A NETFLIX SERIES
-[indistinct chattering] -[rock music playing in background]
[indistinct chatter continues]
[man] No, no!
[rock music continues]
[grunts] Thanks.
Can you go away?
[sighs]
There's a kid hanging around the stairwell.
[Volvo] The little shit's probably stealing light bulbs.
[rustling]
[bottles clattering]
What's she doing here?
[clattering]
-Are you nuts? -Leave her the fuck alone.
-Let her just-- -Shut up, Volvo!
[Boot] I help you haul your whale of a mother upstairs
and you're really doing shit like this?
Fuck, leave me alone.
-[grunts, groans] -Hey!
Get off me! Fuck you! Leave me alone!
-[groans] -[glass shatters]
[indistinct chattering]
[coughing]
[muffled rock music playing]
-[Klara] Mrs. Tremer? -[Jaśmina gasps]
[indistinct chattering]
[sighing]
[lights buzzing]
Please give me just a minute.
[wheels rattling]
[footsteps approaching]
This was left behind by someone who died.
[inhales]
It broadcast local announcements.
Thank you.
[ominous music playing]
[man on radio] …water supply points…
Helicopters… not needed…
If we relocate them to… Helicopters…
Helicopters… at the moment, we have full…
[ominous music continues]
-[man on radio] …downtown… -[water sloshes]
…reported someone saw a crocodile on Wyspiański street…
[man continues talking on radio]
[groans softly]
[indistinct chattering]
What is this place anyway?
I don't know, but it's pretty nasty, huh?
[muffled rock music playing]
Have you read the story of Christiane F?
Mm. Didn't everyone read that?
What are you doing here?
[rustling]
[Jaśmina sighs]
Hmm.
[muffled rock music playing]
-Come on. -But where?
Your dad must be worried about you.
-Shouldn't we wait? -No, no.
Definitely not. Come on, let's go.
I'll go first.
-[Boot] Tremer. -[Jaśmina] Hmm?
[Boot] Climb up there.
[Jaśmina] Thank you, Half Boot.
[ominous music playing]
[water sloshing]
[boat engine sputtering]
[thud]
[in German] Slowly. Slowly.
[grunts]
[sighs]
[in German] We're not going anywhere.
[sighs]
What is it?
Look at the tyres.
[Andrzej in English] Damn it to hell!
[dog barking in distance]
[helicopter blades whirring]
[muffled pulsating music playing]
[up-tempo pop music playing]
[crowd chattering, laughing]
[laughing]
[laughing, whooping]
[chattering, laughing]
[indistinct chattering]
Excuse me, do you have a telephone?
My mom can't hear. Sorry, ma'am.
But the telephones aren't working. Nothing's working.
Vodka's working. Here you go.
Drink, miss, to the newlyweds. It's tradition,
-you know how it is. -Oh, God.
God, tell me. What happened to you?
Do you have a bandage or some dressing for it?
Come with me to the kitchen.
[guests] Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!
One, two, three, four!
-[guests] Aw, come on! -[man] One,
two, three, four, five,
six, seven! [cheering]
[woman] All our stuff got flooded. We just have some sheets.
[Jaśmina] Thanks.
-Don't cry about. -[grunts]
-I'm not crying. Go away! -Be grateful anything survived at all.
Are you expecting any help to show up here?
The firefighters were here this morning.
They came here, gave us some bread…
-[guest] Oh! -[man laughs]
Oh! You need a drink. A penalty shot, neighbor.
Gotta drink a shot. Alcohol, drink it straight.
[indistinct chattering]
[ominous music playing]
Miss, nice work.
MONDAY, 14 JULY 1997, WROCŁAW
[vehicle rumbling]
[rattling]
[in German] Adaś. Adaś.
Wake up. Wake up.
GUARD
[men grunting]
[indistinct chattering]
[in English] Will you take us to Kęty, please?
I'll pay.
No, there's no need.
Thank you.
What do you have in that bag?
-It's my father. -[chuckles]
All right, get in.
[engine rumbling]
[ominous music playing]
[Klara] Can we take a break now?
No, we can't. We have to keep going.
-Just a moment, please, I need to rest. -Klara.
[sighs]
Who's whistle is that?
I don't know.
Some random girl gave it to me for my sweatshirt.
[scoffs] I don't know if I'd say that was…
[chuckling] a great deal for you.
Yeah, not the best. [chuckles]
I thought it would help me find Idler.
Hmm.
Give it to me.
[chuckles softly]
[laughing softly]
[sighs]
Will you please tell me the truth?
About?
You know what.
Hmm.
No.
So you're only gonna tell me lies, then?
-Klara… [sighs] -You promise?
[scoffs]
[helicopter blades whirring in distance]
You and my dad used to be a couple back then, am I right?
Mm-mm.
And you didn't know my mother?
[sighs softly] Mm-mm.
And she definitely wasn't someone like you, right?
Hmm.
So she never missed me at all?
Or thought about me, ever?
Even on my birthday?
Or on my first day of school?
No, not even then.
Why did she disappear?
[sighs softly]
Did you get some rest?
Let's go.
Careful around here.
I'm afraid we'll have to go through the water for a bit.
[ominous music playing]
[dog barking]
Idler!
Klara, it could be any dog.
But I know his bark.
-Idler! -Klara!
-Idler! -[sighs]
-[shrieks] -Fuck!
Klara!
[ominous music continues]
[gasping]
I've got you, I've got you.
[gasping]
Hold on here.
[breathing heavily]
Fuck.
[laughing]
[squeaking]
-[lighter clicking] -[boat approaching]
Hey!
-Hey! -[whistle blows]
[in French] Good morning, ladies.
Would you do me the honour of entering the French territory?
It's dry.
[ominous music playing]
[in French] Every occasion is good.
It would be shame to let it pass you by.
Here you go.
You too, miss. You'll get your colour back.
[indistinct chatting]
-[in English] Thank you very much. -[indistinct chattering]
[ominous music playing]
[man on radio] Important information for emergency services. A man is trapped…
…in Nadodrze district.
[man] Ma'am, we're looking for a lot of missing people.
[overlapping voices]
[indistinct chattering]
[Ewa] The city center has been flooded. From Ochotnicza street,
-the workers… -[thuds]
[chair creaks]
[thudding]
[Ewa] …managed to break through the barricade and one person drowned.
No, no, no. You can't go inside right now.
-It's live, it's airing live. -That's why I want to go in.
Mr. Marczak, stop this nonsense. You gotta calm down.
-Please let me go in, please! -Stop that, Mr. Marczak!
[Ewa] Excuse me. Like I was saying,
a crocodile has escaped from the zoo and if anyone has…
[man on radio] … I mean … Don't worry, everything is fine.
I'll be home soon…
Kuba. I am so sorry.
I went to the mortuary. It wasn't her.
[sighs] Oh, Jesus.
The girl had the same sweatshirt, the skull one, but…
[phone ringing]
It wasn't Klara. I'd like you to…
-to show her photo on air. -[woman] What's the drainage situation?
Maybe someone saw her or knows something.
Okay, we'll make the announcement now.
[woman on radio] The Oder river between Kęty and city center
is still full of people, we're trying to clear them to a safe space…
The sandbags in Kęty are holding up, but we need reinforcements on the north side.
May I?
Any news?
None.
[radio static whirring]
[sighs]
You will find her. You'll see.
-But what if she actually is… -Shh…
[shushing]
Everything is going to be all right, okay?
Mm.
[sighs]
[Jaśmina] No, Klara, Dad won't do anything, believe me.
-[Klara] How could I let this happen? -[Jaśmina] It's not your fault.
[Klara] Jaśka, what should I tell him? He loved him so much.
-Dad just-- he loved him. -Klara! Baby!
[sighs]
-You're not hurt? -No, no.
She hurt her hand a bit.
Uh-huh.
But I lost Idler.
What are you talking about?
It's just that the leash broke and he ran away
-and I tried to run after him-- -We'll find him.
We'll find him.
[sighing]
-[Klara] Can we go home? -Yes, right away. Right away.
But let's take Jaśka with us.
Yeah.
Uh…
Uh, so…
Can you stay here with Maja? I'll go get her.
[indistinct chattering]
Come on.
Come with us.
Klara asked.
I don't know.
I'm not really in the right state to visit anyone today, I mean, just look at me.
Don't make me beg.
[pensive music playing]
[woman 1] Nobody, nobody! My whole community has been flooded!
The entire area! It's a tragedy!
[woman 2] We got here from a nearby village.
They sent us here and we're just waiting.
[woman 3] I really can't say. I mean, the tragedy we went through, terrible.
[woman 2] We're from Leśna Woda. Everything got flooded.
[ominous music playing]
[woman 3] It's hard to talk about it.
What are we gonna do now? It's terrrible.
[lighthearted music playing]
[male radio host] This is Polish radio.
You are listening to Summer with the Radio.
[sighs]
TUESDAY, 15 JULY 1997, WROCŁAW
[door opens, closes]
[laidback groovy music playing]
Keep the pan here.
[chuckles]
[sighs softly]
[sighs]
-What are you laughing at? -Mm.
Come sit down.
Eat.
-Some tea? -Yes.
Thank you.
You're not hungry at all?
It's too dry for me.
Okay. [sighs]
[Jakub] Better now?
No, nothing's better at all.
[inhales] You lied to me.
You said she left and you didn't know where she is.
Or what she's doing, or where she lives.
-Klara, it wasn't his idea. -Don't defend him.
Did you tell her to leave?
Leave me?
And you said you didn't know where she was.
[Jaśmina] Klara, that idea…
it was mine. It…
I thought it would be better not to have a mother at all than to have a shitty one.
[laidback groovy music continues]
Well, you thought wrong.
[door opens]
I'm gonna head out.
[door closes]
You're not gonna disappear from her life, are you?
[door opens]
[pop rock music playing on headphones]
[inhales]
Mm.
Klara.
I've been thinking about what you said
that it would be better to have a shitty mom than no mother at all.
I didn't say you were shitty.
I know I am.
[inhales]
However, I had a thought that…
maybe a shitty mother could turn into a cool friend. [inhales]
So if you'd like to come by to see us, um…
at our place, see how we live there.
If you'd like to meet the dogs as well.
If you'd like to,
you know, just talk,
then we'd love to have you there.
[Jaśmina sighs softly]
I just wanted you to know what I was thinking.
I'd like that a lot.
[sighs]
So I'll be waiting for you.
[ominous music playing]
[bell tolling]
RIP SZYMON RĘBACZ
[bell continues tolling]
[indistinct chattering]
To your health.
[indistinct chattering]
You mom isn't looking.
Andrzej.
Why don't you stay? The house is almost done.
My wife's waiting for me at home.
[woman] You have to visit though.
You'll come, right?
A son should know his roots.
-He knows them now. -[scoffs]
[vehicle approaching]
[man] Fuck. They're here, the cops…
-[guests murmuring] -[doors close]
Mr. Andrzej Rębacz.
What is it, guys?
You need to come with us. You are under arrest for an air safety violation.
Why's that?
There's footage of you shooting a flare at that helicopter, sir.
-Uh, please, this is a funeral. -What's this about?
[officer] Stay out of this, ma'am, it's our job.
-[shatters] -[man] Hey, Korzun, calm down.
Mr. Korzun,
-please keep calm, okay? -Guys, stop it, all right? Calm down.
I'm coming.
[in German] Adaś, please take care of our guests.
You're the host now.
[officer in English] No, no, no, don't.
[ominous music playing]
[man on radio] Everyone is happy to see that the water level is decreasing.
The level is falling at different rates in different places,
I just caution against premature optimism.
Forecasts show heavy rainfall.
[man on TV] And the retention tanks are full, which might lead to a repeat
of the tragic events of the last few days.
I implore everyone not to dismantle the reinforcements on the flood banks
or to remove the obstacles that block the water from draining.
We will inspect and reinforce all the…
[news theme music playing on TV]
[line ringing]
-[man in Dutch] Hi, love. -[in Dutch] Hi, honey.
Hey sweetie, when will you be back? I miss you.
I'll handle a few things first. Then, I'll go to the station.
I arrive at midnight, I think.
-Can you pick me up? -Of course, I can't wait to see you.
-Great. -I love you.
I love you, too.
[in English] Mm. Back so soon?
[door closes]
It's me, Mom.
You're here.
Listen, I just wanted to say goodbye
because I'm gonna leave very soon.
And you'll disappear for years again?
Not this time.
I'd like you to meet someone.
This is Klara.
Do you remember? I told you about her?
Klara?
-Mm-hmm. -[chuckles softly]
[tense music playing]
It's pretty, isn't it?
Very.
[rumbling]
[hammering]
[Basia] Kazio…
You think we could still use this?
Yeah, give it to me. I can fix it for you. I've fixed worse, don't worry.
[tense music continues]
[indistinct chattering]
Look what you've done.
[Basia scoffs]
You're going to be the one to dry it out for us?
Hey, how are you, Kuba?
Hi, I'm okay, Basia.
It's all ruined.
Everything's covered in mud.
-[Jakub] Is there anything I can do? -[Basia] I'm so sad.
I hate to see this mess.
[ominous music playing]
TEN MONTHS LATER
[dog barking]
[birds chirping]
[tense music playing]
-[Jaśmina] Moja! -[dog barking]
-Hello there. -Hello.
It's good you're here because that Dutch guy of yours,
he's hard to talk to.
-Sometimes he is. What's up? -I don't know.
But when there's a request for a signature and a receipt, it's unusual.
-May I? -Here.
-Thank you very much. -And thank you. Goodbye.
[whistles] Szelma. Moja!
[in Dutch] They can't expect it from you.
[in Dutch] I don't really have a choice.
I'll go with you.
Who's gonna take care of the dogs?
[sighs] You shouldn't go alone.
[panting]
[sighs]
[in Dutch] Sweetheart.
Everything will be fine.
Okay.
[grunts]
[meows]
Don't worry. There won't be another flood.
That's not what I mean.
I know, but everything will be fine.
-Okay. -Okay?
Okay.
[tense music playing]
[exhales]
-[in English] Hi. -Hi.
Sorry I'm late but the train tracks are being replaced near Opolem
and the train got stuck there for an hour.
No, don't worry. They're running behind anyway.
[sighs]
[chuckles softly] Who's in there now?
Uh, well, the big fish, then that guy from Kęty and then the two of us.
-Want a smoke. -Mm.
-Did you quit? -Mm.
[chuckles softly]
-Shall we? -Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Let me help you with that.
Thanks.
Just promise them… Ah, hello!
I hope that thing between us is, you know,
you can leave it in the past.
We were all under stress. So…
You surprised me when you chose to run in that election.
How many votes did you get? 700?
-693. -That's right.
Politics is such an ungrateful mistress, you know?
But you need a lot of patience, Mr. Marczak.
You show great promise, you just need patience.
Maybe in the next election you'll get a better spot on the list.
Who knows, maybe even on mine.
I like determined players like you. [chuckles]
In exchange for what?
-Why would you assume that? -There's always some exchange.
Maybe just talk a little less for a change, that's all.
The events in Gierżoniów are all in the past, why go back to that subject?
Thank you so much, Minister. I will do what I think is best for me.
Of course, of course.
Be wise and don't forget about your colleagues.
That fucker can still screw us over.
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OFFICE
[tense music playing]
[sighs]
[Kuba] They're keeping us so long for a reason.
To make us nervous.
-Old communist methods. -Mm-hmm.
You're still drinking that stuff?
It's prenatal vitamins.
Wow.
Well, congratulations.
Thanks.
[distant rustling]
I'm not really showing yet, it's just the beginning.
Anything can still happen, you know how it is.
-It'll be all right. -Let's just hope so.
I worry 'cause I really don't want to give birth in prison.
I asked you for your expert opinion and you gave it to me.
The decisions were mine.
But I'm not gonna hide behind you, I know I have to take responsibility.
[woman] Mr. Jakub Marczak is called upon to give his statement.
Please prepare your ID card.
Good luck.
Please excuse me.
Back there on Narbutta street,
the slaughterhouse?
My daughter's fine, thank you.
And you were right, ma'am.
We all did what we thought was right. How's your father doing?
[woman] Mr. Marczak.
[door closes]
[tense music playing]
IN THE FLOOD OF 1997, 56 PEOPLE DIED AND 40,000 LOST EVERYTHING THEY HAD.
THE DAMAGES WERE ESTIMATED AT 12 BILLION PLN.
IT WAS THE BIGGEST DISASTER POLAND FACED AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
THE VILLAGES NEAR WROCŁAW, WHERE THE FLOODBANKS WERE DEFENDED,
USED TO CELEBRATE THE DAY OF VICTORY OVER THE AUTHORITIES AND THE FLOOD.
FOR THE CITIZENS OF WROCŁAW, THE FLOOD ALSO BECAME
A FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE RESULTING IN THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR LOCAL IDENTITY.
SOON AFTER THE FLOOD, THE ROCK BAND HEY
RELEASED A CHARITY SINGLE "MOJA I TWOJA NADZIEJA".
THE SONG PERFORMED BY THE GREATEST POLISH ARTISTS
BECAME AN UNOFFICIAL ANTHEM OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE FLOOD.
ALL PROCEEDS FROM ITS SALE WENT TO HELPING FLOOD VICTIMS.
[mid-tempo pop rock music]
[pop rock music]
[mid-tempo pop rock music continues]
[pop rock music intensifies]
[pop rock music concludes]
NO ANIMAL WAS HURT DURING THE SHOOTING OF THE SERIES.
THIS SERIES IS AN ARTISTIC VISION OF THE CREATORS, INSPIRED BY REAL EVENTS.
THE CHARACTERS AND EVENTS WERE CREATED FOR THIS STORY.