The White Ribbon (2009) Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (original title)

Director:

Michael Haneke

Writers:

Michael Haneke (screenplay)
Michael Haneke (story)

Release Date:

24 September 2009 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Strange events happen in a small village in the north of Germany during the years just before World War I, which seem to be ritual punishment. The abused and suppressed children of the villagers seem to be at the heart of this mystery.

Plot Keywords:

Baron | Village | Children | Wire | Horse

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 49 wins & 25 nominations

Cast

Christian Friedel	...	The School Teacher
Ernst Jacobi	...	The School Teacher as an Old Man (voice)
Leonie Benesch	...	Eva
Ulrich Tukur	...	The Baron
Ursina Lardi	...	The Baroness
Fion Mutert	...	Sigi
Michael Kranz	...	The Tutor
Burghart Klaußner	...	The Pastor (as Burghart Klaussner)
Steffi Kühnert	...	The Pastor's Wife
Maria-Victoria Dragus	...	Klara
Leonard Proxauf	...	Martin
Levin Henning	...	Adolf
Johanna Busse	...	Margarete
Thibault Sérié	...	Gustav
Josef Bierbichler	...	The Steward
Gabriela Maria Schmeide	...	The Steward's Wife (as Gabriela-Maria Schmeide)
Janina Fautz	...	Erna
Enno Trebs	...	Georg
Theo Trebs	...	Ferdinand
Rainer Bock	...	The Doctor
Susanne Lothar	...	The Midwife
Roxane Duran	...	Anna
Miljan Chatelain	...	Rudolf
Eddy Grahl	...	Karli
Branko Samarovski	...	The Farmer
Klaus Manchen	...	The Farmer (voice)
Birgit Minichmayr	...	Frieda
Sebastian Hülk	...	Max
Kai-Peter Malina	...	Karl (as Kai Malina)
Kristina Kneppek	...	Else
Stephanie Amarell	...	Sophie
Bianca Mey	...	Paula
Aaron Denkel	...	Kurti
Mika Ahrens	...	Willi
Detlev Buck	...	Eva's Father
Anne-Kathrin Gummich	...	Eva's Mother
Luzie Ahrens	...	Schoolchild
Gary Bestla	...	Schoolchild
Leonard Boes	...	Schoolchild
Felix Boettcher	...	Schoolchild (as Felix Böttcher)
Sophie Czech	...	Schoolchild
Paraschiva Dragus	...	Schoolchild
Selina Ewald	...	Schoolchild
Nora Gruler	...	Schoolchild
Tim Guderjahn	...	Schoolchild
Jonas Jennerjahn	...	Schoolchild
Ole Joensson	...	Schoolchild
Gerrit Langentepe	...	Schoolchild
Lena Pankow	...	Schoolchild
Sebastian Pauli	...	Schoolchild
Franz Rewoldt	...	Schoolchild
Kevin Schmolinski	...	Schoolchild
Alexander Sedl	...	Schoolchild
Nino Seide	...	Schoolchild
Marvin Ray Spey	...	Schoolchild
Malin Steffen	...	Schoolchild
Lilli Trebs	...	Schoolchild
Paul Wolf	...	Schoolchild
Margarete Zimmermann	...	Schoolchild
Carmen-Maja Antoni	...	Bathing Midwife
Christian Klischat	...	Gendarm
Michael Schenk	...	Detective
Hanus Polak Jr.	...	Detective
Sara Schivazappa	...	The Italian Nanny
Marisa Growaldt	...	The Maid
Vincent Krüger	...	Fritz
Rüdiger Hauffe	...	Workman
Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey	...	Farmer
Florian Köhler	...	Farmer
Sebastian Lach	...	Foreign Harvester
Marcin Tyrol	...	Foreign Harvester
Sebastian Badurek	...	Foreign Harvester
Krzysztof Zarzecki	...	Foreign Harvester (as Krysiek Zarzecki)
Sebastian Pawlak	...	Foreign Harvester
Lilli Fichtner	...	Girl at Harvest Feast
Amelie Litwin	...	Girl at Harvest Feast
Paula Kalinski	...	Girl at Harvest Feast
Matthias Linke	...	Band Musician
Vladik Otaryan	...	Band Musician
Peter Mörike	...	Band Musician
Hans-Matthias Glassmann	...	Band Musician
Nikita Vaganov	...	Band Musician
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mercedes Jadea Diaz	...	Eva's Sister (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Haneke

Writing credits
Michael Haneke		(screenplay)
Michael Haneke		(story)

Produced by
Stefan Arndt	....	producer
Veit Heiduschka	....	producer
Michael Katz	....	executive producer
Michael Katz	....	producer
Stefano Massenzi	....	associate producer
Margaret Ménégoz	....	producer
Ulli Neumann	....	line producer
Andrea Occhipinti	....	producer

Cinematography by
Christian Berger

Film Editing by
Monika Willi

Casting by
Simone Bär
Carmen Loley
Markus Schleinzer

Production Design by
Christoph Kanter

Art Direction by
Anja Müller		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Heike Wolf

Costume Design by
Moidele Bickel

Makeup Department
Anette Keiser	....	makeup artist
Waldemar Pokromski	....	key makeup artist
Jana Schulze	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Miki Emmrich	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hanus Polak Jr.	....	first assistant director
Patrick Winkler	....	crowd assistant director

Art Department
Enzo Enzel	....	head painter
Gonda Hinrichs	....	construction coordinator
Vera Rubenbauer	....	assistant props
Silvia Sachseneder	....	stand-by props assistant
Esther Schreiner	....	set dresser
Ilse Töpfer	....	property master

Sound Department
Arnaud Azoulay	....	sound layback
Fabienne Chalendard	....	assistant sound editor
Vincent Guillon	....	supervising sound editor
Jean-Pierre Laforce	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michel Monier	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Guillaume Sciama	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Rolf Hanke	....	special effects project manager
Till Hertrich	....	special effects technician
Gerd Nefzer	....	special effects supervisor (as Gerd Feuchter)
Bernd Rautenberg	....	special effects senior technician
Marcus Schmidt	....	special effects senior technician
Jens Schmiedel	....	special effects senior technician
Thomas Thiele	....	special effects senior technician

Visual Effects by
Geoffrey Kleindorfer	....	visual effects
Mario Wessely	....	visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Emmanuel Aubry	....	key grip
Tilman Büttner	....	steadicam operator
Gerald Helf	....	first assistant camera
David Jerrett	....	best boy
Kimber Lee Jerrett	....	gaffer
Stefan Kaindl	....	assistant camera
Mario Minichmayr	....	electrician
Jörg Oschmann	....	electrician
Lars Richter	....	assistant camera
Thomas Schneider	....	second assistant camera
Christian Wehrle	....	key video assist
Bernadette Weigel	....	oil lamp operator
Sascha Werdehausen	....	additional first assistant camera
Jörg Widmer	....	Steadicam operator

Casting Department
Florentin Camerer	....	casting assistant: children
Jessika Eisenkolb	....	casting assistant: children

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Annette Bätz	....	wardrobe
Gabriele Keuneke	....	tailor

Editorial Department
Reinhard Feichtinger	....	digital cinema mastering
Philippe Tourret	....	digital intermediate coordinator
Thomas Treu	....	supervising editor
Willi Willinger	....	colorist

Transportation Department
Marcel Ahrens	....	driver: cast
Florian Haeger	....	transportation captain
Andreas Korpel	....	production driver

Other crew
Gero Brugmann	....	legal counsel
Jennifer Bushnell	....	legal assistant
Jean-Claude Carrière	....	script consultant
Eddie Chebbi	....	assistant production accountant
Gisela Emberger	....	set manager
Manuela Groh	....	production coordinator
Nick Hertwig	....	location scout
Cathleen Hoffmann	....	location manager
Thomas Lauterkorn	....	location scout
Skady Lis	....	business & legal affairs
Ulrike Lässer	....	production coordinator
Felix Manthey	....	location manager
Annika Nierentz	....	production assistant
Kathrin Resetarits	....	creative assistant: director
Thomas Schneider	....	assistant line producer
Johannes Schröder	....	location manager
Andro Steinborn	....	business affairs/legal
Kristina Stelter	....	assistant line producer
Alice Stengl	....	script supervisor
Dorothea Trebs	....	child supervisor

Thanks
Derek Shane Garcia	....	special thanks (as Derek Garcia)

Production Companies

• X-Filme Creative Pool
• Wega Film
• Les Films du Losange
• Lucky Red
• ARD Degeto Film (in collaboration with)
• Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) (in collaboration with)
• ORF Film/Fernseh-Abkommen (in collaboration with)
• France 3 Cinéma (in collaboration with)
• Mini-Traité Franco-Canadien (support)
• Canal+ (in collaboration with)
• TPS Star (in collaboration with)

Distributors

• Arthaus (2009) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (2009) (UK) (theatrical)
• Camera Film (2009) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2009) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2009) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2009) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Folkets Bio (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2010) (Finland) (theatrical) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
• Golem Distribución (2009) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Londra Films P&D (2011) (Bolivia) (theatrical)
• MegaCom Film (MCF) (2009) (Serbia) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2009) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Monolith (2009) (Poland) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2009) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Rosebud (2009) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2009) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Twin Co. Ltd. (2010) (Japan) (theatrical)
• X Verleih AG (2009) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Zeta Films (2010) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Canana Films (2010) (Mexico) (all media)
• Clap - Produção de Filmes (2009) (Portugal) (all media)
• Filmladen (2009) (Austria) (all media)
• First Distributors (2009) (Hong Kong) (all media)
• Imovision (2009) (Brazil) (all media)
• Kam & Ronson Enterprise Co (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Kam & Ronson Enterprise Co (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Les Films du Losange (2009) (France) (all media)
• Lucky Red (2009) (Italy) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Twin Pics (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• LISTO Videofilm (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)  funding
• Deutsche Filmförderfonds (DFFF)  funding
• Eurimages  funding (as Eurimages - European Cinema Support Fund)
• Filmfonds Wien  funding
• Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA)  funding
• LISTO Videofilm  post-production (laboratory) (digital intermediate) (film recording) (digital cinema mastering)
• Mecon Media Concept  extras payroll
• Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg  funding
• Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM)  funding
• Österreichisches Filminstitut  funding

Also Known As:

"Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte" - Germany (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some disturbing content involving violence and sexuality

Runtime:

144 min

Country:

Germany | Austria | France | Italy

Language:

German | Italian | Polish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45622) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Sweden:11 | Portugal:M/16 | Netherlands:12 | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Finland:K-13 | Brazil:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Denmark:11 | Austria:12 | Germany:12 | France:U (with warning) | Argentina:13 | Norway:11 | South Korea:15 | Australia:MA | Singapore:M18 | Japan:G

Filming Locations:

Evangelical Church, Netzow, Plattenburg, Brandenburg, Germany

Company:

X-Filme Creative Pool

Trivia:

All scenes were originally shot in color and then altered to black and white in post-production.

Quotes:

Martin:I gave God a chance to kill me. He didn't do it, so he's pleased with me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse/The Last Airbender/Grown Ups (#2.23)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Nurturing Fascism Somewhere in Black and White Germany

During the course of the year before WWI, a series of tragic and suspicious looking incidents take place in a small farming village somewhere in black and white Germany. The culprit or the culprits behind the crime wave will not be too easy to find.

The doctor, the priest, the baron and the teacher who also narrates the film form the elite of the village. We get to know each one of them and a few other villagers along with children of this village, calm on the surface but deeply tormented by an undercurrent of brutality, envy, malice and apathy.

The children's natural path to maturity is blocked by strict religious morality, cruelly enforced by the priest, thereby inhibiting their personal observation of the world around them. The priest feeds children with guilt and sexual repression instead of love and punishes even their most innocent mistakes. Certainly this environment will make it easy for them to not only accept but seek ruthless authority later in life.

As might be expected, love in this town is restrained and uneasy, while incest and affairs are overlooked by villagers. The Baron employs half of the village in his farm, yet almost no one seems to be against feudalism, nor rise up against the accidents that happen in the workplace. Social justice is a stranger to town, yet villagers are entrenched in apathy.

If adults do not face up the truth, however this truth might be against their convictions, rise up and take charge, then who will? And according to whose morality? Isn't fascism with racism, in short Nazism, misdirected popular anger and an easy response to deep injustices within a society ? Haneke observes mostly psychological, educational and religious roots of Nazism while leaving economic aspects mostly in the background.

Visuals of the film are very solid. The symmetry in the shots and the tidiness of the houses, even of those belonging to the poor farmers hint at the discipline and rigor Germans are well known for. Acting is top notch by the whole cast, especially children's faces beam just like in Bergman films. Directing was superb.

Haneke uses a village and a narrator similar in essence to Lars Von Trier's Dogville, still these two movies are clearly different.

Das Weisse Band has also some similarities to Cache, but just one notch less satisfying than his masterpiece which had a slightly more intriguing and fulfilling story. This movie is made more accessible by Haneke with his choice of more obvious tips, where sometimes characters talk directly about the situation. But in a time and age when people are battling too many problems and drug themselves with TV and easy payoffs who could blame Haneke?

Given the current global economic conditions and the fanaticism running high across all three major religions, this is a must-see movie for anyone caring about the future of our global village to avoid a Le Temps du Loup type of ending!