Original subtitles

Starring

Snow!

It's snowing!

Run away! Don't hang around. They're destroying everything.

Let me go...

Hurry. This is all that will be left of us. Don't forget it, Alek.

You'll make it. You'll have to show these to them there.

Come on, old man!

Your grandfather...

Where were you going to wait for me, Frida? Come on, let's go.

Warsaw: Year 5703

Do you know this passage?

It's not far away.

I have to do my hair, Alek...

You still act like a spoiled child.

Come with me, we can make it now...

Come on Frida, you can do your hair on the other side of the wall.

I can't, Alek.

I have a good hiding place for us.

There are no good hiding places anymore.

A Kijowski film, based on a novel by Janicki

Directed by

Come here.

Look out, they're throwing grenades down the sewer.

Come on, Frida!

What happened?

- It's nothing. - Take off your jacket.

Wait.

It's okay now...

- What if no one's there? - They'll be there.

You didn't answer me.

How can I answer? Things can't get any worse.

Stay here.

- Wait for me. - What are you doing?

You stay here. I'll be right back.

What if you don't make it back?

If I don't return, at least you'll live.

What's the point?

- Now you can take that off. - Leave it, I'll do it myself.

I can do it myself, I can do it myself... like a spoiled child.

- You won't need it anymore. - Sure, dad.

You can't imagine what I've found out there! You'll see.

Get out of here! How many people are in there?

Are you looking for someone?

Yeah, uh, that is...

- Can I help you? - No, no.

Don't bother.

Will you turn the light off, please, miss?

That's enough!

Too late. I've already seen.

How much do you want? I don't have much on me..

Outside we have to pay triple prices on everything.

So?

I wouldn't take a dime from someone like you.

Hurry!

We've still got a lot of champagne to drink, my dear.

Yeah, lots of wine...

Bye bye, so long. See you tomorrow.

He lives in here.

Bye now.

- Close the shutters. - What about you?

- I'll be back at midnight. - What about the curfew?

Get cleaned up and stay away from the window.

See? Now it's too late...

Get undressed. You stink.

And throw all that in the trash.

The bathroom's over there.

Stefania! Open up!

Steffi!

Open up!

Come, let's have a drink.

Open up!

Steffi! Open the door!

I can see a light. I know you're in there.

Come on, Steffi. We're gonna have a drink.

Steffi, darling, come on, open the door, will ya?

Oh, man!

I know you're home, you know.

I don't need no millions...

I'm late.

Don't look out the window.

I'll be back after midnight.

[We speak German]

Letters from the camp... Jerzy Bukowski...

Oh, pardon me!

It's too late. You've seen me already.

I see you haven't used the bathroom.

So, what's your name, anyway?

Alek.

- Alek...? - What time is it, by the way?

It's still after curfew.

And you go out all night just like that?

You can take the green soap and this towel.

The towel has my initials on it... if that doesn't bother you.

My name's Stefania.

Hey, are you listening?

Here's this soap and towel.

Yes, yes.

The soap and towel.

Soap and towel...

It's a cemetery out there, ma'am.

And instead of graves,

there are buildings... And in those buildings

there are living corpses.

Not so loud, please!

Sorry.

Are the churches already open?

- Churches? - Yes.

- What time do they open? - I have no idea.

You've been so kind... I'd like to shave if I could.

Excuse me...

I couldn't find a razor.

I'm not so kind, and I don't own a razor.

What about that man on the bureau?

I don't have such things.

There's no man living in this house.

And that lieutenant?

What lieutenant?

Your husband...

It must be either your husband... or your son...

You're not really giving me any compliments here.

Should I?

I got this picture from a prisoners' camp.

That's where that lieutenant is.

I'm sorry for saying it could be your son.

And how old are you?

Only today matters. I might not get any older.

Don't be silly, Alek.

Please open the door!

I want to get out!

- Let me out! - Don't yell!

If you stop yelling nothing bad will happen.

To me?

Or me either.

You can go to bed in here, Alek.

But don't yell in your sleep anymore.

No, of course not.

It's OK now.

It's over.

What?

My fear.

No! Enough! Enough!

Stop! Stop!

Stop it, Alek!

You can stay here.

You can eat here, sleep here, whatever.

But leave the war outside, understand?

Did you sleep well?

Well, I made it through another night...

And maybe not just one night. Maybe a whole other day too.

I'm a prisoner here until tonight.

Will you let me stay here?

If you want.

If I want?

I want to stay alive.

Anyone could say that.

I was wondering what the man I slept with would say.

You know good and well that I want to stay.

I'm cold.

No... stop...

Please. No...

What's this?

It's my permission to pass.

A scar?

Don't ask questions.

Cut it out, you're scratching me!

What are you doing here, my child?

She came out of the sewer, sir.

Do you know how dangerous this is?

It's time to ring the morning bells.

Does the head priest know about this?

Are you nuts?

Don't ever do that again, you hear?

So... what were you looking for in that house?

Help.

What?

Are we telling each other everything?

No.

He was a magician...

He could immortalize the world.

In the end he gave me that address.

You aren't eating?

What address?

There was no time. He told me to come here.

The password was "developer."

Developer? Why?

What do you mean why?

For photographs.

Do you know him? He wasn't listed on the tenant's list.

Did he leave?

Tell me!

He did take some really beautiful pictures...

You came too late, since...

At his house they found...

Someone like you.

A Jew, huh?

A Jew.

- You can't even say it. - Please!

Understand me.

I'm eating bread. That's all I understand.

I don't want to understand anything else anymore.

You don't have to do that, fool.

What did you do out there?

In the ghetto?

I was...

I was a porter.

A porter? How athletic...!

I was working for Freder and Daunen.

Freder and Daunen? Who are they?

They aren't names. You should know that.

Feder: Feather. Daunen: Fluff.

Feather and fluff. The most prosperous company in the ghetto.

You're a fluff carrier?

Yep, a fluff carrier.

Just imagine, the conquerors of the world

have a great need for feathers. Feathers and fluff.

Tons of it, wagonloads, mountains of it!

Come look.

The easiest, the cheapest,

it's the most profitable! Just rip up the pillows and comforters

all the cushions and pillows in everyone's house

in every ghetto

just for the feathers.

Please, keep quiet...

They took so much they don't know what to do with it anymore!

They play with it like children, throw it out windows and balconies

it's snowing, they shout, it's snowing!

It's like Christmas in July.

That's enough, Alek!

Stop it!

And the bosses of "feder and Daunen" are happy...

and laugh heartily while those to whom the comforters belonged die of typhus.

It's normal after all.

The inventors of the new order want beautiful bedding.

But they'll have to exterminate all the bedbugs and vermin first...

Don't go back there.

Do you want me to stay?

I can't.

Why?

I don't want to believe in miracles.

What are you talking about?

What would you want me to believe?

That I could stay? For how long?

Three days?

No.

Five days? - No...

A month? And what then?

You can stay as long as you want.

As long as they want, that is.

As long as they don't think to come around here.

- They won't come. - Oh, yes, they will.

To undo my pants.

And turn me into green soap.

And you, and Mr. Zavada, you'll both go up the same chimney too.

- Would you like that? - No...

Leave your pants to me.

Nobody's coming around here.

- I have good neighbors. - Oh yeah?

Yeah, the singer in love, huh?

He can go on singing...

And you'll stay.

I left someone behind.

Who?

My little sister.

- Your sister? - Yeah.

Younger than I.

There are only two of us left.

I can't leave her.

Where did you leave her?

I left her...

In a church.

What church? A monastery?

Yeah.

Oh, God. Is that where you left her? What if they've already found her?

Get out of here!

Take this!

Let go of me!

Come on, cut it out! Stop! Come here!

No one saw you?

Draw a bath for her, Alek.

I'll make some tea.

You two know each other?

What are you waiting for, Alek?

You want her to catch cold, or what?

Well, what...

You better be polite and nice to her.

Yes, ma'am, no, ma'am. You understand me?

Everything depends on her.

- But who is she? - Look around and you'll understand.

She's our last hope.

I know. Help sent from heaven.

Hurry! Get in the bathroom!

Quick!

I'm sorry, Stasiu,

but I can't give you any more lessons.

Will you tell your parents, or do you want me to call them up?

I'll tell them, ma'am.

I'm sorry, but I'm going out of town.

I won't be around here anymore.

Tell Lutek not to come to have his lessons anymore.

- Will you tell him? - Yes, ma'am.

See? Yes ma'am, no ma'am.

Like a good little sister.

We're alive!

Oh, my children! You don't have to stay in the dark.

What a cute little girl.

Can I speak to you informally?

Of course, yes ma'am.

You're still trembling.

I'm cold.

I mean, it's fine, thank you ma'am.

OK, then.

Come warm up in the kitchen.

And Alek will draw a bath for his little sister.

Yes ma'am.

Take that off for me; I'll bring you another dress.

Are you crazy? You didn't throw it away! What's the big idea?

Get dressed.

From today on everything will be different. Everything.

Give me those armbands.

You'll have to start again from zero too.

No!

What did I tell you?

Yes, ma'am.

Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am.

Thank you, ma'am, of course ma'am.

Calm down.

Don't yell at your little sister.

I'm learning to be kind.

I know I owe it all to her.

What's wrong?

I've explained everything, haven't I?

- The way she looks at you... - Let her look.

Don't pay it any mind.

How are we going to... Spend the night?

It'll be dark.

I'll be able to hear you!

You can stop up your ears then!

This door is thin. I'll hear everything.

You can lock yourself in the bathroom.

Why are you mad at me, Frida? Because the carpenter made the door poorly?

Would you prefer to stay back down there?

Teach me how to roll cigarettes.

You'll see, it's not so hard.

All you have to do is try.

And really want it.

There.

Give it a try.

When she comes back, you'll be kind and polite, right?

Yes, ma'am.

You won't let her see you crying?

No, ma'am.

Such a lucky girl wouldn't cry, right?

Certainly not, ma'am.

Naturally, ma'am.

I'm so happy to be able to share with you...

What are you doing? You're making a mess.

Please forgive me, ma'am.

Do you play cello, ma'am?

No.

My husband used to.

But he won't be doing it anymore.

Why? He'll be back.

No, he won't be back.

He disappeared at the beginning of the war.

What about the letters?

It doesn't matter, Alek.

You want to know everything.

OK, kids. Go to bed. It's late.

You'll ruin your eyes in this light, Frida.

Come with me.

Look, I have a lot of dresses I never wear.

They'll fit you perfectly. Look at this one.

I used to love this one.

I used to be slimmer. You'll look great in it.

Take that...

And then...

This one...

Don't forget to turn off the bathroom light, Alek.

Are you crazy, Frida!?

It's nighttime. There are Germans living behind this wall.

Do you want to get us in trouble?

I'm sorry, ma'am.

Your sister has a terrifying look in her eye.

[Prayer]

Be careful!

She's praying.

Are you sure? Is that a prayer?

She's not allowed to say this prayer.

Frida! Stop, shut up!

You've destroyed the photos!

You stole my film, and now you're offending god! Silence!

- Are you mad? - You have no right!

Stop it!

Everyone has a right to pray...

Don't be scared, little girl.

You're safe with us. It's all over. Everything is OK.

Yes ma'am.

You won't do this again,

will you, my dear?

No, ma'am.

You'll never do this again, will you, darling?

Yes I will.

Dammit.

You want to go back there, is that it?

I can't live there, and I don't want to live here.

OK.

Then we'll do it together.

Which do you want? Choose!

This one?

This one?

Come on, buck up! What are you waiting for?

This one maybe?

Let's be done with it, if that's what you want!

What are you doing?

What just happened?

My brother has seen horrible things out there.

I apologize for him, ma'am.

Is it because of us you've stopped giving lessons?

What will we live on?

I have other sources.

Like what?

Other and better ones, that's all.

We don't have to tell each other everything.

Neither me nor you.

Don't you worry about the German lessons.

I agreed to do them just before the war started, just to make my father happy.

It's my first language, after all.

You're German?

No, I was born on the border.

It's hard to say what you are, in such a place. My dad was so proud of me...

Like him, I worked at the university.

It doesn't matter anymore.

No more dad, no more university.

You...

You are here now.

Your neighbor came calling again.

I know. He wants me to clean up his place.

Germans like everything clean.

Yeah, and they like big dogs, too.

May I peel the potatoes, ma'am?

Certainly, my dear.

Oh, I'm late.

Gotta go.

I forgot to clean up the bedroom.

Could you please do it for me?

What's this?

You aren't going to tell me goodbye?

You told me to clean up, didn't you?

Look after her, Alek.

You don't need to look after me. See!

I know the whole thing.

"I believe in god the father, all powerful

creator of the heavens and earth, and in Jesus Christ."

That's enough, now.

Why?

I learned it. I know the whole thing.

Look what I found!

What is it?

See for yourself.

What are you rummaging through her stuff for?

She's rummaging through my soul.

These are ration cards for the store.

- You know what you can get with these? - Stop it.

You can get double portions of lard, honey, sugar...

- How about this...? - Put all that stuff back.

What for?

- Does it hurt your eyes or something? - Put it back and be quiet.

- Listen, Frida... - Don't touch me!

I knew what your hands touched back there.

Even though you were soaked in the stink of your dirty job,

I could still hug you...

- You stunk, but you were mine! - Come on, it's going to be over someday.

When? When?

I don't know! You don't know! I'm not the one that started the fucking war!

You're going to tell her. Today.

We'll see.

When the clock strikes midnight,

you'll open the bedroom door.

What?

That'll mean you've told her everything.

And you won't go there anymore. Agreed?

- I can call them! - Get away from there.

I'll do it, Alek. I swear.

- I can't stand another night like this. - You'll ruin it!

Everything's ruined already.

You'll tell her, otherwise...

OK, just don't scream anymore.

I have to tell you something.

Something bad?

You see,

- Frida... - I know.

What do you know?

I don't pay enough attention to her.

I should help her out of her depression.

Maybe I could teach her German? You never know, it might come in handy.

It's not that, Steffi...

Sure it is.

She already knows the prayer.

They always ask you to pray at the checkpoint.

It can't hurt her...

To know how to pray.

No, she prays too much already.

It's nothing to do with that.

I lied to you.

You lied to me?

You see...

Frida isn't...

It was her, not me, that worked at Feder and Daunen.

I'm not a fluff porter.

Oh, you had me so scared...

I am a porter, but... I carry bags of charcoal and ash.

- It doesn't matter. - Yes it does.

It was charcoal for the crematorium.

The ashes were for asphalt.

- Why are you telling me this? - It was ashes from the corpses.

- What? What corpses? - Shhh...

You'll wake the little one.

They were corpses from the ghetto.

Why are you telling me this today?

I was afraid at first...

That you'd throw me out.

And now?

I just wanted you to know...

Because... if you were disgusted with me...

- You'd be better off. - What about her?

Her? She's a fluff porter.

I lied to you too.

The mark on my thigh isn't a scar...

I like your skin...

You're not the only one that likes it.

- Do you want to know who else likes it? - No.

Lice like it.

Lice?

All the lice in the whole institute.

Do you still want to caress it?

Is that how you get the ration cards?

Yes. I need to be well fed.

So that's how you can buy things in their shops and go around after curfew.

It's my pass.

I donate my blood for their soldiers.

They're making a typhus vaccine.

Can you buy photo developing chemicals in their shops?

Eleven...

Twelve...

Police.

Criminal police.

Hello? Who's on the line?

There are Jews hiding here, you hear me? Jews.

What's going on here?

Quiet, Bubby!

What's going on? What are you waking me up for?

Come here. Shut up. What's going on?

Your wife is living with a Jew. - Frida, the sister.

- Writing something? - Who, me?

No... why?

Roll some more cigarettes, will you?

I need to send a package tomorrow so it arrives by Easter.

Give me some more of that chemical.

This film is very sensitive; You have to be quick about it.

- What's on this roll? - Hold on a sec.

You'll see how the "vermin" live...

Give me some more water.

Thanks.

Now we use the fixative...

Are you going to show them to Frida?

She's seen it with her own eyes already.

- Let me see. - Wait a little bit...

Let me see!

Do you really want to see?

It's done. You can turn on the light.

What's happened to it, Alek? Look here...

What did you do?

Turn the light out, dammit!

Bastards! They gave you sugar water, and you, idiot,

you thought it was developing chemicals!

- I'm suffocating in here... - What's going on in there?

Can't you just go to sleep?

Don't be a fool, Frida! Open up!

Please, open up!

What the hell are you doing? We need medicine!

What did you do that for?

What's behind this wall is mine. I won't let her in.

You're not making sense. You've already destroyed the pictures...

Isn't that enough for you? Do you want to wreck everything else too?

Help me!

Frida, help me!!

Where did it go?

Have you seen that form?

- Are you feeling better? - I can only write him one letter a month...

22 lines on a special form.

Now I can't find it. Have you seen it?

Where could it be?

How about you, Frida, have you seen the form?

No, ma'am.

Shall I throw this on the fire for some heat?

- Have you really not seen it? - No, ma'am.

It's really important, Frida.

Try to remember.

Tea's almost ready.

Are you feeling hot?

I've got the shakes.

Have you spoken with her?

You know, it's not your fault about the fixation chemical.

I'm sorry.

The smoke bugs me.

You're burning hot. You've got a fever.

Hit the light, I can't see anything.

- What? - Turn the light on!

It can't be true...

- But how do you know...? - I know...

Leave me alone...

The lights...

- Listen, Stefania.. - The pictures...

That's nothing...

She's not my sister... She's my wife.

- I'm going to get it. I can't stand anymore. - Just leave it.

It's the third day already, they must be looking for her.

I said leave it alone!

If no one answers they'll show up here.

Frida, you didn't even wet it.

No..

That's disgusting!

Her medicine, her drugs... it's the least we can do for her!

I'm hungry.

- Why didn't you wet the towel? - I don't want to.

- After all she's done for us? - I'm hungry!

And she's dying of typhus!

- Yeah? All I've had to eat is nails! - She might never wake up!

Let her die, then.

Don't you hit me.

You prayed she'd get sick, didn't you?

No. I prayed she'd die.

In my misery I begged for vengeance and God listened to me.

No!

Jew!

You listen to me well, Frida.

If she dies, we die too.

Who's going to hide us?

Who will feed us? Who will protect us from the neighbors?

Pray, Frida. Pray she lives.

Come! Good boy.

Good doggie.

Bubby, who's there? Come here Bubby!

What are you doing? Come, Bubby!

Where'd you find that?

Give it here.

Give it!

For her?

Please.

I hope she dies! I hope she dies!

Repeat that prayer she taught you.

Stay here in the closet and they'll only find me.

They're not that stupid.

Tonight, go to the monastery, OK?

Don't forget the photos.

Keep quiet and stay in there...

I can leave you. You can't.

- Give that to me. - No.

Give it to me!

Happy Easter.

From your friends at the bacteriological institute.

Happy Easter?

You didn't know? It's Pesach.

I wanna eat!

Bread...

There must be some around.

Bread?

It's her! She ate everything!

- Give that to me! - No!

- [Muttering] - What do you want now?

Frida...

I know.

Tell her something!

But what!?

Anything!

The whole truth, huh?

Talk to her, she's waiting!

Happy Easter, ma'am.

Happy Easter?

Alek... she's cold.

Alek, she's dying!

Do something!

I got it!

It's snowing!

Sure, sure! Feather porter!

That's what you wanted!

Stefanie... look.

Here's some nice soup.

Here... drink up.

Happy Easter.

Drink a little more of it.

Eggs? Cheesecake?

Don't worry about it.

Frida prepared everything.

She's so nice...

And the cake?

The cake too.

Right, Frida?

Come.

Come on.

How about the table? Did you put a nice second tablecloth on it?

Yes, ma'am, I put a second tablecloth on.

There's really no point...

It's not Christmas, it's Easter.

A mouse?

What's the deal with that extra tablecloth?

No idea.

Maybe for that boy in the picture.

Do you hate her?

Her I just don't like. You I hate.

Do you remember that form?

Yeah, I remember. You hid it, huh?

No, I didn't hide it; I burnt it.

Why?

So he wouldn't come back.

I've never known you to be so mean.

She'll be alone. Like me.

You're not alone.

We're together.

It's too late, Alek.

Too late.

I'm alive.

I'm alive.

Frida prayed for it.

Oh, how I cried.

What's going on out there?

Nothing.

- They're just burning some corpses. - Stop it, Frida!

- There's an uprising going on. - What uprising?

Come on.

Dear God, redeemer of the world,

have mercy on us...

Have mercy on us.

Look at this pretty blonde curl.

Look at this.

She tries to hide it, but I see everything.

After typhus it almost always falls out. See how much there is?

Did you notice how she never takes her scarf off?

Poor Alek.

You go on and caress her little blonde head tonight.

OK? Do that for me.

Clean all that up.

Tell me about it later, OK, Alek?

And be nice to her!

You've caressed babies on their bald heads before, haven't you?

That didn't last too long.

I don't know what to say.

Don't say anything.

You see what's happening to me?

I won't ask...

It'll be alright you know.

I went to see a doctor and he said, just wait.

It doesn't matter.

Come here.

Say it again.

Say it one more time.

You've never said that to me before...

I do too you know.

So much.

So very much.

I knew Frida wasn't your sister.

I wanted you to have the time...

To choose.

He never touched me.

Who?

All I ever knew of him was that photo.

There are a lot like him.

You just write to the Red Cross and they pick one for you.

So you won him in a lottery?

- It's not... - Someone else could have gotten him.

But he was picked for me.

At least he has good cigarettes.

What are you saying?

Even if he was my husband,

I would certainly leave him.

You can guess why.

Why?

I'm going to have a child.

I can't find her anywhere. She's disappeared...

What do you mean, gone?

I can't live here, I'm going back to where I am loved.

This is the last time I'll ever think about you.

Signed, "little sister."

- Where'd she go? - Back down there!

Where are you going? Are you nuts?

You aren't going anywhere.

She knew that I knew.

It's suicide!

- You'll never find her again! - Let me go!

Alek, what about our child?

Frida!

Frida!

Ms. Bukowski?

Yes? Please...

What's going on? I don't understand.

Hold on a minute... there must be some mistake.

Be a gentleman!

You speak rather good German.

You're hiding Jews in this fine home of yours.

Who wrote this?

Frida.

Stop!

Where are the Jews? Don't lie to us.

I don't know any Frida.

Must be someone's little sister.

I live here alone.

I come from Upper Silesia.

I teach German.

And donate blood.

Who's this?

- My husband. - Your husband?

Oh, you have guests.

Pardon me. Can I be of any assistance?

Come, Bubby.

Please come see me tomorrow, madam Stefanie.

It's time to clean my apartment.

Cast