Original subtitles

Do you feel any pain?

No.

Your first pregnancy?

Yes.

Feeling dizzy? Sick?

Sick.

-How much did you weigh at your last check-up? -86.

Now... 87.

You can go.

Abdominal circumference: 96.

Next.

- I can't! - Good girl!

Great job!

Give me the gloves...

We're going to the children's ward.

Close the door!

You will spend 2 weeks in quarantine. Look at me.

I'm talking to you.

2 weeks of quarantine.

2 weeks, not a single day more or less.

You will be separated from the other convicts.

Later, we will decide about your place of work.

-And nursing... -Nursing... hold on, I'm not finished yet.

You won't be nursing while in quarantine, only after 2 weeks.

You will visit the children's ward as per the schedule,

meanwhile, the baby will get infant formula

under staff supervision.

What are you expecting?

A boy.

Any older children?

They're in an orphanage.

- Two? - Yes.

- Boys too? - Yes.

How did that happen?

It simply did, I'm here, they are there.

Vika, what are you worried about?

I want a smooth delivery without complications,

and for the baby to be healthy, I'm not worried about anything else.

- But this is not your first delivery. - Indeed.

- Have you always been so worried? - Always.

- For some here, it's an ordinary thing. - What do you mean, ordinary?

It can never be an ordinary thing. It's always different.

Are you a heroine mother?

I wouldn't call myself a heroine. Just a mother...

...able to make a sacrifice.

Not just myself. Everything.

- For kids? To make them happy? - Yes.

And for a normal, full life.

I really wish them a better fate than I had.

Come on, girls.

And one, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

Who is crying over there?

Bodya, come here. Come. Come here...

Quiet, quiet.

Here you are! Here!

Don't cry, here you are!

Convict Boyko, 115/1, prison sentence. -7 years.

Is everything all right? Do you have milk?

- Yes, a lot. - What are doing?

- I sprinkle it into a sink. - Not very comfortable, is it?

- Not really. - This can be useful.

- And thank you? - Thanks a lot.

You are welcome.

Fomina. Komschyola. Kozhukhovskaya.

Andrashi. Aspadarikova. Kiper. Lejcus. Yarovya. Pereverzera. Anoshkina.

Today, the sound of wind woke me up.

I saw a snowstorm behind my window and couldn't fall asleep till morning.

It breaks my heart when I think of myself lying in a warm room

while you are there all alone, between cold walls.

Sometimes I get the feeling this winter will never end,

but then I remember where you are and where I am.

You haven't complained in a single letter, such a strong woman you are.

I'm not coming on Sunday,

I am sick of waiting with those fugly wardresses.

I will buy you a red lipstick and tights. What else would you like?

When they release you, we will fuck for 3 days straight.

- Any discharge? - Err, yes.

- How does it smell? - It doesn't.

- Strong? - Yes.

- Paragraph? - 115, section one.

- Sentence? - 7 years.

- Who did you kill? - My husband.

Why?

Jealousy.

I understand.

How can such a disciplined and decent woman end up in jail?

Well... It was all about love.

- Love? - Exactly.

- Love for a man? - Yes.

Was it your husband?

It was.

Ex-husband.

- Are you divorced? - I am.

- And is he alive? - Yes.

- So who was a victim? - His mistress.

I came home early from work,

they didn't think I'd be home so early.

And that was it, it just happened.

What happened? Did you kill her?

I did.

How?

With a piece of piping.

- One hit? - Two.

- Was she dead on the spot? - Yes.

- So he died in your arms? - Yes.

I called an ambulance and police too.

Did you feel bad about it?

I still do.

I regret it so much, even today.

Do you have dreams about it?

I do.

- And what do you dream about? - About him.

- He just appears? - Yes, he appears and says...

First, he appears on his own,

then, another comes from behind.

Another?

First, his soul appears.

And then his body.

So he appears in two forms?

Initially, the first one comes

and says, 'You didn't kill me.'

A soul cannot be killed.

The soul says, 'You didn't kill me.'

- And the other one? - And the soul runs away from the body.

And the body haunts the soul.

That's the dream I had. More than once.

- Breakfast? - 6:10 -6:30am.

- Wake-up time? - 6am.

- Curfew? - 10pm.

- Dinner? - 6:30pm.

Lining up?

Departure to work?

Do you really need so much time to learn this?

Breakfast 6:30-7am.

Morning check 7-7:30am.

Departure to work 7:30-8am.

And so on. You need so much time for this?

What have you been doing here all week?

Sit down.

Don't you understand that 3 years pass very quickly?

You don't even notice then your son grows up.

And you will have to put him into an orphanage.

- Do you have any relatives? - Yes, I do.

- Who? - Mum, sister.

If you don't mend your relationship with them and they won't take him,

he will be taken away and will be staying with orphans.

Are you ready to part with him?

You already feel bad for being here and him being there.

Time is ticking.

What is this? Stand up!

Attention, administration!

Convict Tkatch, there are 49 people at the department,

- ten in the residential area. - Plus one from now...

- Ten. - Plus one.

Oh, eleven.

- What's your name? - Lesya.

Nadia, come, I will show you your bed.

My sweet daughter, whenever I come to see you,

I feel like I'm walking with an armed escort.

Mum...

I didn't call you.

What do you mean?

You don't have to come here.

I must come here, because I'm worried about you.

So, here is some aspic, put it in the fridge.

Mum, don't smoke in here.

Oh, here we go.

'Mum, don't smoke. Mum, don't smoke.'

Put the bread on the table.

This is bacon and vegetable stew... aubergine, with fresh tomatoes.

This must be kept in the fridge. Horseradish to have with aspic.

And this is still hot, eat it right away.

Look, what I did for you, look - your favourite...

- Hm. - Meatballs with mushrooms.

- Thank you... - Here, have some, don't be hungry.

And here your favourite salad.

What do you think?

Do you know that all your schoolmates have gotten married

and you're here, in this prison, working all day long.

Remember The Bat by Strauss:

'And even though you walk, you actually sit.'

You sit with your, what's their name, with the contingent.

When was the last time you were in a theatre or a cinema?

Where do you expect to meet a man?

All your friends are married and already have a few kids.

Soon, all mothers will be heroines, and you're the only one who's not settled.

Think about your mother. I want grandchildren.

I just want you to be happy.

You rushed into this job.

Find something more feminime. You are indeed like a man!

Oh really, in what way?

Every way! Look at yourself.

When was the last time you went to a beauty salon?

- Is this life? - I am still pretty.

To your mum, you're the most beautiful, my sweet daughter,

you are light of my life, do you understand?

But you should be attractive to men too.

We put a baby onto two nappies,

one side under the arm,

the other side under the back.

From one side to the other. The second nappy likewise.

One, two...

Here we bend the tip.

That's all, did you understand?

I was diagnosed with 'infertility', since I had some women's issues and...

I hadn't had a period for over 3 years.

And yet...

I got pregnant, and...

right here.

I guess it was God's will.

How come - he is in prison, so are you,

you must have met at least once for that.

Well, we had an opportunity.

A man is in a cell, separated, and a woman too.

He would visit me in my cell.

- And were you alone in a cell? - No, there were three of us.

How did he get there?

The cell was like a one-room flat, with kitchen and a room.

When he came, we were together in the kitchen.

But how did he manage to get through the locked door?

Guards brought him, they opened the door and he got in.

- He gave them something in return? - Yes.

- What? - Money.

I wanted a baby badly and when I was 24, I was imprisoned

and it was clear to me that when I got out, I would be 31 -32,

so what children?

So what? I am also not that young but want them...

That's great. Kids are... happiness.

Snow.

Snow.

Snow.

Snow.

Snow.

Snow.

Snow.

Snuw. Snuw. Snuw!

Snow. Snow! Snow!

Snow.

Fucking snow!

I didn't mean that.

Snow.

And, now I have a new word for you.

A word, describing an object

you all know.

You have surely held it in your hand,

but not everybody knew how to use it correctly.

You have used it, but not for its original purpose.

And this object has become a murder weapon.

To take someone's life.

It is...

It is a knife.

Let's give this object, this word, a different meaning.

Alyona?

Knife.

It's blunt, you can't cut an onion, salami or anything with it.

Knife!

Knife.

Knife.

Knife.

Cut a finger.

Knife!

It cut deep, badly.

Knife!

It needed stitches.

Knife.

Lesya?

Knife.

Knife.

Knife. Knife.

Once more!

Knife.

This is the knife,

with the handle

and the blade

that caused you a lot of trouble

and you ended up in jail.

- Where did you throw it? - There.

- What is a rubbish bin for? - It's full.

Get a broom and sweep up the entire smoking spot!

How can I sweep? I'm pregnant!

If you threw it away sweep it away.

- But the law says I can't, pregnant... - Have I not been clear enough?

You piss me off with that tidiness of yours.

I feel like she watches only me.

Since I've been here.

I have realised and understood a lot.

- No, again, I don't believe you. - Yeah, it felt funny.

I am entering.

"Do you feel guilty?"

I do, completely.

And I hope nothing like this will happen in my life ever again.

Blah-blah-blah. Simply, I confess.

Do you really regret it?

No, I don't.

If I could I would do it again.

But this is not for the court.

And you, do you regret it?

You don't, do you?

Do you dream about it? Do you dream about your crime?

I do.

Every day.

As I enter, catch them, I am running to the kitchen,

and take the knives.

I just don't understand why knives, and not just one knife?

First slash.

Second one...

I actually wanted to sleep I wanted to sleep so badly.

I didn't care.

I knew I'd committed a crime,

but just a part of my brain was aware, 25 per cent.

75 wanted to sleep.

So, the 75 percent overcame me.

I said to my man 'Go get your friend.'

to take the body out.

The arsehole had already served 15 years and said, 'Let's do it.'

And while they took her I went to sleep.

The next morning police came.

My man reported me.

Yeah?

Police didn't believe till the very end that it was me.

I remember how I couldn't tell you at our first date

that I loved you.

I was so ashamed, my tongue was tied,

I had to write it on a paper.

I really love you,

when I'm with you, my knees shake and hands too.

That's how much I love you,

my cock is crying for you.

Semenchenko! Tatiana Nikolayevna.

Relichenko! Irina Sanna.

Pelevitch! Tatiana lvanovna.

Kiseleva! Ruslana Viktorovna.

Rakl! Irina Nikolayevna.

Zaslavskaza! Maria Yosiphovna.

Fedosova! Tatiana lvanovna.

Zichar! Yelena Anatolievna.

Parkishko! Popalnickaya!

Tschernych!

Shmarkina!

Tschernobay!

Come on!

Step forward!

Let's go!

Another five!

Another five!

Go.

and no formula.

When you nurse a baby will take

as much as it needs.

If you give them formula, breasts are not stimulated and produce no milk.

Lesya!

- Lesya! - Yes?

Tell them to call a guard!

What happened?

Please, help me get dressed.

Sure!

Call the ambulance, she has contractions.

- First of all 'Good morning'. - Good morning.

- What contractions? - Nadia has contractions already.

And she can't speak?

I am in pain, I can't speak.

You are always in pain!

I've been overdue for a week.

You are overdue every day.

Please, call an ambulance. I don't want to give birth here.

You will deliver in a hospital, but do you know how long it takes?

I have to call the administration for authorisation from Kyiv.

When they allow it. we'll call an ambulance.

This is my third baby labour will be quick.

Sit down and wait, I'll make a call now.

Close the door, it's cold outside.

Service!

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

Come, let's go.

This is a ball.

- I like this? - Yes, right.

Come on, sit down. I'll show you.

You take it. See?

Good boy.

And... it's broken.

Don't change the subject.

Tell me, what's new in your private life.

Mum, please, private is private.

There is nothing so private that a mother can't know.

I want to know.

Who you are seeing, how it is going.

Everything is all right, Mum.

So tell your mum to calm her heart.

Stay calm, Mum.

Are you going to the reunion?

Where?

To your high school reunion.

What?

I've seen an invitation.

Where did you see it?

Well, in the post.

Why the hell did you open my mail?

I did not, the envelope was already open.

How could it have arrived open?

I guess it opened accidentally.

Sure! 'Accidentally', with someone's help.

Ira, I also...

What?

I want to know more about my daughter's life.

You know everything you need to.

You open letters too.

Yes, but that's my job.

And this is my job.

Being a mother is a job too.

OK then.

'In Louboutins...'

I have never damaged my shoes like this.

Come on, it's fashionable, this season's trend.

Our salaries are low, so let's at least paint them.

So what? You know how much they cost?

Look!

Beautiful!

Careful, careful!

God, I will break my neck!

You know what I would eat?

What?

What I will eat!

Pelmeni. Meat.

And all kinds of fruits.

The kind that are forbidden here.

Girls, we don't know what the future holds, only God knows.

And we know too.

Have hope in God!

I will get parole, for sure.

For sure.

Hundred per cent sure! Because they always release mums.

These are, you know,

mitigating circumstances.

Hello, Lesya.

Hello.

What are you expecting from the future?

Normal stuff. I don't know.

The term is over soon.

He is almost 3 years old.

Yes.

Are you sure that, as a mum you'll soon get parole?

But let's imagine an opposite situation.

You don't get probation,

your child is 3.

He will go to the orphanage in the city.

You will not be able to see him there

for 2 hours in the day and 2 hours at night.

Do you want him to be there, all alone?

Which of your relatives are you in touch with?

- With Mummy? - Yes.

Let's do it.

- Have we blown out the candles? - Yes.

- Shall we pull them out? - Yes.

Let's go.

Can he dress himself?

Let him be if he wants something, otherwise he runs wild.

He has such a temper already?

Yes, he is a man of strong character.

Dogs!

Are there any dogs?

- Yes! - Who said there were dogs?

Lena.

Lena?

Yes.

She said there were dogs?

Yes.

Who is there?

A lady.

Hello.

Mummy, please leave us alone.

We'll talk to our little boy.

Look what I brought for you.

Do you like cars?

Mum!

Wait, wait let's try it together.

Look at the car.

- Mum! - What's wrong?

Don't cry, what's your name?

- Where is Mummy? - Look, I gave you a car.

Kids, listen to me! We are all going to the playground.

Yes?

Didn't I tell you that you're not allowed in there?

Quickly, to the playground!

Line up, let's hold each other's hands and let's go to the playground.

Show me.

And show Tanya which is your favourite one.

Nice.

And now we get a chocolate egg too.

In today's lesson you are going to write a letter.

It will not be easy. It should be a letter for a certain person.

Each of you has such a person.

In a criminal procedure they are called a 'victim'.

A person who was harmed by your actions.

which brought you to jail.

How can I write to a dead body?

Of course you can.

How?

Should I bury a piece of paper in the cemetery?

Why bury in the cemetery'?

The body dies, but the soul lives forever.

You need it the most.

To get rid of the burden that sits on your heart.

To be forgiven, at least a little.

The burden falls off when her parents forgive me.

OK, to the parents.

Write a letter to the parents.

Open your notebooks

and start writing.

I am writing to you...

What else can I do?

I wouldn't have the courage to do it myself,

but they told us to write a letter, so l am.

It's neither good nor bad in here,

simply, it is what it is.

Days are monotonous, slow.

You suddenly realise that a week, a month, has passed.

Days go by, even all this will pass too.

Line up in threes!

One watermelon per group!

Kolya is growing

every day, he takes after you more and more.

He frowns like you and has the same nose.

He is indeed your blood.

If only you knew, how many times I killed you in my mind,

how many times I mourned for you and resurrected you,

again and again...

l should beg for your forgiveness.

Repent.

And I can't ask you for anything else.

You exist no more.

Malinovsky District Court of the city of Odessa

decided in the name of Ukraine as follows:

after examination of all materials

in the criminal case of Nadezhda Georgievna Tkatch

a decision has been made in the assessment of her application for parole.

Nadezhda Georgievna Tkatch has showed

remorse for her actions while serving her sentence.

Pursuant to article 81 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine

the court has granted the request for parole.

The judgement enters into force after being notified, no appeal is admissible.

All right?

Yes, OK.

Fine.

Close your eyes.

I can't close my eyes.

It drives me crazy.

No worries, we'll fix it.

Put it into the bag.

You are my helper.

Don't worry.

Like that, yes, like that.

Thank you.

Why are you sobbing?

You have to share stuff, understand?

I do.

So why are you crying?

I needed the toy.

Here, play with the bucket.

- Here, a ball. - I don't want it.

- Take a shovel! - No.

- Here, you have the bucket! - No-o.

- Look, a tractor. - No-o, I want the other one.

What else do you want?

Please stand up.

The Malinovsky District Court of the city of Odesa in the name of Ukraine,

after examining the materials of the case of convict Olesiya Nikolayevna Boyko,

pursuant to article 81 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine,

the court has dismissed the request for parole.

The judgement enters into force after being notified

and no appeal is admissable.

Hey, Mum, hi.

Lesya speaking.

Can you hear me?

Yes, yes, yes. Everything is all right.

Kolya too, yes

I would like to.

Could you come sooner?

It's Kolya's birthday soon.

I know.

They didn't grant me parole.

You have to take him.

Me?

Take Kolya?

Yes.

But I can't.

Why not?

Because I have no place for him.

- What do you mean 'no place'? - I rent a shoe box.

At least you have that!

I don't even have space for his bed.

Kolya is not big.

What will I feed him with?

Well, you eat.

So you can feed him too.

- I can't take him. - Can't or don't want to?

I want to, but I can't.

So he should be in an orphanage rather than with his granny?

He may be my grandson, but he's your son.

- Have you forgotten? - No, I haven't.

I'll take him when I get out of here.

No.

No.

I-can-not.

So, what did they write here?

Here you are.

Put it in the envelope.

Come on, I have a lot of work to do.

- No, from this side. - This?

Where the envelope is cut, put the letter there.

I'll help you. Put the letter here.

And here, the letter.

Letter, letter...

Haven't we forgotten something?

Don't we need a stamp?

Who will stamp it?

How was I doing it?

This is how you stamp.

Yes! Good boy!

Did it work? Done.

Next.

Eyebrow pencil Why brown, not black?

You paint your piehole with that. OK?

Or lashes or eyebrows.

And how did Sashka finish school?

I asked Mum to take Koyla.

What did she say?

She doesn't want to.

She said she had no space.

Take him to your place.

- What do you mean? - To your home.

You think everything is so easy, it's incredible.

Are you being serious?

I have three kids and a husband who is never sober.

How?

I have no one else to ask.

I am not taking him.

As sisters...

Well, I am really glad that you remembered.

As sisters.

As sisters...

Servant of God, Nikolai. is being anointed

in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

To heal the soul and the body.

May his hands do good and bear the truth.

May his feet follow the footsteps of Your Commandments.

And protect him from all evil and unpure spirits

that want to settle in his heart.

And protect him from all evil and unpure spirits

that want to settle in his heart.

And protect him from all evil and unpure spirits

that want to settle in his heart.

- So you're not scared of being tickled? - No!

OK, and now you.

I am not afraid of being tickled.

And where will you go after being released?

I have my Mum, Valya.

my ex-mother-in-law from the Kirovograd county.

We write letters to each other.

I have already received 68 letters from her.

You count them?

I put them aside and number the envelopes.

She is the only person who has always supported me.

And she's waiting for me.

I have visited her many times, she always accepted me,

and in one letter she also wrote:

'I lost my son, but I found a daughter.'

She likes me a lot.

Do you have a mother-in-law?

Why, did I say anything wrong?

There are women here

who killed their husbands,

but keep in touch with their mothers-in-law.

Those mothers-in-law lost their son. but found a daughter.

What if you simply asked for forgiveness?

Try, at least.

Next!

Proceed!

Unauthorised subjects?

Phones? Cards? Money? Drugs?

Put your bag on the table, take out your personal belongings.

- That's all? - Yes.

Spread your arms for inspection.

How is it going?

Normally.

You wrote me, so I came.

I have decided.

I will take him.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I have arranged everything.

Regarding the transfer.

Our friends Ira and Valya, do you remember them?

They'll send a car on 15th,

everything is arranged.

We are not taking any old stuff. I've bought him everything.

He will have new clothes.

But I'm doing this under one condition.

You will never see him again.

What?

Just like that.

I take him and that's it.

I take him and he will be my son.

And what will you tell him when he asks about his mum?

- He won't ask about you. - Do you think so?

I know it.

I will ensure that he doesn't ever remember you.

I get out of here in 4 years and I'll take him with me.

Where are you sitting? On which side are you sitting?

- Where are you now? - Is it so important?

Of course. Very important.

The kid is in jail, and for what?

For what?

- Have you thought about that? - I have thought about it a lot.

And what life will he have during those 4 years?

He will be with strangers Why didn't his mum take him?

What?

Why did she refuse?

Why did you call me? Why did you write to me?

Asking, begging and crying.

I came.

You can't terminate my parental rights.

Why not?

You just can't, I am the mother.

I can do anything.

We don't need a mum-prisoner.

Thank you for the son and goodbye!

- Goodbye. - Mum, the murderer...

- I get it. - We don't need you.

OK, OK.

- Bye, my dear. - Goodbye.

'Every letter beautifully written

they teach you at school, teach you at school, teach you at school

how to subtract and multiply,

not to beat the little ones,

they teach you at school, teach you at school, teach you at school

how to subtract and multiply,

not to beat the little ones,

they teach you at school, teach you at school, teach you at school.'

Thank you!

Today is a very special day at our school:

the first school bell ringing for our students!

Another 48 women

placed behind the walls of our facility

will get a ticket to a life journey: a graduate certificate.

The possibility to start a new life

behind these walls as an equal citizen of this country.

The summer...

The summer sang, rang, flew away

faster than the wind.

Today is the day of knowledge

there is no better day in September.

We would like to cordially

congratulate you, pupils. students and teachers.

And wish you a lot of great knowledge.

Just work hard and the good grades will come.

The honour of the first bell ringing for this school year

goes to the best student, Yekaterina Semenchenko!

Wow, look, another poem.

'Like in children's dreams I paint the colourful phoenix

in the sky, Czarina Swan in the waves,

and then, with sky-blue colour I just write

that I love you so, like no other.'

This is good, this not at all.

Let's cross a few things out.

Here, and here too.

Now we can forward it, right?

Yes.

Take the stamp.

- Stamp. - We put one here.

Done.

Please leave us alone.

Look, I brought you a gift.

And a book.

Nice?

Yes.

Pretty little cake.

Sitting here, so alone.

In the wasteland far away.

Writing you letter after letter.

But you never write back.

Years just disappear Into the distance.

Day turns into night.

I write and wait in sorrow.

So, please, write me back.

Write, be in my mind.

Such a long, and hard pilgrimage.

It will pass soon, I'll come and I'll be different.

It will pass soon, I'll come and I'll be different.

Not guilty any more.

Having a smoke.

Let the time pass.

And to the Lord I am grateful.

For the protection and salvation.

Years go by.

Just like in sleep.

Like in a black and white dream.

I writing you a letter.

But you will not write back.

Write, be in my mind.

Such a hard and long pilgrimage.

Please, be where you are.

It will pass soon I'll come and I'll be different.

Not guilty any more.

It will pass soon, I'll come and I'll be different.

Not guilty any more.

Subtitles SUB-TI London