A forbidden love

The story opens with Tadek, an 18-year-old boy, running from a ticket collector on a train. He is traveling to visit his older half-sister, Anka, but doesn’t have a ticket. To avoid getting caught, he jumps off the moving train and rolls safely to the side of the tracks.

A local Romani girl named Irina, who is in town for the summer, notices him. Later, Tadek makes his way to an old apartment where he used to live with his mother and half-sister, Anka. Ever since their mother passed away, Anka has lived there alone.

On his way, Tadek buys pistachio ice cream, his sister’s favorite. Before reaching the apartment, he applies some perfume to freshen up. When he rings the doorbell, Anka opens the door—topless, expecting her boyfriend. She instantly covers herself upon seeing Tadek and, after an awkward pause, invites him inside.

As Anka gets ready for a date, Tadek can’t help but stare at her. Anka, too, notices that her younger half-brother has grown up. Soon, her boyfriend Andre arrives outside and honks the horn. Before leaving, she tells Tadek that Andre is a good man. However, she also teases him with a provocative act, showing her affection in a playful yet unsettling manner.
While Anka is away, Tadek explores the apartment and tries to enter his old room, only to find it locked. Peeking through the keyhole, he sees that the room is now filled with boxes. Bored, he rearranges some furniture and spends the afternoon lounging.

Late at night, Anka and Andre return drunk and laughing. They flirt playfully before entering the room where Tadek is sleeping. Anka wakes him and asks him to sleep in the kitchen so she can be alone with Andre. Reluctantly, Tadek closes the door and sleeps on the couch.

The next morning, Tadek finds Andre getting ready for work. Andre, a charming man, tries to be friendly and announces his intention to marry Anka. Later, Anka wakes up and asks Tadek why he decided to visit her. Years ago, she had sent him to live with their aunt. Now, after giving him some money, she asks him to eat lunch outside.


While wandering the streets, Tadek notices Irina among a group of girls sunbathing near a playground. Unlike the others, Irina is fully covered. She jokes with her friends, saying she will marry Tadek, before leaving for home.

Meanwhile, at Irina’s house, Latos, a prominent member of the Romani community, arrives. He is interested in marrying Irina. While they eat lunch, a rival gang attacks, smashing the windows of his car before speeding away.

Later, Anka returns home with a new dress, trying it on for Tadek. He compliments her, but she admits she didn’t have enough money to buy it and will have to return it the next day. In an effort to impress her, Tadek cooks a meal and even jokes that they aren’t truly related since they have different fathers. However, Anka dismisses the conversation, reminding him there isn’t enough space for both of them in the apartment.


One evening, Tadek finds old pictures of Anka, looking at them with curiosity. The next day, two men arrive to clear out his room. Andre later tells Tadek he can now use it, as he will be leaving for a few days on a business trip.

While playing football with neighborhood friends, Tadek learns a shocking secret "Andre is already married and has two children. Furious, Tadek rushes home and tells Anka, but to his surprise, she already knows. She blames Andre’s wife for ruining his life and warns Tadek not to make assumptions.

Their argument is interrupted by a government electrician, who arrives to demand overdue payments. He attempts to touch Anka inappropriately, but she pushes him away. After he leaves, she finds Tadek packing his bags to leave. Feeling guilty for abandoning him years ago, she stops him, and they embrace while crying.


Tadek starts working part-time at a local market, where he meets Irina again. She reads his palm, predicting his love life will be messy. She boldly tells him she will marry him one day, making Tadek happy.

One evening, Tadek returns home and finds Andre cheating on Anka with another woman. Enraged, he locks the door from the outside and spreads the news around the neighborhood. When Anka with another woman. Enraged, he locks the door from the outside and spreads the news around the neighborhood. When Anka finds out, she confronts Andre, who tries to manipulate her.

With no electricity at home due to unpaid bills, Tadek struggles to make money. Irina offers to help and takes him to her Romani neighborhood, where she teaches him how to make money by stealing. Together, they steal a luxurious carpet and sell it for a good price. Irina later steals money from her father to help Tadek pay the electricity bill.

That evening, Anka finally relaxes in a bath while Tadek brings her favorite ice cream. Suddenly, the doorbell rings—it’s Irina, looking upset. Tadek brushes her off, saying he is busy. Feeling rejected, she leaves.

Upstairs, Tadek undresses and enters the bathtub with Anka. She yells at him to respect boundaries but later approaches him in his room, acknowledging that his feelings for her aren’t normal. Tadek, overwhelmed, confesses his love for her. After a moment of silence, Anka gives in, and they sleep together.

Andre returns to town, but Tadek lies, saying Anka is not home. However, when Tadek later comes back with movie tickets for them, he finds Andre waiting in the kitchen. Andre reveals that Anka called him back.

Later, at a party, a politician harasses Anka while dancing. When she complains to Andre, he dismisses her concerns. Worse, he pressures her to sleep with the politician to secure him a government position. Furious, Anka slaps Andre and runs home, but she refuses to let Tadek in.

Meanwhile, Irina’s wedding to Latos is interrupted by a gang attack. Tadek sees his friend Goring fleeing the scene and learns he was involved in the attack. In a fit of rage, Tadek beats him up.

Later, Irina meets Tadek in her wedding dress. Heartbroken, he asks her to run away with him. Instead, she hugs him and walks away, accepting her fate.

That night, Tadek returns home, emotionally destroyed. Anka has already packed his bags. They sit down for one last moment, sharing the pistachio ice cream before saying goodbye.