Faraway, So Close!

Faraway, So Close! (German: In weiter Ferne, so nah!) is a 1993 German fantasy film directed by Wim Wenders, who co-wrote the screenplay with Richard Reitinger and Ulrich Zieger. It is a sequel to Wenders' 1987 film Wings of Desire. Actors Otto Sander, Solveig Dommartin, Bruno Ganz and Peter Falk reprise their roles from the original. The film also stars Nastassja Kinski, Willem Dafoe, and Heinz Rühmann in his last film role. The story follows the angel Cassiel, who unlike his friend Damiel, chose not to become human despite being told of the joys of life. Cassiel only becomes human in the reunified Berlin, but quickly becomes involved in a criminal enterprise that threatens his newfound life and his friends. Wenders opted to pursue the project, desiring to make a film set in Berlin after the fall of the Wall. Sander also wished to pursue a storyline in which his character becomes human, and contributed ideas for the plot. Faraway, So Close! won the Grand Prix du Jury at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, but enjoyed less critical and commercial success than its predecessor.