Holland and co-writer Marek Epstein intend to present the writer’s life as a mosaic, from his birth in Prague in the 19th century to his death in Berlin after the end of World War I.
According to the director, the juxtaposition of Franz Kafka’s biography and works alone does not allow one to understand this figure. She wants to search for Kafka in feelings, riddles, a mixture of facts, conjectures and imaginings, in his letters and dreams.
The filmmakers anticipate 40 shooting days in the Czech Republic and Germany. The role of
Franz will be played by German actor Idan Weiss, and Kafka's friend and translator Milena Jesenska will be played by Jenovefa Bokova.
The film’s producer Sharka Cimbalova believes that ‘Franz’ will be one of the most interesting European films with great international potential. “The life of one of the most popular modern writers of the 20th century adapted to the screen by a visionary director like Agnieszka Holland is like a dream for us,” she said.
Holland is a graduate of the Prague film school and therefore also considers herself a Czech filmmaker. She is well known for her miniseries ‘Burning Bush’ (2013), which she dedicated to the memory of Jan Palach.
In 2020, her film ‘Charlatan’ premiered, telling the story of Czech healer Jan Mikolášek. The screenplay was also written by Marek Epstein.
