Code Unknown

Ambitious and complex, Code Unknown is a fascinating study of the subtle connections and barriers between people and the difficulty of communicating in the modern world. Composed almost entirely of brilliantly shot, single-take vignettes focusing on characters linked to one seemingly minor incident on a Paris street – a youth scornfully tosses a crumpled paper bag into the outstretched hands of a Romanian beggar – Haneke’s film, with an outstanding international cast headlined by Juliette Binoche, is a revelatory examination of racial inequality and the failure of communication between individuals, cultures, and social classes in an increasingly diverse modern landscape.