![]() What’s more, some inner tensions may be unable to come to such a resolution in the first place. Haneke recognizes there’s no effort or lasting power to be earned in how a filmmaker resolves the tension of their work. But the fire the film stokes from its provocative apathy is palpable.įor all of the frustration and bleakness of Haneke’s films, that fire may be why I treasure Haneke’s filmography as much as I do. Is a well-off couple adopting a refugee child to give him a better life, or is it so they can feel a smug responsibility for doing so? Is the self-seriousness we take in our goals–from perfecting our ping-pong backhand, to solving games of chance, to rebuilding relationships with others–enough to distract us from larger societal ills? In a world where nothing seems to matter and violence seems both random and inevitable, do we surrender to the bloody ends telegraphed for us, or is it newsworthy to try to change things? As you can predict–there’s no satisfying resolution to be had. Inspired by a real-life case that rejected the idea of mass suicide in favor of being an unsolved homicide, Haneke pointedly ends The Seventh Continent with the idea that society would rather choose to be willfully blinded by routine rather than confront any aspect of existential malaise. Lacking any self-awareness beyond their own drive for destruction, it’s no wonder this extravagant attempt at liberation is devoid of any possible catharsis or absolution. What’s more, the destruction they wreak (rather than passing the items to others) underlines the bourgeois selfishness of their actions. The Schobers approach the destruction of their possessions–including flushing their life savings down the toilet–with the same exacting and deadpan routine as everything else in their lives. However, Haneke pushes this relatable self-destructive desire to its brutal extremity. The director is also a favorite of the international film festival circuit and has won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for both THE WHITE RIBBON and AMOUR (the latter was also a Best Foreign-Language Oscar winner).The Schobers’ dedication to their final act, adding power tools and knives alongside their daily groceries, dually elicits dread and longing. While such titles as FUNNY GAMES (1997 – and remade by the director 10 years later) and HAPPY END (2017) belie their serious subject matter, Haneke’s reputation for thought-provoking drama has made him a magnet for performers eager to tackle challenging characters in difficult situations Juliette Binoche ( CACHÉ, CODE UNKNOWN) and Isabelle Huppert (THE PIANO TEACHER, TIME OF THE WOLF) have done some of their best work for him. With their unblinking look at desperate acts and beleaguered protagonists, these films mapped out a cinema of discomfort for which Haneke has become famous. After making his start in the German television industry, he made his feature filmmaking debut in 1989 with THE SEVENTH CONTINENT, the first part of a “glaciation trilogy” that would continue with BENNY’S VIDEO (1992) and 71 FRAGMENTS OF A CHRONOLOGY OF CHANCE (1994). Raised in Austria by parents who were both entertainers, Michael Haneke had considered becoming an actor himself before embarking on a remarkably distinguished career behind the camera. Our series culminates in a live virtual career conversation with the director, followed by a double feature of THE PIANO TEACHER and AMOUR, as part of the official selection of Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair – Year 2, coming in June 2023. The American Cinematheque is thrilled to present this complete film retrospective for one of the most celebrated filmmakers of contemporary world cinema, Michael Haneke.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |