In the 1870s, Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Vicky Krieps) – who fondly goes by ‘Sisi’ – yearns for a life away from the spotlight to be able to do as she pleases. As she approaches her 40th birthday, she finds herself increasingly suffocated by strict protocol and ceremonial duties. Struggling to maintain her flawless image (and her sanity), Sisi devises with a plan to protect her legacy by rebelling against the Austro-Hungarian empire.

Austria’s official submission in the Best International Film Oscar category, Corsage puts a refreshingly irreverent and feminist spin on the period biopic genre in this playful look at one of the world’s first celebrity royals.