This document provides an analysis of the narrative structure of the film "Run Lola Run". It summarizes that the film uses nonlinear techniques like flashbacks and flash-forwards to tell the story across three parallel 20-minute timelines. While each 20-minute segment follows a linear progression, the overall narrative jumps between timelines in a nonlinear fashion. Key events like a phone call and a dream sequence are used to bridge the jumps between timelines.

1. ‘Run Lola Run’
Task B: Narrative Structure

2. This is a flashback from the narrative

3. • The narrative starts off linear, but uses non-
linear techniques like flashbacks and flash-
forwards. The flashbacks are shown to be
flashbacks as they are in black and white, with
the flash-forwards being conveyed through
snapshots which connote snapshots into the
character’s future. However, these elements
do not add to the narrative of the film, they
just give insight into some unimportant
characters, not affecting the narrative so it
does have a linear narrative for the first
twenty minutes.

4. • The flashbacks have an impact on the
audience. The impact the flashbacks have on
the audience is that it tells them the backstory
to the film (why the protagonists are in the
dilemma they started with) and this keeps
them up to speed and makes the narrative
less confusing for them. It also gives them
some of the backstory to one of the
protagonists- Mani- and what he does for a
living therefore the flashbacks introduce them
to the character.

5. • The flash-forwards also have an effect on the
audience. The effect here is that it tells the
audience about the future of un-important
characters that aren’t even named. This makes
these un-important characters have more
verisimilitude, or at least the illusion of
verisimilitude, about them. This makes the
diegesis of the diegtic world seem more 3-D to
the audience.

6. Dream Sequence.

7. • After the first twenty minutes, the film jump cuts
out of the narrative and into something
completely different- the dream sequence. This
does add to the narrative because it shows the
audience more about the relationship between
the two characters, and this therefore means the
film does not have a linear structure, it has a non-
linear structure, with some linear techniques.
• After the dream, the twenty minutes restarts and
goes through again but with a different series of
events and a different outcome. The narrative is
linear in these twenty minutes, but because it
jump-cutted back to a starting point in the film
(the red phone) the films narrative as a whole is
non-linear.

8. • The dream sequences also have an effect on the
audience. The effect this has on the audience is
that it makes them question the characters and
their love for each other, as well as making their
relationship seem deeper. It makes the audience
question whether the love there is really real or
whether their a couple with an expiration date. It
also bridges the gap between the twenty minutes
making the plot easier to follow, and this editing
trick removes some of the confusion there would
have been if the film just jumped back the twenty
minutes.

9. Telephone prop that helps bridge the jump cuts.

10. • The use of the telephone to bridge the jump
cuts gives starting points to each of the three
twenty minutes. It gives a constant for the
audience helping them to understand that the
twenty minutes has started again. It’s always
with the phone slamming down which
suggests that the phone represents the start
of time for the characters and this is shown
through the time starting exactly as the phone
slams down.

11. Todorov Narrative Theory
• Todorov’s narrative theory is suggested in five
stages. Equilibrium, disruption of equilibrium,
recognition of disruption, attempts at
repairing the equilibrium and a new
equilibrium.
• The film does follow the Todorov Narrative
theory, but doesn’t follow it tightly.

12. • The state of equilibrium at the beginning is
shown through the flash back of Mani (one of
the protagonists) doing his job. This is soon
disrupted by him leaving the money on the
train, and he recognises this so he calls his
girlfriend Lola for help (the other protagonist).
• It is Lola who tries to repair the equilibrium by
going to different locations to try and get the
money to save Mani, and in the end she does
which restores the equilibrium as the
disruption has been stopped.

13. • However, the plot to this film is non-linear and
does not follow it exactly, because there are
three new equilibriums (Lola dies, Mani dies,
happily ever after) after there have been three
attempts at the repair stage so it does not
follow it exactly. However this is effective
because it helps emphasise the importance of
time as a theme throughout the film and
therefore helps signify how important the
twenty minutes is to the two characters. The
effect this has on the audience is that it shows
them that they may not always win and get
what they want and that things could go wrong.