Werner Herzog's Ecstatic Truth: AI, Art, and Existential Grit

Werner Herzog BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

Werner Herzog has been everywhere these past few days, both in the headlines and behind the scenes. The biggest news is the announcement that he will be honored with the 2025 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival. Herzog’s response was as characteristically self-effacing as ever—he told Variety that while he feels deeply honored, he insists this is more like a medal for ongoing work and that he has definitely not gone into retirement. In fact, he just finished filming a documentary called Ghost Elephants in Africa and is currently busy shooting his next narrative feature, Bucking Fastard, on location in Ireland. Not only that, but he’s also developing an animated film based on his own novel The Twilight World and lending his distinctive voice to a character in Bong Joon Ho’s upcoming animated project.

On the casting front, Deadline and IMDb report that real-life sisters Rooney and Kate Mara have signed on to star as fictional twins in Bucking Fastard, marking their first collaboration on screen. The project is being shot in Ireland and Slovenia with Herzog once again writing and directing, ensuring the film will carry his unmistakable stamp of existential grit and dark humor.

Herzog’s philosophical side is stepping into the limelight at the upcoming AIR summit—Art Intelligence Resonance—hosted by the Aspen Art Museum later this month. He’ll deliver the keynote, tackling his signature idea of “ecstatic truth” and exploring how technology, AI, and art are blending in this new era. Joined by thinkers like architect Francis Kéré and artist Maya Lin, Herzog is expected to ignite some fierce debates about authenticity, meaning, and the evolving cultural landscape.

Meanwhile, in a turn both meta and mischievous, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival just featured About a Hero, a film made by training AI on Herzog’s cinematic universe. The director Piotr Winiewicz revealed that Herzog initially warned him not to make the film, even threatening legal action, but ultimately approved the final version after an extended conversation—proving once again that Herzog’s influence and sense of humor remain intact even when confronted by his own AI doppelgänger.

On social media, Herzog’s name is buzzing. He was tagged on Instagram for writing the preface to a recently released photobook, though fans seemed to want more words from him. He’s also featured in the schedule of a July 18 screening event by Los Angeles’s 7th House as part of its “US Tour” film series, keeping his work very much in front of the public.

There are no major scandals or controversies this week, unless you count Herzog’s playful sparring with artificial intelligence. As for business, his hands are full with multiple ongoing projects, keeping his legacy not just alive, but perpetually in motion. And so, as Herzog himself would likely put it, the ecstatic truth of his artistic journey continues—award in hand, camera on his shoulder, and his voice echoing well beyond the screen.

Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta