Academy Award-winning documentarian and 1969 UW-Madison alum Errol Morris spoke Thursday at a Humanities Without Boundaries Event as part of the university's Year of the Arts.
Morris said he accredits UW-Madison for much of his success.
""This school made an incredible difference in my life. I don't know where I would be without the University of Wisconsin- Madison,"" Morris said.
Morris said he struggled to be to be accepted into a university until he was advised to apply to UW-Madison.
""I thought I was headed for diesel mechanic school. The placement officer of my high school urged me to apply to the University of Wisconsin because they take everybody,"" Morris said.
Morris said his fascination with film started at UW-Madison as well.
""The Wisconsin State Historical Society was given an amazing grant, a gift. They received literally thousands of films,"" Morris said. ""You could go to the Historical Society Library and order them up. I started compulsively watching movies.""
Errol Morris' film, ""The Fog of the War,"" is dedicated to two of Morris' favorite Wisconsin professors, Harvey Goldberg and George Mosse.
""I got my degree in history at a time when this department was probably the best in the world,"" Morris said. ""The two major professors, who were fabulously interesting and absolutely diametrically opposed, really are responsible for what interests me. It all came out of this place and for that I am really grateful.""
