Is Lifetime’s ‘Girl in the Basement’ a True Story?

Lifetime’s “Ripped From the Headlines” marathon continues with Girl in the Basement, a new movie based on the harrowing case of Elisabeth Fritzl, a young woman who was held captive by her father for nearly 25 years. Like many of Lifetime’s recent films, Girl in the Basement dramatizes the true story of Elisabeth Fritzl, while also adding, omitting, and re-writing certain elements of her narrative.

Regardless of its inaccuracies, Girl in the Basement makes for a harrowing watch, and the real story is even more devastating. What is the Girl in the Basement true story? Where is Girl in the Basement‘s Elisabeth Fritzl now? Here’s everything you need to know.

LIFETIME GIRL IN THE BASEMENT PLOT: WHAT IS GIRL IN THE BASEMENT ABOUT?

Lifetime’s Girl in the Basement tells the horrific story of Sara (Stefanie Scott), a suburban teen who is imprisoned by her father, Don (Judd Nelson), in the basement of their home. Don tells his wife Irene (Joely Fisher) that Sara ran away, but in reality, she is being held captive, and over the next 20 years, he repeatedly tortures and rapes her. Sara gives birth to several children as a result, and Don and Irene begin to care for her youngest son, although Irene believes that Sara has sent him to them from elsewhere in the country. When Sara finally has a chance to escape, the world finally learns her story, and her family is forced to reckon with the reality of what has happened.

WHAT IS THE GIRL IN THE BASEMENT TRUE STORY?

Content Warning: The following contains graphic depictions of abuse and sexual assault.

Girl in the Basement is based on the true story of Elisabeth Fritzl, a young Austrian woman who was imprisoned by her father, Josef Fritzl, from 1984 to 2008. According to Oxygen, on August 28, 1984, Josef lured Elisabeth to the basement of their home and placed an ether-soaked rag on her face; after she passed out, he handcuffed her and locked her in the underground prison. Josef then coerced Elisabeth into writing a letter to her mother, Rosemarie, stating that she had left her hometown of Amstetten, Austria and did not want to be found.

Over the next 24 years, Josef sexually assaulted Elisabeth almost every day. In 1988, she had her first child, Kerstin, and subsequently gave birth to six more children — Stefan, Lisa, Monika, Alexander, Michael, and Felix — but unfortunately, Michael died three days after birth.

As the years passed, Josef removed some of the children from the basement and told Rosemarie that they had been sent by Elisabeth, who needed help to raise them. Rosemarie believed him, and they began to foster the children as foundlings.

On April 19, 2008, Elisabeth emerged from the basement for the first time when her eldest daughter, Kerstin, lost consciousness. She returned to the basement shortly after Kerstin was brought to the hospital, but one week later, she was brought to the police for questioning after hospital staff expressed concerns to authorities. After many hours, Elisabeth detailed her harrowing story, and on April 26, her father was arrested.

Less than a year after his arrest, Josef plead guilty to murder charges for his negligence in connection with Michael’s death, as well as charges connected to the enslavement, incest, rape, coercion, and false imprisonment of Elisabeth. He was sentenced to life in prison at Garsten Abbey, where he remains to this day.

GIRL IN THE BASEMENT REAL STORY: WHERE IS ELISABETH FRITZL NOW?

According to the Mirror, Elisabeth Fritzl was given a new name after the trial to ensure her privacy, and she now lives with her six children in an unidentified town in Austria known by the media as “Village X.”

“The children, now aged between 17 and 31, sleep in rooms with doors permanently open after undergoing weekly therapy sessions to eliminate the traumas they suffered inside the cellar,” reported the Mirror in 2019. “Their two-story family home is kept under constant CCTV surveillance and patrolled by security guards, while any stranger caught lurking nearby can expect to be picked up by police within minutes.”

Fritzl is also reportedly in a relationship with her former bodyguard, Thomas Wagner, who lives with her and her family.

WHERE CAN I WATCH GIRL IN THE BASEMENT (2021)?

Girl in the Basement first aired Saturday, February 27 on Lifetime, but if you missed it, there are still a few ways to watch. The new Elisabeth Fritzl movie is available to stream on the Lifetime website or the Lifetime app, but a cable log-in is required to watch.

GIRL IN THE BASEMENT NETFLIX: WHERE TO WATCH THE ELISABETH FRITZL MOVIE

Unfortunately, Girl in the Basement is not available to stream on Netflix.

However, cord-cutters can catch the Lifetime movie with an active subscription to Hulu + Live TV or on Philo, both of which offer free trials for new customers.

If you or someone you know needs to reach out about sexual abuse, RAINN is available 24/7 at 800-656-HOPE (4673), or online at RAINN.org.

Where to stream Girl in the Basement