Agnieszka Holland's 'Franz' Biopic on Kafka to Premiere at TIFF 2025

Polish director Agnieszka Holland, Oscar-nominated for 'Europa Europa', has directed a biopic titled 'Franz' about writer Franz Kafka (1883–1924). The film aims to present Kafka as a modern, relatable figure rather than the gloomy and distant portrait often drawn by scholars. Starring German actor Idan Weiss, the screenplay by Holland and Marek Epstein follows Kafka from his birth in 19th-century Prague to his death in post-WWI Berlin. The producer Franze Šárka Cimbalová stated that the film is shot in Czech and German to authentically capture Kafka's era. 'Franz' will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2025 and will be released in theaters on September 25, 2025. Holland describes Kafka as a person whose fear, anxiety, and aversion to endings make him very modern. The film also explores Kafka's complex relationships with his father, women, and friend Max Brod, as well as his psychological and physical struggles. Previous Kafka-related films include Michael Kumpfmüller's 'L'amore secondo Kafka' (2024) and Orson Welles' 'The Trial' (1962).