My name is Marcin Kania, and I'm an alcoholic.
The only thing I can remember from the last night that I saw my son... is fear.
Piotrek?
Piotrus, are you there?
Open the door.
Hi, this is Piotr Kania. I can't pick up right now.
Try calling later or leave a mess...
Hi, Ulcia. Um, have you spoken to Piotrek today?
We were supposed to meet. I don't know if he's got headphones on or if he forgot.
Could you go home and pick up the keys?
I don't know.
I don't know, Ula. Something's wrong.
Alright. Bye, then. Bye, sweetie. Bye.
PETER PAN
Hi, this is Piotr Kania. I can't pick up right now.
Try calling later or leave a message.
Hi, this is Piotr Kania. I can't pick up right now.
Try calling later or leave a message.
Um, something terrible happened, Dad.
Dad, I did something really terrible.
What did you do, Piotrus?
Help me remember, son.
What happened?
FEEDBACK
Thirteen hundred.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOME KIND OF TOMORROW
Do I have to call the police?
Jarek. A dick made out of pure cholesterol.
I wanna hear it.
Marcin, I wanna hear that you won't be getting into any more fights.
First and foremost, an alcoholic is a liar.
Lies to everyone, all the time.
Mostly to himself.
Come with me.
Marcin! This is too much.
If you wanna get the truth out of an alcoholic,
you have to wait for them to slip up.
So in my current state, how the hell am I supposed to make a promise about anything?
Jarek.
Have you ever played Eurobiznes?
Therapy.
Two years of sobriety.
Poof!
Marcin, you just went back to the start.
Something happened.
So, why don't you tell me what happened?
I'd rather do it in group.
How am I supposed to let you join the group like this?
Come on.
I'm just looking for some feedback here, alright?
In this group we refer to ourselves as "Tomorrow people".
Every single one of us has cracked into a thousand pieces,
and this place helps us to get some semblance of our lives back.
C'mon, let's sit down.
We come here to get support and to stay sober.
Well, apparently, it didn't work out so well for me.
I'd like to start with a vote on whether or not we want...
Marcin to stay here today.
According to the rules, he can't.
Where's he supposed to go?
He's got nowhere else to go. He belongs here.
I'm sorry, Marcin, but you should go to the emergency room,
and I'd be happy to drive you there.
Thanks, Jadzia.
All those in favor of Marcin leaving today's group, put your hand up.
Alright, now that that's out of the way...
Mmm... What are you bringing to group today?
Who wants to start? Jadzia?
Could you?
Name's Jadzia, and I'm an alcoholic.
Therapy is a little like buying a run-down building in the slums.
...theater the other day...
You take that rat-infested shithole, slap a coat of white paint on the walls,
patch the holes in the ceiling, assemble the cheapest kitchen from Ikea,
and jack up the asking price.
Then you put up a few dividing walls and squeeze in five students
or a bunch of immigrant workers.
And that is what alcohol therapy is like.
So, then, why the hell am I here?
Today of all days?
Thank you for the cake.
I can't say these five years have been easy.
But because of you all, I can get through the day without having a drink.
Thank you, that's all.
Asia's been calling me non-stop, and that's gotta mean...
she already knows.
Marcin. I think everyone wants to know... what you're bringing to group today.
Marcin. I'm an alcoholic.
Alright, then.
My son...
Can't do it.
I just can't.
I'm sorry.
- Marcin! - Hold on.
Marcin.
Beer.
It's best when you down it in one gulp, even if it's from a warm can.
Then two beers.
Hey, maybe everything's actually alright.
Maybe we just got into an argument. I can't remember.
Maybe Piotrek is just with his buddies or some girl.
Or maybe I just got drunk, and that's it.
And all is right with the world.
Yeah, hi.
Asia, sorry. Um, I was in group and...
Did something happen?
You just couldn't resist, could you?
Did you have to get shit-faced again?
Does your being drunk have anything to do with your son's disappearance?
Were you both drinking?
How many times do I have to tell you my son doesn't drink?
Besides, he practically has no contact with my husband.
Excuse me, could you please call someone who can actually find out what happened?
Is it too much to ask you to do your jobs?
Would you like to file a missing persons report?
Yes! I want to fucking file a report!
Hey, Kinga. Yes, I called you. Has Piotrek been in touch with you, by any chance?
Uh... Yeah, yeah. We're at your place.
We haven't heard from him since yesterday, and there are traces of blood here.
Mom called the police and...
Uh, wait. Let me put you on speaker.
Go ahead.
He called yesterday and said he was meeting his father in the evening,
but I didn't hear from him after that.
Hello? Ula?
Ula, you there?
Ula!
Where is he?
I don't know.
Where is my son?
We'll take you to the station.
He called me for the first time in... I don't know how long.
He wanted to tell me something.
What did he want to tell you?
He told me something terrible had happened.
What?
I don't actually remember what.
Asia, I don't remember who did this to me.
I just know that at some point I had a drink, and I woke up here.
In the kitchen. The blood could be mine.
Mom, is everything alright?
Hold on, Ula. Mom and I are talking.
I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Mom!
What is this?
What time did you meet your son?
I don't know.
Last night. Around ten, eleven p.m.
Were you drunk when you showed up?
I'd been sober for two years.
But I have absolutely no clue when or why
I started drinking again.
How did you get into the apartment?
I bought the place for Piotrek as a gift.
If he hasn't changed the locks,
I probably still have the keys.
What do you actually do for a living?
I'm in real estate.
But I used to be a musician.
In a band, The Puppet Theatre.
''I Love You Like Russia''?
Yeah.
I wrote that song.
He's laughing at me.
There's something people love about an expensive shirt covered in blood stains
or cracked glass on an expensive watch or pricey shoes covered in shit.
Makes them happy. Like they got justice.
That goes for cops most of all.
Have you and your son ever had any financial disagreements?
Has he borrowed money from you?
Answer the question, please.
I'm sorry, could you repeat the question?
I asked if your husband was violent at home.
I can see a couple of interventions,
and every time you were the one who called the police.
Are you asking me if my dad could've hurt Piotrek?
You mean... uh...
Like beat him up or maybe...
I'm just trying to understand their relationship.
There's nothing to understand.
They don't have a relationship.
Help me remember, Piotrus.
Remind me what happened.
You called me yesterday morning.
Eight years ago, the entire building underwent a general renovation.
If you're worried about the appliances, for instance,
everything is in perfect working order.
Are you smokers?
Do you have any pets?
Do you, uh, listen to... loud music?
And by the way, I am not the kind of landlord who drops by unannounced
just to see how things are going. No, no.
I think everything's fine within reason. Am I right?
Of course.
- Go on. Take a look around. - Thanks.
You never call me or pick up when I call you.
Sometimes you answer my texts after a few days.
Then you apologize, say you're always busy.
Hello, Peter Pan!
How's it going there, stranger?
Hey, Dad. Are you free tonight?
Fear.
It was already in your voice.
But I didn't hear it.
What did you wanna tell me?
Whatever it was, whatever happened,
whatever I did,
please remind me.
You said that he did something terrible, right?
So, I'm asking you what it was.
- And what does it have to do with you? - Asia. I told you already.
And I'm telling you now, I need you to fucking remember.
We've gotta be somewhere. Let's go.
Lolus, you're his best friend. He must have told you something.
- You had to have noticed something. - You know what Piotrek's like.
He'll always ask you how you're doing, but never says anything about himself.
Lolus, we need help. Please, try to think. Anything could be important right now.
Do you know if he had any trouble at work?
- I don't think so. - Don't think so?
So you're saying he might've had some, but you just don't know.
Is that the kind of best friend you are?
Look, we work on different teams, and on different floors even.
Maybe we'll pass by each other.
And when we do get together,
it's mostly just to have a couple of beers, pizza, video games.
I don't know what else to tell you guys.
How 'bout you tell us what Piotrek does at that company?
He was writing code.
Is writing.
For Dead Sun Ballads.
He's an amazing coder and problem solver.
One of the best in Poland.
If not the best.
Piotrek is amazing at something. And I didn't even know it.
We always worried too much about him.
All that worrying made him weak,
afraid of girls and the rest of the world.
His peers treated him like an alien.
Listen to me, gentlemen, this is crazy.
Uh... Just look at this kid.
How is he supposed to break into the Ministry's servers...
when he can't even break into his own pants.
Know what I'm sayin'?
Hmm?
Eh...
Maybe he was just hiding from us inside the computer.
What are you looking for outside that window, Piotrus?
Huh? Is it Tinkerbell?
You wanna go to Neverland?
Live among the fairies?
Hey, how about a ''Goodbye''?
Piotrek, go to your sister.
Piotrek.
No.
He has to be smiling.
A picture where he's smiling will send positive energy and bring him back to us.
You believe in that bullshit, do you?
Marcin, no one's asking you to help.
You can go back to your place, and we can deal with this.
Asia, if you're hoping to find a picture where Piotrek is smiling,
you're gonna have to Photoshop it.
- There's no such picture. - Okay.
Thanks.
So, what, you're pissed off now?
Asia.
All I did was state a fact. Piotrek doesn't smile in pictures.
Know what? Why don't you go back to your place?
I'm sure there's a bottle there with your name on it.
Wow, really? Yeah, you really know how to talk to an alcoholic, don't you? Nice!
Go on. Keep playing the victim.
- I'm not playing the victim. - You are playing a victim!
You're making me out to be the enemy.
I don't know what you're trying to achieve by doing that.
You made yourself into the enemy, Marcin. A long time ago.
If it makes you feel better, go ahead and take it out on me!
I'm taking it out on you?
Stop it!
- Hey. Hey. - Get away.
Ula. The apple of my eye.
She always knew how to calm us down.
Maybe we should have named her Serena.
Every family has a few good moments.
Marcin, it would be better if you went back to your place.
In other words, fuck off, Marcin.
Go sleep on the street and leave everything to us.
Go eat the scraps out of garbage cans. You did your part.
You're done.
Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning, Dad.
Dad!
Dad, I don't have the lost boys to help me. I need you, Dad.
Dad.
MISSING PIOTR KANIA
IF YOU NEED HELP, I'M FREE ALL DAY. HUGS, JADZIA
{n8}MISSING SINCE JULY 10, 2022 LAST KNOWN LOCATION: WARSAW
{n8}THAI RESTAURANT
She told me to get out. I tried to explain that collaborating wasn't a good idea.
That I'd broken it off and that... I have nothing to do with them anymore.
Excuse me.
I'm sorry, sir, we only open in an hour.
I was here two days ago.
That's right, you were.
I can't sleep. I keep having nightmares.
And you just fucking sit there!
Are you looking for something?
I was here with my son. He hasn't returned home since then.
We were arguing.
- Yes. There was lots of emotion. - About what?
What were we arguing about?
I'm sorry. I don't know. I was not sitting with you.
And you didn't hear anything?
Tell me anything. It's important.
I suppose you don't remember,
but I asked you not to come back in here ever again.
Fine. Just tell me this, alright? Did we leave together?
Your son just got up and left.
You followed him out.
And I'm afraid I can't tell you anything more than that.
You're telling me you can't fucking remember anything else?
Focus! Was I drunk?
Please leave now, sir.
Piotrek, wait a minute! Just listen to me.
Piotrek!
- Hey! What's going on? - Piotrek!
Piotrek! Piotrek!
Piotrek!
Sorry.
He was aggressive towards the police officers and staff.
We had to sedate him.
Look, I get it. But I don't agree to any psychiatric observation.
It's important that you know, if this ever happens again,
he can become dangerous to himself or to you.
Thank you for your concern,
but I've been dealing with this for 20 years now.
Grab your stuff. We're gettin' outta here.
If you wanna talk about music, then go to some... I don't know, Internet forum.
Write a comment or whatever.
Maybe someone'll actually give a shit about your story.
You know, thanks to my story,
you've got a roof over your head and food on the table.
And you can go out and get just about anything you want.
Thanks to your story, I have diagnosed PTSD.
But who cares about that, right?
At least I can buy myself a new pair of shoes when I feel like it.
Therapy made me realize that Ula is a product of an alcoholic.
And that's probably why she still dresses like a kid in bright, pretty colors.
So I can see her through the haze.
I'm sorry.
I think it's great you're taking care of your mom like that.
Someone has to.
But I just want you to know that you can move out any time you feel like it.
I don't mean right now,
but when we find Piotrek, when everything's settled,
when we can all calm down.
You know I have an apartment for you?
YOU CAN'T BURN US ALL TENANTS' STRIKE
Kinga. I don't remember much about her and Piotrek's wedding.
- Hey. - Hi.
But I do remember I never liked her.
So, they've got an experienced detective working the case.
Hi, Kinga.
- Let me. - No, I got it.
So, uh... Nobody knows anything?
Not yet.
For her, Piotrek is an afterthought.
She was ordering him around right from the start.
And even now she doesn't really care about him.
The only reason she's showing any emotion at all
is because she's been tanning her ass off in Spain
and she's pissed off that we've ruined her vacation.
Thanks.
POLICE
Hello, everyone.
I'm Cezary Karlowicz.
Hello.
You're here about Piotr Kania. Hmm?
Is there any progress at all in the search?
Excuse me, who are you to the missing person?
His mother.
Father, his sister, and Piotrek's wife.
Please, sit down.
There are two types of missing people.
Category one are people who went missing in circumstances
which point to some sort of danger in their lives, health or freedom.
Like kidnappings, or killings, God forbid.
Or suicides, sadly enough.
Uh, in the second category we're dealing with
people who may have packed up and left for whatever reason.
In circumstances... where there was no personal danger.
Meaning?
Um, meaning that someone may have decided to up and leave
without any forewarning to anyone.
You understand.
My wife and I have already given a statement.
Our son went missing at night and never told anyone he'd be going anywhere.
He just disappeared. And you should know all that already.
You stated that you had an argument.
No. What I stated is we probably had an argument.
But I don't remember because... I was drunk at the time.
I'm a recovering alcoholic.
Going missing as a result of a family argument
would fall into category two, I'm afraid.
Um, excuse me a moment.
Look.
Here.
It says something about his computers.
It looks like the memory has been wiped.
There doesn't seem to be any data left.
Excuse me. What do you think you're doing?
I'll take that.
Smoking isn't allowed either.
It says right here... that the blood on the sheets belonged to my son.
Please, move aside.
Please. Now have a seat.
But those look like tests from the lab. Is this some fucking joke to you?
Ma'am, raising your voice won't help you.
I wanna know what's going on. And what you found out.
And knock it off with this bullshit about family arguments.
Asia, let me talk to him alone. Please.
Just gimme a minute.
Why don't you let me talk to Mr. Marcin about his statement from yesterday,
and then I'll call you ladies back in.
Come on.
You recognized me after all.
Yesterday, my wife bought a bunch of...
I don't know, some sort of... colorful fuckin' vegetable peelers online.
I lost my shit.
Cops are prone to being wife beaters.
I promised myself I wouldn't be another one of those assholes, but...
And now...
Marysia is in the hospital with a... broken jaw because of me.
You haven't been around for quite a while. About two years, right?
Mm-hmm.
You know, I never liked those AA meetings.
I couldn't do it anymore. I go to a private center now.
It's a nice small group.
You know.
It's alright.
When did you fall off the wagon?
I was clean for two weeks.
Mm-hmm.
They gave me some epilepsy meds.
Mm-hmm.
And you?
I guess it's 48 hours.
But before that it was over two years.
Well, I gotta tell you, it doesn't look good.
It's really his blood... on all that stuff that was in the washer?
Seems like it.
But most of all...
...it's not looking good at all for you, Marcin.
I had a look at your police record.
You've been booked.
There were interventions. You were violent at home.
I have no idea if I did anything to him.
I don't know, I don't fucking remember.
Listen, Marcin. I believe you don't remember.
But this isn't an AA group, and no one's gonna believe that.
Look, I didn't wanna say anything around the girls
because I don't wanna worry them any more than they already are.
Besides, I don't fucking know what's real anymore.
I think that Piotrek might've been kidnapped.
Yeah. I saw him get pulled into a car in front of the restaurant,
and I chased them to the train station.
Doesn't your son have a job in IT?
Look, you don't have to tell me how crazy this all sounds. I know!
I fucking know nothing makes sense here.
Nothing. But the way I see it,
either my memory is playing tricks on me or he really was assaulted.
I ran after them and tried to stop them and got the shit kicked outta me.
Marcin. We're doing what we can.
But it might turn out that during the investigation
I'll have to bring you in for questioning, and interrogate you pretty hard.
I'll be asking you pointed questions about where your son is.
Maybe even slap you around a bit.
Look. Uh... go to hypnosis.
Anything!
But you gotta remember what happened, no matter how bad it might be.
'Cause soon you'll be asked about it over and over.
Hey, Kania.
Zbychu.
So, you don't return your calls anymore? Is that it?
I'm glad Aska called me to put up a post on the band's fan page about Piotrek.
Come on, bring it in.
You're looking really fucking old, buddy. But the fans still love you.
Alright. You gonna invite me in, or we gonna stand here fucking around?
Yeah, alright. So, he knows computers. So fucking what?
You're trying to tell me that, uh... someone kidnapped him
to get him to reveal some dark secret about a stupid fucking video game?
Do you hear yourself?
You got a beer around here at least?
I don't drink.
Yeah?
You don't keep a bottle stashed away somewhere just to take the edge off?
Like I said, I don't drink.
And you may not believe it, but I've been sober for two years now.
Fuck.
Good for you, man. May I?
Vegetables.
Hey, Kania.
Tell me something.
When it's all over...
When Piotrek is found safe and sound, and he will be, I know it,
what do you think about going back on tour?
Don't you still have that bassist asshole?
He's around. You know, he's totally out of shape.
Brother, the guy doesn't even drink at work.
But the worst thing is, he can't even play.
- I'll make sure the money's good. - Mmm!
Hmm? What do you say? Fifteen a show.
Zbychu, what is this? Tell me.
Hmm?
I'll tell you what it is, Kania.
It's about the fact that we can still cut a nice deal here, brother.
Like those apartments. Remember?
What's the matter? What's with that face? Why you looking at me like that?
Didn't that turn out well for you? Hmm? Didn't it?
As far as Zbyszek is concerned, people are like satellites.
Their only purpose is to absorb or reflect the excess light he emits.
Zbyszek doesn't do small talk, and even if he asks how you're doing,
he doesn't give a rat's ass about the answer.
The only important thing to Zbyszek is Zbyszek.
I used to admire him for that.
Because I'm talking about 15 grand a show.
Zbychu, my son is missing,
and you're actually asking me to come back to the band?
Fucking serious? For what?
To play for a few students, a seniors' home,
some kind of... I don't know... power plant workers?
- Really? - Kania.
Brother, you're making yourself crazy here.
The kid found a hot chick, and he's hiding from his wife.
It's nothing more than that, I'm telling you.
When he comes back,
call me.
Stay in touch, brother.
The kid's father doesn't know anything.
Yeah.
In the cabinet over the sink, a cloudy, bitter Golden Loch point seven.
In the bathroom between the cosmetics,
three little bottles of red Grant's from the duty-free shop
and a liter of bourbon in the laundry bin.
Stashed in the fridge, behind cans of Coke, Wyborowa.
Miracle cures for thirst, convulsions,
headaches, guilty conscience, and any other urges.
That's what it was like back then.
I was ready for a hangover
like a doomsday sayer for the end of the world.
One time, at an AA meeting,
a guy said that he likes to stop drinking for a year.
That way, when he goes back to the liquor store,
there's a bunch of new stuff for him to try.
They asked him to leave during the break, but he was right.
Alcohol is not a cure.
Alcohol is the reason.
Alcohol was first.
No, Jarek.
First was weakness and doubt.
And any cure has side effects.
It doesn't matter if you're drinking camping fuel,
perfume, or 12-year-old single malt.
Alcohol is alcohol.
Fuck off, Jarek.
You were afraid, Piotrus.
What were you so afraid of?
Piotrek!
Excuse me.
I'm sorry. We're closed.
I was beaten up here two days ago looking for my son.
You were beaten up on these premises?
Alright, listen.
My son's name is Piotr Kania.
Where'd you get this?
She found it, behind the shutter, when she was opening up.
You were afraid, Piotrus.
You wanted to see me because you needed help.
I did something terrible, Dad.
You have no idea what kind of people they are.
You have no idea what they're capable of.
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY JAKUB ŻULCZYK