Fascinating biodiversity, the pharmacy of nature, and the green lung of the planet - the rainforest is primarily associated with positive connotations in everyday life. However, as a setting for fictional films, it often takes on a negative portrayal. Films like The Bridge on the River Kwai, Apocalypto, Predator, or Apocalypse Now depict the wilderness as a dangerous and unpredictable place, largely due to their thematic context. Is there a discrepancy between public perception and cinematic representation, particularly in fictional films, or is the rainforest similarly portrayed in documentary films? The author explores this question by comparing the films "Fitzcarraldo" and "The White Diamond" by German director Werner Herzog. In addition to personal observations, production notes and actual characteristics of the rainforest are also incorporated into the analysis. The film studies discourse.