"Telewizja TVN Presents a film from the series of" ""True Stories"" "LAURA" "Until we all meet in Christ and unite with you for ever" "... and our brother..." " Where's your hat?" "I forgot it." "You'll be late for your own funeral, eh?" " Who are we playing for?" " Some young methane inspector." "Strange death, you know." "The coffin's empty, they haven't found the chap until today." "How do you mean?" "You won't find the truth." "Those twerps know something, but won't tell." "You ask which death it has been this year and if it was necessary..." "Dad," " when's the strike?" " Not now, we'll talk about it after the trade union meeting." " I won't let it go like that." " What strike?" "It's none of your business!" "...Death's intrinsic in your work." "Amen." "Amen." " Good day." " Good day." "Hi Paweł." "E... automatic transmission, cool..." "You can't shift the gears Heniek, eh?" "Get lost." "That's for hush money, right?" "I invested severance payment to open a scrap yard." " I know those poor chaps..." " Dad..." "... that you earn your dough on, you businessman..." "Knock if off..." "You'd rather I had drunk that money away, right?" "Those poor guys rummage through the garbage to collect tins, steeling rails to bring you scrap iron." "Quite recently, they were your shift buddies." "At least they make a few pennies thanks to me." "They earn them for you." " Dad, stop that." " And who are you, a lawyer," " they've bought you already, have they?" " I've got a job." "Feeding fish." "Go down the pit to see what work is." " But your wife won't probably let you." " Leave Marlena alone." "Your screams will wake up the dead." "Stop harassing the boy." "Nice family you've married to, son, very nice." "They've stolen a vase from Marek's grave again." "We've go to fix it, for good." "What..." "Where are the parents?" "Shopping in the supermarket." " What are you doing here?" " Making... dough." " What do you have?" " Just look at it..." " Very nice, look..." " Oh, well, mining creature, some kind of butterfly." "Careful, or you'll stain my copybook." "Nothing's happened." "Go and dry it up and draw something else, ok!" "Zbyszek, well..." "Parents saw Hans?" "You could invite him to Laura's birthday, couldn't you?" "Come on!" "He won't come." "They'd quarrel as always." "He can't forgive Heniek for quitting the coal mine." "It's as if he betrayed him, you know..." "You don't have to explain it to me." "Explain it to Laura." "He used to come at least once a year, and now..." "She's already made a nice card for Grandpa's Day." "You know there's gonna be a strike in the mine." "Don't know, it's because of that boy we played for." "You'd better watch your job, ok!" "Daddy, you know that Gabriel's sad?" "Why's that?" "Because he's all alone in the world." "How come, he's got us." "Well, but if we let him go, he could start a family, perhaps..." "If we let him go, the cat would eat him up." " Do birds get married?" " Of course, those with rings." "You know that pigeons love each other so much that when one is taken away, abroad for example, he'd come flying back to his love?" "But what if his wife is eaten, by a cat, what then?" "Then, he'd neverfall in love with another." "And he'll stay a great loner until his days are over." "How is grandpa Hans?" "Well, like grandpa Hans." "I don't know why we need that strike." "You just drum 'em up, not all union members think like you." "Perhaps those who earn twice as much." "When you're a trade union leader, you'll decide." "But it ain't only yourfactory, chaps are divided." " Cause' you mix them up in their heads." " Me!" "You don't tell 'em the truth." "Rememberthe management are waiting for some pretext to get rid of you, you'll be axed, as well." " Why are you worried about me?" " Because I like you." "Like hell you do." "Leave them!" "These chaps want to work like you do!" "They've done nothing!" "Let's go there, to the management." "To the management!" "To the management!" "Thieves!" "Thieves!" "Wow!" "I'd like that one!" "I wish I could have that." "But it's a wedding gown." "It's a bit too early for you, I guess." "Did you have one like that, or a mini?" "No, minis are improper for a wedding, aren't they?" " But you've got such nice legs." " Thank you very much." "I'm interested what you want from me, my love." "Youngsters are so quick these days." "My neighbour's daughter is 16 and already getting married." "Don't talk such nonsense, the kid will hear it." "Oh!" "That one, that one!" "Mum!" "All right, then, all right." "Try this one." "Ok?" " Need a hand?" " No, I'll do it myself." " Are you sure?" " Hm..." "Myself, myself..." "But the zipper's at the back." "When... you're ready call me, right?" "I will." "What's up?" "I'll take it." "Hello?" "You know, the shop assistant said that I looked like a model in that dress." "You know what," "I'll have to get a new suit then." "There were also some gloves, you know and what, have they forecasted snow in May?" "No, not winter gloves, such beautiful, lace gloves and so white." "Laura, decide with mum, ok?" "And the lady said that a veil'd be nice." "Know what?" "Tell that lady that its a First Communion dress and not a wedding gown." " Tell mum that I want a veil." " Yes, right, I know, yes." "Hello?" "It's just crazy, listen." "It'll be yourturn to go next time." "Marlena," "I've got to go." "Let's meet at home, bye then." "Answer it." "My daughter's having First Communion, they're buying a dress calling me 5 minutes." " Zbyszek, how are your gold fish?" " Swimming." " Making your wishes come true?" " What are you up to?" "Wasn't it a waste going to mining school" " to work as a cloakroom attendant now." " It's my business." "Listen, come to work in the pit, with bonuses you'll make three times as much as here." "Yeah..." "You'll swap your bike for something better." "Nobody wants to work for you in the pit any longer?" "Just come for a month to see if it pays off to work there or not." "What about those buses at the entrance?" "Those are guys for another job." "I need a good methane inspector." "I thought about you" "I didn't have any better trainee than you." "My father's on strike, and you want me to go down the shaft?" " Don't you worry about your dad, pal." " Yeah, you want me to be a blackleg." "That strike won't continue for long." "Guys," "I make a decent living." "Just think about it." "I've got a job." "Laura..." "Mummy, are you crying?" "No." " How are you feeling darling?" " Fine, I'm just very thirsty." "Thirsty?" "You looked beautiful in that dress." "How do you know, they took the clothes away." "Little creatures told me." "Did they tell you that I wanted to go home?" "It already happened." "Remember on holiday at the sea" "... when she played football?" " Yes." "She actually started to suffer from a strange piercing pain..." " We thought it was some stitch." "..." "It stopped, just like that." "Some have it all life long and never find out about it." "I don't understand any of it." "Your right artery connects the right atrium, and the left artery goes to the left atrium." "And Laura has them connected differently." "Jesus!" " What are we going to do now?" " Nothing." "We have to observe her." "Well, if things go alright ...you could take her home for some longertreatment." "Listen, so I can look after herthen." " Will you take leave from work?" " Yeah." "I'm afraid the holiday isn't enough here." "One of you'll have to stay with her all the time." "All the time?" "Right." "But don't worry, she's in good hands." "When did we last see each other?" "Us?" "Afterthe secondary school exam." "At the farewell party when you were leaving to study in Lublin." "You chose him, so I left." " And Hans keeps fighting in work?" " Yes, he hasn't changed a bit." " You must be a foreman already, right?" " Doctor, come to number six, please!" "Cheer up!" "You took everything?" "I'm gonna help you with Laura, you won't manage on your own." " Don't worry, we'll help you somehow." " Dad, how can you help, you barely make ends meet yourselves." "Where's the chicken soup, you thickhead?" "If I worked in the pit, it'd make things easierfor us." "Zbyszek," " I lost one son in the pit..." " Mum..." "Do you know what it is like ...when you wait forthe end of the shift every day ...listening for his return." "The guy goes for a beer, and you're scared to death." "Or when the earth rocks after a bounce." "They won't tell you a thing at the gate." "Here, I already have it." "Ok." "Let's go." "You promised..." "You are not practisine and it shows." "The instrument isn't a woman you can't cheat on it." " Leave him alone." " And you?" "You play as if it were after midnight at a wedding." "What do you want?" "I heard you were called to go to the management." " It's none of your business." " Now?" "I've told you not to get involved in politics, since you know nothing." "These fishes are too big for your aquarium." "Yes, yes." "It's you who always knows everything." "Working in the pit ...has made your head thicker than coal." "Are we playing or what?" "The coal mine is better than any strange family." "Leave my family alone, right!" "Yourfamily?" "You're just a guest there, boy, a guest!" "What do you know about the family." "Have you forgotten where you were when mother was dying." " Zbyszek, stop it." " Remember?" "You should have sat next to her on your arse, instead of going to work." "She needed you, not the mine." "Had you not left herthen..." "You'll be all alone in the world with that bloody coal mine." "Zbyszek!" "Where to!" "Why did you bring me here?" "Remember?" "I don't remember mum." "She must have been the only woman in Silesia who had pigeons, right?" "The old man hated them." "Remember how he got drunk ...afterthe funeral reception." "He drove them all away." "Come on!" "Where to?" "Climb up." "Jesus!" "Are they the same?" "Every single one." "Who's looking afterthem now?" "Father." "Good bless." "Good luck." "Guys!" "Quiet!" "Let the manager speak now, ok!" "Listen!" "We're in a very difficult situation!" "They want to close the pit, and you don't want to work!" "What am I to do." "I have to hire people outside." "Improve safety!" "At 1300, we'll go down immediately!" "Right!" "You know very well that the strike's damaging the mine." "You're damaging the mine, you!" "Guys, end the strike and go backto work." "I know that you're divided like the Nowaks." "The father's here with us, and the son's down in the pit." "Hans, what's he saying?" "I've just sent him down the pit." "Ok guys, hands up who wants to strike." "Raise your hands who wants to go to work." "So we're now clear about that." " Thank you." " Blacklegs!" "Good bless," "Nowak methane inspector, level 1300, wall no. 6." "I give you the concentration of gas:" "carbon oxide 2 ppm, and methane half percent." "Thanks." "Good bless." "Zbyszek, Zbyszek!" "A tiny fart, and you kicked the entire shift out." "I can't be playing myself at my funeral." "Listen, are you going to act like that each time?" "Do you think it's about fish in the aquarium?" "Do you realise that such a stoppage costs money?" "Next time you'll call me first thing." "And this was your first and last solo decision." "During traineeship you taught me something else, remember?" "You'll get used to it." "To everything." "When did you want to tell me about it?" "Laura, come on, let's put the doll to bed." "When did you want to tell me about it?" " I'll be going." " Sit down!" "Marlena, calm down." "I wanted to tell you..." "Yeah?" "!" "You knew he started to work down the pit." "Well, haven't you enough to be worried about?" "Should I have added to that, too." "It's work like any other." "Are you listening to what I've been telling you?" "I've been listening to you all my life, doing whatever you want me to do all my life." "Hans thinks I'm nobody, a blackleg, and a laughing stock!" "What else do you want?" "I'm doing it for my child." "What else can I do for her?" "Now I can earn fourtimes ...as much as in the bloody lamp warehouse." "You know what?" "And when I'm down in the pit ...I feel I'm doing something for her." "Hell you do." "You're doing it for yourself." "You're just like yourfather." "What's more important the sun orthe moon?" "The sun, perhaps." "The moon because it shines at night, and during the daytime it's light anyway." "Do you know how the Moon creatures great each other?" "No." "Tick, tick..." "Why didn't she come with us?" "Because she's upset." "What about?" "Because I promised her something once." "You said that promises were the most important and should always be kept?" "It's true, but sometimes it's difficult." "Perhaps, you're not trying hard enough?" "Perhaps." "You don't love mum any longer?" "I do." "I love mum and you very much." "Well, just tell me if you like it?" " Who is it for?" " For mum." " But don't betray me, will you?" " No." "Friends?" "Tap it." " I've got something for you, too." " What is it?" "Guess..." " Lollipop?" " No." " Balloon?" " Miss..." "I don't know." " Pabaam..." " Beautiful!" "It's a magical flower." " Will you get me some candy floss?" " But you've eaten two already." " Just one more..." " But it'll be the last, ok?" " Yep..." " Ok, wait here." " Here you are." " Thank you." "Laura!" "Hey!" "Laura!" "Stop that please!" "Laura!" "Laura!" "Laura!" "Marlena..." "You moron, didn't know that your kid was ill?" "!" "Calm down, calm down." "That second attack had a completely different pattern." "What's going to happen now?" "She's suffered from cardiac muscle ischaemia." "We have to use an aorto-coronary bypass graft." "When?" "If there are no obstacles, I'd propose friday." "It's just next week." "Tell me, please, is that operation risky?" "Tell me the truth." "Yes, it is." "Marlena," "Marlena!" "Am I going to die, daddy?" "We saw Doctor Karol ...and he told us that you'd ride on the merry-go-around again." "But first we have to perform some little refurbishment of your heart, you know?" "Does it hurt?" "No." "Nothing at all." "You'll fall asleep, wake up, and the little heart will be brand new again." "Will you be with me?" "I promise." "Get people out, quick!" " What's going on?" " Quiet!" " What happened?" " Be quiet all of you!" "Foreman, foreman, you have to get people out!" "It exploded here, but it's quiet now." "But it's something different from last time!" "I need half an hour to check the coalface." " No way, go back to work." " Foreman!" " Zbyszek, can you hear that?" "!" " I'm pulling people out." "Hello?" "Quiet!" "Foreman Koz?" "owski ordered to back off." "We're going to the cross-cut." "Go to the cross-cut." "I'm going to check the coalface." "If things are ok, you'll come back, ok?" " Move it!" " Faster!" "Who's wandering about over there?" "Who's there?" "Hey you!" " What about Zbyszek?" " Koz?" "owski led everyone out." " Look at him." " Can you tell us what happened?" "Most probably a methane explosion at 1300, mind you ourtrade union has been warning the management about even catastrophic conditions down the pit for a long time." "I'm gonna slap him." "Don't touch shit,'cause it stinks." " Thank you." " What name shall put in the material?" "Zenon Bartnik, trade union chairman." "Thank you very much." "Let's scram." "I didn't know that you were the chairman." "You weren't here, someone had to talk with them." "One more accident like this and you'll be a mining minister." "Give me a break." "Is it my fault that Zbyszek has been buried down there." "What the fuck are you saying?" "Koz?" "owski led them out." " You don't know?" " What!" "I just thought that you knew..." " Paweł!" " Where's he running..." " Do you know anyone there?" " I'll see..." "Mum!" " Father's going to the mine." " I'll find out something." " I'm going with you." " No need." "If I know anything, I'll call." "What shall I tell Laura?" "I'll tell her." "Go, go!" "Who's there?" " Adam." " Adam who?" "Adam Banek." "And you?" "Zbyszek Nowak." "Methane inspector." " You're all right?" " What?" "Yeah, I guess so." "Why did you come in here?" " Koz?" "owski sent me." " All alone?" "He told me to, so I did." "Where's your lamp?" "I left it at the dam." "Well, so there are two of us." "Thank God." "Why are you sneaking?" "Do you want to scare the child?" "How is she?" "She's having an operation on Friday." "Keeps asking about Zbyszek." "Did you tell her?" "Just that there was an accident, they're searching for him ...and he'll be all right." "Can I go in?" "Do, she's your granddaughter anyway." " What do the rescuers say?" " What should they." "Coal mixed up with shields and supports..." " And what's up?" " Fuck, nothing." "They've only dug 10 meters today." "Thanks, I've got it." "Sir, we have confirmation ...everyone is out except for Zbyszek Nowak." "It's worse with those temporary miners, they have such a bloody mess so there's one man missing." "When it blew in Zawadzki mine they searched for guys for seven days." "They had to call on them at homes to find out." "What should I tell the media?" "Let's not inform them for the time being." "Once a goldilocks had a beautiful dream, that she was plaiting her golden hair as gold as can be." "And the fiddler came to her, and fiddling he began, telling her to pluck lilies with him." "Come, come, come, come, come, come, come, come, to pluck lilies with me." "Grandpa, you can sing..." "For you." "We haven't seen each other for a while..." "Mum's gone to dad to the coal mine..." "When your dad was a kiddo, he fell into an illegal pit, like a well." "We looked for him all night." "Your granny was crying, and uncle Paweł got it for not looking after him well." "And what?" "And in the morning we got my sonny boy out ...without a scratch." "He fell in because he wanted to save Tereska." " Tereska was a girl?" " A kitty we had once." "Yes..." "Do you know the riddle ...about what's more important" "... the sun orthe moon?" " The moon, because it shines at night, and it's bright during the day anyway." " How do you know?" " Dad told me." "Do you know how the Moon creatures great each other?" "Dad told you that too?" "Yes." "Will you save him?" "I must be going." "Grandpa, wait." "Dad drew it for me to show where he worked." "Saint," "Saint Barbara." "You've already taken my brother." "Do you want to take my husband?" "What the heck did I do to you?" "What?" "Laura is..." "If if you're to take him." "I'll live through." "But don't make him suffer..." " I want to join the rescue operation." " You're the only one we miss." "You know well that regulations forbid that." "Since when have you been doing things by the book?" "I've never asked you for anything." "Marlena, it's not like that." "We're doing everything we can to get him out." "Various stupid thoughts sometimes come to mind, but nobody's giving up here." "The mine is just like a family..." "Family?" "The mine's a family?" "Coal's more important for you than the lives of anyone." "Family." "When did you last shake his hand, eh?" "Zbyszek had to go down to regain your respect." "And what's the good of that?" "You slapped him." "The mining family." "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hours of our death." "Amen." "Remember, there was once a miner called Alojzy Piątek," "he was buried too ...for a week." "He was a believer, and after he was saved he never went to church again." "You know that people said ...he had seen the devil down there" "...and signed a pact with him." "I promised that I'd be with her." "Don't leave me here." "Hey, guys, come in here!" " All together!" " More!" "Here!" "Together, again!" "Take that chunkfrom under his legs, now!" "C'mon, just a bit more." "God bless." "The boss let you in here?" "He wanted to have someone down here who knows the job." "How's it going?" "We can't figure out anything else." "Or maybe we could use the machine?" "Machine?" "One spark and things are fucked up, there'll be nothing left of us to collect." "300 meters to dig through manually." "It'll take years." "Are you a soothsayer?" "Bring your people and let's take turns." "Guys follow me!" "Let's change!" "We're backing out!" " God bless you, chaps." " Let's go!" "She was sleeping calmly and suddenly got an attact." " Next, things were normal again." " How's she feeling now?" "See for yourself." "But tell her nothing." "She doesn't remember anything." " Hello, mum!" " Hello, hello my little daughter!" "You know that grandpa was here?" " With granny?" " Grandpa Hans." "Grandpa Hans?" "Was he?" "And what did he say?" "Err that he'd save daddy, you know..." "It's very possible ...because nobody knows the mine betterthan grandpa Hans." "He loved granny very much, but the mine is his true love." " And how are you feeling, tell me?" " I'm fine..." " Are you?" " Hm." "You know what grandpa told me ...that dad had a pussy cat, and jumped into a well after it." " What cat was that?" " Some Tereska." " To the well?" " Yes, into a well." "You see, it's very possible." "He jumped into the well, he put you on the merry-go-round." "Mum, but I jumped on that merry-go-round myself." "Dad was buying candyfloss and it was then." "I asked dad not to tell you." " Why didn't you tell me?" " Because you'd be angry with me." "You silly thing." "How could you think that I'd be angry with you." "I'm missing dad." "When my granny cooked chicken soup ...and minced cutlets." "You could smell it all over the place." "She needn't have to call us to come." "What are those minced cutlets?" "Minced cutlets are minced cutlets." "Where are you from?" " From Sosnowiec." " Oh Jesus," "I'm gonna die with some foreigner." "If my old man were here, he'd have dug us up with his bare hands." "Do you have kids?" "No." "But I have a beautiful wife." "Halina is her name." "Halina." " Dad?" "Has something happened?" " No." "I've just popped in." "They chased me away to rest, but I couldn't get any sleep." " May I?" "Can I come in?" " Yes, sure." "Will you have soup?" "I have tomato, chicken soup, or sour soup." "Having soldiers stationing at your place?" "No." "It's because of nerves, I do nothing but keep cooking." "I'll give you some tomato soup, ok?" "Where's Henio?" "Henio's with mum." "Visiting Laura." "We take turns ...so that everyone could have time, take a bath, rest a while." "Didn't you think about postponing the operation?" "Well yes, but it's Laura who can't wait any longer." "Marlenka," "I just want to apologise." "I did stupid things." "If you could put back the time..." "I haven't told him for a long time that I love him." "You'll still get to tell him that." "There was a tremortoday, a few meters of the tunnel collapsed." "But if only you could see the rescuers." "The heart of the guy at the coalface was pounding ...so loud that I still hear it in my ears." "A few minutes passed and the boy started to climb in again." "They still have hope down there." "You can't lose your heart." "I'm gonna find him, even if I have to dig down to hell." "I didn't give you the spoon." "We have a signal from Zbyszek's transmitter." " We're some 5 minutes away." " Why didn't you call?" "!" " Cause you'd be hanging around here." " Did you call him out?" "No response whatsoever." "He may be unconscious." " Your son Paweł found him." " How could you!" "One is buried, and you've sent another down there!" "?" "Said you'd agreed." "What's going on there?" " Paweł's coming!" " Help Paweł!" "That's all there is." " Hello, mum." " Hello." " Hello, Laura!" " Hello, mum!" " Yes, now you." " Well, may be here." "No!" "That's it." "I confused it." "Laura," "Laura, listen." "It may happen that dad'll have to stay in the mine." "But he promised to be here during my operation." "It happens sometimes that Saint Barbara ...asks one of the miners to come to her ...to carry coal to make angels warm." "She's there alone, while you have granny, and me here." "Why are telling me stories for kids about angels!" "Dad's alive, you hear me!" "Granny tell her he'll be ok!" "I hate you, you're awful!" " Calm down!" " Laura!" "What was that?" "The orogen isn't sleeping." "If the slot narrows down, we'll be squeezed." "Where are those rescuers?" "They should be here already." "Look, I finished talking with Koz?" "owski, followed you into the pit, and it collapsed." "I ran some 5 or 10 meters." "They should be here." "Who knows that you came in here?" "God bless." " God bless." " Spare me a cigarette, sir." "You've dropped something." "Thank you." "Can you tell me ...why Zbyszek drew a tunnel that isn't marked in this map?" "What's that?" "Why would he leave his hard hatand the transmitter?" "He said he was going to the coalface to check detectors." " But he didn't go there at all." " So where did he go?" "There!" "I have it from my granddaughter." "Zbyszek gave it to her ...so she would know where her dad worked." "Can you explain it what it's all about?" "Do you remember the boy that we buried in spring?" "I sent him to that face ...to check how deep the water was." "Methane exploded." "So you sent some youngster instead of a crew of rescuers?" " It wasn't my idea." " How much did you save?" "Ten, five thousand zlotys?" "That's the price tag on his life?" "Had I known what would happen I'd have gone myself!" "Afterthe accident they ordered the entrance to be closed ...and removed the tunnel from the map." "You motherfuckers." "You left his body down there." "What rascals." "Guys, guys wait, we're backing out!" "We're going to dig somewhere else!" "What the fuck, don't they know where to dig?" "!" "Dad, dad..." "Quiet, now..." "Granny, where's dad?" " You have to stay here." " No, I won't leave her." "Guys, come, now!" " Let's change!" " Wait, wait..." "Jesus!" "Jesus!" "Zbyszek," "Zbysiu, I'm here." "I won't let you go." " Carefully..." " Stop, stop guys." "There's another one there." "You have to go back." "What's he saying?" "It's ok, ok, now." "Calm down, Zbyszek." "Go and get him, go get Adam." "Don't flash into his eyes!" " Get the stretcher!" " Where's the stretcher!" "?" "There's... another one down there." "Watch his legs!" "Slowly, slowly..." "I can make it." "Go!" " It's ok, it's ok, calm down." " Go." " Adam..." " Adam who?" "Adam Banek, methane inspector." "Zbyszek, we played at his funeral, when you were late," " don't you remember?" " He's there." "Go." "Foreman, I'm not out of my mind." "No, Zbyszek, you're not, we'll get him out." "Dad..." "Where did you get lost, you scoundrel." "I should kick your ass." "Dad, how's Laura?" "Where is she?" "Guys, get him out of the pit, quick!" " Laura!" "Come on!" " Nice, these skinny are nice..." "Because hungry." "I'll let them out for you." "Where are you climbing?" "Subrip: easytobeaman" "9 months later, on 21 November 2006,23 miners were killed in "Halemba" coal mine." "Zbyszek worked a different shift that day."