I've never let producers tell me what to do. Even when I was making television, I always did what I wanted to do, and if I couldn't, I didn't do it. It was a freedom that, these days, young directors starting out don't have.

Haneke was raised in the city of Wiener Neustadt and later attended the University of Vienna to study philosophy psychology and drama after failing to achieve success in his early attempts in acting and music. Haneke has made films in French German and in English. At the 2009 Cannes Film Festival his film The White Ribbon won the Palme d'Or for best film and at the 67th Golden Globe Awards the film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Michael Haneke (German pronunciation: [ˈhaːnəkə]; born 23 March 1942) is an Austrian filmmaker and screenwriter best known for his bleak and disturbing style. Haneke has made films in French German and in English. He is also known for raising social issues in his work.