Wim Wenders Quotes

I think seeing happens partly through the eyes, but not entirely.

What is it in the human condition that tries to impose our own view onto others, without the ability, capacity, propensity, to receive somebody else's openly?

the more opinions you have, the less you see

Every film is political. Most political of all are those that pretend not to be: 'entertainment' movies. They are the most political films there are because they dismiss the possibility of change. In every frame they tell you everything's fine the way it is. They are a continual advertisement for things as they are.

That's how it begins, making a film, writing a book, painting a picture, composing a tune, generally creating something. You have a wish. You wish that something might exist, and then you work on it until it does.

Долу телевизията.

Più che d’intelligenza abbiamo bisogno di dolcezza e di bontà.

For me, black and white is more realistic than colour. Black and white can be colourful, and colour can be very black and white.

Now it's serious. At last it's becoming serious. So I've grown older. Was I the only one who wasn't serious? Is it our times that are not serious? I was never lonely neither when I was alone, nor with others. But I would have liked to be alone at last. Loneliness means I'm finally whole. Now I can say it as tonight, I'm at last alone. I must put an end to coincidence. The new moon of decision. I don't know if there's destiny but there's a decision. Decide! We are now the times. Not only the whole town - the whole world is taking part in our decision. We two are now more than us two. We incarnate something. We're representing the people now. And the whole place is full of those who are dreaming the same dream. We are deciding everyone's game. I am ready. Now it's your turn. You hold the game in your hand. Now or never. You need me. You will need me. There's no greater story than ours, that of man and woman. It will be a story of giants... invisible... transposable... a story of new ancestors. Look. My eyes. They are the picture of necessity, of the future of everyone in the place. Last night I dreamt of a stranger... of my man. Only with him could I be alone, open up to him, wholly open, wholly for him. Welcome him wholly into me. Surround him with the labyrinth of shared happiness. I know... it's you.

I dislike the manipulation that's necessary to press all the images of a film into one story; it's very harmful for the images because it tends to drain them of their 'life'. In the relationship between story and image, I see the story as a kind of vampire, trying to suck all the blood from an image. Images are acutely sensitive; like snails they shrink back when you touch their horns. They don't have it in them to be carthorses: carrying and transporting messages or significance or intention or a moral. But that's precisely what a story wants from them.

So back to the awful question: why do I make films? Well, because. . . Something happens, you see it happening, you film it as it happens, the camera sees it and records it, and you can look at it again, afterwards. The thing itself may no longer be there, but you can still see it, the fact of its existence hasn't been lost. The act of filming is a heroic act (not always, not often, but sometimes). For a moment, the gradual destruction of the world of appearances is held up. The camera is a weapon against the tragedy of things, against their disappearing. Why make films? Bloody stupid question!

Разказвам истории за хора, които търсят нещо – всъщност разказвам любовни истории. Разказвам за хора, които искат да разберат как става това нещо – обичането. Дали самият аз го знам?Дълго време за мен любовта бе нещо напълно неразбираемо – като книга, запечатана със седем печата. Междувременно – ако ще и това да прозвучи крайно високомерно – ми се удаде да разгадая някои от страниците ѝ. Филмите ми много ми помогнаха да се доближа до тайнството. Много може да се научи от правенето на кино. Преди всичко, ако историите, които разказваш – а на това винаги съм държал – се опират на твой собствен опит.

Ние тук е Европа сме в добра изходна позиция. Европейското кино е непресъхващ извор на идеи, фантазия и изобразителна мощ. Можем да се опрем на стабилна традиция в театъра, литературата, изобразителното изкуство, поезията, архитектурата и музиката, и тя би ни помогнала да преобразим студената дигитална технология в силно емоционален филмов език.

Интересувам се от места и предмети, които са в процес на изчезване, и вероятно си въобразявам, че снимам ли ги, ще оставя спомен за тях. Или пък че ще обърна вниманието на зрителя изобщо към изчезването на нещата и забравата. Но не съм носталгично настроен човек. Да се наблюдава времето и да се запечатва е една от основните функции на фотографията. Това не е било възможно преди изобретяването на фотоапарата. А що се отнася до самотата: самият акт на снимане е изключително „усамотяващ“, ако мога така опростено да го кажа. Но в това не влагам отрицателни чувства, напротив. Да можеш да общуваш със самотата си, да откриеш свободата в нея, е едно от многото невероятни неща, които могат да се научат от фотографията.

Бях 12-или 13-годишен. Музиката никога не ме беше интересувала. За мен тя означаваше скука. Концерти по радиото. Да стоя кротко и да слушам. Мразех часовете по музика в училище, не можех да търпя нито пеенето, нито сбирките на хора. Немските шлагери бяха шумотевица, от която много рядко се отделяше свястно парче. И изведнъж се появи музика, нямаща нищо общо с всичко досега, и която даде нова дефиниция на музиката въобще. Тя се казваше рокендрол и веднага ме завладя. „Прамузика“. От този ден нататък и за мен започна да съществува музиката.

I didn’t know you could make movies while traveling. I didn’t know you could actually get in a car, start a story, and the itinerary and story would become the same. While we made “Alice in the Cities”, I found out. I felt like a fish in the water. This was the kind of filmmaking I was born for. […] My characters are drifters and searchers and they look for something. The journey is a state of mind for them. And also, the filmmaking journey is a way of working that allows you to experience what the film is about, and to have the adventure that the film is supposed to represent for the audience.

PENSARE ALLA PACE senza PENSARE ALLA POVERTÀ è oggi certamente impossibile.

Il terrorismo fondamentalista, di cui ormai abbiamo esperienza da vari anni, cerca di trascinarci nel suo baratro medievale. Aver permesso loro di trascinarci laggiù e di fronteggiarci sul LORO terreno, significa aver già perso la battaglia. Hanno vinto semplicemente facendoci accettare la loro regola: la PAURA. L’inclinazione ad aver paura implica la disposizione a trasmetterla agli altri.

Directed By: Wim Wenders Starring: Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander

Time heals all. But what if time itself is the disease? —Wim Wenders and Peter Handke, Wings of Desire

Stories give people the feeling that there is meaning, that there is ultimately an order lurking behind the incredible confusion of appearances and phenomena that surrounds them. This order is what people require more than anything else.