I'm not a violent person.
Quite the opposite.
I've never been in a fight in my whole life.
And I was 42 the first time I killed someone.
By the following week, I was almost up to half a dozen.
But it was all with the best of intentions.
It was the logical consequence of my new mindful approach to life.
To perfectly align my profession with my family life.
MURDER MINDFULLY
Three months ago, things looked very different.
I was as far away from mindfulness as my client was from being acquitted.
They found him in a jewelry store one afternoon
trying to choose an engagement ring.
But instead of money, he was carrying a loaded gun.
"Since he didn't like the ring, he hit the jeweler with the gun
and pushed him into a display case."
"As the alarm had already been triggered, the defendant was taken into custody."
Do you wish to say anything about these accusations?
No, my client wishes to remain silent.
But I can assure you that this was an unfortunate one-off occurrence
which he deeply regrets.
It was a knee-jerk reaction
to the struggle to integrate into our society.
Mr. Cumgül shares our values of marriage and family.
The engagement ring was meant to cement
his long-standing relationship with his German girlfriend.
I ask for the detention order to be dismissed.
There is no risk of absconding or recidivism.
-He has a criminal record. -Not for violent crimes.
I see no reason to assume my client is a flight risk.
He has a stable girlfriend. Practically a fiancée.
He has a stable job. He has a permanent address.
At his parents' house.
But if this doesn't suffice, we are willing to pay bail.
My client's monthly income
is 1,500 euros after tax.
Based on this figure, I think 3,000 euros would be more than reasonable.
He hates guys like me.
And I don't blame him.
Back when I was an idealistic law student, I would've found it totally fair
for a thug like that to sit behind bars for a few years.
But with all my years of experience as a defense lawyer,
I had this idiot out on bail in just two hours.
-There he is. -Hey!
-Thanks, Mr. Lawyer. -Yeah.
-He got me out, guys. -Nice watch.
Hey, what's up? Are we partying tonight or what?
I think you have other plans today.
Shit.
-What does he want? -Let's get out of here.
The thugs' boss and my main client was Dragan Sergowicz.
Drugs, prostitutes, weapons.
Not a good combination if you ask me.
My job wasn't just to get Dragan's people out of trouble,
but also to continuously update his business portfolio
and keep all his activities under the public prosecutor's radar.
This job gave my family a good life. Without me, unfortunately.
I was always too late or not there at all.
Even when it really counted.
I could rarely do anything about it because others owned my time.
Hey.
But it was still my fault.
Shit.
At least we always know where your priorities lie.
Could we maybe exchange a few words before moving on to accusations?
You don't have to look into her sad, little eyes.
Even if our love hadn't completely died,
we'd obviously not nurtured it enough once we became a family.
Life for us was like that of many successful young families.
Shitty.
I don't have the energy to argue with you anymore.
But we can't go on like this.
Here.
Maybe this will help you.
MINDFULNESS FOR INNER PEACE AND OUTER HARMONY
Mindfulness?
Seriously?
You think it's bullshit because it's from me.
No, I think it's bullshit regardless.
Listen.
I know you won't change for me. Not anymore. And you don't have to.
But maybe for Emily.
Sweetie, I'm sorry I couldn't make it today.
But we'll make up for it, okay?
If I was at home, everything I did was wrong.
If I got home too late, I was also wrong.
I had no other choice
but to dive even deeper into the job I hated.
-Morning. -Morning.
-Mr. Diemel.
I need your signature.
-He is the best in the company. -We'll see.
Oh, right.
You weren't invited?
Of course she knew I hadn't been invited.
I was the Cinderella of the law firm.
Excuse me.
I was allowed to do the dirty work but was never invited to the ball.
Besides my job as a defense lawyer,
I channeled Dragan's shady income into countless foundations,
shipping companies, and franchises.
-Morning. -Morning.
I earned a living doing good things for bad people.
Of course, I knew that the system I created wasn't good.
Not for others, not for myself,
and not for my family.
MINDFULNESS FOR WELL-BEING
I knew something had to change.
But for me, mindfulness was just a rehash of the same old esoteric garbage
that's revived every decade and sold under a different name.
I thought it was a crock of shit.
But I would have moved from Sodom to Gomorrah for my daughter
if it meant our family stood a chance.
JOSCHKA BREITNER MINDFULNESS COACH
JOSCHKA BREITNER - 17 MIN. AGO TODAY AT 11:00 AM
Come in.
Thanks.
Our appointment was at 11 a.m.
Honestly, I'm glad I could fit this in at all.
I'd be happy to get through the program a little quicker.
At the same price?
Running won't make the road shorter.
But you still reach the destination quicker.
Listen, my wife thought it'd be good for me to come here, but…
-I think I'm in the wrong place. -No, you're not.
I've known you for 20 minutes,
and I think this is just the right place for you.
You can't have known me for 20 minutes. I've only been here for three.
Yes, but you could've been here 20 minutes ago.
Evidently, you spent the first 15 minutes doing something else.
Then you stood outside for three minutes,
wondering whether to ring the bell again, right?
Yes.
In the three minutes you've been here,
I've learned that you view appointments to do with your well-being as non-binding.
That you allow others to set your priorities.
And that you
can't stand silence.
Not bad.
And if that's why you won't have sex with me,
I'll feel just like I do at home.
Joschka Breitner. I'm glad you came.
Björn Diemel.
Could I have an espresso?
Tell me five things that led you here today.
I'd much rather start by practicing dealing with silence.
-You don't like talking about yourself? -I'm a lawyer.
I prefer talking about others.
Try it.
Well.
There aren't enough hours in a day.
I can't switch off.
I'm under pressure at work and at home.
I have thin skin. I'm stressed out. I don't see my daughter Emily enough.
And I miss her. My wife doesn't appreciate my job.
-My job doesn't appreciate me. -You can't count.
Excuse me?
Nine of those five things are classic symptoms of stress.
And for that reason, you've come to the right place.
Not bad at all.
Do you have any idea what mindfulness is?
No, but I assume I'm about to pay good money to find out.
No, you already found out when you were waiting outside. For free.
-I guess I wasn't paying attention. -That's precisely the point.
For three minutes,
you stood outside thinking about whether to ring the bell again.
How many of those 180 seconds were you thinking about something else?
All of them?
Where were you?
In court,
at the law firm,
with my client,
my daughter,
at the last argument with my wife…
Is that enough?
So you were in at least five places in your mind, all at once.
Along with the emotions you associate with them.
Did that help you at all?
Probably not, right?
So why did you do it?
It just happened.
If one of my clients said that in court, I'd tell them to zip it.
Mindfulness means this will no longer happen to you.
When you're in front of a door, you're in front of a door.
When you argue with your wife, you argue with your wife.
But when you're in front of a door mentally arguing with your wife,
that's not mindful at all.
That's simply stupid.
So how do I stand in front of a door mindfully?
You just stand there and do nothing.
You block out everything that has nothing to do with the here and now.
And if my thoughts stray?
You breathe.
The breath is the central tool for mindfulness.
If we focus on it,
we focus on the connection between body and mind
and can reduce the impact of negative emotions on both of those.
Come, I'll show you.
Just stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Toes pointed forward,
and bend your knees a little.
Very good.
First, we take a deep breath.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Now close your eyes.
Stand quietly.
Stand there,
and only pay attention to natural things.
The smells in the room.
The movement of the air.
The unmistakable feeling when you're touching something special.
Sounds we would not normally register.
There's no screen for the movie in your head now
as your senses are fully attuned to the here and now.
Use your breath to focus on positive things.
And that'll change all the assholes around me?
No. Or else, I wouldn't be here. I'd breathe bad people away.
But you can change how you react to these assholes.
If someone at work or in your family drives you crazy,
breathe.
Don't worry. We'll tackle this together over the next 12 weeks.
Not only will you have had vast quantities of green tea,
but you'll also be able to handle assholes at work better.
You'll create quality time with your daughter,
allowing you to fully concentrate on her.
No cell phone. No work.
Just Emily.
You can do it.
Right, let's start over.
Turn around. Toes pointed forward. Feet shoulder-width apart.
Feet parallel. Your core supports your body.
Inhale.
And exhale.
It wasn't easy to integrate mindfulness into my daily routine at first.
Diemel!
Place your entire foot down.
The heel-to-toe roll is smooth.
Feel every inch of the sole of your foot.
In my job, not answering was taboo.
-Yes. -Got it?
I understand.
Do you understand?
But as soon as I turned my phone off, I got fewer complaints.
Instead, Dragan would get mad at dead spots and service providers.
I created quality time with Emily that no one could interrupt.
MISSED CALLS DRAGAN S., LAW FIRM
And Breitner also helped Katharina and me.
He said we should live apart for a bit to help me focus.
To my surprise, Katharina was happy about that.
She was pleased that the man she kept arguing with was moving out
and that the man she'd married was visiting her regularly.
It was good for me too.
I was under less pressure.
Along the way, I also became more mindful at work.
Taking short breaks to breathe reduces the tension you feel
when you envy others.
Not bad. He's already a partner.
And he joined three years after you, Diemel.
Stand there, and only pay attention to natural things.
Sounds we would not normally register.
Congratulations.
The first step on your mindful journey.
Maybe you'll try the advanced course.
SLOWING DOWN IN THE FAST LANE
Thanks.
-Hi. -Hey.
-What are you doing here? -What? Didn't we say 10:00 a.m.?
Yes, exactly. It's 10 a.m.
-Yeah. -Dad!
Hey! You okay, sweetie?
-I'm excited. -Me too.
Yeah? Are you ready? All right then.
-Are you getting your backpack? -Yes.
Okay.
-Okay. -Yay!
Look. Here are all her things.
One outfit per day, plus a spare.
-Okay. -Three swimsuits.
Please change her after each swim. To prevent bladder infections.
This is her favorite cereal.
Don't add too much milk, or she'll get it on her clothes.
Apply sunscreen every four hours.
I checked the app. The UV index is extremely high this weekend.
Make sure she doesn't go to bed too late, or it'll disrupt her rhythm.
And keep her far away from those mafia idiots.
-Yes. -Björn, do you understand?
Yes, Katharina.
I swear that as soon as I catch the smallest hint of mafia vibes,
I'll call it off. Obviously.
We'll go somewhere else. We won't ruin your spa weekend.
-Björn, this is about Emily, not me. -Yes.
All week, Emily's been talking about quality time with dad.
Quality time!
Björn, I'm being serious. It's up to you to make this work.
You've never had a weekend away together.
Weekend! Yeah! Weekend!
Katharina, I guarantee it will all go smoothly.
Okay? For Emily, for me, and for you too.
I want to go swimming. Come on, Dad.
Okay.
-Okay. -Dad!
When you get back, we need to talk about Emily's daycare spot.
It's been all rejections so far.
Yes. Okay.
-The sunscreen. -Yeah.
The suitcase.
Is that it?
-That's it. -Okay.
-Ciao. -Bye.
-Every four hours, yeah? -Yeah.
Dad, I can't eat any more.
Okay. Hang on.
This much?
That's it? Yeah?
There.
All gone.
Shit.
Don't say shit.
Fuck.
That's better.
Just ignore it.
But there might be an issue with the house we're going to.
Like Dragan deciding to have a party there with 20 hookers and coke.
-Yeah? -Where are you, man?
Hello, Dragan. Emily is with me, and she can hear you too.
-We're on our way to-- -Fuck Emma-Lou.
I need you here. Now. We're going out for ice cream.
Yay! Ice cream!
Ice cream!
It wasn't the kind of ice cream that Emily had in mind.
It was a code word.
Dragan had only used it once before, in an absolute emergency.
It means I have to go see him.
No matter where I am or what I'm doing.
Are you okay, Dad?
Yeah.
Dad has to go to the office real quick.
But then we'll go and get ice cream.
Yes!
I assume you don't have any client appointments today.
In fact, I do.
I'd like to know if Ms. Kerner is here today.
Junior lawyers are allocated to partners, not to employees.
And they're certainly not nannies.
You'd know that if you were capable of looking after a child.
Ms. Bregenz.
I'm so terribly sorry that you're bitter
about only earning a fraction of what the lawyers make,
despite having to work on the weekend since you have no family.
But mercilessly exercising the little authority you've been given
isn't going to make it any easier to deal with your frustration.
Come on, Emmi. Let's go and see if Doro is here.
Dad, does that old lady live here?
Yes, in a way she does.
Old Ms. Bregenz makes sure everything is in order here.
-Hello, Doro. -Hi.
Can my daughter join you for 30 minutes while you color?
There was an ice cream parlor here that was closed most of the time.
I'd rented it through one of Dragan's subsidiaries.
It was simply to write-off tax.
You could only reach the staff rooms by taking the elevator.
Only two access keys existed.
One for Dragan and one for me.
BASEMENT
Finally.
Where were you?
I was on my way to the lake with Emily.
Who's Emily?
My daughter.
Oh yeah. That's right.
I love kids.
Okay. What happened?
They're looking for me.
Why?
Because a drug mule got a bit bruised.
-But why are they looking for you? -'Cause I gave him the bruises.
And 'cause the bastard's dead now.
-Come again? -Yes, dead.
Okay.
Okay. What happened exactly?
Toni said that someone was selling drugs on our turf for half the price.
Okay. Why couldn't Toni handle this himself as your narcotics officer?
He said Boris's guys were behind it.
He was tipped off
that the mule was delivering drugs to Igor in a parking lot.
And that he was dealing them on our turf.
We happened to be close by.
And that was enough reason to go there and kill him?
No, don't you get it?
I didn't beat the guy to death. I beat Igor to death. Boris's Igor.
Dragan, when the boss of one cartel
kills the right-hand man of another cartel boss, that's really bad.
Yes, I know!
Sascha and I just wanted to show him where the turf borders are.
Then it got out of hand.
Boss.
No, not now.
Okay.
Are there witnesses?
That's a yes.
Yes. A damn tour bus drove into the parking lot.
-With near-sighted retirees, right? -No, with fucking 12-year-olds.
On a class trip or something.
-Okay. How many of them saw? -I don't know.
How many of them fit in a bus? 50 or something.
And how many had cell phones and filmed it all?
Probably all of them. I think they get those things way too early, right?
So we're talking about 50 videos showing you beating someone to death
in front of 50 schoolchildren, right?
Yes.
Are the videos already online?
Yes.
But they're shaky.
We can file an objection. Show him.
Help!
Is that Igor?
That one. That's me.
Yeah.
Why is he on fire?
We lit a bit of a fire under him. I told you it got out of control.
What about the drug guy?
That's it. He didn't have any drugs.
He wanted to sell Igor a crate of hand grenades.
But Igor's ass was already on fire.
Tell me, could it be that the tip-off about the drugs was a hoax
that's landed us all in deep shit?
How was I supposed to know a fucking bus would turn up with kids in it?
What kind of driver takes kids to a parking lot at night
where people are doing business?
Who does that? You can't do that!
I love children.
Okay.
He's coming in!
You didn't see a thing.
I'll kill you all!
Okay.
What do you expect me to do?
-You're the lawyer. You sort it out. -Yes, exactly, a lawyer. Not a fixer.
And when shit gets this big, even I reach my limits.
Do your lawyer stuff right now!
Or else you'll be eating shit!
Hello?
Stop panting.
Okay. Option one.
You turn yourself in.
But I won't get you out any time soon with that evidence.
-Turn myself in? -Option two. You don't turn yourself in.
But then your biggest problem is Boris, not the police.
Our roles have been clearly defined for years.
Me problems, you solution.
So, go!
Solution!
So go into hiding until the dust settles.
In 30 to 40 years.
That's what we'll do.
-I was joking. -Why?
You can't even leave the building. Undercover cops are everywhere!
I'll get in the trunk of your car. You drive me out of the city.
No, Dragan. Please. I have my kid with me.
-I can't drive you across Europe. -Not Europe. Just out of the city!
Your kid is a great cover. Emma.
Emily. The kid whose weekend you're ruining is called Emily.
Fuck the girl. This is my life we're talking about!
I'll go to the parking garage and you get your kid.
Then you'll drive me to the lake house.
With your Emilia.
Her name is Emily, you motherfucker!
What?
Nobody calls me a motherfucker.
You're lucky I need you, or else you'd be dead now.
And your daughter too. Do you understand?
Yes. Understood.
Good.
And that's when it happened.
Like a ray of heavenly sunshine through the dark clouds of my soul,
I felt a profound sense of serenity.
I just had to stay in the moment,
just like Breitner and mindfulness taught me.
When I'm driving a getaway car, I'm driving a getaway car.
And when I'm at the lake, I'm at the lake.
It was that simple.
There was absolutely no point in thinking beyond that.
I didn't know what would happen later on.
Daddy!
I was fully aware that I was violating every part of my agreement with Katharina.
And worse, I was about to drive with a psychopath in the trunk
to the vacation home where I'd planned to relax with my daughter.
I thought about Emily. I thought about my life.
If I wanted to save them both, I had to do what Dragan wanted.
And if I did what Dragan wanted,
nothing would ever be the same again.
Subtitle translation by: Kristopher Brame, Diana Renker