Anselm

Overview

Anselm is Wim Wenders’s 2023 German documentary about painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer. Running 93 minutes and made in 3D, it focuses on Kiefer and his art, placing a contemporary artist at the center of a film categorized as both a documentary and a biographical film.

The film’s subject is listed as history, while its specific focus is Kiefer. That pairing makes it relevant to viewers interested in how an artist’s work relates to the past, as well as to those seeking a portrait of a major figure in German art. The film is in German and was produced by Road Movies Filmproduktion, with Karsten Brünig as producer.

Wenders’s film had its world premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 17 May 2023, where it was shown as a special screening and competed for the L'Œil d'or. Its 2023 release places it among recent documentaries for viewers browsing by year.

Key features

• Artist portrait: The film chronicles German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer.
• 3D documentary: It is identified as a 3D film, a defining format detail for anyone choosing what to watch.
• Concise feature length: At 93 minutes, it offers a feature-length portrait rather than a series.
• German production: The film is German, with German listed as its language.
• Wenders as director: It adds a Kiefer-focused work to the documentary films directed by Wim Wenders.

Platforms

No streaming services are specified here, so availability cannot be established from the details provided. The film is a 2023 release, but that alone does not indicate where it can be watched.

Who it's for

Anselm is a natural fit for viewers drawn to artist biographies, German art, or documentaries categorized under history. Students and teachers looking for a feature centered on an individual artist may find its focused subject useful, while documentary fans who follow Wenders can approach it as another entry in his work.

It may also suit viewers who want a film with a clear subject and a defined running time. The available details establish that Kiefer and his art are the focus, but do not specify particular works or themes, so viewers seeking coverage of a specific period or artwork should not assume it is included.

Pros and cons

Pros

• A clear biographical focus on Anselm Kiefer.
• A 93-minute runtime that makes the film a self-contained feature.
• Its 3D format and German-language production are stated explicitly.
• The Cannes special-screening premiere gives the film a documented festival context.

Cons

• Streaming availability is not specified.
• The description does not identify which works or chapters of Kiefer’s life receive attention.
• German is the listed language; no other language options are stated.

Alternatives

For another route into Wenders’s documentary work, browse documentaries by Wim Wenders. Viewers choosing by subject can also explore history documentaries, while the new documentaries list offers a broader way to browse recent releases.

Among the listed alternatives, Invisibles (2007 film), The Soul of a Man, and Buena Vista Social Club are other documentary choices. Wenders titles include Room 666, Notebook on Cities and Clothes, and Tokyo-Ga.

Verdict

Anselm is a focused documentary portrait: a 93-minute, German-language 3D film by Wim Wenders centered on artist Anselm Kiefer. Its strongest points for choosing it are the clearly defined subject, feature-length format, and stated production details. The available information leaves streaming access and the film’s specific treatment of Kiefer’s life and work open, but viewers interested in an artist biography or Wenders’s documentary work have a clear reason to consider it.