Amid volcanoes, in the Naples metropolitan area, a community of tailors, housewives, professors, fortune-tellers, midwives, journalists, farmers, and hermits lives on a ticking time bomb. Blending science, superstition, and resilience, the documentary explores the fragile yet vibrant existence at the edge of disaster.
Over a million people live in the red zone, supposedly ready to evacuate at the first sign of eruption. Through stories that are often on the verge of the paradoxical, the documentary investigates the deep symbiotic relationship that binds these extraordinary people to their volcanoes, seeking to understand — in a judgment-free space — the rational and irrational reasons behind their continuous interaction with the black mountain. Alongside technical and scientific elements, the documentary weaves together their stories while their lives offer tangible proof of an ever-present danger, intertwined with magic and deep-rooted superstitions.
Story Matteo Billi, Giovanni Troilo
Directed by Giovanni Troilo
Produced by Davide Azzolini
Original music Pietro Santangelo
Runtime: 90′
Country: Italy