Profile of Wim Wenders

Wim Wenders emerged as a major filmmaker during the New German Cinema movement of the seventies. Wenders is often characterized as the "existentialist" of the movement.

Stylistically, his films blend Hollywood forms and genres with elements of counter-cinema. Thematically, his films attempt to disclose states of consciousness-loneliness, irresolution, anxiety - and explore the ambivalent impact of American culture on post-WWII German life.

"All my films," Wenders claims, "have as their underlying current the Americanization of Germany." No other German filmmaker has dealt more extensively or more obsessively with the American presence in the European unconscious. Wenders's fascination with American culture began in his childhood. He grew up at a time when American culture provided a diversion for West Germans eager to forget their own past. Extremely shy and introspective as a teenager, Wenders planned to study for the priesthood, but this desire soon gave way to an interest in American music and American film. After studying medicine and philosophy at the University of Freiburg and painting in Paris, Wenders enrolled in Munich's film school, where he made several student films between 1967 and 1970.

The themes of alienation and wanderlust would play a major role in the films throughout his career as he would direct a variety of "road movies", including Alice in the Cities (1972), The Wrong Move (1974), and Kings of the Road (1975). The Films Wendersd is probably best known for are Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin, 1987) and Paris Texas (1984).

In the late 90s, Wenders completed more films in the States: The End of Violence (1997) with Gabriel Byrne and Andie MacDowell and The Million Dollar Hotel (2000) with Mel Gibson and Milla Jovovich, co-scripted by Bono with music by U2.

Wenders went back to Germany to make a movie about the German rock band BAP: Viel passiert (Ode to Cologne: A Rock 'N' Roll Film) (2002). His Buena Vista Social Club (1999) received an Oscar nomination.

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• Personal Website
• Biography, Filmography, Wikipedia
• Interview, Die Zeit (german)