Home of Films
As one of the leading film fests in Germany, the Hof International Film Festival has become well-established as a platform for young German directors and is widely regarded as important arena for discovering new talents, second only to Berlin. Of equal importance, however, are the independent movies from all over the world that make up roughly half the program consisting of 130 odd feature films, documentaries and shorts.
Usually, the directors themselves present the screenings; few want to miss out on the opportunity to discuss their film’s merits (or otherwise) with the German premiere audiences in person.
Film Awards
As part of the International Hof Film Festival, prizes have been awarded by various sponsors and in different categories since 1984.
- A Look Back
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The following film awards were presented during the Hof Film Festival in previous years:
Retrospective
Since the 10th edition of the Hof International Film Festival in 1976, internationally well-known filmmakers have been presenting their work to the German audience within the framework of a retrospective. The films give insight into the directors’ work or cast a look back into the history of the festival and German film.
HoF Plus
HoF PLUS – the supporting programme of the Hof International Film Festival provides an exciting view over the rows of the cinema hall. The events surrounding the many film screenings allow all visitors a deep insight into the thought processes of the filmmakers. The proximity of them to the audience has shaped and defined the festival since its beginnings.
Artistic Director
Thorsten Schaumann has assumed responsibility for the artistic direction of the Hof International Film Festival, which he curated together with Linda Söffker and Alfred Holighaus in 2016 for the 50th edition of the festival.
Heinz Badewitz, the festival’s artistic director up to his untimely death in March 2016, was one of the pioneering initiators – it was due to his ties with the city of Hof that the first shorts program (which lasted all of 2½ hours) featuring his own productions as well as those of his co-film freaks was screened here way back in May 1967. This event went down in history as the First Hof Film Festival.
Soccer
The film festival would not be complete without the traditional soccer match between the FC Filmwelt and the FC Hofer Filmtage. Every year, a selection of actors, film directors and producers plays the team of the FC Filmwelt consisting of festival staff and fans.
The current status after 56 matches:
FC Filmwelt 21 wins, FC Hofer Filmtage 20 wins, 15 draws