The Vienna Strangler

The chilling story of Austrian author and serial killer Johann “Jack” Unterweger. Convicted in 1976 for the brutal murder of 18-year-old Margaret Schäfer, strangled with her own bra, Unterweger was sentenced to life in prison. Behind bars, he reinvented himself as a writer, publishing poetry, plays, and an acclaimed autobiography that portrayed his crimes as the product of a troubled youth. His transformation into a literary figure won him the support of intellectuals and politicians, who campaigned for his release. In 1990, after serving just 15 years, Unterweger walked free — hailed as a symbol of rehabilitation.... or was he?

• Ross HarperWriter
• Jack UnterwegerWriter
• Ross HarperDirector

• Jack UnterwegerSelf (archive footage)
• Bianca MrakSelf - Jack's Girlfriend
• Astrid WagnerSelf - Lawyer & Jack's Girlfriend
• John LeakeSelf - Biographer
• Walter BruschweilerSelf
• Tim Pigott-SmithSelf - Narrator (voice)