Is the usually grim and ruthless Michael Haneke becoming an old softie? The director, who is gearing up to shoot his next film early in the new year, has quietly changed the title from “These Two” to “Love.” Awww.
The film will find Haneke reteaming with Isabelle Huppert (”The Piano Teacher,” “Time of the Wolf”) and will also star French icon Jean-Louis Trintignant in a story that will center “on cultured octogenarians Georges (Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva), who are retired music teachers. Their daughter (Huppert), also a musician, lives abroad with her family. One day, Anne suffers a minor stroke. When she leaves the hospital and returns home, she is paralysed down one side. The love that binds this old couple will really be put to the test.” So yeah, Haneke hasn’t quite abandoned his attraction to tough material just yet.
The film is scheduled to start a 40-day shoot in February, which could possibly mean a fall premiere at Venice or TIFF. You might want to pack some hankies just in case. [Cineuropa via IonCinema]