LINSE Filmkunst: Franz K.

Franz K.

Biopic

Directed by: Agnieszka Holland

Starring: Idan Weiss (Franz Kafka) · Peter Kurth (Hermann Kafka) · Katharina Stark (Ottla Kafka) · Sebastian Schwarz (Max Brod) · Carol Schuler (Felice Bauer)

A cinematic biography of the Czech writer Franz Kafka with a non-chronological, kaleidoscopic approach: Central aspects of his life such as the difficult relationship with his father, the monotonous working life, the divided reception of his literary works, and his tortured relationships with women are addressed, with Kafka's sister Ottla and his friend Max Brod serving as narrative figures. The experimental, decade-hopping approach proves effective in some sequences, but in others, it comes across as superficial and unsubtle. Moreover, the film operates almost exclusively in already well-explored territory.

Age rating: FSK 16

Runtime: approx. 128 min.