How Thomas von Steinaecker convinced Werner Herzog to appear in his new documentary
Werner Herzog has been one of the most important filmmakers in the world of cinema for a long time now. The director of unforgettable classics such as Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo, Herzog is an indispensable part of the current landscape of cinema.
Throughout his career, Herzog has made documentaries about various subjects, but someone else has finally made a documentary about the enigmatic filmmaker. Titled Radical Dreamer, Thomas von Steinaecker’s latest work will explore Herzog’s trailblazing journey as a visionary.
During a conversation with Variety, Thomas von Steinaecker said: “Werner’s gatekeeper is his brother Lucki Stipetic, and I got along well with him when I reached out about the idea. I trusted Lucki, and he trusted me. The vision I had for the film was something he felt comfortable with, so he said, ‘Let’s give it a try.'”
The director added: “Normally, I would have flown out to Los Angeles to meet Werner, but COVID prevented that from happening. So, instead, I sent him a letter and two of my novels. After that, we talked over Skype, and I was extremely nervous because I thought of Werner as this scary person, but after 10 seconds, we formed this deep connection somehow, and we didn’t talk about the film at all.”
When asked about the audience’s potential reaction to the documentary, Thomas von Steinaecker responded: “I think they will find inspiration in Werner. He is someone who never gave up and followed his dreams and visions, and against all odds, his story has a happy ending. I mean, how likely is it that a poor boy from the Bavarian Mountains becomes like this, an icon and star in Hollywood.”
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