Agnieszka Holland Discusses New Kafka-Inspired Drama, 'Franz'

Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, celebrated worldwide for her bold political and historical dramas, has unveiled her long-awaited project, 'Franz'—an unconventional biopic inspired by the life of Franz Kafka. Much like Guillermo del Toro finally realising his vision for 'Frankenstein,' Holland has fulfilled a decades-long passion, tracing back to her teenage years when she first discovered Kafka’s writing.

Agnieszka Holland explained that Kafka has shaped her artistic life since she was 14, when she first encountered his short stories and later 'The Trial,' She described the Czech author as both deeply open and strangely inaccessible, someone she felt intimately connected to, almost as though he were part of her family. This early fascination eventually led her to Prague, where she studied at FAMU, following Kafka's footsteps through the city that has since become a tourist shrine to his legacy.

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Agnieszka Holland and Her Works on Kafka

Back in 1981, Agnieszka Holland brought 'The Trial' to Polish television, an undertaking that allowed her to shape her own vision of Kafka’s ideas. Over the years, through reading his letters, diaries, and novels, she became convinced that much of the world misunderstood him. For her, Kafka wasn’t only a dark and moody figure but also witty, sharp, and filled with humour.

Holland steered clear of making 'Franz' a standard biopic, believing it wouldn't suit Kafka's legacy. Since Kafka himself left his novels unfinished, Agnieszka Holland felt that shaping his life into a tidy, chronological narrative would betray the truth of who he was. Instead, she and co-writer Marek Epstein approached the film as a mosaic of fragments—weaving together his family struggles, romantic relationships, and lesser-known works, while framing the narrative around the pivotal moment when Kafka the man transformed into Kafka the cultural icon.

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Agnieszka Holland and Her Experience Working on 'Franz'

Agnieszka Holland admitted that the process felt like making a different film each day, with stylistic risks that might or might not hold together. But she embraced the challenge, believing that Kafka’s contradictions demanded an equally unconventional cinematic form.

The release of 'Franz' follows the centennial of Kafka's death in 1924, which spurred numerous international tributes. Holland put the project on hold, choosing instead to dedicate her time to 'Green Border,' a powerful drama centred on the refugee crisis unfolding along the Poland-Belarus border. This film drew harsh criticism from government officials but reaffirmed her belief in cinema as a tool for truth and resistance.

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Throughout her career, Holland has returned to politically and historically charged subjects, from the Holocaust in 'Europa Europa' to the refugee crisis of today. She has often said her goal as a filmmaker is not simply to honour the past but to warn audiences of how easily history can repeat itself. Her view of Kafka aligns with that mission: he was a writer of extraordinary conviction but a fragile man, whose own family would later face the horrors of the Holocaust he might not have survived.

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