The 55th Hof International Film Festival opens on October 26, 2021 with the debut film DAS SCHWARZE QUADRAT by Peter Meister, who succeeded in recruiting a number of well-known actors for his whimsical comedy, including Bernhard Schütz, Jacob Matschenz and Sandra Hüller.
The program is varied, colorful and diverse with 45 national and international feature films, 23 documentaries, and 51 short films. In addition to the German productions, the films come from Canada, USA, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Colombia, France, Great Britain, Finland, Israel, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina. They can be seen locally in cinemas until October 31, 2021. After the premiere, a selection will be available digitally at the streaming festival plus7streamdays until 7 November 2021.
Human beings like to see themselves as the center of existence. But that is somewhat wishful thinking. The world and nature set a clear framework within which we generally act, and this has consequences for every field of life. The topics that move filmmakers demonstrate a committed interest in political tendencies, in family ties and the associated conflicts, in longings and escapes from everyday life, as well as exploring the unpredictable times in which we find ourselves. The movies of the 55th anniversary year of Hof International Film Festival, therefore, also set clear priorities, such as:
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Published on: 2021 October 15
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Politics, Persecution, Resistance
Direction: Simón Mesa Soto (Columbia, Sweden, Germany, Qatar 2021)
Amparo
When single mother Amparo returns from her night shift, she finds that her two children are no longer there. She learns that her son has been drafted as part of an army raid. She begins a race against time to liberate her son.
With Sandra Melissa Torres, John Jairo Montoya Mazo, Diego Alejandro Tabón, Luciana Gallego Álvarez
Director: Ivan Herrera (Dominican Republic, 2021)
Bantú Mama
After her arrest in the Dominican Republic, a French woman of African descent manages to escape. She finds shelter in the most dangerous neighborhood of Santo Domingo, where she is taken in by a group of children.
With Scarlett Reyes, Euris Javiel, Arturo Perez, Clarisse Albrecht
Direction: Gábor Fabricius (Hungary 2021)
Erasing Frank
1983 in Budapest. Frank is the charismatic singer of a prohibited punk band that attempts to make the voice of its generation heard against a totalitarian regime. When Frank is sent to the police psychiatric ward to be silenced, he is willing to sacrifice everything in order to resist.
With Benjamin Fuchs, Kincsö Blénes, Andrea Waskovich, István Lénárt, Pál Frenák
Direction: Florian Hoffmann (Germany 2021)
Stille Post
When Khalil, a primary school teacher from Berlin, receives war footage from his Kurdish hometown of Cizre, in the videos he believes he recognizes his sister, who was thought to be dead. His orderly life is thrown out of kilter.
With Hadi Khanjanpour, Kristin Suckow, Aziz Capkurt, Jeanette Hain, Melda Kanbak
Direction: Marc Wilkins (Switzerland 2021)
The Saint of The Impossible
A murder, a police raid, and a photo of a mysterious girl: a young immigrant and mother in New York has to piece together the secret love lives of her twin sons before she can find out what has happened to them.
With Magaly Solier, Tara Thaller, Adriano und Marcello Durand
Direction: Abel Ferrara (USA, Germany, England, Italy 2020)
Zeros and Ones
A film about lockdown and war, danger and espionage, American soldiers, Chinese middlemen, Middle Eastern holy men, provocateurs, diplomats, rogue elements of the KGB and the Mossad, informants, killers and rebels. The central event is the destruction of the Vatican, which is to be blown sky high.
With Ethan Hawke, Cristina Chiriac, Phil Neilson, Valerio Mastandrea
Family Ties
Direction: Kida Khodr Ramadan (Germany 2021)
Égalité
After a seemingly harmless operation on her tonsils, 14-year-old Leila wakes up blind. Attila, Leila’s father, makes a momentous decision to learn the truth.
With Burak Yigit, Susanna Abdulmajid, Dunya Ramadan, Momo Mohamad Ramadan
Direction: Manuel Weiss (Germany 2021)
Im Wald
Mia is furious with her father Mats. In her eyes, he has abandoned the family, and now he even wants her to meet his new girlfriend. Unexpectedly, the drive to meet her takes them deep into a large wooded area, where they discover an abandoned vehicle. It’s not long before their own car breaks down unexpectedly.
With Tobias Kay, Jolie Joan, Daniela Mitterlehner
Direction: Rebeca Ofek (Germany 2021)
Jessy
13-year-old Jessy’s symbiotic relationship with her mother is tested when Jessy’s father returns from prison. She drifts from one parent to the other, from childhood to adulthood, learning about boundaries and her own identity.
With Pola Geiger, Hannes Wegener, Anca Cipariu, Luis Pintsch
Direction: Micon Gerthold (Germany 2021)
Lethe
Egon, a pensioner suffering from dementia, is not treated particularly well by his family. One day, the long-lost son comes to visit with his fiancée and her parents. The idea is to take a family portrait for the upcoming wedding and get to know each other.
With Gerhard Fehn, Benedict Badenius, Dana Cebulla, Stephanie Jost, Daniel Breitfelder
Direction: Brigitte Drodtloff (Germany 2021)
Los(ge)lassen
An extreme winter storm paralyzes Munich. In the midst of it, three women are living together. Alina, heavily pregnant, goes into labor. Christa, with her disability, is not much help. Lucy, meanwhile, is in love with Jessica and doesn’t give a damn about anything. Solidarity is the only way to save the day.
With Josefina Vilsmaier, Miriam V. Jeremic, Silke Popp, Salber Williams
Direction: Frédéric Hambalek (Germany 2020)
Modell Olimpia
A desperate mother pursues an odd strategy to help her son, who suffers from obsessive fantasies of violence and death. She herself designs a therapy program, intending to train him to escape such disturbing thoughts.
With Alban Mondschein, Anna Steffens, Mathilde Bundschuh
Direction: Mano Khalil (Switzerland 2021)
Nachbarn
In 1980, in a Syrian border village, little Sero is attending his first year at school. A new teacher has arrived to turn the Kurdish children into strapping pan-Arab comrades. He orders the worship of Assad and preaches hatred of the Jews. These lessons confuse Sero, as his longtime neighbors are a lovely Jewish family.
With Serhed Khalil, Jay Abdo, Jalal Altawil
Direction: Peter Luisi (Switzerland, Ukraine 2021)
Prinzessin
Four-year-old Nina and her uncle Josef are very fond of each other. Years later, at his sister’s funeral, Josef learns that Nina went astray as a teenager and is serving time in a prison in Ukraine. He decides to save his princess.
With Matthias Habich, Johanna Bantzer, Anne Haug
Direction: Max Fey (Germany 2021)
Zwischen Uns
Eva and her 13-year-old, autistic son Felix are inseparable. Felix is shy: he suffers from anxiety and anger attacks, and is constantly running away from school. Eva fights with all her might for a stable and harmonious life together.
With Liv Lisa Fries, Jona Eisenblätter, Thure Lindhardt, Lena Urzendowsky, Corinna Harfouch