Gianfranco Rosi’s ‘Pompei: Below the Clouds’ and Werner Herzog’s ‘Ghost Elephants’ Explore Humanity Amidst Natural Forces

Two new documentaries, Gianfranco Rosi’s Pompei: Below the Clouds and Werner Herzog’s Ghost Elephants, offer distinct yet compelling explorations of humanity’s relationship with the natural world and the weight of history. Both films eschew traditional documentary conventions, opting for observational approaches that prioritize atmosphere and the voices of those living within precarious landscapes.

‘Pompei: Below the Clouds’: A Portrait of Life Under Vesuvius

Gianfranco Rosi, known for his 2013 Venice Golden Lion-winning film Sacro GRA, returns with Pompei: Below the Clouds, a passionate and personal exploration of Naples and its surrounding suburbs, shadowed by Mount Vesuvius. Shot in black-and-white, the documentary weaves together the stories of various individuals, including a teacher running an after-school center, a fire department switchboard operator responding to seismic activity, a law enforcement official investigating tomb robbers, and sailors unloading Ukrainian grain near Naples. [Variety]

Rosi spent three years filming in the region, allowing him to capture a sense of “civil resistance” in his subjects. The film notably features scenes within an abandoned cinema, projecting excerpts from older Naples-set films, creating a lament for the medium itself and a connection between past and present. [The New Yorker] The film is recommended to be viewed on the largest screen possible.

‘Ghost Elephants’: Herzog’s Pursuit of Elusive Giants

Werner Herzog, renowned for his documentaries exploring extreme environments, ventures into the Angolan highlands with Ghost Elephants. The film follows conservationist Steve Boyes and a team of San trackers as they search for descendants of a massive elephant known as Henry, whose remains are housed at the Smithsonian. [The New Yorker]

Herzog’s film delves into the challenges of conservation and the impact of conflict on wildlife, incorporating stories from the Angolan Civil War. The documentary emphasizes Herzog’s signature style of embracing digressions and finding significance in every step of the journey. Ghost Elephants is available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, beginning March 8th.

A Shared Exploration of Resilience

Both Pompei: Below the Clouds and Ghost Elephants, despite their different settings and subjects, share a common thread: an exploration of human resilience in the face of powerful natural forces and historical burdens. Rosi’s film captures the everyday anxieties of life under the threat of volcanic eruption, while Herzog’s film highlights the dedication of those working to protect endangered species in a war-torn landscape. Both documentaries offer a compelling and thought-provoking cinematic experience.

Pompei: Below the Clouds is scheduled for release on March 27, 2026. [IMDb]