My Time With Antonioni: The Diary of an Extraordinary Experience

by Wim Wenders

Come the 1990s, the great Michelangelo Antonioni's directing career was widely considered to have been finally curtailed by the effects of a stroke which left him scarcely able to speak. But with the support of committed financiers and fellow professionals, Antonioni was able to undertake Beyond the Clouds, a portmanteau piece adapted from several of his short stories and sketches. A stellar cast (John Malkovich, Sophie Marceau, Peter Weller, Irene Jacob, Jean Reno, Fanny Ardant) was assembled. Wim Wenders, a passionate admirer of Antonioni, agreed to back-stop the to direct some linking sequences and to assist Antonioni on the shoot. This book is his journal of that process, in which Wenders writes thoughtfully and frankly about the pleasures and problems to be had in collaborating with such a renowned maestro under such extraordinary conditions.

Genres: Film

183 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1995

About the author

Ernst Wilhelm ("Wim") Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer. He was born in Düsseldorf.

Reviews

[Beuysjoycean]

Beyond the Clouds has been amongst my favorite films for years now, before reading this book, I never would have imagined the difficulties of its production. Fascinating journal of Wim Wenders, documenting the speechless construction of Antonioni's last film.

[Avi]

It's fascinating to read what one director thinks of another's style of work, and even more interesting to read how he thinks about his own. The counterpoint is fascinating, and I wish I hadn't put off reading this book for so long.

[Tina]

Wonderful reading experience! Wim Wenders is an amazing director and writer, his book about one of the great minds of the cinematic arts is a must-read for all film enthusiasts.

[Joshua Stephen]

A great read for those studying Wenders. This book is entertaining and informative for both those that like to read autobiographies and those studying film-making.