Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) is mounting “Wim Wenders – King of the Road – The India Tour,” marking the German filmmaker’s first visit to India at age 79. The retrospective, organized with the Wim Wenders Foundation and Goethe-Institut Mumbai, will showcase 18 of his works across five cities from Feb. 5-23.
The program spans Wenders’ 50-year career, from his New German Cinema origins through recent works, featuring restored prints of features, documentaries and shorts. Cities on the tour include Mumbai, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata and New Delhi, with Wenders attending screenings and participating in Q&As with audiences and film students.
“It seems astonishing that somehow, India fell off the map,” Wenders said about his extensive global travels. “Not just because it is a country with an abundance of landscapes and images to explore, but also because it is a country where cinema is like a religion.”
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The lineup includes his Palme d’Or winner “Paris, Texas” (1984), Oscar-nominated “Buena Vista Social Club” (1999), and “Wings of Desire” (1987), which earned him Best Director at Cannes. Wenders’ Oscar-nominated “Perfect Days” (2023) is not part of the retrospective, his latest work being screened is the 3D documentary “Anselm” (2023) about artist Anselm Kiefer.
FHF director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur called the event “a dream come true,” noting Wenders’ recent recognition with the 2024 International Federation of Film Archives Award.
The free screenings will take place at various venues including Mumbai’s Regal Cinema, Kolkata’s Nandan theater, and New Delhi’s Habitat Centre. FHF has previously hosted retrospectives with filmmakers Giuseppe Tornatore and Christopher Nolan.
Bjorn Ketels, director of Goethe Institut Mumbai, highlighted Wenders’ significance as a pioneer of New German Cinema, calling this “the first time that such a substantial offering of his work” has been presented in India.
Films in the Retrospective:
“The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick” (1971) – Fipresci Prize, Venice Film Festival
“Alice in the Cities” (1973)
“Kings of the Road” (1975) – Fipresci Prize, Cannes Film Festival
“The American Friend” (1977) – German Critics Prize winner
“Lightning Over Water” (1980)
“Reverse Angle” (1982)
“Room 666” (1982)
“The State of Things” (1982) – Golden Lion, Venice Film Festival
“Paris, Texas” (1984) – Palme d’Or, Cannes Film Festival
“Tokyo-Ga” (1985) – Outstanding Film of the Year, London Film Festival
“Wings of Desire” (1987) – Best Director, Cannes Film Festival
“Until the End of the World – Director’s Cut” (1994)
“The End of Violence” (1997)
“Buena Vista Social Club” (1999) – Oscar nomination
“The Million Dollar Hotel” (2000) – Jury Prize, Berlin Film Festival
“Don’t Come Knocking” (2005)
“Pina” (2011) – 3D documentary, Oscar nomination
“Anselm” (2023) – 3D documentary