corsage

Corsage

Directed by Marie Kreutzer
Austria | 2022 | Narrative
113 minutes | English, French, German & Hungarian

In this stylish, fictionalized biopic, Austrian Empress Elisabeth (Vicky Krieps, “The Phantom Thread”) is idolized for her beauty and renowned for inspiring fashion trends. But in 1877, as “Sissi” celebrates her 40th birthday, she must fight to maintain her public image by lacing her corset tighter and tighter. While Elisabeth’s role has been reduced against her wishes to purely performative, her hunger for knowledge and zest for life make her more and more restless in Vienna. She travels to England and Bavaria, visiting former lovers and old friends, seeking the excitement and purpose of her youth. With a future of strictly ceremonial duties laid out in front of her, Elisabeth rebels against the hyperbolized image of herself and comes up with a plan to protect her legacy. Director Marie Kreutzer’s “The Ground Beneath My Feet” screened in the 2019 SLIFF. “Corsage” was recently selected as Austria’s official Oscar® entry for Best International Feature Film for the 95th annual awards presentation in March 2023.