The Second World War officially ended on September 2, 1945. It followed, less than three weeks, an equally important event, at least in the eyes of moviegoers: the birth of Wim Wenders. Although he was almost 80 years old, Wenders remained both productive and capable of drawing critical praises. Witness, for example, his tokyo-set film 2025 Perfect daysWho reached the race for both golden palm and a prize for the best international feature film Academy. Back on VJ day, it would surely have been difficult to imagine a Japanese -German co -production in competition seriously for the most prestigious prices of cinema – even a Known Americaphile.
Wenders has long been working to reveal the intersections of history and culture. Seen today, Wings of desire It seems that everyone expresses the Spirit about to be released by the fall of the Soviet Union, but by own admission of Wenders, no one working on the film would have credited the idea that the Berlin Wall descends in the foreseeable future.
In his new short film “The keys to freedom”, He commemorates the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second World War by paying a visit to a school in Reims. CCut to the secret meeting all night during which the German generals signed the documents confirming the total surrender of their country to the allies, he welcomed the end of what Wenders called “the darkest period in the history of Europe”.
Closing the temporary headquarters, the chief commander Dwight D. Eisenhower returned his keys to the mayor of Reims, saying: “These are the keys to the freedom of the world.” As much as these words make the Wenders move, he also fears that, even if the war of Russia-Ukraine is realized, the young generations of Europeans no longer seize their meaning. Born in societies protected by the United States, they naturally hold peace for acquired. “We must be aware of the fact that Uncle Sam does not do our job much longer, and we may have to defend this freedom ourselves,” explains Wenders in a new York Times interview. The end of the Second World War marked the beginning of the so-called “American century”. If this century is good at its end, who observes it better than Wenders?
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Based in Seoul, Colin MArshall Written and broadcastTS on cities, language and culture. His projects include the substack newsletter Books on cities And the book The stateless city: a walk through Los Angeles from the 21st century. Follow it on the social network formerly known as Twitter in @ColinmArshall.
At Learnopoly, Finn has championed a mission to deliver unbiased, in-depth reviews of online courses that empower learners to make well-informed decisions. With over a decade of experience in financial services, he has honed his expertise in strategic partnerships and business development, cultivating both a sharp analytical perspective and a collaborative spirit. A lifelong learner, Finn’s commitment to creating a trusted guide for online education was ignited by a frustrating encounter with biased course reviews.