With an audience of millions, “Waidmannsdank” leads the country crime drama ratings ranking – on Tuesday, January 7th, 2025, at 8:15 p.m. on ORF 1 and on Monday, January 6th, at 8:15 p.m. on ORF ON, Jutta Fastian and Pia Hierzegger is once again looking for clues in Carinthia. “I’m cold to my soul” is the title of this new film from the ORF successful format, which was filmed in Ossiach, Bodensdorf, Feldkirchen and Landskron, among others, and has already won the main prize and the special prize for Linde Prelog at the 2024 German Television Crime Festival in Wiesbaden was named Best Actress. When three elderly women are found dead in the cold, dark winter around Lake Ossiach, at least one thing seems certain: the murderer must be from the area…
In February and March 2023, Jutta Fastian and Pia Hierzegger, who was once again responsible for the script, were in front of the camera, including Clemens Berndorff, Alicia von Rittberg, Fritz Karl, Linde Prelog, Kevin Brand and Gerda Drabek. This film, co-produced by ORF and ZDF, was once again directed by Daniel Geronimo Prochaska. After “If you knew how beautiful it is here”, “Waidmannsdank” and “Immerstill”, this is the fourth time the country crime series has stopped in Carinthia.
Lead actress and screenwriter Pia Hierzegger: “As soon as I’m on set, I’m just an actress”
“Acham, a single parent, has to juggle her job. She is happy to see police officer Martina Schober again, who has now been transferred to Lake Ossiach. Acham is brought because an increasing number of old people are suddenly dying there. We tried to talk about the loneliness of old people and still not lose the sense of humor. The team of investigators was expanded to include Rauchberger. He likes to eat and would prefer to solve the cases on the computer.” Hierzegger says about her dual role as screenwriter and leading actress: “As soon as I’m on set, I’m just an actress. Then Daniel Prochaska takes over and that’s a good thing. Every now and then I can still help if a dialogue doesn’t work so well or if something needs to be deleted and I know best whether that will have an impact on the rest of the story.” About the country crime series: “The country crime stories don’t have to be classic ones be crime novels. Whether it’s the police or the suspects, the focus is always on people and their relationships. I can write about an area that I like and know well, I can incorporate experiences and observations. But of course a lot has to be invented and exaggerated to make a television film. Shooting was nice. When the sun slowly burns away the fog on Lake Ossiacher See in February, that can happen. And it’s very nice to work behind and in front of the camera with such a great team.”
More about the content
Deaths are increasing around Lake Ossiach this winter. An unknown body washes up on the shore of the mini golf course, a diabetic dies of hyperglycemia on a park bench and another lady is found dead in her house. All of the deceased were old and alone, not least because – unlike in the past – there are hardly any places for communication in the village. No taverns, no social life – the lake area, so popular and lively in summer, is in hibernation. Perhaps these are age-related natural deaths, but police officer Martina Schober (Jutta Fastian) and her superior Christian Rauchberger (Clemens Berndorff) have the feeling that something could be wrong and ask Chief Inspector Acham (Pia Hierzegger) from the LKA Klagenfurt for help.
Although there is no clear evidence of foul play, Acham and Schober investigate and actually come across suspects. For example, real estate agent Fuhrmann (Fritz Karl), who is after the houses of the deceased, the unemployed Mario (Kevin Brand), who is always in need of money, or Jenny (Sophie Aujesky), whose boat rental business is very slow. The two get support from Ute (Alicia von Rittberg), the good soul of the area, who supplies the old people with food from her health food store and selflessly offers them her help – and sometimes finds out more than the police. And what no one wants to believe seems increasingly clear: the murderer must be from the area…
“Until the soul is cold for me” is a co-production by ORF, ZDF, Mona Film and Tivoli Film with support from Fernsehenfonds Austria, FISA+, Carinthia Film Commission and the state of Carinthia.
ORF country crime dramas for streaming
The new ORF country crime thriller “Until the soul is cold for me” is available 24 hours before its TV broadcast and afterwards on ORF ON, where other films from the successful ORF series can also be streamed.
Sequel follows …
There are also other new ORF country thrillers in store: the cases “Acht” (Lower Austria), “Snow of Yesterday” – the first country crime story from East Tyrol -, the Styria films “Steirerwahn” (AT) and “Steirerstich” are already in the can. (AT) and “Death in Tirol” (Tyrol).