1987 ‘Der Himmel über Berlin’ Directed by Wim Wenders
Two angels, Damiel and Cassiel, glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to the distressed but never interacting with them. When Damiel falls in love with lonely trapeze artist Marion, the angel longs to experience life in the physical world, and finds -- with some words of wisdom from actor Peter Falk -- that it might be possible for him to take human form.
Bruno Ganz Solveig Dommartin Otto Sander Curt Bois Peter Falk Hans Martin Stier Elmar Wilms Sigurd Rachman Beatrice Manowski Lajos Kovács Bruno Rosaz Laurent Petitgand Chick Ortega Otto Kuhnle Christoph Merg Peter Werner Teresa Harder Jürgen Heinrich Annelinde Gerstl Mick Harvey Nick Cave Blixa Bargeld Susanne Vierkötter Paul Busch Karin Busch Irene Moessinger Franky Daniela Nasimcova Bernard Eisenschitz Show All…
The Sky Over Berlin, Heaven Over Berlin, El cielo sobre Berlín, Небо над Берлином, As Asas do Desejo, Cerul deasupra Berlinului, Las alas del deseo, ベルリン・天使の詩, Il cielo sopra Berlino, Τα Φτερά του Έρωτα, Les ailes du désir, 베를린 천사의 시, Berliinin taivaan alla, 柏林蒼穹下, Himmelen over Berlin, Lidenskapens vinger, Les Ailes du désir, Himmel över Berlin, 柏林苍穹下, Arzunun Kanatları, Berlin felett az ég, Nebe nad Berlínem, מלאכים בשמי ברלין, Cerul Deasupra Berlinului, Asas do Desejo, Himlen over Berlin, Niebo nad Berlinem, Криле на желанието, Небо над Берліном, Nebo nad Berlínom, 慾望之翼, ბერლინის ცა, Cel sobre Berlín
Humanity and the world around us Moving relationship stories Captivating relationships and charming romance Surreal and thought-provoking visions of life and death Emotional and captivating fantasy storytelling Powerful poetic and passionate drama Powerful stories of heartbreak and suffering Show All…
France
Cannes Film Festival
Switzerland
Locarno International Film Festival
Greece
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
CzechiaU
UK12A
FranceTP
Germany6
Italy
PortugalM/12
Netherlands12
AustraliaM
Japan
USAPG-13
Brazil12
South Korea12
PortugalM/12
France
France
Netherlands12
France
Netherlands12
Australia
Brazil
Czechia
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
Japan
Netherlands
Portugal
South Korea
Switzerland
UK
USA
When I was a child, my mother told me that no matter where I was, there would be two angels on either side of me: one to write down all the good things I had done, another to write down all the bad. When I died, the angels would take these books to God, and God would decide whether I would go to heaven or hell. My shoulders were heavy for days afterward. I felt haunted – hunted, in fact, and I couldn’t tell my mother, because she would know about my guilt and think that I was bad.
I eventually forgot about the nosy angels, but I wish my religion had spoken of guardian angels – those silent, everlasting…
What the film doesn't explicitly state is that the best part about becoming human is losing that anthropology professor ponytail.
if an angel ever reads my mind all he’s gonna hear is random phoebe bridgers lyrics, thinking bout daniel day-lewis, feeling embarrassed about something i said three years ago, maybe i should learn to make bread, succession theme song, and half of a formed thought before the depression kicks in.
54/100
[originally written on my blog]
Think I'd love this as a silent film, as it's mostly the poetic language that puts me off. Whenever human thoughts are just an indecipherable buzz in a language I don't speak, as in crowd scenes, I mentally project myself into the lives of those random faces, sometimes to deeply moving effect...but then Damiel or Cassiel will zero in on somebody in particular, and we'll hear her saying things like "Longing. Longing for a wave of love that would stir in me. That's what makes me clumsy. The absence of pleasure. Desire for love. Desire to love," and the spell is immediately broken. (Peter Falk's internal monologue is so comparatively mundane that I wonder…
Such a life-affirming and touching film. Its marvelous free-flowing camera work that becomes an angel-like character itself, its effective use of color, time and the divided city of Berlin, the emotionally evoking soundtrack, the contrast of the adult's mundane or existentialistic thoughts to children's enthusiasm, and its wonderful performances and cameos makes this such a mesmerizing experience capturing both the happy and miserable aspects of life in a meditative and reflective way. It's a nearly plotless and slow-paced film, but it flows like poetry in motion, a love letter to the joy of life. I love it. I'm so glad I saw this in the theatre.
"Time heals all, but what if time itself is the disease?"
I'm shook. Astonished. Flabbergasted. Stupefied. However you want to put it—I'm at such a loss for words. Maybe it's due to time growing more elusive as I get older, but this film hit me hard & pushed all the right buttons. The world is in a constant balancing act with itself—endless dreams of light, dark, & everything in between. For better or for worse, it's all beautiful in a weird way. Billions of different souls perpetually flowing at once; so many moving parts inside an indifferent machine. This film is exactly why I prefer going in mostly blind.
Whether you're spiritually conscious, looking for perspective, or just appreciate great cinema—Wings of Desire is fantastic & highly recommended.
‐‐‐
Have a great weekend, everyone - thanks for reading!✌
“I’m here. I’m free. I can imagine anything. Everything’s possible.”
I wanted to make a joke about how this guy is the ultimate simp, but this movie is way too good for my dumb humor.
Wings of Desire is one of those films that could only have been made during a very specific period in history, but whose message is universal and timeless. Inspired by artwork of angels scattered throughout West Berlin in the 1980s, this film follows the lives of two angels who hover over Berlin observing the every day lives of its occupants, listening to their inner thoughts and offering invisible comfort to those in distress. One of these angels, played by Bruno Ganz, falls in love from…
how is this real? it’s like something taken out of a fairy tale, one in which the mundane will always be the most important part. obsessed with peter falk playing himself here.
