A film by Gianfranco Rosi
Naples faces dual volcanic threats from Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei. Amid increasing tremors, archaeologists work as residents live anxiously, haunted by Pompeii’s fate while emergency services strain
Our rate: **
A beautiful black-and-white documentary that manages to turn a seemingly static and uninspiring subject into a major focus of interest, thanks to its clever decision to take a 365° approach, exploring the archaeological wealth of the area surrounding Vesuvius and the relationship that local residents have with this wealth and the volcano. The film draws parallels between different eras, questions humanity and its duality (on the one hand, those who preserve, build, and help, with a view to the common good; on the other, those who plunder, destroy, and mistreat, with an individualistic and greedy mindset), refers to fears and threats, and is firmly rooted in the present, closely following the inhabitants, immersing us in a fire department call center capturing very intimate moments of life and distress, or in a boat where Syrians are stopping over before being sent back to a war-torn territory in Ukraine. A fluid portrait of a territory and its inhabitants, with much broader resonance, Rosi grabs our attention and shares with us some essential questions.
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