A portrayal of a German artist named Anselm Kiefer presented in Cannes. After the memorable Pina, Wim Wenders offers yet another immersive film experience, thanks to which we can enter the world of the artist and his works. Fictionalized scenes, archive footage and 3D shots from a gigantic workshop near Paris constitute a portrayal of a man struggling with the imprint of time and post-war collective amnesia.
Born in 1945, a student of Joseph Beuys, Anselm Kiefer in his works calls for remembering Germany`s difficult past, much like Heinrich Böll did in literature. Wenders wanders with his camera across a huge space in the French Barjac – an art studio and an exhibition subject to entropy. Construction and deconstruction, myth and fact, testimony and obscurity – these ambivalent fascinations are apparent in multi-storey towers or underground tunnels Kiefer creates. At the same time the director allows himself to make a tender film gesture – the meeting of a young Anselm (portrayed by Wenders` cousin) with the renowned artist.
Directed by: Wim Wenders
Cast: Anselm Kiefer, Daniel Kiefer, Anton Wenders
Music: Leonard Küßner
Production: Karsten Brünig
Country: Niemcy, Włochy, Francja
Year: 2023
Running time: 93 min.
25th October 2024 (Friday) - 4 PM
Paradox Cinema, Kraków, ul. Krupnicza 38
One of the most important contemporary artists, rated amongst 20th century classics. Grew up in a town heavily damaged during the war and such images left an indelible imprint on his memory. Having finished his secondary education, he studied law and French at the University in Freiburg, but later decided to transfer to the Department of Fine Arts in Freiburg, later in Karlsruhe. In 1992 he moved to France; since 2008 he has been living in Paris.
His creation circles around painting, sculpture and photography. He is most often associated with the New Symbolism or New Expressionism movements. Kiefer`s compositions are often made with such materials as straw, ash, clay, lead and shellac. An essential role in shaping the themes of his artistic output has been played by Paul Celan`s poems as well as his vision of the history of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust trauma, which Kiefer has been untangling in most of his works. The artist refuses to make taboos of certain events from the 20th century history. His works are, first of all, characterized by an unwavering need of confrontation with the dark past of his own nation. He has had numerous individual exhibitions, among others in Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
Director, producer, photographer and author.
His works include feature and documentary films, photographic exhibitions and albums, books on cinematography and collections of texts. He graduated from the University of Television and Film in Munich. He had his debut in 1971 with his film The Goalkeeper`s Fear of the Penalty, and then created a road film trilogy Alice in the Cities (1973), The Wrong Move (1974) and Kings of the Road (1975). The American Friend (1977) brought him international fame. Since that time Wenders has worked not only in Europe and the USA, but also in Latin America and Asia and has been awarded at numerous festivals worldwide, among others the Palme d`Or and British Academy Film Award for Paris, Texas (1984), Best Director Award in Cannes for Wings of Desire (1987), Golden Lion in Venice for The State of Things (1982) and a Silver Bear at Berlinale for The Million Dollar Hotel (2000). His documentaries Buena Vista Social Club (1999), Pina (2011) and The Salt of the Earth (2014) received Oscar nominations. During Berlinale 2015 he was awarded the Honorary Golden Bear Award for his lifetime achievements. His latest film Perfect Days was presented at the festival in Cannes.
