Michael Haneke facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Michael Haneke
Haneke in 2009
Born	(1942-03-23) 23 March 1942 (age 83) Munich, Germany
Nationality	Austrian
Alma mater	University of Vienna
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter
Years active	1974–present
Spouse(s)	Susanne Haneke (m. 1983)
Children	1

Michael Haneke (born March 23, 1942) is a famous film director and screenwriter from Austria. He is known for making movies that explore social topics. His films often show how people might feel alone or disconnected in today's world. Haneke has directed films in French, German, and English. He has also worked in television and theater. Besides directing, he teaches film at the Film Academy Vienna.

Some of Haneke's early important films are called his "glaciation" trilogy. These include The Seventh Continent (1989), Benny's Video (1992), and 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994). These movies look at how people interact and the impact of things like shopping, violence, and media. He later won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival for The Piano Teacher (2001). He also won the top award, the Palme d'Or, twice! He won it for The White Ribbon (2009) and Amour (2012). Amour was a huge success, getting five Academy Award nominations and winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Other well-known films he directed are Funny Games (1997) and its 2007 remake, Code Unknown (2000), Time of the Wolf (2003), Caché (2005), and Happy End (2017).

Early Life and Education
His Career in Film
Awards and Recognitions
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Michael Haneke was born into a family of artists. His father, Fritz Haneke, was a German actor and director. His mother, Beatrix von Degenschild, was an Austrian actress. He grew up in a city in Austria called Wiener Neustadt.

As a young person, Haneke loved literature and music. However, he didn't enjoy school very much and described himself as a "rebel." He once wanted to be an actor but didn't pass the entrance exam for a drama school in Vienna. So, he decided to study philosophy, psychology, and drama at the University of Vienna. He spent a lot of his time watching movies at local theaters. After university, he worked different jobs. From 1967 to 1970, he worked at a German television station as an editor and a film critic. He directed his first television movie in 1974.

His Career in Film

Early Work in Television (1974–1988)

Michael Haneke began his career by directing many projects for television. His first work as a writer and director was the 1974 TV movie After Liverpool. He then directed two more TV films in 1976: Three Paths to the Lake and Sperrmüll. In 1979, he directed two episodes of a TV mini-series called Lemminge. He also directed other TV movies like Variation – oder Daß es Utopien gibt, weiß ich selber! (1983) and Fraulein: A German Melodrama (1986).

Becoming Well-Known (1989–1997)

Haneke's first full-length movie for cinemas was The Seventh Continent in 1989. This film showed the strong and unique style he would become known for. It tells the story of an Austrian family. Critics called it a "masterpiece." Even though it was considered for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, it wasn't nominated.

Three years later, he directed Benny's Video (1992). This movie is a psychological horror film. It was shown at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival and received good reviews. It also won an award at the European Film Awards. His third film in this series was 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994).

In 1997, he directed a TV film called The Castle. This movie was based on a famous novel by Franz Kafka. That same year, he also directed the movie Funny Games. This film was shown at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.

Big Success and Awards (2000–2009)

Juliette Binoche starred in Haneke's Code Unknown (2000) and Caché (2005)

In 2000, Haneke directed the French film Code Unknown, starring Juliette Binoche. The movie tells several different stories that connect with each other. Critics praised Haneke for being a "skillful" director who trusts his audience. Haneke has also directed plays in Germany and Austria.

He became very successful with the French film The Piano Teacher (2001). This movie starred Isabelle Huppert. It premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and received amazing reviews. It won the important Grand Prize at the festival. The main actors, Isabelle Huppert and Benoît Magimel, also won awards for their performances.

Isabelle Huppert has acted in several of Haneke's films

A few years later, he directed Time of the Wolf (2003), which also starred Isabelle Huppert. This film is about a family trying to survive after a global disaster. Critics said Haneke showed a deep understanding of human behavior in difficult times.

In 2005, Haneke worked again with Juliette Binoche on the movie Caché. This film is a psychological thriller. It was shown at the opening of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and received great reviews. The movie explores ideas of shared responsibility and memory. Haneke won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director for this film. It was also named one of the "100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century" by the BBC.

In 2006, he directed his first opera, Don Giovanni, in Paris. For his next film, The White Ribbon (2009), Haneke chose to film in black-and-white in Germany. The movie is set in 1913 and shows strange events in a small German town. It explores a strict, almost fascist-like atmosphere where children face harsh rules and punishments. The film won his first Palme d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. It also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for two Academy Awards.

Recent Work (2012–present)

Haneke in 2014

In 2012, Haneke directed Amour, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, and Isabelle Huppert. The film is about an elderly couple dealing with aging. It premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and won the Palme d'Or, which was Haneke's second time winning this top award. This made him one of only a few directors to win the Palme d'Or twice. Critics called the film "touching and tragic." Amour also won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Haneke himself was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for the first time in his career.

In 2013, a documentary film about him was released, called Michael H – Profession: Director. That same year, Haneke received the Prince of Asturias Award for the arts.

In 2017, for his twelfth film, Happy End, Haneke worked again with actors Jean-Louis Trintignant and Isabelle Huppert. The film is about a wealthy French family facing different problems. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 70th Cannes Film Festival. Critics saw it as a comment on the European refugee crisis and the challenges of privilege.

Haneke believes that films should encourage viewers to think and use their imagination. He teaches film direction at the Film Academy Vienna.

Awards and Recognitions

Michael Haneke has received many awards for his films. His first movie, The Seventh Continent, won the Bronze Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1989.

He won the Grand Prix at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival for The Piano Teacher. He also won the Best Director Award for Caché at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.

At the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, his film The White Ribbon won the Palme d'Or. This film also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2010.

In 2012, his film Amour won the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This was his second time winning this important award, making him one of only seven directors to achieve this. Amour also received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

In 2013, Haneke was honored with the Prince of Asturias Award for the arts. His most recent film, Happy End, was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.