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Axel Prahl

Actor
Actor and musician Axel Prahl, born in Eutin in 1960, is one of the most memorable performers in German-language film and television. Repeated collaborations with director Andreas Dresen, for example in the films *Nachtgestalten* (1999) and *Halbe Treppe* (2002), have had a significant impact on his career. He was honored with the Bavarian Film Award for his performance in Halbe Treppe and received a Silver Bear at the Berlinale as part of the ensemble cast. Since 2002, he has been known to a wide audience primarily for his role as Chief Inspector Frank Thiel in the popular Münster Tatort series. In KAFKA'S THE BUILDING (2014, directed by Jochen Alexander Freydank), Prahl plays the lead role of a man trapped in a claustrophobic world of fear and control. Inspired by Franz Kafka's short story, the film was shown at international festivals and attracted considerable attention thanks to its haunting staging and Prahl's intense performance. His ability to make existential themes tangible shapes the impact of this extraordinary work. In addition to his film work, which also includes productions such as Gundermann (2018), Prahl is also active as a musician and releases albums.

Films

Kafka's the Burrow

Kafka's the Burrow

By Jochen Alexander Freydank

2014 | 110 min | Drama

In a psychological drama based on Franz Kafka's work, Axel Prahl portrays a man fleeing from threats he never sees—but feels.

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Der Papst ist kein Jeansboy

Der Papst ist kein Jeansboy

2011 | 73 min | Documentary

Hermes Phettberg used to be a mountain of a man, but now, due to illness, he has dangerously slimmed down. Despite his physical deterioration, this self-proclaimed “failure of a man” is still a charismatic commentator on Austrian society. As Austria's most famous welfare recipient fights for daily survival, he spends his days on the internet and writes a weekly column in the famous Vienna city magazine “Der Falter”.

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