Michael Haneke

Michael Haneke (born March 23, 1942) is an Austrian filmmaker and writer best known for his bleak and disturbing style. His films often document problems and failures in modern society. Haneke has worked in television‚ theatre and cinema. He is also known for raising social issues in his work. Besides working as filmmaker he also teaches directing at the Filmacademy Vienna. At the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, The White Ribbon won the Palme d'Or for... more

Michael Haneke (born March 23, 1942) is an Austrian filmmaker and writer best known for his bleak and disturbing style. His films often document problems and failures in modern society. Haneke has worked in television‚ theatre and cinema. He is also known for raising social issues in his work. Besides working as filmmaker he also teaches directing at the Filmacademy Vienna. At the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, The White Ribbon won the Palme d'Or for best film. He has made films in French, German and English. Haneke was born in Munich, Germany, the son of actor and director Fritz Haneke and actress Beatrix von Degenschild. Haneke was raised in the city Wiener Neustadt. He attended the University of Vienna to study philosophy, psychology and drama after failing to achieve success in his early attempts in acting and music. After graduating, he became a film critic and from 1967 to 1970 he worked as editor and dramaturg at the southwestern German television station Südwestfunk. He made his... less