The first photos!

Shooting starts for Huppert as Viennese horror legend

from left to right: Isabelle Huppert, Ulrike Ottinger, Birgit Minichmayr(Bild: © AMOUR FOU / Petro Domenigg)

Filming has begun in Vienna on the vampire film "Die Blutgräfin" by Ulrike Ottinger. In her new work, the multi-award-winning director deals with the legend of Erzsébet Báthory. 

The leading roles are played by Isabelle Huppert as the Blood Countess and Birgit Minichmayr as the maid. The dialog was written with the help of Elfriede Jelinek.

Thomas Schubert, Lars Eidinger, André Jung, Marco Lorenzini, Maresi Riegner, Karl Markovics, Inge Maux, Tom Neuwirth alias Conchita Wurst, Noah Saavedra, Valentin Postlmayr and Burghart Klaußner can also be seen in central roles. Martin Gschlacht ("Des Teufels Bad") is directing the camera, Christina Schaffer ("The Girl with a Pearl Earring") is responsible for the production design, Jorge Jara is designing the costumes and Pia Dumont is in charge of the montage.

f.l.t.r.: Martin Gschlacht (DoP), Bady Minck (producer), Isabelle Huppert, Ulrike Ottinger (director), Birgit Minichmayr, Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu (producer)(Bild: © AMOUR FOU / Petro Domenigg)

"The world is upside down"
 "The world is upside down, and events are repeating themselves in an uncanny way: this is the right time for the Blood Countess to wake up from her deep sleep and feast on the present," Ottinger is quoted as saying in a press release on Saturday. "Vienna, with its historic buildings and timeless flair, is the perfect crime scene for this. With her sophistication, beauty and calculation, the Blood Countess casts a spell over all those who serve her, flee from her or pursue her."

Funded by the Vienna Film Fund, the film is produced by Amour Fou Vienna, Amour Fou Luxembourg and Heimatfilm. The film was shot in Vienna, Lower Austria, Luxembourg and Cologne.