How does a free and critical artist become a collaborator of an authoritarian regime? An artist’s life, a pact with the devil, and the dangerous illusions of the silver screen. Acclaimed German writer Daniel Kehlmann will present his latest novel about cinematic art, power, beauty, and barbarity, inspired by the life of one of cinema’s greatest directors, G. W. Pabst, who fled to Hollywood to resist the Nazis, only to later return to his homeland to create propaganda films for the German Reich. Hosted by Petr Vizina.

In partnership with Goethe-Institut Prag and Argo Publishing House.

Daniel Kehlmann is a leading German-Austrian writer whose work interconnects history, fiction, and philosophical themes. He entered the literary spotlight with his novel Measuring the World (2006), which became an international bestseller. Other significant works of his include Me and Kaminski (2008), Fame (2010), and Tyll (2020), the latter of which was nominated for the International Booker Prize and is now being adapted into a miniseries for Netflix. In his latest novel, The Director (2025), he tells the story of Austrian filmmaker Georg Wilhelm Pabst (1885–1967), born in Raudnitz, Austria-Hungary (now Roudnice nad Labem, Czech Republic), who was one of the pioneers of silent film. The novel explores Pabst’s career and the dilemmas he faced under the Nazi regime, posing questions about artistic freedom, censorship, and the relationship between art and power.

Petr Vizina studied theology and currently teaches at the Catholic Theological Faculty of Charles University. He is the editor-in-chief of the magazine Quartal, which is published by Prague City Gallery. He writes interviews, glosses, and critical commentaries for Aktualne.cz and Czech Radio. For seven years, he led the cultural newsroom of Czech Television. He is a recipient of the Josef Dobrovský Prize. Vizina has published numerous books, including the collection of interviews with Czech artists Stará garda (The old guard, 2016), the memoirs of Lydia Tischlerová Se žlutou hvězdou v prázdném kupé (With a yellow star in empty compartment, 2021), the book of interviews about spirituality Znamení neznámého (Signs of the unknown, 2021) and the book interview with artist Krištof Kintera Nad očekávání (Beyond expectations, 2022).