Austria, 1888. Crown Prince Rudolph is bored with the ostentatious royal life in the Austrian court. He is forced into a marriage contract with Stephanie, Princess of Belgium. The couple is incompatible and they live in unhappy discord. Grand Duke Jean Salvadore, Rudolphs cousin, is in touch with the liberals of the realm and his lover, Milly, is a commoner. The Grand Duke has broken the shackles of convention and he enjoys a life of freedom much to his cousins envy. During a performance of “Hamlet”, Rudolph meets Maria Vetsera, the daughter of Baron Vetsera, the wealthiest man in Vienna. The Prince and Maria fall in love at first sight...

The personal and collective story of an existence inextricably linked to cinema, that of Paul Vecchiali. Mayerling is the title of Anatole Litvak’s 1936 film and is also the name of the house in the south of France where he lived and made his last !lms, a place Vecchiali will return to for his Retour à Mayerling. In this portrait, Paul looks at himself an his collaborators who describe him. 　　During his art studies, Antonio Pettinelli began working as a radio host, then as a journalist, covering topics related to cinema, music and entertainment. He was Fellini’s voluntary assistant director in City of Women. He wrote and directed documentaries and reportages in Italy and abroad, mainly for the RAI networks.