The German auteur film icon has announced a film about Tokyo's public toilets designed by star architects. For Wenders, Japan's creative toilets symbolize “world-famous hospitality”.
This toilet in Tokyo's Shibuya district turns opaque when used
“The Tokyo Toilet” is an urban renewal project in which 17 public toilets in the Japanese capital will be transformed into true works of art by architects from around the world.
A dozen toilets have already been completed and are open to the public, including quiet places with colorful, transparent booths – which made headlines two years ago.
Shigeru Ban has these public toilet in Tokyo, whose glass outer walls become opaque as soon as the door is closed
“The place where everyone is equal”
The facilities in Tokyo's Shibuya district are free, wheelchair accessible and kept in immaculate condition by a team of cleaners – now a cinematic memorial will be made to them.< /p>
“A toilet is a place where everyone is equal, there is no rich and poor, no old and young, everyone is part of humanity,” said Wim Wenders on May 11 when he announced to a loaded press a film about the To make Tokyo toilet project. Its organizers would have brought this to his attention.
A stylish public toilet in a narrow spot along the train tracks in Tokyo's Shibuya district
“There's something very Japanese about the idea, the whole setting. And I almost think it's a utopian idea,” said the director, who has been nominated for many Oscars. “I love architecture,” added the 76-year-old, who became one of the most distinguished German auteur filmmakers with works such as “The Sky over Berlin”, “Buena Vista Social Club” and “Paris, Texas”. “In another I would definitely want to be an architect in my life,” the filmmaker is certain.
Wenders was particularly happy about the collaboration with the renowned architect Tadao Ando. The 80-year-old has designed a round toilet with thin slats that let in fresh air when washing hands. “I was so happy when I visited his restroom the other day and saw how he works with the light. I thought, 'This is a classy place'.
“Wonderwall” is the name of this public toilet in Ebisu Park in Tokyo
Wenders and Japan
It is not the first time that Wenders has dealt with Japan on film. His 1985 documentary Tokyo-Ga pays homage to filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. And in 1989's “Notes on Clothes and Cities” he dedicated himself to Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto.
The upcoming feature film will combine four short stories and will star well-known Japanese actor Koji Yakusho in the role of a toilet cleaner. Filming in Japan is slated to take place later this year. The premiere is planned for 2023.
Adapted from English by Sven Töniges.
Wim Wenders: This is what you should know about his films
Capture the world through the camera lens
Wim Wenders is not just a filmmaker. He is also a photographer, artist, music lover and much more. In his numerous feature and documentary films, Wenders, who was born in Düsseldorf on August 14, 1945, brought the world closer to viewers through the camera lens. Read more about the most important works of the all-rounder, who is now celebrating his 75th birthday, in our gallery.
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Wim Wenders: This is what you should know about his films
“Paris, Texas”: one man, one way…
Travis (Harry Dean Stanton) in the Texas desert on his way to nowhere: An image that has burned itself into the memory of cinema fans. “Paris, Texas” is a German film that takes place in the USA and tells its story with magical settings: when it was released in 1984, it was a true film miracle – it won the “Golden Palme” at the Cannes Film Festival.
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Wim Wenders: You should know that about his films
Start of world career
Alongside Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski played the role of her life as “Jane” (pictured a scene from the film) in “Paris, Texas”. For Wim Wenders, the film marked the start of his world career. From then on, the German was counted among the most important filmmakers in the world. He didn't succeed in everything, but he always reinvented himself.
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Wim Wenders: This is what you should know about his films
Constricted by Hollywood
Wenders was a big fan of the United States and American cinema. In 1977 he went to the land of his dreams to make films there. But he was not happy: the studio system in Hollywood restricted him. Wenders was an artist, not a commissioned director. But his film “Hammett” (1982) about the American writer Dashiell Hammett is still one of his most interesting works today.
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Wim Wenders: This is what you should know about his films
Liberation with “The State of Things”
In the same year, 1982, another great film was made: “The State of Things” – here is a set photo with Wenders (left) and one of his actors, Sam Fuller (right). In the film, Wenders processed his experiences as a director and described the hardships and torments in the film business. The film was a liberation for Wenders – and paved the way for his most successful years.
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Wim Wenders: This is what you should know about his films
Weightless in seventh film heaven
After receiving the main prize at the Venice Film Festival for “The State of Things”, one highlight followed the other. “Paris, Texas” was awarded the most important prize of the film festival in Cannes. “Der Himmel über Berlin” followed in 1987 – this film with Otto Sander (right) and Bruno Ganz in divided Berlin is now considered one of Wim Wenders' strongest films.
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Wim Wenders: This is what you should know about his films
The early work: “Alice in the Cities”
But Wim Wenders was already making films before his masterpieces and the film festival awards. As a young man he had directed black-and-white, low-budget films in his West German homeland. The sensitively staged 1974 road movie “Alice in the Cities” (with Yella Rottländer) is considered the director's real breakthrough.
Wim Wenders: This is what you should know about his films
Film meets literature: “Wrong Movement”
“Wrong Movement” (1975) is also one of Wenders' early works and another collaboration with his friend, Peter Handke, who later won the Nobel Prize for Literature. The film is about a budding writer (Rüdiger Vogler) who travels through the republic, makes acquaintances (here with Therese, played by Hanna Schygulla) and gathers life experiences.
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Wim Wenders: You should know that about his films
New male roles: “Im Lauf der Zeit”
In 1976, one of Wim Wenders' most beautiful films was made: “Im Lauf der Zeit”. With this film, Wenders became one of the most important representatives of the “New German Film”. The road movie in black and white brought a whole new note to German cinema: melancholic, dreamy, with male characters that had never existed before in German cinema.
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Wim Wenders: You should know that about his films
A look at the USA: “The American Friend”
The film “The American Friend” followed in 1977, which hinted at where director Wim Wenders' journey would later lead: to America. With his main actors Bruno Ganz (left) and the “Easy Rider” star Denis Hopper, Wenders developed a crime story about art fraud, male friendships and dreams of a different life far away from home.
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Wim Wenders: You should know that about his films
Career setback after global success
What followed after “The American Friend” is film history: Wenders went to the USA, shot his masterpieces there and in divided Berlin and collected film prizes. But then his career took a hit: Wenders was looking for new forms and stories. His comeback followed in 1999 with the ravishing documentary “Buena Vista Social Club” about Cuban musicians.
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Wim Wenders: This is what you should know about his films
“Pina”: the leap into the world of 3D
His feature films no longer reach the artistic intensity of earlier years. After his comeback, Wim Wenders is always great when he tells documentary stories. As for “Buena Vista Social Club”, the director also received an Oscar nomination for the 3D documentary “Pina”. The documentary from 2011 tells the story of the legendary dance troupe of choreographer Pina Bausch.
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Wim Wenders: This is what you should know about his films
Kinship: Wenders and Salgado
The documentary “The Salt of the Earth” about the Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado also won over critics and audiences in 2014. Wenders is a photographer himself with many international exhibitions. With this film he proves once again that he loves all arts.
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Wim Wenders: You should know that about his films
Wim Wenders is 75 years old
Most recently, Wenders published the documentary “Pope Francis – A Man of His Word” in 2018. However, his most recent feature films, “Every Thing Will Be Fine” (2015) and “Grenzenlos” (2017), have been somewhat lost in everyday cinema life. However, that should not bother the world-famous filmmaker when he looks back on his work on his 75th birthday on August 14th.