Needle Park Baby (Platzspitzbaby)

- Daddy! - Mia!

Mia!

- Mummy! - Hey, baby.

I told you I'd come home.

- You should have stayed in the car! - You know what?

- Don't touch me! - Leave us alone! Let's go to the car, baby.

- What do you want from my daughter? - She's my daughter, too!

You were gone for three days. Three days!

Stop it!

In the 1980s, one of the world's largest open drug scenes

formed around the Platzspitz park in Zurich.

The "needle park" existed for almost ten years.

On 14 February, 1995, it was cleared.

The drug addicts were evicted from Zurich

and deported to their home towns across the country.

The small communities struggled to cope with the newly arrived addicts...

...and their children.

Needle Park Baby

- Hi! - Hello!

- Where are my meds? - In the green Tupperware.

But where?

I've found them.

Good.

Hello, sweetie.

How do you like your new home?

Great.

All right then, put away your things.

We moved today. Social services helped.

The flat is fine, but at night, the town is stone dead, unbelievable.

Really! What about Monica?

That's just it. Since the eviction, everybody's all over the place.

Yeah, I'm better. I'm out of it now, I swear.

Thirty-two fucking days.

What?

That's what I say. It was a fucking nightmare.

Four days. I almost went nuts, but I did it.

I can call myself Ms Square now.

The divorce actually helped.

Andy and I should never have married.

His nagging stressed me out.

Over. Finito.

Baby, are you hungry? I'm starving.

Can I call Daddy?

You see him once a month.

Remember this?

- My pirate girl! - Aye, captain.

Yes, look at that.

- Yes! - Pirates' dinner? Spinach, too?

- No, yuck! - Nah, don't want that.

- Coconut yoghurt? - Coconut yoghurt... We'll take these.

Wow, look at this. Our Pirate Island.

"Mal-dives..."

- Where is that? - At the other end of the world.

- Okay? - Yes.

Sandrine?!

No way!

Damn, Serge! I don't believe it!

It's so good to see you!

- Yeah! - At last, a normal face in this square town!

- What are you doing here? - I live here, behind the railway station.

You're having me on. Me too!

- No way! - I swear!

Mum, can we go home?

Mia, this is Serge, an old mate of mine.

So you're Mia.

She's your spitting image.

- Yeah, right? Such a sweet girl! - Mum, I want to go home.

What's your rush, lady? Slow down!

I've split up with Andy. Finito.

- Will you come round some time? - Sure.

Mummyyyy!

I'm sorry.

You know how much that was? 45 francs!

And that? Just because the social worker demanded it.

Fuck! And this too! I'm doing everything. I'm a good girl.

Can I at least have a few friends?

Mummy.

That's better.

You're a good singer.

But you're a bit late.

Ladies and gents, this is Mia from Zurich.

Look, Mia, you can sit next to Sophie.

"The red-haired girl was standing next to Begovic,

and her eyes flashed angrily as she stared at Karaman and Begovic.

'A dog was sniffing that.'"

For Sophie.

"She pointed at Branko, grinning at him, and picked him up.

'Well, well, ' said Begovic, looking back at Karaman

to see whether the farmer would withdraw his complaint after this testimony.

- But Karaman..." - Sophie!

- Yes. - Thank you, Moritz. Will you read now?

"But Karaman, his massive shape looming even larger, was simply staring at the girl.

'Haven't I seen you before?' he asked.

'Me?' She shook her head, sending her hair flying all over the place. 'Certainly not.'

'Of course!' His voice grew louder, booming..."

- Yes, look, it's up there. - Don't drag me into the forest.

Mia! Mia, what are you doing?

I don't like nature, Serge!

Come on, we're almost there.

- Is this a secret path? - There'll be a reward.

Hello everyone!

I should go upstairs, shouldn't I?

- Let's go inside. - Come, Serge.

No, Mia, don't!

Mummy?

Sshh, they're sleeping.

Come with me.

I told you not to come up here!

I'm sorry!

Please, God, help me. Please!

Help me, God. Please.

Don't leave Mummy alone. Please.

It'll cost you, you know.

Miracles. They don't come cheap.

Let's say, five francs. Because I like you.

Darn it all, you've come back, you lot!

Where are the others?

- Get down from there, now! - You come up here, you old fart!

- This is not a playground! - Fuck you, old man!

Get lost!

Hurry up!

Bloody riff-raff!

Wait till I catch you next time, you bloody brats!

Excuse me.

- Excuse me, but this won't do. - I'm sorry.

This racket has been going on for close to an hour!

I'll turn it off.

I rang the doorbell, but nobody answered.

Mummy?

Mummy!

Mummy!

Sandrine!

What?

Baby, where were you?

Oh my God!

The walls are thin. Maybe you should use headphones.

We just moved here and the girl's always out.

You need to be strict with her. Look...

Goodbye, Mrs Schuler.

Shit.

What did you do today?

I saw you with Serge.

What were you doing there?

You can't just run wild here.

And letting people in here is not on, get it?

- Nobody comes in here! - I didn't let her in.

Nobody! Do you hear me, Baby? Nobody!

Mum, you're hurting me!

Fuck, fuck!

Fuck!

Fuck...

Mummy...

I'm sorry.

I just don't want them to take you away from me.

Without you I'm nothing.

But I'm here.

I'm here.

Serge gave him to us. Our own pirate dog.

Who would come up with that? It's 1000 pieces,

and it's mostly sky and sea. It's all blue.

There. Look!

Mia.

Mia!

Dative or genitive case?

Thanks for your participation. Remember your copybooks.

And don't forget: Register by Saturday if you're coming.

Look, this might be something for you.

GANG WARS -A MUSICAL JOIN IN!

After all, you can sing.

Hello, Mrs Schuler.

Hi.

Hi, Mum.

- Look what we're doing at school! - Look here.

That's what you get for letting people into our flat.

We pirates have to stick together.

Right, then. When we get there, they'll want to talk to you, too.

You know, like last time, in Zurich.

Fucking social workers, right? Drive us crazy with their stuffy questions.

You can do this, right?

There.

Mina.

Mia

Mia. Of course.

Well then, Mia, umm...

It says here you wanted to live with your mum after the divorce.

And your dad? What did he say?

I see him once a month.

Mia, you know that talking to me is like talking to a good friend.

Whatever you tell me won't go any further.

I think it's fine you want to live with your mum.

You're our best means of helping her, which is why it's my job to help you.

So... Is there anything I can help you with?

I want to go to the Maldives with Mum.

What?

How does one get to the Maldives?

Here you go.

Clean as a whistle.

- Right. We'll wait for the lab report... - No, no, no.

I need the advance now. I can't wait.

- This month's allowance is all gone? - Yes.