Werner Herzog on Bucking Fastard and His Dislike of Neurodivergence Terms
Renegade German director Werner Herzog has created some of cinema’s most memorable monomaniacs, including the singular characters in Aguirre, Fitzcarraldo, and the documentary Timothy Treadwell. These cinematic figures are famously obsessed with finding mythical cities of gold, building opera houses in rainforests, or befriending wild grizzly bears. Yet, when suggestions arise that these obsessive characters might serve as role models for the modern-day neurodiversity movement, the director firmly pushes back.
Werner Herzog Rejects Modern Clinical Labels at the Venice Film Festival
In September 2026, during the Venice film festival, the auteur addressed themes of fanaticism and his public persona. Herzog expressed deep skepticism toward contemporary psychological and social descriptors during his appearance.
The Director Draws a Hard Line Against Political Correctness
“I don’t like the term neurodivergence and ADHD, or whatever – it sounds like political correctness, which scares me under the table,” Herzog stated, as reported by The Guardian.
The Bavarian auteur discussed directing Kate and Rooney Mara in his latest project, Bucking Fastard. The casting brings together two powerhouse performers under the direction of a filmmaker renowned for extracting extreme psychological realism from his casts.
Simultaneously, the director has experienced popularity on Instagram.
Logistics, Press Junkets, and Global PR Rollouts
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