The Book of Conrad

The Art of Joy by Goliarda Sapienza: Writing for Emancipation

October 2023 •French

Between 1967 and 1976, Italian writer Goliarda Sapienza (1924-76) wrote The Art of Joy, a subversive novel about the dazzling social ascent of a rebellious heroine; too scandalous to be published at that contradictory time.

La nuit de la poésie 27 mars 1970

January 1971 •French

Berau, sur les traces de Joseph Conrad

June 1994 •French

The Capote Tapes

September 2021 •English

A portrait of the brilliant American writer Truman Capote (1924-84) and the New York high society of his time.

Inside a Nazi Mind: The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell

November 2023 •French

An analysis of The Kindly Ones, Jonathan Littell's controversial novel, published in 2006, which dissects the ruthless mechanisms of the Shoah from the detached point of view of Maximilian Aue, a high-ranking Nazi officer.

She

December 2022 •English

She is a full-length documentary about writer Aimée Baker and her award-winning poetry collection Doe. Doe is her quest to give voice to the missing and unidentified women of the United States.

Anjelica Huston on James Joyce: A Shout in the Street

December 2017 •English

An account of the life and work of Irish writer James Joyce (1882-1941) narrated by US actress Anjelica Huston.

John Betjeman: A Poet in London

March 1959 •English

Poet John Betjeman is shown visiting locations including Vauxhall Park, Aldersgate Street station, Camden Town and Hatfield, where he recites a handful of his poems.

Libellula gentile. Fabio Pusterla, il lavoro del poeta

October 2018 •Italian

A film about the Swiss Italian poet Fabio Pusterla and his creative poetic process, his struggle to find an honest language, one which adheres to the personal experience and is able to unfold a hidden truth that creates a strong and profound bond with the other, with his public.

In Search of Dracula

January 2020 •English

Mark Gatiss explores and celebrates Dracula, an icon of popular culture, asking just why we keep coming back to the count.

Jean Genet: Saint, martyr et poète

July 1975 •French

Poetic stroll in the work of Jean Genet.

Manic Magic: a Poem in Four Parts

February 2025 •English

A poem about mania written by Omar Zefier. His second film.

Who's Afraid of Kathy Acker?

January 2007 •English

Documentary tracing the extreme life of outlaw writer, performance artist and punk icon, Kathy Acker. Through animation, archival footage, interviews and dramatic reenactments, director Barbara Caspar explores Acker's colorful history, from her well-heeled upbringing to her role as the scribe of society's fringe.

Cacaso

April 2016 •Portuguese

Cacaso, a Brazilian poet, lived in Rio de Janeiro. Born Antonio Carlos de Brito (1944-1987) he was one of the leaders of the marginal poetry movement. Cacaso filled notebooks not only with poems but reflections, drawings and collages. He also became a lyricist and partner of celebrated songwriters such as Tom Jobim, Edu Lobo, Toninho Horta, João Donato and Sivuca.

James Joyce's 'Ulysses'

January 1988 •English

From the series "The Modern World: Ten Great Writers", this playful documentary introduces James Joyce's most famous work "Ulysses". It includes fantastic adaptations to film from passages of the novel. It also includes excerpts from a book written by Joyce's friend, the artist Frank Budgen, entitled "James Joyce and the making of Ulysses". Amongst those interviewed is author Anthony Burgess.

Franz Kafka's 'The Trial'

October 1988 •English

BBC documentary about Franz Kafka played by GREEK TV in 1990. This documentary is one of the ten films of “The Modern World: Ten Great Writers (1988)”.

Milan Kundera: From the Joke to Insignificance

October 2021 •Czech

The brilliant Czech writer Milan Kundera has not given an interview in thirty years; nor does he appear in public. How did he become a legendary author? What is so unique about his books?

Flannery

October 2019 •English

Explore the life of Flannery O’Connor whose provocative fiction was unlike anything published before. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, newly discovered journals, and interviews with Mary Karr, Tommy Lee Jones, Hilton Als, and more.

A Farra do Circo

November 2013 •Portuguese

This documentary highlights the evolution of Brazil's Circo Voador venue from homespun artists' performance space to national cultural institution.

Margaret Atwood: A Word After a Word After a Word Is Power

November 2019 •English

The views and thoughts of Canadian writer Margaret Atwood have never been more relevant than today. Readers turn to her work for answers as they confront the rise of authoritarian leaders, deal with increasingly intrusive technologies, and discuss climate change. Her books are useful as survival tools for hard times. But few know her private life. Who is the woman behind the stories? How does she always seem to know what is coming?