The State of Things
“They didn't want to kill him. They just wanted a story.”
On location in Portugal, a film crew runs out of film while making their own version of Roger Corman's The Day the World Ended (1956). The producer is nowhere to be found and director Munro attempts to find him in hopes of being able to finish the film.
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Cast
21 people
Isabelle Weingarten
Anna
Known for
Four Nights of a Dreamer
The Mother and the Whore
Rebecca Pauly
Joan
Known for
The Ninth Gate
Jeffrey Kime
Mark
Also in
The Gendarme and the Creatures from Outer Space
Gramps Is in the Resistance
Geoffrey Carey
Robert
Known for
Holy Motors
The Big Blue
Camila Mora-Scheihing
Julia
Also in
Voyage of a Hand
Genealogies of a Crime
Alexandra Auder
Jane
Also in
Bail Jumper
First Love, Fatal Love
Patrick Bauchau
Friedrich Munro
Known for
Carnivàle
Panic Room
Paul Getty Jr.
Dennis
Also in
The Territory
Viva
Kate
Known for
Paris, Texas
Play It Again, Sam
Samuel Fuller
Joe
Known for
A Return to Salem's Lot
The American Friend
Artur Semedo
Production Manager
Also in
Le Comte de Monte-Cristo
Malteses, Burgueses e às Vezes...
Francisco Baião
Soundman
Also in
In the White City
No, or the Vain Glory of Command
Wim Wenders Director · Robert Kramer Writer Josh Wallace Writer
United States release February 18, 1983 · Produced in Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Portugal, France, Spain, Netherlands · Languages English, French, Portuguese
Production
Pro-ject Filmproduktion
Production
ZDF
Production
Artificial Eye
Production
V.O. Filmes
Production
Wim Wenders Productions
Production
Gray City
Production
Pari Films
Production
Musidora Films
Production
Film International
Production
Road Movies
Production
Road Movies Filmproduktion
Production
Germany · United Kingdom · United States · Portugal · France · Spain · Netherlands
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Der Stand der Dinge
Original language
German
Spoken on screen
English · French · Portuguese
Release dates
Italy · September 4, 1982
Premiere · Venice Film Festival
United States · February 18, 1983
Theatrical
United States
October 30, 2015 · Limited theatrical · Harvard Film Archive
Brazil
October 24, 2026 · Premiere · São Paulo International Film Festival (Paulo Branco Retrospective - 4K Restoration)
Denmark
August 9, 1985 · Theatrical
France
October 20, 1982 · Theatrical
March 14, 2018 · Theatrical · Re-release (Restored Version)
Germany
October 27, 1982 · Premiere · Hofer Filmtage
Italy
April 7, 1983 · Premiere · Rome
May 11, 1983 · Theatrical
September 13, 2010 · Premiere · Milano Film Festival
Japan
November 5, 1983 · Theatrical
Portugal
November 16, 1983 · Theatrical
January 12, 2017 · Theatrical · Re-release (Restored Version)
February 18, 2026 · Limited theatrical · Porto, Batalha Centro de Cinema
Sweden
February 1, 1983 · Premiere · Göteborg Film Festival
July 3, 1987 · Theatrical
Thailand
October 9, 2025 · Premiere · Bangkok International Film Festival
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Some details come from TheTVDB.