Túmeabrasasisanadaptationof“SeaFoam”,achapterfromCesarePavese’s“DialoghiconLeucò”publishedin1947.TheancientGreekpoetSapphoandthenymphBritomartismeetbesidetheseaandhaveaconversationaboutloveanddeath.Sapphoissaidtohavethrownherselfintotheoceanfromlovesickness.Britomartisapparentlytumbledoffacliffandintothewaterwhilefleeingfromaman.Together,thetwodiscussthestoriesandimagesthathaveemergedaroundthemtotryandunderstand,atleastforamoment,thebittersweetnatureofdesire.Thefilmadaptsnotonlythetextbutalsofootnotesandgapsinthestory.Forexample,thefactthat,in1950,adesperatePavesecommittedsuicideinahotelroomwiththisbookbyhisside.OrthatSappho’spoemshavesurvivedonlyinfragments.Orthatseafoamishistoricallyandscientificallyassociatedwithfertilityandbacteria,thatis,withlifeitself.“Everythingdiesintheseaandcomesbacktolife,”saysBritomartis.TúmeabrasasintroducesnewreadingsandtranslationsthatgobeyondthemythsbyPaveseandSappho.
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