The sky over Wenders’ war-scarred Berlin is full of gentle, trenchcoated angels who listen to the tortured thoughts of mortals and try to comfort them. One, Damiel, wishes to become mortal after falling in love with a beautiful trapeze artist. Peter Falk, as himself, assists in the transformation by explaining the simple joys of a human experience, such as the sublime combination of coffee and cigarettes. Told from the angels’ point of view, the film is shot in black and white, blossoming into colour only when the angels perceive the realities of humankind. The imagery is some of Wenders’ most iconic film is brought to life by Henri Alekan, who notably also shot Cocteau’s La Belle et La Bête.