Wim Wenders Reiterates Views on Filmmakers and Politics at Venice

Wim Wenders addressed his earlier controversial remarks about filmmakers and politics during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival. He reiterated his stance that filmmakers possess empathy, which he contrasts with politics. His comments originally sparked a firestorm at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year.

Wenders' latest project, a documentary exploring the work of architect Peter Zumthor, screened out of competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. The press event on September 6, 2026, served as the backdrop for his renewed discussion of the earlier controversy.

When pressed about his previous statements made in Berlin, the director offered to clarify his position further. He emphasized a fundamental distinction between the empathetic approach of filmmakers and what he perceives as the empathy-free nature of political operations.