The term 'fata morgana' is a reference to mirages, and is an apt name for this storyless, hallucinatory work shot in the deserts of North Africa. It’s a rhythmic, musical succession of images and short scenes.

One of the images is a pianist and drummer who play tiredly, surrounded by endless tracts of desert. This is an image that has been adapted and re-used in countless music videos and is just one example of this film’s far-reaching influence.

The narration comes from a Guatemalan creation myth and the accompanying music ranges from Couperin to Cash, with significant contributions by Leonard Cohen. Fata Morgana is one of the early features by Werner Herzog.

As was the case with many of Herzog's films, he paid a high price in physical pain to shoot this one; he was arrested and tortured by an African government in the mistaken belief that he was a mercenary soldier.

In German with English subtitles.

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Want more Werner? Explore our retrospective The Myth is Reality: A Survey of Docs by Werner Herzog. Discover a curated selection of documentaries from the esteemed and influential filmmaker, writer, actor and pop culture icon.