A German village in 1913 is rocked by a series of macabre events. Michael Haneke’s Cannes-winning film — a fascinating follow up to his equally brilliant contemporary mystery thriller, Hidden — quietly outlines the class hierarchies in the village and introduces four or five characters who will have a significant impact on the story as it develops. A voice-over narration by the schoolmaster gives the movie a novelistic feel, and also puts us on notice that strange things are afoot, not all of which the teacher feels confident in accounting for. The first mystery is this: who strung a wire between two trees in what seems to have been a deliberate attempt to throw the doctor from his horse? Was it an elaborate prank, or a serious attempt on his life? This unsolved mystery is forgotten when a more serious incident occurs…
In Germany, The White Ribbon carried the sour subtitle “A German Children’s Story”, and right from the off the narrator invites us to recall that the children in this village will grow up to become Nazis. This is the true mystery Haneke is probing here, how a community can fall prey to fascism. Its relevance today hardly needs spelling out.
Haneke’s most approachable film, though you approach it at your peril, as you would a sleeping animal, or a hot stove. It is also his longest, his most beautiful—the only one in black-and-white—and his best.
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker
Reaffirms Haneke as the leading European filmmaker of his generation. It feels like a classic even as you are watching it for the first time.
Scott Foundas, LA Times
A tale of the past that points to the future; a picture that will be viewed and discussed for decades to come.
Xan Brooks, The Guardian
Michael Haneke
Christian Friedel, Ernst Jacobi, Leonie Benesch, Ulrich Tukur, Ursina Lardi, Fion Mutert
Germany/Austria/France/Italy
2009
In German with English subtitles
Palme d’Or, Cannes
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Credits
Producer
Stefan Arndt, Viet Heiduschka, Margaret Menegoz, Andrea Occhipinti
Screenwriter
Michael Haneke
Cinematography
Christian Berger
Editor
Monika Willi
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