Versatile, impossible to pigeon-hole and always artistically unorthodox, Werner Herzog has never stopped finding ways to breathe new life into the conversation around film. On April 15th, the legendary film director will be at the Onassis Cultural Center (Stegi) in order to participate in a discussion with Paul Holdengräber, one of the most famous American intellectuals, founding director of Onassis Los Angeles (OLA) and founder and director of the LIVE from the NYPL Cultural Library of New York (2004-2018).

In the context of his visit, the Onassis Cultural Center presents a tribute from April 11-16 featuring seven of his most emblematic films.

Herzog grew up in a village in Bavaria, cut off from culture and without access to television or cinema. He made his first phone call at the age of 17 and his first film at 19.

Self-taught, a visionary with an inexhaustible supply of inspiration, he built himself a highly eclectic career as a film-maker (“Aguirre—the Wrath of God”, “Grizzly Man”, “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans”), taught aspiring film-makers, saved Joaquin Phoenix’s life (in reality, not in the movies), directed opera and eaten his shoe when he lost a bet he made in a documentary.

Werner Herzog will also talk about his special relationship to Greece and antiquity. His grandfather Rudolph, a scholar and archaeologist, unearthed ancient artefacts in excavations he conducted on the Greek island Kos in the early 20th century. The discoveries fascinated the young Herzog, whose cinematic journeys to uncharted places they would inspire. Two of his first short films, “Last Words” (1968) and “Signs of Life” (1968) were filmed in Greece.

The talk is open and free for the public.

Source: int.ert.gr

On this day in 1957, Onassis buys Olympic Airways and the “Golden Era” begins April, 1896: The First Modern Olympics are Held in Greece