Cinema is like a religion in India: Wim Wenders on his India visit

From Cannes to other prestigious film festivals, German filmmaker Wim Wenders has received numerous awards, along with four Oscar nominations. However, Indian cinephiles are likely to know the director for his most recent work – Perfect Days. His Japanese feature film

Perfect Days

, for which lead actor Kōji Yakusho won the Best Actor award at Cannes, has become Wenders’ most internationally successful film and was nominated for an Oscar in the International Feature Film category in 2024. A 15-day touring retrospective, titled Wim Wenders – King of the Road- The India Tour which will take place in the presence of Wim Wenders during his first visit to India, aims to familiarise Indian audiences with his other award-winning works.
The retrospective, titled Wim Wenders – King of the Road- The India Tour, is being organised by the

Film Heritage Foundation

in association with the Wim Wenders Stiftung (Wim Wenders Foundation) and in collaboration with the

Goethe-Institut

/ Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai.

In all my travels around the world over the years, it seems astonishing that somehow, India fell off the map: Wim Wenders

This retrospective will see Wim Wenders, who is famous for his road movies, travel across the country presenting his films. He will interact with film students, Indian filmmakers and film communities.Talking about his upcoming visit Wim Wenders shares,”In all my travels around the world over the years, it seems astonishing that somehow, India fell off the map, 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. I have known of the Film Heritage Foundation’s dedication to preserving, restoring and bringing India’s precious film heritage back to contemporary audiences, so I was very happy when Shivendra invited me to come to India for a retrospective of my films. I am excited to have the opportunity to travel across the country and present my films, and who knows what will emerge from my time on the road in India.”

‘Audiences in five cities in India will have the extraordinary opportunity to watch these beautiful restorations’

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Filmmaker and Director of Film Heritage Foundation shares that Wim Wenders is not just a filmmaker, but a poet and a thinker of cinema who has influenced generations of filmmakers including him.
He says,”He is truly the King of the Road, but he has never been to India – and it is going to be the adventure of a lifetime to travel across the country with him and show his films. He is also a champion of film heritage – recipient of the 2024 International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) Award – having made some of the most remarkable films on filmmakers besides having archived and restored his films, thanks to which audiences in five cities in India will have the extraordinary opportunity to watch these beautiful restorations presented by the master himself.”

This is the first time that such a substantial offering of his work and a chance to interact with the legend himself is being presented in India: Goethe Institut Mumbai director

Bjorn Ketels, Director, Goethe Institut Mumbai shares that Wim Wenders is one of the greatest masters of world cinema, several times Oscar-nominee and winner of prestigious awards like the Palme D’Or, the Golden Lion, and the BAFTA, and is also known as a pioneer of the New

German Cinema

of the 1970s, is considered today one of the leading figures of contemporary world cinema.
Bjorn Ketels, Director, Goethe Institut Mumbai said in a statement, “The films of Wim Wenders have played a pivotal role in the cultural work of the Goethe-Institut (The cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany). We are therefore thrilled to welcome Wim Wenders to India. He is one of the pioneers of the New German Cinema (Neues Deutsches Kino) and is considered to be one of the most important representatives of contemporary cinema. This is the first time that such a substantial offering of his work and a chance to interact with the legend himself is being presented in India and we hope that film lovers, students and professionals will enjoy the opportunity and find the experience enriching.”

What’s happening

-The programme includes showcasing 18 of his most acclaimed films in 5 cities – Mumbai, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata and Delhi
– Wim Wenders is visiting India from February 5 to 23
-The screenings are free and open to the public on a first come, first served basis.