Gianfranco Rosi (Pompei: Below the Clouds)

Gianfranco Rosi (Pompei: Below the Clouds)

From The Dangerous Art of the Documentary by Double Elvis Productions, Tiller Russell

March 13, 2026 · 58 min

About this episode

Gianfranco Rosi discusses his film 'Pompei: Below the Clouds' and the intricacies of documentary filmmaking with host Tiller Russell.

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

People in this episode

Host: Tiller Russell

Guest: Gianfranco Rosi

Topics covered

  • documentary filmmaking
  • nonfiction films
  • cinematography
  • cultural exploration
  • artistic process

Keywords

  • Gianfranco Rosi
  • Pompei: Below the Clouds
  • documentary
  • cinematography
  • Chuck Bowden
  • Naples
  • filmmaking process
  • black-and-white film

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Double Elvis Productions, Jacob Miller, James Carroll, Graham Tracey, Zydepunk, Jake Brennan, Brady Sadler

Books & works: Pompei: Below the Clouds

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