TTLV: Werner Herzog's travel documentary: an approach from a cultural anthropological perspective.

1. Student's full name: Tran Thi Kim Dinh 2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: July 1, 1980

4. Place of birth: Hai Phong

5. Decision No. 3379/2017/QD-XHNV dated December 19, 2017, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing postgraduate students.

6. Changes in the training process: none

7. Title of the graduation thesis: "A travel documentary by Werner Herzog:approaching from a cultural anthropological perspective.”

8. Specialization: Theory, History, and Criticism of Film and Television.

Code: 60210231

9. Scientific supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Gia Lam - Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of the thesis results:

Through a survey and analysis of 09 films:Fata Morgana(1971)Herdsmen of the Sun(1989)Lessons of Darkness(1992)Grizzly Man(2005)Encounters at the End of the World(2007)Happy People: A Year in the Taiga(2010)Wheel of Time(2003)Cave of Forgotten Dreams(2010)Into the Inferno(2016) by director Werner Herzog from a cultural anthropological perspective, the thesis achieved the following results:

1. Identify the most common characteristics in the style of W. Herzog - a renowned documentary filmmaker not only in Germany but also worldwide. His films are often set in extraordinary, unusual, and mysterious landscapes, containing profound artistic philosophies and a strong humanistic spirit. Since the release of his first film.Signs of Life(1967), W. Herzog had made over 60 films, including 38 documentaries. The main theme in his documentaries was the search for the true meaning of things, the noblest part of the human soul. In turn, he always sought and used art as a means of exploration and discovery. W. Herzog was not simply a filmmaker, but a conquistador of truth.

2. W. Herzog's travel documentaries have taken viewers to polar regions, deserts, rainforests, caves, and the origins of religions – geo-cultural spaces that are inherently harsh, mysterious, barren, and devoid of life. But W. Herzog has breathed life into them with incredibly authentic, captivating, and humane stories about unique, courageous people confronting nature, possessing religious beliefs, and yearning to live out their simple dreams. Considered a director with the most "cultural" sensibilities, each of his films is an anthropological exploration, in which there is an organic and unified combination of "truth and aesthetic pleasure" (Brad Prager).)The aim was to convey messages about the limitations of cultural norms and the rigid, stereotypical thinking of Europe compared to the rest of the world.

3. W. Herzog is considered the most innovative contemporary director; his documentary travel filmmaking is characterized by its surreal, fantastical, and subtle qualities. Although his documentaries share a unified "ideological structure," the "visual experience" in each film is uniquely diverse and spontaneous, reflecting his own philosophy: "Film is not the art of scholars, but the art of the uneducated" and "Change is the soul of cinema."

11. Practical applications: The research findings of this thesis can be used as a reference in the fields of film studies, cultural studies, cultural anthropology, etc., regarding German travel documentary films within the context of European art and culture in the latter half of the 20th century.

12. Future research directions:

- The influence of director Werner Herzog on documentary filmmaking in Europe during the latter half of the 20th century.

- The documentary filmmaking art of Werner Herzog in comparison with that of Vietnamese documentary directors.

13. Published works related to the thesis: None.

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name of student: Tran Thi Kim Dinh 2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: July 1, 1980

4. Place of birth: Hai Phong

5. Admission decision number: 3379/2017/QD-XHNV Dated: December 19, 2017

6. Changes during training course: No

7. Name of the graduation thesis: Documentary film of Werner Herzog: approach from perspective on cultural anthropology.

8. Major: Argument, history and criticism of cinema and television; Code: 60210231

9. Supervisor: Associate Professor, PhD. Pham Gia Lam - Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of the thesis:

Surveying and analyzing 9 films:Fata Morgana(1971)Herdsmen of the Sun(1989)Lessons of Darkness(1992)Grizzly Man(2005)Encounters at the End of the World(2007)Happy people:A Year in the Taiga(2010)Wheel of Time(2003)Cave of Forgotten Dreams(2010)Into the Inferno(2016) directed by Werner Herzog from the perspective on cultural anthropology, the thesis has achieved the following results:

1. Identifying the most common features in the style of W.Herzog as famous documentary filmmaker not only in Germany but also in the world. His films, set in distinct and unfamiliar landscapes, are imbued with mysticism, deep artistic philosophy and humanity. Since the release of his first filmSigns of Life(1967), W.Herzog has made 60 films including 38 documentaries. The main topics of his documentary are finding the true meaning of things and the most noble part of the human soul as well. The man, in its turn, is always seeking and using art as a means of exploration. W.Herzog is not only a film maker but also a truth conquistador.

2. W.Herzog's documentaries bring viewers to polar regions, deserts, rainforests, caves, the land of religious origin… and geocultural spaces which are fierce, mysterious, arid and uninhabitable. But W.Herzog has breathed new life into such places by his interesting, true and humanitarian stories of special people who are courageous in confronting Nature, having religious beliefs and desiring to live with their simple dreams. Every documentary of Herzog as a famous and the most "culturological" director is an anthropological experiment, combining “aesthetic ecstasy and truth” (Brad Prager) in which contains the messages of the narrowness of cultural norms and the rigid attitudes of Europeans compared to the rest of the world.

3. Herzog's films are characterized by a surreal and modified exotic quality, and he is hailed as one of the most innovative contemporary directors. Although his films have the same ideological constructions, visual experience in each film is unique and varied due to his improvisional style, in accordance with his conception: “Film is not the art of scholars, but of illiterates” and “Chance is the lifeblood of cinema”.

11. Application: The thesis can be used for reference in cinema research, cultural studies, cultural anthropology in particular, German documentary films in the context of European art and culture in the second half of the 20^thcentury as well.

12. Further research:

- The influence of Werner Herzog on European documentary in the second half of the 20th^thDANCE.

- Comparison between Werner Herzog and Vietnamese directors in making documentary films.

13. Published works related to the thesis: No