Wim Wenders received the 2023 Lumière Prize
“I’ve had awards in my life, but this is different, it’s the award for cinema.”
Wim Wenders was in the spotlight this week in Lyon. THE Light Festival reviewed the filmography of the German filmmaker, who was able to present to the public some of his finest works, including Paris, Texas (Palme d’Or 1984) or Wings of Desireas well as his latest film, Perfect Days, a moving self-portrait of the artist as a peaceful maintenance worker filmed in public toilets in the city of Tokyo. A gem from Cannes where actor Koji Yakusho received the Best Actor Prize.
The Festival also dedicated three exhibitions to the photographic work of Wenders (on view until December 31 in the capital of Gaul), who also performed the traditional remake of The exit from the Lumière factoriesin homage to the first Cinématographe film by the Lumière brothers, shot in 1895. But the high point of its festivities was of course the prestigious Light Prizepresented to the great Wim on Friday evening, in the presence of Irène Jacob, Alfonso Cuarón, Aurore Clément, Rüdiger Vogler and Peter Handke who took turns on stage to pay tribute to him.
“I am very proud to have this prize called Lumière. I’ve had awards in my life, but this is different, it’s the award for cinema. I don’t want to say that a Palme d’Or is nothing. But the Lumière Prize is unique and I am proud of it“, declared Wim Wenders, very moved. He succeeds in particular Clint Eastwood, Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodovar, Martin Scorsese, Catherine Deneuve and Wong Kar-wai.
As a bonus, the Lyon group Colectivo Caliente came to perform Cuban music standards made famous by their documentary Buena Vista Social Club. Jeanne Cherhal sang a cover of the famous “Perfect Days” by Lou Reed. And Vincent Lindon read one of his texts, a tribute to Michelangelo Antonioni and Ingmar Bergman.
