Herdsmen of the Sun

Because it was made for French television, Herdsmen of the Sun has escaped notice in most of the "official" lists of credits for director Werner Herzog. In the manner of his earlier obsessive, location-filmed studies of strange and distant cultures (Fitzcarraldo comes most readily to mind), Herzog concentrates on the nomadic Woodabe tribe of the Sahara. In a dry, desolate land where day-to-day living is next to impossible, the Woodabes maintain their bizarre, centuries-old rituals. Faced with devastating drought, the tribesmen display courage above and beyond anything most "western" audiences can imagine. Even more fascinating are the Woodabe's sexual rituals, which cannot be detailed here. Much of the 52-minute Herdsmen of the Sun is filmed in the Peul language, so be prepared for lightning-quick subtitles.