Werner Herzog received the 2026 Donostia Award at the San Sebastián Festival in recognition of one of the most singular careers in European cinema. The German filmmaker, director of Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo, Nosferatu the Vampyre and Grizzly Man, said that the honor does not make him look back, but rather focus on his upcoming projects.

“I don’t want to look back because I’m receiving an honorary award. For me, what matters is what lies ahead. On Monday, I’ll get back to work. I don’t think about the films I’ve made, but about what I have to do now,” Herzog said at a press conference. The director, who is close to finishing a new film and is working on two books, joked: “Don’t think I’m addicted to work, though. I also take my days off, I go to the bank and meet up with my friends.”

Born in 1942 in Bavaria, Herzog was self-taught and began directing in the late 1960s. Alongside Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Wim Wenders, he became one of the key figures of the New German Cinema, developing a body of work that moves between fiction and documentary, often focusing on characters driven by extreme obsessions.

His collaboration with Klaus Kinski produced some of his best-known films, including Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo. For the latter, Herzog had a real 320-ton steamship hauled through the Peruvian jungle, in one of the most extreme productions of his career.

The filmmaker has also developed an extensive documentary filmography, including Encounters at the End of the World, Cave of Forgotten Dreams and My Best Fiend. At 84, he continues to work as a director, screenwriter, writer and actor.

Speaking about the present, Herzog also addressed a message to younger generations: “We have to defend our souls from all the attacks that come from outside.” He added: “Don’t live a life dictated by algorithms. Keep your attention on the world, stay vigilant. Now, with AI as well, things are going to get difficult.”