Iconic German director Werner Herzog is taking his pursuit of ecstatic truth to a new frontier: Instagram.
The 82-year-old filmmaker behind Fitzcarraldo, Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Nosferatu the Vampyre, and Grizzly Man, opened his official Instagram account this week, with the tag: “I am Werner Herzog. This shall be my Instagram.”
His first video post shows Herzog standing in what looks like a clearing in a forest, a raw steak grilling over coals at his feet.
“My name is Werner Herzog,” he says in that sonorous Bavarian accent familiar to all of his fans. “I have been asked why I am not present in the media, in the social media. But I am not using a cell phone or anything like that. But I had the feeling, I should share work and everyday things with you. So I’m opening an Instagram account for you.”
The prospect of Herzog, one of the last wild men of independent cinema, posting selfies and sharing insights in the depths of his mind, appears to have gone over well. “Greatest day of my life,” posted German influencer Tom Boettcher in the comments section. “The greatest day,” agreed user itstheheyman. A user with the tag simontunes noted, “unfollowing all other accounts. This is the one.”
“I mean we lost David Lynch’s amazing presence here, this helps a little bit :)” added another user.
Herzog was honored at the Venice film festival on Wednesday night with a lifetime achievement honorary Golden Lion, presented to him by the equally legendary Francis Ford Coppola. Presenting him with his statue, Coppola said he “came here to praise Werner Herzog, and it’s not enough to praise Werner Herzog. One must celebrate the fact that someone like him can actually exist.”
“If Werner has limits, I don’t know what they are,” Coppola added. “Werner’s life and his very existence send a challenge to everyone out there: top me if you can! And all of us truly wonder if anyone ever will. Werner, I will eat my hat if anyone comes along who can do it.”
Accepting his prize, Herzog said he had “always tried to be a Good Soldier of Cinema, and this feels like a medal for my work. However, I have not gone into retirement. I work as always.”
Herzog’s most recent documentary, Ghost Elephants, had its world premiere out of competition in Venice on Wednesday.
