Werner Herzog & Joshua Oppenheimer Examine the State of Humanity & Documentary Film

The enigmatic Werner Herzog debuted his 28th documentary feature last week at Sundance 2016 to the subject of much speculation and conversation. Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World is an exploration of technology, interconnectivity, and human progress done in a way only Herzog could: from a place of eccentric empathy, ineffable curiosity, and technological naivety. Acclaimed filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer, the creator of the massively influential The Act of Killing and its 2015 followup The Look of Silence, sits down to talk with Herzog about the current state of humanity, the mystery of images, and the crucial difference between journalism and filmmaking.

Watch the full hour conversation here (Starts around 33 mins in):

Joshua Oppenheimer On The Importance of a Supportive Team

While you’re making a film it’s important to have a safe team, most people’s films are really bad before they are wonderful. You need people to ask those questions, a supportive team, you should never work with people who are accusing you in the process, but people who have your back and are trying to deliver your vision.

Werner Herzog on Journalism vs Film

You see too many documentaries where you have all this investigative reporting and finding out that 'he’s a real bad guy.' It’s ad nauseam, it’s just journalism. Documentary film must divorce itself from journalism. Most documentaries are an extension of journalism. It’s legitimate, yes — do it and declare it journalism — but there’s something else out there.

For more, see our complete coverage of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

No Film School's video and editorial coverage of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival is sponsored by Blackmagic Design.