At his memorable Tribute at the Telluride Film Festival, Wim Wenders spoke of his first meeting with fellow German filmmaker Werner Herzog who presented him with the Silver Medallion award. Wenders was in film school. Herzog was three years older, and had already made a film. Herzog told the students to leave film school, “break rules” and make movies. Wenders has done that in a variety of genres.
Wenders has been a regular attendee at the Telluride Film Festival. He reminisced about a softball game there, being on a team in 1984 with cast and crew of “Paris, Texas” which he directed.
Wim Wenders at outdoor panel at Telluride
Wenders’ film “Anselm” was part of his Tribute, an enthralling documentary on German artist Anselm Kiefer. Wenders said both he and Kiefer were born in 1945 on the same German river. He added that he first wanted to make a film on Kiefer 30 years ago, and decided it was “now or never.” “Anselm” was shot over two years with seven filming periods.
The 3D effect is used to advantage in Kiefer’s large layered paintings. Footage shows Kiefer working, creating his art with a variety of sources including paint, lead, straw. and clothing. He has also made some immense installations. Footage shows the artist bicycling among his monumental works.
“Anselm”
The film conveys how Kiefer’s art relates to Germany’s disturbing past. His work is described as a protest against forgetting. Kiefer is shown working in France where he now lives. He is described as still feeling banished. The documentary includes the words of poet Paul Celan, Holocaust survivor. Wender’s film provides a fascinating and intimate view of Kiefer’s creative process.
“Anselm”
At an outdoor panel with other Telluride regulars, Wim Wenders had the best answer when asked about the most memorable Telluride experience. Wenders was in Telluride with his 1984 “Paris, Texas”. This would be the first showing in the western US, setting of the film. Wenders was quite curious about the response.
Wim Wenders at outdoor panel at Telluride
Actor Klaus Kinski (“Fitzcarraldo”) asked Wenders if he could sit next to him at the screening. Things went well until around 45 minutes into the film when Klaus’ daughter Nastassja Kinski showed up in the film. Klaus grabbed Wender’s arm, digging in “huge fingers” and put his head on Wenders’s shoulder while weeping. Wenders said Kinski “grabbed and held me’ for the rest of the film. Wenders continued that his “shirt was soaked” and he had no idea how the audience responded.
Wenders added that months later, when he mentioned the incident to Nastassja Kinski, “she grabbed my arm and wept.” He said that there is an “enormous history” in the Kinski family, adding that it took weeks for his arm to heal.
Telluride regulars: Leonard Maltin, BarryJenkins (started out as student, then volunteer, then “Mooonlight”), Wim Wenders, Ken Burns, moderator Annette Insdorf, Werner Herzog, Mark Cousins, Peter Sellars.
At the Labor Day Picnic in the Town Park, I was standing next to Wenders. I told him how appropriate the 3D effect in his “Anselm” was for the work of Anselm Kiefer. I added that for me “Anselm” was “a film by a favorite director on a favorite artist.” Wenders reached out his hand for me to shake.
Cinema Sight 