Werner Herzog
Personal Info
Known for
Directing
Gender
Male
Birthday
1942-09-05 (82 years old)
Place of Birth
Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Werner Herzog
Biography
Werner Herzog (German: [ˈvɛɐ̯nɐ ˈhɛɐ̯tsoːk]; born 5 September 1942) is a German film director, screenwriter, author, actor, and opera director, regarded as a pioneer of New German Cinema. His films often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with unique talents in obscure fields, or individuals in conflict with nature. He is known for his unique filmmaking process, such as disregarding storyboards, emphasizing improvisation, and placing the cast and crew into similar situations as characters in his films.
Herzog started work on his first film Herakles in 1961, when he was nineteen. Since then he has produced, written, and directed more than sixty feature films and documentaries, such as Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974), Heart of Glass (1976), Stroszek (1977), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), Fitzcarraldo (1982), Cobra Verde (1987), Lessons of Darkness (1992), Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997), My Best Fiend (1999), Invincible (2000), Grizzly Man (2005), Encounters at the End of the World (2007), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), and Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010). He has published more than a dozen books of prose, and directed as many operas.
French filmmaker François Truffaut once called Herzog "the most important film director alive." American film critic Roger Ebert said that Herzog "has never created a single film that is compromised, shameful, made for pragmatic reasons, or uninteresting. Even his failures are spectacular." He was named one of the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2009.
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Known For
Acting
Tales from the Opera
as Director
(2025)
Was Ist Kino ?
as Self (Archive Footage)
(2025)
(2025)
(2024)
Orion and the Dark
as Narrator (voice)
(2024)
The Fire Within: Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft
as Narrator (voice)
(2024)
Celebrating the Rice Media Center
as Self (archival footage)
(2024)
(2024)
Kinski
as Self (Archive Footage)
(2023)
The Arc of Oblivion
as Narrator (voice)
(2022)
Nosferatu: A Film Like a Vampire
as Self (archive footage)
(2022)
Last Exit: Space
as Narrator (voice)
(2022)
Tegoyo
as Self (Voice)
(2022)
(2021)
Hannelore Elsner: More Than One Life
as Self (archive footage)
(2021)
The Extravagant Little Life of Jean-Claude D. Dreyfus
as Self (archive footage)
(2021)
Meteor: Sohrab Shahid Saless
as Self
(2021)
(2020)
Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds
as Self - Narrator (voice)
(2020)
(2020)
Wim Wenders, Desperado
as Self
(2020)
Dear Werner (Walking on Cinema)
as Narrator (voice)
(2020)
The Andinist
as The Painter (Narrator)
(2019)
(2019)
Jihad in Hollywood
as Self
(2019)
Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin
as Self - Interviewer and Narrator (voice)
(2019)
Meeting Gorbachev
as Self
(2019)
Tattoo Uprising
as Self
(2018)
(2018)
Manaslu: Mountain of Souls
as Self
(2018)
Paradox Bullets
as Narrator (voice)
(2018)
(2018)
I'm a Soldier
as Self
(2017)
The Man Who Killed John Wayne
as Self (archive footage)
(2017)
(2017)
(2016)
Jihad in Hollywood
as Self
(2016)
Into the Inferno
as Self
(2016)
Salt and Fire
as Man with One Story (uncredited)
(2016)
(2015)
Freaks of Nature
as Perfect Being (voice)
(2014)
Alfonso Sansone: Producer by Chance
as Self (archive footage)
(2014)
Life Itself
as Self - Filmmaker
(2014)
Penguins of Madagascar
as Documentary Filmmaker (voice)
(2014)
Lemonade War
as Neighborhood Hero
(2014)
(2014)
Atari: Game Over
as Self (archival)
(2013)
The Unbelievers
as Self
(2013)
Mistaken for Strangers
as Self (uncredited)
(2013)
(2013)
(2013)
(2013)
Home from Home – Chronicle of a Vision
as Alexander von Humboldt
(2012)
Strawberryland
as Turnlehrer
(2012)
Close Up
as Self (archive footage)
(2012)
Jack Reacher
as Zec Chelovek
(2012)
Dinotasia
as Narrator (voice)
(2012)
(2012)
The Killers: Unstaged
as Self
(2011)
Into the Abyss
as Narrator (voice)
(2011)
(2011)
On Borrowed Time
as Self
(2011)
I, I, I José Lewgoy
as Self
(2011)
Champions: A Comic Tale
as Self
(2011)
(2010)
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
as Narrator (voice)
(2010)
Happy People: A Year in the Taiga
as Narrator (voice)
(2010)
Werner Herzog Defends Dade
as Self
(2010)
(2010)
(2010)
(2010)
When Herzog Rescued Phoenix
as Narrator (voice)
(2010)
(2009)
(2009)
Plastic Bag
as Plastic Bag (voice)
(2008)
(2008)
Mister Lonely
as Father Umbrillo
(2008)
Bierbichler
as Self
(2008)
(2008)
Back to Room 666
as Self (archive footage)
(2008)
Capturing Reality
as Self
(2008)
BLAST!
as Narrator (voice)
(2007)
The Grand
as The German
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
Encounters at the End of the World
as Narrator (voice)
(2006)
(2006)
Walking to Werner
as Self (voice)
(2005)
Dreams and Burdens
as Self
(2005)
(2005)
(2005)
(2005)
Grizzly Man
as Self / Narrator (voice)
(2004)
The White Diamond
as Narrator (voice)
(2004)
Incident at Loch Ness
as Self
(2004)
Dribble
as Self (voice)
(2004)
The Best of Tromadance Film Festival: Volume 3
as Self (voice) ("Dribble" short)
(2003)
Wheel of Time
as Narrator (voice)
(2002)
The Boxing Prince
as Self
(2001)
The 100 Greatest Films
as Self
(2000)
(2000)
The Last Documentary
as Self
(2000)
The Ball Is a Scumbag
as Self
(1999)
My Best Fiend
as Self
(1999)
(1999)
(1999)
Wings of Hope
as Self
(1999)
Julien Donkey-Boy
as Father
(1998)
What Dreams May Come
as Face
(1997)
Little Dieter Needs to Fly
as Narrator (voice)
(1996)
(1996)
(1995)
(1995)
Gesualdo: Death for Five Voices
as Narrator (voice)
(1993)
Dangerous Game
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1993)
Bells from the Deep
as Narrator (voice)
(1992)
Lessons of Darkness
as Narrator (voice)
(1991)
Jag Mandir: The Eccentric Private Theatre of the Maharaja of Udaipur
as Narrator (voice)
(1991)
Scream of Stone
as TV-Regisseur
(1991)
SnowwhiteRosered
as Self
(1991)
Film Hour
as Self
(1990)
Hard to Be a God
as Mita / Richard
(1990)
(1990)
Echoes from a Sombre Empire
as Self
(1989)
(1989)
Bride of the Orient
as Businger
(1989)
The Heart and the Legs
as Self
(1989)
Wodaabe: Herdsmen of the Sun
as Narrator (voice)
(1987)
Location Africa
as Self
(1986)
Portrait: Werner Herzog
as Self
(1985)
Tokyo-Ga
as Self
(1985)
The Dark Glow of the Mountain
as Self (voice)
(1984)
Ballad of the Little Soldier
as Self (voice)
(1984)
Where the Green Ants Dream
as Lawyer (uncredited)
(1983)
Man of Flowers
as The Father
(1982)
Burden of Dreams
as Self - Filmmaker
(1982)
(1982)
Room 666
as Self
(1981)
God's Angry Man
as Narrator (voice)
(1980)
Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
as Self
(1980)
Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers
as Self - Film Director: Nosferatu
(1979)
Nosferatu the Vampyre
as Hand and Feet in Box with Rats (uncredited)
(1979)
The Making of 'Nosferatu'
as Self
(1979)
(1979)
Scénario de 'Sauve qui peut la vie'
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1977)
La Soufrière: Waiting for an Inevitable Catastrophe
as Narrator (voice)
(1977)
Journey Through History
as Self
(1976)
Heart of Glass
as Glass Transporter
(1976)
(1976)
(1975)
(1974)
(1971)
Tales of the Dumpster Kid
as Hurenmörder
(1968)
(1968)
Signs of Life
as Soldier (uncredited)
(1967)
Crew
The Twilight World
Director, Novel
Bucking Fastard
Writer, Director
The Ghost Elephants
Director
(2025)
Reeling
Executive Producer
(2024)
The Fire Within: Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft
Director, Writer
(2024)
The End
Executive Producer
(2023)
The Arc of Oblivion
Executive Producer
(2022)
Last Exit: Space
Executive Producer
(2022)
Theater of Thought
Director, Executive Producer, Screenplay
(2022)
El Poso
Producer
(2022)
Flores del precipicio
Producer
(2022)
Notes from a Dromedary
Creative Consultant
(2020)
Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds
Director, Writer
(2019)
Love Birds
Consulting Producer
(2019)
The Last Scene
Executive Producer
(2019)
Meeting Gorbachev
Director, Writer
(2019)
Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin
Director, Writer
(2019)
Family Romance, LLC
Writer, Director, Director of Photography, Camera Operator
(2018)
The whole world is country
Consulting Producer
(2018)
The Golden Gate
Executive Producer
(2018)
The Empty Goal
Thanks
(2017)
A Gray State
Executive Producer
(2016)
The Blimp-Maker
Thanks
(2016)
Into the Inferno
Director, Writer
(2016)
Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World
Director, Producer, Writer
(2016)
Salt and Fire
Writer, Producer, Director
(2015)
Queen of the Desert
Director, Writer
(2014)
The Look of Silence
Executive Producer
(2014)
Red Army
Executive Producer
(2013)
From One Second to the Next
Director
(2013)
The Last Shepherd
Thanks
(2012)
The Act of Killing
Executive Producer
(2012)
The Killers: Unstaged
Director
(2011)
Into the Abyss
Writer, Director, Producer
(2011)
Ode to the Dawn of Man
Director, Cinematography, Sound
(2010)
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
Screenplay, Director
(2010)
Happy People: A Year in the Taiga
Executive Producer, Writer, Director
(2010)
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Screenplay, Director
(2010)
A Night Out
Thanks, Technical Advisor
(2009)
(2009)
La Bohème
Director
(2008)
Lohengrin: Bayreuth Festival Opera
Stage Director
(2007)
Encounters at the End of the World
Director, Writer, Sound
(2007)
The Devil's Muse
Creative Consultant
(2006)
Rescue Dawn
Director, Author
(2005)
Grizzly Man
Director
(2005)
The Wild Blue Yonder
Screenplay, Director
(2005)
What Is It?
Thanks
(2004)
The White Diamond
Director, Screenplay
(2004)
Incident at Loch Ness
Producer
(2003)
Wheel of Time
Producer, Director, Writer, Editor
(2002)
Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet
Writer, Director
(2001)
Invincible
Writer, Director, Producer
(2001)
Pilgrimage
Director
(2000)
Tannhäuser
Stage Director
(1999)
My Best Fiend
Writer, Director
(1999)
Wings of Hope
Director, Writer
(1997)
Little Dieter Needs to Fly
Director, Writer
(1996)
The Transformation of the World Into Music
Director, Writer, Executive Producer
(1995)
Gesualdo: Death for Five Voices
Director, Writer, Producer
(1993)
Bells from the Deep
Director, Writer
(1992)
Lessons of Darkness
Director, Writer, Executive Producer
(1992)
La Donna del Lago
Director
(1991)
Jag Mandir: The Eccentric Private Theatre of the Maharaja of Udaipur
Screenplay, Director, Producer
(1991)
Scream of Stone
Director
(1991)
Film Hour
Director
(1990)
Echoes from a Sombre Empire
Director, Writer, Producer
(1989)
Wodaabe: Herdsmen of the Sun
Director, Writer, Co-Producer
(1989)
Giovanna d'Arco
Director
(1988)
The French as Seen by…
Director
(1988)
The Gauls
Director
(1987)
Cobra Verde
Director, Screenplay
(1987)
Location Africa
Producer
(1986)
Portrait: Werner Herzog
Director, Writer
(1985)
The Dark Glow of the Mountain
Director, Producer, Writer
(1984)
Where the Green Ants Dream
Director, Producer, Writer
(1984)
Ballad of the Little Soldier
Writer, Director, Producer
(1983)
Huie's Sermon
Director
(1982)
Fitzcarraldo
Director, Producer, Screenplay
(1981)
God's Angry Man
Director, Writer
(1980)
(1979)
Woyzeck
Screenplay, Director
(1979)
Nosferatu the Vampyre
Director, Producer, Writer
(1977)
Stroszek
Director, Screenplay, Producer
(1977)
La Soufrière: Waiting for an Inevitable Catastrophe
Director, Sound Engineer, Producer
(1976)
Heart of Glass
Writer, Director, Producer
(1976)
How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck
Director, Producer, Sound
(1976)
No One Will Play with Me
Director, Writer
(1974)
The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
Producer, Director, Screenplay
(1974)
The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner
Director, Screenplay, Producer
(1972)
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Producer, Director, Writer
(1971)
Land of Silence and Darkness
Screenplay, Director, Producer, Sound Recordist
(1971)
Handicapped Future
Director, Sound Recordist, Producer, Writer, Sound
(1971)
Fata Morgana
Director, Screenplay, Sound, Producer
(1970)
Even Dwarfs Started Small
Producer, Screenplay, Director
(1970)
The Flying Doctors of East Africa
Director, Writer, Sound Recordist
(1969)
Precautions Against Fanatics
Director, Producer, Writer, Sound
(1968)
Signs of Life
Writer, Director, Producer
(1968)
Last Words
Director, Screenplay, Producer
(1967)
The Unprecedented Defence of the Fortress Deutschkreuz
Director, Editor, Screenplay
(1962)
Herakles
Director, Editor, Sound, Screenplay, Producer