By Joanne Sargent
Special to the Observer
“The greatest lava-fuelled love story ever told.”
That’s how the movie poster, quoting Rolling Stone, describes Fire of Love, our last film until after Christmas.
A National Geographic documentary about the extraordinary love story of French scientists Katia and Maurice Krafft, the movie captures spectacular imagery the couple recorded of their shared obsession: volcanoes.
Katia and Maurice met at University in Strasbourg and felt they were brought together to unravel the mysteries of our planet; for them real love was standing on the edge of a volcano together. Fire of Love is about the Kraffts time in the field but it’s also very much about their lives, their marriage and their undeniable and unquestionable love for each other.
For 25 years they tracked the world’s most active and dangerous volcanoes, witnessing more than 140 eruptions on almost every continent and shooting some of the most magnificent and magical photos and videos of volcanoes to date. Educating the public about volcanoes was as much a part of their legacy as the striking footage. They toured the world giving lectures and holding screenings, sharing their passion with books and TV appearances which allowed them to continue the lives they wanted to lead.
Often putting themselves at risk, the Kraffts’ were able to save tens of thousands of lives and change our understanding of the natural world. Their unwavering passion for their craft is both terrifying and mesmerizing to watch — as they were always within a few feet of deadly erupting volcanoes. And then came the unpredictable and dangerous pyroclastic eruption in Japan.
Fire of Love plays Saturday, Dec. 10 at 5 p.m. at the Classic.
Our first movie in January is Drinkwater, a Canadian coming of age comedy, showing Jan. 7 at 5. Mark your new calendars – and Happy Holidays!
READ MORE: Volcano 450km from B.C.’s north coast is heating up
READ MORE: Hawaii’s Mauna Loa starts to erupt, sending ash nearby
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