Oscar-winning director Michael Haneke has joined the list of numerous celebrities who have criticized the #MeToo movement by calling it a 'witch hunt'.

'I regard this hysteria of rash judgments that is spreading at the moment as absolutely disgusting,' director and screenwriter Haneke said in an interview with the Austrian Kurier.

The viral campaign #MeToo has gone global as victims of sexual assault and harassment used the hashtag to share their harrowing experiences online.

But Haneke believes that 'people are just being finished off in the media, [their] lives and careers are being ruined'.

Oscar-winning director Michael Haneke (pictured in May 2017) has joined the list of numerous celebrities who have criticized the #MeToo movement by calling it a 'witch hunt'

Haneke is the public figure to criticize the movement. Last month, French actress, Catherine Deneuve (left) and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (right) also warned the movement was doing more harm than good

'Any kind of rape or [sexual] coercion should be punished,' he stressed, but what bothers him about the ongoing debate around allegations of sexual abuse targeting celebrities is its 'totally unperceived malignance, the blind rage that is not based on facts'.

Haneke did stress that his views have 'nothing to do with the fact that every sexual and every violent assault – both against women and men – should be condemned and punished', but, he said, 'a witch hunt should be left in the Middle Ages'.

'This new man-hating puritanism that comes in the wake of the #MeToo movement worries me,' he said.

Haneke also questioned the authenticity of some allegations. According to Haneke, many of the accusations are related to the incidents that happened '20 or 30 years ago'.

Michael Haneke is best known for such films as Funny Games (1997), Caché (2005), The White Ribbon (2009) and Amour (2012).

He has won two Palms d'Or and the Golden Globe Award. His film Amour also won an Academy Award in the category of Best Foreign Language Film and received four other nominations.

Haneke is the latest celebrity or public figure to criticize the movement.

Last month, French actress, Catherine Deneuve, led a group of 100 French artists and intellectuals in signing a letter suggesting the #MeToo movement had turned into a 'witch-hunt' that threatened sexual freedom.

The letter said men are being unfairly targeted by sexual misconduct allegations and should be free to hit on women.

Deneuve later apologized to sexual abuse victims, but stood by the letter.

The #MeToo phrase was created by social activist and community organizer, Tarana Burke (left) in 2006, but Alyssa Milano (right) resurrected the phrase shortly after the numerous sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations came out against Harvey Weinstein

Following the Weinstein (pictured) allegations, numerous women, and some men, came forward about alleged sexual harassment incidents in Hollywood

Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also warned the movement was doing more harm than good.

Rice said she believes the #MeToo movement is a good thing - but people need to be careful not to let it turn women into 'snowflakes'.

The former US Secretary of State discussed the movement, in an interview with CNN last month.

'Let's not turn women into snowflakes,' the 63-year-old said. 'Let's not infantilize women.'

The #MeToo phrase was created by social activist and community organizer, Tarana Burke in 2006 as a part of a grassroots campaign to promote 'empowerment through empathy' among women of color who have experienced sexual abuse, particularly within underprivileged communities.

Actress Alyssa Milano resurrected the phrase shortly after the numerous sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations came out against Harvey Weinstein.

Actresses Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan were two of the first women to come forward against Weinstein, followed by actress Asia Argento, who accused Weinstein of rape.

Then Hollywood A-listers Gwyneth Paltrow, Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie claimed that they were also harassed by Weinstein early on in their careers.

Following the Weinstein allegations, numerous women, and some men, came forward about alleged sexual harassment incidents in Hollywood.

Former Today host, Matt Lauer, music mogul Russell Simmons and former CBS anchor and TV legend Charlie Rose were all accused of sexual harassment. All were either fired or forced to step down from their positions.