Ebensee horror hit marks 20 years of screen success

The Austrian horror film In 3 Days You’ll Be Dead marks 20 years since it brought packed cinemas and a bloody murder story to Lake Traunsee, ORF reports. More than 82,000 people saw the film in Austrian cinemas, and it was sold to 28 countries.

The story follows Nina and her friends, who receive the message “In 3 days you’ll be dead” on their phones shortly after passing their school-leaving exams. What first seems like a bad joke turns deadly as a killer targets them one by one. The pursuit begins in the municipality of Ebensee, between the lake and the mountains.

The 2006 film launched the acting career of Sabrina Reiter, who played Nina despite having no comparable film experience. Director Andreas Prochaska also cast amateur actors in several other leading roles. Reiter says she still receives fan mail from around the world.

Residents recall the filming in Ebensee. Pensioner Elisabeth Waldner said a large light near her home kept the area bright throughout the night.

The film also drew visitors to its locations, according to regional tourism director Andreas Murray. He said he had initially been wary of promoting a hard-horror film, but fans later came specifically to see places featured in it. One Ebensee hotel shown in the film recorded more overnight stays, he said.

Other horror films have also used Upper Austria as a setting. The Devil’s Bath, directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, is set in the region and was Austria’s entry in the 2024 Oscar race. Michael Haneke’s Funny Games was filmed largely at Lake Attersee.

Reiter said the contrast between the region’s postcard-like beauty and its mysterious atmosphere makes it a strong setting for horror. Murray pointed to the range of landscapes, from nostalgic and romantic surroundings to industrial areas, while Prochaska has described the Ebensee side of Lake Traunsee as “very archaic.” The Austrian premiere took place at the cinema in Ebensee in 2006.