...acquired by Steven Rales, founder of Indian Paintbrush, longtime producer and financier of the films of Wes Anderson.

Criterion and Janus Films have acquired four of auteur Michael Haneke‘s never before seen catalog titles that have been restored in 4K by Les Films du Losange, it was revealed at the Cannes Film Festival.

Initially produced and shot for Austria’s TV ORF, the four titles were directed by Haneke between 1976 and 1993. This is the first time these films have been restored and brought to the rest of the world. Les Films du Losange cleared the rights and restored the films, with the support of the Austrian Film Institute. Haneke led the restorations himself.

The titles include 1979 pair “Lemmings Tale 1: Arcadia” that follows the coming-of-age of teenagers in a small town in Austria in the fall of 1959 and “Lemmings Tale 2: Injuries” that follows the same characters 20 years later.

In “Three Paths to the Lake” (1976), Elisabeth Matrei comes to Klagenfurt, in Austria, to vacation with her widowed father. There, she reflects about her childhood and her romantic life.

“Rebellion” (1993) follows Andreas Pum who returns from the Great War with one leg amputated. Proud of serving his Emperor on the battlefield, he looks forward to enjoying a decent life, but things don’t go according to plan.

Alice Lesort, head of international sales at Les Films du Losange, said: “Criterion and Janus Films is a exceptional house for heritage films. Partners for decades, whether on the films of Rohmer, Barbet Schroeder, or more recently Jean Eustache, we are delighted that these new restorations by Michael Haneke are being brought to the American public by Criterion and Janus, in whom Haneke has complete confidence.”

“Michael Haneke is one of the greatest contemporary filmmakers. Producers of his films for over 20 years, and distributors of his catalog in France and abroad, it is a great joy for the Losange team to continue to showcase his work through these restorations. These films, initially made for television, carry within them the genesis of everything that would make Michael Haneke’s cinema great,” Lesort added.

One of the most thrilling movie epics of all time, SEVEN SAMURAI tells the story of a sixteenth-century village whose desperate inhabitants hire the eponymous warriors to protect them from invading bandits. This three-hour ride from Akira Kurosawa—featuring legendary actors Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura—seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action, into a rich, evocative, and unforgettable tale of courage and hope. In theaters 7/5/24!

70th anniversary 4K restoration by Toho Co. Ltd.