Film director Werner Herzog has shared strong views on neurodivergence, social media, and storytelling while promoting his new film at the Venice Film Festival. The 83-year-old director spoke about his latest project, Bucking Fastard, and explained why he does not connect with modern labels such as neurodivergence or ADHD. Herzog said he prefers to see people as individuals instead of placing them into clinical or social categories. His comments quickly became one of the most talked-about moments at the festival. Bucking Fastard is Herzog's first narrative feature film in 17 years. The movie stars sisters Rooney Mara and Kate Mara as Jean and Joan Holbrooke, twins who live unusual lives and share an intense emotional bond. The story follows the sisters as they move through love, loss, revenge, and an unusual dream. They become obsessed with building a tunnel between a cave in Ireland and the Orkney Islands. During the festival, Herzog was asked whether the sisters could be seen through the lens of today's neurodiversity movement. He rejected that idea. The director said he does not like the term neurodivergence because he feels it sounds too focused on political correctness. He also said the characters are not people with a condition in his eyes. Instead, Herzog described the sisters as people who exist in the center of their own world. He said he does not view them as examples of a clinical difference. The film is inspired by the real lives of Freda and Greta Chaplin, twin sisters from York. Herzog met them during the 1980s and later based the movie loosely on their story. Like the real sisters, Jean and Joan face rejection from family members and people around them. But Herzog said his fictional version also shows their strength and ability to fight back. He explained that the sisters are kind at times, but they are also capable of revenge. In the film, they become involved in acts of destruction after feeling isolated by society. The director said that balance makes the characters feel more alive and more human. Herzog has spent decades creating films about determined people who chase impossible dreams. Many of his best-known characters become completely focused on one goal. His new film continues that tradition but also adds humor and emotion. He said storytelling should create joy, excitement, and inner life for the audience. One memorable part of the film includes the sisters rescuing a baby fox. Herzog revealed that filming the scene became an unexpected challenge. He said the production team wanted to use a real fox cub but refused to accept one offered through questionable means. An animal supplier said he could provide a fox only if Herzog did not ask where it came from. The director said he immediately rejected the offer. He explained that he would never support taking a young animal from its natural home for a movie. Herzog said the team chose a different path because protecting the animal mattered more than filming one scene. The filmmaker also spoke about his long-standing interest in nature. Many people know him for documentaries and films that explore the harsh side of the natural world. His work has featured remote landscapes, dangerous animals, and people living in extreme conditions. But he said Bucking Fastard also contains warmth and hope. Another important location in the movie is a large cave system in Slovenia. Herzog described it as a place filled with imagination and emotion. He said caves have always inspired him because they feel like landscapes of the human soul. The setting became one of the film's visual highlights. Away from filmmaking, Herzog discussed his growing popularity with younger audiences. He said many people who contact him today are teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17. The director believes young viewers connect with his honest way of looking at the world. He said he does not try to follow trends or change his creative voice. Herzog also joined Instagram last year after encouragement from his youngest son. His account features short videos of everyday activities, including cooking, home projects, and opening packages. Despite having an Instagram account, Herzog said he still does not own a mobile phone. He added that he has never spent time watching other creators online. The veteran filmmaker said he enjoys reaching new audiences without changing who he is. He believes storytelling should stay true to personal vision rather than internet trends. Herzog also recalled a major film retrospective held in Paris in 2024. He said the audience was filled with young people, which surprised even the event organizers. According to Herzog, the experience showed that classic filmmaking can still attract new generations. As Bucking Fastard arrives at the Venice Film Festival, the director says he remains focused on telling original stories in his own unmistakable style.