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Werner Herzog: »I see relatively few films«
Photo: Marechal Aurore / ABACA / picture alliance
The director Werner Herzog spoke in Berlin about his work and was harsh on other people's films.
When asked how he deals with today's flood of images, with the wide range of streaming services, he said: "I see relatively few films.
And of course I know that almost everything is junk.«
This is also the case at the big festivals.
“Cannes: 90 percent crap.
Berlinale: 95 percent rubbish.
Venice: 90 percent junk,” said Herzog in the Deutsche Kinemathek.
It's the same with series.
»But the difference is that my films are different and also better.«
The Kinemathek is currently showing an exhibition about Herzog, who was born in Munich and now lives in the USA.
He has shot »Fitzcarraldo« with Klaus Kinski and »Queen of the Desert« with Nicole Kidman and documentaries like »The Cave of Forgotten Dreams« and »Encounters at the End of the World« about Antarctica.
Wasn't he afraid that something wouldn't work out?
There has always been something that is known in Catholicism – certainty of salvation, says Herzog.
“And that's why you can enter the gladiator arena, singing.
And the wild lions are there.
And your certainty of salvation allows you to stand tall and get through it.« There have always been setbacks, but he never really had any doubts about his films.
Write no worse than Kafka or Kleist or Büchner
In his opinion, filmmaking hasn't gotten any easier.
It's gotten worse because "this whole culture of
woke
suddenly sets frames that almost kill film and creativity."
The director also reported at the press conference what writing means to him.
He doesn't want to write worse than Kafka or Kleist.
»That means when I publish a book – for example ›Conquest of the Useless‹ or the hike to Paris ›Vom Walking in the Ice‹ – it must not be worse than Büchner would have written it.« In response to the comment that it was a success, he replied, "Thank you, I know."
isb/dpa