Agnieszka Holland ’s biopic Franz world premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September and has since played a raft of festivals and been named as Poland’s official entry for the International Feature Film Oscar race.

The Polish director revisits the life of the iconic writer, born into a German-speaking Czech Jewish family in Prague in 1883, from his teen years to his untimely death at just 40.

She first discovered his works as a teenager when she read his posthumously published novel The Trial .

“I was between 14 and 15 years old. … It was such a shock to me and such a discovery that I decided to read everything of his and everything about him. … He has followed me throughout my life,” said Holland, who would go on to direct a TV adaptation of the book.

“I wanted to f

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