Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was one of the most relevant literature authors in the first half of the XX century, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence many creators when we talk about subjects and genres like existentialism, power relations, alienation, among others. Through more than 20 years of Doclisboa, this influence has been in the festivals program multiple times, including films that are openly about his existentialist questions, his books or even Kafka himself.
We see no better way of distinguishing the month of the 100 year anniversary of his death than to remember titles like ‘Metamorfoses’ (2007) by Bruno Cabral, from the 5th edition of Doclisboa, that accompanies different members of the atypical ‘Companhia Crinabel Teatro’ preparing their next play, inspired in “Metamorphosis”, by Kafka.
The film ‘Caterwauling’ (1960) by Věra Chytilová, inserted in the retrospective dedicated to the filmmaker in the 15th edition of the festival, where Chytilová is inspired by Franz Kafka to tell Mr. K’s story, a man who leaves stolen jewelry intact at home and rarely lets his wife use them. Everything changes when a nosy neighbor, Mr. B, visits without warning. A cat watches everything.
‘Kafka for Kids’ (2022) by Roee Rosen, integrated in Riscos 2022, is a first episode to a tv series that longs to make Kafka short tales perceptible for little kids.
