Films by Werner Herzog

2018, 91 min
by Werner Herzog, André Singer

Rising from a farm boy to become President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev brought about changes that helped end the Cold War, toppled the USSR, enabled the reunification of Germany and transformed the world forever.A new feature length documentary MEETING GORBACHEV by legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog and Emmy Award winning Director, André Singer.“I like this film. It’s realistic and it’s dramatic - like life itself” Mikhail GorbachevIn terms of realpolitik, these meetings between Mikhail Gorbachev and Werner Herzog might well be termed a summit. And the meetings between the filmmaker and the former leader of the Soviet Union were indeed prepared and executed like summit meetings. Werner Herzog, André Singer and their crew visited the initiator of glasnost and perestroika in his absolute seclusion near Moscow three times over a period of six months.It’s the first time that Herzog focuses so directly on a politician, though he makes no bones about his admiration for the now 87-year-old statesman and Nobel Peace Prize winner. By the same token, it’s a first for Mikhail Gorbachev, too, to let himself be questioned by an artist who avowedly is looking for a sound that’s different from what a professional journalist wants to hear and provoke. In his latest documentary, Herzog follows significant stations of Gorbachev’s political and personal career on a new quest for ecstatic moments behind factual truths. (DOK Leipzig, Ralph Eue)

Germany, USA 1993, 60 min
by Werner Herzog

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, “mythomaniac” Werner Herzog travels to Siberia. Despite more than 70 years of Marxist-Leninist dogma, he finds a wide variety of religious practices that have survived communism. In addition to disciples of the Russian Orthodox church, he meets herders who consult with shamans before deciding on a direction of travel, as well as numerous miracle healers and itinerant preachers. They include a reborn Jesus Christ, a faith healer who sets free cosmic energy, an exorcist who fights the demons possessing women, and a former film projectionist who now favours people with his bell ringing. Herzog takes a close look at Lake Svetloyar, whence church bells purportedly sound from the lost city of Kitezh submerged there – as long as pilgrims approach on their knees.Authentic spirituality is woven together with charlatanism. The former gives Herzog insight into the “Russian soul”. At the same time, with his profound flair for showmanship, he boosted the entertainment value of his film when, unable to find any real pilgrims, he hired some admittedly drunken locals and had them belly crawl across the ice of the frozen lake.