Nosferatu filmmaker F.W. Murnau‘s dark fantasy epic, Faust, celebrates its centennial anniversary this October, and Mubi is celebrating with a book release containing rare material thought to have been lost.
The Faust Bible: The Making of F.W. Murnau’s Masterpiece is being published by Mubi Editions in partnership with la Cinémathèque française, Variety reports today, on October 17.
The new release “brings to light a recently-unearthed artefact of film history: a visual diary of approximately 400 photographs and original illustrations documenting the making of the film almost step-by-step.”
Faust crew members Robert Herlth, Carl Hoffmann, and Walter Röhrig initially presented Murnau with the materials in a prop bible for the comprehensive dive into the film’s production, but they were lost for many years in his move from Germany to Hollywood.
After a painstaking restoration process, the Faust Bible will be published in full for the very first time.
“One of the most influential and pioneering filmmakers of the silent era, F.W. Murnau was known for the privacy of his film sets,” said la Cinémathèque française’s Mannoni. “Reluctant to welcome visitors, he was even less inclined to reveal his creative process. The rediscovery of the Faust ‘Bible’ offers extraordinary insight into the making of one of cinema’s great masterpieces. Published in its entirety for the first time, it allows readers to trace the creation of this legendary film.”
In the silent film classic, “God and Satan war over earth; to settle things, they wager on the soul of Faust, a learned and prayerful alchemist.”
To mark the occasion, both for the rare release and Faust‘s 100th, Mubi will present a series of international events and screenings throughout fall 2026.
