Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, and Brady Corbet in Funny Games Courtesy of Warner Independent Pictures

But there's an element that these people sort of — do they deserve this? Do they deserve to be tortured?
Well of course in that compound there, that gated villa that they barricade themselves behind, is one of the reasons later on that they die. If you want to read it as a metaphor, sure.

To follow up on the question about class warfare, could you say that the warfare is between the director and these people?
Who is the revolutionary class in your scenario? [laughs]

You've said in the past that Funny Games is about the portrayal of violence in the media and film. But maybe this film is really about anarchy. How much is anarchy a motivating force for the two young men in the film, and is there a part of you that wanted to create a little bit of anarchy yourself by making it?
That depends a little on your definition of anarchy. What do you mean by anarchy?

Creating chaos.
The goal of an artist is always to create form. Without form, art doesn't exist.

But aren't you trying to explode the form of film? Aren't you trying to blow up traditionally violent Hollywood films by making this movie?
It's a Trojan Horse, for sure, yes.

Could you talk a little bit about Naomi Watts?
Well, she is amazing. [laughs]

Why did you want her for this role in particular so much?
I saw her in two prior films, Mulholland Dr. and 21 Grams, and I really admire her work. She portrays a certain vulnerability that I thought was really perfect for this role, and I think she is one of the best actresses in the English-speaking world.

They say that you're very specific in your direction. How do you manage to focus an actor's awareness of what they are doing to serve the film?
You can't really answer that in a general way. It completely depends on each situation, in each scene. Sometimes you work out of the atmosphere; you try to create a certain atmosphere; you try to direct them within that atmosphere. Sometimes it's easier just to show them what you want them to do. Again, you can't generalize. I also teach film direction back home in Austria and I always tell my students, you can't have a principle that applies to all situations. You have to love your actors, you have to be attentive to them and you have to give them a feeling that they can trust you — that's the most important thing.