Wenders Nights offer glimpse into iconic filmmaker's unique style

AMMAN — The films of acclaimed German auteur Wim Wenders teach viewers how to take their time in contemplating images and focusing on what they represent, according to Ahmet Servet Golbol, a lecturer at the German-Jordanian University.

Jordanians and visitors can enjoy some of Wenders' most popular films in Amman, with screenings, which started this week, continuing on Saturday and Monday.

The 1984 picture "Paris, Texas", which follows a man who resurfaces after a four-year absence and seeks to reunite with his family, will be screened on Saturday. 

The 1987 film "Wings of Desire", where an angel in post-war Berlin seeks to become mortal when he falls in love, will be shown on Monday.

The screenings, organised by Goethe Institut in Amman, are held at the Rainbow Theatre in Jabal Amman at 7pm. Admission is free. 

Speaking to The Jordan Times at the opening day of the Wenders Nights, when "The Salt of the Earth" was screened, Golbol said the selected movies offer a glimpse into the filmmaker's oeuvre. 

"He is a worldwide brand and his specific attitude is very artistic ... you may love him for this special attitude or you may hate him because he is very special; he is very poetic; he is very artistic," he added.   

Goethe Institut Director Günther Hasenkamp described Wenders as one of the most important filmmakers "of our time". 

Hasenkamp noted that the filmmaker has helped shape and influence a major era in film history — the new German cinema of the 1970s. 

"We decided to celebrate the art of cinema, and when you go back to the German cinema history, he is a particular case," he told The Jordan Times during the opening ceremony, urging audiences to "look at the power of images".

"He is unique in German and international filmmaking," Hasenkamp added.