed...
I don't want to be seen here in the morning again!
- I'll give you 20 ducats. - You said you had no more money.
- I was saving it for my funeral. - So it'll be mine anyway.
I'll fix you a nice coffin.
You can't!
Stasiu! Don't say that!
I know what you needed poor orphan's money for!
You spent it on whores!
You worked miracles.
Was it pneumonia?
I'm not sure but he's fine now.
Keep giving him a rub for a few more days.
He has to go back to school. He has he's high school exams.
He can't go before he gets better.
What should I do with him?
Keep well...
The bell sounds so strange...
Keep well, the leaves are falling off the trees.
Keep well, love is but a death.
Farewell - it must be done...
She's beautiful!
Silencio!
Atención!
Gerwazy and Protazy!
I know what you think.
But these are the rules of revolution.
- I know other rules. - Of course!
Poetry, love, art!
But they are meaningless!
Maybe.
But I'll keep trying.
Try becoming one of us. You're a Pole, a patriot, a socialist!
He despises us.
It's even better that the ones like him are not in the party.
Traitor!
Silence!
Keep quiet, graduates.
Dear graduates,
so close to my heart.
We brought you up and now you're leaving us.
You're leaving the old professors all alone.
Well...
Shame!
But that's life.
We loved you...
You're our pride...
You're the pride of the nation!
You're its future.
Don't forget us...
You're setting an example! Our masters!
We're no masters.
Long live professor Daszycki!
Children!
My dear children!
Let's not allow the sadness to poison our hearts.
Let's have fun and laugh!
Laugh, everyone!
Laugh! Go on!
STARRING
MUSIC BY
SCENOGRAPHY
EDITING
COSTUMES
MAKE-UP
DIGITAL RECONTRUCTION
production