Director Wener Herzog has won many film awards. His works include films that are considered classics, like “Aguirre: The Wrath of God,” “Fitzcarraldo” and “Grizzly Man.” Now he’s lending his talents to a public service documentary on the extreme dangers of texting while driving.
This half-hour film, called “From One Second to the Next,” is a must watch.
Take a look at the film below:
Given the statistics for texting-while-driving crashes, Herzog said he had to say something, according to a recent article on CNN.com, “Film legend Herzog takes on texting and driving” So he took the opportunity to make the film after being approached by the sponsor, AT&T.
The film chronicles the devastation that occurs in four families following texting and driving car accidents that resulted in catastrophic injury or death.
The first texting while driving crash left a Milwaukee child, Xzavier, a paraplegic after he was hit by a distracted driver who ran a stop sign. The second is about an Indiana man, Chandler, who rear-ended a horse-driven buggy while he was texting and killed three members of an Amish family. The third profiles Vermont woman, Debbie, who sustained traumatic brain injury after she was hit while walking her dog. Herzog’s film ends with a Utah man, Reggie, whose distracted driving caused a chain reaction that left two men dead and a third person severely injured.
Herzog even included people in his film who caused the motor vehicle crashes. Here’s what he told NPR on his decision to do so:
“The real essential thing is we have to see what is happening — and it’s not just an accident, not just the mechanics of an accident. It’s a new form of culture coming at us and it’s coming with great vehemence. …
“It’s a deep raw emotion — the kind of deep wounds that are in those who were victims of accidents and also in those who were the perpetrators. Their life has changed and they are suffering forever. They have this sense of guilt that pervades every single action, every single day, every single dream and nightmare.”
Each story illustrates the haunting details that Herzog is famous for portraying in his films. Only here, they are true to life. Hopefully his dramatic, gut-wrenching, yet very realistic film will help to prevent more senseless texting and driving crashes.
