A Lasting Romance with Fire and Sparks

Film Title: Fire of Love

Dir:  Sara Dosa

Release Date: January 20, 2022

Review by Antony Cirocco

"Fire of Love", official movie poster

“Fire of Love” is a feature-length standalone documentary by director Sara Dosa. At first glance, it smacks of a romantic adventure film, then swings into a Science documentary, and then dips down into the Geology niche to satisfy the Volcano crowd. The good news is that it is all of those things and more. Released in 2022, this film was shot over a number of years by Maurice and Katia, the two key characters of this story as they travel the world documenting Volcanoes. 

Many science-based documentaries are very expository in nature, with a presenter doling out the facts in a logical order; they are very didactic. The audience listens, whilst the narrator tells us what they know and what the audience needs to know. This film is different to every other science documentary I have seen, it has heart, spirit, a soul if you will, and ultimately this a film that captures the adventure for volcanologists as they risk everything in the pursuit of knowledge and fire. It’s an excellent film and has been nominated for many awards, including the Sundance Film Festival, where it won 1st prize in 2022.

This film features predominantly photographs and documentary footage shot by Maurice and Katia, there must have been hours of footage to stitch together in the edit. The director and editors have masterfully crafted a deeply personal story from the archives of what is essentially a series of footage of volcanic eruptions and daredevil moments as Maurice and Katia take their passion for volcanoes to the limits of science, sanity, and beyond. 

This documentary is historical; there is nothing new about the events here. This film is beautiful, however. Sure, Maurice and Katia, are scientists, but they are not unaware of the beauty of the fire, of the lava, and the seduction of the danger watching and filming them brings. They have captured the beauty and violence of volcanic lava flows in ways that not many people have seen before, and from a proximity that is not likely going to be seen again. 

Here lies the true production quality of this film, the camera work is excellent, the red glow of the lava is intoxicating, like watching the flicker of a campfire; you can’t look away, despite the danger, despite the impending peril of our beloved protagonists.

Dosa has sewn together a cinematic experience from the pieces of the archive. Working closely with the editors, Erin Casper and Jocelyne Chaput to present a visual narrative that moves along quickly and quirkily. At times, the director calls out the medium and the construction of the cinema, bringing the footage into question as a means to understand Maurice and Katia’s motivation. 

Maurice’s cinematography is very functional, correctly exposed and focused, and with a hint of good composition. It’s the subject of his love that gets the most stylised treatment; however, it’s the ever-glowing lava and for this he should be commended. 

The Music is important here as I imagine much of the archival presented was silent, likewise the sound design and mix help carry the mood and feeling of the film, it’s beautifully put together. There are some animations here, but they are ancient, stylised, and straight out of the 1970’s education video handbook. They are perfect and match the style of the observational footage, allowing for an antiquated look, which is most fun.

There is a lot of voiceover here, which I am not normally a fan of, but it’s necessary to stitch the story together. There are no interviews here, just archival interviews and tv show inserts of Maurice and Katia speaking passionately about volcanoes. The voice of the director is calming and unbiased; they connect the dots and move the narrative forward. There is no implied drama or manufactured moments here; it’s a contemplative, reflective storytelling narrative that drives the audience forward.

There are themes here of love, danger, risk, and a passion for volcanoes. It’s all very apparent, there is not a lot of subtext, the material presents itself as a very ‘matter of fact’ representation of the world, albeit a volcanic one.

The strength of this film is its consistency of archival imagery, expertly captured, and the quality is maintained. It’s a demonstration of the power of film to convey the authentic scale and violence of volcanoes. It’s this texture of film (mostly 16mm) that connects the audience to something real, something that lives and breathes. It’s a throwback to documentaries of the 70s and 80s, visually speaking, such is the vast treasure trove of archival footage. This footage of volcanoes around the world was, in and of itself, their life's work. It’s an amazing body of work, which has been expertly curated into a film that is rich, diverse, exciting, tragic, and wonderful. 

This film has a brooding subtlety about it that builds. It has the visceral explosions of volcanoes and the softness and compassion of the relationship between Maurice and Katia. The beauty and the tragedy are juxtaposed here to highlight the strength of volcanoes, only interrupted by the passion for geology that Maurice and Katia embody. 

This film's legacy will be a documentary about the beauty of the Earth's power, but also a stark reminder of the dangers of volcanoes.

Is it a love story? Yes, geography nerds in love, sharing their love for volcanoes, it’s beautiful in that regard.

This documentary is well worth your time, whether you like true love stories or have a passion for volcanoes, you will be rewarded by this experience. I give this one 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Review by Antony Cirocco

Check out the trailer -