Strand Releasing has acquired North American distribution rights to Ulrike Ottinger's "The Blood Countess," a baroque black comedy starring Isabelle Huppert as the notorious Hungarian noblewoman Countess Elizabeth Báthory. The acquisition comes ahead of the film's North American premiere at Fantastic Fest on 17 September, following its earlier world premiere in the Berlinale Special Gala section. Strand plans a theatrical release in spring 2027, marking another collaboration with Huppert after previous releases including "Abuse of Weakness" and "Time of the Wolf."

The film reimagines Báthory as an imperious, mythic vampire figure who awakens after centuries of slumber and journeys through Vienna with her maid Hermine, searching for a book that could destroy her. Ottinger co-wrote the screenplay with Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek, having first conceived the project in 1998, more than 25 years before its completion, with Huppert attached in spirit from early on. The cast also includes Birgit Minichmayr, Lars Eidinger, Thomas Schubert, André Jung and Tom Neuwirth (Conchita Wurst), while Strand currently has "Barbara Forever" and a restored "Mysterious Skin" in release, alongside Mexico's Oscar entry "On the Road" upcoming.