Kerala
His works — such as 'Paris, Texas', 'Wings of Desire', 'The Salt of the Earth', 'Alice in the Cities', and 'Kings of the Road' — will be screened during a cross-country trip
Wim WendersSpecial Arrangement
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German auteur Wim Wenders is known for his fascination with travel, realism, and storytelling which blurs the lines of fiction and documentary. A key figure in the New German Cinema movement, Wenders, with a filmography capturing diverse cultures and landscapes, is on avisit to India for the first time as part of a grand retrospective organised by the Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with the Wim Wenders Stiftung, Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, and Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC).
His works such as Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire, The Salt of the Earth, Alice in the Cities, and Kings of the Road, which reflect his signature style of poetic realism and philosophical exploration, will be screened during the cross-country trip.
As he reached Thiruvananthapuram, as part of the trip, TNIE caught up with the filmmaker. In a free-wheeling chat, Wenders discusses his early career choices, his lifelong wanderlust, and his impressions of India.
Excerpts:
You studied medicine and you left the course. Was that your first turning point before moving to filmmaking?
As a child, you only know a few professions — your teachers’ or your parents’. My father was a physician, and he was an excellent doctor. I assumed he would be happy if I followed in his footsteps. But after two years of medical school, I realised it wasn’t my calling. I switched to philosophy, thinking my father would be devastated. But he simply laughed and said he had always known. When I told him I wanted to be a painter, he was surprised but supported my decision.
The German word wanderlust has been adopted worldwide. Have you always had this longing for travel?
Absolutely. I grew up in post-war Düsseldorf. The city was in ruins — it looked like Gaza or Ukraine today. I used to explore the world through my grandfather’s encyclopedia and my collection of stamps. I had a globe, and I would run my fingers over countries, dreaming about them. I always wanted to travel, to see places that seemed more beautiful than my own surroundings.
Did this wanderlust inspire your films?
Yes, most of my films were made while travelling or in different countries. I have worked in the US, South America, Africa, Japan, and Australia. Travelling makes me more curious and alive. Even in photography... I rarely take pictures at home. It only happens when I am somewhere unfamiliar or travelling. I feel awake when I am elsewhere.
Were you always interested in visiting India?
India has always been a huge myth for me. I had beautiful Indian stamps, they were the most beautiful ones in my collection. As a child, I was fascinated by how vast the country seemed.
However, as a young filmmaker, I was more drawn to America and was infatuated by that country. At that time, India was like a totally unknown continent for me.
Now, at almost 80, I am finally here for a month-long journey across the country, from Mumbai to the south, east, north, and rural areas. I want to use this occasion to learn about a place I was fascinated by.
You’re an admirer of Satyajit Ray. Did his films influence you?
He was the only Indian filmmaker I met when I was young. The Music Room is my favourite of his works. I also love Distant Thunder. I met him when he won at the Berlin Film Fest.
Your movies are immensely touched by realism just as much as fiction. Did realism always appeal to you as a filmmaker?
Yes. In the New German Cinema movement of the late ’60s and ’70s, we did not have a unified style like the French New Wave, but we shared a commitment to realism. Filmmakers like Rainer Werner Fassbinder stayed in Germany, but Werner Herzog and I were wanderers, making films across the world.
I wanted to bring as much reality into my fiction films as possible and vice versa. My documentaries are shot like fiction, and my fictional films have documentary elements.
Have you explored regional Indian cinema, such as Malayalam films?
I am just beginning to understand the incredible diversity of Indian cinema. In Europe, we think of ourselves as diverse, but India surpasses that with its multitude of film traditions. I look forward to learning more during my journey.
Satyajit Ray
Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders India tour
Kongs of the Road
Travel films
