Writers and filmakers, that is, people who describe the world, suffer from an occupational disease. They never experience moments in life quite spontaneously. You always look at yourself from the outside. Even as a child I always observed myself and the world. I believe that everyone who chooses this path in any way, who chooses to be a describer of life, suffers from this condition. It's like a mental obsession. It can be a great pity too. It robs you of a certain joy in spontaneity.
Michael HanekeIt became a gamble to myself whether I was able to do the exact same film ["Funny Games"]under very different circumstances.
Michael HanekeOf course, we avoid death. To know something is inevitable is one thing. To accept, to truly feel it... that's different.
Michael HanekeWhat I like are films that take me seriously, that don't treat me as more stupid than I am.
Michael HanekeI make my films because I'm affected by a situation, by something that makes me want to reflect on it, that lends itself to an artistic reflection. I always aim to look directly at what I'm dealing with. I think it's a task of dramatic art to confront us with things that in the entertainment industry are usually swept under the rug.
Michael Haneke