An unexpected project that felt like the hunt for Moby Dick, the white whale, came to me with great urgency (W. Herzog).
‘'Ghost Elephants' ventures into the Angolan highlands in pursuit of a mythical herd of elephants, creatures that appear as specters from a world still resisting our devastation. Master of documentary, Werner Herzog, accompanies zoologist and conservationist Steve Boyes to track an elusive herd of "ghost elephants" alongside a team of expert trackers from Namibia. With Herzog's distinctive voice-over and in a National Geographic style, this adventure film leads us to ask the following question: Isn't it more worthwhile to keep these elephants in the realm of myth than to bring them into reality?
Danilo Petrovich, FIDOCS 29 programmer
Werner Herzog is one of the most influential and visionary filmmakers in world cinema. As a director, screenwriter, producer, and actor, he has made more than 70 films, both fiction and documentary. His work explores human obsessions, the wilderness, and the tension between dream and reality. 'Aguirre, the Wrath of God', 'Fitzcarraldo', and 'Grizzly Man' are among his most distinguished films.