Alice in the Cities

The first of the road films that would come to define the career of Wim Wenders, the magnificent Alice in the Cities is an emotionally generous and luminously shot odyssey. A German journalist (Rüdiger Vogler) is driving across the United States to research an article; it’s a disappointing trip, in which he is unable to truly connect with what he sees. Things change, however, when he has no choice but to take a young girl named Alice (Yella Rottländer) with him on his return trip to Germany, after her mother (Lisa Kreuzer)—whom he has just met—leaves the child in his care. Though they initially find themselves at odds, the pair begin to form an unlikely friendship.

To celebrate the twelfth anniversary of Kino Bizes, we invite you to discover five films by Wim Wenders – journeys become metaphors for existential quests, while human longings and dreams take visual form. The retrospective begins with "Alice in the Cities", a quiet, melancholic tale of the search for belonging, followed by "Kings of the Road" and "The American Friend", in which Wenders explores friendship, betrayal and the passage of time. While the angels in "Wings of Desire" observe the life and beauty of Berlin, the director's most recognisable work, "Paris, Texas", reveals a longing for intimacy. Introductions, quizzes and short lectures will accompany the special screenings.

The retrospective is presented in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Riga.