The Dangerous Art of the Documentary

Gianfranco Rosi (Pompei: Below the Clouds)

March 13, 2026·58 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Italian master Gianfranco Rosi makes some of the most ravishing big-screen nonfiction films you will find. His latest, “Pompei: Below the Clouds”, a black-and-white masterpiece shot with a fixed camera, explores the complex lives of the people living in a region that seems to always be teetering on the edge of a haunting archival status. In his conversation with Tiller, they discuss the love they hold for their shared mentor Chuck Bowden (3:30), how Naples is a reflection of a suspended time (16:00), the importance of selecting the frame (26:00), why it’s impossible to describe his process (34:00), his preferred shooting specs (42:00), and how he knew when the film was “finished” (51:00).  Produced by: Jacob Miller Executive Producer: Tiller Russell Music by: James Carroll, Graham Tracey & Zydepunk Distributed by: Jake Brennan & Brady Sadler, Double Elvis Productions

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