Wenders withdraws 1975 film 'Wrong Move' following Kinski campaign

German director Wim Wenders has withdrawn his 1975 film 'Wrong Move' from all distribution channels following a sustained campaign by actress Nastassja Kinski. The decision, announced on Wednesday, removes the film from circulation due to a scene in which Kinski appeared topless when she was 13 years old.

In a statement released via the Wim Wenders Foundation website, Wenders, aged 80, issued an unreserved apology to Kinski. He acknowledged that as the sole surviving person responsible for the production at the time, he recognised she should have been better protected during filming. "No ifs and buts," he stated, confirming the non-profit foundation now owns the film and is halting its current distribution.

Kinski, now 65, had previously told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily that she had attempted for years to get Wenders to alter the film without success. Describing the production as her first film and her first collaboration with the director, she stated that he "didn't protect me." Her lawyer, Christian Schertz, welcomed the withdrawal but characterised it as "long overdue," noting with regret that the action only occurred after public pressure was applied.

The Wim Wenders Foundation indicated that the film will remain withdrawn until a "broad dialogue" with German film institutions is concluded. The foundation stated that future availability will depend on reaching a mutually agreed solution that includes Kinski, a process they acknowledged could take considerable time.

Wenders is one of the most influential German directors of recent decades, having won a BAFTA and a Palme d'Or at Cannes. The withdrawal highlights ongoing scrutiny regarding the protection of minors in the film industry, though the specific timeline for the film's potential return remains uncertain pending the outcome of the institutional discussions.