


RK: Well, the visual storytelling was a priority for me from day one as soon as I signed on to this. I think those stories of the individuals turning around, risking their own lives, and helping others really moved me to feel like this could be something bigger and more important than a disaster film. All of these people were so far away from everything, and I was particularly moved by how they really had to look to each other to survive.

I read the article along with my husband, Mark Bailey, with great interest and was amazed that we hadn’t heard this story-the drama of what happened and just how crazy it is to be on a remote island and on vacation and that island erupting. They sent that article to us to see if we thought it lent itself to a documentary and if I would be interested in directing it. We were approached by Appian Way, Leonardo DiCaprio’s company, as well as Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment they had the rights to an article that was written by Alex Perry, from Outside Magazine, where he had documented what happened the day of the eruption. Rory Kennedy: Well, I would say it found its way to me.
