Wim Wenders

Wim Wenders (b. 1945, Düsseldorf) became internationally known as one of the protagonists of the New German Cinema of the 1970s. Today, he is considered one of the most important figures in contemporary world cinema. The work of the screenwriter, director, producer, photographer, and author includes multiple award-winning feature and documentary films, photo exhibitions presented worldwide, as well as numerous photo books, film books, and text collections. He lives and works in Berlin with his wife, Donata Wenders.

His films, “Paris, Texas” (1984) and “Wings of Desire” (1987), are today part of the international canon of film heritage, as are his innovative documentaries, “Pina,” “Buena Vista Social Club,” and “The Salt of the Earth.”

His two most recent films had their world premiere at the Festival de Cannes in 2023: “Anselm,” his documentary film in 3D about Anselm Kiefer, and his Japanese feature film “Perfect Days,” for which lead actor Kōji Yakusho received the award for Best Actor in Cannes. “Perfect Days” became his most successful film internationally and was nominated for an Oscar in the International Feature Film category in 2024.

In 2012, Wim and Donata Wenders established the Wim Wenders Foundation in Wenders’ native city, Düsseldorf. The non-profit foundation brings together the artist’s cinematic, photographic, and literary lifework and makes it permanently accessible to the public.

In the process, the films are restored to state-of-the-art digital masters. The Wim Wenders Foundation is also engaged in film education for schools and supports—in cooperation with the Film- und Medienstiftung, Nordrhein-Westfalen—the promotion of young talent in the field of innovative cinematic storytelling with the Wim Wenders Grant. The Wim Wenders Foundation is managed by Claire Brunel and Hella Wenders.

Wenders Images is the photo studio of Wim and Donata Wenders, which produces and curates the photographic works of both artists in the form of exhibitions and publications.

It is also the place where their art-related film projects and installations are created. Wenders Images is managed by Keiko Tominaga.

Road Movies was established in 1976 by Wim Wenders. The Berlin-based company has produced and co-produced over 100 arthouse films by Wim Wenders and various other directors, with a particular focus on creative documentaries and productions in 3D. Since 2024, the Managing Directors have been Marc Schmidheiny and Wim Wenders.