The Unprecedented Defence of the Fortress Deutschkreuz (1967)
Werner Herzogs short film follows four young men playing at war inside a deserted Austrian castle, turning childish games into absurd militaristic ritual. Blending surrealism and satire, Herzog critiques nationalism, violence and the illusion of glory in warfare. It foreshadows the directors fascination with human delusion and madness.

Last Words (1968)
Based partly on reality, this short film tells of the last inhabitant of Spinalonga leper colony, who refuses to speak after being forcibly removed to Crete. Werner Herzog mixes documentary style with dry humor and mythic storytelling to explore isolation, silence and stubborn resistance against authority.

Precautions Against Fanatics (1969)
Set at a Bavarian horse-racing track, this absurd mockumentary presents bizarre interviews with self-proclaimed protectors of racehorses. In typical Herzog fashion, the film blends satire and deadpan storytelling to ridicule obsessive behavior and human eccentricity.

Handicapped Future (1970)
This early documentary focuses on children with physical disabilities in Germany and the ways society limits them more than their conditions do. Commissioned as an advocacy film, it reveals Herzogs empathy and humanist approach to documentary work.

Fata Morgana (1971)
A hypnotic, non-narrative film shot in the Sahara, Fata Morgana drifts through surreal desert landscapes accompanied by poetry from the Mayan creation myth, the Popol Vuh. Herzog turns mirages, abandoned ruins and human traces into a cosmic meditation on creation, destruction and hallucination.

Land of Silence and Darkness (1971)
Following deafblind woman Fini Straubinger, this emotional documentary explores the inner world of people cut off from sound and sight. Werner Herzog approaches the subject with quiet compassion, revealing deep loneliness, r