Werner Herzog Moved to Tears Receiving Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

An emotional Werner Herzog, receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from Francis Ford Coppola, stated, “I have always sought to achieve a profound poetic form, to create something that could be almost transcendental. It may sound strange, but I am a good soldier of cinema, and for me, that means perseverance, courage, and also a sense of duty. This is ultimately what has brought me here. Thank you.” Coppola, in presenting the award, declared he was “ready to eat my shoe if there is another like him,” adding that Herzog “invented categories that still have no name.” The director emphasized that Herzog’s art “could fill the pages of an encyclopedia.” Herzog, welcomed by a standing ovation from the audience, was moved to tears as footage from his films played on the large screen.