Naples Residents Grapple with City's Haunting Past in 'Pompei: Below the Clouds'

Director Gianfranco Rosi's documentary explores how the shadow of Mount Vesuvius shapes modern life in Naples.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:34pm

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Director Gianfranco Rosi's documentary 'Pompei: Below the Clouds' offers an intimate portrait of Naples, Italy, where the city's ancient history and the looming presence of Mount Vesuvius are inextricably woven into the daily lives of its residents. The film captures the city's bustling modernity alongside its haunting connection to the past, from the tunnels carved by tomb robbers to the movie theaters projecting images of Pompeii's destruction.

Why it matters

Naples' unique position, built upon the ruins of ancient civilizations and in the shadow of the active Mount Vesuvius, has shaped the city's identity and the way its residents engage with their surroundings. Rosi's documentary explores how this complex relationship with the past and the ever-present threat of natural disaster influences the city's culture, mindset, and sense of community.

The details

Rosi's film uses richly textured black-and-white cinematography and a fixed camera to capture the contrast between Naples' bustling modernity and its haunting connection to the past. The documentary features a range of characters, from a museum curator who treats ancient statues as dignified friends to a prosecutor lamenting the theft of frescoes from a buried villa. The film also highlights the city's fire department, which fields constant calls about the threat posed by Mount Vesuvius, and Syrian sailors who find respite in Naples compared to the dangers of their homeland.

  • The documentary was released in March 2026.

The players

Gianfranco Rosi

The director of the documentary 'Pompei: Below the Clouds', known for his intimate, observational style of filmmaking.

Mount Vesuvius

The active volcano that looms over Naples and has shaped the city's history, including the catastrophic eruption in AD 79 that destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii.

Titti

A veteran teacher who runs an after-school tutoring center for local schoolchildren, and is described as the movie's most endearing figure.

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The takeaway

Rosi's documentary 'Pompei: Below the Clouds' offers a thoughtful and visually striking exploration of how Naples' residents grapple with the city's haunting past and its ever-present connection to the looming threat of Mount Vesuvius, capturing the delicate balance between the ancient and the modern that defines the city's unique identity.