SHIT HAPPENS!
Version of 12th April
Script written by
Ioseb Mtchedlishvili, Levan Lagazidze
Directed by Levan Lagazidze
Produced by Karina Griffith
© Ioseb Mtchedlishvili, Levan Lagazidze, 2004
___________________________________
Fade in
Scene 1
Ext. Day
In front of the Textile shop
Man’s hand approaches door's handle. He does not want to touch others handprints, so he lets down shirtsleeve
and opens the door this way.
Scene 2
Int. Day
Textile shop
The bell hanging on the top of the door rings, while André (22 years) enters the textile shop.
Varicolored rolls of textile surround him. André surveys the cloth, touches and senses the texture. Thin clothes
spit in André's hand.
The seller (69 years) greets André.
Seller
Good morning. Can I help you?
André
points at yellow textile.
André
I need this one.
Seller
OK. What size do you need?
André
10x10 meters. One whole pattern.
Seller
10x10 meters? One whole pattern? 10x10?
The seller is astonished.
André
Exactly.
Seller
If you do
not order such size, you won’t get it in any shop, will you? (Pause) Sorry,
can you tell me what for do you need it?
André
I am going to jump from a skyscraper and commit suicide. This plain textile will tell the story of my death;
it will become the unique canvas.
The Seller thinks this is a joke, so he looks around, as if he is looking for a camera used by TV-Show, but
finds nothing suspicious.
Seller
You are kidding, aren’t you? This is for television, isn’t it?
André
Not at all. You
know, while jumping from 40 meter, man leaves a spot of 7-meters in diameter, and a female on the other hand can create a
spot of 9 meters in diameter.
The Seller leans over the rolls of textile, looking worrying straight in the boys face.
Seller
Sure! Women are
always much stronger, clever, quicker, gorgeous, than we are! Are not they?
You know, if you
really need such textile, I can order it for you. Should I?
André
OK.
(Film credits roll during the following scene)
Scene 3
Ext. Day
Horse farm
Chestnut mare rushes on the green valley. Wind flutters its mane.
A stallion is come up to the mare. When he approaches the mare it turns into graphic horse/virtual image, composed
from numbers.
Scene 4
INT. Evening
Annette’s room (Poland, Lodz)
On the computer screen despite mare’s metamorphosis the stallion is still coming to reach the mare. The
stallion has not noticed the changes and thinks that its favorite is still creature of nature.
The room enters Annette (20 years), caring a cup of hot coffee and comes to the table. She puts the cup near
computer and clicks the keyboard. The screensaver disappears and the desktop becomes visible.
Annette sits down at the computer and starts to type. Her fingers click keys quickly. In such a way words are
composed from letters, words compose sentences and sentences themselves make whole paragraphs.
Annette’s text
(Voice over)
I want to... I
want to pour out my heart.
But I can't be
specific, someone I know may see this.
It just hurts
so badly, and knowing this time that there really isn't any hope,
I have to go.
I can't fix anything,
I can't change anything, and my heart is broken into itsy bitsy pieces.
I'm sorry I couldn't
be strong anymore. I don't believe in God, and I won't leave a note to torment those I love, but wish SOMEONE to please forgive
me.
On the right angle of the screen, “MSN Messenger” shortcut starts twinkling. Annette opens that
window, and the text appears.
André’s text
(Voice over)
Annette! Knock, knock! Are you there?
Scene 5
INT. Evening
André’s room (Holland, Rotterdam)
André sits on the sofa, leaned back. His notebook is on his knees. The guy is waiting for Annette’s answer.
Annette’s text
(Voice
over)
Today I went out, for the first time. I have bought bus-ticket. I will be in Berlin on Saturday, 10 July, about 10 a.m.
Hope will meet you there.
André types his answer.
André’s Text
(Voice
over)
July 10? OK. Tomorrow I will buy my ticket too. Thus, everything is clear! We meet at Siegeseule. I hope at
12 o’clock everything will be over.
9oAnnette’s Text
(Voice
over)
Exactly!
André’s Text
(Voice
over)
Before Gaius Julius Caesar conquered Gallia he said: "Alea iacta est"! = "The
die is cast!"
On André's computer's screen appears Annette’s answer.
Annette’s Text
(Voice
over)
Before Lucius Seneca drank his cup of poison, he said: “Non Fui, Est, Fui, Non est!”
Scene 6
Ext. Morning
The central railway station, Berlin
The train from Amsterdam pulls in the Berlin
railway station.
The clock on the platform shows 9:47.
The doors open mechanically at once, and passengers come out. Most of them are young people dressed up in strange,
colorful and glaring clothes. They look like participants of a carnival. Among eccentric youth is André, who carries rucksack.
He is gloomy and stands out against gaudy background, with his everyday cloth. Some of passengers are already drunk, they
are kidding and laughing loudly, but André doesn’t pay attention and goes his way on.
Scene 7
Ext. Morning
Street in East Berlin
In East Berlin, near Alexander-Platz, stops big, colored Bus, with polish license
plate.
Young tourists come out from the bus. They are dressed up very cheeky, most of them have piercing, tattoos and
varicolored hair. Among this excited mass is Annette, clothed ordinarily. She holds Berlin
map and observes it.
Annette looks around, notices the TV-tower, uses it as orienting point and crosses the street. Tourists, with
loud laughing and defiant steps go in the same direction. Their stride looks like podium/cat-walk.
Annette is slightly bothered because of this mass and tries to outrun. She starts reading by heart Ballade of
François Villon, "written in Blois, during the concourse".
Annette
"Je meurs de seuf auprčs de la fontaine
Chault comme
feu, et tremble dent ŕ dent;
En mon pays
suis en terre loingtaine;
Je m'esjou˙s
et n'ay plaisir aucun;
Puissant je
suis sans force et sans pouvoir,
Bien recueully, debouté de chascun…"
Scene 8
Ext. Morning, Love-parade day
Siegeseule-platz
From early morning the square around the Siegeseule is full, flowed by crowd of young people. They stand, sit,
walk, wonder, sing, make fun, kiss each other, and laugh loudly...
Not far from the monument technicians prepare big, removable scene and install instrumentation for evening concert.
Among idler walker/ramblers is André, who is looking for Annette. He tries to find the girl. He looks down at
the watch. It is 11 a.m. already.
Scene 9
Ext. Morning, Love-parade day
Siegeseule-platz
Annette’s wrist-watch keeps the same time – 11 a.m.
The girl looks around; nothing is seen despite extravagantly dressed parade ramblers. She walks slowly among
idlers and looks for André. All this time she reads the "Ballade" of François Villon by heart.
Annette
"…Riens ne m'est seur que la chose incertaine,
Obscur fors
ce qui est tout evident;
Doubte ne fais
force en chose certaine;
Je gaigne tout et demeure perdent;
Gisant envers, j'ay grant paeur de chëoir;
Bien recueully, debouté de chascun…"
Scene 10
Ext. Morning, Love-parade day
Siegeseule-platz
To find solution out of this situation André climbs on removable street scene and surveys the crowd from above.
But the square is full of people and it is difficult to recognize someone.
A worker proposes André to leave the scene. André asks him for one more minute, takes white pattern from rucksack,
unties it partly, puts down and writes in the corner big capital letters with marker: “Annette, here am I! André!”.
André puts the marker away, takes the pattern and holds it above his head.
Scene 11
Ext. Morning, Love-parade day
Siegeseule-platz
Annette is getting nervous. Not far from her, on the scene stands André and holds his white pattern, but the letters are not recognizable. Annette is looking in another
direction and thus she cannot read that message. She turns back and goes another direction. While walking she continues reading
the poem by heart.
Annette
"De riens n'ay soing, si mectz toute m'atayne
D'acquerir biens, et n'y suis pretendent;
Mon ami est qui me faict entendent
D'un cigne blanc que c'est ung corbeau noir,
Et qui me auyst, croy qu'i m'ayde ŕ pourvoir;
Bien
recueully, debouté de chascun…"
Worker orders André to leave the scene. The guy has to obey; André shows his pattern once more and after this
unsuccessful attempt quits the stage.
Scene 12
Ext. Morning, Love-parade day
Siegeseule-platz
André stands thoughtfully on the crowded square. Suddenly sound of druma reaches his years. André does not pay
attention to this noise and tumult, he stands motionless and stairs at the written pattern.
Drunken young people dressed like Vikings hold each other’s arm. They dance and move like a chain. André
is on their way, so dancers sweep round him. While this “moving train” encircles André he looks at their running
feet. The Chain is leaded by a half-dressed, singing black man, others scream out refrain.
An idea flashes upon André. He turns back and looks at the Victory column. He goes towards it. When he comes
closer, he throws a glance to golden statue once more than starts opening his pattern. Young people do not thwart and prevent
him. In a few minutes, André’s white textile lays over the square for 100 m2. Around the pattern, young people
are gathered. Some listens to their walkman-players, some dance, some kiss their partners, some of them look at André’s
textile, but nobody steps on it. Everybody is very tolerant toward his activity. André takes off his shoes; barefoot he walks
on textile and starts writing with black marker big letters.
Scene 13
Ext. Morning
Siegeseule complex colonnade
Annette is still looking for André. She decides to see André from the colonnade. So she runs upstairs quickly,
and jumps over steps.
However, when she approaches the border of the colonnade, her “enthusiasm”
disappears and she slows down. Annette oscillates. She catches on marble column, then on iron railing and with fear looks
down at the crowd.
In front of Siegeseule-platz is seen huge white textile with written letters: “ANNETTE, IT’S ME”. Man who looks like a dot in the distance is writing something more.
Annette rushes downstairs to meet André.
Scene 14
Ext. Morning, Love-parade day
Siegeseule-platz
Annette bypasses the lovers standing near the white textile and approaches André, who sits on his knees and
writes.
Annette
André, is it you?
André stops writing and stands up, looking at the girl.
André
Annette? Annette
Reikinen?
Annette
Yes, it’s me. (She shakes his hand)
Pause.
André
I came to the
end of my hopes! That’s why I decided to write this message.
Annette
I thought I would
never meet you.
André
It’s a terrible
misunderstanding! We appointed the place of our meeting in Berlin
exactly on the Love-Parade's day and in front of the “Siegeseule”
Annette
That’s right!
But now it does not matter! We have met each other.
André
You are right!
Annette
Sure!… So I am ready! And you?
André
Me too!… Everything goes on perfectly! (he points at the textile) This canvas will
show the whole history of our story!
Annette
Is this huge textile
yours?
André
No, it’s
ours. This will be our shroud.
Annette
Oh, great! Why
didn’t you tell me that before?
André
It was a surprise
for you.
Annette
We’ll muffle
up in this white cover, swallow pills and say ”good buy” to the whole world. Everything that is necessary I have
brought with.
Annette takes some medicines from her rucksack and shoes them to André.
André
What’s this?
Annette
These are our
“magic wheels”!
André
What for? We don’t
need any wheels! We should jump on this textile.
Annette
What did you say?
André
We should jump.
This is why I appointed you the meeting in front of the Victory column! We will celebrate the victory on our lives exactly
in front of the Siegeseule! Can you imagine? This will be a greatest canvas in the world.
Annette
No, it’s
impossible!
André
What’s up?
Are you giving up?
Annette
No, I'm not. I
just can’t go upstairs!
André
Annette, don’t
make me crazy!
Annette
No, I can’t,
I can’t! I have fear of height.
André feels a load off
his mind.
André
Fear is not a
problem at all! You will take my hand and we’ll fly away. Art always needs sacrificing.
Annette
Do you really
think so?
André
I know even the
title of this picture; I will call it: “Eternity”
Annette steps back.
Annette
You are an egoist,
a real egoist!
André
Yes I am! Even
more, I am an egoist artist!
Annette
You are so selfish!
You thinking only about your canvas and your fame!
André
No, it’s
not true! I was thinking about us! This way we will unify our substances! With this canvas we will immortalize our death!
Our relationship will become a great example for everybody. Don’t you want to show the right way to all these lost people?
Annette
I thought
you were a person, whom I was looking for so long! But you are just a banal and primitive egoist! You made me to make such
a long trip, to come from Poland just
because you wanted to satisfy your selfishness and nothing more! I,… I,…
I hate you!
Annette steps back.
André
Annette, listen
to me!
Annette
Don’t even
touch me.
Annette turns and goes away.
Scene 15
Ext. Morning
The Tiergarten-Park
Strange people walk around Annette, most of them are drunk. Some of them want to talk to the girl, some of them
make her an eye, but she refuses all their attempts. This entire situation irritates Annette. She looks depressed.
Scene 16
Ext. Morning, Love-parade day
Siegeseule-platz
André doesn’t know what to do; at last he takes the textile and he picks in Annette’s way.
André
Annette, Annette!
Scene 17
Ext. Day
The Tiergarten-Park
In Tiergarten, near Siegeseule-platz, Annette walks her way on. André faces her, steps back
rapidly, tries to talk to her. He nervously rumples textile in his
hands.
André
Annette, listen
to me!
Pause.
André
Why
don’t you want to stop just for a second?
Pause
André
Why
don’t you want to listen to me?
Pause. Nearby on the glade appears a dog, running up and down looking for his master.
André
Annette!
Annette
I have
nothing to say. Your concept and behavior makes everything clear.
André
Why
you want to leave me alone? If I was selfish, I would not cross the half Europe to meet you!
Annette
Besides you are
a coward! Sure! Egoists are always cowards!
André
And
you? What about you? Aren’t you coward as well? Who was writing to me: “I want to commit suicide, but I am afraid”
“I need somebody’s help?!”
Annette
Oh,
what a generous knight! Yes, I am coward, I don’t refuse that! I am just a poor girl
who cannot stand all this!
André
So were
are you going this way? Tell me! Tell me, please!
Pause.
André
I ask
you!… Maybe somebody is waiting for you there?
Pause. Annette shakes her head.
Annette
No!
André
So let’s
wait for a wile! Let’s help each other!
Annette stops.
Annette
What do you want?
André
First of all,
let’s sit down and talk quietly.
Annette
About what?
André
Do you want to
leave this vicious and depraved world?
Pause
André
Will
you answer me?. Do you want to die or not?
Annette
Yes,
I want.
André
So,
the only problem is in different methods, we want to accomplish our suicide?!
Annette
Yes,
you are right!
André
We can handle
with this problem easily! Wait here, I’ll be back soon!
André gives the girl his rumpled textile and goes. Annette picks the ends of the cloth from the ground and moves
to the bench’s direction in the forest. She sits down.
Scene 18
Ext. Day
Tiergarten-park near Siegeseule
Annette sits on the bench and looks at textile that is just in front of her, on the ground. She takes it up
and goes towards the green lawn. When she comes in the middle of the meadow, she spreads
the textile over the grass. From the rear comes André.
André
Knock ! Knock !
It's me. I have got it.
André opens his hand and shows Annette 2 cigarettes.
Annette
What’s for?
I don’t smoke.
André
Neither do I.
But today is a special day.
Annette
I can’t
stand cigarettes.
André
(smiling)
Who had told you,
that this is a cigarette? It's marihuana. Now we have to get high, really high and don’t care about anything. Remember
Bob Marley, how he sang?
Annette
What do you mean?
André (singing)
" Wake
up now!
Turn
little loose!
For the
rain is falling
Feeling
higher now
'cause
I'm so high, I know!
I'm so
high, I even touch the sky,
Upon
the falling rain
I feel
so good in my neighborhood
So here
I come again!"
Annette
You have such
a sweet voice.
Annette’s words make André
confused.
André
In my childhood,
granny used to take me to church for Sunday gospel. I was singing in the children's choir
Annette
Did you trust
in God?
André
Yes, I did.
I trust in… in Santa Clause and in beautiful fairies. But at this moment it does not matter. Let’s
smoke and then my voice will seem much sweeter than it is now.
Annette
You know,
my childhood was a happy one too. While I
was ill, Daddy often sang to me. He had absolute pitch but I was very tone-deaf.
A man with dog's collar in hand approaches them.
Unknown man
Excuse me have
you seen a red Irish setter?
André
No
Man leaves them and goes forward. André offers one cigarette to Annette; she takes it in her hand. André lights
another one and exhales smoke. He offers Annette to light her cigarette, but she refuses it. Then André takes cigarette from
Annette’s mouth and gives her his one, which is already lightening. Annette is astonished. She takes off the cigarette
from her mouth with aversion.
Annette
It’s wet
André
What's then?
Annette
I can’t
stand somebody’s…
André
Annette,
it really does not matter. Just in few minutes everything will change… And so does we…
Annette
I have
a feeling of disgust!
André
Just smoke, Annette!
Don’t worry, and try to be happy!
Annette looks at the cigarette with suspect.
Annette
What a nasty thing.
André
Take it and smoke,
do like this.
André smokes slowly and demonstrates how to do it. With deep breath he inhales and after few seconds exhales
the smoke. Annette imitates him. But after first attempt she starts coughing. Annette can’t take breath; André is wearing
out from her cough.
André
Do you have water
somewhere?
Annette nods his approval and points at her rucksack. André comes to the bag, opens it. Blue bottle, package
full of medicines and toy fall on the lawn. André gives the bottle to Annette; she drinks some water and stops coughing. André
observes the toy koala with great interest and whispers something in its ear.
Annette
I can’t
smoke.
Annette gives back her cigarette.
André
I don’t
force you. We just have to turn loose for everything and don’t care anymore.
Annette
What do you mean?
André
We should
loosen all our fears, all our complexes. We have to forget all the foolish life, with its rules and standards, with its chaos
and madness. I hate it, fuck …
Annette
Your canvas too?
André
Everything! My canvas, my painting, my art!… E-ve-rything!
Annette
I have to cut
Dickey loosen too? What you have whispered to my little koala a minute ago?
André
His nick-name
is Dick, is it?
Pause.
Annette
Yes
André
Dick, means Richard?
yea?
Pause.
Annette (smiling)
Yea, something
like that. OK. Give me this damn cigarette.
André
You know,
if it’s your first time, you won’t feel anything. It won’t work. So forget it.
Annette puts back her toy koala in rucksack, takes two pills and swallows them…
Annette
Do you want some?
André
No, thanks. (points at his cigarette) Everybody goes his own way. Has anybody told you, that you
are really great?
Annette
NO
André
So, I want to
tell you! I say loudly: "Annette, you are great!"
Scene 19
Ext. Day
Derelict factory in district of Berlin
Annette and André are walking along railway that is no longer in
force. Between rusty rails green grass is grown. Annette tries to walk on rail as acrobats do on the ropes; she tries to concentrate
but can not maintain equilibrium and slips off. André helps her and supports with his hand.
They come from rails and go to the factory that is nearby. Half-ruined building’s windows are broken.
They stop under the scaling-ladder, André takes off his rucksack and gets textile from it. Annette helps him
to spread it over the ground.
Annette
You want me to
go upstairs?
André
Are you going
to wait for me here? Damn to everything. Do you still care about anything?
Annette
No! Hell to everything!
André
Dick-Richard as
well?
Annette
Dick-Richard
too!
André
Siegeseule is
a perfect place for my canvas, but this factory is not bad too. Have you something against postindustrial landscapes?
Annette
We would
not get to Siegeseule. Today it is closed.
André
Damn this Love-parade!
Annette
You know,
I remember an old Indian verse. Do you like to hear it?
André
OK.
Annette
"We did not enjoy
the desired delight
But desire of
delight devoured us
We did not torment
our flesh with asceticism
But asceticism
itself tormented us
We did not pass
the time carelessly
But the time itself
cheated us – the careless
Our desires did
not wither
But withered we
in their stead!"
While Annette was reading the verse, they finishes spreading the textile over the ground.
André
Beautiful words
Annette
Yes, because they
are true!
André looks up at iron stairs.
André
Hell to everything,
lets go.
Annette
Alia iacta
est! "The die is cast!"
André puts bricks at the textile edges to fasten it. He comes closer to Annette, that stands near the stairs.
He helps her to climb the scaling-ladder.
André
Don’t look
down. Hold closer to the wall.
Scene 20
Ext. Day
Fire-escape stairs of derelict factory in district of Berlin
Annette climbs between stairs and the wall, while André is on another side of the ladder. While moving their hand meet
each other. Annette is nervous. She has fear of height. While climbing ladder they look at each other in eyes. Sometimes Annette
steps on André’s foot.
Annette
Have I hurt you?
André
It does
not matter. The main thing is, not to look down.
Annette
Why I have to
look downstairs?
André
You are right.
Damn with everything
Annette
You have long
eyelashes.
André
Like Dick?
Annette
Even longer than
Dick’s
André looks down, where some dog walks on his textile. Suddenly the minx stops and pisses on it. André sees
how little wet spot is getting wider. But the dog continues with defecation.
André
(shouting)
Hey, Hey, get
off, fuck, fuck, this damn bitch!
André gesticulates, but dog does not pay any attention. After a while it goes his way on.
Annette
What’s up?
André
This damn bitch!
Don’t look down! I’ll go downstairs! Just for a minute, wait for me here. I’ll be back.
Annette wants to say something, but André starts climbing down quickly. Annette stays alone. She looks down.
Every minute André turns aside from her. Girl tries to stay calm, she holds as strong at the stairs as she can.
Scene 21
Ext. Day
Derelict factory in district of Berlin
André stops in front of his textile, takes off shoes and rushes to the middle, where big wet spot and dog's
shit is left. André hesitates he does not know what to do with this excrement. He comes back to his rucksack, takes from it
a plastic packet and bottle with water and returns to the spot. But in the bottle is left little water and he can’t
wash the spot properly. André stands up, rushes to his shoes, and puts them on.
Scene 22
Ext. Day
Fire-escape stairs of an derelict factory in district of Berlin
Annette is still standing on the stairs alone. She looks down and sees André who roared out something to her
as loud as he can. But the wind is hard and the girl can not hear André’s words. André runs and moves away from the
building.
Annette stays all alone; she stands between fire-stares and redbrick wall. Annette's left feet starts trembling
and quivering nervously. Dog comes again and wonders on the white textile.
Very slowly Annette tries to step down. Dog looks up and barks at the girl. Annette steps up again.
Scene 23
Ext. Day
Berlin district, street before a Supermarket
André wants to cross the street. On the other side is a Supermarket, but traffic tights show red, so he waits
impatiently. At the end green signal appears and André starts to cross the street.
From the opposite side comes a punk wearing a T-shirt. On his breast is written: “Shit happens”. André stops and looks at the guy. The punk goes by. André stares at him (standing
in the middle of the rode). On the back of punk’s T-shirt is written “...sometimes”.
The hard klaxon noise wakes André up. A truck stops very close to him. The guy turns back and sees the lorry
full of half-dressed Love-parade participants.
Young people gesticulate and with loud screaming invite André to join them.
André is very confused, even scared. He steps back, suddenly turns and runs fast to the factory.
Scene 24
Ext. Day
Territory of deserted factory
André is running on the rusty railway that leads to the deserted instrumental factory. He is jumping over two
sleepers at the same time. The factory building is already visible. André stops and stares at the scaling-ladder of the block,
were he had left Annette. Nobody is on the ladder. André stands motionless for a while and then he rushes.
He approaches to the white textile, which is spread under the ladder in forward of the building. Annette is
lying curled up, wrapped in the white textile. Nearby André sees an empty bottle of mineral water and medicine box free of
pills. André touches Annette’s face, tries to open her eyes. She is half-sleeping.
André
Annette! Annette!
A scarcely perceptible
smile plays on her face.
André
You scared me
so much; I thought that you were dead!
Suddenly Annette loses consciousness; her eyes get closed. André tries to bring Annette to her senses.
André
Annette! Annette!
Wake up! Don’t dare to sleep! Open your eyes!
Annette whispers softly without opening her eyes.
Annette
Your eyelashes
are so beautiful!
André
No, it's your
eyelashes are beautiful! And you have great eyes. Don’t leave me Annette, don’t dare to leave me! Open your eyes!!!
André stands up rapidly, takes her on his shoulders and rushes to the exit. André runs on the rusty railway,
carrying Annette on his back. He breathes heavily but does not stop talking to her.
Annette, talk
to me! Don’t sleep! Don’t dare to sleep! I fell in love with you immediately, first time I saw you! You are so
beautiful, and your eyelashes are so nice! Annette, don’t sleep! Our Love-parade begins just now.
André is running faster and faster carrying Annette. The small dog is running parallel with them. From time
to time the dog is barking at André.
THE END
FADE OUT
Film credits
