Born in 1968 in Linz, Astrid Johanna Ofner studied philosophy at Sorbonne Nouvelle III, then film directing and photography at the Vienna Film Academy. She also completed film directing studies at the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (dffb). She worked as an actress at Schaubühne Berlin and had the title role in Antigone (1991) by Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet.