13 October 1981
Citizen...
Don't you know you should
keep your dog on a leash?
My dog won't bite a pig.
Smart-mouth!
Make it the last time.
17 December 1981
Franek!
- Can you turn it down?
- No, it's my inspiration.
When will you finally get serious?
You're already getting on a bit.
Never, I hope.
- At this time, who could that be?
- Probably Beno.
- Good morning.
- Morning.
- Hi, Beno!
- Hi!
You could take Beno's example.
Such a nice boy.
Mum, please, can't you see
that Beno's come to see me.
I can't say anything,
he knows best about everything!
Ok, ok, I'm going!
Ah, Mrs. Kupiec,
could I stay here for a few nights?
- I had a fight with my father.
- Of course.
- Thank you.
- Bye!
What did you quarrel
with your father about?
Martial law.
- You got nothing else to argue about?
- No, we don't.
Fucking commie!
What's this music?
The boys recorded it in the garage.
Cool, but can you turn it off?
You know, it's pretty late.
Mother might want to sleep.
You know, I've got an internship
at the Francuska St. hospital.
They brought in some wounded
miners yesterday.
Terrible sight...
It keeps haunting me.
It doesn't bother you, then?
Not really.
I prefer paintings.
It's just that sometimes life
is more important than art.
Life doesn't interest me.
But sometimes it's more interesting.
More true.
Truth is just another exhibit
in the museum of human thoughts.
- Did you come up with that yourself?
- No, I read it somewhere.
And what's that?
Earning extra cash as a postman?
Look, best not to ask.
Can you hide them somewhere?
When I find another place,
I'll take them away.
Ok.
1 April 1982
Do you always have to study?
The first year is the worst.
I'd love to check your anatomy.
You've already forgotten it?
No, it's hard to forget.
Good, but sit quietly because
I can't concentrate.
You brought it! You remembered!
My little cutie-pie!
Maybe I should get
something in return?
A little kiss?
There's an interesting story
with this skull, you know?
Beno said once that in
the old church cellars...
It's always Beno!
- Beno said this, Beno said that...
- Don't interrupt your elders.
I'm sure your mum told you that.
After all, you're from a good home.
Oh, so much older. Two months.
Two whole months.
Two or not, I'm still older.
So we sneaked in there,
to the cellar.
Beno said the people had died
of an epidemic or something.
And there they were.
I took one, and came back home,
I put it in a pot and boiled it
to get rid of the germs.
Well, it'd be stupid to die of smallpox.
The next day, my mother
cooked soup in that pot.
She put it on the table.
I didn't eat it,
Grandma just scowled and said:
"This soup nicht schmeck gut".
I really like your grandma,
she's always so...
elegant, a true lady.
When I call and you're out,
she says, "Franek not home".
She speaks funny Polish.
Franek, it's ten o'clock already.
You have to go, it's the curfew!
Be careful, and see you on Saturday.
I have my exam on Friday,
keep your fingers crossed for me.
And you'll be able to stay the night -
my parents are going away.
I love you.
Citizen, where are you
going at this late hour?
Home.
I stayed late at my girlfriend's.
Your girlfriend's?
Is she pretty?
Enough for me.
Your papers.
Don't I know you from somewhere?
A student.
You were with a girl in
a stained coat like that?
I paint.
Exactly!
We got a report that in this area
some boys have been painting
bad slogans on the walls.
Your pals maybe?
It's not nice to run away
from the authorities.
The authorities will always get you.
And now let's go quietly
to the car.
It's 11 pm, Thursday, 1 April 1982.
The 91st day of the year.
The sun set today at 7.11 pm.
Here is the news.
Today, a 26-person consultative
advisory board was established,
with Czesaw Bobrowski
as its chairman.
The Council also includes other
leading scientists, economists...
Turn out your pockets.
The Council will support
the government in its activities.
Today saw the publication
after a short break of the
socio-cultural magazine "Zdanie".
It will be published as a monthly.
What the fuck is that?
A pebble for luck.
Seems like luck has
abandoned you now, my friend.
Laces.
Fucking...
teacher's pet!
Enough!
You're lucky I'm your ex-classmate.
Or you'd get such a fucking beating,
your own mother
wouldn't recognise you.
Grze Gwiazda was here.
Name.
Kupiec.
Kupiec.
First name?
Franciszek.
Date of birth?
10 October 1960.
10 October 1960.
Are you studying, my friend?
- Yes.
- Where?
At the Academy of Fine Arts,
Faculty of Graphic Arts.
And what do you paint?
I stopped painting,
now I practise formistic elementarism.
Huh?
Formistic elementarism,
I use various discarded objects
and make pictures from them.
But you paint on walls too!
I've never painted
anything on walls,
more's the pity, as
it's the in thing nowadays.
That's for sure.
A lot of anti-government slogans
have appeared in our town recently,
and you have nothing to do with it?
I told you, I was coming
back from my girlfriend's.
Could I have one?
Yes.
Here.
So,
you don't paint on walls,
but can you tell us
what this is?
- A package.
- Excellent.
Can you tell us what's in the package?
- Unfortunately not.
- Unfortunately not.
Why not?
After all, we found
the package in your home.
I don't know what's in it,
first time I've seen it.
The first time?
So you don't know what
you keep at home?
I've never seen it, a friend
of mine probably left it.
Can you say which friend?
I don't know which one,
many come to me,
friends from college,
from high school.
And what do you talk about
when you meet?
What do you mean?
About music, girls,
sometimes about art, boys' stuff.
You don't talk about politics?
Rarely, politics doesn't interest us.
Well, that's interesting,
would you like to see
what's in the package?
- Where are you going?
- It's stuffy in here.
Sit down!
Close the window
or this motherfucker will jump out.
Ok.
So,
you still can't remember
where it came from?
No.
That helps to jog the
memory sometimes,
can you remember anything now?
No, it has nothing to do with me,
you want to set me up
for something.
- Why are you standing like that?
- I thought...
Comrade Baszczyk,
thinking is not your strongest point.
The militia is not a slaughterhouse,
wipe it off.
Escort him out.
Now!
Where are we going?
Straight ahead.
Take a good look, you won't
see this world for a long time.
Hi.
Franek.
Zbyszek.
- Got any bacca?
- What?
- Got any fags?
- No.
Fuck!
I really need a smoke.
If you don't give me a fag,
I'll fucking smash it all in.
Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you.
It's a pity you don't have any fags.
I really need to smoke.
What is that?
A map.
Wise guy!
And what is it a map of, do you know?
The Soviet Union
and other socialist countries.
Good, Student!
Ok.
Can you see Poland there?
Yes.
So let's compare,
Poland is here.
And here is the Soviet Union.
A great country, huh, student?
A great country.
And you think our big brother
would allow some counter-revolution,
the rotten dwarves of
imperialist reaction, to run riot?
No, of course not,
that's why we're making order here,
whether you like it or not,
because if our big brother gets angry
and invades, it wouldn't be so funny,
and people like you
would be sent to hunt polar bears.
Now tell me where
this shit came from.
I don't know.
I'm trying to reason with you,
but if I lose my patience,
I don't know what I'm gonna do.
You hear those screams?
Those are miners.
They wanted to blow up a mine,
and now they don't remember anything,
but we will remind them.
I mean, how long can you
stand your nails being pulled out?
I wouldn't want you to go through that,
as it hurts so much,
and you look like a sensible person,
so tell me what it was about.
Some names, addresses,
the court will take it into account,
you'll get a suspended sentence.
Otherwise, according to
the martial law act,
you'll be locked up
for at least fifteen years
and that's a long time, student.
What are you in for?
I don't know.
For nothing.
Franek, they don't keep
people in here for nothing.
You can bullshit them, not me.
They want to set me up for something.
Like everyone.
Everyone in here is innocent.
And you?
For murder.
Pre-meditated murder.
That's what the guy upstairs said.
But luckily they don't hang the young,
so I'll get a quarter.
25 years.
And you know what that is, Franek?
That's a very long time.
A whole lot.
When I get out,
I'll be an old grandfather.
That's a good smoke.
Like the Lord Jesus himself
kissing my forehead.
Kupiec, we're leaving.
Move it!
What are you doing here, sir?
I should be asking you.
I didn't think we'd meet here.
Listen, Franek.
You've got yourself
into a lot of trouble.
I can't help you.
I can only tell you one thing.
If you know something,
then keep it to yourself.
Don't tell anyone, you hear me?
Nothing.
In the cells too.
Thank you.
I am doing it for your father's sake.
You're not asleep?
No.
My tooth aches.
I can't sleep, either.
I feel sorry about my pony.
Pony?
Chestnut.
It was all white.
With just a few black patches.
It was so vicious.
And I'm the same.
I lived all alone.
In the wild...
In the woods.
I miss the woods.
And one day this pony
attached itself to me.
We were inseparable from then on.
We would ride through the woods.
He understood everything I said.
Such a clever bastard.
But then I did something crazy.
I went to the village.
I don't know what for.
I tied him to a fence.
And went to the pub.
I downed a little vodka.
I went out, and saw
the pony was gone,
I saw at the end of the village,
some dick leading it away,
so I went after him.
He told me it was his horse,
so we went for each other.
He fucking hit me once,
so I pulled out a knife,
and I slaughtered him like a pig.
Till his head fell on the roadside.
I kicked it and it rolled
under the fence.
I was so pissed off.
And when I'm pissed off,
I don't know what I'm doing.
Slasher.
That's what they call me.
I killed a piece of shit,
but I'd do time for a good guy.
Here, have one.
It'll help with your toothache.
What's this?
Some sort of museum?
Yes.
And I make sure everything
here works as it should.
Well, sit down.
But nothing hurts.
We know better what
hurts and what doesn't.
And this?
Just in case,
so you don't twitch and hurt yourself.
Let's see what's going on in there.
Open your mouth wide.
Well.
Does it hurt?
But it may stop hurting,
if you remember a few names.
Something come back to mind already?
What a pity!
It was you who told them.
Nice favour you did me.
You hear me?
Nothing to say?
3 May 1982
The accused, Franciszek Kupiec,
born on 20 January 1962.
Father's name - Jan.
Charge:
from December 1981
until 31 March 1982
in Mikow, he did distribute
printed and handwritten leaflets
and posters containing false information
which could create a public disturbance,
posting them up in public places
and leaving them outside
local residents' houses.
Judgment: By the decree
of 12 December 1981,
on special measures in cases
of crimes and offences
during martial law,
pursuant to Article 170.1,
the Silesian Military District
court in Katowice
in session on 3 May 1982
sentences the defendant
to four years' imprisonment,
and declares forfeiture
to the Treasury
of the Orga Privat typewriter
serial no. 67-393,
and orders the defendant to pay
4,200 zlotys to the State Treasury,
as well as all costs of the proceedings.
End of judgment.
Well, what are you looking at?
Take those rags off.
Put this on.
Prisoner, out.
So, warden, a nice bit of
fluff has moved in today,
I will have to cut off
these beautiful locks,
so they don't rape
our pansy in the cells,
Warden, please tell
our friend what a pansy is.
A pansy
is...
a piece...
of utter trash,
which you clean toilets with.
From your arms straight to heaven
All I want today
Remember...
From your arms straight to heaven...
First time?
First time.
Don't get scared, you'll get used to it.
Just watch out if someone
tries to put soap up your ass.
Thanks.
Stop.
Let's go.
Franek.
Pops...
Krystian.
The upper bunks are free,
choose the one you want.
- What are you in for?
- For leaflets.
A political one.
We have several like that in here.
Above us are the miners from Wujek,
they have it really fucked up.
Politics is a whore, you have to fuck it.
Are you playing or not?
Student?
Yes.
I studied painting.
We have an artist among us.
That's worse than a pansy.
Are you fucking playing?
It's your move.
- Hey, kid, I'll fucking kill you.
- Give him a break.
Pops? A new cocksucker?
Shut your lousy mouth or I'll piss in it.
I'm sorry,
a man turns savage in here.
You know how long I've been in here?
Since 1962, when you weren't even born.
I was.
Mum was changing my diapers.
I was about to leave once,
I was a few weeks away,
a warden came into the cell,
started beating my buddy all over,
I thought he'd kill him,
so I grabbed the bastard,
and pressed him.
Too hard.
He died.
I'll never get out of this place.
Unless it's in a black bag.
5 July 1982
Now watch!
Fucking hell, Pops,
let me win at least once.
- Student, want a tab?
- No, I don't smoke.
You learn fast, Student!
You'll start your own slang soon, huh?
Student, if you're an artist,
why don't you do me
a fucking eagle on my chest?
Why not, but with what?
Don't you worry about that, Student.
When I flex my chest,
it'll move its wings, right?
Yes, and you'll fly away.
What the fuck's going on in here?
Kupiec, roll up your stuff, transport.
Look after yourself, kid.
You too.
What's the fucking use
of half an eagle?!
They're going to fucking rip me
a new one in the yard!
Fuck!
Fucking hot in here!
You already been sentenced?
What are they asking for?
25 years.
What about the appeal?
What does your brief say?
He didn't fucking listen. I don't
listen to briefs, I'll fucking kill him.
Make sure he doesn't fuck you over!
I'll dig the fucking bastard up
and kill him!
- I hate those creeps!
- Quiet back there!
- I just fucking hate them!
- Fucking dicks.
Kupiec, out!
Get out.
Let's go!
Wall.
Welcome, our new friend.
- From the transport?
- Yes.
- Where did you come from?
- From Katowice.
That's good.
- Mietek.
- Franek.
- Short for Franciszek?
- Yes, after my grandfather.
Nice name.
Well...
I'll introduce you to your new friends:
Tadeusz.
Nice to meet you.
- And Andrzej.
- Call me Jdrek.
Sit down, you must be tired.
- How long are you going to be here for?
- Four years.
For what?
For leaflets.
So it's political, just like all of us here.
They gave you quite a lot for leaflets.
But don't worry,
in good company, time passes quickly.
They gave Andrzej the longest:
twelve years for the strike
at the Katowice steelworks.
Tadeusz, psychology professor
from Krakw, 3 years.
And I'm in for four years,
also for a strike, at the Lenin steelworks.
Make some tea, our friend looks
tired, he'll welcome a drink.
Yes.
Chocolate?
We're not short of that, we get gifts.
Sometimes even a warden gets some,
if he's a human sod,
then he gets it for his kids.
- Strong?
- Strong.
- Are you the new guy?
- Yes.
Call me Janek.
Franek.
- You've come from Katowice, huh?
- Yes.
Were you held by the security goons?
Yes.
I got a real beating there.
What did you get?
A beating, a battering,
- You don't talk our way?
- No.
And I thought
I'd found one of my own.
There are just Krakw guys here,
but they are too clever for me.
I was a hewer at the Piast mine.
When the tanks came,
we went down with dynamite.
We called to the morons up top,
that if they didn't move back
we'd blow the whole thing up.
But they didn't leave, they piped gas in.
It smelled terrible,
we started to choke,
so we went out like rats.
They caught us
and took us to the security goons.
Man, what they did to us there,
I thought I wouldn't make it.
They didn't beat me.
Well, you were lucky,
Take care, keep going.
- Name?
- Kupiec.
- Father's name?
- Jan.
Number one.
You look good with short hair.
You look like my brother Kurt now.
He was handsome,
all the girls were chasing him.
You never said you had a brother.
He died in the war, at Stalingrad.
He was younger than you.
- You're with the political ones now?
- Yes.
That's good.
- How's dad?
- You know what he's like...
I called, but he didn't want to talk.
He just said he didn't bring you up
to go driving around prisons now.
- Did he have any trouble because of me?
- No.
- And Bogusia?
- What?
She couldn't come?
No.
Only close family can visit.
In a sense, she is close family.
Those are the rules.
Grandma says hello.
She is very proud of you.
Number one.
Time's up.
We must start a hunger strike, my friends.
We will force them to grant us
the status of political prisoners,
because now we have no rights.
Whoever doesn't feel up to it,
doesn't have to do it.
Franek, I mean you.
If it's everybody, it's everybody.
- That's your decision?
- Yes.
On the walk, we have to tell
the rest of the boys.
Mietek,
you're deciding about the health,
maybe even lives, of many people.
Are you absolutely sure
that it makes sense?
Yes.
Nobody else will do it for us.
19 September 1982
Open it!
Out.
Faster!
Wall.
Out.
Faster!
Wall.
Undress!
- Faster!
- Faster!
Faster!
Faster!
As you prisoners probably know,
the ass is for shitting with
and not for passing messages.
I don't need to explain
what that means.
Last night on Radio Free Europe
there was news
about an ongoing hunger strike
in our prison.
We don't need that type of publicity.
So, to avoid in the future
such messages getting out,
from now on, we will scrupulously check
the beginning and end
of your digestive systems.
This procedure, I imagine,
will not be too pleasant for any party.
Turn around!
Open your mouth!
Wider.
More!
Turn around!
Squat!
Legs wider!
Squat!
Legs wider!
Turn around!
Turn around!
Turn around!
Open your mouth!
- Tongue up!
- Turn around!
Legs wider!
- Squat!
- Turn around!
Get dressed.
Escort them.
Faster!
Get dressed.
Faster!
Faster!
Faster!
So, you're coming
back to life, that's good.
We won't let anyone walk
out through the back door,
Feed him, if he doesn't
want to eat himself.
You son-of-a-bitch!
Is that how you treat authority?!
How could you show such ingratitude!?
What are you waiting for?
Tie him down and fill him up
so he doesn't die.
We have enough problems.
You look bad.
Franek.
- Did something happen?
- No, nothing.
Why are you dressed like for a funeral?
I'm still alive,
at least I think I am.
Grandma has died.
I tried to get you a funeral pass,
but they wouldn't give you one.
Too bad.
I didn't manage
to say goodbye to her.
But she said goodbye to you.
She was old and sick,
she had to pass away.
I'm sure we'll meet her again someday.
You believe that, don't you?
Yes, I do.
A letter came from the Academy,
you've been expelled.
I wanted you to know.
I haven't been going to classes,
what else could they do?
Besides, I would have quit anyway.
Painting jugs and drawing
old, naked ladies doesn't appeal anymore.
That professor from Krakw has got me
into psychology, it's much more interesting.
10 November 1982
All the world's news agencies
and TVs are reporting the news.
Programming has been interrupted.
On 10 November at 8:30
Leonid Brezhnev died.
- Solidarity!
- Born in 1906
- in a steelworker's family.
- Solidarity!
- He started working at the age of 15.
- Solidarity!
Solidarity! Solidarity!
- Solidarity!
- He graduated in metallurgy.
Lech Wasa! Lech Wasa!
- Lech Wasa!
- His wartime combat path took him
from Novorossiysk through
Poland to Prague.
No freedom without Solidarity!
- No freedom without Solidarity!
- Then he worked in the party apparatus.
He was First Secretary
in Moldova and Kazakhstan.
No freedom without Solidarity!
Exercise time is over.
Come in now.
Come in, now.
What's this meant to be?!
A rebellion?
If it was up to me,
I would crush all of you here
without a second thought.
You and you, step forward.
Step forward.
Hard beds for a week, as an example.
- I already know that, it's going to hurt.
- Shut it, Bgdo!
You're quite a regular
over there, eh?
This song was recently on our hitlist.
Peaking at number one,
it held second spot three times
in its thirteen weeks on the list.
"Adult Children" by Turbo.
They taught us the rules and the dates
They filled us with wisdom
repeating what's allowed and what's not
telling us what's right
and what's wrong
They set the tempo of our days
They set the time
to work and sleep
Nothing was spared
But somehow we still
don't know how to live
Gentlemen, I would like
to say a few words.
Time is passing. We can't
do anything more from in here.
They're offering us a pardon.
Let's act as our consciences dictate.
But I think we should sign it.
People are tired, abandoning
the spirit of Solidarity and freedom.
We must bring this matter to an end.
They need us there, on the outside.
Mietek, stop yakking!
People want food.
And for your freedom -
they don't give a damn.
18 May 1983
Kupiec, pack your things!
- What?
- You're going home.
See you on the outside.
Best of luck, kid.
- May I?
- Yes.
As a souvenir.
I'm giving it back to you.
Don't forget!
See you in June at the exams.
I'll be there.
Thank you.
Out.
Wall.
Wall.
Don't you fucking
come back here again or...
Ok, that's enough.
Franek...
Franek...
Franek...
My God, it's good you're back.
You look good.
And where's the Faat?
I sold it, to cover the lawyer.
Too bad.
I liked that picture.
More tea?
With pleasure.
Who are you calling?
- Bogusia.
- Don't call her.
- Why not?
- Hang up.
Bogusia never came here,
she didn't care what
was happening to you.
You always judge
everybody so easily.
- She was probably just scared.
- Franek...
if she loved you, she wouldn't
leave you in a difficult situation.
Stop it, okay?
She's not the girl for you.
Bogusia!
Franek...
You've changed.
You haven't,
you look great, as always.
Look,
I don't know how to say this
so it doesn't sound stupid,
but I'm so sorry...
It's not like I stopped loving you,
I just...
I want to finish my studies,
start a normal family.
I think you can understand that, right?
I don't think I have a choice.
And that man is with you?
Yes, he's my guardian angel.
He makes sure that
nothing bad happens to me.
That's good.
Ok.
I have to go.
Bye, cutie-pie!
Franek...
- What are you doing? Moving out?
- No, I'm sorting stuff out.
- But you've taken the easel down...
- Yes, I won't need it anymore.
You've been painting for so many years.
But I've stopped.
It needs something that I don't have,
talent.
Besides, now I have to prepare
for my psychology entrance exams,
I'll take the easel out
of the cellar when I'm old.
Do you recognise it?
Sure.
It's you at seven, in the ski suit
your grandmother made.
Ski suit?
But it's a rabbit costume,
for a costume party,
all my friends laughed at me,
- I was traumatised for life.
- At least you weren't cold.
And you never
had luck with your friends.
Why are you saying that?
I had cool friends.
Yes?
And Beno?
What do you have against Beno?
He came here almost every day,
he often spent the night,
he was like one of the family,
but when they locked you up,
he never showed up again,
not even to ask about you
or to help out.
Beno couldn't come here.
Why not?
Because he couldn't, that's all.
Why can't you tell me?
It's better not to know everything.
You and your secrets.
Life is a secret.
Oh, I forgot to tell you!
A letter came from
the Passport Office.
Excuse me, which way
to the Passport Office?
Go to the end
of the corridor, turn right.
You'll see a lift,
take it to the 3rd floor.
- And then you'll find it.
- Thank you.
Sir...
I've been working here for years
and sometimes I cannot find
the way to my own room,
it's a real maze, you can get lost,
be careful.
Come in.
We've invited you here
because we have a proposal.
We want to offer you a passport,
you know how hard it is to get one,
you'll leave and never come back.
What do you mean? Never?
You'll settle down somewhere else.
But I don't want to go anywhere.
If I were you,
I wouldn't think for too long.
Nothing good awaits you here.
Nothing worse can
happen to me either.
So?
No, thank you.
If you should change your mind,
please just come.
What are you looking at?
Everything starts over, huh?
Right...
Just hope I don't screw it all up again.
Lily.
So where's the stick?
The factory's working,
It's breathing, it's building!
The factory is tissue,
And I am a cell!
I won't break out,
I won't break out,
That's all I know
I know, I know, I know...
Pawe Wochacz & Simon Clare