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Wim Wenders Stiftung, the foundation associated with the German director, has sealed a deal with agent Salaud Morisset to handle distribution rights for 25 of his films. The arrangement would include theatrical, festival, and non-commercial rights for all unsold territories around the globe. Commercial rights to his catalog remain with Hanway Films.

The deal includes 17 of Wenders’s feature films, four of his documentaries, and seven short films. Included in the package are some of his most acclaimed works, such as Kings of the Road (1976), The American Friend (1977), Paris, Texas (1984), Wings of Desire (1987), and Buena Vista Social Club (1999). Wenders’s most recent film, Perfect Days, has been nominated for an international Oscar.

Salaud Morisset, which  is headed by François Morisset, stated its goal was to “ensure the sustained relevance and preservation of [Wenders’s] body of work while reaching a global audience,” adding that “The company plans to approach each territory with a specific strategy, actively working on special screening series and retrospectives…I look forward to working on guaranteeing continued visibility for this cinematic treasure trove of widely as well as lesser-known Wim Wenders gems, especially in territories with more challenging distribution landscapes and cinema infrastructures. In this time of industry wide change, Wim Wenders’[s] films serve as reassuring landmarks for generations of cinephiles. We look forward to supporting their discovery by many more generations of film enthusiasts around the globe.”

Claire Brunel, who is the managing director of Wim Wenders Stiftung, was quoted in Variety as saying: “I’m confident François and his team can carve out innovative paths to find new audiences for the Wim Wenders catalog. Sustaining and future-proofing the art of cinema as well as Wim Wenders’[s] work are core goals of the foundation. We want to explore and remain open to new exhibition methods and formats, to reinvent and rediscover the magic of big screen cinema again and again.”

The 78-year-old Wenders, who made his feature-film debut in 1970 with Summer in the City, is considered one of the icons of the New German Cinema. He won a BAFTA award and the Palme d’Or, and has been nominated three times for Oscars in the nest documentary feature category.

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