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Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders at Berlinale 2024.jpg
Wim Wenders in 2024
Born
Ernst Wilhelm Wenders

(1945-08-14) 14 August 1945 (age 79)
Düsseldorf, Germany
Occupation
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • producer
  • photographer
  • author
Years active 1967–present
Spouse(s)
  • Edda Köchl (1968–1974)
  • Lisa Kreuzer (1974–1978)
  • Ronee Blakley (1979–1981)
  • Isabelle Weingarten (1981–1982)
  • Donata Wenders (1993–present)
Awards Full list

Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (born August 14, 1945) is a famous German filmmaker and photographer. He is a very important person in what is called the New German Cinema movement. He has won many awards from big film festivals like Cannes, Venice, and Berlin. He has also won a BAFTA Award and been nominated for three Academy Awards (Oscars) and a Grammy Award.

Wenders made his first full-length movie, Summer in the City, in 1970. He became well-known for directing films like Alice in the Cities (1974), The Wrong Move (1975), and Kings of the Road (1976). These three movies are often called his Road Movie trilogy. Wim Wenders won the BAFTA Award for Best Direction and the top prize, the Palme d'Or, for his film Paris, Texas (1984). He also won the Best Director Award at Cannes for Wings of Desire (1987). Some of his other famous films include The American Friend (1977), Faraway, So Close! (1993), and Perfect Days (2023).

Wenders has been nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature (Best Documentary Oscar). These nominations were for Buena Vista Social Club (1999), Pina (2011), and The Salt of the Earth (2014). He was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Willie Nelson at the Teatro (1998). He is also known for directing other documentaries like Tokyo-Ga (1985), The Soul of a Man (2003), Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (2018), and Anselm (2023).

Wenders was the president of the European Film Academy from 1996 to 2020. In 2015, he received an Honorary Golden Bear award. He is also a talented photographer, often taking pictures of empty landscapes. He is seen as an auteur director, meaning he has a very strong personal style in his films.

Early Life and Education

Wim Wenders was born in Düsseldorf, Germany. His family was Catholic, and his father, Heinrich Wenders, was a surgeon. "Wim" is a shorter version of his birth name, "Wilhelm." As a child, Wenders would travel alone to Amsterdam to visit the Rijksmuseum, a famous art museum. He finished high school in Oberhausen.

After high school, he studied medicine at the University of Freiburg (1963–64) and philosophy at the University of Dusseldorf (1964–65). However, he decided to stop these studies and moved to Paris in 1966 to become a painter. He tried to get into France's national film school, IDHEC, but didn't pass the test. Instead, he worked as an engraver in a studio. During this time, he became very interested in movies, sometimes watching up to five films a day!

In 1967, Wenders returned to Germany, determined to make filmmaking his career. He worked at the United Artists office in Düsseldorf. That fall, he started studying at the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF). While studying there from 1967 to 1970, he also worked as a film critic for several newspapers and magazines.

Before graduating, Wenders made several short films. His graduation project was a black-and-white film called Summer in the City (1970), which became his first feature film.

Film Career

Early Films (1970–1976)

Wenders started his film career in the late 1960s, during the time of the New German Cinema. Many of his films have a special look because he worked for a long time with cinematographer Robby Müller. Wenders's first feature film, Summer in the City (1970), was his graduation project. It was shot in black-and-white and showed many of the themes that would become common in his later films: characters searching, running from problems, and wandering without a clear destination.

After that, Wenders directed The Goalkeeper's Fear of the Penalty, based on a short novel. He also directed The Scarlet Letter (1973), which was a period drama based on a famous novel. From 1974 to 1976, Wenders directed his "Road Movie trilogy." The first film was Alice in the Cities (1974), followed by The Wrong Move (1975) and Kings of the Road (1976). Kings of the Road won an award at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival.

Becoming Famous (1977–1987)

Carrie Fisher and Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders with actress Carrie Fisher in 1978

In 1977, Wenders became more widely known for directing The American Friend. This film starred Dennis Hopper and Bruno Ganz and was based on a novel. Critics compared it to other famous films, noting its dark, thoughtful, and movie-loving style.

Wenders received a lot of praise for his road drama Paris, Texas (1984). It starred Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, and Dean Stockwell. The film won the top prize, the Palme d'Or, at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival. A famous critic, Roger Ebert, said the film was "true, deep, and brilliant."

Next, Wenders directed the fantasy romance Wings of Desire (1987), starring Bruno Ganz and Peter Falk. It premiered at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival, where Wenders won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director. The film was very popular with critics and was considered one of the best films of that year.

Later Career (1991–Present)

Wim Wenders(cannesPhotocall)-
Wim Wenders at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival

In 1991, Wenders directed the science fiction adventure Until the End of the World. This film has been released in different versions, some very long. In 1993, he directed Faraway, So Close!, which was a sequel to Wings of Desire. Many of the original actors returned, and the film won an award at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. The next year, he directed Lisbon Story. In 1995, he directed A Trick of Light and was part of the film Lumière and Company.

In 1997, Wenders directed the American drama The End of Violence. This film did not receive good reviews and didn't do well at the box office.

Wenders has also directed several highly praised documentaries. These include Willie Nelson at the Teatro (1998), about music recording sessions. The next year, he directed Buena Vista Social Club, which was about Cuban music and was nominated for an Oscar. In 2002, he made a documentary about the German rock band BAP.

Wim wenders
Wim Wenders in 2008

Wenders has directed music videos for bands like U2 and Talking Heads. He also directed a documentary-style film about the Skladanowsky brothers, who were early inventors of "moving pictures." In 2011, Wenders was chosen to direct a famous opera, but the project didn't happen because he wanted to film it in 3-D, which was too expensive.

In 2012, Wenders said he would only work in 3-D from then on. He had admired the dance choreographer Pina Bausch for a long time and felt that 3-D technology finally allowed him to capture her work properly in his film Pina.

In 2015, Wenders worked on a documentary about his own films, but it was not finished. He is also a member of the advisory board for the World Cinema Foundation, which helps find and restore old films from around the world.

MJK30794 Donata and Wim Wenders (Berlinale 2017)
Wim Wenders with his wife Donata at Berlinale 2017

In 2017, Wenders directed an opera in Berlin. In 2018, he said his favorite movie he ever made was his film about Pope Francis, Pope Francis: A Man of His Word. He felt that his whole career had led up to making that film. He greatly admires Pope Francis and believes he is doing his best in a difficult world. Wenders was raised Catholic but later became a Protestant.

In 2019, Wenders was an executive producer for a documentary called A Black Jesus. This film explored how religion affects community identity in a small Sicilian town during a time of refugee crisis. Wenders encouraged the film to be more symbolic and philosophical.

In 2025, Wenders made a short film called "The Keys to Freedom" in France. In the film, he visits a museum where General Eisenhower gave the keys of a liberated city to its mayor in 1945. Wenders commented that "These are the keys to the freedom of the world." He told The New York Times that young people should not take freedom for granted, as they might need to defend it in the future.

Photography

Wim Wenders is also a well-known photographer. His photos often show empty landscapes and explore ideas of memory, time, loss, and movement. He started a long-term photography project called "Pictures from the Surface of the Earth" in the early 1980s, which he continued for 20 years.

His first photo series for this project was called "Written in the West." He took these pictures while traveling across the American West to prepare for his film Paris, Texas (1984). This project led him to travel all over the world, including Germany, Australia, Cuba, Israel, and Japan, to capture the feeling of different places and moments.

Personal Life

Wim Wenders lives and works in Berlin with his wife, Donata. He has lived in Berlin since the mid-1970s. He is an ecumenical Christian, meaning he supports unity among different Christian churches. When he was a teenager, he wanted to become a Catholic priest. He is a fan of the German football club Borussia Dortmund.

In 2009, Wenders signed a petition supporting director Roman Polanski, who had been arrested while traveling to a film festival. The petition argued that arresting filmmakers at festivals could make these events less safe for showing films freely.

From 1979 to 1981, Wenders was married to the American actress and singer-songwriter Ronee Blakley.

Filmography

Films

Short Films

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1967 Scenary Yes Yes Yes Also cinematographer and editor
1968 Same Player Shoots Again Yes Yes Yes Also cinematographer and editor
Blurb Film Yes No No Co-directed with Gerhard Theuring
Victor I. Yes No No
1969 Alabama (2000 Light Years) Yes Yes No Also editor and sound
1992 Arisha, the Bear, and the Stone Ring Yes Yes Yes
1995 Segment 38 Yes No No Part of Lumière et compagnie
2002 Twelve Miles to Trona Yes Yes No Part of Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet
2003 Other Side of the Road Yes No No
2007 War in Peace Yes Yes No Part of To Each His Own Cinema
2008 Person to Person Yes Yes No Part of 8
2012 Ver ou Não Ver Yes Yes No Part of Mundo Invisível
2010 If Buildings Could Talk Yes Yes No
2015 Two or Three Thoughts on Edward Hopper Yes Yes Yes Also executive producer
2019 (E)motion Yes Yes Yes

Feature Films

Year Title Director Writer Producer
1970 Summer in the City Yes Yes Yes
1972 The Goalkeeper's Fear of the Penalty Yes Yes Yes
1973 The Scarlet Letter Yes Yes Yes
1974 Alice in the Cities Yes Yes Yes
1975 The Wrong Move Yes No Uncredited
1976 Kings of the Road Yes Yes Yes
1977 The American Friend Yes Yes Yes
1982 Hammett Yes No No
The State of Things Yes Yes Yes
1984 Paris, Texas Yes No No
1987 Wings of Desire Yes Yes Yes
1991 Until the End of the World Yes Yes Co-producer
1993 Faraway, So Close! Yes Yes Yes
1994 Lisbon Story Yes Yes Yes
1995 Beyond the Clouds Partial Yes No
1997 The End of Violence Yes Yes Yes
2000 The Million Dollar Hotel Yes No Yes
2004 Land of Plenty Yes Yes No
2005 Don't Come Knocking Yes Yes Executive
2008 Palermo Shooting Yes Yes Yes
2015 Every Thing Will Be Fine Yes No No
2016 The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez Yes Yes No
2017 Submergence Yes No No
2023 Perfect Days Yes Yes Yes

Producer Only

  • The Left-Handed Woman (1977)
  • Radio On (1979) (Associate producer)
  • ...als diesel geboren (1979)
  • Iron Earth, Copper Sky (1987)
  • The Absence (1992) (Co-producer)
  • Go for Gold! (1997)
  • Half the Rent (2002)
  • Junimond (2002)
  • Fools (2003)
  • Egoshooter (2004)
  • A Black Jesus (2018)
  • Souad (2021) (Co-producer)
  • An Endless Sunday (2023)

Executive Producer Only

  • La torcedura (2004)
  • Música cubana (2004)
  • The House Is Burning (2006)
  • The Clone Returns Home (2008)
  • The Open Road (2009)
  • Au Revoir, Taipei (2010)
  • Sing Me the Songs That Say I Love You: A Concert for Kate McGarrigle (2012)
  • Our Last Tango (2015)
  • National Bird (2016)
  • Little Hands (2017)
  • It Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story (2018)
  • Waiting for the Miracle to Come (2018)
  • Karen Dalton: In My Own Time (2020)
  • United States vs. Reality Winner (2021)

Documentaries

Short Documentaries

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1969 Silver City Revisited Yes Yes Yes Also cinematographer and editor
1982 Reverse Angle Yes Yes Yes
2007 Invisible Crimes Yes Yes No Part of Invisibles
2010 If Buildings Could Talk Yes Yes No
Il volo Yes Yes No
2014 The Berlin Philharmonic Yes Yes No Part of Cathedrals of Culture
2022 Présence Yes Yes Executive
2023 Somebody Comes Into the Light Yes No Yes
2025 The Keys to Freedom Yes Yes No

Documentary Films

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1980 Lightning Over Water Yes Yes Yes Co-directed by Nicholas Ray;
Also editor
1985 Tokyo-Ga Yes Yes Yes Also editor and narrator
1989 Notebook on Cities and Clothes Yes Yes Yes Also cinematographer and narrator
1995 A Trick of Light Yes Yes Yes
1998 Willie Nelson at the Teatro Yes Yes No
1999 Buena Vista Social Club Yes Yes No
2002 Ode to Cologne: A Rock 'N' Roll Film Yes Yes No
2003 The Soul of a Man Yes Yes No
2011 Pina Yes Yes Yes
2014 The Salt of the Earth Yes Yes Executive Co-directed with Juliano Ribeiro Salgado
2018 Pope Francis: A Man of His Word Yes Yes Yes
2023 Anselm Yes No Yes
0TBA The Secrets of Places Yes Yes Yes

TV Movies

Year Title Director Writer Producer
1969 Kaspar Hauser Yes No No
1982 Room 666 Yes Yes Yes

TV Series

Year Title Director Writer Notes
1977 A House for Us Yes No 2 episodes
2020 4 Walls Berlin Yes Yes Episode "Change"

Other Works

TV Shorts

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1969 Police Film Yes Yes Yes Also cinematographer and editor
3 Americans LPS Yes No No Also editor

Music Videos

Year Title Artist
1990 "Night and Day" U2
1992 "Sax and Violins" Talking Heads
1993 "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" U2
1997 "Every Time I Try" Spain
2000 "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" U2
"Warum werde ich nicht satt?" Die Toten Hosen
2001 "Souljacker Part I" Eels
2002 "Live in a Hiding Place" Idlewild
2009 "Auflösen" Die Toten Hosen
2020 "Anagnorisis" Asaf Avidan

Commercials

Year Title Director Writer Subject
2000 "Un matin partout dans le monde" Yes Yes JCDecaux
2009 "My Point of View" Yes Yes Leica
2017–2018 Jil Sander: Spring/Summer 2018 Yes Yes Jil Sander
2021 A Future Together Yes No Salvatore Frengasso

Awards and Recognition

Year Association Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2000 Academy Awards Best Documentary Feature Film Buena Vista Social Club Nominated
2012 Pina Nominated
2015 The Salt of the Earth Nominated
2024 Best International Feature Film Perfect Days Nominated
2023 Asia Pacific Screen Awards Best Feature Film Won
2024 Asian Film Awards Best Film Nominated
1987 Bavarian Film Awards Best Director Wings of Desire Won
1993 Faraway, So Close! Won
1988 Belgian Film Critics Association Grand Prix Wings of Desire Won
2024 Perfect Days Nominated
2015 Berlin International Film Festival Honorary Golden Bear N/A Won
1985 British Academy Film Awards Best Direction Paris, Texas Won
1989 Best Film Not in the English Language Wings of Desire Nominated
2000 Buena Visa Social Club Nominated
2012 Pina Nominated
1984 Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or Paris, Texas Won
1987 Best Director Wings of Desire Won
1993 Grand Prix Faraway, So Close! Won
1978 César Awards Best Foreign Film The American Friend Nominated
1985 Paris, Texas Nominated
1988 Wings of Desire Nominated
2015 Best Documentary Film The Salt of the Earth Won
2024 Best Foreign Film Perfect Days Nominated
1985 David di Donatello Best Foreign Film Paris, Texas Nominated
2015 The Salt of the Earth Nominated
1988 European Film Awards European Film Wings of Desire Nominated
European Director Won
1999 European Documentary Buena Visa Social Club Won
2005 European Director Don't Come Knocking Nominated
2011 European Documentary Pina Won
2024 Lifetime Achievement Award N/A Honored
2017 Filmfest Hamburg Douglas Sirk Award N/A Won
2001 Grammy Awards Best Long Form Music Video Teatro (Video) Nominated
2004 International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg Master of Cinema Award N/A Won
2024 Japan Academy Film Prize Director of the Year Perfect Days Won
2005 Locarno Film Festival Leopard of Honour N/A Won
2025 ribbon bar Order of the Rising Sun 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette N/A Honored
1982 Venice Film Festival Golden Lion The State of Things Won
2012 Writers Guild of America Awards Best Documentary Screenplay Pina Nominated

Wenders has received special honorary degrees from universities in Paris (1989), Switzerland (1995), and Belgium (2005). The Wim Wenders Foundation was started in Düsseldorf in 2012. This foundation helps keep his films, photos, art, and writings together in Germany so that people can always see them. In 2016, he received a major cultural award from the Sparkassen Culture-Foundation Rhineland.

Exhibitions

1986–1992

  • Written in the West, with the book, Written in the West, Munich: Schirmer/Mosel (1987)

1993–1995

  • Wim Wenders Photo Exhibition, with the book, Once, Munich: Schirmer/ Mosel (2001)

2004

  • Pictures from the Surface of the Earth, Australia and Japan, James Cohan Gallery, New York
  • Between The Lines, group exhibition, James Cohan Gallery, New York

2006

  • Wim Wenders: Immagini dal pianeta terra, Scuderie del Quirinale, Rome, Italy
  • Journey to Onomichi – Photos by Wim and Donata Wenders, Omotesando Hills, Tokyo, Japan

2011

  • Places, strange and quiet, Haunch of Venison, London, UK

2012

  • Places Strange and Quiet, Ostlicht. Galerie Für Fotografie, Vienna, AT
  • Places, strange and quiet, Harald Falckenberg Exhibition Space, Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, DE
  • Wim Wenders: Pictures from the Surface of the Earth, Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow, RU

2014

  • Wim Wenders: Places Strange & Quiet, GL Strand, Copenhagen, DK
  • Wim Wenders: Urban Solitude, Palazzo Incontro, Rome, IT

2015

  • Wim Wenders: America, Villa e collezione la Panza, Varese, IT
  • "In broad daylight even the sounds shine. Wim Wenders scouting in Portugal", curated by Anna Duque y González and Laura Schmidt Reservatório da Mãe d'Água das Amoreiras, Lisbon

2016

  • "The Space Between the Characters Can Carry the Load", Collection Ivo Wessel, Weserburg Museum for modern Art, Bremen, DE

2017/2018

  • "Instant Stories/Wim Wenders' Polaroids", The Photographers' Gallery, London, from October 20, 2017 to February 11, 2018.

Installation Art

2019

  • (E)motion

2020

  • Two or Three Things I Know About Edward Hopper

2022

  • Presence, with Claudine Drai

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Wim Wenders para niños

  • BlainSouthern
  • James Cohan Gallery
  • Jerusalem 2111
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