71 Fragments in a Chronology of Chance

Michael Haneke challenges our notions of cause and effect with this brilliant mosaic of cinematic fragments, tracing disparate narrative threads linked to a seemingly motiveless murder.

Temporal precedence and succession are often interpreted as cause and effect, but here Haneke's brilliant mosaic of cinematic fragments, tracing a number of disparate narrative threads leading up to or loosely linked to a seemingly motiveless murder, undermines facile notions of causality. Strangely, the odd structure of the storyline generates considerable suspense, while the final sequence is a cool indictment of how society prefers inexplicable events to be neatly packaged for easy consumption.

Directed by:

Michael Haneke

Country:

Austria-Germany

Year:

1994

Running time:

95min

Certificate:

12A