
Wim Wenders
- Known for
- Directing
- Born
- 14 August 1945 · Düsseldorf, Germany
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker and playwright, who is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among the honors he has received are prizes from the Cannes, Venice and Berlin film festivals. He has also received a BAFTA Award and been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Grammy Award. Wenders made his feature film debut with Summer in the City (1970). He earned critical acclaim for directing the films Alice in the Cities (1974), The Wrong Move (1975), and Kings of the Road (1976), later known as the Road Movie trilogy. Wenders won the BAFTA Award for Best Direction and the Palme d'Or for Paris, Texas (1984) and the Cannes Film Festival Best Director Award for Wings of Desire (1987). His other notable films include The American Friend (1977), Faraway, So Close! (1993), and Perfect Days (2023). Wenders has received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature: for Buena Vista Social Club (1999), Pina (2011), and The Salt of the Earth (2014). He received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video for Willie Nelson at the Teatro (1998). He is also known for directing the documentaries Tokyo-Ga (1985), The Soul of a Man (2003), and Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (2018). Wenders has been the president of the European Film Academy since 1996 and won an Honorary Golden Bear in 2015. He is an active photographer, emphasizing images of desolate landscapes. He is considered an auteur director. Description above from the Wikipedia article Wim Wenders, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
Directing 80
- 2026From Inside Out - The Architecture of Peter Zumthor · director
- 2025The Keys to Freedom · director
- 2023Perfect Days · director
- 2023Some Body Comes Into the Light · director
- 2023Anselm · director
- 2022Présence · director
- 2021A Future Together · director
- 2020Veränderung · director
- 2020Two or Three Things I Know about Edward Hopper · director
- 2018Pope Francis: A Man of His Word · director
- 2018Submergence · director
- 2017Jil Sander: Spring/Summer 2018 Campaign · director
- 2016The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez · director
- 2015Every Thing Will Be Fine · director
- 2014The Salt of the Earth · director
- 2014Henri Langlois vu par... · director
- 2014Cathedrals of Culture · director
- 2014Magnum - Feiere den Moment · director
- 2014The Berlin Philharmonic · director
- 2013Invisible World · director
- 2012Ver ou Não Ver · director
- 2012Der fremde Fotograf und die Einsamkeit · script supervisor
- 2011Pina · director
- 2010If Buildings Could Talk · director
- 2010Il Volo · director
- 2008Palermo Shooting · director
- 2008Person to Person · director
- 20088 · director
- 2008Person to Person · director
- 2007To Each His Own Cinema · director
- 2007War in Peace · director
- 2007War in Peace · director
- 2007Invisibles · director
- 2007Invisible Crimes · director
- 2005Don't Come Knocking · director
- 2004Land of Plenty · director
- 2003The Soul of a Man · director
- 2003The Other Side of the Road · director
- 2002Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet · director
- 2002BAP - Ode to Cologne · director
- 2000The Million Dollar Hotel · director
- 2000One Morning All Over the World · director
- 1999Buena Vista Social Club · director
- 1998Willie Nelson at the Teatro · director
- 1997The End of Violence · director
- 1995Lumière & Company · director
- 1995A Trick of the Light · director
- 1995Beyond the Clouds · co-director
- 1994Lisbon Story · director
- 1993Arisha, the Bear, and the Stone Ring · director
- 1993Faraway, So Close! · director
- 1991Until the End of the World · director
- 1990Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter · director
- 1989Notebook on Cities and Clothes · director
- 1987Wings of Desire · director
- 1985Tokyo-Ga · director
- 1985Room 666 · director
- 1984Paris, Texas · director
- 1982Reverse Angle: New York, March 1982 · director
- 1982Hammett · director
- 1982The State of Things · director
- 1980Lightning Over Water · director
- 1977The American Friend · director
- 1976Kings of the Road · director
- 1975The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick · director
- 1975Wrong Move · director
- 1974From the Family of Reptiles · director
- 1974The Island · director
- 1974Alice in the Cities · director
- 1973The Scarlet Letter · director
- 1972Summer in the City · director
- 19693 American LPs · director
- 1969Polizeifilm · director
- 1969Kaspar Hauser · director
- 1969Silver City Revisited · director
- 1969Alabama (2000 Light Years) · director
- 1968Same Player Shoots Again · director
- 1968Klappenfilm · director
- 1968Victor I. · director
- 1967Schauplätze · director
Production 83
- 2026Return to Timbuktu · executive producer
- 2026Echoes of Light · executive producer
- 2026I'll Be Gone in June · producer
- 2025Sound of Ice · executive producer
- 2025From Darkness to Light · executive producer
- 2023Perfect Days · producer
- 2023Some Body Comes Into the Light · producer
- 2023Mutiny in Heaven: The Birthday Party · producer
- 2023Anselm · producer
- 2023An Endless Sunday · co-producer
- 2023Songs of Earth · executive producer
- 2022Roving Woman · executive producer
- 2021Karen Dalton: In My Own Time · executive producer
- 2021Souad · co-producer
- 2021Reality Winner · executive producer
- 2020A Black Jesus · producer
- 2020Two or Three Things I Know about Edward Hopper · executive producer
- 2019Waiting for the Miracle to Come · executive producer
- 2018It Must Schwing: The Blue Note Story · executive producer
- 2018Pope Francis: A Man of His Word · producer
- 2018Little Hands · executive producer
- 2017Buena Vista Social Club: Adios · executive producer
- 2016The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez · producer
- 2016National Bird · executive producer
- 2015Our Last Tango · executive producer
- 2014The Salt of the Earth · executive producer
- 2014Cathedrals of Culture · executive producer
- 2014Cathedrals of Culture: Halden Prison · executive producer
- 2013Sing Me the Songs That Say I Love You: A Concert for Kate McGarrigle · executive producer
- 2013Über Gott, Alfi und Mexico · producer
- 2011Pina · producer
- 2010Au Revoir Taipei · executive producer
- 2009The Open Road · executive producer
- 2008Palermo Shooting · producer
- 2008The Clone Returns Home · executive producer
- 2006The House Is Burning · executive producer
- 2006The Way I Spent the End of the World · associate producer
- 2005Don't Come Knocking · executive producer
- 2005Egoshooter · producer
- 2004Música Cubana · producer
- 2004Half the Rent · producer
- 2004La torcedura · producer
- 2003Fools · producer
- 2003Fools · producer
- 2002June Moon · producer
- 2000The Million Dollar Hotel · producer
- 1997The End of Violence · producer
- 1997Go for Gold! · producer
- 1995A Trick of the Light · producer
- 1994Lisbon Story · producer
- 1993Arisha, the Bear, and the Stone Ring · producer
- 1993Faraway, So Close! · producer
- 1993The Absence · producer
- 1991Until the End of the World · co-producer
- 1991Dream Island · producer
- 1989Notebook on Cities and Clothes · producer
- 1988Chocolat · co-producer
- 1988The Passenger – Welcome to Germany · consulting producer
- 1987Wings of Desire · producer
- 1987Iron Earth, Copper Sky · producer
- 1985Tokyo-Ga · producer
- 1984Paris, Texas · producer
- 1982Reverse Angle: New York, March 1982 · producer
- 1982The State of Things · producer
- 1980Lightning Over Water · producer
- 1979Radio On · associate producer
- 1979...als Diesel geboren · producer
- 1979Nicholas Ray: Especially for Pierre · producer
- 1978The Left-Handed Woman · producer
- 1977The American Friend · producer
- 1976Kings of the Road · producer
- 1975The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick · producer
- 1975Wrong Move · producer
- 1974Ein bißchen Liebe · producer
- 1974Alice in the Cities · producer
- 1973The Scarlet Letter · producer
- 1972Summer in the City · producer
- 1969Am Spätnachmittag des folgenden Tages erwachte Joe in einem billigen Hotelzimmer - Andy schläft noch ... · producer
- 1969Der Fall Lena Christ · unit manager
- 1969Silver City Revisited · producer
- 1968Same Player Shoots Again · producer
- 1968Klappenfilm · producer
- 1967Schauplätze · producer
Acting 123
- 2025Films to Die For as Self - Interviewee
- 2025La nostra magnifica ossessione - Bernardo Bertolucci e la sua generazione
- 2025The Ozu Diaries as Self
- 2025Wim Wenders: Der ewig Suchende as Self
- 2025The Keys to Freedom as Wim Wenders
- 2024Now is Now: Wim Wenders on 'Perfect Days' as Self
- 2023Room 999 as Self
- 2023Cannes Uncut as Self
- 2022Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer as Self
- 2022CAN and Me as Self
- 2022Bruno Ganz - The Longing Revolutionary as Self
- 2022From Our Side
- 2022Come with Me to the Cinema – The Gregors as Self
- 2022Film: The Living Record of Our Memory as Self
- 2022Die 2050er - Everything will change
- 2021Why Are We (Not) Creative? as Self
- 2021Now as Self
- 2021A Life for Movies: Lotte Eisner as Self
- 2020High Maintenance as Self
- 2020Good Morning, the Wind Blows as Self
- 2020Wim Wenders, Desperado as Self
- 2020Veränderung as Self
- 2019Zeroville as Larry
- 2019Paul Auster: What If as Self - Filmmaker
- 2018Beyond the Bolex as Self
- 2018Living the Light: Robby Müller as Self
- 2018Why Are We Creative? as Self
- 2018Black Baby as Self (archive footage)
- 2018Pope Francis: A Man of His Word as Self - Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- 2018Leçon de cinéma avec Wim Wenders as Self - filmmaker
- 2017Plankton Salesmen as Self (archive footage)
- 2017Water and Sugar – Carlo Di Palma: The Colours of Life as Self
- 2017The Trial: The State of Russia vs Oleg Sentsov as Self
- 2016Along for the Ride as Self
- 2016Dennis Hopper: Uneasy Rider as Self
- 2016Three for the Road as Self
- 2015A Weekend at the Beach as Self
- 2015Filmstudio, mon amour as Sé stesso
- 2015Chris Marker: Never Explain, Never Complain as Self
- 2015French Cinema Mon Amour as Self
- 2015Return to Beethoven Street: Sam Fuller in Germany as Self
- 2015The Legend of the Palme d'Or as Self
- 2015Was heißt hier Ende? Der Filmkritiker Michael Althen as Self
- 2015Restoring Time as Self
- 2014The Salt of the Earth as Self
- 2014Henri Langlois vu par... as Self
- 2013Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction as Self
- 2013A Fuller Life as Self - Reader (segment "A River of Tears")
- 2012Edward Hopper and the Blank Canvas as Self
- 2012Close Up as Self (archive footage)
- 2012BAM150 as Self
- 2011Autoluminescent: Rowland S. Howard as Self
- 2011Hitler in Hollywood as Wim Wenders
- 2011Zwischen den Zeiten
- 2011Viaggio in Bergmania as Self
- 2011Mondo Lux: The Visual Worlds of Werner Schroeter as Self
- 2011Harry Dean Stanton: Crossing Mulholland
- 2010Snowblind as Gray Fox
- 2010Cronología
- 2009What Do You Know About Me as Self
- 2008Effedia - Sulla mia cattiva strada as Self
- 2008Auge in Auge - Eine deutsche Filmgeschichte as Self
- 2008Wim Wenders' Story Of His Early Years as Self
- 2008Counter Shot: Departure of the Filmmakers as Self
- 2008Back to Room 666 as Self
- 2008One Who Set Forth: Wim Wenders' Early Years as Self
- 2007Cannes: All Access as Self
- 2006The Art of Football from A to Z as Self
- 2006Still Alive: A Film About Krzysztof Kieslowski as Self
- 2004Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen as Self
- 2004Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments as Self
- 2004La torcedura
- 2003Wings of Desire: The Angels Among Us as Self
- 2003Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die) as Self
- 2002Fassbinder in Hollywood as Self
- 2002Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet as Doctor #1 (segment "Twelve Miles to Trona")
- 2001Janela da Alma as Self
- 2000The Million Dollar Hotel
- 2000FreeDogme as himself
- 1998Alekan le magnifique as Self
- 1997Tango Berlin
- 1996Love in Hollywood as Self
- 1995A Trick of the Light as Regisseur / Milchmann
- 1995To Make a Film Is to Be Alive as Self (uncredited)
- 1995The Night of the Filmmakers as Self
- 1995In Bildern leben - Die filmischen Reflexionen des Wim Wenders as Self
- 1994Kleiner Mann ganz groß as Self
- 1994Nick Cave: Straight To You - A Portrait as Self
- 1993Arisha, the Bear, and the Stone Ring as Santa Claus
- 1993Talking with Ozu as Self
- 1993Without Me as Himself
- 1991Dream Island
- 1990Wim Wenders in Tokyo as Self
- 1990Pictures of Europe as Self
- 1990Motion and Emotion: The Road to 'Paris, Texas' as Self
- 1990Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders as Self
- 1989Notebook on Cities and Clothes as Self
- 1989The Heart and the Legs as Self
- 1988Alekan, la lumière as Self
- 1987Helsinki Napoli All Night Long as Gas Station Attendant
- 1985King Kongs Faust as Regisseur
- 1985Room 666 as Self
- 1985Report from Hollywood
- 1984Tausend Augen as Dieb im Videoladen
- 1984De droomproducenten as Self
- 1983Dennis Hopper's Russian Dynamite Death Chair Act as Himself
- 1982Reverse Angle: New York, March 1982 as Self
- 1982Cinématon n°212 : Wim Wenders
- 1982Cinématon XXII as N°212
- 1982The State of Things as Tram Passenger (uncredited)
- 1980Lightning Over Water as Self
- 1978Cinématon as N°212
- 1978Long Shot as Another Director
- 1977The American Friend as Figure Wrapped in Plaster Bandages in Ambulance (uncredited)
- 1976Signs of Vigorous Life: The New German Cinema as Self
- 1976Kings of the Road as Spectator at Pauline's Theater (uncredited)
- 1975The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick as Man Walking through Vienna Bus Station (uncredited)
- 1975Wrong Move as Man in Dining Car (uncredited)
- 1974Alice in the Cities as Man by Jukebox in American Cafe (uncredited)
- 1972Summer in the City as Billardspieler (uncredited)
- 19693 American LPs
- 1968Love and So Forth as Student
- 1968Candy Man
Writing 50
- 2025The Keys to Freedom · writer
- 2023Perfect Days · screenplay
- 2023Anselm · writer
- 2020Veränderung · writer
- 2020Two or Three Things I Know about Edward Hopper · writer
- 2018Pope Francis: A Man of His Word · writer
- 2016The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez · writer
- 2014The Salt of the Earth · writer
- 2014Cathedrals of Culture · writer
- 2014Magnum - Feiere den Moment · writer
- 2013Invisible World · writer
- 2011Pina · screenplay
- 2010If Buildings Could Talk · writer
- 2010Il Volo · writer
- 2008Palermo Shooting · writer
- 20088 · writer
- 2007Invisibles · writer
- 2005Don't Come Knocking · writer
- 2004Land of Plenty · screenplay
- 2003The Soul of a Man · writer
- 2002Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet · writer
- 2002BAP - Ode to Cologne · writer
- 1999Buena Vista Social Club · screenplay
- 1998City of Angels · original film writer
- 1998Willie Nelson at the Teatro · writer
- 1997The End of Violence · story
- 1995A Trick of the Light · writer
- 1995Beyond the Clouds · screenplay
- 1994Lisbon Story · screenplay
- 1993Arisha, the Bear, and the Stone Ring · writer
- 1993Faraway, So Close! · screenplay
- 1991Until the End of the World · story
- 1989Notebook on Cities and Clothes · writer
- 1987Wings of Desire · screenplay
- 1985Tokyo-Ga · writer
- 1985Room 666 · writer
- 1982Reverse Angle: New York, March 1982 · writer
- 1982The State of Things · writer
- 1980Lightning Over Water · writer
- 1977The American Friend · screenplay
- 1976Kings of the Road · screenplay
- 1975The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick · writer
- 1974Alice in the Cities · screenplay
- 1973The Scarlet Letter · writer
- 1972Summer in the City · writer
- 1969Polizeifilm · writer
- 1969Silver City Revisited · writer
- 1969Alabama (2000 Light Years) · writer
- 1968Same Player Shoots Again · writer
- 1967Schauplätze · writer
Camera 13
- 2014The Salt of the Earth · still photographer
- 2003The Soul of a Man · camera operator
- 1995Beyond the Clouds · still photographer
- 1989Notebook on Cities and Clothes · director of photography
- 1985I Played It for You · additional photography
- 1980Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers · additional camera
- 1979Nicholas Ray: Especially for Pierre · director of photography
- 1969Polizeifilm · director of photography
- 1969Amon Duul II: Plays Phallus Dei · director of photography
- 1969Ten Years After · director of photography
- 1969Silver City Revisited · director of photography
- 1968Same Player Shoots Again · director of photography
- 1967Schauplätze · director of photography
crew 5
- 2012Stories We Tell · thanks
- 2009Passage · thanks
- 2002Three Days of Rain · presenter
- 1993Adamski · thanks
- 1990Speaking Parts · thanks
Editing 10
- 2000In the Shadow of Hollywood · archival footage research
- 1993Arisha, the Bear, and the Stone Ring · editor
- 1985Tokyo-Ga · editor
- 1980Lightning Over Water · editor
- 19693 American LPs · editor
- 1969Polizeifilm · editor
- 1969Silver City Revisited · editor
- 1969Alabama (2000 Light Years) · editor
- 1968Same Player Shoots Again · editor
- 1967Schauplätze · editor
Sound 3
- 1987Sansibar oder Der letzte Grund · sound mix technician
- 1979Nicholas Ray: Especially for Pierre · sound
- 1969Alabama (2000 Light Years) · sound





