Fire of Love

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Fire of Love
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Fire of Love is a National Geographic documentary about French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft. They were romantic partners and worked together from the time they met in the 1960s until their death in 1991 during the eruption of Japan's Mount Unzen. Their work has gone a long way toward keeping other people safe, but there's an element of danger here, too. Nevertheless it's a breathtaking movie, filled with amazing volcano footage. Death is discussed, and central figures in the movie meet their end. There are unsettling images of destruction, as well as news footage of bombings in Vietnam, dead animals, dead bodies, a human arm in rubble, and a gory burn wound on a leg. There are brief uses of "stupid" and "weirdo," and archival smoking is seen. While the main couple is married, "goopy" romantic stuff -- outside of some teasing -- is nowhere to be seen.
Community Reviews
Suspenseful story of scientists who loved volcanos
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What's the Story?
In FIRE OF LOVE, documentary filmmaker Sara Dosa tells the story of French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, a married couple who traveled the world, wrote books, took photos, and made films about volcanos. Their ultimate goal was to save lives, discovering warning signs that would allow people to evacuate and avoid the deadly fallout of an eruption. After some 25 years by each other's side, the Kraffts finally met their end when Japan's Mount Unzen erupted in June of 1991. But their incredible footage still survives -- and inspires.
Is It Any Good?
Filled with breathtaking footage and making use of skillful editing, tranquil, thoughtful music, and gorgeously poetic narration, this documentary merges science, nature, and romance. The decision to use actor-artist-filmmaker Miranda July to narrate Fire of Love was inspired; her delicate, melancholy, almost whispered line readings lend a sense of the ethereal to the movie, casting the images in an existential light. Again and again, as the movie describes Maurice and Katia's singular focus on their studies, July's voicework and the expert filmmaking help us understand the draw. (The Kraffts were also discussed in Werner Herzog's volcano documentary Into the Inferno.)
The footage, much of it shot by the Kraffts themselves, is glorious, and it's easy to agree with Maurice when he asserts that volcanos are the most beautiful things on earth. And, as July says in her narration, the camera loves these two. Maurice is like a roly-poly Teddy Bear, and Katia gazes at life through her huge spectacles. If Fire of Love has a flaw, it's that there's too much fire and too little love. Director Dosa is limited to archival footage -- the movie makes no secret of the fact that Katia and Maurice are gone -- and much of it features one Krafft or the other, but rarely both. There are only fleeting glimpses of what their personal and romantic relationship must have been like. Even so, the film is moving on a human level, and awesome on a cosmic level.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Fire of Love's depiction of violence and destruction. How intense was it? How much was it necessary for the movie to show to illustrate its point?
Why do you think the Kraffts put themselves in dangerous spots if their goal was to save lives?
How can volcanos be both beautiful and deadly? What other things in nature share those distinctions?
What did you learn about volcanos from the movie? Did it inspire you to do more research?
Do you consider the Kraffts role models? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 6, 2022
- Cast: Katia Krafft, Maurice Krafft, Miranda July
- Director: Sara Dosa
- Studio: National Geographic
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Science and Nature
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- Run time: 93 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: thematic material including some unsettling images, and brief smoking
- Last updated: July 7, 2022
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