One of the best known directors of the New German Cinema, Wim Wenders grew up glued to the American Forces Network, fascinated not only by the music but by all things American. Raised a Catholic, he briefly entertained ambitions for the priesthood but abandoned them by the age of 18 as rock 'n' roll had become a more powerful influence. (His movies to this day reflect a continued steady love affair with American pop music, and he counts rock artists like U2's Bono, Nick Cave, Lou Reed and Ry Cooder as personal friends and collaborators.) Wenders, whose father was a surgeon, would become
Moved to Oberhausen while still a juvenile; began attending the city's annual short film festival
1966
Began, but did not complete, application to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris (to Wenders' dislike, program required a preliminary course in life drawing); studied privately with Johnny Friedlander; frequented the Cinematheque Francaise; applied to IDHEC but was not accepted
1966
First short film as director, "Schauplatze/Locations" (16mm, 10 mins); no longer extant
Worked as critic for journal FILMKRITIK and newspaper DIE SUDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG
First collaboration with director of photography Robby Muller on the student film "Alabama: 2000 Light Years" (35mm, 22 mins)
