City Arts & Lectures Werner Herzog: Encore from 2023
Nov 16, 2025
In a captivating conversation, legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog shares insights from his illustrious career. He recounts his early days arriving in San Francisco and unique experiences, like a photo shoot near a Vanuatu volcano. Herzog discusses his unconventional memoir, touching on the role of women in his life and the solitary figures in his work. He breaks down his distinct narrative style in filmmaking and emphasizes the importance of reading for filmmakers. Expect stories about his unorthodox teaching methods at Rogue Film School and his unfiltered thoughts on the future of long-form art.
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Giving Everything To Follow Love
- Werner Herzog arrived in San Francisco with nothing, giving away his possessions to be with the woman he loved.
- He passed customs with only a toothbrush and endured six hours of interrogation over it.
Volcano Photo Shoot Gone Wild
- Herzog posed in a heat suit on Vanuatu near an active volcano while lava bombs flew past.
- He emphasizes standing still to watch danger but ran when massive lava slabs started raining down.
Memoir Without Confession
- Herzog wrote a memoir without making it a confessional; he resists psychoanalytic self-examination.
- He credits women as essential to his formation and insists life without them would be unbearable.
