Wim Wenders to be Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at European Film Awards
The European Film Academy will present the prestigious European Lifetime Achievement Award to renowned German director Wim Wenders at the 37th European Film Awards ceremony on December 7th in Lucerne. This accolade recognizes Wenders' outstanding body of work and his remarkable contributions to the world of cinema.
As a founding member of the European Film Academy, Wenders served as its chairman from 1990 to 1995 and as its president until 2020. Matthijs Wouter Knol, the current CEO and director of the Academy, expressed their delight in celebrating Wenders' exceptional commitment and thanking him for his invaluable support.
Wenders: numerous awards
Widely regarded as one of the most influential German directors, Wenders has amassed numerous awards throughout his illustrious career. These include the German Film Award, the Golden Lion, the Palme d'Or, the Italian David di Donatello Award, the BAFTA, and two European Film Awards for his films "Wings of Desire" and "Pina." In addition to his fictional works, Wenders has also directed several groundbreaking documentaries, such as "Lightning over Water," "Tokyo-Ga," "Buena Vista Social Club," "Pina," and "The Salt of the Earth," the latter two of which were nominated for Academy Awards.
Wenders' commitment to the industry extends beyond his filmmaking; he was a founding member and president of the European Film Academy from 1996 to 2020. In 2012, he and his wife Donata Wenders established the Wim Wenders Foundation to preserve and share his creative legacy with the public. The foundation also supports young filmmakers through the annual Wim Wenders Grant for innovative storytelling.
This Lifetime Achievement Award is a testament to Wim Wenders' enduring impact on European cinema and his unwavering dedication to the art of filmmaking.
(Michael Leahy. Photo: Peter Lindbergh)