Classics: Paris, Texas

Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard, Paris, Texas follows the mysterious, taciturn vagabond Travis (an arresting performance by Harry Dean Stanton, whose face is a landscape unto itself) as he attempts to reconnect with his young son, who lives with his brother (Dean Stockwell) in Los Angeles, and his missing wife (Nastassja Kinski).

From this simple premise, Wenders and Shepard create a gripping look at the codes of masculinity and the myth of the American family, as well as an exquisite visual exploration of a vast, crumbling world of canyons and neon (shot through the idiosyncratic lens of Dutch master cinematographer Robby Müller).

This new 4K restoration - restored on behalf of the Wim Wenders Foundation under Wenders' supervision - premiered at the Cannes Classics selection of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, exactly forty years after the film won the Palme d'Or at that same festival.