Film director Wim Wenders discusses the allure of cinema as an avenue for exploration and the discovery of oneself, likening it to the experience of losing oneself.
Wim Wenders: A Lifetime of Movement, Discovery, and Loss
German filmmaker Wim Wenders' career and thematic focus center on themes of movement, discovery, and loss, with a deep interest in loneliness, displacement, and the search for identity. He is best known for his acclaimed road movies, which explore individuals physically and emotionally in transit, seeking connection or belonging.
Wenders began his creative journey in the 1970s as a key figure in the New German Cinema movement. His trilogy of road movies—Alice in the Cities, The Goal (The Move), and Kings of the Road—focuses on characters traveling through spaces and landscapes, embodying a sense of restlessness and search. His film Paris, Texas explores loss and redemption through a man with amnesia journeying to reunite with his son, blending his themes of solitude and healing.
A recurring metaphor in Wenders’ work is the figure of angels as representations of the better human spirit or the child within, notably in Wings of Desire and its sequel, where these beings observe humanity and its struggles. These films deepen his exploration of existential themes like loneliness and hope.
Wenders incorporates his experience and passion for movement not only cinematically but also through photography, which reflects his filmmaking style by focusing on emptiness, stillness, and the dignity of space. Photography allows him to transport viewers to places he has discovered and conveys a sense of place and memory. His photographic work often captures vast, desolate landscapes that complement the emotional and physical journeys depicted in his films.
His process is notable for embracing spontaneity; he often avoids rigid scripts, letting films unfold like travel itineraries in real time, emphasizing the experience of traveling and the poetic nature of movement itself.
Born in Duesseldorf, Germany, near the end of World War II, Wenders sees St. Francis of Assisi as a hero and used him as a guiding influence for a documentary on Pope Francis. Wenders has traveled extensively, including trips to China and India, but has not yet visited Patagonia, Antarctica, or the North Pole. Despite this, he believes that when lost, one sees more of the city than with a map, expressing a fondness for the pre-digital era, when getting lost in new cities was possible.
Wenders' recent work includes a 3D documentary portrait of German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer and the quiet character study Perfect Days, set in Tokyo, which won Koji Yakusho the best actor award at Cannes and was selected as Japan's official entry for the 2024 Academy Awards.
In summary, Wim Wenders’ career is defined by road movies exploring emotional and physical journeys, displacement, and solitude; the use of angels as metaphors for inner humanity and hope; an aesthetic focus on landscapes, emptiness, and stillness in both films and photography; themes of loss, discovery, redemption, and the art of getting lost; and the incorporation of personal exploration through spontaneous, travel-like filmmaking methods and photography. These elements collectively reflect his lifelong engagement with movement, discovery, and loss both as narrative content and as formal cinematic and photographic techniques. The exhibition "W.I.M. The Art Of Seeing" at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn, Germany, runs through to January 11, 2026.
- Wim Wenders' work, from movies to photography, often showcases themes of loneliness, displacement, and the search for identity, making it a popular topic in international media.
- Wenders' trilogy of road movies and films like Paris, Texas captivate the attention of world culture enthusiasts and critics, placing him among leading figures in the entertainment industry.
- In movies-and-tv, Europe has been a significant backdrop for many of Wenders' movies, but he hopes to visit places like Patagonia and Antarctica to continue his lifelong journey of discovery.
- Through his advocacy for the pre-digital era, Wenders shares his thoughts on celebrity and society in the context of changing media dynamics, offering unique perspectives on global trends.
- As his latest work illustrates, Wenders remains an influential figure in the world of international cinema, crafting captivating tales that resonate with audiences across cultures.
