Wie der Mond über Feuer und Blut

Axel Corti: ‘No, this film is not a eulogy, but the observation of a woman who makes politics in the Baroque era, who mobilises her own power and thus challenges the power of those around her. She pulls herself out of the mud by her own bootstraps.’

The first year of a young ruler, Maria Theresa, who initially believes she can achieve more with her people ‘with love and affection than with cunning and calculation’. Reality looks different and catches up with her: The country is bankrupt, her ministers are closest to themselves, the population is revolting - and enemies are threatening from outside. She loses small and large battles until she realises that state leadership demands calculation and reason. (Text: Florian Widegger, Filmarchiv Austria)