When the 59th Hof International Film Festival opens on Tuesday, October 21, with the film ÜBER UNTERBIBERGER, filmmaker Matthias Ditscherlein has created more than just a film - rather, he takes us on a musical journey between cultures, generations and sound worlds. The focus is on the extraordinary Himpsl family of musicians, who are known worldwide as “Unterbiberger Hofmusik”.
ÜBER UNTERBIBERGER is an inspiring and entertaining documentary about a family that builds bridges with their music, combining Bavarian folk music with jazz, oriental rhythms and global sound. Matthias Ditscherlein has accompanied this extraordinary ensemble at concerts, on stage and behind the scenes as well as in everyday life - and he tells a universal story about openness, musical curiosity and the connecting power of music. The result is a multi-faceted portrait that invites you to smile, marvel and think - and shows what tolerance in practice can sound like.
Since Matthias Ditscherlein had his film “Kinomann” world premiere at the 54th Hof International Film Festival in 2020, he has been a regular guest at the festival. This year too, not only with the opening film ÜBER UNTERBIBERGER, but also with his cinema bus in the middle of Hof's pedestrian zone, where he presents short films for everyone.
Franz Himpsl is an athlete, teacher, trumpeter, chaos agent, and founder of the “Unterbiberger Hofmusik.” Together with his wife Irene and their sons Xaver, Ludwig, and Franz Jr., they break down the barriers of Bavarian folk music, spice it with Turkish, Indian, Egyptian, Moroccan, and many other influences. They perform with global jazz stars such as Claudio Roditi, Bobby Shew, and Matthias Schriefl. Motto: respect and don’t shit yourself in your pants! (Note: This line is a colloquial and coarse expression in German.)
A plea for the power of music, for looking toward new horizons, and for rethinking home.
Published on: October 13, 2025
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30 international feature films in the program