New ORF/ARD miniseries with, among others, Joel Basman, David Kross, Nicholas Ofczarek, Liv Lisa Fries, Verena Altenberger and Maresi Riegner from 8:15 p.m
Vienna (OTS) – On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his death in June this year, ORF 1 is dedicating three episodes each to one of the great names in world literature on Sunday, March 24th and Monday, March 25th, 2024 from 8:15 p.m. “Kafka” is a permanent fixture in lists of the most important authors of the 20th century, and now director David Schalko, who is also responsible for the scripts together with Daniel Kehlmann, is bringing the writer to the screen. The six-part mini-series of the same name, co-produced by ORF and all ARD state broadcasters (NDR, WDR, SWR, BR, MDR, RBB, HR, SR and Radio Bremen) together with Superfilm, is dedicated to the life and work of the writer. A top-class ensemble has been formed around Joel Basman as Franz Kafka as well as David Kross, Nicholas Ofczarek, Liv Lisa Fries, Lia von Blarer and Tamara Romera Ginés, including Robert Stadlober, Verena Altenberger, Charly Hübner, Lars Eidinger, Katharina Thalbach, Marie-Lou Sellem, Christian Friedel, Michael Maertens, Jan Bülow, Laurence Rupp, Marie-Luise Stockinger, Robert Palfrader, Johannes Silberschneider, André Pohl, Thomas Maurer, Alexander Pschill, Gerhard Liebmann, Raimund Wallisch and Tobias Bamborschke. Reiner Stach, on whose monumental Kafka biography the scripts are also based, was hired as an expert advisor for the project, which was filmed in Vienna and Salzburg from February to June 2023.
The six episodes will also be available for streaming on ORF ON and in the TVthek app once they are broadcast on TV. Further information about the content is available at presse.ORF.at.
Director and screenwriter David Schalko gave a first insight into the new mini-series on Monday, March 11th, in Vienna’s Café Westend.
David Schalko: “There is nothing comparable before. Just the echoes afterwards.”
Director and screenwriter David Schalko about Franz Kafka: “I have been working with the person since my youth and with the Kafka project for over ten years. He has become a very intensive companion on many levels.” And further: “Kafka is a continent that will never be fully mapped. He doesn’t write; He opens doors into a world that would remain closed to us without him. Nobody has created such original literature as he did. There is nothing like it before. Only the echoes afterwards.” About the mini-series: “For us, the main focus was on the connection between work and life. But also that Kafka’s secret is not trivialized. It’s a look at Kafka. We wouldn’t have presumed to tell the story from his perspective. It’s not a classic biopic.”
More about the content
In his dark, literary visions, Franz Kafka glimpsed a future world that can still be seen today. He got his ideas from his daily life, his family, his private environment – from people who reveal their view of Kafka in the six-part miniseries. These central companions include his long-time fiancée Felice Bauer (Lia von Blarer), Kafka’s friend Max Brod (David Kross), his strict and domineering father Hermann (Nicholas Ofczarek), and the writer Milena Jesenská (Liv Lisa Fries). who Kafka had a short but intense relationship, and Kafka’s last great love Dora Diamant (Tamara Romera Ginés).
“Kafka” is a co-production by all ARD state broadcasters, ORF and Superfilm with support from FISA+, TV Fund Austria and Film Fund Vienna.