Out of Competition

WHEEL OF TIME
RAD DER ZEIT



Country of production: Germany
Year: 2003
Language: German, Chinese
Mins: 81

Director: Werner Herzog
Script: Werner Herzog
Cinematography: Peter Zeitlinger
Editing: Joe Bini
Sound: Eric Spitzer
Producer: Lucki Stipetic
Production company: Werner Herzog
Film GmbH
Source: Irma Strehle
Werner Herzog Film GmbH
Türkenstrasse 91
80799 Munich
GERMANY
Phone: +49 89 3304 0767
Fax: +49 89 3304 0768
worldsales@wernerherzog.c
www.wernerherzog.com

World-renowned filmmaker Werner Herzog (FITZCARRALDO, AGUIRRE THE WRATH OF GOD) returns with one of his most mysterious, thought-provoking and enlightening films yet, a documentary on the Dalai Lama and the spiritual devotion of hundreds of thousands of his followers. Herzog focuses on two mass gatherings of Buddhists - one in the mountains of India, the other at a convention center in a small Austrian town - where the Dalai Lama is scheduled to appear. But health problems may force the Dalai Lama to cancel one of the appearances, adding an unforeseen element of chaos and suspense to the plans. Through interviews with the devout worshippers (some of whom have walked and crawled for years to reach the ceremony) and with the Dalai Lama himself, Herzog sketches a sometimes surreal, sometimes humorous, but always fascinating portrait of one of the major religious figures of our time.

Werner Herzog (real name Werner H. Stipetic) was born in Munich in 1942. He grew up in a remote mountain village in Bavaria. He made his first phone call at the age of 17. During high school he worked the nightshift as a welder in a steel factory to produce films. He directed his first film in 1961 at the age of 19. Since then he has produced, written, and directed more than forty films, published more than a dozen books of prose, and directed many operas.

filmography as director
(selected)
WHEEL OF TIME (2003)
MY BEST FIEND (1999)
LESSONS OF DARKNESS (1992)
FITZCARRALDO (1982)
WOYZECK (1979)
NOSFERATU (1979)
STROSZEK (1977)
AGUIRRE: THE WRATH OF GOD (1977)
HERAKLES (1962)

Saturday 10-Apr-2004 5:00 PM Facets Cinematheque