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KAFKA

This six-part miniseries delves into the life of arguably the greatest and most famous writer of the twentieth century. The storyline primarily focuses on the points of view of the people closest to him while basing the narrative on the three-volume biography by Reiner Stach. At its heart are Kafka’s remarkable love affairs with Felice Bauer, Milena Jesenska, and Dora Diamant, as well as his difficult relationship with his tyrannical father. But also his close friendship with Max Brod, who would ultimately come to betray his terminally ill friend, yet assured his enduring fame in the process.

  • David Schalko
    Director
  • Daniel Kehlmann
    Writer
  • David Schalko
    Writer
  • John Lueftner
    Producer
  • David Schalko
    Producer
  • Katharina Theissen
    Producer
  • Joel Basman
    Key Cast
    "Franz Kafka"
  • David Kross
    Key Cast
    "Max Brod"
  • Liv Lisa Fries
    Key Cast
    "Milena"
  • Nicholas Ofzarek
    Key Cast
    "Hermann Kafka"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    4 hours 30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 31, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    11,000,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Austria
  • Country of Filming:
    Austria
  • Language:
    German
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Distribution Information
  • ORF enterprise
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - David Schalko

David Schalko, author, screenwriter, director and CEO of SUPERFILM. He is regarded as the most style-defining television producer of his generation in the German-speaking world. His international TV breakthrough came with the award-winning mini-series "Braunschlag”. The series "Old Money" attracted high international attention as well as "M - A City hunts a Murderer" and “Me and the Others”(Berlinale 2019, 2022). His fictional films include "Aufschneider" and "Das Wunder von Wien”. David wrote the novels "Weiße Nacht", „Wir lassen uns gehen“, „Knoi”, "Schwere Knochen" and "Bad Regina", „Was der Tag bringt“(2023)

2023 David directed the mini-series Kafka, written by Daniel Kehlmann, based on the biography of Rainer Stach. Airing March 2024 in ARD and ORF

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Director Statement

“We optioned Reiner Stach's outstanding biographies eight years ago, and I've been working on this project in various forms ever since. That it’s finally being realized now is due on the one hand to Daniel Kehlmann's outstanding screenplays, and on the other hand to an ideal constellation of courageous public broadcasters who not only recognize Kafka's importance, but also relish the challenge of taking a new approach to the biopic genre.” - David Schalko