BELOW THE CLOUDS

Between Vesuvius and the Gulf of Naples, the earth trembles and volcanic fumes fill the air. Beneath the surface lie the ruins of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Roman villas – silent witnesses to a lost world. Above ground, believers, tourists and archaeologists roam the area. The land around the gulf resembles a giant time machine. For three years, Gianfranco Rosi (FIRE AT SEA) lived and filmed around Vesuvius in search of traces of history and the remnants of everyday life. The result is another of his documentary mosaics of spectacular black-and-white tableaux. Winner of the Special Jury Prize in Venice.