Úsmevy smutných muzu (2018) - full transcript

I knew I couldn't last much longer.

I knew it very well.

But, I couldn't take a single step
without alcohol.

Miss, would you like a drink?

All's good.

No worries. One gin, mate!

I felt rehab could be my only saviour.

It was hell.

My name is Josef F.

THE SMILES OF SAD MEN

-What have you brought us?
-A drunk from a filling station.



-Here are all the documents.
-Right. Thanks a lot.

-Have a nice evening. Goodbye.
-Good night.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

For the next 3.5 months,
you'll totally block out the outside world.

Forget you even have a mobile.
They won't give it back to you for weeks.

You won't be able to talk to your family.
Visits will be permitted later

and will only take place on specified
days and at specified times.

Even though you're here by choice,
they won't let you go home.

Unless you sign a waiver.

But, you are aware of the fact
you wouldn't last long out there, right?

Only after you reach a certain point
in your recovery, they'll...

...maybe...

...let you go on a holiday by yourself.



My name is Josef.

I'm 45 years old.

I have a wife.

And two kids.

I'm a writer.

-I started drinking when...
-Your first time?

-What?
-Are you here for the first time?

Honza, stop interrupting Josef.

Go on.

I drank.

But in a way that I had it under control.

How much?

A bottle of hard liquor a day.

Bottle and a half. I'm not sure.

Why did you start drinking?

I'm a fourth-generation android.

Programmed to carry out
safe and swift cleaning services.

Milan.

Milan?

Milan's memory unit has
short-circuited, so,

don't expect any miracles from him.

Water must've gotten inside his hardware.
Or some other dangerous liquid.

Either way, Milan had too much to drink.

Milan?

So.

With the handle, I'm making
a motion as if writing the number eight.

Then I flash a loyal smile
at the nurse, like this.

Milan.

Milan?

Isn't it a little impractical?

This is nothing. They used to be
much longer. Came down to my ass.

But, one day I got so drunk, I shat
all over them while taking a dump.

So, I picked up a knife and cut them off.

Who wants to go take a look
inside the 26th ward?

Why now, nurse?

They have a fresh
delirium case in there.

You can take a sneak peek
into your possible futures.

Why...

Why?

I don't want to die.

I don't want to die. No!

In a forest...

-Where did you say you are?
-In a forest.

I don't want to go yet!

I think that superior look
on your face is just a pose.

She's not picking up.

What were you saying? Thanks.

By the way, I could get
two penalty points for this.

You owe me one.

What did you mean
by the "pose" comment?

Your wife has three ones in
her phone number. That's a good sign.

You must believe everything
the doctors and therapists tell you.

Give up your ego.
Totally submit yourself to them.

You'll now have lots of time
to listen to life stories similar to yours.

And mainly to yourself.

To think about your addiction.

But stay calm.

You're in rehab and that's
what she wanted, didn't she?

When they start crawling,
you get scared, don't you?

Yeah.

Free your mind now.

And imagine you're stranded

on a deserted island

after a shipwreck.

It's hot here,

quiet,

calm.

I only hear the soft waves of the ocean.

I see a big rock.

Overlooking the island.

You must find water and build a fire.

Mr. Ironman.

You could jump in the water
and swim across the entire ocean.

I never even made it to the island.

I'm still stuck in the cold water.

Hold on, I'm swimming toward you.

You can't make it in time.

I see you, as well.

-We'll drag you to shore.
-It's no use.

I see I've already drowned.

-Hold on.
-We're by your side now.

It's hopeless.

I'm already dead.

I'm an angel now, soaring above you.
.

I'm up here to protect you.

I don't want to be down here anymore.

I felt pity..

The same pity that Vláïa felt.

Even though I hate it so much.

That stupid, gargantuan self-pity.

The common denominator for all drunks.

You're all pussies.

Worthless pussies.

All of you.

You give up right away.

Ironman Honza.

A guy who thought won't lose
even once in his life.

Attention, everyone.

Honza Kingstein has just
entered the race.

He is competing in one of
the world's toughest races.

He loves his eyes glued shut by sweat.

The sharp pains in his side.

And most importantly, the feeling
when he overcomes every obstacle.

A man with the strongest
will in the galaxy.

I'm falling...

I was just scared.

A was afraid to pick that car up
from the police pound

-before starting rehab.
-I'm falling...

-Your car is still at the cop pound?
-Yeah.

That could end up being
a pretty costly parking fee.

I know that, too, smartass.

Some people spend fifty thousand
on travelling around India for two months.

Others spend it on 6 months
of guarded parking for a run-down car.

Life is about choices.

I'm falling again.

Good for you, now go shove that
falling up your ass, dick sucker.

Dick sucker?

I played in gay pornos.

Some time ago.

I wanted to be regular actor, you know?

A musician, actor or something like that.

But, it kind of...

...went sideways.

-In a way, porn is art, as well.
-That's right.

But, I mostly played as an extra, you know.

They don't give away porn
Oscars for that, mate.

Because of our grandma,
I only played in German films.

In only German productions. Understand?

Our grandma would
never watch German porn.

What about Czech porn?

The more you fight feelings of aversion
towards the local system,

-the more time you end up wasting.
-Everything will be fine.

Welcome to the
paradise of teetotalists.

The quickest path to recovery is
suppressing yourself for some time.

Become self-aware.

Realize that no one is trying
to torture or bully you in rehab,

but save your life.

OK.

Do you hear that?

There's order behind everything.

This place isn't about bossing people
around. It has a deeper purpose.

A life of a non-drinking
alcoholic requires strict rules.

You'll get a chance to look back
upon your whole life in here.

Not only alcoholics could
find that pretty useful, huh?

That's Josef.

He'll write a book about you.

Fantastic.

The Sleep Club.

It's as if every night everyone
wanted to fall asleep

and wake up not remembering
their past lives.

To awaken clean and pure.

Hold him down.

Hold him tight!

Legs.

-You'll snap at me if I tell you again.
-Mom, please.

Did I ever criticize you for not leaving
dad when he was cheating on you?

Why should you criticize me?
He's your dad, isn't he?

-Well, did grandma criticize you for it?
-You bet she did!

-She wanted my life to be better than hers.
-Well, then history is repeating itself.

None of them drank the way he does.

Neither your grandpa, nor your dad.

-Certainly not this way.
-Please, he'll get through it.

He's fully aware that
this is his last chance.

I don't want to talk about it anymore.

Your right leg is heavy.

Imagine your body is exercising right now.

I don't need imagination for that.

I also don't need to start
imagining my leg being heavy.

My biggest luck in life
is that I'm an alcoholic.

Otherwise, I wouldn't end up
here, but on the street.

One time, I put a chocolate
candy in my mouth.

It had some kind of eggnog filling.

-Bullshit, it was a rum-flavoured praline.
-Rum-flavoured.

-Be careful, they sell those in the buffet.
-Yeah, watch out, boys.

They don't contain alcohol, but when
the filling mixes with your saliva,

you feel like you have
alcohol in your mouth.

So. Everyone sit up.

And let's loosen up the cervical spine.

My hands suddenly started to shake.

I started sweating like a pig.

And a terrible craving for booze kicked in.

-Jarmil, how about you share with us all?
-Of course.

Speak up, then.

One moment.

I'm just saying

that all it takes is one drop of alcohol
and the receptors in your brain,

that can identify alcohol,
expand.

My friend's a medic and he said about
us alcoholics that ours are much bigger.

I'm talking about receptors, you jackasses.

They tend to shrink during our
abstinence in rehab.

But, all it takes is one drink
and they expand again.

And the addiction comes back.

You're absolutely right, Jarmil.

Since you're aware of this,

do you think you'll be able
to resist this urge until you die?

Antabuse yes, booze no.

Antabuse yes, booze no.

Antabuse yes, booze no.

Antabuse yes.

Booze no.

Antabuse yes.

Welcome, new day.

Abstaining alcoholics are waking up.

So, Mr. Pravoslav,

what will you do when a friend walks up to
you at a party and offers you a drink?

I don't go to parties.

But, if I ever went...

...I'd decline.

And what else?

I'd either say that I'm on medication or...

...I'd admit on the spot
that I'm a recovering alcoholic.

And I would politely ask him to leave.

If he'd fail to understand
and wouldn't leave,

I'd be the one to leave, of course.

-Where would you go?
-Where else?

To see my kids.
Where else? I don't know.

You don't?

Do you know what I know, Mr. Pravoslav?

You'd go straight to a place
where they would serve you a drink.

I'm sorry. I just don't believe you.

I think it would be best if you
spent some more time with us.

Now, I'd like for the community

and my colleagues
to vote on the matter. Who's for?

Josef, if you don't manage to
deal with this,

I will take Nela and leave you.

Not a drop. I promise.

Oh. Veronika sent you a letter.

Thank you.

You have a pretty daughter.

Thanks. She's my stepdaughter.

She's got her momma's looks, you know.

I'm scared.

I'm scared of not making it out there.

Without the protection
of this aquarium.

Why do I believe that - regardless
of all the positives sobriety brings -

I will be incomplete without booze?

Josef?

Could you tell us something
about your take on addiction?

Damn it, Josef, open up a little!

Stop acting tough, will you?

I'm not acting tough.

I'm simply not in the mood to talk.

This place is like a concentration
camp sometimes.

Damn it, can you stop that?

On top of that, your feet smell.
Can't you change your socks sometimes?

You know what?
Start dealing with your own problems first!

-Leave the others alone.
-Lay off me.

What happened to you?

I got a letter from my daughter.

I've realized for the first time
that her dad is an alcoholic.

That's all.

I miss my family.
I want to go home.

-Well, talk about it with us.
-I don't want to talk.

I just don't feel like talking about it.

Arrogant prick.

Stop laying into him, Pravoslav.

I'm here voluntarily to undergo
an alcoholism treatment program.

Not some public lobotomy.

Sometimes, these sessions remind me
of cult brainwashings.

Nothing more.

Do you need me to write in big letters:

"Even individuals with IQ 77,
don't pee outside the urinal"?

Do you have some sort of problem, Josef?

Of course, I have a problem, Rosa.

When someone doesn't pee
inside the urinal, I have to clean it up.

Look at this! Pepa means business!

-How do you know it was me?
-Because I saw you, Rosa.

-Stop throwing blame around, mate.
-Shut the fuck up, wannabe philosopher.

Stop bossing people around.

Speak the truth, Pravoslav!

You should go to therapy, scribbler.

Why the hell do you
think I'm in rehab, dumbass?

You just fucked up big time,
you self-centred piece of shit!

I'm sure I don't have to explain
to someone with your intelligence,

that after this incident, I cannot
support your release after just 3 months.

Come on, nothing happened.

I was only trying to explain to Rostislav

why he shouldn't pee
outside the urinal. That's all.

Rostislav described the whole
incident quite differently.

He even said that you
repeatedly physically assaulted him.

I'll leave the final decision to my
colleagues.

I think your wife will appreciate
the fact you will extend your stay.

Have you spoken to her, Doctor?

I'm here to cure my alcohol addiction.

Therefore, I fail to understand why
my treatment should be extended only

because I tried to explain to a
grown man not to pee on the floor.

Fortunately, what you think
is not relevant, Mr. Formánek.

You can go now.

I could just pack up and leave.
No one is forcing me to stay.

I'm not a prisoner.

I'm here voluntarily.

I would love to just
walk out the front gate

and never be seen in
this place ever again.

I just don't understand why you
climbed to the top of the town hall,

-when you didn't even make the jump?!
-I don't know.

I wanted to.

But, I just couldn't do it.

So, we're all here
and we can start today's session.

I would like for Evžen to speak first,

since he has recently returned
and will be staying with us for a couple of days.

Please.

I married a real bitch.

We had a kid.

I took out a mortgage on
my flat because of her loan.

We were employed at the same
place but worked different shifts.

And she started whoring around at work.

Then they started laying people off
and we were both let go.

On the same day.

That's when I really
started hitting the bottle.

And at that time, they sent me
severance pay of 86 thousand.

But my wife disappeared with
the cash, our car and our daughter.

And then the debt collectors
came by and took my flat.

So, I moved into my
75-year-old father's house.

But, us two living together
wasn't exactly great.

So, I spent most of my days holed up
in the boiler room getting drunk.

That year, I drank almost
two litres of vodka a day.

I was miserable.

I had nothing.

I had no life and the old one
was gone, too.

I had nothing to look forward to.

I wanted to drink myself to death,
but it would have taken ages.

So, I decided to gas myself in the cellar.

When I woke up,
I thought how unlucky I am.

That I wasn't even able
to kill myself properly.

I pictured myself flying
into the cosmos.

The cosmos.

I wanted to light a cigarette.

I tried lighting a match.

I figured I was either going
to smoke or fly towards the stars.

But the damn matches were wet.

So, I found a lighter in my pocket.

And that's the last thing I remember.

I woke up in a nuthouse
in a part of town called Kosmonosy.

Kosmo...

...nosy.

Get it?

My flight into outer space
panned out a little after all.

OK. Thank you.

And now get to the positive part.

After quite a long time,
something inside me just broke.

I don't know why, but I started
believing in myself again.

Really.

Something had breathed fresh life into me.

I've been sober for the past six months.
I'm living life to the fullest.

I even managed to come up with one patent
thanks to which I now have a great job.

A really well paid one, too.

So, now I'm building a new house
and even took up studying law.

Now that I'm not drinking,
I found out I have loads of free time.

I'm seeing a psychologist
to complete my treatment.

We've been consulting my addiction
for so long, until I noticed we're...

...having sex.

The moral of Evžen's
life story is to never give up.

That there's always hope
and second chances.

And that it's only up to us
to seize these second chances.

Before we let Josef
say some final words,

I'd like to bring to your attention
that a certain vice

has appeared once again.

We don't know who or how,

but someone's successfully
sneaking alcohol into the facility.

I'd like to inform you that once
we find out who this someone is,

we will immediately discharge this
individual and notify the authorities.

And now the floor is
all yours, Mr. Formánek.

I've come to understand

that only one glass is all that
separates us alcoholics...

...from people without addictions.

I know now that I won't
touch alcohol ever again.

Because of my family.

And because of you, as well.

Thanks for your support.

I really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Josef,

what will be the first thing you'll do,

once you walk out of this facility?

I'll buy my wife flowers.

I'll get my daughter...

...a nice doll.

Take care of yourself, mate.

So, you're leaving us?

But, it's pointless to say
teary farewells, right?

-You'll be back in a couple of weeks.
-I don't think so.

Start taking care of yourself.
Throw booze and cigs down the shitter.

When you put your mind to it,
you can finish any race. Believe me!

He wants to run a marathon
as soon as he gets out of here.

I think I'll take a different trajectory.

-Take care. -See you.
-Bye. -Goodbye.

Come join me for a quick run.
Half an hour won't kill you.

No, really.

-I will lend you my shorts.
-Come on.

Take care. Bye.

Bye.

Václav?

Václav?

-Hi.
-Hi.

Somewhere deep inside, I felt that
the three and a half months of treatment,

which flew by incredibly fast,

were nothing in comparison

with what lies ahead of me
outside the walls of rehab.

You don't have to say anything.

Nelinka.

I took the burnt toast.

-So, enjoy.
-Enjoy.

Do you want me to pack
that white shirt for you?

Can't we just postpone this
for a couple of days?

I really need to do
a lot of writing right now.

That hotel is completely empty,
you can easily write there.

-Look.
-Let me see, Nelinka. Wow, good job.

That's beautiful.

It will be a nice trip.

Do you want to take the train?

-Sure.
-Ok, the train it is.

I first thought I'm going to Germany to
check on my older daughter Veronika.

But, it's the other way around.
I'm going to Germany to show

her that I'm still alive.

It's all behind me.

Hi.

From one chateau to another.

-I also found this one.
-OK. Thanks.

-I hope he'll handle it.
-It will be OK.

Dad?

What's going on?

Nothing.

I just wanted to check if
you're sleeping well.

-Dad? -Yeah?
-I'm really happy you're all here.

So am I.

-Good night.
-Night.

You're such an idiot, Josef!
I can't believe you!

Nela, come here.

Come here!

Come here, Nela.

Get dressed, OK?
Take this t-shirt off.

Stop it.

We're leaving, OK?

What happened?

I can't take this anymore.

Look at him.

-Fuck.
-We're leaving. Please, stop crying.

What do you want to do?

What am I supposed to do? Should we carry
on pretending we're a happy family?

-Wait. Calm down.
-This is just too much for me.

-Come here.
-Calm down first and think this through.

We're leaving immediately.

Excuse me? I don't understand.

This?

This?

Here you go.

Neluška.

Nelinka.

You idiot!

-We don't know who or how...
-What is it?

...but someone's sneaking alcohol
into the facility.

-You just fucked up big time.
-What the fuck is it?

I can't take this anymore.

It's my fucking money, too,
isn't it?

It's my fucking money, too!

We're leaving.

I can't see you right now, mom.

If you want...

...you can bring me a bottle of gin.

Leave it in front of the gate.

Sorry, mom.

Sorry.

Look,

I only meant it as a joke that
we would see each other soon.

You really didn't have to
rush over here like this.

Or did you stop by to jog with me?

Hey, I'm sorry for being
such a pain in the ass.

I must come off as a dick that doesn't
have anything but running on his mind.

But, I don't have any other choice.
At one point, I was so fucked up

that I started drinking gasoline.

I screwed everything up.

My wife left me, so did the kids.

I lost everything.

And this is my last chance.

Yours, too.

I used to be real bigshot.

When I ended up in rehab
for the first time, I thought to myself

why should these clowns
in white scrubs give me lectures,

when I'm such a success
and achieved so much in my life?

I kept telling myself I've always
handled everything on my own.

I will handle this, too.

Why didn't you?

I couldn't admit the truth to myself.

And accept defeat.

I was only used to winning.
At the races, at work.

Mate, I had turnovers
reaching hundreds of millions.

This isn't a business.
This is a religion.

Do you know what it
means to accept defeat?

It means not being even
a millimetre above zero.

Looking around the very bottom.

One needs to remember the feeling
to never experience it again.

What about you?

Why did you really start drinking?

You still don't want to say it out loud?

Because of my older daughter
and feelings of guilt.

That I left her.

I screwed up.

You must include rules
and some order into your life.

That's crucial.

At least wake up
and go to sleep at a set hour.

A curfew.

-Is something bothering you, Rostislav?
-I only pictured myself

walking into a room
where my wife is watching TV

and telling her I can't
be up past my curfew.

Maybe it's hard for you to imagine,
it might even seem funny to you,

but order is really important.

That's what we try to teach you here.

Josef, what about you as a writer?

You could use the power of
unconscious imagination for writing.

Imagination of a guy who is trying
to climb out of a deep hole full of shit.

I guess it could be done.

It's just that I don't even remember
what it's like to write sober.

I was happy I managed to advance
to the third phase of treatment.

And because the sporting
afternoon turned out to be a success.

The football match between 25A and 25B
ended with a 7:3 win for the "A-Team".

No one smoked during the
time dedicated to sports.

At least I didn't see anyone.

But, just because you don't see anyone,
doesn't mean no one's smoking.

How can they find out this way
who the booze is for?

Are you OK?

Shadows of doubts.

Questions without answers.

What do you mean?

Do you remember that time
when the pope died?

Tabloids printed a series on tragic events
that had taken place over recent years.

With specific dates.

And I suddenly started seeing
connections between those numbers.

I know it sounds absurd, but back then
I was following someone's command.

It felt as if a special force
was flowing through my body.

I gradually came to the conclusion
that the Book of Revelations

isn't some account of the past,
but a message for future generations.

A numeric code.

Are you trying to tell me that you
know when the world will end?

Yes.

I calculated a specific date
but that's irrelevant.

You're claiming it is irrelevant?

The word claim is becoming
more and more distant for me.

More abstract.

Maybe I came upon something.

But even that isn't the accurate
expression.

None of us know how far away
from the centre we really are.

An infinite amount of distances exists.

Therefore, endless amounts
of connections exist, as well.

And the date?

The world has already ended.

But we are still here.

In reality, we don't exist.

Maybe I wasn't honest with myself
about lots of other things than booze.

Booze that helped me cover up
the fears inside my boyish soul.

Fears of not being the best,
fears of failure.

That I might end up
digging ditches for a living.

Something I heard my dad say a lot

when he was looking at my report cards
or hearing teachers during PTA meetings

talk about how I rather watch birds
from the window than pay attention.

To hell with all the lectures
I didn't pay attention to.

I don't think I missed a thing.

Or that missing those lectures
had a bad effect on me.

To hell with of girls not wanting
to dance with me at dancing lessons.

To hell with fear of not being
good enough, not having enough money.

To hell with what others think of me.

Let them think what they want.

Their thoughts about me
are their responsibility, not mine.

Let them deal with it.

Can I sing something to you, Josífek?

When you have a friend,
cherish and respect him.

There will come a time
when you will miss him.

Youth is not endless and
there will come a time,

when you'll find yourself
all alone in the settlement.

-Is this it?
-Yeah.

I want to tell you this before I leave.
I was really hanging by a thread.

I'm here only because of my mom.
If it wasn't for her, I'd be dead.

Here.

Is this for me?

St. Formánek piercing the black dragon.

I'm starting over again next week.
I'll run that marathon.

-So, you've decided to do it?
-Yeah.

I will beat my record.

You will.

He was sliding over cobblestones
and blunting his puke on the railing.

He wanted to say something

but every time he opened his mouth,

stamps flew out and started

stamping tabs belonging
to somebody else.

They forbade him to drink alcohol.
Not even a drop.

Thoughts are going through his mind
like a cart with artificial nutrition

which is being pushed around
on squeaking wheels

and is waking up the entire medical
ward ensemble right next to ER.

Who actually slept well?

Damned pancreas.
Only six thrombocytes.

A grandpa who is staggering around.

The grandpa with an oxygen mask

croaked last night on
the bed he was lying on.

And amongst all this, dancing
fairies with thermometers,

who might still be capable
of switching to a different mode

and go to town buried in advertising.

To this amazing life!

I'm a truly rare specimen, Doctor.

I can't be without it.

But I'm also

very allergic to alcohol.

Like seriously physically allergic.

My skin starts to itch.

Spots appear all over my face.

That's why I always had
to administer small doses

to get rid of the allergy.

Rostislav,

until you don't admit to yourself
that you are an alcoholic,

a treatment facility won't be able
to help you.

Do you understand?

OK, let's move on.

What about you, Milan?

You want to complete the
final treatment phase, am I right?

Tell me, Milan,

which rules that we have over here,
will you implement into your civil life?

None, Doctor.

I'll get rid of them immediately.

Would you care to explain, Milan?

I think that if I kept following
the set of rules we have over here,

I'd start drinking again, Doctor.

Stop teasing! Otherwise,
they'll never let us out.

I'm not teasing. I'm telling the truth,
which you keep urging us to do.

We need to spread our wings and soar.

Right?

-Yes, Péa? You wanted to say something?
-He'd go nuts from those rules.

-He'd be back here in a flash.
-Thank you.

What's with you?

Nothing.

Bad dream.

The one about your family again?

My family is gone.

They all died.

Half a year after his wife
and kids left him,

he expected, without knowing why,
they'd come back precisely on Christmas Eve.

And on the table, where they always
used to put Christmas decorations,

he laid out gifts for everybody.

No one came.

They'll never come back.

He was still holding on to
the flat because of them.

The nicest flat they
ever lived in as a family.

Even though he could never afford it

on a civil servant's salary.

Well.

You either caught a bug or you're
dealing with mock withdrawal symptoms.

What?

Your body brought on a state of numbness
it was used to during your alcohol abuse.

I'm sorry, but you will have to suffer
through a morning hangover.

Time to say goodbye.

Are you interested in
finding out who I really am?

Yeah.

I'm the commander
of the 9th Star Fleet.

From the area you call Aldebaran.

We've been repeatedly visiting
this planet since time immemorial.

It may surprise you to learn
that in the ancient Jewish culture,

I used to be called Archangel Gabriel.

You haven't surprised me, Milan.

Bohemia is a gorgeous place.

It is overflowing with beautiful energy.

We really loved it here.

But then the Russians, Americans
and Chinese started nosing around.

So, the fleet had to fly away
for security reasons.

But, they accidently
left me behind.

I was just carrying out
a recon mission in the field.

And ended up all alone here.

I continued to carry out
sabotage missions.

I was employed as a museum director.

I believe we can set up
a communications centre here.

I was a city councilman in Zlín.

My last mission was in Škoda Auto,

where I secretly implanted special
nanotechnology into certain auto parts.

-Don't give me that look.
-OK.

It had to be done.
You must understand.

If future governments of the world won't be
willing to accept my peace demands,

I'll have a weapon.

If need be, the sensors will turn on.

And the cars...

We'll meet again.

If you ever see Škoda cars
exploding on the highway,

don't panic.

It's only world leaders refusing
to meet the demands of a certain Milan P.

The commander of the 9th Star Fleet.

What do you want to do?

Open the gate.

I won't let you through.

I can go through anything I please.

Remarked Archangel Gabriel and left.

He changed his state of
matter into aerosol.

Only the staff developed a minor cough
from the sudden gust of humid air.

What if Milan's right?

The commander of the 9th Star Fleet.

And the others are just wrong?

What if that inner world of his
is the right one?

The best of thousands
possible alternatives.

Before we start, I have some
fresh news I'd like to share with you.

Those alcohol smugglers
turned out to be our security guys.

The only thing we
haven't found out yet is

who was on the receiving end
of the alcohol they were sneaking in.

So, let's continue.

Olaf, please, share.

Look. Those of you who haven't
taken any benzos and aren't asleep,

wake up a little!
Add some life into this session!

Sonièka, don't you want
to tell us something?

OK.

Pravoslav, why don't you continue?

Let's hear from the local
doyen for a change.

I don't know,
I don't want to repeat myself.

Maybe you've already heard

that my wife always
hated my drinking,

that I was fucked up all the time.

But my drinking never had an effect
on our money situation.

I even managed to buy a second flat.

I bought another one-bedroom
and tried to connect it with our old flat,

in order for our adopted children

to have more living space.

That panel wall was
fucking indestructible.

But, I had to get the job done

to stop the constant
nagging and name-calling.

When I finally managed
to break through the wall,

I found out my wife
started seeing somebody else.

She abandoned our
old shitty place

and left me to tend to the kids

and my vodka on my own.

This place is beautiful.

You took something, didn't you?

I didn't.

I could treat you like a junkie
and give you a urine test.

I'm an orthodox drunk, Doctor.

And I'm not entirely stupid.

You wouldn't be the first
to switch one addiction for another.

You simply can't stand being alone.

Just by yourselves.

Honza!

What are you saying?

What?

Pick up the heavy knife
that's lying on my stomach.

Take me home to my mom.

Please.

-Honza.
-Take me to mom.

-Transport him. Quickly.
-To detox.

Honza.

You want to end up
in the cage, don't you?

Josef?

You'll be our chairman, right?

What?

The chairman position will open up.

I don't want to deal with that now.

I'll help you out, mate.

I knew this position would provide me
with some extra credit points

which could work in my favour
during my release evaluation.

But, at the time, I honestly
couldn't care less about that.

Oh, fuck.

VOTE FOR JOSEF

Who wrote that?

Rosťa.

Rosťa?

What an asshole.

Emil?

Emil?

Can I ask you for a favour?

Try.

Emil,

I would really appreciate

if you could speak up during
our session and tell everyone,

that you believe

the best candidate
for the chairman position,

is Rosťa.

-But, I don't believe that's true.
-That doesn't matter.

That doesn't matter at all.

Just saying it

will be enough.

OK.

Would you like a cigarette?

I'm bribing you now, you know.

Pepa?

Give him candy.

Would you like some candy?

So, Emil, what are you going to say?

-What you want.
-And that is?

That the best candidate for chairman
is Rosťa Formánek.

Rosťa Formánek, Emil?

I'm Formánek, for fuck's sake.

I'm sorry.

What did you get those cigs
and candy for?

I don't know.

OK, then.

-So, what now?
-Don't worry about it. It's alright.

It's alright.

What do you expect, mate?

When someone eats 150 shrooms
and washes them down with rum...

Almost everyone had Rostislav's
name written on the ballot.

The only one who wrote down Josef

and also kept winking
at me reassuringly,

was the Shroom King Emil.

It's a great feeling when
you're with people

who have the same experiences,
same problems as you.

It helps a lot.

But,

for how long?

Once we walk out of here,
we'll all be alone anyway.

You've been here for a long time,
haven't you, gentlemen?

You're at the start of that journey,

You'll pass the first obstacle easily.

Then another comes and bam.

I will not want to fight it anymore.

I'll gladly crawl inside it.

And let it swallow me.

I just wanted to tell you

that...

Ironman Honza

is in a coma.

Do you know what it
means to accept defeat?

It means not being even
a millimetre above zero.

Looking around the very bottom.

One needs to remember the feeling.

To never experience it again.

Hey, Josef,

don't you think that in your age you might
bust your leg from all this running?

You have quite a loving relationship
with your daughter.

What do you mean by that?

I mean what I said.

Loving.

Wait.

It's not what it looks like.

Ever since that moment, he has started
thinking differently about her.

Even though he wanted to eliminate
all those thoughts creeping out of him,

like tentacles of a giant squid

imprisoned in a sunken ship.

You won't even ask me about Monèa?

-How's Monèa?
-She's seeing someone.

Some older guy.

Please, I don't want
everyone in here to know.

Then you shouldn't have shared that
with the thief of stories, my friend.

What?

Fuck, Josef, I should've kept
my mouth shut in front of you.

Don't worry, I won't tell a soul.

I will only change
your name in the book.

Please, Josef.

Calm down.

My nerves are pretty shot right now.

I'm really close to hitting
the bottle again.

On that day, we made love
for the second time.

Never again after that.

We broke up.

Although...

How can you break up with
your own step-daughter?

Hi.

What's up?

How could you do this to me?

Alena,

I'm really sorry,
but it's over now.

Monika is pregnant.

I love her.

My wife.

Bravo!

Gentlemen, you're in the smoking room
after curfew, I'll penalize you for that.

Right the next day,
Tomáš signed a waiver.

Josef, you have a visitor.

Veronika.

I wanted to see you.

I feel embarrassed.

Dad, I love you very much.

So, how are you?

Pretty good.

How about you?

Yeah, pretty good, too.

Dad,

how are things going to be now?

What will become of Dana and the kids?

Kids?

Well...

Dana is pregnant.

What?

She's in her fourth month.

And am I the father?

Of course. Who else?

Wow.

Danuška,

I'm

really happy.

And I'm so sorry about everything.

Sorry.

I lied the last time when
I was standing here.

Because deep down I knew
I would start drinking again.

Honestly,

I don't know what the future holds.

I decided to stay here the first time
because my wife wanted it.

Now I'm staying because
I want it.

I want to get better
and be with my family.

Girls, don't forget to use the graver.

Jarmil.

And the rest of you remember -
there's no shame in not knowing.

There's only shame

in what? Not asking.

Josef.

You're getting out.

You'll be a free man again on Monday.

You're shitting me.

Way to go!

Nice.

-Congrats, mate!
-Thanks.

No hard feelings?

Sure.

Damn, lucky bastard, huh?

Stop crying.
He'll come back to you.

Am I right?

We keep bumping into each
other but we never talk, huh?

Well, you never talk.

Girls, we're drunks from the 25th ward.

But I guess you know that by now, huh?

I'm Jarmil by the way.

An AT.

Addict, tippler.

Olaf over there is a GTA.

Addict, tippler and
on top of that a gambler.

You're from where?

Which ward?

Eleventh.

What are you in for?

Jarmil.

I'm just making conversation.

What are you in for?

My baby boy died.

You're such an asshole!

How the fuck was I
supposed to know that?!

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you.

Sorry.

Look, it's getting bigger!

-What's going on?
-Oh...

Don't you mind that woman
in the window is watching you?

Well, we're in a fucking
nuthouse, aren't we?!

I'm going for a run.
Does anybody want to join me?

I felt like running.

-Now?
-For Honza.

We'll get penalized for this.

-Don't you know the rules?

-I couldn't stop thinking about him.

-I felt this is what he would've wanted.
-I'm going.

-Are you nuts?
-For us to run...

...until we just couldn't run anymore.

-Let's go.
-You're going, too?

Let's go.

I'm wearing rubber boots.

Well, take them off, dummy.

Come on.

Anarchy!

I'm on a warpath.

I'm a warrior

waging a war on booze.

I will fight.

I know what strong and
malicious enemy I'm up against.

I don't know who will win.

But, I will fight.

That I know.

WRITER JOSEF FOMÁNEK SUCCESSFULLY FINISHED
THE PRAGUE INTERNATIONAL MARATHON IN MAY 2016.

HE IS LIVING WITH HIS FAMILY IN
THE CENTRAL BOHEMIAN HIGHLANDS AND IS SOBER.

TOMÁŠ DIED OF A LIVER FAILURE AND A
COLLAPSE OF THE ORGANISM,

BOTH A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE
TO EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION.

PRAVOSLAV HANGED HIMSELF ON A WINDOW HANDLE
IN A FIT OF DESPAIR.

JARMIL IS SOBER AND FULFILLED HIS DREAM OF
BREAKING THROUGH AS AN ARTIST.

HE IS CURRENTLY A DRUMMER IN A FAMOUS
MUSICAL ENSEMBLE.

MILAN HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN
BY ANYONE EVER AGAIN...

Subtitled by Igor Walter
Nikol Pavlíčková