Being one of the most incendiary filmmakers of the past couple of decades, Michael Haneke’s projects are always highly anticipated. Having focused on screen violence in both the European and US versions of FUNNY GAMES, the causes of World War I in THE WHITE RIBBON and the nature of love beyond pensionable age in AMOUR, his next movie (though he probably wouldn’t like it to be called that) FLASHMOB concerns a distinctly 21st century phenomenon. Known to the wider world through its use in advertising, flashmobbing is a random, often mystifying event performed live without warning by a group of conspirators. Random and mystifying isn’t a bad way to describe Haneke’s own work so this could be an excellent fit and not just a case of an elderly man attempting to get down with the trends.
Taking place partly in America, the narrative (again apologies to Mr Haneke if he’s reading, I know you probably wouldn’t call it that) follows the performers of the title event, who convene via the internet to launch a surprise happening in a public location. Going on past form, this could well be something appallingly violent and beyond the pale or the director could be showing his softer side with, say, a mass handout of fragrant bouquets. I know which option is the likelier.
With funding from the Austrian Film Institute, FLASHMOB is reportedly to start shooting in Summer. I’m not a fan of Haneke’s output – he had two hours of my life with HIDDEN that I’ll never get back and I found THE WHITE RIBBON a rudderless excuse for a lot of sadism – but at least he’s one of those polarizing figures who is always guaranteed to start a dialogue.
Source: IndieWire
