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IMDbPro

The White Ribbon

Original title: Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte
  • 20092009
  • 1515
  • 2h 24m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
72K
YOUR RATING
Leonard Proxauf in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
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.
Play trailer1:53
1 Video
63 Photos
DramaHistoryMystery

Strange events happen in a small village in the north of Germany during the years before World War I, which seem to be ritual punishment. Who is responsible?Strange events happen in a small village in the north of Germany during the years before World War I, which seem to be ritual punishment. Who is responsible?Strange events happen in a small village in the north of Germany during the years before World War I, which seem to be ritual punishment. Who is responsible?

IMDb RATING
7.8/10
72K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Michael Haneke
  • Writer
    • Michael Haneke(story)
  • Stars
    • Christian Friedel
    • Ernst Jacobi(voice)
    • Leonie Benesch
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michael Haneke
  • Writer
    • Michael Haneke(story)
  • Stars
    • Christian Friedel
    • Ernst Jacobi(voice)
    • Leonie Benesch
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 224User reviews
    • 286Critic reviews
    • 82Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 62 wins & 48 nominations total

    Videos1

    The White Ribbon
    Trailer 1:53
    The White Ribbon

    Photos63

    Leonard Proxauf in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Ursina Lardi in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Bianca Mey, Mika Ahrens, Kristina Kneppek, and Stephanie Amarell in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Rainer Bock in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Detlev Buck and Christian Friedel in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Steffi Kühnert, Leonard Proxauf, and Levin Henning in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Sara Schivazappa and Fion Mutert in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Maria Dragus and Roxane Duran in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Enno Trebs and Roxane Duran in Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
    Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Christian Friedel
    Christian Friedel
    • The School Teacheras The School Teacher
    Ernst Jacobi
    Ernst Jacobi
    • The School Teacher as an Old Manas The School Teacher as an Old Man
    • (voice)
    Leonie Benesch
    Leonie Benesch
    • Evaas Eva
    Ulrich Tukur
    Ulrich Tukur
    • The Baronas The Baron
    Ursina Lardi
    Ursina Lardi
    • The Baronessas The Baroness
    Fion Mutert
    • Sigias Sigi
    Michael Kranz
    Michael Kranz
    • The Tutoras The Tutor
    Burghart Klaußner
    Burghart Klaußner
    • The Pastoras The Pastor
    • (as Burghart Klaussner)
    Steffi Kühnert
    Steffi Kühnert
    • The Pastor's Wifeas The Pastor's Wife
    Maria Dragus
    Maria Dragus
    • Klaraas Klara
    • (as Maria-Victoria Dragus)
    Leonard Proxauf
    Leonard Proxauf
    • Martinas Martin
    Levin Henning
    • Adolfas Adolf
    Johanna Busse
    • Margareteas Margarete
    Yuma Amecke
    • Annchenas Annchen
    Thibault Sérié
    Thibault Sérié
    • Gustavas Gustav
    Josef Bierbichler
    Josef Bierbichler
    • The Stewardas The Steward
    Gabriela Maria Schmeide
    • The Steward's Wifeas The Steward's Wife
    • (as Gabriela-Maria Schmeide)
    Janina Fautz
    Janina Fautz
    • Ernaas Erna
    • Director
      • Michael Haneke
    • Writer
      • Michael Haneke(story) (screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    From July, 1913 to the outbreak of World War I, a series of incidents take place in a German village. A horse trips on a wire and throws the rider; a woman falls to her death through rotted planks; the local baron's son is hung upside down in a mill; parents slap and bully their children; a man is cruel to his long-suffering lover; another sexually abuses his daughter. People disappear. A callow teacher, who courts a nanny in the baron's household, narrates the story and tries to investigate the connections among these accidents and crimes. What is foreshadowed? Are the children holy innocents? God may be in His heaven, but all is not right with the world; the center cannot hold. —<jhailey@hotmail.com>
    protestant ethicsexual abusefather daughter incestpedophileyear 1914364 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • History
      • Mystery
      • Thriller
    • Certificate
      • 15
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Most of the adults are not given names in the film, instead being called Pastor, Baron, Steward, etc. This includes the narrator, who is only known as The School Teacher.
    • Goofs
      In the scene when the farmer sits next to his wife's corpse, the actress's breathing is noticeable.
    • Quotes

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

    • Crazy credits
      The opening and closing credits are shown in complete silence. There is no music or other sounds during both entire credit sequences.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Cannes Film Festival 2009 (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      O Sacred Head Now Wounded
      (uncredited)

      Lyrics from a mediaeval Latin poem

      Music by Hans Leo Hassler

      Sung in the church

    User reviews224

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Exquisite and brooding mood-piece
    Few film auteurs can match the consistency of Michael Haneke, and once again the Austrian filmmaker has come up trumps with an exquisite and brooding mediation on repression, tradition and the sins of the father.

    Shot in stunning black and white, the film chronicles a series of mysterious events in a town leading up to the outbreak of WWI. The pace is slow and thoughtful, and the film is reference to August Sander while being a respectful throwback to the German expressionists whose work would come out of the horrors the film's narrative seems to foreshadow.

    The hallmarks of Haneke's body of work are all there – elegiac tone, clinical editing, wincingly frank dialogue – but in many ways The White Ribbon stands alone in the canon. It is a challenging work that will polarise audiences but represents a breathtaking new wave not just in the director's career but in European cinema.

    Some might say the film's inherent flaw is that there is no-one to root for, but this is perhaps its key strength. It's certainly plausible that this is Haneke's intention: he wants to position us as mute outsiders to a slowly creeping menace, unable to have a say in the invisible horrors that await us. The result is a deadening and thoroughly rewarding experience - a combination few filmmakers could hope to achieve.
    helpful•191
    75
    • mensch-2
    • May 21, 2009

    FAQ3

    • What is "The White Ribbon" about?
    • Is the movie based on a book?
    • What does the title mean?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 13, 2009 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • Austria
      • France
      • Italy
      • Canada
    • Official sites
      • Official site (Austria)
      • Official site (France)
    • Languages
      • German
      • Italian
      • Polish
      • Latin
    • Also known as
      • The White Tape or the Teacher's Tale
    • Filming locations
      • Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
    • Production companies
      • X-Filme Creative Pool
      • Wega Film
      • Les Films du Losange
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $18,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,222,862
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $59,848
      • Jan 3, 2010
    • Gross worldwide
      • $19,319,671
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 24 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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