Michael Haneke i novi austrijski film.

Michael Haneke is one of the most important authors of modern film, winning some of the most prestigious awards such as the Palme d'Or, Academy Award as well as European film awards. It is precisely his body of work which is indicative of the rise of modern Austrian film, nowadays considered one of the most distinguished European cinemas. The aim of this paper is to provide a broader context within which Haneke emerged, with a special emphasis on the Austrian cinematic history, as well as a wider cultural heritage that has shaped Haneke. Haneke was greatly influenced by the classic Hollywood narrative style, which is an implicit starting point in all of his films, clearly inspired by anti-Hollywood poetics. Apart from analyzing Haneke's most important films, this paper briefly touches upon some of the most important representatives of modern Austrian film, from Ulrich Seidl and Barbara Albert to Stefan Ruzowitzki and Michael Glawogger, whose films contributed to the strength ening of Austrian film's reputation. The conclusion of the paper is that Haneke's reputation is somewhat overrated. Although his best films represent a strong condemnation of the presentation of violence in the media and an effective study of extreme forms of human behavior, his works are often marked by elitism, pretentiousness and mannerist style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]