71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994)

On Dec 23, 1993,
Maximilien B., a 19 years old student,
killed three people
in a Viennese bank.
Shortly after that he
shot himself in the head
Gamsakhourdia's fighters
pound the city day and night
with illuminating bullets.
Waving a white handkerchief,
a sign of peace,
refugees cross the line of front.
More than 100,000 people are fleeing
in an effort to escape the war.
Peace efforts in Somalia
have just failed.
Leaders of the two rival factions,
Aidid and Ali Mahdi,
rejected the peace conference
because they had not
taken part in the preparations.
For the first time since
the ceasefire,
Aidid's fighters
resumed attacks against
UN bases in Mogadishu.
American air forces
are trying to apply
controversial tactics
of president Clinton.
Deafening airplane raids, bombs,
artillery fire, threat gestures.
And psychological war:
American and Somalians shake
hands as a gesture of peace.
But under the surface, it is obvious:
Rebel boss Aidid
is opposed to reconciliation.
Somalis are having
trouble believing him,
in view of American soldiers
heavily armed,
with tanks and helicopters.
Aidid's opponent, Ali Mahdi,
is asking Clinton to clarify his position.
If the clans are not disarmed,
Somalia
will fall into anarchy again,
he says.
But the Americans
have already decided
to leave the country six months from now.
Haiti, a Caribbean nation,
is a hot new spot
for the United Nations.
1600 military advisers,
police instructors
and administrative experts
are trying to
reestablish democracy.
But as in Somalia,
the opposition
to American and Canadian
troops is growing.
Ralf Hoogestraat reports:
The American battleship
Harland County
is still anchored
in front of Port-au-Prince.
Armed thugs
have taken over the port
opposed to those who are
inviting the foreign intervention.
During an orchestrated action
by the Haitian military,
diplomats and journalists...
71 FRAGMENTS OF A
CHRONOLOGY OF CHANCE
How is she?
39.3 degrees...
by direct manipulation.
- What does that mean?
Using the mouse
instead of the keyboard.
How much time do you have?
Until the end of semester.
Regarding time,
your minute has passed.
Look what you did.
It is not that easy, eh?
- That will be 20 shillings, dear.
- Ah, what the heck.
Game debts, honour debts!
Which one is it?
The one with the green
sweater, isn't it?
Are we going in?
Sure.
Mr. And Mrs. Brunner are here.
They have come to see Annie.
Annie, are you coming?
Hi Annie.
Hello Annie.
Look what we brought for you.
Here
Look, Annie
Don't you like it?
Can I have it?
No, Petra, the lady is...
Be patient.
It is a natural reaction.
Are you my new mom?
Hello.
Mrs. Tomek,
please sign.
The world today.
For pension payments,
always.
Hello. All is well?
Yes, thanks.
Goodbye.
Can I use the telephone?
Of course.
Excuse me.
One, two, three, four.
Goodbye. Thanks.
Hi.
Here..
How are you?
Fine, thank you.
Good!
How?
How what?
Sorry, I did not hear
what you said.
No need to be sorry.
I said: Fine, thank you.
9372 schillings. ..
and 40 groschen.
Daddy, I do not have the time.
Call me tonight.
We'll have a chat, OK?
OK. Sure.
Sorry about the mess.
Hi.
Hi.
I am calling you.
Good day.
Good day.
... to finish the power station.
Close to 4000 jobs per year
will be created.
During 1997
the first turbines
will deliver electricity
to the network,
if all goes as planned.
This year, it would help
if the winter is mild,
so that there are no spikes,
and that Christmas spikes appear
between December 24 and January 6
and not in November,
like last year.
If we need to catch up,
because of a severe winter,
the costs will go up.
The construction is spread out
to the left shore of the Danube.
That is where the dam
will be constructed over the next two years.
This islet
is the first part of the barrier
that will prevent the water to flood
the construction site.
From now on,
the navigation at this place is
managed by a unique system.
That is what the dam will be like
once it is finished.
This is
a bird's view of Vienna.
From 1998 on,
the power station will be generating
enough electricity
to supply 270,000 households.
Computer enthusiasts will be back
in the Congressional Palace
over the next few days.
This morning,
the 3rd PC-Expo opened its doors.
We went to this venue to discover
the new IT trends
Breathtaking images
and fantastic universes
keep us fascinated.
The market for electronic games
is very strong.
The imagination of computer
designers appears limitless
when it comes to finding new opportunities.
This businessman
has just lost his notebook.
It could not be simpler
than this digital assistant
which can take your handwritting
digitize it and transfer it to a computer
This entrepr...
Good evening. Your papers please.
When did you leave the barracks ?
This morning at 7 o'clock. Why ?
There was a break-in at the weapons cache.
Were you checked on your way out?
No
regular sanitation transport.
The vehicle is carrying medications.
Do you have any personal luggage?
Thanks.
To you too.
Close it a little...
Claire. !
- It must be blocked, otherwise...
- No, wait. !
Claire, come here!
Anything new ?
- I can take only you!
- But wait!
Claire, come, at last!
Good night.
Good night.
- A cross?
- Yes.
100 schillings ?
- A minute?
- Yes.
That is funny.
There are more pieces this time
Otherwise it would be too easy.
30 seconds. ..
- 35...
- You close it, OK?
and 60 !
How much time you want to put them back together?
Sorry.
Don't understand. You want what?
... in escape.
The assasination is an act of vengeance
by extremist Ulster Freedom Fighters
in response to an IRA bombing
that killed 10 Protestants
last Sunday.
This is what the terrorists
said to a local radio station.
This morning, a few hours
before the shooting,
a 70 year old Catholic was killed
by the Ulster Freedom Fighter.
The showdown
between the French government
and Air France personnel continues
The pilots joined
the ground personnel's strike
Thousands of employees
of Air France
that are protesting in the airports of Paris
are joining their colleagues
from Air Inter.
Half of the flights
had to be canceled,
except for the international ones
Strikers demand
a written guarantee
that budget tightening measures
will be revoked.
The government
had in fact planned
to eliminate
several thousands of jobs,
before it was forced to shelve the project
because of the strike.
Attacks by the guerillas of PKK,
Kurdistan's Workers Party,
claimed new victims in two camps
Since yesterday,
42 civilians, including children,
died in PKK attacks.
In Eastern Anatolia,
38 young people were massacred.
The cries of pain,
anger and powerlessness.
This man is trying to find
the shoe of his dead brother
on the bloodied ground
of the village cafe.
The policemen had to force him
away from the murder scene.
At Javi, not far from the city of Cut,
five PKK fighters,
disguised as soldiers,
attacked a bar
and opened fire.
The victims
were between 15 and 25 years old.
Ten other men were injured,
some very seriously.
This woman lost her husband
in a fight
where, as all
the other victims...
Dear Lord, may the young ones
live long and in good health
and may I live long
and in good health
and may Marie be happier
and help me be better and happier
and may I not get a deadly disease
and may there not be a World War III
or a nuclear catastrophe,
neither in ours nor our children's time
and help all those who suffer in the world
and I thank you, My Lord, amen.
- When did you return?
- It's been six hours.
Right on time! Hi Annie.
Good day.
- Come in, don't be shy.
- Good day Annie.
Good day.
Come in please.
Let me take your coat.
- Was it easy to find?
- Oh yes. No problem.
Let me take your jacket.
Your colleague from Children's Aid
had trouble finding us.
Do you like her?
I am happy you that you put it.
Come Annie, take off your jacket
You will be very hot.
That is kind of you. Thank you.
I promise I will return it to you.
Here, come in.
It's that way.
Here Please sit down
I hope you like the cake
- Please have a seat.
- Thank you .
Are you coming?
Come Annie. Sit here.
What is it?
What are you saying?
I do not understand you.
Ah good. ..
She wants to see her room.
Excuse me?
She would like to see her room.
Ah good... of course.
But, it is not finished yet.
Here you go, little Miss.
So, do you like it?
If you follow the rules
you will not have any problems.
But this is not good
Do you have another idea?
Do you prefer to have it bad?
Back up. !
Please back up to the quay
If you bet on his existence
you will win all.
If he does not exist
you do not lose anything.
The other guy asks:
But then, why bet?
The first guy replies
You don't have any choice, you are in it.
It is an empty promise,
if I don't want it, I am not forced.
If you say that you are not betting,
you are saying he does not exist
You can not say that abstaining from voting
is not a political act.
How lucky to find you here.
I did not feel like training at all.
I will give you the money tomorrow
- Why did you step out like that?
- I
You did not pay attention, that is all!
Look at this.
Look, here, you are well positioned,
the centre of gravity, the feet,
it is good.
Base position, good.
And then here:
Look where you are:
Way too close to the table!
Your feet are turned the wrong way.
Why don't you back off the table?
That is too late. And where is the ball?
Way behind.
And your centre of gravity,
in your ass!
You can not get the ball anymore,
it takes you too far back.
Look how you twist yourself.
All of your energy is wasted
to the left - all wrong!
You were surprised because you were not
paying attention! That is not an excuse!
Smashing, that is not enough. Open your eyes
Look at the opponent!
You are not playing alone.
OK!
No need to get nervous.
Do not annoy me
and concentrate yourself.
- And stop making excuses.
- I am not making excuses.
You do not stop excusing yourself.
You were too much forward,
a point, this is all.
You have to follow the ball,
not the other way around!
Yes, I know
Finally, if you believe
It is easy to say that,
I know I am troubling you
No, it's nothing,
it is not difficult
to do all that and pretend,
I suppose you would give me trouble anyway.
OK, fine
Why?
Why?
Come on, stop
that is a waste of money.
No, I am very busy
Do you want me to tell you
all that I did during the day?
Good, well
Yes
I agree.
Good, well
I almost forgot,
where is Gebhard
being transferred to?
I can not begin to understand that
How much time will it take?
Maybe he would have again.
OK, that is good
I know
I will stop talking
Yes
What works for you doesn't count.
Clearly, an old person
must be grumpy
otherwise, the world would come upside down
Ben just needs his nose broken
That is not my job..
OK, I beg you
but it is true
Yes, of course
Let's erase that
What do you want me to say?
If I do not say anything,
I am indifferent.
And, if I say just one word,
I meddle too much!
What do you want me to do
I am sorry I exist,
excuse me
OK, good.
I'll stop
Say,
I wanted to tell you,
Wawrik, you know,
the one next door with the dog,
she moved
to live with her children,
because it was becoming too much for her,
cooking, housekeeping, and
you know, all the rest.
Now, her children took her in,
because
she said she would rather kill herself
than go to a retirement home.
I wouldn't believe a word of it.
but it worked
Ben, that is all.
I do not have anything else to say
Say hello to Gebhard
and kiss Sissi,
I long to see her
You have no idea how
lucky you are with her.
Stupidities
In the end, could one
have even more fun?
I said that kindly
Yes, of course
Go, kiss.
Such stupid word,
I never did it
Kiss!
Your mother shattered me over time
Between adults
Maybe it's nothing
What?
Say, is that my telephone bill?
Apart from myself, what do
you want me to talk about?
That is the only thing
that an honest person
can talk about.
What?
If you had enough
just hung up!
But you will regret it later
You see how I know you
As if I made you.
Yes, you are right.
When bored.
one tends to say a pile of crap
Good eh good. Then
good night.
Wait
Call me back Sissi, just
Yes, good
Bye.
Hallo, my baby
sleep well
have beautiful dreams.
No
I do not know
what you dreamed yesterday.
No! Say it Ben!
Good!
What did he do?
I understand,
I would have done the same
Listen.
This night,
you will do something else.
When you
Mommy, what is she saying?
Call me back
Listen really.
sometimes I ask myself,
I assure you
What?
Ah good?
You are really mean,
do you know that?
What is that?
You want to offend me?
Or rather
Sir, calm down and listen to me.
Stop screming like that all the time!
Well, hang up then
I already told you everything.
Ah good ?
Perfect!
You'll see
Why do you want the revenge?
What?
Why do you want revenge?
You can't be nasty
just for fun
I would really like
to see you in my shoes....
Yes, exactly
Everything will pass
Exactly!
You will see
Bye!
Sissi, call me back one more time
just briefly
as not to interfere
with your family life.
My baby
I love you.
What do you have?
Are you drunk or what?
Yes, why?
Not too much.
What do you have in your head?
Won't say, just like that.
I love you. You above all.
So, what do you want?
- I thought that would be useful ...
- What?
Old High German.
Yesa bit strange,
like a foreign language,
but I can't say I don't like it.
Just before Christmas.
Looks it is not too hard
His questions are rather easy.
The main problem is that
I do not like studying.
What about you?
Did the Gauweilers finish renovations?
I can't wait to see
what it looks like now.
And Dady?
Yes, me too.
If not, there is nothing new. That is fine.
- How are you?
- Very well!
Bye Mom, will call you, OK?
Come in!
What happened?
Eh well, what is it?
When will I be able to sleep here?
... I gave money
to the driver.
And where did the money come from?
I begged and then I stole.
It was expensive - 200 dollars.
Then he said he will only take me
to the Austrian border
It was too dangerous
to get me across.
How long did it take for you
to get the money?
Several months.
I had to eat too.
I am not on the game.
You said that you crossed
the border more than 2 weeks ago.
Why you did not go
earlier to the police or elsewhere?
The driver told me
that if they catch me
and I did not speak any German,
they would expel me right away.
And what did you live from
during this time?
People do not pay attention.
It is so easy to steal.
Where did you sleep?
- In empty houses.
- Were you not cold?
Sometimes yes..
I have this anorak.
Now, it has been cold
for a few days...
and this is why
I went to the police.
Can you tell us how you came up
with the idea to come to Austria?
I heard that people here
are kind to children.
Who told you that?
A girlfriend.
And how does she know that?
She is in the loop,
she talks with people.
How old is she?
Almost as me.
How did you live in Bucharest?
Don't you have parents?
No.
I fled home
two years ago.
There was a gang of bigger kids,
around the train station.
They were my family.
At first, it went well, but
then it got worse and worse.
Two of my friends are dead.
Then, I did not want to stay there anymore.
Isn't this unbelievable ?
What do you hope for now?
- He is not natural.
- Sounds like an adult.
- I want to stay here.
And where in Austria would you like to live?
I do not know yet. But...
they said
that I may not be allowed to stay.
But, if they send me back,
I will return in a few months.
For Marian Radu,
a permit to remain in Austria
is in the hands of the Immigration Service.
The legal challange is:
The foreigners who
enter Austria illegaly
from countries where human
rights are not threathened,
can not claim asylum here.
All of Austria's neighbours
guarantee human rights.
In addition...
You can't sleep?
No.
Are you thinking about the boy?
Yes.
And the little one.
Me too.
So?
I do not know
How to make her understand?
... against the agreement
of Gaza and Jricho.
They proclaim:
Death to Israel and America.
Pro-Iranian Hezbollah fighters
are grieving the loss
of one of their commarades
who died in an Israeli attack.
In fact, Israeli aviation
bombarded Hezbollah positions
as a reprisal for
a Hezbollah attack against
a barrack of the South Lebanese Army
which is supported by Israel.
After pounding the base
with machine guns and grenades,
Hezbollah fighters
had managed
to capture 12 south Lebanese soldiers.
To The Hague,
the judges presented to
the UN Tribunal for war crimes
in the former Yugoslavia.
The list of accused war criminals
includes Croats and Serbs,
as well as the leader
of Bosnian Serbs Karadzic
and the Serbian president Milosevic.
But the Court faces
difficulties as it depends
on the will of Serbian and Croatian
authorities to hand over the accused.
It has been two years
since the images of atrocities
in former Yugoslavia
spread around the world.
The concept of 'ethnic cleansing'
that entered the everyday language,
revived the horrible memories
dating back to World War II.
New massacres are being discovered,
with frightful regularity.
Soldiers and paramilitiaries
kill indiscriminately.
Women, children, old people,
nobody is spared.
Thousands vegetate in prisons
and concentration camps,
in deadly anguish.
In this war, the violence
seem to be limitless.
Serbian soldiers are trying
to undermine the resistance
and the morale of the enemy
by mass rapes.
Until now, the victims
were hopeless that
those responsible for...
Hit the left key to fix it!
You can turn it with the right one
There..
now it is fixed...
You can do this with others.
That is clever
And it's brilliant.
No, it does not go there.
No, it should change colour.
There
Give me the mouse.
You can see the pieces of the puzzle here..
and here is the maximum time,
and up there are different symbols.
Let me continue.
I think I almost had it.
In the end, it is easier
Two minutes, that wasn't hard.
It resets if you go over the time limit.
The last piece
The end
Really great.
What does your prof think?
Are you going to sell it?
Think, it is a kid game,
and there are tonnes of more elaborate ones.
But next year, MIT will lend us
its Data Glove
It is an electronic glove
that you must have seen on TV.
You slip it on and you can move
in three dimensions on your computer.
Ah! Do you know about Mikado?
It's been a long time.
It is..
a just-in-case address.
The Data Glove will soon be on sale.
That will be a new software sector.
Now I have to go back to programming.
Do you know how to play?
More or less.
Mikado is there.
When you get one, you can use it.
That's it.
It is gone now.
Go.
- What are you playing?
- Nothing.
Nothing is worth nothing
So?
I've no idea.
Let's go
Where to?
What is the problem?
Oh, please.
Move..
OK, let's go, seriously
OK, what do you want to play?
Your gun?
What are you betting on?
What do you want?
No idea.
It's up to you.
Your watch?
It is my graduation gift from my parents.
OK, we will play for nothing.
It was your idea.
Move!
Should be nicer than on TV
- Does he know the time is up?
- Yes.
He is aware of the legal situation.
Are we going?
Let's go!
A peaceful Christmas, that is what
people in Sarajevo dream about.
Like Dalida, who is seven,
and her friend Boris.
While they decorate
the Christmas tree,
the shells rain on the city.
People run
to escape the bullets
from sharpshooters.
The stands at the black market
of Sarajevo are almost all empty.
Apart from some Christmas
some Christmas wreaths.
But they are too expensive,
says this young woman.
We are happy
to have a little glimpse of Christmas
But many are desperate,
like this mother:
This afternoon, she had to take
her baby to the hospital,
her leg was scraped by a shrapnel
Did Michael Jackson say the truth
or is acting up?
That is what his fans are asking
after the appearance of the superstar
on TV last night.
After weeks of silence
and a detox session,
he gave a live interview
from his Californian ranch
to refute all the accusations
of children abuse.
A report by Ralf Hoogestraat:
Do not treat me
as a criminal. I am innocent,
said Michael Jackson,
with tears in his eyes,
from the depths of
his Neverland Ranch.
Visibly moved, he told about
the examination of his genitals
by the police.
They were trying to confirm the description
given by a 15 year old boy.
...telephone number 0459299.
Your call costs 13.33 schillings
per minute during the day.
During the weekend and at night,
it is 8.67 schillings per minute.
I am going
- When will you return?
- In six hours.
It almost all melted here.
How about there ?
It spoiled the skiing.
We'll see.
I have to go there.
I have to take a truck for
the trainer and his car.
It is too complicated to explain now.
I will tell you about it tonight.
I have to go,
otherwise it will be too late.
What?
By schedule, it leaves at 1.30 pm.
Yes, it should arrive between 5 and 6 o'clock.
Ben, call the railway station to check.
A star.
A Christmas star.
That's it. Like in the sky.
Do you understand?
The night, all the stars.
Are human.
You: Be human.
Me: Be human.
That: Be human.
... and stronger in the mountains.
It will reach about 40 km/h...
and will calm down in the evening.
Coach 7 is arriving.
... costs 79 schillings
and marinated mussles
86 schillings.
The dish is served
with French bread.
Here some 20 meters away, a kioskr
with the charm of a beach snack.
Through the window,
an Asian cook can be seen preparing sushi...
Japanese raw fish dish.
A young man
is stepping out of the kiosk,
I am asking him what he ate:
... I ate salmon sushi,
it's impeccable.
It's raw fish with rice
with green sauce on the bottom
with the... horseradish, I believe,
it is really great, impeccable!
How much did it cost you?
I am a little ashamed to admit,
but I ate two servings,
normally, one big portion is enough.
That was 290,
two times 145,
but it filled me up for the day.
A culinary journey
to distant countries
is not necessarily so expensive,
assures me a student from
a nearby Technical University.
He began
with a Korean soup,
then went to the Greek restaurant where
he had spinach pie,
and for dessert he had oranges from Israel
bought from a Turkish grocer.
And all that for 42 schillings.
Now, I have to go to a bank
to take the money for vacation.
A bank!
That is it.
That is where the money is.
Let's go.
My God, what a crowd.
We have to wait in line.
Are you taking cheques?
I do not have any cash.
There is a bank machine available.
Where is it?
You just have to look!
Out of service
Excuse me, my car is outside,
I need just 300 shillings.
Please stand in line.
But the bank machine is broken!
I am blocking the whole gas station.
You said that already!
Move back!
Well, it's not for you.
That is unheard of!
Can I help you?
It is OK, thanks.
You wait here.
I will be right back, OK?
Do not leave.
Stay here, OK?
Good, I'll be back.
Good day.
Mrs Tomek, sign please.
Good day.
- Here you go. Merry Christmas!
- Thank you. Same to you.
... Billrothstrasse, a little after
the deadly shots were fired.
The bodies of the three victims are taken out.
Police investigators are
examining the lobby of the bank,
looking for clues and motives
but not for the perpetrator:
he shot himself to death.
After the massacre in the bank,
the man crossed the street
and rushed to his car
at this gas station
where he killed himself
with a shot to the head.
In the meantime, we learned
that it was Maximilien B.,
a 19 year old student.
The reason for this absurd killings
is unknown
In any case, it is clear that he
was not trying to rob the bank.
The gas station attendant, one of the last
people to have spoken with the shooter,
does not have any explanation.
No idea, I do not know.
This is madness.
Come on, on Christmas eve.
Distraught people,
faced with an act of a madman.
To Brussels now,
the latest attempt
to bring peace to Bosnia before Christmas
has failed.
The talks between
the warring parties
were interrupted
without result at noon.
In central Bosnia,
soldiers of the Bosnian army
removed three Blue Helmets
from a tank.
The cease-fire that was planned for Christmas
has been broken on all fronts
To celebrate Christmas in peace, that is what
most people in Sarajevo dream about.
Just like Dalida, 7 years old,
and her friend Boris.
While they decorate
the Christmas tree,
the shells rain on the city.
People run
to escape the bullets
from sharpshooters.
The stands of the black market
of Sarajevo are almost all empty.
Save for some Christmas
flower arrangements.
But they are too expensive,
says this young woman.
We are happpy
to have this little glimpse of Christmas
But many are desperate,
like this mother:
This afternoon, she had to take
her baby to the hospital,
her leg was scraped by shrapnel.
Did Michael Jackson say the truth
or is playing a game?
That is what his fans are asking
after the appearance of the superstar
on TV last night.
After weeks of silence
and a detox session,
he gave a live interview
from his Californian ranch
to refute all the accusations
of children abuse.
A report by Ralf Hoogestraat:
Do not treat me
as a criminal. I am innocent,
said Michael Jackson,
with tears in his eyes,
from the depths of
his Neverland Ranch.
Visibly moved, he told about
the examination of his genitals
by the police.
They were trying to confirm the description
given by a 15 year old boy.
Jackson's lawyer,
Johnnie Cochran,
defended this public relations action.
Michael Jackson thinks it is time for him
to respond to the accusations.
A source from Jacksons's camp said,
that once this affair is over,
Michael will celebrate his big comeback
to the world stage.
His career...