Wings of Desire
An angel longs for human love in one of the most celebrated cult films of the 1980s.
Two angels wander unnoticed through Berlin, eavesdropping on the thoughts of its inhabitants. Although privy to the thoughts and dreams of humans, they are forbidden from intervening in their private affairs. But when one of them falls in love with a trapeze artist, he needs to consider giving up his immortality.
Shot when Berlin seemed forever divided by the wall, director Wenders captured an angel’s-eye view of the city in black and white through virtuosic aerial shots and graceful pans. It’s a rich allegory of life in a severed city, but it’s also intensely romantic and quite unlike almost anything else.
West Germany 1987. Director Wim Wenders. With Bruno Ganz, Solveig Donmartin, Peter Falk. 129 mins. 12A
Tickets from £5. 10% off for BAC Supporters
Special offer
Buy tickets for 5 or more films and receive a 25% discount.
All tickets will need to be purchased at the same time. This offer only applies to full priced tickets in the Sep-Dec 2025 programme and cannot be used in conjunction with other offers (eg BAC Supporters’ discount). Offer excludes Metropolis and Met Opera broadcasts.
Dates & Tickets
This is a past event, therefore tickets are no longer available.
Reviews
Part romance, part comedy, part meditation on matters political and philosophical... Few films are so rich, so intriguing, or so ambitious.
★★★★★
★★★★★
Loneliness pervades every frame, but in the measured, inspired dialogue, Ganz’s dreamy performance and the lovely, captivating images Wenders offers much to be hopeful about.