Strand Releasing has secured North American distribution rights to director Ulrike Ottinger’s “The Blood Countess,” a darkly comedic vampire film featuring acclaimed actress Isabelle Huppert. The film made its world debut at the Berlin Film Festival’s Special Gala section earlier this year and will arrive in U.S. theaters with a September 17 premiere at Fantastic Fest, followed by a theatrical rollout planned for spring 2027.
The project marks a significant milestone for Ottinger, a prominent figure in German avant-garde cinema. She conceived the screenplay nearly three decades ago, collaborating with Nobel Prize-winning author Elfriede Jelinek on the final script. The film draws inspiration from the historical figure of Countess Elizabeth Báthory, the 16th-century Hungarian aristocrat infamous in folklore as a murderer. Rather than adopting a realistic approach, Ottinger crafted Huppert’s vampire character as an commanding, mythical figure who awakens from centuries of slumber and journeys through Vienna alongside her devoted maid in pursuit of a mysterious tome.
Marcus Hu of Strand Releasing expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, noting the distributor’s established relationship with Huppert through previous releases. Ottinger employed elaborate costumes, intricate production design, and a stylized Vienna setting to subvert conventional vampire film tropes. The supporting cast includes Birgit Minichmayr, Lars Eidinger, Thomas Schubert, and international personality Tom Neuwirth.
Originally reported by Variety →
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