Born in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany into a traditionally Catholic family, Wenders' father, Heinrich Wenders, worked as a surgeon. The use of the Dutch name "Wim" is a shortened version of the baptismal name "Wilhelm".
Years later, Wenders graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area in North Rhine-Westphalia.
In the 1960s, he studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf. However, he eventually dropped out of university studies and moved to Paris, France in October 1966 to become a painter.
Unfortunately, Wenders failed his entry test at France's national film school L'Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (the "Institute for Advanced Cinematographic Studies", or IDHEC; now La Fémis).
instead, he became an engraver in the studio of leading German/French 20th-century artist Johnny Friedlander in Montparnasse.
It was during this time that Wenders became fascinated with cinema, and saw up to five films a day at the local movie theater.
Set on making his obsession also his life's work, Wenders later returned to Germany in 1967 to work in the Düsseldorf office of United Artists.
That fall, Wenders entered the Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München (University of Television and Film Munich).
Between 1967 and 1970 while at the HFF, Wenders also worked as a film critic for FilmKritik, then the Süddeutsche Zeitung. This is one of the largest daily newspapers published in Munich, Bavaria.
Wenders completed several short films before graduating from the Hochschule, most notably in writing, co-producing and directing the feature-length 1971 West German black and white drama film 'Summer in the City'.
Made on a shoestring provided by The University of Television and Film Munich, Wenders' first feature - "My longest short'" as he wryly put it - has a plot about an ex-jailbird drifting through Germany until he escapes, not to the America of his dreams but to Holland.
The film starred German actor Hanns Zischler. He is known for his portrayal of Hans in Steven Spielberg's 2005 French/Canadian/American historical action/thriller film 'Munich'.
According to Wenders, the title of the film relates to the titular song from the American rock band The Lovin' Spoonful, which was also included in the film.
A painting by American realist painter and printmaker Edward Hopper may have influenced Wenders as well.
Wenders, an admirer of both The Lovin' Spoonful and Hopper, has included references to them in several of his later films.
Among his credits of the 1970s, Wenders is best known for writing, producing and directing. This was the 1977 West German/French neo-noir thriller/crime film 'Der amerikanische Freund' ('The American Friend').
The film tells of American expatriate Tom Ripley (Dennis Hopper), who treats Hamburg, Germany, it's the Wild West. He makes a living by hawking art forgeries, but decides to take part in a murder plot for extra cash.
All Tom has to do to earn his share is find a potential assassin who won't do any talking, and he has the perfect man: Jonathan Zimmermann (Bruno Ganz).
Zimmermann is a dying cancer patient desperate to leave his family an inheritance. However, he begrudgingly accepts, but he's no gunman and the scheme quickly goes sour.
For the film, Wenders chose to use an unusual "natural" language concept: Zimmermann speaks German with his family and his doctor, but English with Ripley and while visiting Paris, France.
'The American Friend' featured cameos of three film directors. These were Nicholas Ray (credited as 'Derwatt'), Samuel Fuller (credited as The American), and French filmmaker Jean Eustache ['The Mother and the Whore'], (credited as Friendly Man).
The film is based on American novelist and short story writer Patricia Hagsmith's 1974 psychological thriller mystery crime fiction novel Ripley's Game.
Among his credits of the 1980s, Wenders is best known for directing the 1984 West German/French/British American drama/road film 'Paris, Texas'.
The film had been co-written by American actor, playwright, author, screenwriter, and director Sam Shepard. It had also been co-written by American actor, screenwriter, director and film producer L.M. Kit Carson, of whom had starred in 'David Holzmann's Diary'.
It opens on a disheveled man who wanders out of the West Texas desert in a fugue. state Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) seems to have no idea who he is.
When a stranger manages to contact his brother, Walt (Dean Stockwell), Travis is awkwardly reunited with his sibling.
Travis has been missing for years, and his presence unsettles Walt and his family, which also includes Travis's own seven-year-old son, Hunter (Hunter Carson).
Soon, Travis must confront his wife, Jane (Nastassja Kinski), who works at a peep show. He ostensibly recounts his story to her on a phone behind the darkened glass window between them.
'Paris, 'Texas' was a co-production between companies in France and West Germany, and was shot in the United States.
This was by Dutch cinematographer Robby Müller, who was known for his use of natural light and minimalist imagery.
The musical score was written by American musician, songwriter, film score composer and record producer Ry Cooder, whose slide guitar emanated the dry, dusty desert from which Travis had finally emerged.
At the 37th Cannes Film Festival in May of that same year, 'Paris, Texas' won the Palme d'Or from the official jury, as well as the FIPRESCI Prize and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury. It also went on to win other honors and critical acclaim.
Three years later, Wenders co-wrote, co-produced and directed the third and final film of which he is best known. This was the 1987 West German/French color/black and white (partly) fantasy/romance drama film 'Der Himmel über Berlin', (lit. 'The Heaven/Sky' or 'Wings of Desire'.)
Divided by the Berlin Wall, two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) glide through the streets, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to the distressed but never interacting with them.
When Damiel falls in love with lonely trapeze artist Marion (Solveig Dommartin), the angel longs to experience life in the physical world, and finds--with some words of wisdom from actor Peter Falk (playing himself) -- that it might be possible for him to take human form.
For 'Wings of Desire', Wenders won awards for Best Director at both the 40th Cannes Film Festival in May of that same year. It also won awards at the 1st European Film Awards in November the following year.
The film was a critical and financial success, and academics have interpreted it as a statement of the importance of cinema, libraries, the circus, or German Unity, containing New Age, religious, secular or other themes.
In 1990, numerous critics named 'Wings of Desire' as one of the best films of the 1980s.
Wenders followed up 'Wings of Desire' with a sequel, being the 1993 German fantasy/drama film 'In weiter Ferne, so nah!' ('Faraway, So Close!').
Five years later, a remake was released in the United States. This was the 1998 American romance/fantasy film 'City of Angels'.
Wenders has been the president of the European Film Academy in Berlin since 1996.
Alongside filmmaking, he is an active photographer, emphasizing images of desolate landscapes. He is considered to be an auteur director.
