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Production and release of film Die Blutgräfin

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2026-10-29 08:38 UTC → 2026-10-31 10:02 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The film ‘Die Blutgräfin’ (The Blood Countess), directed by Ulrike Ottinger, features Isabelle Huppert in the role of Erzsébet Báthory. Co-written by Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek, the production is described as a “luminous fantasy” and a blackly humorous vampire satire that blends historical myth with contemporary settings, such as Vienna’s U2 subway tunnels. The narrative follows the immortal Countess as she navigates an idealized version of Vienna and its underground catacombs alongside her maid, Hermine, played by Birgit Minichmayr. The plot involves a mysterious book that threatens the vampire realm, pursued by characters including a psychotherapist, a police inspector, and a vegetarian nephew. Rather than a strict historical or psychological study, the film utilizes camp avant-garde elements and a stylized, theatrical approach to explore themes of resurrection and decadence. Following its Austrian premiere at the Viennale, the film recently held its Salzburg premiere at Das Kino. The ~~cinematic adaptation~~ production, which features a cast including Lars Eidinger, André Jung, and Karl Markovics, has also begun its theatrical release in Germany. The film revisits the legend of the Hungarian noblewoman, who was arrested in 1610 following allegations of crimes against her servants. While folklore suggests she murdered hundreds of women to bathe in their blood to preserve her youth, historians note that evidence relied heavily on testimonies obtained under torture, leaving the exact number of ~~victims—ranging from dozens to as many as 650—a~~ victims a subject of debate. ~~The film approaches this dark myth through the lens of a horror-comedy.~~

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