Sarah Zaharanski is an Austrian actress and voice artist working across film, television, theatre, and radio.
After graduating from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, her early career took her to the Schaubühne Berlin, the Salzburg Festival, and the Landestheater Coburg. Since 2017, she has worked as a freelance actress, appearing at venues including the Salzburg State Theatre, Stadttheater Klagenfurt, Schauspielhaus Graz, and Kosmos Theater Vienna.
Alongside her acting work, she is an established voice artist for radio plays, documentaries, audiobooks, and radio features. Her work has received several awards, including the Austrian Adult Education Radio Award and First Prize at the Berlin Radio Play Festival. She also holds a Master of Arts in Speech Communication and Rhetoric, reflecting her longstanding interest in voice and language as artistic tools.
Sarah made her feature film debut in Elisabeth Scharang's Woodland, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She subsequently appeared in Paul Poet's Soldier Monika, screened in competition at the Torino Film Festival, and in the award-winning short film Dear Mother.
At the heart of her work are characters shaped by contradiction and complexity—roles defined less by certainty than by inner transformation.
EDUCATION
1999-2003 Federal Grammar School Hallein (language focus)
2003-2008 Commercial Vocational College Hallein (International Business - English & French)
2008-2012 University of the Arts Graz (Performing Arts)
2021-2025 University of Regensburg (Master of Speech Communication and Rhetoric)
AWARDS
Torino Film Festival, 2024 (Nomination) — Soldier Monika
Next Step Film Festival Cannes, 2025 (1st Prize) — Dear Mother
Camgaroo Award München, 2025 (2nd Prize) — Dear Mother
Baden-Württembergischer Filmpreis, 2024 (Short Film Nomination) — Dear Mother
Fantasy/Sci‑Fi Festival, 2024 (Best Short Film – Audience Award) — Dear Mother
CREDITS
FILM
Soldier Monika (2024)
FreibeuterFilm | Director: Paul Poet | Role: The First Wife
Doclisboa 2024
Hof International Film Festival 2024
Torino Film Festival 2024
Woodland (2023)
WEGA Film | Director: Elisabeth Scharang | Role: Ulrike
Toronto International Film Festival 2023
Hof International Film Festival 2023
Zurich Film Festival 2023
No Exit (2022)
Gone Astray Films | Director: Lukas Benjamin Engel | Role: Inès
Hof International Film Festival 2022
TELEVISION
Die Toten von Salzburg (2026)
Satel Film | Director: Erhard Riedlsperger | Role: Gloria
Das Wunderteam (2026)
Neuland Film (ORF) | Director: Paul Poet & Lukas Sturm | Role: Millie von Ostenhoff-Peng
Gnadenlos (2025)
Prater Film | Director: Umut Dağ | Role: Cosma Wecker
Fast Forward - Angelika Who (2023)
MR Film | Director: Gerald Liegel | Role: Sardes
Mountain Rescue - Höhenfeuer (2023)
NDF | Director: Franziska Jahn | Role: Tina Schlosser (alpine climber)
Crime Series Altaussee - Letzte Bootsfahrt (2022)
Film AG | Director: Julian Pölsler | Role: Manuela Reitmaier
Vienna Crime Squad - Verloschen (S17/E6, 2022)
Satel Film | Director: Katharina Heigl | Role: Anna Wenzel
Crime Series Altaussee - Letzter Kirtag (2020)
Coop99 | Director: Julian Pölsler | Role: Judith Naglreiter
The Plumber - Die Wahrheit kann erst wirken, wenn der Empfänger reif für sie ist (S1/E1, 2019)
Amalia Film | Director: Michael Wenning | Role: Frauke Schindler
Vienna Crime Squad - Über den Dächern von Linz (S12/E10, 2017)
Satel Film | Director: Olaf Kreinsen | Role: Lucille Jelinek
Mountain Medic - Alte Wunden (S8/E1, 2015)
NDF | Director: Axel Barth | Role: Lena Strickler
Vienna Crime Squad - Schneewittchen (S9/E6, 2013)
Satel Film | Director: Erhard Riedlsperger | Role: Daria
SHORT FILM
Dear Mother (2024)
University of Applied Sciences Salzburg | Director: Sabrina Hickl | Role: Emilia Bing
Crossdressing (2014)
Film Academy Vienna | Director: Lixi Frank | Role: Eva
THEATRE
Amerika • Franz Kafka (2026)
Salzburg State Theatre | Director: Georg Schmiedleitner | Role: Klara, Therese, Ensemble
Odyssey • Homer/Nuran David Calis (2025)
Salzburg State Theatre | Director: Nuran David Calis | Role: Pallas Athena
The Red of the Egg • Gertraud Klemm, Gabriele Kögl, Grischka Voss (2024)
Kosmos Theater Vienna | Director: Barbara Herold
Altes Hallenbad Feldkirch
The Oresteia - The Eumenides • Aischylos/John von Düffel (2023)
Salzburg State Theatre | Director: Carl Philip von Maldeghem | Role: Megaira/Erinye
The Argonauts • Franz Grillparzer (2023)
Salzburg State Theatre | Director: Nuran David Calis | Role: Medea
The Creation of Light • Charles Darwin/Joseph Haydn (2022)
Salzburg State Theatre | Director: Carl Philip von Maldeghem | Role: Fanny Owen
Casimir and Caroline • Ödön von Horváth (2022)
Salzburg State Theatre | Director: Carl Philip von Maldeghem | Role: Caroline
Next Week's Attacks (GER: Die Anschläge von nächster Woche) • Thomas Arzt (Austrian premiere, 2022)
Salzburg State Theatre | Director: Christina Piegger | Role: Eva
Black Milk • Vassily Sigarev (2020)
Schauspielhaus Graz | Director: Jan Stephan Schmieding | Role: The Cler
Antigone • Sophokles (2019)
Stadttheater Klagenfurt | Director: Lore Stefanek | Role: Ismene
The Unmarried (GER: Die Unverheiratete) • Ewald Palmetshofer (2018)
Vorarlberg State Theatre | Director: Philip Jenkins | Role Sister #1
Katzelmacher • Rainer Werner Fassbinder (2017)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Thorsten Köhler | Role: Helga
Antigone • Sophokles (2017)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Konstanze Lauterbach | Role: Ismene
Anger • Elfriede Jelinek (2017)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Axel Sichrovsky
Ich sinnlose so vor mich hin ... • Gerhard Polt/Matthias Straub (2016)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Matthias Straub | Role: Evelyn
Bin nebenan • Ingrid Lausund (2016)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Mascha Pitz | Role: A
Über die Grenze ist es nur ein Schritt • Michael Müller (2016)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Constanze Weidknecht | Role: Melle
Ms. Mueller Must Go • Lutz Hübner (2016)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Leila Müller | Role: Marina
Danton's Death • Georg Büchner (2016)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Matthias Straub | Roles: Julie, Lucile, Marion
Love In Thoughts • Arno Meyer zu Küingdorf (premiere, 2015)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Johannes Zametzer | Role: Hilde
Andorra • Max Frisch (2015)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Michael Götz | Role: Barblin
The Interview • Theodor van Gogh (2015)
Coburg State Theatre | Director: Frederik Leberle | Role: Katja
Romeo & Julia rebooted feat. DJ XRated • William Shakespeare (2015)
contribution to “HeForShe” by UN Women
ARGEkultur Salzburg | Directors: Valentin Werner and Sarah Zaharanski | Solo performance by Sarah Zaharanski
Perspektiven Attersee Festival 2015
Cabaret • John Kander, Fred Ebb, Joe Masteroff (2013)
Schauspielhaus Graz | Director: Ingo Berk | Role: Texas
Gawain • opera of Harrison Birtwistle (2013)
Salzburg festival | Director: Alvis Hermanis | Role: Dancer
The Appointment • Herta Müller (2013)
dramatization and German debut performance of the novel by Herta Müller
Theater im Palais Graz | Director: Sarah Zaharanski | Solo performance by Sarah Zaharanski
Fringe of Ruhr festival Recklinghausen 2013
Halleiner Stadtfestwochen 2014
Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter • Astrid Lindgren (2012)
Stadttheater Klagenfurt | Director: Claudia Meyer | Role: Ronia
A Midsummer Night’s Dream • William Shakespeare (2012)
WBT/Gasometer Muenster | Director: Meinhard Zanger | Role: Helena
Zack ‘n’ Dave • Sebastian Schwarz, David Ruland (2012)
Schaubühne Berlin | Director: Sebastian Schwarz, David Ruland | Role: The Nun
Suburbia • Eric Bogosian/Igor Bauersima (2011)
Theater im Palais Graz | Director: Igor Bauersima | Role: Pakeeza
The Crucible • Arthur Miller (2011)
Schauspielhaus Graz | Director: Anna Badora | Role: Eva Parker
The Criminals • Ferdinand Bruckner (2011)
Theater im Palais Graz | Director: Johann Kresnik | Role: Ernestine Puschek
The Good Person of Szechwan • Bertolt Brecht (2011)
Theater im Palais Graz | Director: Axel Richter | Role: Mrs. Shin
Kampnagel Hamburg
Offending the Audience • Peter Handke (2010)
Theater im Palais | Directors: Kitty Buchhammer, Sandy Lopicic
Kunsthaus Mürz
Eddie Lechner’s Trip to Paradise • Jura Soyfer (2010)
Theater im Palais | Director: Reinhard Herrgesell-Mitter | Role: Gutenberg, Kolumbus, Iustitia
Theater in Kempten/ Jura Soyfer festival
Everyman • Hugo von Hofmannsthal (2009+2010)
Salzburg Festival | Director: Christian Stückl | Role: Maid