Qualitative and Semiotic Analyses on Michael Haneke's Cinema in the Context of Alienation: ‘‘City Trilogy’’

Abstract

This article aims to conduct semiotic and qualitative analyses of Michael Haneke's urban trilogy, a film that holds a significant place in world cinema, within the framework of the concept of alienation in his work. In this context, the films that form the basis of this study, The Seventh Continent, Benny's Video, and 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance, were examined and analyzed in detail. Based on the analyses, Haneke focuses on nearly the same themes in all three films. He frequently touches upon the concept of alienation in his films, often addressing issues such as social decay, suicide, media, violence, and death. Michael Heneke challenges traditional film narratives by exploring the crisis and loneliness brought about by modernism. Unlike Hollywood and similar pop-culture films, Heneke aims to expose social problems, raise awareness, and foster a cognitive process in the audience.