Fire of Love

The story of French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, as told through their own archive footage.

A wonderfully told tale of two people who devoted their lives to peering into the fiery abyss. There’s something in the way it’s presented that reminds me of Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic, but perhaps that’s just because the Kraffts share a similar vision and lifestyle to Jacques Cousteau.

Miranda July’s narration sounds like she’s on the verge of tears even at the most innocuous moment. It’s a shame because the film is at its best when it lets the footage do the talking.

Maurice and Katia really did have an eye for a killer shot, and most of the film is mesmerising. It’s a glimpse nature taken from a unique perspective, the raw elemental landscapes appearing almost alien, in equal parts terrifying and fascinating.

Maybe Fire of Love is a bit too over-stylised, but mostly this is an outstanding, perspective shifting documentary.