Until recently, the American director Sara Dosa knew nothing of the couple of French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft. It was while looking for images of Icelandic volcanoes erupting for another film that she came across the couple’s work.
Posted at 7:00 a.m.
« Leurs images étaient absolument spectaculaires et fascinantes », raconte-t-elle en entrevue téléphonique de Paris, à quelques heures de la première européenne de Fire of Love. « Mais c’est quand nous en avons appris davantage à leur sujet en tant que personnes – un couple marié, amoureux l’un de l’autre et amoureux des volcans, des gens philosophes, espiègles et charmants – que nous avons désiré faire un film à leur sujet. Un film qui permettrait d’entrer dans leur univers, de voir le monde à travers leurs yeux et la lentille de leurs caméras. »
Katia et Maurice Krafft sont disparus dans une nuée incandescente au mont Unzen, au Japon, en juin 1991. C’est donc dans les livres et les archives du couple que l’équipe de Fire of Love a dû plonger pour apprendre à le connaître.
PHOTO ERIK TANNER, GETTY IMAGES
Sara Dosa, réalisatrice de Fire of Love
« C’était dans les premiers mois de la pandémie, se rappelle Sara Dosa. Notre productrice, Ina Fichman, qui est établie à Montréal, a pu entrer en contact avec les archives Images’Est, à Nancy [en France], who digitized the images superbly well to send them to us via the internet. »
The team thus obtained 180 to 200 hours of images in 16 mm format taken by the couple. In addition, thanks to the work of a Quebec content and archives researcher, Nancy Marcotte, the team was able to get their hands on 45 to 50 hours of interviews given by Katia and Maurice Krafft on television.
“They were celebrities, comments Sara Dosa. They were seen in newscasts, variety shows, travel and adventure television magazines. »
The team also consulted nearly twenty books published by the couple. “It gave us a better idea, not only of their adventures, but of their philosophy, of their lifestyle. »
The strength of the visual
The director interviewed several relatives, but chose not to include these interviews in the documentary. She preferred to focus on the material left by the couple.
We wanted the film to be guided by the images of Katia and Maurice, by their words.
Sara Dosa, director
Moreover, including these interviews in the documentary would have introduced a break in its temporality. “It was important for us to put the plot in the present tense in order to have the impression of being with Katia and Maurice throughout their journey. »
Even if the images captured by the couple go back 30 or 40 years, they remain impressive. “They were very talented, explains Sara Dosa. So, when Katia was little, she was fascinated by painting, by the arts. She kept a very artistic look in her images. »
The director salutes the work of the post-production, “which was able to bring out the colors and the texture of the images of Katia and Maurice”. It is the Montreal company Post-Moderne who signed this work. Other Quebecers took part in the adventure, such as Gavin Fernandes and Patrice LeBlanc on sound.
This Quebec presence was desired.
We wanted a significant francophone component. I understand French, but I don’t speak it very well. We wanted the post-production team to have French as their first language. We were thus able to bring remarkable craftsmen on board.
Sara Dosa, director
In the original English version, the director chose not to dub Katia and Maurice Krafft, who speak mainly French, and opted for subtitles.
The French version also uses subtitles rather than dubbing for narration, performed by filmmaker Miranda July.
Sara Dosa also chose not to dwell on the death of the couple of volcanologists.
“Through our research and our conversations, we understood that they were living the life they dreamed of living, a life full of meaning and love. They knew they could die at any time doing this type of work. It’s not that they wanted to die, but they had made peace with that idea. It is not a question of celebrating their death, but of celebrating their life. »
In theaters July 22