The 59th Hof International Film Festival has opened

On Tuesday evening, the 59th Hof International Film Festival opened with the world premiere of ÜBER UNTERBIBERGER by Matthias Ditscherlein. After a digital greeting from Dr. Florian Herrmann, Bavarian State Minister for Federal Affairs and Media, festival director Thorsten Schaumann welcomed the audience and officially opened the Hof Film Festival under this year's motto “The Place to Grow”.

It started with the short film HARD CASH by David Füsgen, a tragicomic criticism of capitalism, followed by a cinematic journey into the world with the film ÜBER UNTERBIBERGER. The band “Unterbiberger Hofmusik” rocked the audience live after the film screening. In all the premiere cinemas - with almost 1000 visitors - there was brilliant applause for director Matthias Ditscherlein and for bandleader Franz Himpsl, his wife Irene, their sons Xaver, Ludwig and Franz Jr. as well as musician friends.

When the band came on stage at the end of the film and played their Bavarian music with a spicy sound, the cinema audience danced enthusiastically to the rhythms. Afterwards we went to the hall of the festival center to celebrate.

The 59th International Hof Film Festival runs until October 26th and can be experienced online as video on demand until November 2nd, 2025

The photo shows the band “Unterbiberger Hofmusik”: bandleader Franz Himpsl (bottom middle), wife Irene and their sons Ludwig, Xaver and Franz Jr., director Matthias Ditscherlein (top right), assistant director Sarah Klare (2nd from right) and Thorsten Schaumann, artistic director of the festival (3rd from left).