Marcin Krysztalowicz's film is both a partisan ballad, showing the real face of German occupation of Poland during WW2 and a startling war thriller. It tells a story of corporal "Wydra", struggling not only with Germans and Polish traitors but also with his own past...

A famous Polish journalist presents a problem for the powers-that-be when he displays his full political skill and knowledge on a television show featuring questions and answers on a world conference by a panel of journalists. His enemies take away his privileges when he is away. The shock of being "unwanted" parallels a deeper disappointment in his private life: his wife has an affair with a jealous young rival, and after 15 years of marriage and two daughters wants a divorce. She offers no explanations as he tries to untie these problems himself. All the moves he makes are the wrong ones. He takes on drinking heavily with students eager to attend his seminar after discovering the class has been canceled. The journalist, once suave and commanding, is reduced to silence.

Christmas is coming. In a letter to Santa Claus, Ania writes that she would like to get a brother, but she only gets a doll. Then she is offended and cannot believe that no one believes in Santa Claus. Ania goes to meet Krzyś, the boy from the neighborhood. It turns out that he has never been visited by Santa Claus, so Ania dresses up as Santa Claus and gives him 3 gifts. Meanwhile, Krzyś is already 4 years old, so he should get 4 gifts.

Filip buys an 8mm movie camera when his first child is born. Because it's the first camera in town, he's named official photographer by the local Party boss. His horizons widen when he is sent to regional film festivals with his first works but his focus on movie making also leads to domestic strife and philosophical dilemmas.

Joanna and Jan's marriage seems happy. After the birthday party is over, Joanna unwraps the gifts she received. One of them is a videotape with a recording of a regional TV program, during which a historian named Marczak tells about Jan's cooperation with the political police, which began back in the 1950s, by reporting on Joanna's father. At first, Joanna believes in her husband's innocence, but soon becomes suspicious and begins a private investigation.