Filmmaker Wim Wenders To Visit India For Landmark Retrospective Tour

The celebrated German filmmaker, photographer, and author Wim Wenders will embark on his first-ever visit to India for a groundbreaking retrospective, Wim Wenders – King of the Road – The India Tour. Organised by the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) in association with the Wim Wenders Stiftung and the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai, the event promises to be a monumental occasion for cinephiles across the country.

Scheduled from February 5 to 23 in 2025, the retrospective will span five major cities—Mumbai, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata, and New Delhi. Audiences will have the rare opportunity to engage with Wenders and experience 18 of his most iconic works, ranging from feature films and documentaries to short films. The tour will also feature Q&A sessions, intimate discussions, and masterclasses with the 79-year-old filmmaker.

Wenders expressed his excitement about the visit, stating: “In all my travels around the world over the years, it seems astonishing that somehow, India fell off the map... 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.”

The retrospective will celebrate over five decades of Wenders' prolific career, from his contributions to the New German Cinema movement with films like Alice in the Cities and Kings of the Road, to internationally-acclaimed masterpieces such as Paris, Texas and Wings of Desire, as well as his documentaries, Buena Vista Social Club and Pina.

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Director of the Film Heritage Foundation, called the event a "dream come true," emphasising the foundation's commitment to preserving cinema history: “Wim Wenders is not just a filmmaker but a poet and thinker of cinema... It is going to be the adventure of a lifetime to travel across the country with him and show his films.”

Bjorn Ketels, Director of Goethe-Institut Mumbai, echoed this enthusiasm, highlighting Wenders’ influence on global cinema: “This is the first time such a substantial offering of his work and a chance to interact with the legend himself is being presented in India.”

Screenings and highlights

The event itinerary includes screenings of Wenders’ debut film The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick (1971), cult classics such as The American Friend (1977), and Oscar-nominated works like Pina (2011). The director’s recent film Anselm (2023), a 3D exploration of the life and work of artist Anselm Kiefer, will also be part of the showcase.

Cities and Venues

• Mumbai: February 5–9, Regal Cinema & PVR Inox Metro

• Thiruvananthapuram: February 10–11, Sree and Nila Cinemas

• Kolkata: February 16–19, Nandan & Basusree

• New Delhi: February 20–22, PVR Plaza & Stein Auditorium

• Pune: February 21–23, National Film Archive of India