From NEON and National Geographic,Fire of Loveis a documentary about married French volcanologists,Katia KrafftandMaurice Krafft. Directed bySara Dosaand narrated byMiranda July, the film utilizes the wealth of archival footage the Kraffts left behind to tell a moving story about their love, both for each other and for the mysterious wonder of volcanoes. Winner of the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award for U.S. Documentary at this year’sSundance Film Festival, the film seamlessly weaves the Kraffts’ footage, diaries, and press interviews together to paint a moving portrait of their heart-melting romance and the dangerous passion that bonds them. Through Dosa’s empathetic approach to the unconventional path they chose, the film makes a compelling plea for us to take a note from the Kraffts and live a bit more fearlessly.
The film begins by telling us how the Kraffts’ story ends, a bold narrative decision that subverts traditional storytelling. Footage of Maurice and Katia happily preparing for their next volcano expedition plays, and July hauntingly narrates that they will die on this expedition. The Kraffts knew their love for such a dangerous thing would probably kill them, but they surged onward regardless. The knowledge of their impending deaths casts a melancholy cloud over the film, asking us to grapple with the simultaneous beauty and pain in the fact that they died doing what they love. As their life unfolds to us, it becomes clear that death was always a risk they embraced willingly on a quest to chase their passions and live life to its fullest.
RELATED:How to Watch ‘Fire of Love’: Is the Sara Dosa Documentary Film Streaming or in Theaters?
The young stars of volcanology were often asked by the press to explain why they would take such dangerous risks. The film includes powerful and illuminating excerpts from their interviews to explain but also evoke empathy for their perspective. Maurice says that he knows he will be killed by his passion, but he is unbothered by it. He would much rather live a short but full life than a long, mundane, and empty one. Later in the film, he even states that he has seen more volcanic eruptions than he ever imagined, so he is at peace with dying now. Katia’s perspective differs slightly; through her diary excerpts, we learn that she dreams of growing old so she can explore as many volcanoes as possible, but she would rather be with Maurice in death than alive without him. Because of her love for him, she will gladly follow him into the fiery mouth of the volcano every time.
The weight of their words is heightened by the images shown with them, constantly drawing a parallel between beauty and danger. We see the magnificence of volcanoes thanks to the Kraffts’ breathtaking, up-close footage. We also see footage of them gazing at the volcanoes, allowing us to witness the rush of joy it brings them. They wear shiny silver suits for protection, and in one sequence, they appear as two tiny, glistening beings perched on the edge of the massive volcano, the pink and purple sunset surrounding them. The sight is nothing short of extraordinary, and it adds the necessary context for the viewer to understand instead of judge their decisions. Mesmerizing footage of orange lava rivers cascading through glimmering rock is often paired with romantic music, from French love songs to Brian Eno’s “The Big Ship.” These montages bring the awe-inspiring beauty they witnessed into focus, making a compelling appeal to live more dangerously to experience all life has to offer.
While the film chronicles the Kraffts’ volcanic endeavors, it also uses their volcano exploration to urge us to run toward instead of away from things that scare us. With each new expedition, the Kraffts push the boundaries a bit further, walking the line between life and death. They yearn to get closer to the grandiosity and wonder, no matter the deadly risks of doing so. Maurice becomes known as the “Volcano Devil” for his rebellious, daredevil persona. He owns the title gladly, telling the press he dreams of rowing a titanium boat down a lava river. He dances with death with unabashed glee, and his unconventional, carefree perspective is infectious. Both he and Katia continually go towards danger, but they are simultaneously chasing happiness. The Kraffts' unconventional yet full lives illustrate how risk and reward are intertwined. Running toward what scares us will always be challenging, but it is a necessary and fulfilling risk to take.
The Kraffts make a pivotal decision to shift their studies to grey volcanoes after witnessing the catastrophic effects of the Mount St. Helens and Nevado del Ruiz eruptions. Previously, they focused their attention on red volcanoes, primarily because of their fascination with their mystery and beauty. Grey volcanoes’ are far more dangerous, their unpredictable explosions wreaking havoc and killing everything in its wake. The Kraffts believed that a close-up study of grey volcanoes was the only way to learn how to predict future eruptions and prevent more deaths. They knew this would be incredibly dangerous, with Maurice even describing it as playing Russian roulette each time they studied one up close. The shift in their studies from red to grey volcanoes is what would soon kill them, but it is also what cemented their legacy and helped save countless lives. Soon after their deaths, their short educational film about the hazards of volcanoes would help a town safely evacuate from an explosion, saving thousands of people. While they were killed doing what they love, their passion lives on in all that they accomplished.
Evidence shows that the Kraffts took their last breaths side by side. They were doing a close-up study of a grey volcano in Japan when it erupted, and chilling archival footage shows the ash clouds rushing down the mountain with voracious speed. After their deaths, July narrates a powerful monologue about the legacy we leave behind. While our lives are just a blink in the lifespan of a volcano, we have the power to leave an irreplaceable mark on the world. Dosa’s documentary is not only a love letter to the Kraffts but a compelling argument to live more like them. The film’s expansive portrait of their lives illustrates how beauty and danger are inextricably linked. WhileFire of Loveis not urging us to book a flight to the nearest volcano, it is a moving tribute to those who run toward the unknown, urging us to do the same.
