Munich, 15 April 2009. Sumptuous palaces, golden coaches, big emotions - a new screen adaptation of the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria ("Sisi") is underway. The story of the Empress of Hearts, who became a myth during her own lifetime, is being filmed by EOS, Sunset Austria and Publispei for ZDF, ORF and RAI. Shooting on the event two-part miniseries Sisi (working title) begins this Wednesday at Vienna's Hofburg Palace, where scenes will be taped at the Radetzky Apartments and other venues. Shooting is slated to finish in early July at the Hungarian palace of Fertoed. The lead roles are played by up-and-coming Italian star Cristiana Capotondi ("Christmas in Love") as Sisi, Martina Gedeck ("The Live of Others") as Sisi's mother-in-law Archduchess Sophie, noted young talent David Rott ("Die Rebellin") as Emperor Franz Joseph and Fritz Karl ("The Crown Prince") as the Hungarian Count Andrassy. Xaver Schwarzenberger ("Margarethe Steiff") directs.

"Sisi was an idol, a pop star and a style icon at a time when these words didn't even exist," says director Schwarzenberger. "She did things her way and refused to be reined in by conventions. With her rebellious insistence on standing up for her convictions, Sisi can be seen as a role model today as well. What particularly interested me here is the challenge to bring to life a Sisi in tune with our time, and to show all of Sisi's different facets."

The approx. 11-million euro miniseries Sisi (2x90') is a TV production of superlatives. It calls for 2,000 extras who will appear at famous locations such as Schönbrunn Palace and its gardens, Laxenburg Palace, Eckertsau Palace in Lower Austria, Brunnsee Palace in Styria, as well as on the Lido and in the streets of Venice.

For the scenes to be shot at Miramare Palace near Trieste, a historical sailing ship will be brought especially for this purpose to Italy and put to water in the Adriatic Sea. Particularly opulent and stunningly faithful to details are the fittings and décor of the 20 coaches, for which 100 horses are required.  The golden wedding coach of Sisi and Franz is an original six-horse carriage of 1740 that weighs four tons. The vehicle is on loan from the Archbishop of Olomouc (Olmuetz), Czech Republic, and will be presented to a museum after the shooting. Also required are about 700 costumes, many of which will be specifically tailored for Sisi. The Empress alone wears 40 different dresses, including a wedding and a coronation gown.

The life, the beauty, and the tragic death of the Austrian Empress Elisabeth have been fascinating people for generations. Her portrait on porcelain objects and T-shirts is popular not only in Austria. Ernst Marischka's 1950s' "Sissi" trilogy with Romy Schneider and Karlheinz Boehm has been sold by Beta Film in more than 125 countries, including the U.S., Japan, China, Russia and throughout Europe. It still garners record ratings in all age groups today in Germany and around the world. Along with the crime series "Rex - A Cop's Best Friend" and "Derrick," "Sissi" ranks among the most well-known German-language productions of all time throughout the world.

Bad Ischl/Austria, 1853. In a politically explosive era, the liberally raised, life-loving Elisabeth (Cristiana Capotondi) crosses paths with Franz Joseph (David Rott), who was brought up according to strict military principles. It is love at first sight, and Franz - in an unusually emotionally-driven decision - marries her against the will of his severe mother, Archduchess Sophie (Martina Gedeck). The conflict between the two women comes to a head over the education of Sisi's children, since Sisi refuses to hand them over to preceptors following the Habsburg tradition. While she is physically and emotionally at the end of her tether, the Empire itself faces enormous challenges. Only Sisi's great popularity among the people, her liberalizing influence on Franz Joseph and her intervention in favor of the Hungarian cause help keep the country from breaking apart. Appearing in further roles are Herbert Knaup ("Mogadishu") as Duke Maximilian, Xaver Hutter ("Silent Resident") as Franz Joseph's brother Max, and Friedrich von Thun ("Hitler - The Rise of Evil") as Marshal Radetzky.

Sisi is a production of EOS Entertainment GmbH, Sunset Austria GmbH and Publispei SRL for ZDF, ORF and RAI.

For further information and photos:
EOS, Dorothee Stoewahse
Tel: + 49 89 67 34 69 15
www.eos-entertainment.com
dorothee@eos-entertainment.com