The White Ribbon, Michael Haneke 2009

Set in North Germany during the years leading up to world war one, The White Ribbon directed by Michael Haneke follows the lives and anguishes of people in a small German village experiencing strange and in some circumstances fatal incidents. Though I did not personally enjoy the film, I still felt it was good and affective and was well made. Haneke uses some interesting and non-generic cinematic techniques to enhance the scenes and make them more poignant. The most obvious being that the recently made film is screened in black and white and in extremely high contrast. This added a sense of mystery and ambiguity, possibly reflecting the gloomy events that take place and sinister characters. I felt it also intensified the look of the weather and the events at that time; during the summer days the light is bright, the conversations are relatively cheerful and productive. At night it is hard to make out where or who the characters are and the disturbing happenings going on behind close doors are dark and uncomfortable. 




Another technique that I felt added to the atmosphere rather than take away was the lack of soundtrack and background music. As much as I really enjoy a good film score/ soundtrack I feel the director’s choice not to use background music was an effective way of portraying an awkward and sometimes uncomfortable atmosphere and silence. It also enhanced the realism, as, in every day life we are not followed by a soundtrack.

The adult characters in this film aren’t very likable. Set in a very religious/ protestant village, children were punished brutally and oppressed into a very strict regime. When asked about the era Haneke decided the film should take place in he said “I chose this period, in this country because I feel it offers the most prominent horror of extremism…” Set around 1912-1914 The White Ribbon suggests that these subjugated children would be the generation that grows up to accept Adolph Hitler and the Nazi regime. Like in war the ones who suffered the most in this story were women and children, this could be an important reflection Haneke was making, but of course could also be a sadly truthful acknowledgement about war and corruption. I feel Haneke also draws on comparisons of children from then and children in today's society. Children were somewhat forced to grow up and be responsible and mature from an earlier age. Below is a clip of a young 14 year old girl explaining the meaning of death to her 5 year old brother. She has also been left in charge of the household as well as his care.

A feeling of realism is also created by the lengthy and un-edited shots. Some very tense and sinister scenes were shot in real time. I found this made the scenes a lot more real, but the negative of this cinematic affect was that The White Ribbon was a very long and drawn out film.

An excerpt from The White Ribbon ^

Michael Haneke being questioned on elements of his film ^