This two-part drama examines the fate of the generation of Austrians which came of age after World War II. The first part, "Arcadia," depicts the generational gap between 1950s teenagers and their parents, while the second part, "Injuries," shows this same group of characters twenty years later as they have grown up to become dysfunctional and suicidal adults. Regarded as the most significant of Michael Haneke’s early works, "Lemmings" contains incipient treatments of many of the themes he would later elaborate on in his theatrical features.

In der Silvesternacht schließt Redakteur Hans mit seinem Chef eine Wette ab. Ein Jahr lang wird sich der eingefleischte Städter als Bauernknecht verdingen. Schon die Suche nach einem Hof bereitet Hans Probleme. Als er endlich eine Anstellung findet, packt ihn das Heimweh…