Magnifying the Vampire Enigma: “The Blood Countess,” featuring Isabelle Huppert portraying the infamous 16th-century Hungarian serial killer, Countess Elizabeth Báthory.
Under the guidance of celebrated German New Wave director Ulrike Ottinger, this film draws inspiration from the life and folklore surrounding Countess Elizabeth Báthory. The script for this production was crafted by Ottinger in collaboration with Elfriede Jelinek, a Nobel laureate in Literature and renowned author known for her work “The Piano Teacher.
In the movie titled “Daughters,” Maxime Huppert acts alongside Birgit Minichmayr, Lars Eidinger, Thomas Schubert, and André Jung. The film features these talented actors in the roles of ‘Daughters’, ‘Dying’, ‘Afire’, and ‘The Forger’ respectively.
Next week, “The Blood Countess” is set to attend the European Film Market (EFM), one of Europe’s most buzzing projects. Magnify’s sales team, headed by Lorna Lee Torres, will be presenting this movie to potential buyers at the event.
In this retelling, Huppert portrays Countess Elizabeth Báthory, also known as ‘The Blood Countess’. After a prolonged slumber, she rises from the shadows of the underworld. Accompanied by her loyal servant (played by Birgit Minichmayr), they embark on an ornate journey across Vienna in search of the crimson elixir of eternal life. If this ancient tome falls into the hands of their vampire adversaries, it could jeopardize their supernatural domain. In hot pursuit are a vegetarian relative (Thomas Schubert), his psychologist (Lars Eidinger), two scholars specializing in vampires, a detective, and an array of colorful characters, adding a touch of humor to this convoluted tale of vampires.
Magnify described ‘The Blood Countess’ as an engaging and quirkily eccentric vampire mystery, with a lively ensemble of characters, centering around the mesmerizing Blood Countess. They stated that the narrative is presented as a captivating visual treasure hunt through history and modernity, blending humor, style, and intelligence. This re-entry of Ottinger’s work to an international audience craving visually striking, bold, and intelligent genre films seems just right.
As a movie reviewer, I’d say: “I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing a film born from the collective vision of three remarkable producers – Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu, who brought us ‘Ingeborg Bachmann’ – Journey into the desert’, Bady Minck, known for ‘Hinterland’, and Bettina Brokemper, whose work graced ‘The Devil’s Bath’. These talented minds from Amour Fou Vienna, Amour Fou Luxembourg, and Heimatfilm respectively are the driving forces behind this upcoming production.
The main team is headed by cinematographer Martin Gschlacht, who gained recognition for his work on “The Devil’s Bath”, which received the Silver Bear at the Berlinale last year; costume designer Jorge Jara (known for “Freak Orlando”), and production designer Christina Schaffer (“The Girl With a Pearl Earring”).
Martin Gschlacht, who was behind the camera for “The Devil’s Bath”, which won the Silver Bear at Berlinale last year, leads our creative team. This team also includes costume designer Jorge Jara, famous for “Freak Orlando”, and production designer Christina Schaffer, known for her work on “The Girl With a Pearl Earring”.
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In charge of our team is Martin Gschlacht, the cinematographer from “The Devil’s Bath” which earned the Silver Bear at Berlinale last year. Also part of the crew are costume designer Jorge Jara, who has worked on “Freak Orlando”, and production designer Christina Schaffer, known for her work on “The Girl With a Pearl Earring”.
Ottinger, recognized for films like “Madame X – An Absolute Ruler,” “Ticket of No Return,” and “Freak Orlando,” commented that “It’s fitting for the Blood Countess to emerge from her long slumber and appreciate the current state” since “The world seems to be turned on its head, and history appears to be repeating itself in a chilling fashion.
Vienna, adorned with its ancient architecture and eternal charm, presents an ideal setting for a crime. The Blood Countess, with her refined elegance, captivating beauty, and cunning intellect, enchants everyone who works for her, avoids her, or chases after her, as Ottinger described.
The movie director has been honored for her achievements, receiving recognition even at the Berlin Film Festival, where she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement prize in the year 2020.
Our impressive collection additionally features “The Botanist,” a Berlin Generation Kplus pick by Magnify; “Obex,” a mesmerizing sci-fi film by Albert Birney, which was selected for Sundance; the animated masterpiece “Endless Cookie” from Seth and Peter Scriver, also chosen for Sundance; “Filipinana,” currently in post-production, a project in collaboration with Film4 by Rafael Manuel; and “Place of Ghosts,” an upcoming genre thriller by Bretten Hannam, also in its post-production phase.
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2025-02-04 18:49