The Czech-Polish-German coproduction Franz, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, emerged as one of the major winners at this year’s Gdynia Film Festival, Poland’s premier showcase of national cinema. The film received the second-place Silver Lion at the festival’s 50th edition, held Sept. 22–27 on the Baltic coast, along with three other significant awards.
The biographical drama, which explores the life and inner world of writer Franz Kafka, also earned honors for German actor Idan Weiss for best actor in a leading role, Polish cinematographer Tomasz Naumiuk for best cinematography, and Czech make-up artist Gabriela Poláková for best makeup.
Franz was the sole Czech co-production in competition at this year’s festival, which annually celebrates the best in contemporary Polish cinema. Filmmaker Piotr Domalewski’s The Altar Boys (Ministranci), which follows a group of teenagers struggling with faith and moral dilemmas, was awarded the top prize Golden Lion at this year’s festival.
A portrait of Kafka’s world and imagination
Blending fact and fantasy, Franz offers a sensory, dreamlike portrait of the Prague-born author whose work defined 20th-century existential literature. The film draws from Kafka’s letters, diaries, and fiction to weave a kaleidoscopic narrative of a man who was at once a bureaucrat, outsider, and visionary.
Holland, a four-time Academy Award nominee, described the project as a way to capture Kafka’s “fragmented, imaginative inner world” and the enduring anxieties reflected in his writing. The filmmaker is no stranger to success in Gdynia: her features Green Border, Mr. Jones, In Darkness, and Fever were previously awarded the Golden Lion at the festival.
Weiss, who portrays Kafka, was singled out by the director as an inspired choice discovered early in casting.
“Idan Weiss was a miracle that sometimes happens,” Holland said, noting his ability to embody both the physical resemblance and the generational spirit the production sought. Czech actress Jenovéfa Boková plays journalist Milena Jesenská, Kafka’s translator and close confidante, alongside a cast that includes Peter Kurth, Sandra Korzeniak, Ivan Trojan, and Josef Trojan.
International production and recognition
Franz is a tri-national co-production uniting Czech, Polish, and German partners, with principal production taking place in Prague and additional support from European film funds and broadcasters. Key backers include Barrandov Studio, Czech Television, the Polish Film Institute, Canal+, and the Eurimages fund, reflecting the film’s wide-ranging European collaboration.
The film had its world premiere earlier this month at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it attracted critical attention for its striking visuals and bold narrative structure. Following its Gdynia win, Franz is set for screenings at additional international festivals before expanding to a wider European launch. In Czechia, distributor Bioscop released the film in domestic cinemas on September 25; read The Prague Reporter‘s review of the film here.
Producer Šárka Cimbalová said the recognition in Poland affirmed the film’s universal appeal.
“This award confirms that our effort to tell authentic and emotionally powerful stories resonates not only with domestic audiences but also internationally,” she said in a statement.
The Gdynia Film Festival, which was formerly known as the Polish Film Festival and celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, remains one of Central Europe’s most prestigious film events, spotlighting the best of Polish and regional cinema. For Franz, the festival’s accolades signal strong momentum as it continues to reach audiences across Europe and beyond.
Lead photo: Idan Weiss in Franz (2025) @Marlene Film Production
