Biography
Veronika Franz, born in 1965 in Vienna, Austria, studied German and philosophy. She entered the film industry through writing, working as a film critic and columnist for the Austrian daily newspaper Kurier. In 1997, she worked as an assistant director for Ulrich Seidl on his TV film "Der Busenfreund" ("The Bosom Friend") and the following year on his medium-length documentary "Spaß ohne Grenzen" ("Fun Without Limits"). This marked the beginning of a long-standing artistic collaboration. Over the years, Franz co-wrote several of Seidl’s acclaimed screenplays, including for "Hundstage" ("Dog Days," 2001), "Import Export" (2007), and the "Paradies" trilogy (2012/2013). In 2003, Franz and Seidl co-founded the Ulrich Seidl Film Production. The two were also romantically involved for a time and have two children together, though the exact duration of their relationship is unknown. Even after their separation, Franz and Seidl continued to work closely together.
Veronika Franz made her directorial debut in 2012, in collaboration with Severin Fiala, Ulrich Seidl’s nephew. Their documentary "Kern," about Austrian author and filmmaker Peter Kern, was screened at film festivals in Locarno, Switzerland, and San Sebastián.
In the following years, Franz and Fiala formed a close creative partnership. Their first feature film, the atmospheric horror film "Ich seh, Ich seh" ("Goodnight Mommy," Austria, 2015), premiered in Venice and went on to win numerous awards, including the Silver Grand Prize and Best European Film Award at the 2024 Sitges Film Festival in Spain, the FIPRESCI Prize at the 2014 Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece, the Vienna Film Prize at the 2015 Viennale, and the Grand Prize at the 2015 Diagonale in Graz. At the 2016 Austrian Film Awards, Fiala and Franz received awards for Best Feature Film (alongside producer Ulrich Seidl) and Best Director. They also received a European Film Award nomination for Best First Feature Film. An American remake, "Goodnight Mommy," starring Naomi Watts was released in 2022.
Their second feature film, "The Lodge" (2019), also in the horror genre, was a British-American co-production. The story follows a young woman confronted by her new partner's increasingly menacing children. "The Lodge" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. in January 2019.
In addition to her directing work, Franz continued to write scripts for Ulrich Seidl's films, including "Im Keller" ("In the Basement," Austria, 2014), "Safari" (Austria, 2016), "Rimini" (Austria, 2022), and "Sparta" (Austria, 2022). In 2020, she was nominated for the title "Austrian of the Year" in the Cultural Heritage category.
For the American mystery series "Servant" (2022/23), Franz and Fiala directed two episodes together. During this time, they also worked on another feature film from an original script: "Des Teufels Bad" ("The Devil’s Bath," Austria/Germany, 2024), set in the 18th century and blending character study with folk horror. The film competed at the 2024 Berlinale, where cinematographer Martin Gschlacht won a Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution. At the Austrian Film Awards, "Des Teufels Bad" received eleven nominations and won in eight categories, including Best Feature Film (produced by Ulrich Seidl), Best Cinematography, and Best Actress (Anja Plaschg). The film was released in Germany in November 2024.