In this love story written in lava, two intrepid scientists who adore volcanoes as much as each other gift the world with something extraordinary.

It could be a scene from an apocalyptic sci-fi: a silver-suited figure dwarfed by a wall of lava spewing up from a scorched, moon-like landscape. But this is documentary footage – stunning, mind-boggling footage captured by French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft (whom some may recall from their cameo in Werner Herzog’s Into the Inferno). Famed across France in the 70s and 80s for their passion for filming volcanoes up close, the molten-storm-chasing couple contributed significantly to our understanding of the geological phenomena, building a legacy that weaves together science and the cinema.

Director Sara Dosa (The Seer and the Unseen, MIFF 2019) mines the Kraffts’ copious archive of extraordinary 16mm clips – much of them previously unseen – and collates them into a tender, wryly humorous film that’s part-romance, part-PSA on the dangers of ignoring scientific warnings. The result is a big-screen devotee’s dream, which is only enhanced by Miranda July’s lyrical narration and the score by Air’s Nicolas Godin. But while Dosa and her Sundance award-winning editors have constructed a compelling text from this treasure trove, ultimately it is the Kraffts themselves who drive the story with their boundless curiosity, bravery and verve.

“A singular romance blazing with jaw-dropping imagery … and a drama with poetic expressiveness that emanates from the choreography of all the elements.” – The Playlist

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