German filmmaker Werner Herzog will be awarded the Donostia Award at the San SebastiƔn Festival, which will take place from September 18 to 26. The recognition, the most relevant of the event, will be presented during the opening gala, where his new film Bucking Fastard will also be screened. With more than 80 films to his name, his distinctive style has marked decades of cinema. For the city, this event represents a cultural attraction that drives visits from enthusiasts and reinforces the festival's international projection. In short, it is a tribute to a legendary career that elevates the level of the event.
The technical footprint of a radical filmmaker in the digital age š„
Herzog stands out not only for his narrative but also for his shooting methodology, often under extreme conditions. His approach dispenses with rigid scripts and prioritizes improvisation and capturing the unexpected. In the era of streaming and digital post-production, his commitment to physical cinema and natural light contrasts with current trends. For industry professionals, his visit to San SebastiƔn offers an opportunity to analyze how his technical decisions, from the use of specific lenses to discontinuous editing, influence viewer perception. A master class with him would be a practical manual on creative resilience.
Herzog, the man who even made cinema with a furious volcano š
While some directors complain about not having enough budget for special effects, Herzog decides to film inside an active volcano or drag a boat up a mountain. Now, to celebrate his award, he brings Bucking Fastard, a film whose title sounds like a British insult and will probably include someone eating a shoe or conversing with a chicken. Festival attendees should prepare themselves: there will be no quiet popcorn, but rather images that will provoke uncomfortable questions at the subsequent dinner. At least, no one can accuse him of being boring, only of having a mislaid internal compass.