The movie
Below the Clouds
Breathtaking black & white portrait of Naples and the surrounding area. Documentary maker Gianfranco Rosi criss-crosses the region between Vesuvius and the coast both above and below ground. A warm homage to those who live where the earth is always restless.
Description
Tourists wander through the crowded alleys of Naples, carabinieri catch grave robbers, archaeologists excavate an ancient Roman villa, and firefighters investigate clandestine tunnels: in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, there is never a dull moment, as documentary filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi shows.
In his latest film, Below the Clouds, Rosi explores both the world above and below ground in the area between Vesuvius and the Gulf of Naples. Despite the bustle and vibrancy of their city, Neapolitans live with the constant awareness that Vesuvius could erupt; the last major eruption occurred around eighty years ago.
With stunning black-and-white cinematography—with Rosi himself serving as director of photography—the filmmaker weaves together different stories, all seemingly shaped by the looming threat of disaster, as though the world of three million Italians could collapse at any moment due to the forces of nature. Yet Below the Clouds is also a warm and heartfelt tribute to the inhabitants and passers-by of eternal Naples.
Gianfranco Rosi previously directed acclaimed documentaries such as Fire at Sea (2016), about the refugee crisis on Lampedusa, and Sacro GRA (2013), about Rome’s ring road. With Below the Clouds, he won the Special Jury Prize at the 2025 Venice Film Festival.
