Yesterday evening, the 57th Hof International Film Festival opened with the world premiere of 15 YEARS by Chris Kraus. After a digital greeting by Judith Gerlach, Bavarian Minister of State for Digital Affairs, festival director Thorsten Schaumann welcomed the audience, together with producer Clara von Berlepsch, who had come to Hof to represent director Chris Kraus. To set the mood, Syrian musician Aeham Ahmad played a composition on the piano.
After the film there was a brilliant applause and standing ovation for the film team. In front of the stage the actors Hannah Herzsprung, Hassan Akkouch, Albrecht Schuch, Samuel Koch, producer Danny Krausz, cinematographer Daniela Kapp, costume designer Gioia Raspé and the composers Anette Focks and Max Prosa as well as Christoph Liedke from Wild Bunch Germany and many other members of the team presented themselves.
In 2006, Chris Kraus and Hannah Herzsprung were already in Hof with the film 4 MINUTES. It tells the story of the gifted and subtle pianist Jenny von Loeben, who is sent to prison after a murder she did not commit. 15 YEARS continues her story when she meets her ex-boyfriend after her release and has to face her past.
15 YEARS is the sixth film that director Chris Kraus is presenting at the Hof Film Festival. In 2022, he was awarded the Hans Vogt Film Prize in Hof. Wild Bunch Germany will release the film in theaters on 11 January 2024.