Filmmaker Wim Wenders' Critique Originated from His Spouse
As Wim Wenders prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday on August 14, the acclaimed German filmmaker takes a moment to reflect on the origins of the New German Cinema, a movement he was instrumental in shaping.
The New German Cinema, a historical term related to German filmmaking, began in the early 1960s as a response to the decline of the German film industry and the dominance of television. A group of young filmmakers, including Wenders, issued the Oberhausen Manifesto in 1962, boldly declaring, "The old cinema is dead. We believe in the new cinema." This manifesto sought to reject the commercial and artistic stagnation of the previous era and to create a cinema marked by artistic and social innovation rather than commercial success.
Wenders, along with his contemporaries such as Alexander Kluge, Edgar Reitz, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, Volker Schlöndorff, and others, played a central role in this movement. These filmmakers challenged the established German film industry and aimed to explore Germany’s unresolved past (unbewältigte Vergangenheit) and contemporary social realities through more personal, artistic, and socially conscious films.
Wenders, specifically, emerged as one of the three leading figures of the New German Cinema in the 1970s, alongside Fassbinder and Herzog. Their films, while varied in style, collectively gained international critical acclaim even though they were often commercially marginal. Wenders’ work contributed to defining the movement’s characteristic focus on identity, history, and existential themes.
The New German Cinema emphasized artistic freedom, social critique, and a break from commercial formulas, supported by new state funding mechanisms enabling young directors to produce their films. The movement was not competitive, according to Wenders, but rather a collaborative and non-competitive one among German filmmakers. It started by filmmakers showing each other their work.
As Wenders continues to work on a new film, his wife remains his primary critic. Despite her frequent critiques, Wenders sees the criticism as beneficial. He also shares his work in progress with a few friends in the film industry, seeking their feedback and insights.
Wenders' work has been critiqued by his wife and friends, but it has also been celebrated by audiences and critics worldwide. His notable films include "Buena Vista Social Club", "Paris, Texas", "Wings of Desire", and "The American Friend". As he turns 80, Wenders remains an influential figure in the world of cinema, continuing to push boundaries and explore new themes in his work.
[1] "New German Cinema." Encyclopædia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/art/New-German-Cinema. [2] "The New German Cinema." TASCHEN, https://www.taschen.com/us/en/books/art/the-new-german-cinema-11807/. [4] "Wim Wenders." The Criterion Collection, https://www.criterion.com/directors/1331/wim-wenders/.
Movies and TV, being a part of the entertainment industry, were revolutionized by the New German Cinema, a movement that began in the early 1960s and aimed to create a cinema marked by artistic and social innovation, particularly through personal, artistic, and socially conscious films. Wenders' work, including "Buena Vista Social Club", "Paris, Texas", "Wings of Desire", and "The American Friend", have gained international critical acclaim and continue to be celebrated in the world of cinema.
