VENICE, Italy — For four decades, no Werner Herzog film ever was accepted for competition at the Venice Film Festival. This year, there are two.
After the festival accepted “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,” which premiered Friday, Herzog said he mentioned as an aside another film ready: “My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done.” Festival director Marco Mueller “was completely enthusiastic about it and said, ‘I need this film as well,’ ” Herzog said Saturday.
Herzog is doing them one better even, showing his four-minute short film “La Boheme” — a truncated version of Puccini’s classic opera set in Ethiopia.
“My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done” — which was announced as a surprise competition entry Friday — is a golden example of life imitating ancient Greek tragedy and becoming art. Produced by David Lynch, the film is based on the true story of a Southern California actor who kills his mother. And Herzog said the real-life actor was known in some circles for playing the role of Orestes, who in the Greek tragedy kills his mother.
The Associated Press
