FIRE OF LOVE

Canada/US, 2022, 98 minutes, Colour.

Katia and Maurice Krafft. Narrated by Miranda July.

Directed by Sandra Dosa.

The fires of love in the title of this documentary featuring the huge explosive flames that issue out of active volcanoes. Perhaps the title of the film might also have been Love of Fire.

For audiences who have an interest in volcanoes, their history, the International eruptions over the centuries, the nature of activity below the surface of the volcanic mountains, this is a must-see documentary. One of the sponsors has been National Geographic. For audiences who have merely noticed volcanoes, amazed at the power of their eruptions, the fire, the smoke, the lava streams, the devastating landslides, will find this film very informative.

And, serious and amateur volcanologists will be familiar with the names of the two central characters, Katia and Maurice Krafft, born in the 1940s, married in 1970, mutual interest in volcanoes, a visit to Stromboli, then 20 years of activity, taking cameras with them, recording as much as possible of the eruptions, their editing their film material and its being shown, especially in their native France (they came from Alsace), on television with their being frequently interviewed, Maurice editing the films, Katia writing and publishing books. And they had close collaborations, especially photographers.

While much of their footage was available during their lifetime, their sudden deaths at the eruption of Mount Unzen in Japan, June 1991, meant that a lot of the material was archived. It has now been recovered, edited, a voice-over commentary by American actress Miranda July (not to every volcano fan’s taste), and now a feature film. (But, interestingly, no contemporary talking heads, scientists, friends or observers.)

One is just amazed, sitting in the cinema, watching these extraordinary eruptions of nature, the Kraffts always getting close-ups, almost into the eruptions, venturing near the lava flows with cameras, Maurice even stating that he would love to get a canoe and sail down a lava flow. Intrepid is one word that comes to mind about them, absolute commitment to volcanoes, not only knowing the risks of approaching them but almost indulging in the risks. And, they are on record in saying that they would prefer a short life involved with volcanoes rather than a long and monotonous life without them. And, that is what happened to them before they turned 50.

With their screen presence him and of vast volcano footage, the audience does get quite an impression of each of them, their personalities, the commitment, scientists who wanted to let the experts and politicians know about the realities and be ready for eruptions (some of the material showing an eruption in Colombia where the authorities did not take heed of the information available and hundreds of people were killed, contrasting with the Philippines eruption at Mount Pinatabo soon after where warnings were heeded).

Of the very nature of the film, it is more and more of the same. Some audiences, not so interested in all the detail, may find the film tedious. For others, it is the opening up of the experience of volcanology, its excitement, its risks, its achievements.