Wings of Desire (1987)

The main characters of the film are guardian angels—benevolent, invisible beings in trench coats—who listen to the thoughts of mortals and attempt to comfort them. One of them, Damiel (Bruno Ganz), wishes to become human after he falls in love with the beautiful trapeze artist Marion. Peter Falk, played by himself, helps him during his transformation by introducing him to life’s little pleasures. The film’s narration is from the perspective of the angels, who see the world in black and white. Only when Damiel becomes human does the world of color reveal itself to him. He leaves behind his old friend Cassiel, who continues to be accompanied by Homer, the “storyteller of humanity.”

“Wings of Desire” marked Wenders’ ‘homecoming’ and was his first German film after eight years in America. It is a story about love, desire, and innocence, about the life we dream and the life we live.

The poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke influences the film, which, as noted in the closing credits, is “Dedicated to all former angels, but especially to Yasujiro [Ozu], François [Truffaut], and Andrej [Tarkovsky].”

The film has achieved cult status all around the world; in 1998, it was remade under the title “City of Angels,” featuring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan in the lead roles.

Best Director Award at the 1987 Cannes International Film Festival

Best Director Award at the 1987 Bavarian Film Awards

Best Director Award and Best Supporting Actor Award (Curt Bois) at the 1988 European Film Awards

Gold Best full-length Feature Film Award and Best Cinematography Award (Henri Alekan) at the 1988 German Film Academy Awards

Audience Award at the 1988 Sao Paulo International Fim Festival

Nominee for Golden Palm at the 1987 Cannes International Film Festival

Nominee for Best Foreign Film at the 1988 César Awards

Nominee for Best Film not in the English Language at the 1989 BAFTA Film Awards