Erupcja: A Volcanic Love Story From Pete Ohs

American filmmaker Pete Ohs returns with Erupcja, a romantic drama that bends genre expectations and pulses with emotional unpredictability. Opening in New York and Los Angeles on April 17, the 71-minute feature stars Charli xcx, Lena Góra, Will Madden, and Jeremy O. Harris. Described by critics as richly poetic and thrillingly inventive, the film has already earned comparisons to cinematic visionaries, blending romance, introspection, and city symphony aesthetics into a singular viewing experience.

A Vacation Interrupted by Fire and Fate

The story begins with what should be a blissful romantic getaway. Bethany, played by Charli xcx, travels to Warsaw with her soon-to-be fiancé Rob, portrayed by Will Madden. But when a volcanic eruption disrupts their plans and strands them in Poland, the literal explosion mirrors the emotional tremors simmering beneath their relationship. Rather than retreat into panic, Bethany interprets the eruption as a sign, a rupture that gives her permission to shed expectations and reconsider her path forward.
As Rob clings to stability, Bethany reconnects with her childhood friend Nel, played by Lena Góra. What follows is a restless journey across Warsaw’s lofts, underground clubs, and shadowed back alleys. The city becomes a living, breathing presence, amplifying Bethany’s internal conflict as she moves between longing, rebellion, and uncertainty.

Charli xcx Steps Into a New Spotlight

In what many critics are calling a breakout performance, Charli xcx delivers a portrayal that is raw, messy, and unexpectedly tender. Known globally for her pop music career, she proves here that her instincts for performance extend seamlessly into film. Her Bethany is neither a romantic heroine nor an antihero, but something far more human. She is impulsive yet reflective, drawn toward freedom while haunted by responsibility. The emotional ambiguity of her performance gives the film its pulse, allowing audiences to see love not as a tidy arc but as a chaotic negotiation of desire and selfhood.

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A Collaboration Born of Creative Intimacy

Erupcja is more than a directorial project. Pete Ohs wrote, directed, edited, photographed, and produced the film, crafting what feels like an intimate European postcard filtered through an American indie sensibility. The screenplay, co-written by Ohs, Charli xcx, and Lena Góra, carries an organic spontaneity that mirrors the characters’ emotional turbulence. The collaborative writing process allows the performances to feel lived-in rather than scripted, blurring the line between improvisation and intention.
Produced by an ensemble team including Jeremy O. Harris and Charli xcx herself, the project reflects a spirit of creative risk-taking. Ohs’ approach embraces imperfection, leaning into moments of awkward silence, spontaneous humor, and romantic uncertainty.

Warsaw as Emotional Landscape

Warsaw is not merely a backdrop but a character in its own right. The city’s architecture, nightlife, and lingering traces of history shape the atmosphere of the film. Ohs captures it with a restless camera that wanders through neon-lit clubs and quiet courtyards alike. This sense of movement underscores Bethany’s emotional drift as she navigates love, friendship, and the possibility of transformation.
The volcanic eruption that sets the narrative in motion becomes a metaphor for upheaval. The explosion is never fully explained or resolved. Instead, it lingers like a question mark over the characters’ choices, suggesting that sometimes catastrophe is the catalyst for clarity.

Romance Without Illusion

While described as an anti-romantic comedy, Erupcja refuses easy cynicism. The film examines the pains and pleasures of being in love without reducing them to punchlines or melodrama. Relationships here are complicated by memory, ambition, and the quiet fear of settling for something that no longer fits. Bethany’s entanglement with Nel adds further emotional texture, inviting reflection on how friendship can be both refuge and mirror.
Critics have noted the film’s ability to split the difference between dreamy romanticism and grounded realism. It contains hints of magic without abandoning emotional truth. There are moments of exhilaration that feel almost musical, followed by scenes of stillness where doubt quietly settles in.

A Compact Yet Resonant Experience

With a runtime of just over an hour, Erupcja feels both fleeting and expansive. Its compact form intensifies the emotional stakes, allowing no wasted space. Pete Ohs’ multi-hyphenate role behind the camera gives the film a cohesive vision, one that hums with creative independence.
As it opens in New York and Los Angeles, Erupcja arrives as a cinematic rumble, intimate yet thunderous. It captures a generation negotiating love in a world where stability feels increasingly fragile. Through volcanic disruption and nocturnal wanderings, it reminds us that sometimes the most transformative journeys begin when everything goes wrong.