Rhythms of Love And Rhythms of the Earth

From the very moment the opening subtitles grace the screen, the distinctiveness of the documentary "Fire of Love" becomes palpable. Director Sara Dosa chooses not to highlight her own name or those of other creators. Instead, the film credits are attributed to "Katia, Marice, and friends" who worked on it collectively.

Certainly, the bulk of the footage in this documentary was recorded by the protagonists themselves many years ago. It also includes television interviews and photographs taken by their companions. The director, rather than generating new content, meticulously curated the most compelling segments from the vast material left by the main characters. These were expertly edited together. Apart from chronicling their life experiences, the film adeptly captures their dreams and the transformation of their ideas throughout their decades-long expedition to explore volcanoes.

"Fire of Love" is much more than what people describe as "Whether as a story of one couple's quixotic quest or simply a stunning collection of nature footage, Fire of Love burns bright." It also incorporates reflections on life and death, the exploration of the relationship between humans and nature, and a tribute to the love of humanity, which are derived from both Katia and Marice, as well as the director and creators of the 21st century.

Even though volcanoes have been a part of our planet for centuries, individuals like Katia and Marice, this unique generation of volcanologists, emerge only during specific periods in human history. Their presence is made possible by the relatively peaceful and stable post-war global environment, coupled with the rapid advancement of air travel, enabling them to freely explore volcanoes worldwide. The rise of television culture channels ensures that their personal lives and groundbreaking research frequently capture the public's attention, garnering both social support and financial sponsorship. The widespread availability of portable photography equipment empowers them to document volcanoes and lava in ways akin to avant-garde filmmakers, equipped with comprehensive tools to capture the raw essence of these natural wonders.

Even within the extensive duration of a documentary spanning several hours, it becomes apparent that these volcanologists were intellectuals profoundly shaped by the prevailing intellectual currents of their era. Whether enduring extreme cold or blistering heat, Katia consistently appeared in front of the camera with a sense of style, almost fashionably so. Meanwhile, Marice purposefully captured the exhilarating moments of volcanoes and his wife, utilizing cinematographic techniques with a conscious and artistic approach.

They were conducting an artistic and scientifically conscious photography experiment, continuously exploring nature's grandeur in different ways and extreme environments, seeking to capture its beauty. Whether it was Marice being interviewed by television stations or Katia diligently writing numerous journals, they both revealed an understanding of existentialist philosophy.

Similar to numerous young individuals of their post-war generation, they stood against war, discrimination, and systemic oppression, uniting in the streets in solidarity with the Vietnamese people. Their dissatisfaction and disillusionment with "the rhythm of humanity" led them to delve into "the rhythm of the Earth," where they uncovered scientific laws and eternal beauty within its depths.

To comprehend the lives of Katia and Marice thoroughly, one must not only examine their social context and cultural influences but also take into account the evolution of scientific history. When Katia and Marice embarked on their volcanic exploration, the study of volcanoes remained a specialized field, with merely a few hundred researchers globally. There was a pressing need for a deeper understanding of volcanic mechanisms during their time. Personally, this is likely because, for a long time, volcanoes were only seen as spectacular but dangerous wonders, lacking the value and significance for large-scale and in-depth (and difficult) research.

However, in the early 1960s, the theory of plate tectonics was proven, and the lifeless Earth had its own "pulse" in the eyes of scientists, undergoing slow but dynamic and far-reaching changes, ultimately causing dramatic transformations in the world. For the first time, the Earth had its own "rhythm" and history (similar to the breakthrough in palaeontology at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries when people first discovered that species could go extinct and life on Earth had its own history), which had a significant impact on Earth science, ecology, and even philosophy.

In the 1970s, philosophers and ecologists proposed the concept of deep ecology, which challenges the anthropocentric view of life and re-examines the relationship between humans and the Earth. In the 1980s, another theory called "Gaia" emerged, viewing the Earth as a living entity with internal material cycles and even a certain level of consciousness. In the eyes of the new generation of scholars, the Earth's changes are a result of ongoing geological movements, and volcanoes serve as vivid evidence and important symbols of these geological processes, making them highly valuable for research. This is where Katia and Marice, initially enamoured with the beauty of volcanoes, transformed into rising stars in this new field as freelance researchers. They find themselves at a crucial juncture in the formation of a discipline: receiving sufficient attention and funding for their studies while not being bound by a rigid academic system, allowing them to pursue creative endeavours.

Yet, this situation meant they were perpetually entangled in the conflict and tension between the "rhythms of human" existence and the "rhythms of the Earth." This struggle led them to deeply ponder the meaning of life. How could they reconcile their fleeting existence with the impossibility of witnessing the unpredictable volcanic activities that occur perhaps only once in a lifetime? How did they measure the ever-present specter of death, which could strike at any moment during their research endeavors, and the eternal division between life and death? How were they to cope when beloved volcanoes claimed countless innocent lives?

In the film, we witness the ongoing internal battle and contemplation that arises from this contradiction. This struggle transforms them from mere adventurous seekers of novelty into seasoned scientists and willing heroes, prepared to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of humanity, if I may say so. Faced with the eternity and danger of volcanoes, as well as the fragility and brevity of human life, their response is, "Rather than a long and boring life, I would prefer a short but exciting one," choosing to witness "How great is the ambition and vanity of men" in their lives.

Considering the possibility of losing their loved ones in their adventures, their response is always to stay together, never giving up on each other even if they have to leave this world. After witnessing the tragedy of a friend dying in the dangerous eruption of a grey volcano, with tens of thousands of people buried in ash, they resolutely choose to give up the safe life of exploring the beautiful red volcano and willingly approach the much more dangerous gray volcano in order to obtain first-hand information that can serve as a warning to the world, ultimately sacrificing their lives for this cause. At the very beginning of the film, the director candidly shows their fate, but throughout the rest of the film, he explains to all viewers that they had predicted this outcome and it was a choice and sacrifice they made themselves.

Sitting comfortably in the theatre, I may not possess the extraordinary courage of Katia and Marice. However, through their documented adventures in this film, I've come to understand that such profound love exists in the world—a love for individuals, for humanity, and for nature. As they say, "That love moves us closer to the Earth."