Filming on Corsage took place over a total of 36 shooting days but split into two parts to exploit the seasons and to convey the passing of time – the first between March and April 2021, the second in June for another month. Production was entirely on location at what Kaufmann describes as a “dizzying number of historic sites that were highly-regulated, and it was often very difficult to obtain the necessary permits.”
These included the Hofburg and Schönbrunn Palaces in Vienna, the castle and town of Eckartsau in Lower Austria, additional castles in Luxembourg, a villa in France, plus other historic sites around Belgium and the city of Ancona, on the Adriatic coast of Italy, for the film’s denouement.
“Corsage was my first collaboration with Marie,” Kaufmann reveals, “and what I found interesting was the very different approach she took towards this mythical figure – for example, the opening scene of the film, in which Elisabeth holds her breath whilst submersing herself in a bath, as her servants time the performance. That is not the kind of thing you expect when you’re told you’re going to make a story about the Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Many scenes contained very little dialogue and had something mysterious, unspoken and also sensual, but Marie is able to narrate very strongly with images that come from the script together with Vicky’s incredible performance.
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