Filmmaker Wim Wenders lauds 3D films, 'your whole brain is aflame'

German filmmaker Wim Wenders whose immersive 3D documentary "Anselm" premiered at Cannes, recently expressed his support for the 3D format.

According to Wenders, 3D engages the brain in a way that 2D fails to do, igniting greater brain activity and emotional involvement. He believes that the 3D experience allows the audience to be truly present and activates instincts that are not stimulated by traditional films.

Wenders selected the 3D format for "Anselm" to showcase the vastness and intensity of artist Anselm Kiefer's world, providing a deeper and more information-rich viewing experience.

Speaking to Variety Wenders acknowledged that 3D exposes any mistakes more prominently, Wenders appreciates the depth and layers it brings to the artwork.

“You could just as well be brain dead in some movies, because the amount of brain activity is minimal. In 3D, however, your whole brain is aflame."

“Parts of your brain are working to establish the space – which is something you’re doing yourself: you get two separate images on the screen and your brain is putting them together, just like you do in life with your two eyes. So, your brain is enormously active, but other parts of your brain are active as well – you are emotionally more involved as you are more ‘there’.

He added: “In theaters, we get used to the fact that everything is there on the screen, and we’re here, in front of it, and we’re not there. In 3D, you are there. And all of a sudden, a lot of your instincts are active furiously that are not active if you’re watching ‘Fast & Furious 10.’ Well, in those movies, there might be more adrenaline going on, of course, but your brain is less ‘involved’.”

In crafting the documentary, Wenders aimed to go beyond a conventional biographical approach. Instead, he focused on capturing the essence of Kiefer's artistic journey and the impact of his work.