The people of Stromboli share a deep affection for their IDDU, the volcano in the heart of their island. But they fear its unpredictability, too. This film offers a glimpse into a very unique community: a fisherman, rocks, gnarled trees, cats, lovers, a shared dinner, fish scales and, again and again, the surging waves – all allowed to co-exist side by side. The volcano is woven into the fabric of the islanders’ lives, bodies and traditions. The shape of the crater even puts in an appearance as a Christmas decoration. It’s as if they can never escape it – this mountain with its own rhythm and hidden movements that defy the human eye.
IDDU shapes the lives and biographies of the islanders, but it also fractures them – when a father leaves his children behind in Australia to return to Stromboli, or when a love affair succumbs to the challenges of island life. Through slow, richly detailed scenes and thoughtful interviews infused with a quiet humour, Miriam Ernst paints an intimate picture of life on Stromboli, far from the crowds of tourists who vanish the moment the volcano stirs. At times like this, the islanders reflect on how they can build a more sustainable relationship with their home and the natural world – an unpredictable force that will always have the final say. Because they all know: it’s only a matter of time until Iddu erupts again.