Paris, Texas

New German Cinema pioneer Wim Wenders brings his keen eye for landscape to the American Southwest in Paris, Texas, a profoundly moving character study written by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Sam Shepard. Paris, Texas follows the mysterious, nearly mute drifter Travis (a magnificent Harry Dean Stanton, whose face is a landscape all its own) as he tries to reconnect with his young son, living with his brother (Dean Stockwell) in Los Angeles, and his missing wife (Nastassja Kinski). From this simple setup, Wenders and Shepard produce a powerful statement on codes of masculinity and the myth of the American family, as well as an exquisite visual exploration of a vast, crumbling world of canyons and neon.

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.