Wim Wenders, the celebrated German filmmaker is coming to Calcutta on Sunday on his debut India trip.

Wenders, known for movies like Kings of the Road; Paris,Texas; and Wings of Desire will be in the city from February 16 to 19.

His Calcutta itinerary includes a series of film screenings — at Nandan, Basusree and PVR INOX at South City Mall — and a “masterclass” at GD Birla Sabhaghar.

Wenders, 79, is on a five-city “King of the Road — India Tour”, the title borrowed from the 1976 film that established his place in the New German Cinema movement. Mumbai, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram and New Delhi are his other stops.

“In all my travels around the world over the years, it seems astonishing that somehow, India fell off the map, not just because it is a country with an abundance of landscapes and images to explore, but also because it is a country where cinema is like a religion,” Wenders has said.

At a recent conversation in Mumbai, Wenders shared his admiration for Satyajit Ray. “I saw a huge number of Indian films with subtitles.... I realised Satyajit Ray was one of the great filmmakers of his generation,” PTI quoted Wenders.

Wenders recalled meeting Ray at the 1973 Berlin Film Festival, where the latter’s Ashani Sanket (Distant Thunder) was screened.

“From February 5 to 23, cinephiles in five major Indian cities will have the unparalleled pleasure of witnessing 18 of Wenders’ most significant works, spanning feature films, documentaries and short films,” said a spokesperson for the non-profit organisation Film Heritage Foundation, which is organising the India trip in association with the Wim Wenders Stiftung (Wim Wenders Foundation) and in collaboration with Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan.

A poster of Paris, Texas (1984)

“This curated selection will showcase Wenders’ prolific career spanning half a century, from his early groundbreaking New German Cinema pieces to his recent critically acclaimed works. The master of world cinema will personally attend screenings in each city, engaging with audiences, participating in Q&A sessions and fostering meaningful dialogue with film students and industry professionals alike,” the spokesperson said.

Wenders’ career spans fictional features and documentaries, photography, and authorship.

His early films,including Alice in the Cities (1974) and Kings of the Road (1976), established his place within the New German Cinema movement. His international breakthrough came with Paris, Texas (1984), followed by the visually stunning andphilosophically profound Wings of Desire (1987).

His most recent film,Perfect Days (2023),garnered an Oscar nomination.

Identity, memory, the search for meaning and afascination with the American West are among the recurring themes in hisfilms.

He has won multiple awards, including prizes from Cannes, Venice,and Berlin film festivalsand a BAFTA award, and multiple AcademyAward and Grammy nominations.

Cinema-lovers in Calcutta are kicked about the visit. Actor Riddhi Sen, one of the popular young faces of the Calcutta stage and screen, drew a parallel between Wenders and Calcutta.

“Starting his career in post World War II Germany, when everything was in ruins, a group of young filmmakers, including Wenders, chose to begin and tread a completely new path, a path free of any baggage and came out with a distinct style of storytelling. His insatiable desire towards ‘life’ makes his films distinct and relevant.

“It is truly interesting that Wenders is visiting Calcutta at a time the city’s youth are burdened by the baggage of, and at the same time, losing their roots,” Sen told Metro.