Vampires in Vienna

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Vienna Bites

A clan of vampires is haunting one of the world's food capitals.

Vienna is where vampirism first learned its name. In the 18th century, after a number of allegedly vampyristic activities in the far East of the vast Habsburg Empire, Empress Maria Theresa summoned her physician, Gerard van Swieten, to press reason against the dark – to prove the vampire no more than superstition. But the city is hiding a dark secret: Has Van Swieten led us all astray?

The three-minute short film, which kicks off the 2026 theme year “Vienna Bites. Cuisine, Culture, Character,” offers an unusual approach to the topic of cuisine. One of the world's food capitals is haunted by a clan of vampires. Their existence is hidden by an ancient lie. Their victims are fattened up on Vienna's extraordinary gastronomy making their blood irresistible. Viennese chefs are part of the conspiracy: Anton Pozeg (Culinary Director Sacher), Lukas Mraz (Mraz & Sohn), Stefanie Herkner (Zur Herknerin), and Parvin Razavi (&flora).

“Vienna Bites”, created in collaboration with L.A.-based director Bianca Poletti, is an unconventional short film that has already garnered more than 40 million views and worldwide attention by March 2026.