Fata Morgana

Herzog’s third feature is a haunting, sardonic exploration of Africa as it was “in the beginning” and as it becomes glutted with the wastes of technological civilization. The film’s title is a reference to atmospheric mirages, an apt name from this poetic nonfiction work that presents a rhythmic, musical succession of images and short scenes filmed in the deserts of North Africa. The narration, read by the noted writer and film critic Lotte H. Eisner, comes from a Guatemalan creation myth, and the accompanying music ranges from François Couperin to Johnny Cash, with significant contributions by Leonard Cohen.