Wenders retire 'Falsche Bewegung' : Dispute over Kinski scene

In the scene in question, Kinski's character is visited in her bedroom by the character played by Rüdiger Vogler, who is now over 30 years old. She is lying on the bed wearing only underwear, and the man undresses down to his underwear and lies down next to her. Wenders said at the end of May at the German Film Awards ceremony in Berlin, where he received an honorary award, that he would "never do such a scene again today."

The case had been disputed between Wenders and Kinski for years. Kinski's lawyer, Christian Schertz, stated that Wenders had "refused for years" to have a personal conversation with Kinski about the scene. Kinski herself had demanded the deletion of the sequence for years. Schertz recently announced formal legal action against Wenders.

Withdrawal and Apology

In a statement from the foundation, Wenders publicly apologized to Kinski. He stated that he was "the only one of those responsible at the time for 'Falsche Bewegung' who is still here" and therefore still responsible. He said verbatim: "As the only one of those responsible at the time for 'Falsche Bewegung' who is still here, I see that Nastassja Kinski should have been better protected back then. For this, I apologize to you, Nastassja, without any ifs or buts."

At the same time, Wenders asked for understanding for his perspective at the time. He said he made a film "in its time" at the gala in Berlin. He added: "The many reactions, comments, and conversations of the past few days have significantly contributed to further sharpening my view of the events at the time. I am grateful for that." These reactions had prompted him to withdraw the film and seek an amicable solution with Kinski before it is re-released.

Lawyer Schertz welcomed Wenders' statement but called it "long overdue." He regretted "that this only happened as a result of public pressure." Furthermore, he said, one must wait and see what the offer of a conversation "specifically entails now." Schertz also criticized Wenders' appearance at the awards ceremony as an attempt to shirk personal responsibility.

Criticism from the Film Industry and the Public

The case also sparked a broad debate in the German media and cultural scene. Feminist Alice Schwarzer, 83, and founder of the magazine Emma, sharply urged Wenders to take action. She wrote in Emma: "Wim: Stop talking – and act! Finally cut these damn two minutes out of your film!"

Film scholar Annette Brauerhoch said on Deutschlandfunk Kultur that Wenders' approach was "very cleverly orchestrated." She argued that he had "distributed the responsibility, which actually lies with him," among thousands by appealing to the audience and the academy. Brauerhoch welcomed the withdrawal of the film but at the same time spoke out against cutting the scene afterward, as this would alter a historical document. She stated that the film is proof of "how strongly film history was shaped by sexist structures."

The case was also commented on in the Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Michael Hanfeld wrote in the FAZ that it was not about artistic or freedom of expression, but about "a thirteen-year-old child being sexualized and dragged naked in front of the camera. That was wrong in 1974, and it would be wrong today." Claudia Tieschky wrote in the SZ that Wenders had "pretended to be thoughtful" while evading "real responsibility." Actresses Lavinia Wilson, Rosalie Thomass, and Karoline Herfurth also expressed criticism; Thomass called Wenders' appearance "shameful," and Herfurth wished he had admitted that he had not adequately protected a 13-year-old child.

Kinski herself had previously spoken out in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung. She said: "Although I didn't know much at 13, I already realized that it wasn't right." In the conversation, she described 'Falsche Bewegung' as her first film and Wenders as her first director. She said verbatim in English: "That was my first film, he was my first director and he didn't protect me."

Kinski's Perspective

Wenders later cast Kinski in two more films: 'Paris, Texas' (1984) and 'In weiter Ferne, so nah!' (1993). Outside of the current case, Kinski had also taken legal action against a nude scene in the 1977 'Tatort' film 'Reifezeugnis'; her lawyer Schertz confirmed an out-of-court settlement with NDR without providing details.

Comparable Cases and Current Protection Rules

The dispute over 'Falsche Bewegung' is part of a series of similar debates about minors in film productions. Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, who appeared before the camera in Franco Zeffirelli's 'Romeo and Juliet' in 1968 at the ages of 15 and 16, filed a $500 million lawsuit against Paramount in the US, which was definitively dismissed in October 2024. Brooke Shields appeared before the camera at the age of 12 for Louis Malle's 'Pretty Baby' (1978) and at 14 for 'The Blue Lagoon' (1980); she later criticized the exploitation of her sexual experiences. Maria Schneider also spoke out after filming Bernardo Bertolucci's 'Last Tango in Paris' (1972), saying she felt "a little raped."

Wenders called on the German Film Academy to initiate a fundamental debate about the handling of film heritage. At the awards ceremony, he asked: "Is it permissible, can one, should one perhaps cut a scene if, in this case, it hurts one of my actresses, whom I have greatly admired and still admire? Can a film be shortened retrospectively?"

The German Film Academy, whose co-presidents are Vicky Krieps and Florian Gallenberger, announced that it would hold its own event on the topic in September. The question touches upon "legal, ethical, artistic, and cultural dimensions equally," it stated. They intend to address these questions "together, openly, and with nuance."

Debate on Film Heritage

Today, strict protection rules apply to film productions with minor actors: the presence of guardians on set, explicit parental consent, and the use of specially trained intimacy coordinators for sensitive scenes.

The story also triggered a broader discussion about retrospective interventions in film classics. In 1982, Steven Spielberg altered 'E.T.' for its 20th-anniversary edition, replacing the police officers' guns with walkie-talkies – a move he himself described as a mistake in 2023: "It was a mistake. I should never have done that. 'E.T.' is a product of its time." George Lucas re-edited the original Star Wars trilogy for its 20th anniversary, Ridley Scott released a new cut of 'Blade Runner' (1982) in 2007, and Stanley Kubrick removed a scene from 'The Shining' (1980) a week after its theatrical release.

Wenders, one of the most renowned German filmmakers, is known for films such as 'Wings of Desire,' 'Buena Vista Social Club,' and 'Perfect Days.' He received the honorary award for his lifetime achievement on May 29, 2026, in Berlin. According to the Wim Wenders Foundation, 'Falsche Bewegung' will only be made accessible again "after we have been able to present an agreed-upon solution."

Outlook

The reporting is based, among other things, on a statement from the Wim Wenders Foundation and reports from the German Press Agency (dpa) and the AFP news agency. The dpa report was published on June 3, 2026, and was broadcast on Deutschlandfunk, among other outlets.

Kinski is the daughter of actor Klaus Kinski. After 'Falsche Bewegung,' Wenders and Kinski collaborated again on 'Paris, Texas' (1984) and 'In weiter Ferne, so nah!' (1993). How the film will proceed now depends on the outcome of the announced talks between Wenders and Kinski.