In the year I’m turning 80, there’s a fascist prez of USA, Wenders says ahead of German polls
Times of India | 21 February 2025
Kolkata: Five glorious days for the cinephiles in the city ended on Wednesday as curtains were brought on the ‘King of the Road – the India Tour' Kolkata leg, presented by Film Heritage Foundation, Wim Wenders Stiftung and Goethe-Institut Kolkata, with the screening of his 2005 Western " Don't Come Knocking" at Nandan in the evening.
But what is sure to live on with the attendees are his words at an impromptu and candid interaction after the screening of his 1999 sci-fi/road movie "Until the End of the World" at Basusree – a parting gift that, sources in his Indian entourage divulge, the German auteur had promised even if one ardent film lover watches through its new 5-hour-long director's cut version.
And, on Wednesday afternoon, neither the city's cinephiles nor the master filmmaker disappointed. The director, whose repertoire includes classics like "Paris, Texas" and recent gems like "Perfect Days", also did not hold back when the questions veered from his films to his political views.
Asked by TOI about his feelings on the rise of right-wing politics around the world, and in his own country that will go into elections on Sunday, the 1945 Dusseldorf-born German said, "I could have never in my wildest dreams have imagined that in the year I'm turning 80, there is a fascist president of the United States of America. And there's fascists surrounding my country."
"We have borders with more countries than any other country in the world. And half of these borders now have right and far right governments. And in our own country, we have a fascist body that is now gaining around 20% again. So, every fifth person in Germany believes in their messages," Wenders elaborated, in the backdrop of exit polls showing the Christian Democratic Union in lead, and with the support of earlier mainstream outcasts like Alternate Germany.
An auteur, whose films abound in poetic or real references to the evils of war and fascism in his homeland, expressed his shock at those vices crawling their way back into societies once again.
"Their messages are really old history, textbook fascism. They are textbook mistakes that mankind has made. And that these people show up now everywhere, even in America, who were the good guys for us to get rid of fascism (in World War II). Now, they have a president who doesn't even know history."
"And (coming) from somebody like me who thought this couldn't happen, it has (happened). I can't sleep because of that," the 79-year-old, in an almost choking voice, uttered.
"Because it drives me crazy that history is repeating itself. And especially that sort of nationalist history. Nationalism has never helped any people. I thought we had gotten over it. And when the Berlin Wall fell, I thought, well, another sign we've gotten over. Even the Cold War is over now. And I would not have imagined the whole way right now."
However, his films also symbolise hope for humanity like the simple life of its protagonist Hirayama in "Perfect Days".
"I think we must all do our best to correct the image of history that these people are trying to popularise. It is not the truth. But the truth is one of the great victims now! But the more people still believe there is a notion of truth, maybe these people cannot maintain their lies in the long run," was his hope and answer as Wenders got up to oblige the couple of hundred fans who had queued up at the theatre for the priceless souvenir from the maestro.