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In Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin, Wernor Herzog sets out on a journey to revisit the worlds his late friend found so fascinating.BBC Scotland

  • Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin
  • Directed by Werner Herzog
  • Classification N/A
  • 85 minutes

Rating:

3.5 out of 4 stars

If you must be given a crash course in the life and works of the late Bruce Chatwin, there’s nobody better than his good friend, Werner Herzog, to teach it – especially if you’re a fan of Herzog’s work as well.

But if you’re not? Well, this is where you channel their adventurous spirits and submerge yourself in the stories and experiences that came to define Chatwin’s legacy.

Holiday movie guide: Reviews of films opening through the end of December

Before succumbing to AIDS in 1989, the In Patagonia author gave Herzog his rucksack. And now, 30 years later, the director uses it as a gateway into storytelling, taking it with him has he revisits the worlds Chatwin found so fascinating, as well as worlds of those who populated Chatwin’s own life.

Of course, it’s Herzog’s own relationship with the explorer that makes this documentary even more compelling. Sharing his own experiences of exploration, of Chatwin and of filmmaking (in addition to tales of the nomadic cultures both men were so drawn to), Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin paints the picture of a man who was complex, complicated, talented and unparalleled. And perhaps above all, very loved.

Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin opens Dec. 20 in Toronto

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