03/03/2003 - Conflict of interests forces director to step down as Chair of insolvent Road Film Movies

After having produced most of his films over a 27-year period through the Road Movies Films production company, Wim Wenders was released from the position of Chairman. Difficulties for Road Movies began after its mother company Das Werk filed for bankruptcy last November. Wenders thought it would be also necessary for Road Movies Films to file for bankruptcy, but the Receiver did not feel that was the right procedure and asked Wenders to step down. According to German magazine “Der Spiegel, Wenders had been trying to buy back the production company that owns the rights to all of his films but since he was also its chairman, there was a conflict of interests. The financial situation of Road Movies worsened considerably after US music company, Peermusic, asked for Road Movies to pay for the use of music that Wenders used for the score of his Buena Vista Social Club.

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