Sissi, en svärmisk och frihetsälskande 16-åring, åker av en händelse med sin mor och sin syster till det tyska hovet. Där träffar hon kejsaren och de blir kära. Baserad på en verklig händelse.
Efter en härlig tid i Ungern blir Sissi lungsjuk. Hon ordineras vila och miljöombyte, men läkarna har föga hopp om hennes överlevnad. Den unga kejsarinnans mor tar med sig dottern till Madeiras stärkande medelhavsklimat.
Den andra filmen i en trilogi av filmer om Elisabeth "Sissi" av Österrike, handlar om det gifta livet den unga kejsarinna lever och det formella och strikta livet i palatset hon nu måste anpassa sig till, samt en överlägsen svärmor.
After an elaborate application process, Empress Elisabeth of Austria hires Countess Irma as her new lady-in-waiting and takes her to her summer residence on Corfu. As the two women become closer there, this soon leads to tensions back in Vienna.
The Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph falls in love with the young Elisabeth. It's love at first sight but Franz Joseph's mother Sophie doesn't approve this love.
September 11, 1898: The imperial family’s personal physician, Dr. Herman Widerhofer, is deeply shocked by the news that an anarchist has assassinated Empress Elisabeth in Geneva. He then shuts himself up in his private rooms and recalls the empress’ fateful life. We learn the truth about Elisabeth, as the doctor knew more about her than anyone else.
The Habsburg Dynasty had ruled large parts of Europe and the world for 650 years. During World War I, however, the mighty Austro-Hungarian Empire sowed the seeds of its own demise. At the height of World War I, the world of the Habsburgs was on the brink of collapse. Almost exactly 100 years ago to the day, in April 1918, the most sensitive diplomatic mission of the First World War became a Europe-wide scandal: the so-called "Sixtus Affair". Secret negotiations between the Austrian imperial family and France were supposed to bring peace to the Danube monarchy – and their failure caused the war to escalate and the Habsburgs to fall.
The film tells the story of Laxenburg from 13th century, when it was used for hunting and fishing trips by the imperial Habsburg family, to modern day, a popular summer resort and a bustling international community.
Today Laxenburg is also home to IIASA, the Austrian Film Archive, and the International Anti-Corruption Academy. The film will also feature these organizations, their history, and the important work they do in the field of research and diplomacy that goes far beyond Austria's borders.
Kejsarinnan Elisabeth av Österrike är en fri själ, men i äktenskapet med Frans Josef förväntas hon leva på ett kungligt sätt, med en kejserlig livsstil. Elisabeth har svårt att anpassa sig till det inrutade livet i hovet. Hon bestämmer sig för att fly därifrån, ut till folket och deras bekymmerslösa tillvaro.