Wenders cuts scene with nude 13-year-old Kinski from film

Actress Nastassja Kinski and director Wim Wenders have put an end to a long-running dispute over a nude scene in his 1975 film "Wrong Move," the two confirmed on Friday.  

"Wim Wenders has apologized to Nastassja Kinski and has complied with her request to cut the scene she objected to from the film," according to a joint statement by the two, which was published on the Wenders Foundation's website. 

Both are united by the desire that the memory of the film should no longer be overshadowed by this conflict in future, and that their long-standing friendship should be restored.

Kinski appeared topless in a scene from the film and says that she has been asking the 80-year-old Wenders for years to remove the scene, which lasts around two minutes. A man slaps her and then strokes her face. 

In this scene, Kinski - who was 13 years old at the time - is wearing only underpants. The now 65-year-old actress had also engaged a solicitor, who had announced formal legal action against Wenders.

Wenders apologized

"Wrong Move" had already been withdrawn at the beginning of June. Streaming, TV and distribution partners were instructed to stop making the film publicly available, the foundation said at the time. 

Wenders also apologized. "As the only person still here who was responsible for 'Wrong Move' at the time, I realize that Nastassja Kinski should have been better protected back then. For that, I apologize to you, Nastassja, without any ifs or buts."

At the German Film Awards in May, Wenders said that he would "never shoot that scene like that again today." However, he could not blame his younger self from back then. He had made a film of his time. Yet this raises the question for filmmakers of how to deal with a film's legacy.