Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life

Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life
Directed byPeter Capaldi
Written byPeter Capaldi
Produced byRuth Kenley-Letts
StarringRichard E. Grant
CinematographySimon Maggs
Edited byNikki Clemens
Music byPhilip Appleby
Production
companies
  • BBC Scotland
  • The Scottish Film Production Fund
  • Conundrum Films
Release date
  • 1993 (1993)
Running time
23 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life is a 1993 British short comedy film written and directed by Peter Capaldi. It stars Richard E. Grant as Franz Kafka and co-stars Ken Stott. The title refers to the name of the writer Franz Kafka and the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life, directed by Frank Capra, and the plot takes the concept of the two to absurd depths.

The film features a rendition of "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" from the 1910 operetta Naughty Marietta.

In 1994, the short won the BAFTA Award for Best Short Film. The following year it won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film, tying with Trevor.

Synopsis

The great writer Franz Kafka is about to write his famous 1915 work, The Metamorphosis, but inspiration is lacking, and he suffers continual interruptions.

Cast

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
1993 BAFTA Scotland Award Best Short Film Peter Capaldi Won [1]
Atlantic Film Festival Award Best Live Action Film Peter Capaldi Won [2]
Best Short Film Peter Capaldi Won [2]
Best Set Design John Beard Won [2]
1994 Angers European First Film Festival Audience Award Short Film Peter Capaldi Won [3]
BAFTA Film Award Best Short Film Peter Capaldi, Ruth Kenley-Letts Won [4]
Celtic Media Festival Award Best New Director Peter Capaldi Won [2]
Vevey International Funny Film Festival Award Prix Schwartz Best Short Film Peter Capaldi Won [2]
1995 Academy Award Live Action Short Film Peter Capaldi, Ruth Kenley-Letts Won [5]

References

  1. ^ "Latin for a dark room". The Herald. 22 March 1994. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e "FRANZ KAFKA'S IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. ^ "Premiers Plans Festival d'Angers" (PDF). Premiers Plans. 1994. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  4. ^ Kenley-Letts, Ruth (2011). "Franz Kafka's "It's a Wonderful Life" (1993)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  5. ^ "The 67th Academy Awards (1995) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. AMPAS. Retrieved 20 November 2011.


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