survival in harsh environments

His films obsessively document human struggle against extreme natural forces, from the Amazon in Fitzcarraldo to the Antarctic in Encounters at the End of the World.

He crafts visceral narratives of survival against brutal odds, most notably in The Revenant and Birdman, exploring endurance through both physical and psychological torment.

His surreal yet grounded films examine how humans adapt and survive in constrained, dystopian environments, particularly in The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Poor Things.