8:00 PM, 20th September, 2006
Hidden, directed by Michael Haneke (The Piano Teacher), tells the story of Georges (Auteuil), his wife Anne (Binoche) and their teenage son Pierrot (Lester Makedonsky). Georges hosts a chat show on Paris television and, as the film opens, he is apparently successful and happy.Things start to unravel for Georges when the family begin to receive mysterious and ominous videotapes and postcards, the latter featuring disturbing hand-drawn images of violence. As the harassment continues, Georges handles things badly, putting strain on his relationships with his family. Then, the re-emergence of a key figure from Georgess childhood requires him to deal with some long-suppressed guilt. Eventually, Pierrot and Anne's relationship is shown to be under stress as well, in a sub-plot which may or may not have a crucial connection with the mystery of the central story.Haneke certainly doesn't hand us the answers we might be seeking on a plate; if you want to "solve" the mystery of the main story arc you will need to pay very close attention to the visual clues that are scattered almost absent-mindedly throughout the film. In particular, watch carefully the last, lingering shot of the film (on the steps outside the school) - an essential clue is included here. Of course, you could just enjoy Hidden for the study of paranoia, stress and guilt that it is, without worrying too much about "whodunit".
Kevin Easton