World's 'biggest small film festival' in Hof marks 50th anniversary

Heinz Badewitz, longtime director of the Hof International Film Festival, and filmmaker Wim Wenders have known each other since the festival's early days. Badewitz passed away unexpectedly earlier this year - a shock to the cinema world. This year's festival, running from October 25-30 in the small Bavarian town, is a memorial to him. Wenders presents his new film "The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez."

Typically, the renowned retrospectives in Hof concentrate on the work of just one filmmaker. But this year, everything is different. The festival is reviewing its own history - both because it's turning 50 and because founder Heinz Badewitz (second from left) was an integral part of it. He got along with everyone - including Rainer Werner Fassbinder, pictured second from right in Hof in 1971.

A brand-new film is set to open the festival on October 25: "Die Blumen von Gestern" (Yesterday's flowers). Directed by Chris Kraus, the comedy broaches a particularly touchy subject, the Holocaust, and poses the question: How do people deal with it who were born years after World War II?

Director Feo Aladag made a name for herself with her gripping honor killing drama "When We Leave" in 2010. Her fourth film, "Der Andere - eine Familiengeschichte" (The other - a family history) recounts the story of a refugee from Mali, who unexpected crosses paths with a Berlin police officer and his father.

The Hof International Film Festival is showing over 120 new productions this year, most of which are international premieres. Documentary films are also included on the program. Director Thomas Riedelsheimer is presenting "Die Farbe der Sehnsucht" (The color of longing). The film journeys through five countries, introducing people along the way who philosophize about issues like home and freedom.

Dominik Graf, a long-time friend of the festival, is bringing his new made-for-TV film "Am Abend aller Tage" (In the evening of all days) to the festival. Graf's films are always suited to the big screen, even if they are planned for television broadcast. This latest work tells the story of a painting that has disappeared and a young man who loses himself while looking for it.

The Hof festival also honors the "international" in its name by looking to other European countries and overseas. Serbian director Goran Paskaljevic is showing "Dev Bhoomi, Land of the Gods," in which a man returns to his village and has to adjust after spending a long time in the Himalayas. A Serbian-Indian co-production, the film is an example of growing global collaboration.

Italy's film scene has undergone a bit of a crisis in recent years. But Italian directors are still managing to make small, unspectacular films that offer deep insights into modern, post-Berlusconi society. Director Paolo Virzì is one of the most interesting filmmakers of his generation. His latest work, "Like Crazy," is a portrait of two vivacious women.

French cinema, on the other hand, is a staple in German theaters. This year, the Hof International Film Festival is showing the new film by Philippe Lioret, which is one of his best to date. "Le fils de Jean" (Jean's son) portrays a single-dad who finds out that his birth father, who he hadn't known existed, had died in Quebec. So he takes a trip to Canada with his son.

Apart from premieres and recent productions, the 50th edition of the Hof International Film Festival will, of course, also dig into the past. Local directors like Werner Herzog and Herbert Achternbusch, pictured here in Hof's early days, will be in the limelight. Herzog, who is now based in Hollywood, is to make an appearance.

The festival located in rural Bavaria was always a kind of novelty for filmmakers. Who'd have thought that a film like "Zombie - Dawn of the Dead" by horror specialist George A. Romero would celebrate its Germany premiere in Hof in 1978? Renowned German filmmaker Doris Dörrie even served as an interpreter for that premiere.

Hof is not just about film - but also about football. A soccer match is held each year among the participants at the festival. Wim Wenders and Werner Herzog have made their mark in the festival's history as top goalkeepers.