ECAL MASTERCLASS – Wim Wenders
05.10.2026
IKEA Auditorium, ECAL

Shaped by postwar Germany and a critical fascination with American culture, Wim Wenders established himself in the 1970s as one of the leading figures of the New German Cinema. With Alice in the Cities (1974), Wrong Move (1975), Kings of the Road (1976), and then The American Friend (1977), he developed a cinematic style centered on movement, landscapes, and wandering that profoundly reinvented the road movie genre. International acclaim came with Paris, Texas, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1984, followed by Wings of Desire (1987).

In 1991, the ambitious Until the End of the World further explored his themes of travel, imagery, and technology. With Buena Vista Social Club (1999), a massive international hit, Wenders also created one of his most iconic documentaries. More recently, Perfect Days (2023), presented in competition at Cannes — where Kōji Yakusho received the Best Actor Award — demonstrates the enduring nature and vitality of his cinema.

This event is a collaboration with the Cinémathèque suisse and forms part of the first installment of a retrospective dedicated to the work of Wim Wenders. The retrospective will take place from October 6 to 31, 2026. The director will be present on October 6 at the Capitole Cinema at 8:00pm for a screening of The State of Things (1982).

In collaboration with the Cinémathèque suisse.

Discussion moderated by Paolo Moretti.

Crédit photo © Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times