This year’s 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is set to feature a very special appearance by Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh. Known for his innovative approach to cinema, Soderbergh will present two of his films, 1991’s Kafka and its re-edited version, Mr. Kneff, as part of the festival’s unique Kafka retrospective. This year’s KVIFF runs from June 28 through July 6.
Soderbergh’s attendance is a rare treat for festival-goers, as the director seldom accepts invitations to such events. His 1991 film Kafka, originally shot in Prague and starring Jeremy Irons, blends the real life of Franz Kafka with fictional elements, leaving audiences pondering the line between reality and imagination.
Celebrating its re-edit after thirty years, Soderbergh has transformed Kafka into Mr. Kneff. This new version is set in Prague in 1919 and follows a writer who draws inspiration from his mundane job. The re-edit is shorter by twenty minutes but also features a restructured narrative and some scenes colorized to distinguish between reality and imagination more clearly.
The updated soundtrack includes an instrumental version of Metallica’s Enter Sandman, enhancing the film’s surreal and alienating atmosphere.
Guests at this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will have a unique chance to view Mr. Kneff, as it has only been screened at select film festival engagements and is unavailable to see on home media or streaming services.
Kafka, too, has languished without an official high-definition home media release since its initial VHS, giving viewers a rare chance to see one of the most beautiful films ever shot in Prague in all its glory.
Soderbergh, who first gained major recognition with his debut Sex, Lies, and Videotape in 1989, has since developed a diverse filmography that includes both award-winning mainstream hits and artistic experiments. His diverse filmography includes the legal drama Erin Brockovich, the ensemble crime-comedy Ocean’s Eleven, the introspective sci-fi Solaris, and the revolutionary biopic Che.
His most recent film, the ghost story from the point of view of the ghost Presence, premiered at this year’s Sundance Festival. Other recent work includes the Covid-19 thriller Kimi and the HBO miniseries Full Circle. Soderbergh also created the HBO series The Knick, starring Clive Owen, who will also appear at this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Lead photo: Jeremy Irons on the streets of Prague in Kafka (1991)
One Response
Will Mr. Kneff ever be available to watch somewhere? It’s been years since it came out in Toronto and the rumored blu ray has yet to see the light of day.