Wim Wenders to Adapt 1975 Classic Amid Controversy

Renowned German director Wim Wenders has decided to adapt his 1975 film, wrong move, into a new version. This classic was taken out of circulation due to backlash over a nude scene involving actress Nastassja Kinski, who was just 13 at the time of filming.

A statement confirmed that “streaming services, television broadcasters, and distribution partners are instructed to halt public access to the film.”

Kinski, now 65, expressed to a German newspaper, “It was my first film and he was my first director, but he didn’t protect me.” She has been vocal about her desire to have the film canceled since 2011, even raising the issue back in 1997. She reflected, “If I had someone to protect me, or if I felt more secure in myself, I wouldn’t have accepted certain things. The nudity thing.”

Wenders acknowledged, “I recognize that Nastassja Kinski should have been better protected at the time,” offering an apology without any qualifiers. “For that, I sincerely apologize to you, Nastassja.”

He added, “Our society needs to find a way to appropriately address controversial 20th-century films and the new perspectives they require.” Wenders plans to engage in a broad conversation with the German Film Academy and other institutions, emphasizing a focus on intergenerational dialogue.

Wenders promised that this dialogue would also include Kinski and that he intends to re-release the film only after reaching a consensus that all parties find acceptable.

It’s not contradictory to be firmly against the photographing of naked minors while also opposing censorship in art, I think. Perhaps it’s healthy to debate how we approach such sensitive topics today.

It’s a relief that capturing a 13-year-old girl in a compromising position is unacceptable in our society now. However, altering or censoring artistic works to fit modern views might be going too far.

It’s essential to remember that wrong move isn’t just another cheap exploitation film from the ’70s. Films from that era, like Franco Zeffirelli’s romeo and juliet and Louis Malle’s pretty baby, similarly utilized the portrayal of underage actors, often using body doubles to depict them in compromise.

While these scenes can evoke discomfort, they aren’t solely intended for shock value. Kinski’s character in wrong move is positioned within an erotic narrative that raises ethical questions about the intentions behind such portrayals.

I watched the film before I understood the surrounding controversy and assumed Kinski was older at the time. After learning she was just 13, it added a layer of unease to the viewing experience. It’s not fair to judge character actions without knowing all context, perhaps.

Despite Kinski’s regrets, the answer to addressing her past should never lie in modifying or censoring art. This film is part of Wenders’s significant body of work, which includes acclaimed pieces like wings of desire and paris, texas.

Revisiting wrong move with this new information made for a challenging viewing, particularly regarding the character of Wilhelm, whose motivations might not have been clear to him back then.

The unfortunate truth remains that restricting access to these works risks losing aspects of artistic history. Manipulating or erasing moments captured in time isn’t how art should be treated.