Film Legend Werner Herzog to Speak in Boca Raton - Boca Raton

Werner Herzog, the celebrated German filmmaker known for his bonkers art-house adventures, eccentric documentaries, and meme-friendly style of voice-over narration, will make a rare appearance in Boca Raton next month to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his landmark 1972 film “Aguirre, the Wrath of God.”

The event is among a spate of cultural activities associated with the closing months of the Boca Raton Museum of Art’s blockbuster “Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru” exhibition. Herzog shot “Aguirre,” depicting a Spanish conquistador’s descent into treachery and madness, in the Peruvian rainforest, and the country’s lush, breathtaking settings contrast with the increasingly depraved actions of the conquistador (played by Herzog muse Klaus Kinski, in their first of five collaborations) and his men as they search for the elusive golden city of El Dorado.

Following a screening of “Aguirre” Feb. 11 at FAU’s University Theater, Herzog will speak about his experience on the film with co-producer Jose Koechlin, who is also an organizer of “Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru.”

A singular figure in all of world cinema, Herzog, 79, rose to fame (and infamy) as a foremost member of the New German Cinema, making difficult and uncompromising movies that pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in a mainstream production. In his latter career, his focus has shifted most prominently to documentaries, with immersive subject matter such as the few residents of Antarctica (“Encounters at the End of the World”), the Chauvet cave paintings (“Cave of Forgotten Dreams”), active volcanoes (“Into the Inferno”) and the legacy of Mikhail Gorbachev (“Meeting Gorbachev”).

Other activities tied in with the Machu Picchu exhibition include the return of the annual Boca Raton Art Festival (Feb. 5-6), which we’ll cover in a future post. The screening of “Aguirre” and conversation with Herzog and Koechlin begins at 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at FAU’s University Theatre; tickets are $20 for Boca Museum Members, $30 for non-members, and $10 for students. Call 561/392-2500 or visit bocamuseum.org.

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