Original subtitles

Tomaz?

Oi, why don't you lot fuck off back home?

First day?

Watch your toes.

It's dangerous work, man.

Halt!

Halt!

Get out of here, now!

Fire! It's everywhere!

Who tied you up?

Friends. It was a joke.

How long have you been here?

I'm not sure. Two years?

I had a bag.

Speak to the orderly.

She said there's a message for you.

Like the lamb, he did return into the fold.

Into the blessed light.

I hope I got them all.

Thank you.

There are many like you who seek refuge here.

The war is over. I could go back.

Why don't you?

Thank you for this.

You're a philosopher.

No, I'm a builder.

Really?

Is something missing?

I had some money.

Uh... I didn't find any money, I'm afraid.

Thank you.

Forward is not the only way, Tomaz.

There are other roads.

Come on.

Magda.

My dear child, it has been too long.

It has been a month, Sister.

I told you., Magda.

My work at the church...

Yours is not the only suffering, child.

Anyway, I come bearing gifts.

Who is he?

This is Tomaz.

He wants to help you, don't you, Tomaz?

You have no need to fear him, my dear.

It is time.

Oh, you've made your first mistake here, Tomaz.

You'll learn not to refuse Magda's cooking.

It's meat.

Did she eat today?

Nothing past her lips all week.

Something has upset her?

She knows the end is coming.

Magda's mother lives on the top floor.

Unfortunately, she's an invalid.

She's very ill and in great pain.

Unable to leave the house.

Magda is tasked with the sole responsibility of her care.

It is a tremendous strain.

Especially as her mother doesn't like Magda to...

socialize.

The Lord will take her soon.

Peace, quiet, home-cooked food.

What more could the bachelor want?

How much?

We don't need your money.

Sure you don't.

I told you, didn't I? At no charge!

If you just help a bit in the house,

'cause it's falling down around their ears!

I must go to her.

She doesn't want me here.

What we want

isn't always what we need, Tomaz.

I won't go where I'm not welcome.

Fair enough.

It's getting late. We should go.

You... Fetch the child, would you?

We don't have electricity.

Only gas to heat water.

No electricity.

Mother, once her pain was so great, she tried to...

put her fingers in the sockets.

It's stew.

Mm!

I don't want you to wait on me.

That's not why I'm here.

Why are you here?

To help you.

Mother won't like it.

Run, if you like.

I won't chase you.

The nearest village is two days' walk that way.

But I don't think you want to go there.

Help yourself.

If you're heading for the border,

you'll never get across.

They'll shoot you the second you leave the trees.

Why even try?

My daughter is there.

They say a peace deal is coming.

That it's months away.

You can stay here, wait.

Then you'll be able to cross.

My mother is a dentist.

The Captain who came with the first brigade,

she did a good job for his caps.

That's how I got sent out here.

She didn't want you to play soldier?

They're gone.

(door opens

Breakfast.

Thank you. Maybe later. My stomach is...

I haven't eaten a meal like that in a long time.

What do you usually eat?

Don't really get hungry.

What is that?

We make it into tea. It calms her.

Mm.

- Don't touch that! - Look, I want to help you!

Don't be like that. It's natural.

There is a real problem with the water.

I didn't ask you to come here.

A rat?

Rat with wings...

it's a bat of course.

You haven't seen one before?

In the house?

No.

I spent one year in the woods. I used to see them all the time,

but I've never seen one like this.

Can you take it away, please?

- Outside? - Mm.

Thank you.

She beats you?

She's in pain.

That's no excuse.

When I was young...

I remember feeling all the time that she didn't want me.

That she would get away if she could.

And yet she fed me, she cared for me.

Are you going to care for me too?

Found it in the woods.

Must be old.

A women guard.

An amulet.

Perhaps she will protect me.

Morning.

I'm going to the market. You want to come?

What is that?

Use this old thing.

How long have you lived here?

Many years.

The house belonged to a man we knew.

But he left one day, suddenly.

Did he leave it to you?

I don't know.

I guess maybe we find out if anyone comes to take it back.

Alright, love you. You have a good day.

These ones.

And... this.

This one.

Mm.

Do you like it here?

I don't know it.

This is as far as I've been since the day we arrived.

You never go out?

What are you looking at?

It's a love story.

You can borrow it if you want?

I've read it many times before.

No thanks. I'm not into romance.

Men think romance is silly, don't they?

They think it's not real love.

But what is love?

Sacrifice.

Nobody's romance.

It's an offering.

What do you write?

In your room?

I can hear you at night.

It's my dissertation.

For my doctorate.

And what's it about?

Philosophy, the study of ideas.

I know what philosophy is.

Dare to declare who you are.

It is not far from the shore of silence

to the boundaries of speech.

The path is not long, but the way is deep.

You must not only walk there...

you must take a leap.

You are bleeding.

Do you see it?

I don't see anything.

This shell...

In the old times, it was painted on the sides of houses

as a warning against evil.

And in the war, they...

They used it again.

Did you kill people in the war?

It's a sin to waste your life.

If I were free, I would dance every night.

I would go to nightclubs.

You've got to take pleasure where you can.

Right?

Mama? Mama!

Mama!

There were wires in the wall.

I thought I'd got them all.

Are you shocked to see her like this?

It's not my choice.

It has to be this way, otherwise she harms herself.

What is wrong with her?

You don't understand.

She used to be so beautiful.

You see.

Why didn't you tell me?

This is crazy.

Please don't go.

Why didn't you go with her?

Your daughter?

Her father took her across the border to safety.

He couldn't hide us both in the car.

You're married?

No.

We divorced.

Why are you still wearing your ring?

I put my ring back on when the soldiers came.

I thought it would protect me.

You worked in the Town Hall?

I had to get papers for my university application.

I waited an hour in that line.

You never looked up once from your work.

I wanted you to look up, but the whole time I was there,

you never did.

My daughter. I always had to leave at 5:00.

You never saw me?

I don't remember you.

You're back.

The house needs work.

Can you make her some tea tonight?

Why?

I don't want to eat alone any more.

She's sleeping.

I made cake too.

Lucky I'm so greedy.

Do you have any other shoes?

Shoes?

You can't dance in those.

Thank you. Where did you get it?

The house is full of things.

Very few of them are ours.

You are running.

Why?

You think I know nothing of the world, you are wrong.

The very worst troubles, secrets.

The deepest pains of existence find their way into these walls.

This is not a sanctuary.

This is a crucible.

You can tell me.

I made a mistake.

We all do.

I tried to help someone.

They got hurt.

Maybe you need to go home.

There are other ways.

- I am afraid. - There are worse things.

Before your God...

the Ancients, they didn't believe that you could.

What?

Forgive yourself.

It wasn't yours to give.

What do you believe?

No, no, no, no.

No. I can't.

- What are you talking about? - Please don't.

Tomaz, what's wrong?

Don't be afraid.

She can see us.

Mama, don't be angry

I know it hurts, but who will care for me

after you're gone?

Let go.

Mother.

The end is coming.

I'll call the police.

No!

No-one else!

Promise...

Promise me.

Swear it. Swear it.

It's always like this, around her time.

I should have known.

Jesus Christ.

I have to.

They're born with teeth.

A demon.

Do you know what a demon is?

The demon's essence is evil.

Pure evil.

But evil isn't simply an idea, Tomaz.

Through its body,

it delivers evil.

It becomes tangible.

It bites.

Magda is its slave?

These creatures can live centuries.

They need to be cared for.

They need... companionship.

But it's nearing the end now.

It is dying. Finally.

So Magda will be free?

No Master will let its slave outlive it.

This is my duty.

Has been our duty through the ages.

Duty?

Evil must be contained, Tomaz.

So you gave her to that thing?

I tried to make things bearable for them.

Why am I here?

It is your destiny.

You will protect her, won't you?

You're back.

Again.

Why are you here?

- To free you. - And how will you do it?

I will kill it.

What if it kills you first?

It's weak. Dying, she said.

You're a coward.

You don't know me.

You know nothing about me at all.

Don't.

Leave him be.

We belong together.

There's no escape.

Tomaz.

You have to go now.

I will not.

Leave us.

What are you doing?

You'll die out there in the woods.

Or they will catch you.

Thank you for all you've done for me.

You're a good man.

You can't go.

Why?

You need me.

Don't run.

Don't.

- How long have I...? - Two days.

I failed you.

I told myself...

if I could free you...

then I would have a right to be happy again.

Listen to me.

There is something...

inside me...

and it's stronger than me.

I have not always done...

right.

But...

I'm a good man, Magda.

I am a good man.

You slept like a baby.

I didn't dream.

You forgave yourself.

You'll feel better now.

Better out than in.

That's what they say, isn't it?

Oh, yes, do you like it?

Such a relief!

Never felt I totally convinced as a nun.

I never quite got the...

Couldn't get the walk.

Who are you?

Someone you're going to get to know very well.

What is happening to me?

Let's have a look.

As I said, a demon's essence is evil.

Why?

I think you know the answer to that, don't you?

So...

let's get started.

I wonder who the lucky girl will be.

What do you think you'll be wanting in your candidates?

Candidates?

Companion, of course.

I want her.

She has served her time.

Anyway I thought you wanted to free her.

I want her.

She is still taken.

I want her.

Well...

you'd better go and finish it then.

The house belonged to a man we knew.

But he left one day, suddenly.

Where did you get it?

The house was full of things.

Very few of them were ours.

The shell...

was a warning against evil.

Welcome, Tomaz.

Don't you find me beautiful anymore?

You used to find me beautiful, didn't you?

Isn't this what you wanted, Tomaz?

It comes so quick.

He was ripe.

You chose well.

They chose their own path.

You had every chance, boy.

Please.

Ate well, didn't you?

Well, now it's time to pay for your meal.

Don't be scared Tomaz.

You'll make a wonderful mother.

You sure you want those?

I wouldn't feed them to a pig.

Well...

I fucking hate cooking.

Okay.

Tourist?

Kind of.

We didn't have any tourists for a long time.

But now they're coming back.

That's good.

Yeah, I guess.

We've all got to move on, right?

Forget and move on.

Never forget.

Eat up, baby!