The Lifetime original “The Girl in the Basement” and A24’s “Room” draw from the same harrowing true story. In 2008, a young woman named Elisabeth Fritzl from Amstetten, Lower Austria, escaped the cellar of her family home after being imprisoned for 24 years by her father, Josef Fritzl. During that time, she gave birth to seven of Josef’s children — three of whom remained in captivity, one who passed away shortly after childbirth, and three others who were raised by Fritzl and his wife, Rosemarie, as “foundlings” put on their doorstep from their runaway daughter. Josef had told his wife, family, and neighbors that Elisabeth had left town and possibly joined a religious cult.
Elisabeth was able to break free from her underground prison after one of her children became unconscious. Josef took her to the hospital and the doctors were concerned over her poor health conditions. Josef was sentenced to…
