Original subtitles

Everything that we want for ourselves,

what we think about and what we hope for happens to us without fail.

However, it always happens too late

and always in a way that is somehow wrong. Twelve Circles

Inspired by a true story.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

I got my football talent after my father.

I saw him maybe three times in my life

but he taught me how to score every time.

Hans Villmeier was a famous football player.

He played for the German national team alongside the great 'Ezi' Wilimowski.

'Ezi' was from Katowice. He played for Ruch Chorzow before the war.

Father was from Berlin and played for Hertha BSC.

He wasn't as famous as 'Ezi' but way more handsome

what was noticed by my mother.

Mom was from a mining town of Zabrze,

which back then was called Hindenburg.

That day she bought a 3rd class ticket,

with a transfer in Wroclaw and traveled to Berlin.

She decided to find Hans Villmeier in a crucial moment of my life.

Trudi, who is it?

Some lady.

It's me, Anna.

Who is it?

Under those circumstances I was born in Berlin.

It turned out to be decisive for my future life.

Call a doctor.

She's in labor.

Father was already enlisted.

After disappearing on the front he left us with his wife.

Before long the war ended.

The victors met to establish who is going to live in our building.

The ones on the left picked us.

Want to be a tanker?

Like your uncle Serghei?

Well? Answer.

Hans?

- Come in Anna. - I brought you something.

Potatoes, carrots, onions,

some bread, marmalade and sugar.

That day

I met my father for the first time.

Hello Hans.

Take it. It's yours.

I'll teach you how to score goals.

STARS

...1943.

Berlin.

Your father's name?

When asked, you answer! Understood?

Screw you!

What happened to him?

What do you mean?

He slipped.

Get out.

As you wish.

Leave them opened!

Is that your knife?

You used it to hurt another man.

The witnesses stated that you looked like two old buddies.

Once...

When 'once'?

Once that knife was mine...

But then I gave it to a certain girl.

Her name was Marlena,

and she was from Hindenburg.

The town became part of Poland and now it was called Zabrze.

Marlena's father, Danisz,

was the owner of a local pub.

He became a widower near the end of the war

and was looking for some help with the business.

Mom instantly caught his eye.

She lost her job in Berlin,

returned to Zabrze and started working for him.

And me?

I was about to witness my first international game.

Our stadium, named after Hitler before the war,

was now the home of the Polish Gornik team.

The boys from Zabrze played against Soviet soldiers.

Everyone prayed for Gornik to kick the hell out of the Russkies.

Only Marlena didn't give a damn.

Since we moved here

she tried everything to pick up my attention.

What did you do? My ball!

Let me go!

That's my ball!

Let me go!

Give it here.

What's your name?

- Name. - Hans.

For me you'll be Janek.

Come over here.

Sit down.

It's your ball, isn't it?

Sure it is.

You see Janek,

I really don't like it.

And here you have such a fine knife with a star.

They don't go together very well.

Here, take it.

Grab it by the star.

Now look here.

Know what you should do?

- You! - Let me go!

Want to live here? Then you better learn Polish!

Why are you hiding?

What happened to your hand? Let me see.

Shit!

Come.

- Is he your friend? - Who?

The one with the mirror.

Ginter?

He keeps following me.

Well, hop in.

In the bathtub?

Get in.

My dad forbids me to speak German.

If you want I'll teach you Polish.

And?

Did she?

You speak Polish?

I ask the questions here.

Shit!

Cunt!

Twat!

Cocksucker!

Ass!

Shit!

I became friends with Ginter.

We were saving up for a new ball.

Sometimes we went to the movies.

'Can you speak?'

'Courage!'

Look out, I'm going to shoot!

Come on! Defense!

Let's go Gorgon! Get the ball.

It went over the fence.

- Get in the hole. - Me?

Go on!

Give me a sip.

Want some? Then buy some!

- Girls are so dumb. - You're the one that's dumb!

Can I have some?

And what will you give me for my birthday?

- I don't know. - She doesn't even have tits.

Jerk!

You rag!

- Leave her alone! - Back off!

Beautiful shot and great defense!

Sch�fer shoots from long distance.

A follow-up shot! And the Hungarians saved it.

Have you ever kissed somebody?

Leave me alone. Sch�fer centers.

Have you?

Rahn scores.

Goal!

It's a goal!

3-2 for Germany!

Right before the end! - What's the score?

Three to two.

That's it.

Marlenka!

As you all know,

I raised Marlena by myself.

You got to do what you got to do.

But the girl's growing up fast.

She needs a mother.

Janek come over here.

Go on.

And this little one...

needs a father.

That's why

I asked his mother Anna

to marry me...

- I'd marry you! - Me too!

Quiet!

- And she said 'yes'! - Yes.

What's your biggest dream?

I wish to be a football player. How about you?

I wish I had tits.

You will eventually. Who do you wish to be?

An actress. And star in a movie.

Can a sister kiss her brother?

When it's normal, yes.

But when it's different, I think it's a sin.

Look! Almost as new. Come on.

Come on already!

Janek!

Here. For your birthday.

We're going out to play!

Wait, I'm coming!

After the wedding, as siblings,

we moved over to Danish place.

Marlena went to ballet school.

Ginter and I started our football careers.

We played in the kid's league, then in the junior and senior leagues.

We kept playing for better and better Silesian teams.

What was that?

We were 20 years old.

We were both good, better each day, going head to head.

And at some point important people begun to watch us.

- Kalocsay Geza. - Krystyna Loska.

He's the Hungarian coach.

Said he saw you on television.

We played during the day, and party in 'Balaton' at night.

It was the best club in Zabrze. Everyone came here at that time.

I'm Geza.

I'll translate from Hungarian.

Do they know who I am?

He asks if you know who he is?

Geza was Gornik's new coach.

He used to play for Hungary and the Czech Rep.

They brought him over so he could build a world class team.

And he knew how to do that.

You have very big, beautiful eyes.

Cheers.

Geza was the perfect coach.

He had however one flaw.

He had to shag everything in sight.

We didn't mind.

Everyone wanted to play in Poland's champion team.

There was only one problem.

He needed just one striker and there were two of us.

And of course there was Marlena...

See how gassed he is?

You have practice in an hour!

Talk to him. He's your boy.

Can't you see I'm bathing?

I don't give a shit.

Get out.

Get out I said!

Janek, get out now.

Stop flashing your tits, it's not a brothel.

At the end of the summer a great leader came to visit.

The only one I saw with my own eyes.

Stop it.

Jola let's have a swim.

Hey doll. Want to dance?

- Hey you. - What is it dickhead?

Leave the girl alone.

Screw you...

Be nice and go straight to beds.

- Say hello to the chief. - Will do.

- Janek... - What?

Do you want to?

Leave it.

Listen...

It's not like that.

Marlena, wait...

- Settle down! - What's your problem?

- Let go of me. - Stay the away from her.

- You have a problem? - Piss off!

What have you done?

Let me go!

Calm down!

Stop it!

Call the doctor!

Get him out of the field!

You're out!

H�lzenbein has the ball... Penalty!

11 meters for Germany.

Obvious foul by Gorgon. Here's a replay.

H�lzenbein past the defender...

Clear as a day. Penalty for Germany!

Gorgon was there but the foul was by Zmuda.

Uli Hoeness will take the shot. The goalie... Tomaszewski.

And now Uli Hoennes!

No... another one saved by Tomaszewski.

Next season I started playing for Gornik Zabrze.

They gave me an apartment.

I moved out from our place and stopped seeing Marlena.

I focused on the game.

We used to be kings back then. Whole country knew us.

Registered as amateurs, we had fake jobs at the mine.

Once a month we collected payment.

What do you...

Shit!

You play?

How's it going?

I play.

- You're in the national squad. - Yeah.

How bout you?

I'm good.

I know some people. They can help.

You see, Janek...

She chose me. We're getting married.

Go away Janek.

Fuck off...

Janek! We've got practice!

The bus is waiting!

All right. I'm coming!

- Let's go! - Coach!

Coach! What about Janek?

Damn him.

- But he's almost here... - For fuck's sake!

He's too weak!

And he wants to play in the championships?!

But coach... Janek!

If he wants to screw around and drink all night let him run!

We're leaving goddammit!

Wait up!

Best wishes!

Good health and happiness in years to come.

Hope you'll get along! Be healthy!

Be happy!

All the best!

Dad!

Pour him one.

Come on.

Cheers then. Here's to the new road ahead.

To you and Marlena.

Son, come with me.

Hi, mom.

Come.

You need to clean that up.

Who invited him?

Not me.

What should I do?

Just don't hurt others, Janek.

That's helpful.

That's for me?

Janek.

Here.

One.

Two.

Here's to you.

Cheers.

Marlena!

Janek!

Let's switch!

Put this on.

Shame!

Everyone's watching!

For my sister's 'polterabend',

my mother made meat patties.

Fried some chopped onions.

She put some lard into the meat,

some pepper

and Polish eggs.

It was nutritious...

And smelled so good.

And now what?

Stench of hot dogs and Chinese food.

How old were you?

- When we left? - Yes.

I was this big.

My father was a German of the Reich. They took him to Wehrmacht.

And then he disappeared.

Did you find him?

Yeah...

I found him.

I found mine too.

It was my first game in the Polish representation.

We played against the legendary Brasil. Lost only 0-1.

To cheer me up, Pele agreed to exchange shirts.

...a guy might drool all over them.

Want some bananas?

- I'd rather drink something. - They're taking photos!

Wait for us!

Poland!

How bout one more...

Poland!

Gentlemen.

Thank you very much.

Time to go to your rooms.

Thank you, miss.

Pee-pee, a prayer and straight to beds.

What's with you gentlemen? Goddammit...

Shit...

Poland!

Pour one for Zyga!

'Maly', cheers.

Cheers.

For the crystals I can give you $50.

And for the rest of this crap let's say...

A $100 more. My loss.

Are you mad Mr. Wildstein?

Can't rule that out Mr. Zyga.

Moreover I think I'm going bonkers.

I'll throw in a delicacy like this completely free!

Better hold me down!

Hey guys!

Let's split.

Quickly. Quickly.

It's for you.

I'm waiting on the patio.

Isn't that your mom?

What are you looking at?

Hello Hans.

Father traveled around the world looking for players for the Bundesliga.

He offered me a career in the west.

I wanted to be big. And he offered a ticket to paradise.

I escaped at Stockholm's airport and was in Cologne at dawn.

Hi dad.

Hans.

I'm here.

Welcome to paradise.

Try it.

You might get food poisoning if you order them in a restaurant.

But not here.

How am I supposed to eat it?

Simple. With your hands.

Yeah. Enjoy life.

I signed your contract.

No...

Yes.

Look.

Just look.

Not there. Here!

No...

Exactly. That much, every month.

Not bad, huh?

Thank your mother for picking such a good agent.

You're going to be rich.

Father kept his word.

After the tests I was about to debut in FC K�ln first squad.

Begin my professional career.

As a fugitive from across the iron curtain,

I also had enemies that haven't forgotten about me.

- Telex from FIFA. - Thank you.

Hans?

Yes?

You're going back to the locker room.

But why coach?

Hans, you've been disqualified.

Return to the locker room.

Nobody assumed that FIFA will disqualify you for two years,

for escaping from Gornik Zabrze.

But law is law.

You can train here and make progress.

You're still young. Time will pass quickly.

How will I make a living?

Based on your authorization, your father signed the contract.

From the first installment, which we paid immediately,

he took his fee as your agent.

Future installments will be paid directly to you,

as soon as FIFA allows you to play.

In two years?

Shit.

I advise to consult your agent as soon as possible.

You destroyed my career!

What do you want?

Give me my money!

Money!

- You want money? - Yes.

Your money... Very well.

Very well.

I'll give you back the money.

Here.

- What's this? - Money.

What is this?

Not enough?

Come.

Take my car.

Here.

I took sleeping pills.

I shouldn't drink.

Then don't, goddammit.

Dad?

So FIFA screwed you.

- Want another one? - Yeah.

Make it two.

How did you find me?

Wasn't too difficult to find a famous friend.

On the house.

Thank you.

How are you doing?

Not bad.

But you don't play.

FIFA disqualified you.

True. But I train and get paid.

- The Olympics are in two years and then... - World Championships.

Why not?

How are you?

As you can see, not too bad either.

I work for Gornik now.

Look after the club.

Good people?

They helped.

You won't ask about Marlena?

She got a role in a movie.

What kind of movie?

A colored one.

Showed her tits to the whole country.

And you?

Me?

I'm happy.

Check.

She can go fuck herself...

I'm going to do what I want, from now on.

What I want! Screw you!

Ginter, pass it!

You're going to play again.

I'll take care of it...

Because I'm in charge now!

- Come on! - Goal!

Goal!

- Yes? - It's done.

We've got political backing.

You're going home. Pack your things.

Your Polish passport.

Sign this.

What is it?

Want to play at the Olympics and World Championships?

You think he can see us?

Sure.

Bullshit.

If he did...

But that one can.

Russian Sputnik.

Fucker sees everything...

'Janek...'

'I have to join the uprising.'

'I'll go with you.'

Look at those tits.

'I love you.'

'I love you too.'

Someone's coming.

GDR-PPR BORDER January 1969

Polish?

Are you bringing any goods?

Just the car.

'YOUR DAUGHTER IS A WHORE!'

'SHOW YOUR CUNT.'

- Janek. - Mom.

She left.

Is it your car?

Are we getting in or just going to stand here?

Caution! Stop!

Nurse, the insurgents are defeated.

Leave him! He's a Pole!

Long live Poland!

'THE END'

Critics appreciated her debut.

And the neighbors called her names.

Marlena couldn't handle the popularity and went to Germany.

Born in Hindenburg, she got all the necessary papers.

Ginter wouldn't give up on her, nor give her a divorce.

He had a deal with the Security Services and nobody could touch him.

If you telling me you won't give money for the club,

you better think twice.

Maybe you aren't fit to be a superintendent of a mine.

Hold all my calls.

Sonny, sonny...

What should I do with you?

You run over there, because you didn't like it here.

And now you got bored over there. What do you want?

I just want to play for Gornik, sir.

- It was all a big mistake. - Big mistake you say.

Want to know what my big mistake was?

I got married.

After my return we had one of the best seasons in the history of polish football.

We won every match and advanced through phases of the Cup Winners' Cup.

The General will see you now.

The whole country loved us.

The mines stopped working each time we played a game.

CUP WINNERS' CUP

QUARTERFINALS

Goal, ladies and gentleman!

Wlodzimierz Lubanski gives us the lead!

He's getting closer, it's going to be hard...

SEMIFINALS It's a goal!

It was hard to flip the ball on to the right leg,

so he took the shot with his left!

Custom and excise officers of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.

Anything to declare?

No.

Going in a three...

There's a chance for a counter.

Banas in a good position...

Goal!

Madness on the tribunes, ladies and gentlemen!

Madness on the tribunes, madness in the whole country!

SEMIFINALS ROME

GO MINERS!

Penalty!

A dramatic moment in the 10th minute of the game.

The Italians will have a penalty kick.

A real drama for the Poles

in the first 10 minutes.

Penalty kick for AS Roma. Capello.

Bravo!

But unfortunately the follow-up blow got it in...

That's a penalty for sure!

During the last seconds of the additional time!

Goal!

Wlodzimierz Lubanski saves the chance for the final!

Two additional halves of 15 minutes each.

We can only imagine what went on inside that boys heart!

The additional match ended with a draw too. We sought justice in a third game.

Gorgon.

Szoltysik.

Wilczek. Olek.

Deja.

Banas and side out. That's it, ladies and gentleman.

The biggest thrill of the 300 minutes marathon

between Gornik and Roma are yet to come.

Ladies and gentleman, fate will decide which team will play in the final.

Head or tails? None of the players dares to look.

And the coin is tossed!

Poland! Gornik!

Bravo!

Ladies and gentleman, justice is served!

Justice is served!

Our dear boys had luck on their side!

The joy, the madness! Polish team

in the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life.

Rest in peace.

Does anyone have something to say?

I do.

I want to say goodbye to my husband.

You were a good man.

You loved me.

Some say that love isn't the most important thing in life.

That over time, other things matter more.

Goodness or consistency.

I was a mother to your daughter.

In return, during difficult times, you helped me raise my boy.

Thank you so much for that...

Sometimes,

those who love cannot say it for years.

They think that their love is impossible or that it isn't important.

That's not true, believe me.

If you don't find those few words

and fight for your love,

you may regret it for the rest of your lives.

Because in the end, love is the most important thing.

Mom!

Shit...

What is this?

Is Danisz Marlena here? Citizen of the FRG?

- Why? - Marlena Danisz?

- You'll come with us. - Where? Why?

Enough.

Pack your things. Your train leaves in 30 minutes.

We'll take you to the station.

I'll show you...

Can't remember the number?

Do you remember me?

I don't think so.

You have a short memory, Janek.

Or was it Hans?

I keep track of your career and get worried sometimes.

About what?

Exactly.

It should go smoothly.

You'll go to Vienna, win tomorrows game.

And then nicely return home with the Cup and the team.

And what if we don't?

If you don't come back? That won't be nice.

What if we don't win?

That'll be shitty, Janek. Really shitty.

Want to go to the Olympics? And then to the championships?

Then maybe you will.

But you have to play it smart. You got that?

So, do we telephone the general?

Let me carry that for you.

Will you come?

Good luck with the championships.

As I said, pressing on the whole field. Quick on the defense.

We have yellow cards so don't push it.

Change positions often. Strikers know what to do?

- Shoot goals. - Exactly.

So? Everyone's ready?

Then let's...

What are you doing?

You're fucked.

I'll make sure of it.

Let me go!

He whacked him good.

CUP WINNERS' CUP FINAL

Janek!

So?

WILL A 'PRO' FROM FC K�LN PLAY AT THE OLYMPICS?

The rules are clear.

I know.

Only amateurs may play at the Olympics.

- He played in the German league. - They won't let it fly...

They just won't.

Who'll replace him?

Poor kid.

What can I say?

I've waited 20 years for this.

Polish football waited over 50.

Our national sport...

Two cocktails, please.

What a wonderful sight!

Heroes aren't tired! They're just happy!

Poland, ladies and gentleman!

Poland, Poland and Poland once more!

Bonhof passes to M�ller. He's in the field.

Yes! Goal!

Goal for Germany! Gerd M�ller!

As always! Our Gerd M�ller!

Ladies and gentlemen, nobody is sitting anymore...

Guess that's it.

Yeah...

You could've been there.

After the Olympics, I pulled myself together.

Coach Gorski put me back into the national squad.

We had to win with England to be in the World Championships.

I knew it was now or never. And that was my day.

First five minutes of the first half.

A sharp angle.

Just a few polish players in the penalty zone.

Jerzy Kraska.

Gadocha, low, through the field. A great opportunity! Goal!

Banas ladies and gentlemen!

How wonderful!

Great use of the free kick.

Jan Banas with the help of Leslaw Cmikiewicz. Let's see that again.

A fantastic start.

Eight minutes of the game.

1-0 for Poland.

The Englishmen won't stay on their half of the field anymore.

GORNIK ZABRZE STADIUM

- How long has it been here? - As early as 3am.

'ADOLF HITLER'S ARENA' - Who did that?

What are the main reasons of practices here in Zakopane?

We're here for a team grouping before the World Championships.

Next question.

We received over a 100 calls asking about the absence of Banas.

It was discussed and analyzed during our board meeting.

There are some criteria that our players must meet.

Most important of them is their health condition.

There were some doubts about his physical condition.

We couldn't take any risks, considering the event's rank.

Is there enough time to prepare the team...

Want a smoke, sonny?

A gift from Fidel.

I don't smoke.

Me neither. Health's not as it used to be.

Do you know how the Germans named the stadium 40 years ago?

No, I don't.

See?

Seems that everyone's forgotten. Even me.

Who cares about some old name, right?

And then that 'hakenkreuz' on the wall...

Coincidence one may think...

When everything was going so well.

And then some prick remembered!

'Adolf Hitler Kampfbahn'!

As if we still had a stadium of his name!

That no one noticed! Nobody changed it!

Get it?

Nobody...

Or maybe somebody didn't want to?

And that's some big politics, sonny.

Big politics...

I don't understand politics. I just want to play.

Don't understand?

Sit down.

Where were you born, sonny?

In Berlin.

And what color was the eagle on your fathers chest?

I don't suppose it was white?

So...

I won't play in the championships?

No, you won't.

Why?

Where will the games take place?

In West Germany, right?

Isn't that where you once ran away?

It's no one's fault. 'Zufall'.

What coincidence? I'm 31 years old.

I played football all my life. What am I supposed to do now?

Honestly?

I'll give you a talon for a color TV.

Consider it one last gift from a retiree.

That's how things turned out, sonny.

That's how it all turned out...

Everyone will be sad.

All the school football teams.

The ones on the street, and the unlisted ones.

County and regional teams, too.

But I don't believe it.

- I don't believe it too, sir. - They have to win.

They have to! That's indisputable.

- Couldn't imagine otherwise. - It's unprecedented. That's that.

- That's my opinion. - Cheers!

I got a letter from Marlena.

And?

She's back with Ginter.

They decided to stay in Germany.

Mom... It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Last seconds... Here's Giorgio Chinaglia.

Nicknamed the 'Crooked Ham' due to his head tilting to the right.

A godsend footballer.

Great performances in the league...

Passport and registration please.

German?

No.

Let him pass.

Go.

Pardon me.

I didn't think you'd come.

Got the ticket from Marlena?

What a game! And we're sitting here...

Look how it all turned out.

But you know what? I forgive you.

No hard feelings.

We're even, Janek.

Aren't you singing?

Screw you!

Help!

Police!

Here!

That's the final whistle!

It was a true battle on water.

German team won 1-0.

Gerd M�ller, reliable as usual...

Here's a telex.

We did it, right?

Yeah, right.

When did it come, Helmut?

What a game! We won!

You should be happy!

Read.

Go on.

What is this?

Ginter testified he accidentally cut himself

while opening a bottle.

An accident! That closes the case.

Sign this.

That's all?

Yes.

What are you doing?

In case your friend changes his mind.

Thanks.

Who were you cheering for?

And you?

- Excuse me. - Yes?

Ginter Bula?

Trauma ward, first door on the left.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

Anna?

Anna, what are you doing there?

They say dreams always come true.

Thing is, they always happen too late and in a way that is somehow wrong.

But I can live with that.

This film was inspired by the life of Jan Banas (Heinz Dieter Banas),

player of Polonia Bytom, FC K�ln and Gornik Zabrze.

After leaving Poland he continued his career

in many foreign teams (eg. Atletico Espanol in Mexico).

He returned to Poland after the end of communism

and started coaching the youth.

He moved next to the Gornik Zabrze Stadium.

He never got married...