Wim Wenders, born in 1945 in Düsseldorf, is a German director, screenwriter and photographer. A major figure of New German Cinema, he is famous for his films about wandering, memory and the act of looking, as well as for his photographic work.
Wim Wenders(1945 — ?)
Wim Wenders
Allemagne
7 min read
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Born on 14 August 1945 in Düsseldorf, Germany
- A figure of New German Cinema (Neuer Deutscher Film) in the 1970s
- Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984 for Paris, Texas
- Best Director Award at Cannes in 1987 for Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin)
- Director of acclaimed documentaries such as Buena Vista Social Club (1999) and Pina (2011)
Works & Achievements
The first part of his road trilogy, about the journey of a journalist and a little girl. Here he sets out his favourite theme: wandering.
A road movie about two men travelling across Germany along the former border. A meditation on cinema and German identity.
An adaptation of a crime novel by Patricia Highsmith. The film cemented Wenders's international recognition.
The story of a man who reappears after years of wandering and tries to reconnect with his family. Winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes, it is his most famous film.
Angels watch over the inhabitants of a divided Berlin. A visual poem that became a classic of European cinema.
A musical documentary about elderly Cuban musicians. A worldwide success nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
A 3D tribute to the choreographer Pina Bausch. It reinvents the way dance is filmed in cinema.
A portrait of the photographer Sebastião Salgado, co-directed with the photographer's son. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
Anecdotes
Before becoming a filmmaker, Wim Wenders studied medicine and then philosophy, and he dreamed of being a painter. Having moved to Paris to enter the Beaux-Arts art school, he ended up spending his days in the darkened theatres of the Cinémathèque française, where he discovered hundreds of films: that is where his calling as a director was born.
In 1984, his film “Paris, Texas” won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The story of a man who reappears after years of wandering in the American desert was written by the actor and playwright Sam Shepard, and Ry Cooder's slide-guitar music became famous all over the world.
For “Wings of Desire” (1987), Wenders imagined invisible angels who listen to the thoughts of Berliners. The film was shot in a Berlin still split in two by the Wall, two years before its fall. The American actor Peter Falk, the famous Inspector Columbo, plays himself in it.
Wenders is also a renowned photographer: he travels the world with a large-format camera to capture deserted landscapes, empty roads and abandoned places. His images are exhibited in the greatest museums, and he says he photographs “the places that tell a story even when no one is there.”
A passionate music lover, in 1999 he devoted a documentary, “Buena Vista Social Club,” to old, forgotten Cuban musicians. The film was a worldwide success and revived the careers of these artists, some of whom were over 90 years old.
Primary Sources
The Americans have colonized our subconscious.
Every new image is not self-evident: you have to earn it, because there are already so many images in the world.
This film is about people trying to find one another again; I dedicate it to all those who strive to communicate.
Key Places
City in the Ruhr region where Wim Wenders was born in 1945. He grew up there in postwar Germany during its reconstruction.
Young school where Wenders trained from 1967 onward. It brought together the generation that would create the New German Cinema.
City divided by the Wall where Wenders shot “Wings of Desire” in 1987. It becomes a character in its own right in his cinema.
City of the famous film festival where Wenders received the Palme d'Or for “Paris, Texas” in 1984.
Vast desert landscapes of the American West where “Paris, Texas” takes place. The setting embodies the solitude and wandering so dear to the filmmaker.
Cuban capital where Wenders filmed the musicians of the “Buena Vista Social Club” in 1998. The city and its music lie at the heart of the documentary.
Typical Objects
A film camera that uses 35-millimetre photographic film, long the go-to tool for filmmakers. Wenders cares deeply about it for the richness of the filmed image.
A heavy tripod-mounted camera that produces highly detailed images. Wenders uses it to photograph deserted landscapes around the world.
A strip of light-sensitive film onto which images are printed, frame by frame. It is then assembled during editing to form the finished film.
A text that describes the story, dialogue and scenes of a film before shooting. For “Paris, Texas”, it was written by Sam Shepard.
A small hinged slate clapped in front of the camera at the start of a take. It shows the scene number and makes it possible to synchronise the image and the sound.
An instant-developing camera that Wenders is fond of. In “Alice in the Cities”, Polaroid photos become a central element of the story.
A dual-camera system that records depth, used by Wenders for the dance film “Pina”. It makes it possible to convey the movement of bodies in space.
School Curriculum
Vocabulary & Tags
Key Vocabulary
Daily Life
Morning
During filming, the day begins very early, before sunrise, to make the most of the morning light. Wenders meets up with his crew, checks the framing, and discusses the scenes to be shot. Away from the set, his mornings are devoted to writing and scouting locations.
Afternoon
The afternoon is paced by filming, which often has to be redone to capture just the right image. A photographer at heart, Wenders also takes time to snap pictures of the sets. Editing and selecting shots take up long hours of meticulous work.
Evening
In the evening, he reviews the footage shot during the day and prepares for the next one. A great music lover, he listens to records that inspire the atmosphere of his films. He also sometimes visits movie theaters, faithful to his childhood passion.
Food
A cosmopolitan, Wenders has sampled the cuisines of the world throughout his shoots, from Texas to Cuba by way of Japan. On set, the crew shares simple, quick meals so as not to lose the light. He is particularly fond of coffee, the companion of long workdays.
Clothing
Wenders adopts a understated and recognizable look: casual jackets, shirts, and often a hat or tinted glasses. His outfit, practical for outdoor work, reflects the discreet elegance of an artist always on the move. Nothing ostentatious, but an assertive personal style.
Housing
A Berliner by adoption, Wenders long lived between Germany and the United States before settling in Berlin. His living space is marked by images: photographs, film posters, and art books. His home resembles a creator's studio as much as a place to live.
Historical Timeline
Period Vocabulary
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Alice dans les villes (Alice in den Städten)
1974
Buena Vista Social Club
1999
