At the Tokyo International Film Festival, veteran German filmmaker Ulrike Ottinger expressed her disappointment over significant cuts made to her vampire film, “The Blood Countess.” The film, featuring the renowned Isabelle Huppert as a countess who reemerges in modern-day Vienna, premiered at the Berlinale in February and faced a reduction of 15 to 20 minutes against Ottinger’s wishes.
The Altered Vision of ‘The Blood Countess’
During a special discussion at the festival, Ottinger addressed the alterations made to “The Blood Countess,” stating, “The film originally had a wonderful rhythm, exactly as it was. Then I began cutting it because everyone was forcing me to. Once I started shortening it, the rhythm no longer worked.” She subsequently had to recut the entire film to restore its balance for the shorter version, noting, “From my point of view, it’s perfect now, but it was a big job to rework it again.”
A Costly Production
Ottinger revealed that this project was the most expensive she has tackled, initially aiming for 40 shooting days but receiving only 30. The production team exceeded 100 people, which Ottinger felt was excessive, stating, “I would rather have worked with half that number, more closely together, and had more days in return.” She pointed to extensive safety measures as a primary reason for the increased costs, describing many as “completely excessive, senseless, and bureaucratic.”
Reflecting on her past, Ottinger recalled making high-quality films for around €2.5 million to €3 million ($2.9 million to $3.5 million) but noted that contemporary requirements lead to budgets of at least €7 million to €8 million ($8 million to $9.2 million). “That’s also why I no longer produce my own films,” she stated.
Inspiration and Casting Choices
The film’s setting in Vienna, including its historical sites such as the Narrenturm and Habsburg burial grounds, served as significant sources of inspiration for Ottinger. She said, “All these things inspired me very much. That’s also why I chose the vampire genre.” Her cast was carefully selected based on their versatility, with Huppert having been attached to the project for 20 years and Lars Eidinger expressing strong enthusiasm to join.
Positioning Within German Cinema
Describing her place in the film industry, Ottinger regards herself as an outsider to traditional German cinema, favoring visually-driven narratives over psychological dramas. Reflecting on her career, she quipped, “Perhaps when you get older, critics no longer dare to attack you quite so readily.”
Funding Challenges in Contemporary Cinema
A larger discussion at the festival included insight from Barbara Wurm, the Austrian head of the Berlinale’s Forum section. She revealed that since January 1, 2025, the federal film board in Germany, the FFA, has changed its funding model, benefiting only those films that achieve admissions or festival successes. Wurm criticized this shift, stating, “This is a funding model geared toward a small number of films receiving large amounts of money. That’s not beneficial for the breadth of the film landscape,” which she argued leaves smaller films and documentaries at a disadvantage.
Wurm also noted that the Forum, curated by the Arsenal film institute, is not included on the FFA’s points list, which favors major festivals like the Berlinale and Cannes. She advocated for a more inclusive funding approach, emphasizing the need for support across a diverse range of films, stating, “For the diversity of the film landscape, I would always argue for the opposite, namely funding many films, including small and unseen ones.”
As funding practices evolve, federal support for the film industry is poised to change, with culture minister Wolfram Weimer announcing a nearly doubled budget for economic film funding in 2026. While the challenges around festival selection and funding persist, Wurm highlighted a broader shift where nationality is less critical than collaboration with German production companies.
