Faraway, So Close! (1993)

A group of angels in the German capital look longingly upon the life of humans.

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

Wim Wenders (script by), Ulrich Zieger (script by)

Stars:

Otto Sander, Bruno Ganz, Peter Falk

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Otto Sander	...	Cassiel
Peter Falk	...	Peter Falk
Horst Buchholz	...	Tony Baker
Mikhail Gorbachev	...	Mikhail Gorbachev (as Michail S. Gorbatschow)
Nastassja Kinski	...	Raphaela
Heinz Rühmann	...	Konrad
Bruno Ganz	...	Damiel
Solveig Dommartin	...	Marion
Rüdiger Vogler	...	Phillip Winter
Lou Reed	...	Lou Reed
Willem Dafoe	...	Emit Flesti
Monika Hansen	...	Hanna / Gertrud Becker
Günter Meisner	...	Fälscher
Ronald Nitschke	...	Patzke
Hanns Zischler	...	Dr. Becker

Storyline

A group of angels in the German capital look longingly upon the life of humans.

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Plot Keywords:

angel | afterlife | 1990s | berlin germany | germany | 

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Taglines:

Your favorite Angels are back!

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language

Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German French English Italian Russian

Release Date:

21 December 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Faraway, So Close!

Filming Locations:

Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$10,500,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$810,455

Company Credits

Production Co:

Road Movies Filmproduktion, Tobis

Technical Specs

Runtime:

144 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Wim Wenders re-edited the film after the Cannes Film Festival premiere to make it shorter and improve the narrative.

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Goofs

When Karl decides to dissolve his business partnership, he wades knee-deep through a flooded tunnel corridor becoming wet and filthy. Yet when he emerges from the tunnels, his pants are fluttering around too much to be wet and appear dry, and in the following scene after arriving at his destination and taking a nap, his clothes alternate between dirty and clean.

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Quotes

Emit Flesti: Let me explain a couple of things. Time is short. That's the first thing. For the weasel, Time is a weasel. For the hero, Time is heroic. For the whore, Time is just another trick. If you're gentle, your Time is gentle. If you're in a hurry, Time flies. Time is a servant, if you are its master. Time is your god, if you are its dog. We are the creators of Time, the victims of Time, and the killers of Time. Time is timeless. That's the second thing. You are the clock, Cassiel.

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Crazy Credits

The film is dedicated to actor Curt Bois who worked with Wim Wenders in "Der Himmel über Berlin".

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Connections

Referenced in Begleiter (2006)

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Soundtracks

Berlin
Written and Performed by Lou Reed

User Reviews

A Wonderful Cinematic Experience

Although it has received mixed reviews by critics, this follow-up to "Der Himmel über Berlin" (1987) is a deeply moving and beautiful film. Wenders explores the polarities which exist in a newly unified Berlin and in so doing examines some of the polarities which exist in life itself. As "Cassiel," Otto Sander has given us another endearing Wenders protagonist who learns all too quickly about what life (and time) can present upon an individual. Laurent Petitgand's stunning musical score enhances the sublime images photographed by Jürgen Jürges. Although "Der Himmel über Berlin" (1987), is an almost mandatory pre-requisite, "In weiter Ferne, so nah!" (1993) is a vastly different film which proves itself in its own right.

Cinema has produced many wonderful films over the past century or so, but when looking at the various elements of film combined here, there is no other movie which touches me quite so positively, quite as deeply as this one.