Okay, so your appreciation of this trailer for Michael Haneke’s lavishly acclaimed Palme d’Or winner will obviously be enhanced if you have at least a working knowledge of German. (No subtitles here.)
But since it’s the first substantial glimpse most of us have had of what is clearly a major work, I thought it worth posting. The imagery and atmospherics on display here speak for themselves, anyway. Hat tip to Jeff Wells for digging it up. (Trailer plays after the cut.)
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9 responses to “International ‘White Ribbon’ trailer”
I saw the trailer earlier today. Here’s a much better quality link.
http://cdn1.fliqz.com/fliqz/production/videos/56e546702c5549748cf8ca5086f42c91.flv
(right click…save as…25.86 MB)
The cinematography looks gorgeous. Even better than Tetro which looked a bit stilted and artificial. I’m really looking forward to this movie more than all those oscar baity films, even more than A Prophet which was even more acclaimed than this. I hope it lives up to its hype.
The trailer looks very promising. And if its Bergmanesque as the critics have been saying, I’ll probably love it. Some people who’ve seen this have been saying that with the right push, Haneke could surely secure a Best Director nomination and/or Best Original Screenplay.
I also found this translation of the trailer.
“Magnificent cinema”
“Fantastic actors”
“Beautifully shot and very impressive”
“An excellent movie and worthy award recipient”
Narrator: “I don’t know if the story I’m about to tell you is corresponding with the truth down to every little detail. (pause) Nevertheless, I believe that I have to describe the peculiar events that occured in our little village because they might be able to shed light on some proceedings in this country. Everything started, if I remember correctly, with the doctor’s riding accident.”
Man: “Today a little short of two months ago … the doctor had a riding accident. This accident was caused by a tight rope set up in his garden. We all know that the ones responsible for my son’s and the doctor’s severe injuries are … here. Among us. Sitting in this room.”
Narrator: “Back in the village I decided to get to the bottom of these incidents.”
(music starts)
Boy to girl: “I have the feeling that you conceal something.”
Girl: “What?”
Boy: “Envy. Apathy. Brutality.”
Woman to boy: “I know who committed all these crimes.”
(choir starts singing)
Man: “When you were little, your mother tied a ribbon for you. Its white color was to remind you of innocence and chastity.”
Man to Martin: “I just want to help you. Be honest, Martin.”
Narrator: “We all didn’t anticipate that this would be the last turn of the year at peace. That in this year a kind of upheaval would begin no one of us would have been able to conceive … not in the slightest.”
I take it Warner Bros. is distributing the film overseas?
It’s a late December release stateside, no?
Which country could represent it at Oscars?
It is hard to judge from that, but from what I have heard, this looks like one of the weaker Palme d’Or winners this decade.
As someone who is generally not much of a Haneke fan (“Hidden” is the only film of his I’d watch again), “The White Ribbon” fell squarely in the middle of his work for me. Better than dross like “Funny Games” and “Time of the Wolf”, not as good as “Hidden” or “The Piano Teacher”, but around the level of “Code Unknown”.
I could see it getting a foreign language nomination if it starts winning tonnes of awards and they have to pay attention, but I reckon it’d be another “4 Weeks” situation. A lone best director nod though could be hidden in there somewhere.
Anyone else getting annoyed when this thing autoplays on the front page?
YES.
I saw this at the NZFF (along with Antichrist) and it is fantastic and definitely one of Haneke’s best (I have it second to Hidden, but both films – along with the original Funny Games – factor into my Top Films of All Time list… Haneke is the only director so far to have three films ranking). It still has me thinking about it a fortnight onwards… brilliant “mystery”, I definitely need to see it again. The ensemble acting in this is forkin’ INSANE (my favorite was Roxane Duran as the doctor’s daughter, Christian Friedel – who is utter-frickin-ly adorable – as the lead and Leonie Benesch as his boo… although Burghart Klaussner, Susanne Lothar and Ursina Lardi all have very good moments). Please note that the IMDb credits page for this film is incredibly incomplete and several major actors aren’t even credited on that site. My #1 for the year so far and, seeing as it makes my Top Films list, I doubt any other film will budge it by year’s end.
Haneke is probably my favorite active director. Very excited to see this.