69 Films by Werner Herzog

The film features firsthand accounts from those who caused serious accidents while texting and driving, alongside those who survived such incidents.

This film is about an extraordinary person who excels at ski-flying while also working as a carpenter. It looks beyond the excitement of ski-flying to explore the character's reasons and how he balances these two demanding passions. The story combines…

A driven real estate agent travels to Transylvania to finalize a purchase of a distinctive property. Invited by the mysterious Count Dracula, he leaves his wife and familiar life for an uncertain journey. In the shadowy forests and castles of…

A scientist holds a corporate executive responsible for an environmental catastrophe in South America. However, when a volcano starts showing signs of imminent eruption, they are forced to work together to prevent a larger disaster.

Herzog’s film focuses on the Wodaabe people of the Sahara and Sahel. It highlights their elaborate courtship displays, often resembling beauty pageants. Young men compete for mates through impressive displays of makeup, posing, and facial expressions.

"La Donna del Lago," a rarely-seen opera by Gioacchini Rossini based on a poem by Sir Walter Scott, unfolds in feudal Scotland. This video offers a complete performance filmed at Italy's Teatro alla Scala in 1992 and directed by Werner…

A group of pilgrims venture onto the fragile ice of Lake Svetloyar in search of the lost city of Kitesh. Legend says God protected Kitesh from the invading Mongolian army by causing it to sink beneath the lake's surface. Those…

The film follows horse trainers and track workers as they discuss their jobs, repeatedly interrupted by an older man who insists he's the real authority and wants them all fired. A young man appears early on, claiming to protect the…

We don't know when or how we will die. Death Row inmates do. Werner Herzog engages in conversations with people serving life sentences, exploring their perspectives on life, death, and the events that led them to prison. He delves into…

Two world-renowned climbers – a seasoned mountaineer and a sport climbing champion – and a journalist named Ivan make a wager on who is the superior climber. The mountaineer, Roger, confidently asserts that the sport climber, Martin, couldn't handle a…

As Bruce Chatwin was dying from AIDS, his friend Werner Herzog visited him one last time. Chatwin gave Herzog his rucksack as a farewell gift. Thirty years later, Herzog embarks on a journey of his own, inspired by Chatwin's love…

This visually stunning film explores how we see the world, using Mayan creation stories as a framework. Shot in difficult conditions to reflect the challenges of ancient cultures, it takes us to a place where reality and illusion merge. With…

Werner Herzog journeys back to the Amazon with Juliane Koepcke, the sole survivor of a 1971 plane crash. The film follows their search for the plane wreckage and their attempt to reconstruct her harrowing escape from the jungle.

This period drama centers on Franz Woyzeck, a soldier overwhelmed by his responsibilities, relationships, and the pressures of society. He has an affair with Marie and takes on odd jobs to earn more money, even participating in strange experiments conducted…

The film features music accompanying alternating scenes of pilgrims visiting the tomb of Saint Sergei in Sergiyev Posad, Russia, and pilgrims at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico.

The film examines the clash between traditional Aboriginal culture and modern industry. It focuses on a sacred Aboriginal land, believed to be a dreaming place for green ants, that a mining company sees as a valuable resource. The Aboriginal people…

Werner Herzog films volcanoes, showcasing breathtaking eruptions and lava flows, exploring the intense force of these natural events and their connection to traditional beliefs.

Werner Herzog examines the Internet and our increasingly interconnected lives.

Filmmaker Werner Herzog receives rare permission to film within the Chauvet caves of southern France. His camera documents the world's oldest known cave paintings, offering a breathtaking look at early human artistry in their original environment.

Werner Herzog's new documentary takes us to Guadeloupe, a beautiful but mostly empty island with a volcano about to erupt. Everyone has left except one determined old man who refuses to leave his family home as the disaster approaches. Herzog…

Werner Herzog engages in conversations with individuals about the process of making movies.

Reverend Huie Rogers, a preacher at the Bible Way Church in Brooklyn, is the focus of this short film. He delivers a lengthy, call-and-response sermon criticizing human arrogance, greed, corruption, and failure. The film employs extended shots, creating a performance-like…

The film centers on the lives of the indigenous people of Bakhtia, a village on the Yenisei River in the Siberian Taiga. Over the course of a year, the camera follows the villagers as they navigate their daily routines. Their…

Werner Herzog's *Wheel of Time* documents the extensive photographic study of the most significant Buddhist ceremony held in Bodh Gaya, India.

Werner Herzog returns with *Ode to the Dawn of Man*, a film offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the score for his documentary *Cave of Forgotten Dreams*. The film combines footage with interviews featuring composer Ernst Reijseger and…

Werner Herzog explores the life of German-American pilot Dieter Dengler, shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War. Thirty years later, Dengler returns to the sites of his captivity, reflecting on the bonds he formed with fellow prisoners. The film…

This film introduces a series of opera broadcasts on German television, showing the preparations made behind the scenes for the annual opera festival in Bayreuth.

This film examines freedom and rebellion through the story of a community of dwarfs in a remote countryside institution. When the inhabitants revolt against their keepers, their actions range from funny and ordinary to unsettling. The story is an allegory…

Ten Minutes Older is a 2002 film project comprising two feature films, The Trumpet and The Cello. Producer Nicolas McClintock created the project as a meditation on time at the start of the new millennium. Fifteen renowned filmmakers were asked…

Fitzcarraldo, a visionary, aims to construct an opera house in Iquitos, deep in the Peruvian Amazon. To fund this ambitious undertaking, he sets out on a grand expedition to gather rubber in a remote and largely uncharted part of the…

This short documentary explores the unique language and performance of auctioneering, captured during the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship in Pennsylvania.

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev speaks with filmmaker Werner Herzog about his significant accomplishments. They cover his efforts to limit nuclear weapons, the reunification of Germany, and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.

Director Werner Herzog and cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger travel to Antarctica to document the lives of those who live and work there, and to film the continent's distinctive environments. Herzog’s narration states the film will deviate from conventional Antarctic documentaries focused…

Werner Herzog's *Jag Mandir* is a rarely seen film, based on 20 hours of footage, of which only a fraction is presented. A viewer unfamiliar with India might not immediately recognize the country and its mythology depicted within. The film…

During World War II, three German soldiers – Kraft, Hicker, and Stroszek – are sent to a peaceful coastal post on the Greek island of Kos after Stroszek is wounded. They are supposed to recover there and then rejoin the…

This is the story of Gertrude Bell, a pioneering traveler, writer, archaeologist, and explorer who worked for the British Empire in the Near and Middle East at the start of the 1900s. Her deep understanding of local tribal leaders proved…

In this 1986 autobiographical short film, Werner Herzog recounts stories from his life and career. The film features excerpts and commentary on several of his films, including *Signs of Life*, *Heart of Glass*, *Fata Morgana*, *Aguirre, the Wrath of God*,…

This short documentary offers a darkly humorous look at a preschooler who is isolated from his peers. His social situation shifts when a girl, intrigued by his pet crow, begins to connect with him, ultimately paving the way for acceptance.

Werner Herzog's 2004 documentary chronicles the efforts of a dedicated British inventor as he strives to build and test an unusual airship on its first flight over the rainforest.

This film follows the band The Killers as they tour and perform live in the Bronx, New York, captured in a series of music documentaries sponsored by American Express.

Werner Herzog chronicles the perilous expedition of mountaineers Hans Kammerlander and Reinhold Messner as they attempt to summit the challenging peaks of the Gasherbrum mountains, a feat undertaken without supplemental oxygen. The film also explores the climbers' histories with other…

The life, music, and violent crimes of Carlo Gesualdo, a famed 16th-century Italian composer and notorious murderer.

"Bruno Stroszek" tells the story of a man trying to rebuild his life after prison. With few skills and a difficult history, Bruno takes up street music with a glockenspiel and accordion, advised to avoid alcohol. He meets Eva, a…

Sergeant Terrence McDonagh of the New Orleans Police receives a medal and a promotion to lieutenant for heroism displayed during Hurricane Katrina. The incident, however, results in a back injury and a subsequent addiction to prescription pain medication. McDonagh becomes…

Family Romance is a company that rents people to fill roles in life. Founder Yuichi Ishii helps his customers achieve their desires. However, things become complicated when a mother hires Ishii to pretend to be her missing father for her…

This drama follows Kaspar Hauser (Bruno S.) As he begins to learn about the world after being kept locked in a small cellar for seventeen years. His only friend during this time is a toy horse and a mysterious man…

"Herakles" presents a collection of film clips exploring ideas of masculinity. The selection includes overtly macho imagery, such as bodybuilders displaying their physique. It also features less literal depictions of strength and aggression, including scenes of military bombing and car…

Werner Herzog's documentary examines how Germany and the United States approach the lives of people with disabilities, highlighting the contrasting ways they are cared for and integrated into society.

This is one of several short opera films directed by different people. Herzog blends scenes from Puccini's "O Soave Fanciulla" ("Oh you vision of beauty" from La Boheme) with footage of challenging life in Africa. The collection was made to…

Renowned German filmmaker Werner Herzog collaborates with acclaimed Italian conductor Riccardo Chailly on a rarely-seen opera. The production features striking contrasts of light and darkness, grand spectacle, and intimate moments. Filmed at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna in Italy.

To celebrate its tenth anniversary in 1988, Figaro magazine commissioned several renowned directors to create a series of short films. These films have now been released to coincide with the bicentenary of the French Revolution. The collection includes works by…

This short film consists of two parts: "The French," featuring two men tasting wine, and "The Gauls," depicting men playing rugby. By Werner Herzog and part of the "The French as Seen By..." Series, it was commissioned by the newspaper…

This is a satirical look at the absurdity of war and the foolish things it can drive people to do. Four young men explore an abandoned fortress and discover military uniforms. They decide to use them to stage a strange…

Following the Gulf War, Kuwait is a devastated landscape scarred by oil fires. Werner Herzog's film documents this apocalyptic environment, capturing the eerie atmosphere of murky skies, burned earth, and unpredictable flames. The documentary explores the war's destruction and humanity's…

Following the collapse of the Inca Empire, a bold Spanish expedition journeys into the Amazon to find the legendary city of El Dorado. Captain Aguirre leads the men on a dangerous trek through unexplored territory, driven by the hope of…

In 1930s Berlin, a Jewish strongman takes on the stage, portraying the iconic Aryan hero Siegfried.

An alien recounts the history of his planet's decline and his people's journeys to Earth, detailing how humanity destroyed itself. Meanwhile, human astronauts search for a new home among the stars, hoping to ensure the survival of humankind.

Werner Herzog's 1969 documentary, *The Flying Doctors of East Africa*, chronicles the work of the African Medical and Research Foundation's "flying doctors" service. The film follows their efforts in Tanzania, Kenya, and Nairobi.

During the Vietnam War, a U.S. Fighter pilot faces an intense fight for survival after his plane is shot down over Laos.

This documentary explores the intense and complicated relationship between legendary director Werner Herzog and actor Klaus Kinski. Though they often expressed a desire to harm one another, the film reveals a surprising level of trust that developed during their work…

A group of Miskito Indians fight against the Sandinistas, utilizing child soldiers from Nicaragua as part of their resistance.

This film intimately follows Fini Straubinger, who has been deaf and blind since her teens, showing how she lives and fights for others with similar disabilities. We witness her remarkable strength and resolve as she navigates the world, challenging how…

Filmmaker Werner Herzog, known for his distinctive storytelling and documentaries, explored Greece while preparing his survival drama "Lebenszeichen." Before the film, he made a short piece during location scouting. This short film highlights a different aspect of Herzog's filmmaking, blending…

This documentary explores the reign of Jean-Bédel Bokassa in the Central African Republic, drawing on firsthand accounts from those who lived under his rule and visits to significant locations from that period.

This documentary chronicles Gene Scott, the well-known televangelist who frequently clashed with the FCC during the 1970s and '80s over his television program. It also features his arguments with viewers, where he expresses dissatisfaction with their financial support for the…

In a charming Bavarian village famous for its exquisite "Ruby Glass," the community is devastated by the sudden death of the glassworks foreman. He leaves behind a vital secret, essential to the town's prosperity. As despair settles in, the glassworks…

This film chronicles the story of Timothy Treadwell, known as "Grizzly Man," and his thirteen summers spent living in a National Park in Alaska, dedicated to protecting grizzly bears. Through distinctive footage, the documentary offers an intimate look at a…

In 19th century Brazil, the infamous bandit Cobra Verde terrorizes the countryside with his robberies. Don Octávio Countinho, impressed by his ruthlessness, hires him to manage the slaves on his sugar plantation. However, Cobra Verde’s actions escalate when he impregnates…

Brad has committed murder and locked himself inside his home. As police work to understand what happened, his friends and neighbors help them uncover the unusual story of how this seemingly ordinary young man ended up in such a desperate…