survival struggle

His films meditate on human endurance and spiritual survival against physical and existential hardship, particularly in works like *Stalker* and *Solaris*.

He obsessively documents humanity's struggle against nature and adversity, from literal survival in jungles to psychological breaking points in films like *Aguirre* and *Fitzcarraldo*.

His films repeatedly explore human dignity and perseverance in the face of war, poverty, and moral collapse, as exemplified in *Ikiru* and *Dersu Uzala*.