Virtual film experiences with HoF XR

The Hof International Film Festival has always been open to new forms of cinematic art. With XR (extended reality), the spectrum of storytelling is expanding to include immersive experiences that allow viewers to dive directly into the action.

Virtual reality, augmented reality, or mixed reality—XR creates spaces for experiences in which images, sound, and space merge into an intense overall experience. Stories are no longer just viewed, but lived through.

In line with this year’s festival motto “HoF – The Place to Grow,” Hof sees itself as a breeding ground for these new forms of storytelling: a space where artistic experiments can flourish, where technologies are not only tested but also enter into creative dialogue with the audience.

This year’s projects presented in the festival hub make it clear that virtual spaces always raise real questions: childhood fantasies reflect our longing for lightheartedness, forces of nature allow us to feel the drama of climate change directly, and the village Mödlareuth, divided during the East German era, reminds us of borders that still have an impact today. And when avatars of guests and protagonists of the festival tell their stories about HoF, reality and digital doppelgängers blur into a shared dialogue. In this way, Hof becomes a place where virtual worlds grow—and at the same time, questions are asked that move us in reality.

Our thanks go to the Rainer Markgraf Foundation, XR HUB Bavaria, and FFF Bayern.

The projects: 

OUT OF NOWHERE

Our weather is becoming increasingly unpredictable. Everywhere. By protecting nature, we can protect ourselves. Out of Nowhere is a 10-minute standalone virtual reality experience that premiered at Venice Immersive in August 2025.

LA PETITE SOURIS

The sad tale of the little mouse, driven by ambition and arrogance to become someone, is a sharp satire of corporate life in the form of a VR Christmas story.

EDDIE AND I

Eight-year-old, deaf Ron is afraid of his first camping trip. To reassure him, his mother invents the story of “Eddie the Camper,” who grew up in the forest and is the perfect companion for any outdoor adventure. While Ron sleeps deeply, he finds himself in a surreal forest and meets you, embodied as the shaggy monster Eddie. Together you embark on an adventure without you knowing sign language. An interactive experience.

MÖDLAREUTH VR

Mödlareuth, the “little Berlin” on the former inner-German border, remains a symbol of Germany’s division to this day. With the newly redesigned Deutsch-Deutsches Museum, this story is kept alive. A VR tour offers a special access: you experience historic original locations and daily life in a divided village.

FILMPEOPLE AR

The collective17 presents an innovative augmented reality application that makes festival-goers active co-creators. Last year, faces were scanned, avatars created, and interviews recorded. These digital doppelgängers tell the festival’s stories in an interactive AR environment—personal, direct, and from a variety of perspectives.

In addition to the VR experience MÖDLAREUTH VR, accredited guests can take a Film Commission Tour of the FFF – FilmFernsehFonds Bayern to the former divided city.