Faraway, So Close! (1993)

Faraway, So Close! (1993) is a German fantasy film directed by Wim Wenders. It follows the story of Cassiel and Raphaella, two angels who observe the bustling life of reunited Berlin. As divine beings, they have the ability to hear the thoughts of those around them and offer comfort to a dying man. Cassiel has been shadowing his friend Damiel, a former angel who now lives as a human. Damiel runs a pizza parlor named Casa dell’angelo (Angel’s House) and is married to Marion, a trapeze artist he met during his time as an angel. The couple has a young daughter named Doria and Cassiel is intrigued by their new life in West Berlin. Meanwhile, Cassiel also takes an interest in 11-year-old Raissa Becker from former East Berlin. He observes her daily struggles alongside her mother Hanna Becker and realizes they are being followed by Philip Winter, a detective working for Anton Baker.

Baker, an American arms dealer and pornographer and owner of a transport company, Cassiel follows Becker and Winter to an abandoned building. As they sit on top of the Brandenburg Gate, Raphaella expresses her desire to experience human life. He visits Raissa alone at her flat, where she leans over the balcony railing. In a sudden turn of events, Cassiel tries to save her as she falls, transforming into a human and catching a child in the process. With his newfound humanity comes challenges, such as learning how to adjust the volume of his voice and navigate busy streets without getting hit by cars. All he has left is his angel’s armor, which became tangible during his transformation into a human. While riding the subway, Cassiel falls victim to Emit Flesti’s trickery and ends up losing both his armor and money from gambling.