# Fire of Love (2022 film)

Fire of Love is a 2022 independent documentary film about the lives and careers of volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft. Directed, written, and produced by Sara Dosa, the film had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2022, where it won the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award. It was released on July 6, 2022, by National Geographic Documentary Films and Neon. It received acclaim from critics, and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 95th Academy Awards.

## Synopsis

The film tells the story of French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, a daring couple bound by their love for each other and their shared obsession with volcanoes. Through rare archival footage and a poetic French New Wave-inspired narrative, the film chronicles their two-decade journey of capturing the Earth’s most explosive phenomena, standing perilously close to fiery eruptions in their quest for scientific discovery and breathtaking imagery. As their passion pushes the boundaries of safety, the documentary explores the philosophical and emotional depths of their commitment to understanding the planet’s volatile beauty, culminating in their tragic final expedition to Mount Unzen in 1991, where their lives are claimed by the force they so deeply revered.

## Production

In March 2021, it was announced Sara Dosa would direct a documentary film revolving around Katia and Maurice Krafft. In January 2022, it was announced Miranda July would serve as the narrator.

## Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2022 where it won the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award in the U.S. Documentary category. Shortly after, National Geographic Documentary Films acquired distribution rights to the film, winning a bidding war against Netflix, Amazon Studios, Sony Pictures Classics, IFC Films, Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures. It also screened at South by Southwest on March 11, 2022. In April 2022, it was announced Neon would co-distribute the film. The film was released on SVOD to Disney+ on November 11, 2022.

## Reception
### Box office

In the United States and Canada, the film earned $22,416 from three theaters in its opening weekend.

### Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 98% based on 173 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Whether as a story of one couple's quixotic quest or simply a stunning collection of nature footage, Fire of Love burns bright." On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

### Accolades

| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Sundance Film Festival | January 30, 2022 | Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary | Erin Casper and Jocelyne Chaput | Won | |
| Sydney Film Festival | 19 June 2022 | Sydney Film Prize | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Miskolc International Film Festival | September 17, 2022 | CineDocs Prize | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Zurich Film Festival | October 2, 2022 | Science Film Award | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 13, 2022 | Best Documentary Feature | Fire of Love | Nominated | [26] [27] |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 13, 2022 | Best Archival Documentary | Fire of Love | Won | [26] [27] |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 13, 2022 | Best Science/Nature Documentary | Fire of Love | Nominated | [26] [27] |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 13, 2022 | Best Director | Sara Dosa | Nominated | [26] [27] |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 13, 2022 | Best Narration | Shane Boris, Erin Casper, Jocelyne Chaput, Sara Dosa, Miranda July | Nominated | [26] [27] |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 13, 2022 | Best Score | Nicolas Godin | Nominated | [26] [27] |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 13, 2022 | Best Editing | Erin Casper and Jocelyne Chaput | Nominated | [26] [27] |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | December 11, 2022 | Best Documentary/Non-Fiction Film | Fire of Love | Runner-up | |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | December 12, 2022 | Best Documentary | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | December 14, 2022 | Best Documentary Film | Fire of Love | Won | |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association | December 18, 2022 | Best Documentary Film | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | December 19, 2022 | Best Documentary Film | Fire of Love | 3rd place | |
| Florida Film Critics Circle | December 22, 2022 | Best Documentary Film | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | January 5, 2023 | Best Documentary | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | January 6, 2023 | Best Documentary | Fire of Love | Runner-up | |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | January 8, 2023 | Best Documentary Film | Fire of Love | Runner-up | |
| San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | January 9, 2023 | Best Documentary Feature | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Austin Film Critics Association | January 10, 2023 | Best Documentary | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Cinema Eye Honors | January 12, 2023 | Outstanding Non-Fiction Feature | Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman | Nominated | [39] [40] |
| Cinema Eye Honors | January 12, 2023 | Outstanding Direction | Sara Dosa | Nominated | [39] [40] |
| Cinema Eye Honors | January 12, 2023 | Outstanding Editing | Erin Casper and Jocelyne Chaput | Won | [39] [40] |
| Cinema Eye Honors | January 12, 2023 | Outstanding Original Score | Nicolas Godin | Won | [39] [40] |
| Cinema Eye Honors | January 12, 2023 | Outstanding Sound Design | Patrice LeBlanc and Gavin Fernandes | Nominated | [39] [40] |
| Cinema Eye Honors | January 12, 2023 | Outstanding Visual Design | Lucy Munger, Kara Blake and Rui Ting Ji | Won | [39] [40] |
| Cinema Eye Honors | January 12, 2023 | Audience Choice Prize | Fire of Love | Nominated | [39] [40] |
| Cinema Eye Honors | January 12, 2023 | The Unforgettables | Katia and Maurice Krafft | Won | [39] [40] |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | January 13, 2023 | Best Documentary Film | Fire of Love | Won | |
| Seattle Film Critics Society | January 17, 2023 | Best Documentary Feature | Fire of Love | Won | |
| Online Film Critics Society | January 23, 2023 | Best Documentary | Fire of Love | Won | |
| London Film Critics' Circle | February 5, 2023 | Documentary of the Year | Fire of Love | Nominated | [44] [45] |
| Satellite Awards | February 11, 2023 | Best Motion Picture – Documentary | Fire of Love | Won | |
| Vancouver Film Critics Circle | February 13, 2023 | Best Documentary | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Houston Film Critics Society | February 18, 2023 | Best Documentary Feature | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | February 18, 2023 | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentaries | Sara Dosa | Won | |
| British Academy Film Awards | February 19, 2023 | Best Documentary | Sara Dosa, Shane Boris, Ina Fichman | Nominated | [50] [51] |
| Hollywood Critics Association Awards | February 24, 2023 | Best Documentary Film | Fire of Love | Nominated | |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | February 25, 2023 | Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures | Sara Dosa, Shane Boris, and Ina Fichman | Nominated | [53] [54] |
| Academy Awards | March 12, 2023 | Best Documentary Feature | Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman | Nominated | [55] [7] [56] |
| Peabody Awards | 2023 | Arts | Fire of Love | Won | [57] [58] [59] |

## Feature film adaptation

In March 2023, Searchlight Pictures announced a feature film adaptation with Hunting Lane Films, Submarine Deluxe and Sandbox Films set to produce.