In a post-apocalyptic world, four boys scramble for their existence in a form of playing. Their Peter Pan, Szafran, leads them in tests of endurance to strengthen them, calling himself 'the antichrist' and 'demon' in order to suggest greater strength and spur them on.
The boys seem to enjoy the games, which wear them out, but make them strong enough -- strong enough, at his urging, to bury Szafran up to his neck in the mud. Szafran has trained them to kill him, demonizing himself, because he did not have the emotional strength to either endure or end his own life. He has committed suicide through friendship and play. His friend Kacper begs him to dig himself out. We are left with the question of whether this was even possible.
How many children are suffering, and are unable to end their sorrow?
Are we adults strong enough to dig our children out of the mud and give them better lives?
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The boys seem to enjoy the games, which wear them out, but make them strong enough -- strong enough, at his urging, to bury Szafran up to his neck in the mud. Szafran has trained them to kill him, demonizing himself, because he did not have the emotional strength to either endure or end his own life. He has committed suicide through friendship and play. His friend Kacper begs him to dig himself out. We are left with the question of whether this was even possible.
How many children are suffering, and are unable to end their sorrow?
Are we adults strong enough to dig our children out of the mud and give them better lives?
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