The Seventh Continent

Der Siebente Kontinent

Dir. Michael Haneke

Austria 1989 | Colour | 104 mins | Cert 18 | Drama

Cast: Birgit Doll, Dieter Berner, Leni Tanzer

Based on a true story, Haneke’s first theatrical feature is a disturbing portrait of familial disintegration in his native Austria.  Set over a three-year period, it documents how the mundane day-to-day routines of a middle-class family alienate them from the world and each other until, suddenly and shockingly, their lives self-destruct. Addressing themes that would inform much of his later work – the breakdown of society, violence and the media – The Seventh Continent is both intelligent and masterfully composed. 

Available on: DVD