Coming to cinema via a long and winding road that included studies of medicine, philosophy, and a stint as an engraver, Wim Wenders released his first feature, Summer In The City, in 1970. Although he would later speak of his first films as derivative, the themes that would recur throughout his subsequent work were already apparent; perhaps inspired by his youth in a divided country, Wenders’s films explore the individual’s isolation and alienation within society, the relationship between time and memory, the lure of the concept of America, and the determined search for a vague something that keeps his characters in constant, restless movement, flitting from place to place in jaded but resilient hope. These German films, shot by Robby Müller, the first in a line of frequent collaborators that includes musician Ry Cooder and a number of recurring actors, saw Wenders assume a leading role in the New German Cinema movement, and afforded him the opportunity to explore American myths on screen, as in Paris, Texas (1984). Over subsequent years, Wenders created films that ranged from the heartbreakingly beautiful lyricism of Wings Of Desire (1987) to the genre experiment of Until The End Of The World (1991) and beyond. Like fellow countryman Werner Herzog before him, Wenders had often made documentaries, both short-form and feature length, but it was only in later years that this work garnered greater attention, revitalising his career and bringing him significant success and new audiences. Beginning with Buena Vista Social Club (1999) and on to his success with Pina (2011), in which he made brilliant, innovative use of 3D, the acclaim accorded to his documentary work has equalled that of his fiction narratives. Wenders’s body of work makes for an extraordinarily rich viewing experience, as presented in this selection of his films for IFI@Home.
Wim Wenders: King of the Road is available on IFI@Home until 1st August 2026.
